The World The Girls Also Knows: The Girls God Can Only Save

AU after Goddesses Arc. Keima has to keep the affection of the seven Goddess hosts and Chihiro at the same time. And he still has to exorcise loose souls from girls by making them fall in love with him. Miyako has a loose soul that needs to be exorcised, and the God of Conquests gets himself a new disciple in the game world named Aoba Fuse.

And I do not own The World God Only Knows.

And thank you to xellos540 for the beta!

Short Summary of Previous Chapter:

Aoba Fuse arrives at Keima's house for the sleepover. Chihiro and Tsukiyo arrive. Mari interviews Chihiro and Tsukiyo. And Keima talks to them. Aoba plays games in the library and Keima and Mari talks with her too.

ARC III – THE DISCIPLE

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Mari's Decision

Part 321 –Chihiro's Query

Chihiro Kosaka was glad that everyone was there. Shiori, Tenri, Kanon, and Yui had just arrived, joining herself along with Ayumi and Tsukiyo.

Tsukiyo had called on Ayumi to go to Mari for her interview, but Mari politely asked the athlete to come back later, while apologizing profusely. Mari explained that she had some other chores she had to do before she could talk to her.

"So, how was it? Was it scary?" Yui Goido asked as the six girls sat around two tables placed side-by-side.

"Nah, it wasn't scary at all!" Chihiro boasted. "Piece of cake, really."

"Wow! I'm glad to hear that!" Shiori whispered.

"Yeah. That's why I could almost hear your heart pounding when you finished it, and you were all sweaty and nervous," Ayumi teased the bandleader.

"Yeah. Talking to Keima's mother was scary," Kanon admitted. "Luckily, I had my manager with me when that happened. If I were alone, I don't think I could've done it."

"Lucky you," Tsukiyo mumbled. The rest of us didn't have our mothers or managers to accompany us!

"Did you really confess to Keima in front of his mother?" Shiori asked.

"Yes. It was embarrassing," Tsukiyo admitted. "But all I kept thinking was that if I didn't get it right, I'm going to lose Keima forever. And now, she approves of me."

"So, what shall I do? I'm scared," the librarian asked. "Please, help me!"

"Just remember what Elly and the Otamegane said," Chihiro instructed. "Everything that they told us was on point."

"But I don't think I can confess to her! I can barely confess to him while we're alone."

"Shiomiya, you'll do fine," Tsukiyo assured. "I'm sure he took your shyness into account when he made his plans. How did you do it, Ayukawa? If I'm not mistaken, you're a shy girl too."

The childhood friend nodded. "To tell you the truth, I was barely able to talk. I mostly nodded."

"Don't worry, Shiomiya. You'll do fine!" Yui exclaimed. "Just remember what they told you."

"I've memorized it! Memorized it all! Every sentence, word, comma, and period," Shiori squeaked, referring to what Elsie and Keima told her.

"Then you should be fine," Chihiro answered. "Anyway, girls, I have something to ask of you all."

Chihiro's tone changed, and that grabbed the attention of the rest of the girls.

"Is it about that?" Ayumi asked. "Is this really the right time to tell it?"

"Yes. Listen, girls. I know that all of us would vote for Aoba to join the schedule. Right?"

Yui nodded.

"Yes," Tenri whispered.

"She deserves it," Shiori said.

"You already know my stance on that," Tsukiyo answered.

"I'm not too fond of adding another rival, but it's necessary," Ayumi concurred.

Kanon was silent as she watched the other girls concur. And her heart sank.

The idol was conflicted. She really thought of Fuse as her friend. She felt betrayed when she learned that all this time, the genius loved him. It hurt to learn the truth

Also, she still had her yanderish traits.

Yet Kanon did not want Aoba Fuse to lose her memories. The teen idol wanted Keima to be President. Kanon wanted to help as a way of fixing her blunder of that classroom confession. She knew that she needed Aoba to make him President—by herself, and with all the other girls—they could not make him win.

In desperation, she had asked Apollo for advice.

…

Chihiro looked confidently at the rest of the girls. "So Fuse is going to join us. Fair enough. But if she does so, she must play fair with us."

