35 25 -|

Age: 13

The rest of that day never happened. Nope.

…"Very well!" I snapped, fighting down my traitorous blush. "I shall become the best lover Millicas-sama can have!"

"And the rest of your Bondmates?" Shirone pushed.

My mind, still not quite out of the 'taken into the bedchambers' gutter, took the words quite differently than she intended them. It certainly didn't help that she was extremely attractive at the moment…

Nopenopenopenope.

I'm not blushing. I'm not. Not even a little bit.

Soft fur, brushing against my fingers as I began petting the adorable Nekoshou…

Damn it. It's been how many years, and I'm still hung up on that memory?

I muffled a frustrated groan with my pillow.

Stupid feelings. Stupid lovers. Stupid Ishtar.

I studiously ignored the Millicas plushie I might or might not have sewn myself. It's not exactly helping my case. I'm head over heels for them, and I damn well know it. My current position is only cementing my grave. Ishtar's curse hasn't shown up for over a year, probably because it knows I've been doing exactly what it wants me to. Ravel hasn't been too vocal either, and her voice has been getting fainter by the day. And that is both mortifying and worrying to consider.

I groaned quietly to myself, feeling Millicas beginning to stir. My redheaded husband may be an idiot, but he's excellent at waking up on time. That meant I had to get up as well. I sat up, yawning and stretching as I decided to bite the bullet. Millicas opened his eyes, blinking sleepily up at me. Normally I would've debated between kissing him good morning and ignoring his existence for the next five minutes, but the day being what it was had put me in an irritable mood.

"Morning." I mumbled, slipping out of bed and making my way over to my closet. I took out my normal outfit, uncaring of whether or not my husband saw me dress. He was probably the one to put me in my nightgown after I fell asleep last night, and I only really get embarrassed about being unclothed before him when others are present.

I could hear him beginning to wake my other lovers rather than ogling me, and I smiled to myself. 'Oh, and Millicas-sama is a gentleman. That helps. He only looks when he knows I want him to.'

"M'not hungry." Shirone's sleepy voice brushed past my ear. "Giv'm back."

I giggled softly, picturing her grumpy expression as she pawed for the covers. My Shirone is cute when she's waking up.

Millicas sighed. "Do I need to start kissing Gil?"

I froze, brush in hand, as the familiar embarrassment of kissing my husband began to creep into my mind.

Really, it's not that big of a deal. In fact, it actually feels amazing… you remember, don't you?

GODDAMMIT! Stop liking that idea so much!

I huffed, slapping my own cheeks. Either he would kiss me or he wouldn't. It's not my choice. It's the fastest way to wake the other two up, and we have to have breakfast with my parents.

The adorable kitten blearily looked up. "Kiss?"

Millicas sighed again. "You'll just go back to sleep if I do."

"No I won't." She promised, giving him a hopeful look.

He sighed, crumpling. We can never deny our precious kitten anything when she wants it, and she's very good about following through on her side of the bargain. Unfortunately, my mind caught on a particular piece of information that made me more irritated than it probably should've.

'N̶o̶ ̶k̶i̶s̶s̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶n̶.̶'̶ ̶I̶ ̶t̶h̶o̶u̶g̶h̶t̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶a̶p̶p̶o̶i̶n̶t̶e̶d̶l̶y̶.̶ ̶'̶P̶i̶t̶y̶.̶'̶

(You didn't hear that.)

My husband leaned down and kissed our little lover, brushing her long, white hair out of her face with his hand as he did. I found myself guiltily anticipating what followed.

His lips brushed hers' and I closed my eyes to brace against the rush. My breath caught, and I was suddenly swimming in euphoria. It hummed through my veins, lowering my inhibitions and making me want to join in the kiss. I mean, why is she the only one who's getting kissed? I'm his as well, after all. I deserve a—

And then it was over, and my thoughts came to a screeching halt. I felt an ache where it had left, slowly growing and becoming slightly painful, but I ignored it through sheer force of will. Maybe at one point I had been unable to resist, but I quickly learned the dangers in giving in to the call. Now I only indulged when I was holding my Nekoshou, otherwise I try to clamp down on my desires before they ran away with me.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and fighting my raging blush. I coughed into my hand. Breakfast. Right. I can get a kis—er, I can worry about that later. "Ahem. We should head to breakfast."

Ruby nodded furiously, her face still red from the kiss. I couldn't blame her, still trying to fight down my own blush. "Yes. Breakfast. Breakfast is good."

She got out of bed and grabbed her cloak, pulling out one of my Requip gems. A second later, she stood in her normal outfit and was placing Crescent Rose beneath her cloak. Shirone just yawned, still purring, and snuggled into Millicas-sa—Millicas. His name is Millicas.

Millicas sighed. "Shirone…"

She groaned and stood up, still basking in her Gluttony-induced bliss as she grabbed a set of clothes and began changing. As she pulled off her shirt, I glanced down at my perky B-cups and huffed. Damn cat is bigger than I am. Then again, all those sweets have to go somewhere…

"Pervert." She accused.

I blinked, my face warming with embarrassment. Had she caught me looking? No. My fears were assuaged as my husband smiled and turned away.

My eye twitched. 'Damn husband, looking at his lover before his wife… adorable or not, I'm still the First Wife, not her! I ought to—no.'

I closed my eyes, counting to ten and forcing myself to calm down. No matter how much he irritated me, I still love Shirone and Millicas with all that I am. I'd never hurt them. They're far too precious for that.

My most precious treasures.

I flushed as the thought popped into my head. Cheesy or not, it was true. I wouldn't survive losing them, and even if I did, I doubt I'd want to keep going.

I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "Are you ready now?"

Shirone shrugged, glancing down and preforming a half-twirl. "Yep."

Ruby nodded, fastening her cloak. Millicas smiled his beautiful smile, melting my insides into goo. The kind of smile he doesn't even realize he has on. The kind he wears whenever he's thinking about us. "Let's go, then."

We appeared in the Phenex family's dining hall, walking over to take our usual seats. Riser appeared a minute later without his disguise on. He wore his typical blue uniform jacket and slacks, his boots polished and his white hair messily done. He was pulling on his Ignition cloth dress gloves, a gift from Millicas on his recent fifteenth birthday.

"Did you have to kiss them awake?" He asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

I didn't even hesitate, opening my Gate and hurling a half-dozen nameless weapons at him. Moron should know better than to stick his nose in my business.

He dodged without a problem, smirk still in place. "What? Everyone knows how hard it is to wake them up, and it's not too hard to figure out how you manage it."

Prick.

Millicas's brilliant smile faded to his normal smile, and he gestured to Riser's face. "You finally taking off the illusion?"

He scoffed. "Hell no. If they aren't able to see through the illusion or the act, then they aren't worth taking seriously."

I huffed. I was in that 'not worth taking seriously' category at one point. "I see that you still haven't matured very much."

He grinned. "Says the girl who gets pithy whenever I mention the size of her—"

This time, I didn't stop the hail of weapons for a much longer time. A line had been crossed. You don't mention a guy's dick size, you don't mention a girl's breast size. He routinely makes fun of both, making Issei and I quite determined to give him a good kick in the crotch. Prick has it coming to him.

