Chapter 166: Leinas +18 decision. Announcing the final roommates.

Your eyes find hers through the center mirror. Leinas stares back at you, her amber gaze wet with tears she cannot stop, her lips parted around ragged breaths. Each thrust drives into her with measured force, and her breasts bounce in the reflections, the dark nipples stiff and flushed from the cool air of the throne room.

"You're beautiful," you say, your voice carrying across the vast obsidian space. "Intelligent enough to accept an unfair exchange when it gives you everything you want."

Leinas's breath hitches. Her amber eyes widen fractionally at the compliment, something flickering behind them that she clearly doesn't know how to process. Years of receiving veiled compliments as a knight, praise for valor, for duty, for sacrifice. Not for beauty. How many years has it been sense she was flattered as a young woman. Who praised her for intelligence.

"Rarely do individuals appreciate the deals they make when sex is involved," you continue, your hips maintaining their steady rhythm. "Though this deal does have certain benefits that others don't."

You gesture vaguely at the five mirrors surrounding her, at the flawless face staring back from every angle. At the body without scars. At the absence of seven years of rotting flesh and dead nerves.

Leinas opens her mouth to respond but what comes out instead is a broken moan as your thrust hits deeper. Her inner walls clench around you with increasing desperation, her body climbing toward something she has no experience navigating. Her fingers grip your forearm where it supports her breast, nails digging crescents into your skin.

"I can feel," she gasps. "Everything. I can feel everything."

Her climax hits her like a siege wall collapsing. Her entire body locks rigid, her spine arching backward against your chest, her mouth opening in a silent scream that finally breaks into a raw cry echoing through the throne room. Her pussy spasms around your cock in violent waves, gripping and releasing with the uncontrolled intensity of a woman experiencing her first orgasm while watching herself come undone from five different angles.

You lean close to her ear and whisper gently. "You belong to me whenever I want you."

Leinas shudders through the aftershocks, her body still trembling, her tears flowing freely now. You extend her climax with slow, shallow movements of your hips, drawing out every last spasm until her legs give out entirely. You lower her raised leg to the floor carefully, both feet now planted on obsidian, her body still impaled on your cock from behind.

Your free hand joins the first on her breasts, both palms now cupping and kneading the small mounds while you remain buried inside her. Your thumbs circle her nipples in slow patterns, pinching gently, rolling the stiff peaks between your fingers. Leinas leans her weight back against your chest, her muscular frame finally surrendering its rigid posture, her head falling against your shoulder.

"Seven years," she whispers, her voice raw and cracked. "Seven years I couldn't feel my own face. And you just."

She doesn't finish. Her amber eyes drift to the nearest mirror, watching your hands play with her breasts, watching your cock still inside her from the angle that shows everything. Her reflection shows a woman, exhausted and transformed.

"Thank you," she says, and the words sound foreign in her mouth, as though gratitude is a language she forgot how to speak long ago.

You resume your slow rhythm inside Leinas, your hips rolling with controlled patience. Each thrust draws a soft sound from her throat, her body still trembling from her first climax, oversensitive and responsive to every movement. Your hands continue their exploration of her breasts, thumbs circling her nipples with measured pressure, watching her reactions multiply in the five mirrors surrounding you both.

Leinas amber eyes half-lidded as she watches herself being taken. The woman in the mirrors is unrecognizable from the knight who stepped through your Gate twenty minutes ago. No mask. No scar. No curse. Just flawless skin and both amber eyes wide with sensation she never imagined experiencing.

You build her toward a second peak gradually, varying your pace, reading her body's responses through the way her inner walls grip you. When her breathing quickens and her fingers dig into your forearms, you push deeper, harder, and she comes apart again with a strangled cry that echoes through the vast throne room. You finish inside her moments later, your release flooding her spasming channel while her body shakes through the aftershocks.

You hold her upright as her legs threaten to buckle, your cock still buried inside her, your chin resting on her shoulder. The mirrors show everything. Her flushed cheeks. Your hands possessively cupping her breasts. The thin sheen of sweat across her muscular frame.

"Will you return to Jircniv's service in the morning?" you ask, your voice casual against her ear.

