It had only taken until the end of the school week for our fundraising efforts to meet the target goal and then some. We didn't just earn enough to be able to attend Kansai Melee, but more than enough to book one of the better hotels in the area. This was great because the original plan for the two-day event was to take the train home at the end of each day, and then return the next morning. The unwasted time staying the night could be used for more training or just to hang out.

We were just finishing our Friday club activities. The boys were on their way out, Mio had skipped out to hang out with Hana and Yumi, leaving me and Selene to handle the club. Although I would have liked to go with her, my duty to the kendo club came first as long as I was manager.

Selene was picking up some empty water bottles with a grimace on her face. "The next thing I have to drill into those mangy humans is to pick up after themselves."

"You could just leave them to me. It's my job as club manager after all," I said.

"That would be unacceptable." She shook her head and picked up a porn magazine that had been buried under a pile of used towels. It burst in the flames, never for its printed tits to be witnessed again by whomever had the gall to read it during club session.

Selene was a pleasant surprise this week. I would be lying if I said she hadn't worried me the day she became our coach. However, she worked more diligently than the previous one, and quite possibly gave more effort than most faculty at school.

"So, how are you liking your new job?" I asked her.

"Like? There is no like. I do this only to pay back the exorbitant debt caused by the burning of the Coliseum," she said.

I believed her, but even so, someone had to take some interest in order to do what she was doing. Car wash fundraiser being one of them. Going along and washing with us wasn't in her resume. Any other faculty would have stood by and supervised instead.

She and I were alone in the club room now. This was as good a chance as any to ask her about being a greater succubus. But how would I broach the subject? I didn't want to seem weak in front of her. What if that made her inclined to betray me?

"About your debt… Couldn't you have charmed your way out of it? I can't imagine it'd be too hard to ask people for money." I kept myself busy bringing the towels to the laundry cart, hoping that it would just come across as casual conversation.

Selene scoffed. "Me? Begging? Ha. I would sooner cut off my wings. I will admit to have considered using magic to wave my debt away."

"Why haven't you? Even with the logic threshold in place, couldn't you have skimmed through enough money over a period of several months?" I thought about all the times I charmed someone and they never broke out of it. 

A few showed signs of resistance. 

Then again… most of the times I charmed someone was for sex…

"I have tried. However…" Selene's clenched fists trembled. Not out of some inner turmoil or fear, but in an effort to contain her wrathful fury. "Why are you humans so desperate for money? Any attempt to charm out a dollar or two is met with indignation. They treat those pieces of paper and coins better than their own life. It's infuriating."

"There, there! You found a good paying job! You're better off than most people now," I said, trying to calm her down.

If Selene thought this was bad, I'd like to see how she'd turn out as an office lady. Whichever company that hired her might end up in an early grave and show up on the news as a gas explosion.

When I really thought about it, her working here and being within eyeshot was the best possible scenario.

Leaving that aside, what I really wanted to ask her was, "I was hoping… you could teach me about being a greater succubus?"

Selene spun around, taken aback by my request.

"You understand that I was the one who was defeated, correct? I'm not sure if the one who defeated Beatrice and became queen could have anything to learn from me," she said.

"It's just that Mio taught me how to be a succubus, but she isn't a greater one like you. I don't want to throw my magic around like an inexperienced kid anymore. Beatrice tried to teach me some, but she had other intentions for doing so. Since we're on better terms, I was hoping you could give me a lesson or two," I explained.

"You put a lot of trust in your former enemy." Selene crossed her arms and glanced away almost as though admonishing herself, and not me.

"I put my trust in the new coach of this club." I stuck out a hand which Selene hesitantly shook. It would be the first time we came into contact that wasn't a violent encounter. She looked almost happy, and stared at our clasped hands with a weak smile.

"If-If you will have me, my queen, I will instruct you," she said.

The sun had cast an orange glow across the sky by the time we were done. Most students had gone home, and the only ones that remained were strugglers and club members hanging around. We might be on the tail end of summer, but there was still plenty of sun to go around for the next month.

As I exited the club room, I noticed Selene standing awkwardly by the door.

"Is there still more work? I can stay behind to help," I offered.

"Oh, no. I just, uh…" she went silent, unable to find the right words.

Come to think of it, Selene was always the last to leave. Well, none of us had ever seen her leave. We only assumed she did after the rest of us had gone.

Wait a second…

Selene = major debt = worked constantly =/= place to live.

"You've become a squatter at school, haven't you?" I asked.

Selene cleared her throat and could no longer look me in the eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Of course I have a home."

I sighed.