Millicas sighed. "Don't worry, Gil. Even if Shirone and Ruby are bigger than you are now, doesn't mean they always will be."

I shot him a glare. 'Not. Helping.' "And how would you know that for sure?"

He smirked, unflustered by my vicious glare. "Remember my 'vision' of the Red Dragon Emperor?"

I felt several images flowing into my mind, and I blinked. Ravel, hair in drills, arms crossed under her chest. Ravel in a school swimsuit, smiling. Ravel in the onsen, chatting with a waifish white-haired girl.

Oh my. Those are large. I wonder if they float when—

Ahem.

"…I don't think you have anything to worry about." My husband finished, grinning roguishly at me.

I coughed, cheeks flushing. "I-I see." Damn his unconscious charm, catching me off guard…

Shirone turned, giving him an inquisitive look. He sighed and sent an image of a small girl in a school swimsuit. She frowned. "But I'm already bigger than that, and I'm still growing."

'My thoughts exactly.'

Millicas coughed, flushing softly.

I just need to take a moment here and reflect upon how utterly adorable a blushing Millicas is. Those soft eyes, glancing away. Lightly stained cheeks, pulled into a half-smile. Thin lips, quirked slightly to the side.

Ahem.

"I… may have had something to do with that." He admitted, scratching his cheek.

A moment of silence passed, and he sighed. "Look. Your future self was insecure about her height, so I gave you milk to help you grow. It didn't occur to me that it might have a different effect."

"She certainly grew, alright." Ruby muttered, glancing at her own modest-sized breasts. I did the same with my mosquito bites. "How big is my adult form, again?"

"Image, or three sizes?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

I felt I had truly impressive self-control for not immediately asking for the picture.

"Both." Riser, Shirone and Ruby replied in unison.

…Perverts, the lot of them.

I glared at my moronic brother, a glare he ignored without issue. "What? She's hot and cute now, so I know she's gonna be a bombshell when she's older. I'm a healthy teenaged male. Besides, I know she could shred me if I looked at her wrong."

Millicas smirked, giving him a thumbs-up. "Issei would approve."

Riser grinned back at my husband, a gleam in his eye. "Issei does approve. I figured out how to set up mental links, and he's just as curious as I am."

Millicas nodded in approval. "Good."

I shot him a confused look, and he shrugged. "What? I hoard you girls, do I not? What good is a hoard if you can't show it off to others? I might not have much, but I do have some Pride left in me."

I sighed. I knew this song and dance from my palace days, and I didn't like it one bit. "So you're showing us off?"

He nodded, oblivious to my inner turmoil. "Shamelessly. I'm going to do the same thing when we go to tonight's formal ball and party, too. I'm going to proudly kiss each and every one of you in front of the entire crowd. You're beautiful, and I want everyone to know that you're mine."

…Dammit, why does he have to be so suave, without even realizing what he's doing to me!?

Shirone smirked, eyeing my expression. "And what about that picture?"

"And the sizes?" Riser called.

Millicas grinned, sending a mental image through the Bond. Out loud, he called to Riser "Bust 89, waist 55, hips 89."

I tuned out the rest of the conversation, staring at the mental image. Those smooth curves… that adorable beret… that soft blush… those green eyes… long legs, going for miles in each direction… a chest large enough to suffocate someone…

Ruby grows up to be utterly scrumptious. Absolutely worthy of being added to my treasury.

…Since when was I adding girls to my treasury, anyway?

Well, whatever.

I tuned back into the conversation, hoping my blush would go away.

"Them? Professional?" Millicas asked incredulously.

"They'll quickly learn that the reputation of their shop decides the number of customers. If they want more customers, then they'll act professional. And they'll eventually learn that all girls have the same basic parts, and cease being so enthusiastic." She replied easily. Then, flushing, she continued. "B-by the time we need dresses, they should be fine."

…Are they planning our wedding?

I tried to hide it as I perked up, listening closer.

"You should probably put on your illusion." Millicas said instead, turning to Riser.

D̶a̶m̶m̶i̶t̶.̶ ̶I̶f̶ ̶o̶n̶l̶y̶ ̶F̶u̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ ̶R̶u̶b̶y̶'̶s̶ ̶a̶s̶s̶ ̶h̶a̶d̶n̶'̶t̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶s̶o̶ ̶f̶i̶n̶e̶,̶ ̶I̶ ̶w̶o̶u̶l̶d̶'̶v̶e̶ ̶b̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶a̶b̶l̶e̶ ̶h̶e̶l̶p̶ ̶p̶l̶a̶n̶ ̶o̶u̶r̶ ̶w̶e̶d̶d̶i̶n̶g̶!̶

(You saw nothing.)

Riser nodded, shifting into his playboy attire. I sighed, forcing my mildly perverted thoughts into a corner for later. If there was a later. A moment later, a large magic circle blazed to life across the hall from us. From the circle stepped my parents, looking every bit as prim and proper as I remembered.

Father spoke up first. "I take it you all have proper attire for Ravel's formal ball? We are going to be announcing her engagement today, you know."

My face heated up slightly. It's one thing to call him my husband inside my mind, it's another to scream it to the world. Maybe for Gilgamesh this would've been bearable, but for me? It was an absolute nightmare.

Millicas smirked, shooting me a glance. "I know. Your daughter hasn't stopped thinking about it since she found out."

'Well screw you too!'

Father shot me a look full of fabricated fondness. "I see. You know, if anyone else had said that, she would've lit them on fire."

My husband nodded, still smirking. "She knows I can and will grab her and snuggle her wherever. If she did try to do that, I would just make sure to snuggle her until her embarrassment outshines her anger."

Father smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Good. Our daughter needs someone who can call her out on her antics. Just make sure that she's always that focused on you, and she'll be yours forever."

I felt something snap. "DAD!" I spat, both a warning and a threat. If he was to treat me so familiarly, I would do the same. I managed to add a whiny tone to it, so as to not concern my lovers.

He laughed, but said nothing more. Mother spoke up next, rolling her eyes at my amateurish complaint. "Well, as long as you have formal wear, I can rest easy. You do all have some, yes?"

We all nodded. Mother smiled in satisfaction. "Good. The ball starts at four, so you have plenty of time to prepare. Now, let's eat."

I ate quickly, trying to get away from the conniving witch calling itself my mother as soon as I could. Millicas seemed slightly surprised as I dragged the rest of my precious people away, but I didn't care. The fool trusts my mother, and that's never good.

I fussed over preparations for the ball as much as I could, knowing that my first impression was something I would never get back if I ruined it. From my gown to the decorations, everything was meticulously planned. Millicas, bless his heart, didn't so much as blink as I became more and more stressed. He stood calmly as I became more and more frustrated, defusing my temper the times I nearly snapped at slow servants.

The guests finally began to arrive, and I was catapulted into the scum of high society. Thankfully, I had enough of Gilgamesh in me that I was unexpectedly blasé about the rest of the ordeal. I was worried Ravel would be more of an issue, what with how often her insecurities and flustered nature interfere with my love life, but she was suspiciously silent as I began delicately stabbing people in their pride with the grace and authority of a Lugal.

