CHAPTER 80: THE RULES ARE MERELY SUGGESTIONS

I ended the call with Emi, a faint smile lingering on my face. She’d talked about the show’s contestants with such genuine enthusiasm that I’d nearly forgotten I was supposed to be manipulating her. There was something almost refreshing about her unfiltered joy over stupid reality TV drama.

"Gate to My Heart" continued playing on my tablet, the contestants’ over-rehearsed confessions fading into background noise. I stretched my arms overhead, rolling my shoulders to work out the tension that had built up during the call.

"Sounded like you were having fun."

The air in the room shifted instantly. I turned to find Natalia leaning against my doorframe, arms crossed under her breasts. She wore a silk pajama set that belonged in a lingerie catalog—tiny shorts that barely covered her ass and a thin camisole that left nothing to the imagination. Her purple hair fell loose around her shoulders, and her eyes glinted dangerously in the dim light.

I leaned back in my chair, meeting her gaze with deliberate amusement. "Just setting up some academic tutoring. You know how important good grades are for the entrance exam."

"With Emi?" Her voice was light, casual, but her fingers dug into her arms hard enough to leave marks.

"Of course with Emi. Who else would I be calling at this hour?" I gestured toward the tablet where the reality show was still playing. "We’ve got a study date planned for Sunday. She seems quite excited about it."

Natalia pushed off from the doorframe and stalked into my room. Her bare feet made no sound on the carpet as she approached, each step purposeful and predatory. "I heard you laughing. Real laughter. Not your usual bullshit."

I raised an eyebrow. "You’ve been monitoring my laughter now? That’s adorably psychotic."

"Don’t fuck with me, Satori." She stopped just short of my chair, close enough that I could smell her expensive shampoo and see the pulse jumping in her throat. "Are you actually into her?"

I reached out and hooked my finger through one of her belt loops, tugging her forward until she stood between my knees. "Is that jealousy I detect, Princess? I thought this was your idea. Finding Emi, bringing her into our little arrangement."

"It was. It is." Her hands came to rest on my shoulders, her nails digging in slightly. "But that doesn’t mean I want to hear you enjoying yourself quite so much."

I slid my hands up her thighs, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin. "You’re the one who set these boundaries, remember? No touching until we reach the academy. I’m just finding ways to occupy my time."

Her eyes narrowed. "By flirting with my best friend?"

"By laying groundwork." I kept my voice even, reasonable. "For our plan. The one you suggested." My fingers traced idle patterns on her hips, just beneath the hem of her shorts. "Unless you’ve changed your mind about the whole thing?"

Her fingers flexed against my shoulders, like she couldn’t decide whether to pull me closer or push me away.

"No," she finally said. "I haven’t changed my mind."

"Good." I smiled up at her. "Because Emi’s healing abilities would be extremely valuable to us. Plus, she’s quite adorable when she gets excited about something. All those little hand gestures and that way she scrunches her nose—"

Natalia’s hand shot out, gripping my jaw hard. "You’re enjoying this too much."

I laughed. "Mmph-course I am, washin’ you shtruggle ’tween jelushy an’ ambishun... ish fuh-kin’ fashinatin." I caught her wrist, pulling her hand away from my face. "You want to be my queen? Then act like one. Queens don’t throw tantrums when their kings recruit new allies."

Her eyes flashed with something dangerous—anger mixed with arousal. "I’m not throwing a tantrum. I’m establishing territory."

"Territory?" I repeated, amused. "What exactly do you think you own here, Princess?"

Instead of answering, she leaned down and kissed me hard, all teeth and tongue and aggressive need. Her hands fisted in my hair, pulling just shy of painful. I let her take control for a moment before gripping her waist and standing, lifting her with me. Her legs wrapped around my hips on instinct as I turned and pinned her against the cool, smooth drywall. The sudden impact stole a gasp from her.

I broke the kiss, trailing my lips down her throat. "You’re breaking your own rules," I murmured against her skin.

"Fuck the rules," she gasped, her head falling back against the wall. "I need to remind you who was here first."

"As if I could forget." I nipped at her collarbone, feeling her shudder against me. "But jealousy isn’t a good look on a queen, Natalia. Not when we both know this is necessary."

She stilled in my arms, her breathing ragged. After a long moment, she unwound her legs from my waist and pushed against my chest until I set her down.

"You’re right," she said, smoothing her hair back. "This is about building our power base. I shouldn’t let emotions cloud my judgment."

I brushed my thumb across her lower lip. "That doesn’t mean you can’t claim what’s yours once in a while."

A small smile curved her mouth. "I just did." She stepped away from me, adjusting her camisole with deliberate slowness. "But the rules stand. No more until the academy."

"Whatever you say, Princess." I returned to my chair, watching as she headed for the door. "Oh, and Natalia?"

She paused, looking back over her shoulder. "What?"

"Next time you want to spy on my phone calls, try not to breathe so loudly. It ruins the element of surprise."

Her eyes widened fractionally before narrowing. Without another word, she turned and left, putting on a show with her hips meant just for me.

I watched her go, admiring the view. Perfect. Let her think she was establishing territory. All she was doing was building my kingdom.

Turning back to my desk, I noticed a notification on my phone—a text from Emi.

Thanks for watching with me tonight! It was so fun! Can’t wait for Sunday! 💫

I smiled to myself. Two women, both wanting different pieces of me, both playing into my larger plan. The System had chosen well when it targeted me for this role. Being a scumbag came naturally.

I glanced at the terrarium on my desk, where Bartholomew the immortal snail was making his glacial way across a miniature castle. "What do you think, Bartholomew? Am I handling this harem subplot well? Too much drama? Not enough?"

The snail offered no opinion, continuing his endless journey across his tiny kingdom.

"Yeah, you’re right," I agreed, as if he’d spoken. "I should focus on the mission. The entrance exam is coming up, and I need to be ready for whatever the VHC throws at me."

I reached for the VHC manual I’d abandoned earlier, flipping it open to the section on Academy protocols. With Natalia on board and Emi being reeled in, I needed to set my sights on the next target: Celeste Vance, sister of the VHC President.

My fingers traced over the bracelet on my wrist, the monitoring device that linked me to the VHC’s watchful eye. Kimiko’s warnings about Seraphina Vance echoed in my mind. If I wanted to uncover the truth about Kenji Nakano and free myself from this surveillance, I needed to get close to the Vance family.

The System notification appeared in my vision, a translucent overlay only I could see:

[KNOW THY ENEMY] Quest Status: 0% Complete

Target: Celeste Vance

Objective: Establish Bond Rank 4 or higher

"Establish a bond," I muttered, tracing the words on the screen. The System always did have a flair for euphemism.

I closed the manual and leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. Three women, three different approaches required. Natalia had fallen to raw dominance and psychological manipulation. Emi would respond to kindness and attention, the gentle coaxing of a shy animal into a trap. But Celeste Vance—she would be the real challenge. The sister of the most powerful woman in Valoria wouldn’t be easily impressed or manipulated.

I’d need to become someone new for her. Someone worthy of a Vance’s attention.

My phone buzzed again. Another text from Emi:

I just realized I never asked what YOU like to watch! What’s your favorite show? I want to know more about you!

I typed back:

Not much time for TV these days. Training and studying take priority. But I’ve always been drawn to documentaries about S-Rank Hunters. Something inspiring about seeing the heights of what’s possible with enough dedication.

The immortal snail reached the top of his castle, antenna waving slowly in victory. I saluted him with two fingers.

"Enjoy the view from the top, Bartholomew," I said. "I’ll be joining you soon enough."