I'd rather not leave Selene scraping off the underside of a table to live. Mio might not appreciate it— no, she would love being able to tease the drowning-in-debt-succubus as much as she wanted.

"If you'd like, you could come stay at my place for a while," I suggested.

"You would… allow that of me?" Selene raised her guard and a brow.

"Don't get me wrong! It's so that I can keep an eye on you. Once you have enough to get your own place, it's out the door with you." There was a moment of hesitation in my offer, but I brushed that aside since Selene had become less than harmless of late.

"In that case, I accept," she said.

I picked up groceries on the way home with Selene in tow, and made sure to text Hatsumi about the temporary addition to the household. Just as I expected, she acquiesced rather quickly. That sister of mine accepted any of my requests. I didn't know whether to love her for that or be cautious anymore.

"So this is Selene? It's nice to meet you again!" Hatsumi greeted us at the door in an apron and ladle in hand.

"You are—" Selene bowed in an almost perfect 90 degree angle. "Please, forgive my impertinence back then."

"You two know each other?" I asked, trying to recall when they might have crossed paths.

"It was when I'd been temporarily transformed into a succubus. Beatrice had me visit Selene to punish her," my sister said. She extended an open hand to Selene, urging her to lift her head. "From what I understand, you're my little Saeko's coach at school now. We can put that bad blood behind us and start over. Unless you want to continue where we left off?"

A shiver crept up my spine. Selene swallowed a lump so large it struggled down her throat. The smile Hatsumi gave was both warm and bloodthirsty.

"Hehe! With that out of the way, how about I show you to your room?" she asked, skipping upstairs.

We gave Selene our parents' master bedroom. Mom and dad had long cleared their belongings, so it was just a room with furniture collecting dust. They had a walk-in closet that echoed with each footstep, a king-sized bed remained unused for the past few years until today, and a bathroom containing a pentagon-shaped jacuzzi tub which I'd forgotten was in here.

The only thing I thought was out of place was a family photo of the four of us, which Selene picked up to inspect.

"Sometimes, I forget you used to be a boy," Selene said.

"Don't remind me…" I rolled my eyes.

"Ah, I remember that. Six years ago in Okinawa. Mom and dad really don't like to smile," Hatsumi said thoughtfully.

As it happened, I couldn't recall a single time they smiled.

"Would you like it back?" Selene asked, trying to hand me the picture frame.

I shook my head. "Just put it away in the cupboard or something."

"It's best not to use their bathroom. I already ran a bath downstairs. You two wash up first before dinner!" Hatsumi laid a fresh stack of towels on the bed before returning to the kitchen.

"Is it really okay for me to have this room? It feels too extravagant. Like it should belong to you instead," Selene said.

"Don't worry about it and just make yourself at home. Hatsumi and I have our own rooms that we're used to, and Mio's taken the guest room— even though she always comes into mine… Besides, I'd much rather keep my distance from my parents' room." I didn't want to spend another minute there if I had to and hightailed it right out.

After I took a bath, Selene went in next. Hatsumi had me deliver some of her old clothes.

"My sister has some clothes for you to wear. Selene?" I pressed my ear against the fogged up sliding door but no answer came. A blast of hot steam sprayed me the moment I opened the door a crack. Selene was in the tub, eyes spinning, and foaming at the mouth. "SELENE?!"

Hatsumi and I helped her out of the bath. She returned to consciousness a few minutes later, her head cradled in my sister's lap and being fanned to.

"One moment I was enjoying the hot water, and then I'm here. What happened?" Selene asked, still woozy.

"You stayed in the bath for too long, and with water that hot, you were bound to get light headed," I explained.

Selene looked like a kid who accidentally shattered an expensive vase. Maybe worse. As someone who served royalty and boasted of razor-sharp discipline, her perceived offense hit harder than what was just a minor mishap.

"I didn't mean to cause you trouble. I think I should leave after all." She stood up, but her wobbly legs nearly collapsed were it not for Hatsumi giving her a hand.

"That's no good! Saeko went through the trouble of inviting you here, so you should at least take advantage of the hospitality. I have dinner made. Once you can stand on your own, join us in the kitchen. I'm sure you'll change your mind when you taste my cooking. Okay?" Hatsumi smiled.

"O-Okay." She blushed at my sister's insistence.

It might have been my imagination… but whatever.

Hatsumi made vietnamese spring rolls tonight. Even the variety of dipping sauces on the table, savoury fish sauce and creamy peanut sauce, were all homemade from scratch.

"Is Mio not coming home for dinner tonight?" my sister asked as she set four plates around the table.