Mongrels only want what's between my legs, anyway. For themselves, their misbegotten wretches, or both at the same time. Society hasn't changed much since I—er, Gilgamesh died, and that's simultaneously soothing and aggravating. At least the marriage proposals will stop once Father announces my engagement. Though my husband has never cared for the whims of the feeble-minded, his family name commands enough respect for me to remain safe from even the most daring families.

I sighed, shaking the hand of a greasy-looking Devil and catching sight of Shirone stumbling through the crowd. Poor dear probably has sensory overload, what with her negative emotion sensing and heightened auditory perception. Nekoshou are meant for quiet environments or stealth missions, not obnoxious parties like this one.

Ruby gave me a small nod, and I left the issue in her hands. Concerned though I may be, I could ask questions later. For now, I have to deal with the ocean of sleaze.

As the time droned on, I felt my patience slipping. Gilgamesh usually spent her time sitting and listening to people begging her for something, not this drivel. I was beginning to consider bringing out my Gate, just to see how nice this moron would look in twenty pieces, but I decided it would be more trouble than it was worth.

Father caught my attention, approaching where I was standing along with my lovers. I quashed my instinct to stab the man, an instinct I had whenever he was within ten feet of my precious ones. In this case, he was likely the herald of the torture's end, so I bore his presence with nary a glare.

Clearing his throat, my father spoke. "May I have your attention, please?" He called, silencing the guests. "We have gathered here today to celebrate my daughter's thirteenth birthday. However, I have an announcement to make." He paused. "I have secured for my daughter a marriage contract with a prominent family."

Murmurs raced through the crowd. He continued. "I am pleased to announce the engagement of Millicas Gremory and Ravel Phenex. May this marriage secure a better future for Devilkind!"

Millicas smiled, ignoring the whispers racing through the crowd. The mongrels, disparaging his name with only the rumors they made up to use as evidence of their despicable—

Oh, he's kissing me.

…

…

…

Oh, Satans, he's kissing me!

My heart did a tap dance as I felt his body press against mine, warm breath brushing my face. And his lips, warm and soft, tenderly expressing his love for me. All this was worth it, no matter how terrible it was, because he was kissing me now.

My brain drifted off into a pleasurable bliss for a few moments, before reality came crashing in. I was in public, in full view of the Devil equivalent of Nobles, while almost dissolving from the feeling of a simple kiss. As he pulled back, I tried to force my brain to work. "W-w-what—?"

Millicas smirked. "Mine." He whispered softly.

I just blushed brighter, my invisible collar suddenly impossible to ignore. I would've loved nothing more than to have him holding the other end of the chain at that moment, showing the rest of the insignificant half-bred mongrels that I was taken, by a bigger man than any of them ever hoped to be.

But alas, it wasn't to be. I would never do something like that in public.

I always have my fantasies, though.

We left before Millicas did, changing out of our heavy gowns. My mind was still humming from Millicas-sama's kiss, and I wasn't exactly trying to stop it, either. We made idle chatter of our time at the ball, taking our time while changing.

"… And I swear, before Millicas made a point to kiss me, it was like every other person I spoke to was eying me like a piece of meat. I mean…" Shirone was complaining, bending over to retrieve her fallen pajama shirt and exposing her lace panties.

I felt my eyes linger on the sight of my lover's magnificent curves. In time, she would be a wonderful—

Oh, Satans, I've become Gilgamesh. Quick, find something else to focus on!

My cheeks still glowing, I tried to pay attention as she continued talking. My eyes were most certainly not on her panties, thank you very much. I'm a high-class lady, what do you expect of me?

I froze as my husband sent us a wordless warning. His mind vanished a moment later, and all embarrassment vanished in an instant, replaced by worry. We finished shucking our dresses and waited patiently, knowing that if he had enough time to warn us, he had enough time to get away. Moron though he may be, he's a good enough fighter to match me—er, Gilgamesh.

Dammit, this split identity is getting too irritating to be convenient. I have to figure out some medium to fall to.

{Girls?} My husband finally called, and I felt relief crash into me.

{Are you alright?} I asked immediately, trying to find out where he was. If he needed help…

{I'm fine. I let myself get captured to see what they wanted.}

…Are you shitting me? {That has to be the worst plan you've ever had. And I found you trying to test your skin with different knives, once.} I growled.

{…That never happened.} Millicas grumbled. {But what about staying in character? The instant I took that guy out, I admitted to being stronger than I let on.}

…I hadn't thought of that, really. Perhaps his strategy… no. While a viable short-term solution, he caused more problems than he solved. He likely planned it on the fly and didn't think it through. Yes, that would sound like him.

…Dammit, is he even paying attention to me right now? What is he—oh. Something's happening.

Moments later, he heard footsteps. "Is he awake?"

"No."

The unfamiliar voices sounded in the silence, making me tense slightly. "I don't know why we're even guarding the brat. He's just some worthless piece of shit. The only thing he's good at is getting lost."

He smirked to himself. {True, but I am magnificent at getting lost. It's an art form.}

I let out a peal of laughter at his errant thought.

The other voice replied, "Protocol, mostly. He's still the son of the fake Lucifer, even if he's wimpy."

He frowned. {Fake Lucifer? Must be the Old Maou Faction. I should've known announcing 'Ravel's' engagement to me would ruffle some feathers. I'm just glad they decided to take it out on me, instead of my girls.}

{As are they.} Ruby pointed out in amusement, making me grit my teeth. As much as I love my Ruby, she can't keep her mouth shut when I'm trying to concentrate.

He waited for the guards to speak again, but they seemed content to sit in silence. He sighed. {All right, girls. Looks like we're not getting any more out of them. Tell my father I'm safe, and cut off contact for a while. I'm going to go get lost, and I don't know how lost I'm going to get. I'll be back in a week for sure, any longer and something went wrong.}

{All right. Be safe.} Ruby whispered, before disconnecting.

I waited a moment longer, before sending a small wave of affection in his direction and disconnecting myself. Not quite a kiss, but close enough.

I opened my eyes in the real world, stretching and yawning.

"So…" Ruby began casually, making me freeze. "What are we supposed to do while he's gone?"

Shirone smirked. "Hey, Gil, do you mind if we have a talk?"

I nodded slowly, a sinking feeling in my gut. "Sure. What about?"

"It… may be something personal." Shirone warned, tone almost predatory.

I coughed, stamping out my nerves. Shirone would never hurt me. Mildly embarrass, yes, but not hurt. "I-it's all right. We are lovers, after all. It's only fair for me to tell you about myself." I told her sternly. And indeed, it is only fair for her to ask. She just never has before.

She smiled. A cat that's swiped the cream. "Which of your lives did you get your sub kink from?"

…Never mind, then.

'How the hell does she know about my sub kink! I've been trying to hide that since I found out I had it!' I thought, feeling my face light on fire.

"Wh-what?" I spluttered, mouth working before my brain could reboot. "W-why would you…"

I paused, thinking more calmly this time. 'Well, I did do a terrible job of hiding it. She could've been listening at any given time, and I really wasn't trying to fool her, just myself. I suppose I owe her something, at least.'

So what to say?

"W-well… both, really." I admitted softly.

"Even as Gilgamesh?" She pressed.