Leinas is silent for a long moment. Her amber eyes find yours in the center mirror, searching your face for something. Expectation, perhaps. A preferred answer.

"No," she says finally, her voice hoarse from crying and moaning. "I have nothing to return to. The curse was the only reason I stayed. Without it." She pauses, swallowing. "There is nothing for me in those barracks except a bed I never slept in and men who looked at me with pity or disgust."

Her jaw tightens, the old defiance flickering briefly before exhaustion smooths it away.

"I gave Jircniv my word I would serve him until I found someone who could cure me. I honored that. After that." Another pause. "I don't know."

You withdraw from her slowly, and she shudders at the sensation of emptiness. You step back, and she stands alone before the mirrors for a moment, her legs unsteady, your seed trailing down her inner thigh. She stares at herself, at the woman without scars or curse, and her expression shifts through several emotions too quickly to name before settling on something like quiet resolve.

You extend your will toward the Dungeon, and the lower floor responds. A hallway's obsidian walls part and reshape, stone flowing like water to create a chamber with mirrored walls on every surface. The ceiling reflects the floor. The floor reflects the ceiling. I use telekinesis to carry her clothes and armor while dismissing the five mirrors and guiding her to her new room.

As she looks inside from the door, she looks in shock at the Infinite Leinas staring back from every direction.

"This is yours," you tell her. "For now."

Leinas turns to look at the room, then back at you. Her amber eyes are still wet, but something in them has steadied. She nods once, the gesture of a soldier acknowledging an order.

You guide her inside, her bare feet stepping onto cool stone. She sinks onto the bed that formed at the room's center, her body finally surrendering to exhaustion. You pull a blanket over her naked form, and within moments her eyes drift closed, her breathing evening out into the deep sleep of someone whose body has been pushed beyond its limits. Prestidigitation cleans her without her even recognizing it.

You watch her for a moment in the mirrors. The woman sleeping there bears no resemblance to the cursed knight who arrived. She looks younger without the weight of seven years pressing on her face. Peaceful, even.

You turn and walk back through the throne room toward the Dungeon Passageway that leads to Carne Manor. Dinner should almost be finished.

- - -

You step through the Dungeon Passageway and emerge into the Carne Manor main hall. The dinner crowd has thinned considerably. Most plates are empty or being cleared by Unseen Servants. The warm glow of enchanted candles fills the space with amber light.

Villetta sits at the long table with Lucy tucked against her side, the pink-haired girl drowsy from her day at the park. Lucy's head rests against Villetta's arm, her eyes heavy with healthy exhaustion. Villetta looks up as you enter and offers a quiet nod of acknowledgment.

Across the hall, Laura sits between Kallen and Lacus, the three bunny-suited women in animated conversation. Laura's ice-blue eyes are more animated than you've seen them, her military posture softened as Kallen recounts something about resistance fighter operations with theatrical hand gestures. Lacus laughs at a comparison Laura makes between IS training and Kallen's guerrilla warfare, her pink hair swaying as she leans forward. Orihime has joined them, her grey eyes bright as she asks Laura about her IS unit's capabilities. Neia listens from beside Charlotte, her grey eyes attentive. Alicia and Fiona occupy the far end, Alicia in her blue bikini armor picking at dessert while Fiona watches the group with her characteristic analytical stillness.

Renner sits near the head of the table, her golden-blonde hair loose around her shoulders, a half-finished plate before her. She catches your eye and offers a small smile that carries more warmth than calculation for once.

Arche rises from her seat, gathering Kuuderika and Ureirika's empty plates. The twins are yawning, their matching teal dresses slightly rumpled from a day of classes. Milly stands beside Arche, already in helper mode, straightening Ureirika's collar.

You intercept them before they head toward the stairs.

"Kuuderika, Ureirika," you say, crouching slightly to their level. "Milly helped Arche today. Who would you like to help Arche tomorrow instead?"

Kuuderika's green eyes light up immediately. "Orihime! She's so pretty and happy!"

Ureirika shakes her head vigorously. "No, Villetta! She carried me when my foot hurt!"

The two sisters stare at each other with the particular intensity only siblings can muster. A whispered negotiation follows, rapid-fire exchanges too quiet to catch, punctuated by emphatic nods and head-shakes.