"She's having a succubus' night out with Hana and Yumi. Since it's the weekend, I don't think she'll be back until midnight," I answered.

"That's too bad. I made a very special dipping sauce just for her." Hatsumi unveiled a nuclear red sauce bowl that made my nose wrinkle when she took off the plastic wrap.

"Let's just put that away for now…"

Selene replaced Mio for the evening. I dug right into the spring rolls which exploded with flavor even without the sauce. The subtle sweetness from the peanut sauce begged me to dip more, and the fish sauce's lime and garlic notes cleansed the palette with each bite.

"I've never tasted anything like this before. To think, you enjoy meals like this everyday. What have I been missing out?" Selene was only a single bite into her spring roll, and the side of her cheek was smeared with the peanut sauce.

"Aha. I guess you have been eating greasy fast food from Smile Burger this entire time," I teased.

She turned to me in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Can't make it anymore obvious with the club room's trash bin stuffed full of paper bags and burger wraps. Well, don't hold yourself back. Hatsumi's made plenty." Just as I said that, my sister returned from the fridge with a tray to replace the ones we'd eaten.

Hatsumi put a hand to her face and shut her eyes to reminisce. "I've been cooking for Saeko for as long as I can remember. When we were really young and Saeko was still a boy I let him suck on my—"

"SHE DOESN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT!" I interrupted her.

Although Selene wasn't paying attention gorging herself of dinner like a starved child. But after a few rolls in, she became conscious of her table manners.

"This is all so overwhelming. I can't thank you enough for the hospitality. I still wonder if I even deserve this," she said.

"You're living with us for the time being. That means you will be part of the family. If there is anything you need or want to eat, just let me know!" Hatsumi winked, and like a cupid's arrow, fired right into Selene's chest. The greater succubus suddenly became demure and started eating her food in silence.

I glared at Selene, knowing full well that my sister was now in the sightlines of a succubus.

"Oh!" Hatsumi jumped out of her seat. "I just remembered I have an assignment due at midnight. You two continue eating and leave the clean up to me."

Selene watched Hatsumi exit the kitchen and then muttered, "My queen, your sister is an angel…"

Like Mio, I was able to detect not just people's lust for me, but also of people's lust for others. Selene was beginning to ooze of lust for none other than Hatsumi.

"Don't tell me you fell for my sister?" I asked.

"What? Don't be preposterous, I—" She swallowed hard, but unlike the first time when she regarded Hatsumi with fear, this was in reluctance to deny whatever she was about to say.

I grabbed Selene from across the table. "Look, you. I love my sister. She got out of a relationship not too long ago. If you hurt her, I swear on my succubus lifestyle you will regret it."

"I wouldn't dare to hurt her— I mean, not that I would to begin, I… never mind. Yes, my queen." Selene lowered her head, still blushing up to her ears.

After dinner, I retreated to my room and figured now was as good a time as any to finish the Kansai Melee itinerary. It was going to be held on the second weekend of November. We could probably leave Friday after school and spend three nights there instead.

Three days and three nights, rooming with a bunch of boys from kendo…

Gulp.

"Wait— Get a hold of yourself! I have to take this seriously. If I drained them before the competition they might lose. But on the flip side… if I drained the enemy teams…" I buried my face into my hands, ashamed that I'd consider doing something so devious.

I guess my greatest trial wasn't going to be helping my team win, but keeping my libido under control.

"And with Mio there…"

"What about me?" Mio asked, glancing at my computer from over my shoulders.

"What the— When did you get home?" I spun around and nearly fell out of my seat.

"Just now," she said. "I got your text about Selene, by the way. No skin off my back. I even bought some food as tribute."

"That's… uncharacteristically nice of you…" I eyed the contents of the plastic bag in her hands suspiciously.

Mio shrugged. "Figured if we're going to live together, might as well get along."

She skipped out the door with a spring in her step. I was mildly surprised that she could be so considerate to Selene of all people.

"Selene, open up! I got something for ya!" Mio shouted as her knuckles rasped the door.

The brief pause and silence was Selene trying to glean anything suspicious Mio had in mind.

"Are these cupcakes?" she asked.

"Yeah. Try 'em. They've got a special filling inside. You'll get a real kick out of them," Mio said.

"Oh, who am I kidding. It's Mio we're talking about! Selene, don't—" I tried to stop them too late. The half-bitten cupcake fell from Selene's hand and crashed to the floor, spilling a pungent, bright red sauce that made my eyes water. 

Selene's eyes went wide. She put a hand to her mouth.

"Urk—!"