I hesitated, considering the question more fully. Ravel was a spitfire with a heart of gold. She fell in love with Millicas and would've done anything for him without question, but part of that was her upbringing. High-Class females are essentially brainwashed from their early childhood to be whatever their future spouses wanted them to be, no matter what. Ravel is one of the more emotional children, so her parents had to have a more hands-off approach to parenting her. Namely leaving her alone for long periods of time without any other contact. In time, she would become so desperate for another person to love her that she would happily become whatever they wished her to be.

Cold, callous, and brutally effective. Devil-like to the extreme. A plan I would've never recognized if not for my other life.

Gilgamesh, on the other hand, was more passive in her interests. However, as my odd, meandering thoughts often reminded me, Gilgamesh was the type to endlessly pursue something once she found it. Her own desire was born out of a wish that someone else would one day pursue her the way she had her treasures, valuing her enough to put her on their pedestal yet willing to let her free when she needed it. Moreover…

I sighed. Might as well put this in words. ""W-well, to tell the truth…" I began, unnaturally shy. "My fantasies have always involved being pursued, captured, restrained, enjoyed by and submitting to a worthy Dominant male." I paused, a flicker of anger building. "The key word is worthy—someone who is naturally dominant, honest, knows himself, appreciates my adoration and service and is worthy of my trust. A lover worthy of a Lugal."

Indeed, it would make me physically sick to have some slob trying to play at being my better. Uncaring of me save for their personal pleasure, never seeing me for me. And that's what made me truly fall in love with Millicas—his willingness to see me as myself no matter how I acted. One day, I had little doubt that he would look down at me with the same loving gaze as he always did, one hand around my collar and his other—

Stoppingthatthoughtnow.

I like sand. Sand is nice. It's golden, like my treasures.

Shirone raised an eyebrow, drawing my attention. "And what appeals to you about submitting to Master?"

Oh, Satan, we're still on this? Why? I'm trying to hide my kink's existence, not run a Q&A session!

'Calm down, calm down. You love Shirone, and she's just trying to learn more about you.'

I took a deep breath, coughing to hide my embarrassment. "I-I tend to over-think everything." I finally blurted, listing one of Gilgamesh's reasons. It was the first thing that came to mind, so I just ran with it. It was true enough of me, anyway. "I can get stuck in a worst-case scenario or processing loop over most any decision. So, simplifying my life by devoting myself to Him, as His submissive, allows to me make all decisions based on what pleases Him. Again, this only works because I judge Him as wise, just, fair and trustworthy."

I glanced furtively at Shirone's expression, which said she most definitely had noticed that last bit. I had little doubt that she would remember this moment to tease me with for a very long time.

Ah, well. Might as well go for broke. My reputation is already in ruins, so it's not like this can get any more awkward. "I-I see my submission as my gift to him." I mumbled, moving on to Ravel's reasons. "He protects me, takes care of me and supports me in everything I do, big and small, and in return I make it my mission to please him in any way I can. And by pleasing him, it makes me feel happy."

There. I've covered both Gilgamesh and Ravel's reasons for wanting Millicas while artfully dodging my own. Please tell me we're done now. I do not want to explain my embarrassing sense of Pride to a pair of perverts. Or my bizarre love of slave collars, for that matter.

Shirone blinked. "…Okay, then. Why do you want to be the First Wife?"

Bless your soul. A question that I don't have to feel awkward about. I sniffed disdainfully, trying to shove my embarrassment to the side with my tried and tested method of pretending it never happened. "It befits a Lugal of my stature, does it not?"

Ruby finally spoke up, making me relax a bit more. She's sure to let the previous topic die. "So, you're saying that you only want the title?"

I paused, considering. My Pride wouldn't let me not be the best, but I'm only really worried about the public's opinion, so… if I had to… I could settle for only being the public face. "I suppose." I admitted quietly. "A Lugal such as I could not settle for anything less than the best, though."

"So, why not?" Ruby replied, smiling. "I mean, you're the only pureblooded Devil here, so you would be the only acceptable candidate. You can officially take the title, while I take the responsibilities."

I relaxed. I… really hadn't been looking forward to whatever responsibilities Mother had refused to tell me about. Ruby was better about the interpersonal parts, anyway, though she was terrible at politics. I could handle the politics, she could handle the duties. A perfect division of labor. "This is acceptable." I agreed.

Shirone smirked, interjecting herself into the conversation once more. "Well, then. I suppose you should start in on your duties, right?"

I blinked, confused. "Duties? What duties?" 'Please don't tell me Mother conveniently forgot to tell me I have to balance Millicas's checkbook or something. I might've been missing something this whole time!'

Ruby sighed, straightening and walking over to me. We were still only dressed in our bras and panties from where we had frozen in place, a fact I was suddenly very aware of. I was honestly torn between reaching for a cover and taking off the rest of my garments.

The beautiful creature before me moved close, wrapping her arms gently around my shoulders. "Gil… do you know what the duties of a First Wife are? Even if I'm taking them over in private, you still need to keep up appearances."

I felt my cheeks begin to burn as I failed to keep my desires in check. 'R-right. Conversation. We were talking.' As my lover's hands wandered down to my waist, my composure became harder and harder to hold. "A-ah, no?" I squeaked, trying to distract myself from her concerned green eyes.

An image of the sexy Dragoness several years older with the body of a supermodel flickered into my mind, a remnant from earlier in the day. I could see the beginnings of it in her even now, creamy skin and long red hair, light underclothes leaving nothing to the imagination.

I squeaked as my lover picked me up like a delicate doll, taking the few steps necessary to reach the bed. She sat in the middle of the sheets, leaning against the headboard and placing me on her lap. I felt my body trembling from her touch, making my face light up.

'Nonononono. No. Bad girl. Don't look at Ruby like that. She's your lover, yes, but you're too young.' I took a deep breath, forcing the cloud of Lust out of my mind. 'Fucking Ishtar.' I added, mostly out of habit as I snuggled back into the comfortable embrace of my lover.

Shirone sat next to us, smiling at me as Ruby began to braid my hair. The familiar act was soothing, making me relax even more. "The First Wife is, obviously, the person that the husband marries first." Ruby began, her soft voice lulling me into a stupor as her experienced fingers skillfully wove through my hair. "This means that it's her duty to lead her sisters, as the most 'experienced' wife. But, seeing as this is Devil society, one also bears the responsibility of being the first one to bear your spouse's child. It's not mandatory, but it's considered a mark of honor if you do."

I flushed, realizing what she was implying. "S-so, I have to do… that… with Millicas-sama before any of you do?"

I could feel her soft smile as she answered kindly. "No, knowing Millicas, he'll probably either give all of us our first time at once or take us one at a time in a show of love. He just won't get any of us pregnant."

Relief crashed into me, and I felt a weight slip from my shoulders. "G-good." I murmured. "I-I mean, I don't really have a-any…"

"Experience?" Ruby finished for me. "I don't either. I mean, other than fooling around with Shirone whenever we're both… in the mood… but you have as much experience with that as I do."

I felt my cheeks light on fire at the mention of THAT. THAT is something I try to ignore, thank you very much. At least when Gilgamesh was growing up she could distract herself with her studies. As a Devil, I happen to have about three or four times the hormone levels of Gilgamesh, as well as two extremely attractive female lovers. It's inevitable that some level of… experimentation… would occur.

