— — — — — — —
The next day
In the afternoon, outside the door of the Supernatural Research Club.
Yukinoshita Yukino was once again standing here.
Worried that yesterday's situation might repeat itself, she had rushed over as soon as classes ended.
This time, she wasn't alone.
Yuigahama Yui was with her.
That's right.
After their talk yesterday, the two had come to a mutual understanding.
Yui didn't believe her current problem was Yukino's fault. After all, she had been the one to insist on coming along in the first place to watch the ghost, so she couldn't blame anyone else.
This was something she had to deal with herself.
She couldn't just rely on Yukino every time she was in trouble, right?
Not only would that be a burden to Yukino, but what if she wasn't there in time?
Even if this really was a 'Harem Club'…
Yui's cheeks flushed red.
If she stepped through this door… would she… would she really become one of Lynn's girls!?
Just the thought made her feel like her whole body was burning up.
But still…At the end of the day, all of this was just speculation between her and Yukino.
To find out the truth, they had to see it for themselves.
The only thing they were certain of was that every member of the Supernatural Research Club possessed supernatural abilities!
And that was enough!
"Let's go, Yui."
Yukino's voice broke the silence.
Compared to yesterday, she seemed much more composed.
After all, she had already mentally prepared herself for this.
Following their encounter with 'that thing' yesterday, her thoughts had become even clearer.
The complicated emotions she had been struggling with had completely vanished.
Now, the only thing making her anxious was whether Lynn would allow her to join or not.
Beside her, Yui nodded firmly.
Her hands clenched into fists, a clear sign of her nerves.
Yukino took a deep breath, steeled her resolve, and grasped the door handle.
Then, without hesitation, she pushed it open!
The sight that greeted them was a room bathed in soft light, curtains swaying gently from the breeze through an open window.
Seated at the head of the table was Lynn, calmly sipping tea.
By his side, Shiina Mahiru was elegantly pouring him another cup.
For a brief moment, Yukino was struck by the contrast.
An angel… and a devil…
She quickly shook her head, pushing the thought away.
Lynn glanced up, his crimson eyes locking onto Yukino and Yui.
"Oh? What a surprise."
He was mildly intrigued—after all, it had been quite some time since Yukino last stepped foot into the club.
Taking a slow sip of tea, he observed them in silence.
Mahiru smiled gently. "Are you two here with another request?"
"A request…"
Yukino murmured, before shaking her head slightly. "I suppose… you could say that."
The next moment, she bowed deeply.
"Please allow us to join the Supernatural Research Club!"
Beside her, Yui hurriedly followed suit, her hands clasped together in silent pleading, heart pounding in her chest.
Lynn paused, amusement flickering in his gaze as he looked at Yukino.
"…That's unexpected. This doesn't really seem like something you'd do."
Yukino stiffened at his words, recalling her very first visit to this club.
"This is the Supernatural Research Club?"
"Heh? For a moment, I thought I had walked into some kind of Harem Club."
Ah…
She had really been bold back then.
How naive.
"…I was ignorant at the time," she admitted, her voice quiet but steady.
Once she had broken past her mental barriers, saying it aloud wasn't so difficult after all.
Because the truth was… She had already made up her mind to step into this supernatural world.
Lynn raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his eyes.
This is the same Yukinoshita Yukino?
Sensing his strange gaze, Yukino pursed her lips and quickly looked away.
To be honest, even though she had resolved herself, a woman's pride still made her feel a deep sense of embarrassment.
But she forced herself to suppress it with sheer logic and determination.
Taking another deep breath, she reaffirmed her request.
"President Lynn, please allow us to join the Supernatural Research Club!"
Her voice trembled slightly, betraying her nerves.
She was afraid.
Afraid of rejection.
After all, compared to Lynn's existing followers, what did she really have to offer?
The room fell into silence.
Lynn said nothing, simply looking at the warm tea in his cup.
Yukino held her breath, her forehead lightly glistening with sweat.
Yui's hands were practically drenched, her nerves at an all-time high.
She never wanted to go back to the constant fear of being surrounded by supernatural threats!
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly tense.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lynn spoke.
"Mahiru, get them the club registration forms."
"Understood, Lynn-san."
Mahiru smiled warmly as she handed over two neatly prepared forms.
Yukino accepted the paper with trembling hands, unconsciously releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Even so, her fingers still quivered slightly.
"…Here, Yui."
Her voice sounded a little shaky.
For a few moments, only the sound of pens scratching against paper filled the room.