"Villetta," they announce in unison, having reached their consensus.

You smile. "Good choice. Sleep well, both of you."

"Goodnight!" they chorus, already being ushered toward the stairs by Arche's gentle hand on their backs. Milly follows, giving you a knowing look that says she appreciates being relieved of duty.

You wait until the sound of small feet fades completely, until Arche's soft voice disappears behind a closing door. Then you cross the hall to where Villetta sits with the drowsy Lucy.

"The twins chose you to help Arche with them tomorrow." you say quietly. "Are you willing?"

Villetta blinks, then a genuine smile crosses her dark features. "Of course. Lucy will be with someone else tomorrow, and Arche could use the extra hands." She glances down at Lucy, already nearly asleep against her. "I enjoyed being with Lucy at the park today. It's different from what I expected my life to be."

She pauses, amber eyes meeting yours with something approaching contentment. "I'll be there."

Renner rises from her seat, smoothing her dress. "I should return before the castle staff sends search parties," she says with dry humor, moving toward her room. She pauses beside you. "Laura integrates faster than I predicted. Military women adapt quickly to new command structures." She lets a moment pass. "Goodnight."

She disappears down the hallway without waiting for a response.

You kneel beside Villetta's chair and press a tiny kiss to Lucy's forehead. The pink-haired girl stirs slightly, her heavy eyes cracking open just enough to register your face before closing again. You guide her arms around your neck and gather her up gently, one arm beneath her knees, the other supporting her back. Her body limp with the deep exhaustion of a day spent engaging socially.

"Bedtime," you murmur against her hair.

Lucy makes a soft sound of acknowledgment and buries her face against your chest. The warmth of your body and the gentle rocking motion of your stride through the Dungeon Passageway do their work before you reach the halfway point. Her breathing slows, her grip on your shirt loosens, and by the time you step into her bedroom on the Nazarick residential floor she is completely asleep.

You lay her on the bed and work her shoes off first, then the white shirt and green skirt. Underneath, simple undergarments. You lift the sheets and settle her beneath them, tucking the fabric around her slender form. In the soft lamplight you observe her face, the delicate features that have sharpened slightly over recent weeks. Her skin has lost its pallor, taking on a healthier flush. The dark circles beneath her eyes have faded. Her pink hair, once dull and tangled, now catches the light with a faint sheen. Physical recovery manifesting with increasing beauty, responding to safety and nutrition with visible improvement. You pull the covers to her chin and step back.

You return through the Passageway to the main hall. Arche and Milly are returning, Arche smoothing her white sundress while Milly straightens her half-cup maid outfit. They notice you emerging from the silver-edged portal and Milly's blue eyes flick toward to where Lucy was moments ago, a knowing smile touching her lips.

Across the hall, the evening has shifted into its childless phase. Euphemia, Shirley, and Villetta have already shed their strapless bras and tight shorts, the three women now in their open-cup maid outfits with breasts fully exposed. Milly notices this, then without breaking stride reaches behind her back and unclasps her own bra, letting it fall away before pulling down her shorts and stepping out of them. She tosses both items onto a chair with practiced ease.

"Welcome back," Milly says, settling into a seat with her breasts bare beneath the maid outfit's open front.

At the long table, Laura sits between Kallen and Lacus, her ice-blue eyes tracking the casual undressing with visible confusion. Kallen notices Laura's attention and leans closer, her red hair falling across her shoulder.

"He does this every morning and night," Kallen explains, her voice carrying the amusement of someone who has long since accepted the routine. "Intimate moments with all of us. Either he takes someone to their bedroom for private time while 'putting us to bed,' or he has sex right here in the main hall and usually carries us to bed after we fall asleep." She pauses, grinning. "Sometimes a combination of both."

Laura's ice-blue eyes widen fractionally. The understanding clicks into place instantly, her military mind processing the information against her own experience of being pleasured orally upon arrival. Her cheeks flush faintly beneath her bunny suit's collar.

"So that's what the morning routine is," Laura says quietly.

Kallen nods. "Almost every single day. It's both a routine and a game for him. 'Waking us up' before we step out to breakfast."