I forced down my raging blush, focusing on something else she had said. "Really? I would've thought that… I mean, you're how old?"

I felt her shift, her body moving up and down in a brief shrug. "Don't really know. But really, I only had passing acquaintances or enemies. Anyone that I might have considered a friend has been alienated or killed by Albion. That didn't really get me many opportunities for a meaningful relationship. If anything, you would have more experience than I do, being King and all. Wouldn't you have an entire harem of young boys or something?"

I flushed once more. "W-what? Of course not!" I paused, forcing my embarrassment under control and considering the question. "I never really trusted anyone enough to, actually." I admitted with a soft sigh. "There were any number of ways it could go wrong. The gods could've caused me to fall for someone and then kill them just to spite me. Someone could stab me in my sleep. A rival kingdom could talk me into marrying one of their princes, just to take my power from me." I shook my head. "No, it was best for me to never touch romance."

A thought occurred as my memory reached back to the days of Uruk. Images of greedy misers and incompetent retainers. "Not to mention…" My face twisted into a scowl as I dismissed my Gate's automatic summoning. "Humans besides my best friend are nothing but scum."

I could feel her warm smile once more as her nimble fingers ceasing braiding. Then her slender arms were wrapped around me, pulling me back against her soft chest as she murmured in my ear. "Good girl." The words sent shivers through me, and my face warmed. "No one but us, right?"

Good girl.

The words raced through me, my face warming further as the spark of desire burst into an open flame. I fought it for a brief moment, before I felt a small tug in the back of my mind.

You're not in public, are you? It whispered. You're in the arms of your lover. So why resist?

"R-right." I whispered, my eyes fluttering shut as I leaned against H-her.

"Good." She murmured, continuing her lesson. "Now, besides leading her sisters and bearing the first child, a First Wife must greet guests in the place of their spouse when said spouse is unavailable. She becomes the representative of the entire household, and is thus responsible for their actions."

So warm… so soft…

I felt the feeling of submission coat my mind like a warm blanket, soothing me and making me relax into Her arms. The tiny voice continued to whisper, though it didn't seem to need to do as much. My mind, conditioned as it was to allow my Mistress control whenever She wanted it, was already comfortable in its' role.

I sighed in contentment, trying to force my thoughts back to more rational paths. It wasn't working too well, but at least I could still compose sentences. "I know that, at least." I told H-her. "I've seen my mother doing that before, and she told me that it would be my job one day."

My tired and Lust-numbed mind finally lost the fight to rationality, and I wondered if Ruby would be averse to using my collar. Her finger was drawing small circles on my exposed stomach, and my mind was wandering somewhere Dangerous.

NO. No, no, no.

I shook myself, trying to focus on her words.

"I-I see." She murmured, seemingly just as affected as I was by our close proximity. I was suddenly very aware of the sleeping Nekoshou to my side, dead to the world and unable to be woken even by the loudest sounds. "W-well, anyway, you would be in charge of Millicas's estate, and you'd be able to use his funds however you wished. Beyond that, there's really nothing to it. Besides making sure to act like our superior in public, I can handle most of the other things if need be."

I decided that I had to move, the light sensation of Ruby's gentle circles driving my Lust-addled brain absolutely crazy. I sat up abruptly, trying to find a position that wouldn't be awkward. I settled for sitting up and turning to look her in the eye. Yes. Keep looking at the eyes. Don't look beneath the neck. Ignore the red lace.

I smiled nervously at her, the butterflies in my stomach settling. Reason. Find a reason to move. Now. "Thank you, Ruby."

Now I just had to make an excuse, go to bed, and—

The world tilted suddenly, making me blink in surprise. Suddenly Ruby was straddling me with a hungry expression, and I felt blood rushing to my cheeks. She leaned down and pressed a searing kiss to my lips, and an involuntary squeak came from deep in my chest. She held the kiss for a moment before pulling away. Then she was above me again, pinning me to the bed and looking down at me like I was about to be devoured.

'I had a dream like this, once.' I thought deliriously. 'I wish I remembered how it ended. That would be amazing.'

Ruby's beautiful voice came in low growl, making me shiver. "Stop being so damn tempting, damn it. This is so hard."

Then she was kissing me again, and her tongue was probing my lips. Another involuntary squeak of embarrassment came from me, but I shyly allowed her to deepen the kiss. I noted dreamily that her mouth tasted like rosewater, and that her kiss was doing funny things to my mind. Submitting completely to my Mistress was becoming more and more appealing now that I had a taste of the druglike euphoria, and I was honestly struggling for a reason not to.

Then she was pulling away once more, her green eyes glowing in the soft candlelight. I lay still, silently hoping she'd kiss me again. Or, better—

Mistress reached out, fingers brushing against my invisible collar. "Do you mind if I use this?" She whispered, my golden bracelet shimmering to life.

Yesyesyesyesyes…

I shivered in delight. It's been ages since anyone has Commanded me, and the empty feeling that comes from Sin withdrawals is beginning to gnaw at me. If Mistress wants to use it… oh, yes. Ravel's Pride loves that idea.

I shook my head shyly, praying to all four Satans that she did as she had asked.

"You really love this, don't you?" She whispered, reaching out to touch the band of gold.

I nodded, flushing as her fingers began trailing down my collarbone. "R-Ruby?" I managed, struggling to focus. There was something wrong here, something that I wasn't supposed to be doing. But for the life of me, I couldn't remember what.

She smiled, and leaning down to kiss her once more. "If I use this…" She whispered, my nose brushing hers as her green orbs stared into mine. "You'll find out how much fun being my little sub can be."

I wanted to. Oh, I wanted to. No matter how much I might deny it later, I wanted nothing more than to let Ruby ravage me to her heart's content. But something inside me, the part of me that loved Millicas above all else, recoiled from the thought. My first time belonged to Millicas, and no one else. I forced my mind to work, to push through the desire clouding my mind. "W-wha-a?" I managed, more of a whimper than anything. "B-but—"

She silenced me with a kiss, blowing any resistance I had out of the water. "It'll be good practice for when you finally allow Millicas to have his way with you. You'll have no hesitation." She told me teasingly.

I found myself nodding in agreement. Some practice couldn't hurt, and this beautiful being would never lie to me. "R-right. Practice. Sure." I agreed. Then my common sense kicked in once more, and I glanced back up to meet her eyes. "B-but, um, I-I'm not actually going to…"

She shook her head, kissing me lightly on the nose. "Silly girl." She hummed softly. "I would never take your first time away from your Master." She reached down to brush my cheek. "It's just a little… practice. As well as my punishment for you tempting me this entire time. Okay? I won't make you do anything you don't want to."

I still hesitated, fighting the voice in my head that wanted me to just submit already. "But still… Millicas-sama said not to use my collar casually…"

She pressed her forehead to mine. "This isn't casual." She corrected. "This is important training for living life with a Lust as a Mate, as well as allowing you to become more comfortable with your body. I'm holding back right now, but once we're all ready…"

I shivered, feeling her warm breath tickle my cheeks. Mistress was so close… and a bit of practice wasn't anything bad. Mistress would never hurt Master, so my chastity was safe. "O-okay." I whispered, the last of my resistance fading. "G-go ahead."