"Well, the rules would make sure of that," Tsukiyo asserted. "That's why we want her in. Outside of it, she can do whatever she wants."

"Not quite, Kujo," the band leader answered. "You see, as long as Katsuragi allows it, she can spend as much time with him outside of her schedule as she wants."

"But Keima won't! He's too busy with games!" Kanon pointed out.

"Fuse's his disciple. As long as it's about games, Keima will make time for her. Since she's as much a gamer as he is, that leaves us at a disadvantage! I mean, none of us can make games work for us! Only Fuse! That's why we should change the rules! But we can only do so if we're all united!"'

"Change the rules?" asked Shiori. "How?"

"Do it so that being a disciple in games would not count as a valid reason!" Chihiro proposed. "Because Keima will spend time with you if you make it about games. But we girls can't do that!"

"Um, you mean, all of us can spend time with him outside our schedule if it's about games?" Tsukiyo asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Or if we become disciples too?" Yui asked too.

"Yes, yes, right now, that's possible. But only if you become a dweeb like him. I don't need to tell you that that's impossible for us unless we too become dweebs," Chihiro continued. "So after Fuse gets in, I'll propose that vote. I won't ask you to vote one way or the other since I promised the Otamegane I wouldn't campaign one way or another. You're free to vote as you please."

Suddenly, the door to the café opened. It was Elsie.

"Shiori! Mom's calling you!"

Shiori gulped. "Me?"

"Yes. Good luck!"

"Bb-b-b-but I c-c-c-c-can't!" stammered the librarian. "And it's Takahara's turn, rrrright?"

"No, she changed the order a bit," the devil informed. "She's calling for you, Shiomiya."

"Me? I'm n-n-n-not prepared. I can't do it!"

"Yes, you can!" Ayumi encouraged, relieved that she was not next.

"It's not that hard, Shiomiya. Just remembered what we all talked about," Tsukiyo reminded her as the blonde basically pushed the shy girl out the door towards Elsie.

…

Part 322 – Shiori's Interview

Mari was in the living room, her eyes closed. Normally, she would be sipping tea. Yet she sipped tea too when she interviewed Chihiro, Tsukiyo and even Aoba, and she doubted her stomach could take in more of the beverage.

Still, there's a teapot just in case the next girl needs a drink.

So far, so good. Mari was surprised that all the girls passed. She might not have equally approved all of them, but all of them earned the right to have a chance at Keima—yes, even that Fuse girl, if she decides to join the derby.

"Mom! Here she is!" shouted Elsie, with Shiori in tow, before the younger devil ran back to the café to join her friends, leaving the shy girl before Keima's mother.

"H-h-h-hellooooo, M-m-m-m-rs. K-k-k-k-katsuragi," Shiori bowed. I hope she's nice. I heard she's terrifying. That's why I am scared. What shall I do?

"Shiori Shiomiya, isn't it? Why don't you sit and have some tea and snacks," the mother offered. Mari knew from what Keima and Elsie told her that the mousy little girl might be shier and timider than even Tenri, so she might not be too easy to work in comparison with the earlier girls.

"T-t-t-thanks," the librarian mouthed as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"I heard you work at the library at your school," Mari began, and Shiori nodded.

And for the next twenty minutes, the two engaged in small talk, Mari talking in a friendly manner, and Shiori loosening and opening up to the mother. Shiori found the older woman to be a nice woman, and a lot less scary than she imagined her to be.

That is, until…

"So Shiori, may I call you Shiori?"

"Yes, Ma'am," the librarian assented.

"You're friends with my son, right?"

And Shiori looked at her with wide eyes. What is she asking? Am I friends with her son? How should I answer that? Well, I am his friend. But if I say that, she will think that I'm just that—friends, and I am more than his friend—at least I hope I am. I am—what exactly am I to Keima Katsuragi? I am a girl of the schedule—but does that mean I'm a friend? Girlfriend? Or what? I don't have a clue! None of the books I've read dealt with my situation. What is the relationship between Katsuragi and me? More than friends, less than lovers? So cliché, but what else is there?

Shiori opted to nod.

Mari gave a smile that Shiori couldn't decide if it would make her giddy or shudder.

"But you'd like to be more than friends, I imagine. You have a crush on Keima, haven't you?"