Euphemia rises from her seat, her violet eyes finding yours across the hall. Her exposed breasts catch the candlelight as she stretches her arms above her head with deliberate languor, pink hair swaying. A serene smile crosses her features as she tilts her head.

"What will it be tonight, Master?" she asks, her voice carrying the teasing warmth of a woman who already knows the answer will involve her.

You cross the hall to Euphemia and cup her chin, tilting her face up before pressing your lips to hers in a slow, deliberate kiss. She melts into it immediately, her violet eyes fluttering closed, her exposed breasts pressing against your chest as you take her seat and pull her down onto your lap. She settles with practiced ease, her weight warm against you, her pink hair cascading over your shoulder.

Your left hand finds her breast, cupping the soft mound and rolling her nipple between your fingers. Your right hand slides up her thigh beneath the maid outfit's short hem, fingers finding her pussy already damp. You begin rubbing her gently, your touch unhurried, as though this were the most natural thing in the world while the entire assembled household watches.

"First," you say, your voice carrying clearly across the hall, "it's time to bring up the Manor's final pre-adventure members."

Euphemia's breath catches as your fingers circle her clit, but her violet eyes remain focused on you, listening with the attentive composure that defines her.

"Mira Suou," you begin, naming the first. "From a world where a pandemic wiped out most of the male population. She's a clone-soldier. I'll be retrieving her from pre-series."

Your fingers press slightly deeper, and Euphemia shifts on your lap, a soft sound escaping her lips.

"Guild Girl. From a world plagued by goblins. She manages adventurers, but hasn't participated in those adventures herself. Her organizational skills will be useful if she survives."

Kallen leans forward from her seat, red hair falling across her shoulder as she listens with genuine interest. Laura's ice-blue eyes are fixed on you, processing each name with military precision.

"Henrietta and Tabitha, or Charlotte d'Orleans. Both are Princesses, technically. Their world involves political marriages, magical warfare, and a familiar summoning ritual that binds souls. Tabitha in particular carries a tragedy involving her mother's madness and her father's betrayal by her uncle."

Lacus tilts her head, her pink hair swaying. "A princess and a noble with family tragedy. That sounds familiar to several of us."

"It was a fairly stereotype story that was still decently entertaining. Finally," you continue, your thumb pressing against Euphemia's clit in a slow circle that makes her thighs tremble, "Angelica Redgrave and Olivia. From a world of otome games and reincarnators. Multiple timeline possibilities. I'll be recruiting the two from separate failure timelines where things went wrong for them individually."

Charlotte's blue eyes sharpen at the mention of multiple timelines. Her analytical mind clearly latching onto the concept.

"I'll retrieve Mira, Guild Girl, Henrietta and Tabitha throughout the week," you say. "But I want you all to hang back after breakfast tomorrow, after Kuuderika and Ureirika head to school. I'll open a pair of Gates for Olivia and Angelica to walk into willingly. I'll explain their failed timelines before inviting them to join you."

Your fingers slip inside Euphemia, and she gasps, her back arching against your chest. You continue speaking as though nothing has changed.

"If they have questions, it will be for you all to answer. Or attempt to convince them to stay. If they refuse, they walk back to their world knowing the future they've chosen. If they stay, you'll have witnessed their choice."

Milly's blue eyes are thoughtful. "So we serve as the welcoming committee. Demonstrating that life here is worth choosing."

"Or as jealous women scaring two newcomers away from joining a large harem." you tease.

"When the last of the members have been gathered," you finish, curling your fingers inside Euphemia and drawing a moan from her throat, "you'll only have one week before the first adventure."

Silence follows for a moment. Then Orihime raises her hand like she's in class.

"What kind of adventure?" she asks, grey eyes wide.

Kallen snorts. "Probably the kind where we almost die."

"The kind where you grow stronger or die." you correct, your free hand squeezing Euphemia's breast as she writhes on your lap. "I won't put you in impossible situations without warning, but they shouldn't be easy either. But that's a discussion for after everyone is gathered."

Charlotte speaks from her seat, her tone measured. "You're giving them the choice to refuse. Why?"

"The same reason I gave all of you the choice. Because choice matters," you say simply.

Laura watches Euphemia's flushed face, her ice-blue eyes calculating something behind that military exterior.