A thrill ran through me as I saw Her bracelet begin to glow. I lay beneath Her, relaxed and ready do whatever She Commanded. Since it was only practice, I would probably be willing to do quite a bit. And we never really have tested the limits of these Commands…

"All right, then, my little slave…" She murmured, tugging on my collar. My mind nearly shut down from the pleasure that simple action gave me. "By order of Command Seal, obey my next Command until I release you." The lines on my collar glowed blood red, and then faded. A shot of pure bliss ran through me, almost making me cry out in ecstasy. I managed to stifle it to a strangled gasp as the guilt hit. Master wouldn't like me doing this, would He?

But Master isn't here right now.

Master isn't here right now. All there is is my sexy Mistress and Her besotted slave. I waited excitedly for the bliss the Command would cause as She began to speak.

"Now…" Mistress murmured. "From now on, you're going to wear that collar in front of everyone you can, and every time someone sees you in it, you're going to remember who gave it to you and what it means to you."

I frowned mentally. 'And here I was, expecting her to make me do something kinky. How disappointing.'

The rest of my mind evidently disagreed, especially the part numbed with Lust. That would be amazing! Walking around in this collar that Master gave me, happily serving Him in all that I did…

Laying myself bare before Him, so He could see all of His possession…

NO!

My Pride as King finally kicked in, clearing my mind and lighting my cheeks on fire. "W-what?" I managed, stumbling over the word.

She smirked, leaning down and kissing me, but I resisted. If I submitted again, I would actually start to enjoy those thoughts. Almost disappointed in my refusal, Mistress pulled away.

Bad girl.

I felt my stomach drop as the feeling hit. I had just hurt Mistress, and it was my duty to make her feel better again. However possible.

I grit my teeth, forcing my mind to clear the fog of Lust. Ishtar's vow fought me every step of the way, and I knew that the only reason I had succeeded in escaping its' grasp was because Ruby hadn't yet defeated me in battle. If she had, I would've been stuck in the almost slave-like adoration forever.

I took a shuddering breath. "W-why?" I begged, feeling the Command sink in. "W-why did you…"

It would be so humiliating!

H-humiliated…

Why is that turning me on?!

…Dammit. Now I can't stop picturing Ruby publicly holding my collar. Pulling me around like I'm her submissive bitch, pinning me and stealing heated kisses, taking me to abandoned classrooms and—

She giggled at my naughty thoughts, tapping me on the nose to get me to focus. "Easy. One, you become less shy with your desires." I could almost feel my nether regions heat up at that. "Two, you start realizing what both your collar and Millicas really mean to you." I blinked. Millicas? What about him? "And three…" She smirked, and I felt myself twitch involuntarily at how sexy she looked. "Don't think I haven't noticed how turned on you are whenever Commands are used on you. Is this a mind control fetish?"

I flushed, fighting back the desire to start begging for another kiss. I was in control of my faculties once more, so it was more of an impulse than anything, but… well. I took a deep breath, trying to answer her question honestly. "N-no, I just… not being able to resist a Dominant's commands…"

She leaned down and whispered in my ear once more, making me shiver. "You love following orders, don't you?"

I closed my eyes, trying to hide my spiked pulse and dilated pupils with my usual abrasiveness. "Did you not listen when I was explaining it to Shirone?"

She shook her head. "Nope, I heard you just fine. I'm just picturing how turned on you'll get as all those people are watching you wear proof of your owner's claim on you."

…Rational Gil has left the building. Horny Gil has taken over.

"W-wait, what?" I asked, breath quickening. No wonder being humiliated was so appealing! I would be serving Master while doing it!

To my disappointment, Mistress finally slid off of me. Instead, she pulled the covers back and got into bed, patting the space beside her. I hesitantly got into bed next to her, still hoping she was planning on using me more tonight. She just giggled, taking my hand. "Don't worry, I'll cancel the Command if you actually hate it. But if you do actually end up enjoying it… well. I'm sure that even the King can stand to masturbate once in a while. And before you call me cruel, remember that I can always make you wear a vibrator as well." She leaned in, smirking. "I know you have one~!"

I squeaked, my cheeks burning a brilliant red as I remembered Ruby's 'birthday gift'. She joked at the time about teaching me how to use it, but now I'm not quite sure that she was joking.

…I'm not sure what's more worrying. The fact that she suggested it, or the fact that I'm considering asking her to do it.

Mistress pulled me close as she laid down, face content. Then, giggling at my longing expression, she pulled me into a scorching kiss.

We didn't get much sleep that night. Shirone realized what we were doing halfway through and made sure that we didn't leave her out again.

{Hey, girls, are you there?}

The soothing voice of my husband woke me from my sleep. I yawned, using Thought Acceleration to catch up to him. Once he knew we were all listening, he continued. {All right, so you know Asia?}

{She's that nun you told us about, right? The one with Twilight Healing?} Ruby sent in alarm. {Wait, you're in Italy? How are you still alive?}

{Oh, that? I just kinda… figured out how to hide as a human without setting off the System.}

I giggled softly, his warm voice full of humor. I missed Mast- my husband, even if my other lovers are amazing as well.

{What about Asia?} Shirone sent, ignoring his smug comment.

{Ruin all my fun, why don't you?} He grumbled. {Anyway, yeah. I'm sitting next to her on a park bench after a few hours of exploring. I asked her out to lunch to thank her for all the help. Now she's asking if it's a date.} He sent over a picture of a pretty blonde nun in the light of the afternoon sun.

{Yes.} Shirone and Ruby replied simultaneously. I could see them fantasizing about ripping apart the young, innocent girl's clothes and—

I coughed into my hand, quashing my spike of Lust. Having two different Sins as a Devil isn't healthy, and I'm quite determined to keep mine as Pride. Adding a third sin to Gilgamesh and Ravel's twisted Pride would drive me insane.

I considered the situation. {I'm fine with it.} I decided. {Her modest attitude would help me balance out these perverts. Honestly…} I sighed, rubbing my eyes. {If I weren't here to stop them, they probably would've… well.}

'Fucked me into a coma.'

{They certainly would've. Thanks for saving my sanity. Remind me to kiss you when I get back.}

Wait, what? Did he hear—oh. He means the porno those two are making. Good. I'm not quite ready to let Ma- Millicas in on my activities quite yet. But as it is…

I coughed, trying to ignore the stream of dirty thoughts coming from my lovers. {Ahem. V-very well, if you insist.}

He raised a mental eyebrow. {Really? Why the sudden change of pace? Normally, you splutter for a while and refuse. Then I have to track you down and kiss you in front of as many people as possible.}

I shuddered, picturing him grabbing me by the collar and—

No. Bad girl.

{W-well, if I am to be the First Wife, then I must take my duties seriously, no? T-that is the only reason.} I sent quickly, face glowing red.

Shirone gave me a fond glance, and to my relief, covered for my terrible excuse. {She does actually like kissing you. And she realized that Ruby and I have spent more romantic moments than she has, so she wants some more time to herself.}

{I know she likes it. I would never force her to kiss me otherwise.} His mind brushed against mine, making me shiver. {And Gil, you do know that you could just ask for more time with me, right?}

{W-what woman of power would lower themselves to begging for attention?} I replied irritably.

