Hi3rd: Achievement Hunter

Things weren't that complicated. After settling his usage of the Evolution Cube, Aleph planned to visit the others one-by-one. He already dealt with its 'cooldown' by converting into 'Evolutionary Energy' and giving enough fuel for the cube.

This time, he wanted to be as discreet as possible.

First, the Evolution Cube had unexplainable origins.

Second, the situation is relatively stable now.

Third, it serves as the prototype Flamechasers' trump card. 

With the emergence of the sixth Herrscher, Aleph's trust to the councilors hit rock bottom. It had the same intelligence as the Current Era Herrschers. Moreover, its first decision wasn't to fight, but to hide.

Add to that the abnormalities behind it, Aleph knew they had to have several trump cards.

Things were supposed to go that way, but the change in atmosphere made him pause.

'Should I leave… or should I stay?'

Aleph knew that it was embarrassing to take Sakura's offer. It was a one-night stay. He already had a hotel booked in this city.

Moreover…

'Oh~? Last time we met, she did not come off like this.'

A voice rang inside his mind.

'Well… she's silent, for the most part.' He replied internally.

Kurumi was silent inside Aleph's shadow from the moment he arrived in this place. Aside from the fact she had to manage her powers—sending her clones out in the real world—she was biding her time.

She finally had the opportunity to be with him… alone.

Nevertheless, she had a vague feeling it wouldn't last for long. There is an upcoming event tomorrow—a very important one.

'What do you plan to do?'

'She might have thought of repaying the favor today, even by a bit. It sounds bad to decline it…'

In the end, Aleph ended up accepting Sakura's offer.

The former did not have to grab anything else as the bag he brought here contained everything.

Both he and Sakura did not have any other thoughts on it. It was then did Kurumi understand:

Sakura is half an airhead.

She was too serious, to the point she did not know… or care about the consequences of actions like this.

She was able to pick up emotional cues during the three-day spar, however, which places her slightly above an even more serious junior of Aleph's.

While Sakura was preparing the room, Aleph's eyes went towards the sleeping Rin.

{Result: The subject demonstrated a high-level of honkai resistance as well as honkai adaptability…}

Great Sage's analysis came quickly. As he had expected, Rin did have a huge talent when it came to the honkai.

If she did not have them, she wouldn't have been chosen as the twelfth herrscher.

'With Griseo, there's now two of them. Three if we count Seele.'

With the uncertain future right in front of him, Aleph's thoughts wandered aimlessly.

Though, he never knew it was his last peaceful moment.

*****

Aleph should have seen this coming.

Click.

The door was locked tightly.

With nothing separating them, Kurumi sat on his lap. Her small stature was noticeable with Aleph's tall height. Although she was older than Mobius and Mei, she did not have their mature charms.

Nevertheless, she had her uniqueness.

Seemingly unsatisfied, Kurumi moved for a while before she sat on his lap once again. This time, she was facing him directly. Due to her height, she was forced to sit on Aleph's lap in a seiza.

Aleph was prepared to catch her on the off chance she slips, but her agility never failed her. 

'It's a good thing she was wearing this outfit…'

A unique scent assaulted his nose. Perhaps it was because his three girlfriends were no longer considered humans, but each of them had a unique scent.

For Mei, it was the delicate scent of a lavender.

For Mobius, it was the sweet scent of orchids.

For Kurumi, it was the mature scent of roses.

Out of them all, Kurumi was the most lethal one.

"Hm~" She only hummed a tune as her arms finally reached his neck.

Without any hesitation—

"Hum."

—her teeth sank on his neck.

Aleph could not react properly as his gaze turned blank. A mixed feeling, mostly of embarrassment, clouded his mind.

By the time Kurumi's mouth left his neck, a barely recognizable red mark was imprinted.

"It was hard."

He didn't know whether it was from her words or something else, but he knew he had to receive this properly.

Aleph placed his arms on her waist. What he did next startled her.

"Hya?!"

It was a bite of his own. He controlled his strength extremely well, only leaving a reddish spot on Kurumi's neck. 

A weird sense of satisfaction flooded his mind.

"We're even."

Seeing her lose composure, that satisfaction increased. Her blushing look fueled his somewhat evil intentions. Her pair of heterochromatic eyes looked at him in surprise.

On the principle of striking when unguarded, Aleph closed onto her lips.

He easily pried her mouth often, perhaps resulted by Kurumi not guarding on his next move.

Aleph gained enough momentum.

For the first time, he had gained the upper hand in their teasing. Kurumi, who was passive, felt a new set of emotions.

'The embarrassed Aleph is cute… but this one is also cute.'

She did not interrupt his moment. She played along with him.

They had already done this kind of thing for the past two days. They were already somewhat smooth with it, no longer having awkward moments such as their noses bumping or their tongues missing out.

'She's hot.'

Aleph held Kurumi's body in his arms. He felt how hot her body had become. It was a phenomenon shared by his three girlfriends.

Just as his thoughts wandered on an extremely dangerous zone, a knock on the door killed everything.

Knock-!

Knock-!

Knock-!

…

Silence swept over the room. The two separated with a reluctant look.

'It's the third time…'

Logically, Aleph knew it was wrong to act out like this on someone else's roof. Still, he could not help but be frustrated every time he was interrupted.

Kurumi, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes.

It was then she realized.

'We need to talk.'

Ever since the three of them became Aleph's 'girlfriends', they engaged in subtle battles—that is, interrupting one another whenever they attempted to do something with him.

Kurumi interrupts Mobius;

Mobius interrupts Mei;

Mei interrupts Kurumi.

It was a cycle similar to that.

Although it never brought harm to Aleph—as all three agreed not to bring Aleph any—this subtle catfight of theirs turned somewhat frustrating.

While immersed in her thoughts, Aleph left Kurumi sitting on the bedside as he opened the door.

"Sir Aleph…"

Sakura was about to say something when she saw the girl sitting on the bedside.

'I must have interrupted something…'

A feeling of guilt emerged in her mind. Thinking of the special occasion today, as well as the other visitor that appeared out of nowhere, she cleared out her thoughts.

"Miss Vill-V came here… just now."

"Vill-V..?"