Then, Lynn spoke again.
"Are you both certain about this?"
The two girls paused, exchanging a look.
What they saw in each other's eyes was unwavering determination.
They had had enough of living in fear.
"Absolutely!" x2
Their voices were firm and resolute.
Lynn's eyes gleamed with amusement as he leaned forward slightly. "Do you two know what it truly means to join the Supernatural Research Club?"
Both Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui shuddered at his words.
"D-Does it mean... joining the harem?" Yukino's voice trembled as she spoke.
Lynn smirked. "...Well, you're not wrong."
Strangely, instead of feeling more nervous, Yukino let out a small breath of relief upon confirming her suspicions.
Lynn's lips curled into a faint smile. In terms of power, Yukino and Yui would be barely at the level of low-class Devils. Under normal circumstances, accepting them into his Familia wouldn't be much of an upgrade for him.
But what if—just what if—they turned out to be special Devils upon reincarnation?
Every special Devil was an invaluable asset to his Familia.
As soon as they finished filling out their club application forms, just as they were about to relax, Lynn spoke again.
"Now then, let's begin the real ceremony."
"Wait, what?!"
"What ceremony?"
Both girls stared at him in confusion.
Lynn rested his chin on his hand, his crimson eyes gleaming with mischief. "Take off your clothes."
"T-Take off our clothes?!"
Yui's face turned beet red, and she let out an involuntary yelp.
Was this... Was this really happening?!
Right now? Here?!
Yukino bit her lip, but her hands didn't hesitate.
She had already come to terms with this yesterday.
She had something she wanted—and if she had to obey to get it, then she would do so without question!
She had already made up her mind. The only thing that caught her off guard was how fast this was happening.
Without much hesitation, Yukino slipped out of her uniform, revealing her slender figure.
Her breathing grew erratic, her body felt unnaturally warm, and her ears burned.
Yui, still shocked at how decisive Yukino was, hesitated for a moment before shakily following suit.
As soon as their backs were exposed, Lynn nodded. "That's enough."
Hearing that, both girls sighed in relief, quickly dropping their hands from their skirts and instinctively crossing their arms in front of themselves.
Yukino, however, couldn't help but wonder.
Just the upper body? Why?
Was this some kind of test of obedience?
Countless questions swirled in her mind.
Then, right before her eyes, two pieces materialized in Lynn's hand.
Her eyes widened.
Supernatural power—again.
Just seeing it reassured her that everything she had done so far was worth it.
Next Lynn gave them a brief explanation.
...
"Devil's Piece..."
Yukino and Yui listened in stunned silence before finally processing it.
So... Lynn was a Devil?
At this point, they weren't even shocked. Instead, they accepted it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Becoming Devils? So what?
As long as they could gain strength and change their current circumstances, nothing else mattered.
Nothing at all!
With newfound determination, Yukino and Yui turned around, exposing their bare backs to Lynn.
Lynn pressed the Devil Pieces onto their back.
In that instant—
A surge of power coursed through their bodies.
At the same time, a mechanical voice rang in Lynn's mind.
[ Ding! You have acquired new Familia members: "Yukinoshita Yukino" and "Yuigahama Yui"! ]
[ Ding! Your Familia members have reincarnated as special Devils... ]
Magical inscriptions formed on their backs, revealing their newfound statuses:
---
[ Yuigahama Yui ]
→Rank: Low-Class Devil
→Race: Devil
→Master: Lynn Valifer
→Stats:
•Strength: I0
•Agility: I0
•Endurance: I0
•Magic: I0
→Unique Skills: [Harmonizer] (When multiple teammates are present, a "Bond Barrier" is automatically generated based on their level of trust.)
---
[ Yukinoshita Yukino ]
→Rank: Low-Class Devil
→Race: Devil
→Master: Lynn Valifer
→Stats:
•Strength: I0
•Agility: I0
•Endurance: I0
•Magic: I0
→Unique Skills: [Cold Wall of Reason] & [Ice Devil]
—[Cold Wall of Reason]—
•Temporarily increases all stats by 30%.
•Doubles the purity of magic power.
•Nullifies enemy "Deception" and "Disguise" abilities.
•Converts 50% of incoming damage into magic consumption.
—[Ice Devil]—
•Grants mastery over ice magic.
•Snow Rose: The more injuries sustained, the stronger the defense.
•Devilish Transformation: Awakens the "Frozen Mirror" Domain.
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PS: I'll try to post more today, so how about giving me your stones for fair trade? Hehe~