Honestly, does he not know me at all?

{One who's head-over-heels in love with—ow! Fuck! Gil, what the hell?} Ruby began, only to be interrupted by me kicking her in the shin.

I glanced away, hiding my luminescent blush.

{Drama aside, how am I answering the adorable nun?} Millicas interrupted drily.

{Three definite yeses. Shirone and I want… ah… snuggles, and Gil wants another modest influence.} Ruby replied.

I sighed, palming my face. My husband evidently agreed with me. {Right. Snuggles. Sure. All right then, I guess I'm keeping her.}

The Bond faded away, leaving me alone with two lovers and a raging blush. I froze as Ruby finally managed to catch my eye, my lips meeting hers in a burst of passion.

Shirone giggled, arms wrapping around my waist as my mind began to slip…

Later that night, as I lay exhausted from my… activities… I felt my Bond hum to life.

How to be a person.

A little girl with blonde hair woke up in an orphanage. Her mother was nowhere to be found.

Step one. Find your voice. Know that not all languages contain words. Your voice could be music, it could be dance. It will be what expresses you most sincerely—your voice is an art. If your heart is broken, make art with the pieces.

A young Asia knelt at the altar of a church, smiling and praying.

Step two. Apologize, you will not always be right, you will not always be wrong, but you will hopefully always be learning. Atonement is a sacrifice of pride. An explanation of why you did what you did or said what you said will not vindicate you. If the cost to heal someone is only your pride, then apologize and be grateful that you received peace at such a bargain.

Asia was trying to break up an argument between two other children, and failing. For the first time, she hated her shyness.

Step three. Forgive, and realize that some are still learning. If forgiveness is not possible, then think of everything you have ever wanted to be forgiven for but weren't, hold that uneasiness in your mind until you feel your desire for absolution becoming a wish, realize you can grant this wish for others. If you are waiting for forgiveness, be prepared to wait, be prepared to stand in the path of time and wither. Respect that forgiveness is difficult, not all trespasses are equal, and not everyone will heal according to your schedule.

She watched as Mother Meridea calmly and easily broke up the argument, but did not make either boy apologies. Apologizing, the Mother said, was never something that could be forced any more than you could force someone to forgive you. But, she continues, if Jesus could forgive all the sins of the world, then why couldn't they forgive each other?

Step four. Know that love is a vulnerability, but not a weakness. Love is the volunteer that raises its' hand and steps forward without needing to be rewarded. Love is a currency that functions in reverse, because the only way to be wealthy with it, is to give more of it away.

She loved others all her life, refusing to keep any love for herself. Until one day, when she met an odd boy who listened to what she said, and felt like home. On that day, she decided to be selfish for the first time.

Step five. Don't laugh to fit in. Laughter should be honest, if there is no sincerity in your joy then your happiness will be a forgery that fools only yourself.

On that day, she laughed, both at his jokes and his personality. She wasn't laughing to make someone feel better, but out of pure happiness. There was no worry, no sadness, no fear, only joy. This, she thought, must be heaven on earth.

Step six. Try... the tiniest dream that you try to make happen is worth more than the biggest dream you never attempt.

She smiled to herself as he offered to let her spend eternity at his side. He looked sad, as if he already knew she would deny him, but he wanted to offer anyway. She decided in that instant that she would do whatever it took to stay by his side, to stay by her own little slice of heaven.

I felt a smile spread across my face. From what I saw, my new lover would fit in just fine.

I 'watched' as the previously shy nun unexpectedly leaned closer, deepening the kiss.

…She wrapped her new wings around him, humming in satisfaction. He waited for her to pull away before asking, "What was that for?"

She smiled, her green eyes glowing with happiness. "Don't worry, Mister Fool. You don't ever have to let me go. I'm yours now, remember?"

He raised an eyebrow. "O…kay?"

{Don't mind him, Asia.} I sent affectionately. {He doesn't know what we saw when we opened the bond.}

She giggled, burying her face in my chest and humming happily. {He loves you all very much. I can feel it inside me, and I'm not sure how much of it is even mine. I'm pretty sure I could kiss you all, right now. Mmm…}

I decided that a kiss from this adorable creature was more than welcome.

Millicas sighed. "You know that you're going to be absolutely mortified when you calm down, right?"

She hummed an affirmative, snuggling deeper into his chest. {Worth it.}

He sighed, picking up the angel and walking to the Door. She adjusted her wings to continue holding me. "Let's Gate home, okay?"

She nodded deliriously, pulling her smiling face away from his chest. "I love you." She told him determinedly, looking him dead in the eye. "A-and even if the love is not all mine, it will be one day. I can guarantee it."

He sighed, placing a Gate seal on Asia's bed. He opened a Gate into his room and stepped through, closing it behind him. Asia's new wings curled tighter around him as they stepped across the hole in space…

I blinked, shutting the Bond as I realized that my husband was only a short hop away. I opened a ))Gate((, shaking Ruby out of her trance and following Shirone through the hole in the air with a wide yawn.

…Oh my Lord, that Angel is wearing white panties. And they look adorable on her. Is that a panda bear on the front of them?

"Evening, girls." Millicas called, jolting me from my tired thoughts. "Say hello to the snuggle Angel. Right now, she's out of character, but in the morning, she's going to be extremely shy."

I tuned out the rest of the banter, stumbling over to the bed and lying down. The little Angel girl settled on the other side of me, arms wrapping around me as she nuzzled into my back. Master laid next to me, allowing me to wrap myself around his arm, and Shirone curled onto his chest. Once we were all situated, the Angel closed her wings around us, blanketing us in soft white feathers. We were all fast asleep within moments.

I was panting, chest heaving as I tried to ignore what I had just done. I hadn't wanted to, not really, but when Ruby started telling me to, it just felt so good…

{Gil? Where'd you go?} My husband called, making my guilt ten times worse.

I took a deep, shuddering breath, calming my mind and forcing my tone to remain even. {I'm changing.} I replied easily, not technically lying as I slipped on a fresh pair of panties. {If I'm going to greet my newest lover, then I wish to make a good impression.}

Millicas seemed to accept that without question, drawing away and focusing on our new lover. I exhaled, relaxing. My calm was shattered by another mental voice, bringing my Lust to bear once more.

{Changing, eh?} My mistress teased. {How much of a mess did you make? Did you enjoy yourself?}

{Y-yes, mistress.} I whimpered, my nether regions still humming pleasantly. {Thank you for letting me do that. And, um, I made sure to c-clean up, j-just like you told me to…}

{With your tongue?}

I glanced at the pink bathtub, now spotted with smears of white. A shiver of delight and abject humiliation raced through me.

Good girl.

I felt my fingers drifting once more, and I snapped myself back into focus. Guilty embarrassment hit a moment later as I realized what I had just done. I took a deep breath. {Y-yes, mistress.}

{Did you like doing it?}

{I enjoy doing anything you order me to, mistress. I am yours.} I told her submissively, and my Pride injected a mass of pleasure for admitting that fact. I shuddered for a moment, my vision flickering as utter bliss threatened to make me black out like it had so many times before during training.

{Very well, then.} Mistress waited for me to come down from my burst of Pride, before asking a simple question. {Now, tell me, do you want Asia to be your mistress as well?}

I twitched, still sensitive from my last burst of pleasure. {Yes, please.} I begged, aching hunger filling me at the thought of submitting to yet another Mistress. It would feel so wonderful, and she would praise me, and I would be a Good Girl…

{Gil? Are you all right?} Ruby sent, sensing my Lust begin to spike.

I took a deep breath, reaching for another pair of panties. {Don't worry about it. I make sure to indulge my Pride more than anything else.} I reassured her, pulling off the second ruined pair and pulling on the third.

Whether or not that Pride effectively makes me a Lust is another matter.

…You know, I can't quite bring myself to curse Ishtar anymore. She showed me how amazing submitting could be, so if anything, I owe her a debt.

{Good. Now, if you're going to ask her, then ask.}

I hesitated, examining my ruffled clothes, before sighing and opening a ))Gate((.

"Good morning!" I greeted with faux cheer.

The new girl looked up, and my breath caught. "H-hi?" She squeaked.

She had a soft face, with large, expressive eyes and a shyly hopeful expression. Her white wings were curled around her almost self-consciously, hiding the dark green habit beneath their white expanses. Her soft skin almost glowed with unspoiled innocence, and her face was so picturesque that I had a hard time believing she was real.

She would make an excellent addition to my collection.

"Oh my Satan, she's adorable!" I found myself cooing, rushing forward and wrapping my arms around her. She squeaked adorably, but curled into me as I pulled her close.

Shirone pouted, her ears drooping. "And I'm not?"

I deadpanned at her, still hugging my new Angel. "If I cuddle you, you'll kiss me."

Shirone smiled. "Shamelessly. But don't worry, you love it."

…Soft skin brushing against my face, a giggle from my Mistress making me smile…

…White fur covering a pair of pointed ears, only for them to disappear from sight as a pair of lips pressed against my own…

…Sweet nectar, better than any alcohol as I greedily devoured it…

I felt my face light on fire at the unwelcome flashbacks to my training. "I-I would never—" I stammered weakly, ignoring the hopeful twinge of Lust.

Millicas interrupted, pointing to my Angel. "She's turning blue."

Alarmed, I released her enough to let her breathe. Not so much as to let her escape, though. She was too precious to let her get away from me quite yet. She wasn't too upset by my slip, and didn't even try to escape me. "D-don't worry, I-I know you didn't mean it… Gil, was it?"

'Too. Damn. Cute. I swear, this girl would probably chase yarn if I told her it was a threat.' I nodded, smiling at her. "I'm Gil, she's Ruby, and that's Shirone. Call me Ravel in public, though."

Millicas sighed. "Now that introductions are over, I'd like to teach Asia how to use her powers before she leaves. I don't want her accidentally blowing someone up."

I frowned, but released my new Angel. I would hate to have her accidentally hurt herself by doing whatever adorable things she normally did. Sneezing, perhaps. Light and sneezes don't go together well. "Fine. Just make sure she's back soon."

Millicas stared at me for a moment, and I blinked. Why is he—oh. "Right, time differential inside your Marble. Got it."

He turned to Asia. "All right, so I'm going to take you inside my Reality Marble. Inside, I'm going to teach you the basics of how to use your powers of Light."

My adorable Angel tilted her head in confusion. "What's a Reality Marble?"

Millicas sighed, rubbing his eyes.

I flipped the page of my book, preforming the daily ritual of sorting my thoughts out.

Indulging my kink is beginning to go too far. Restraint isn't working out too well, so I might have to try something more drastic. I obviously want to submit in some fashion, my mind and body practically acted on their own whenever Ruby starts acting the slightest bit dominant. Whenever that happened, all my rational thought goes out the window and I'm left at the mercy of my hormones and desires. I can resist it when it's with Ruby or Shirone, but not when Millicas deliberately triggers it. At that point I'm less 'noble Lugal' and more 'besotted love slave'.

If I were with anyone else, I would be worried about that.

My lips twitched as I let my mind wander into one of my favorite pastimes. Ravel always had a habit of daydreaming about her future with Millicas, a habit I never really dropped. My dreams simply… matured.

I was jolted from my dirty thou—my reading as a teleport circle glowed to life across the room from me. Ruby stepped out, holding a covered pan. I blinked. "Oh, Ruby. What's that?"

She smiled proudly, skipping over to the dresser and putting it on top. "Tiramisu!" She chirped, twirling and flouncing over to the bed. "It's to celebrate Asia joining us!"

I smiled at her. She was adorable when she was excited like this. "You know, you can be really sweet sometimes."

She smirked. "Oh? And what about all the other times?" She slunk over, no longer walking as much as stalking. I felt my cheeks begin to warm at the Lust flowing through her mind as she leaned down and kissed me. It was a chaste peck, done more to greet me than anything, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

"You know…" My lover whispered teasingly, "We're the only ones in here right now. If you want, I can show you exactly how cruel I can be."

My face turned bright red as my mind suddenly ceased to work. I cursed my hormones as my tongue stumbled over several sentences, finally settling on a soft whimper. "U-um… okay." I squeaked, body trembling in anticipation. She had trained me well, and I was more than willing to acquiesce if she started something.

She smiled softly at me, plopping down on the bed and taking my hand. "Calm down, love." She teased. "I was only joking. But I'm glad you're comfortable enough to agree to it if I ask."

I sighed, forcing my hormones back. "You and Shirone are to blame for that. The past week has been the most pleasurable torture of my life."

She giggled. "Oh? Then would you want to help corrupt Asia?"

I flushed.

…Soft, creamy skin, white wings spoiled as she was brought to a rapturous scream…

I growled at myself as I genuinely began enjoying the thought. "W-why would you ask me that!" I demanded. "I would never…" She brushed against my mind, my memories of this morning's training coming to bear. "O-oh. Right." I mumbled, glancing away. "I mean, if you really need me to, I suppose I could help, but I'd really rather not."

'I don't need another embarrassing fetish. I'm already having a hard enough time with what I have.'

She nodded, her hand squeezing mine. "If you're not comfortable with it, I won't force you."

I frowned. "Oh? Then why has the past week consisted of you publicly humiliating me?"

She sighed. "Gil, I was there alongside you the entire time. I had a constant-effect invisibility spell on your collar. They could never actually see the collar, you just thought they could. And that was enough to count." She paused, smirking. "And I never forced you to pleasure yourself. I just told you to make fantasies, and you didn't know how to deal with it otherwise."

I huffed, glaring at her. "You made me clean it up with my tongue!" I snapped.

She leaned in, her lips brushing against my ear. "So tell me you didn't love every moment of it." She whispered.

I couldn't find a response to that.

I coughed several times, my mouth extremely dry. 'Good Satans, it's like she just lumped random amounts of ingredients together and topped it with something random! And are those cookie chunks!?'

I decided that I would do my level best to lock this memory away.

Let it be known, Ruby cannot cook.

I glanced over at Asia, who was politely trying to eat a second bite.

…Oh dear Satans, this can't possibly end well.