And Shiori became very red and warm. She froze and was not able to move.

"You don't have to say anything. It's obvious. Now, you're a nice girl. How much do you want to be with my son?"

And Shiori clammed up even more as her mouth refused to move. Her muscles became as stiff as marble.

"If the answer is yes, you don't have to say or do anything. If the answer is no, then say so."

"You like to be with my son very very much. You like it so much you can't tell me how."

And Shiori did nothing.

"I knew it. I imagine that you'd like nothing more than to be my son's girlfriend, right?"

Shiori was thankful that 'not doing anything' means 'yes' as she really could not do anything but sit there like a statue.

"I'm sorry to say that it's impossible. You see, Keima is in a bit of a sticky situation with Kanon Nakagawa—you know her, the famous idol? Then there's our neighbor Tenri Ayukawa…"

The next few minutes were spent by Mari explaining to Shiori about the complicated situation that Keima, Kanon, and Tenri found themselves in, and the imperfect solution that they came up with.

"So Shiori, that's the situation. Keima can't have you as a girlfriend unless you want to share. Do you?"

Shiori knew what was coming, so she did nothing.

"The only chance another girl has at my son is to agree to share him with Tenri and Kanon and possibly other girls too. In exchange, you get to spend three hours per week with him for the next five years. After five years, he'll choose among the girls he's spending time with. Now, you don't need to say that it's outrageous. I know that you won't stand for this, right? I know you'd rather take a chance at another boy than share my son with other girls because the drawbacks are not worth the tiny chance of winning your crush. Right?"

And Shiori panicked. The answer is no, yet she needed to say something. Or Mrs. Katsuragi might think she's agreeing. I need to say it! Say it!

She opened her mouth, but the words refused to come out.

Damn it, Shiori! Say something! Anything! You're blowing it, girl! Say no! No!

Only air left her mouth.

Then she realized she was doing it all wrong. She shook her head. Shaking or nodding took far less effort than saying something.

Mari caught it. "So you don't agree? You'd actually be okay with sharing Keima?"

Shiori said and did nothing.

"Are you sure?"

Again, nothing.

"Still, are you okay with him cheating on you?"

"I-i-t-t-it isssn't ch-ch-cheating," Shiori finally blurted out.

"Yes, as long as you know about the others and you approve of those girls, it isn't cheating. I know," Mari sighed. "Am I right?"

This time, she made a tiny nod.

…

Part 324 – The Confession of the Shy Librarian

Then, they heard footsteps on the stairs. The librarian turned to the source of the noise, and her heart leaped.

"Hey, Mom! Can I have some money? I need to go to the game store and—Shiori Shiomiya! You're here to collect the book I borrowed in the library, right?" Keima asked upon seeing her.

"K-k-katsuragi—"

"Listen, I know it's late, but I only need to finish one more chapter of Gal Game Guide. I need to write a review on it and copy some quotes for my site. Don't worry. I'll pay the fees if I return it late," he answered.

"It's fine," Shiori answered. "Just don't fold pages on it or write on it."

"Don't worry. I only write on my own books," he said.

"My son, Shiori has something else to say to you. And it doesn't have anything to do with the library," Mari interjected, cutting through the charade.

"Well? Look, could you hurry? I have a heroine to save," he said with an annoyed voice.

If Shiori didn't know that the entire thing was planned, she would have been crushed.

"K-k-katsuragi, I….." love you. But the last two words refused to come out. She knew what she must do, but with the mother there, she could not. Keima had earlier offered that Haqua act in her stead, just like the valedictorian did for Tenri, but Shiori refused. The librarian just knew that Haqua would take another opportunity to steal another kiss from him—no other girl was fooled by the 'I needed to kiss him to convince Tenri's parents' explanation.

Luckily, she was prepared. She grabbed a piece of paper from her pocket. She trembled for a bit—even this was hard to do with Mrs. Katsuragi watching—but she overcame her fear and gave the paper to him.

Keima sighed before receiving the note. His eyes widened as it scanned the item.

"Is this a prank or something?"

Mari snatched the paper from Keima's hands, and Shiori again blushed in embarrassment as Mari read it.

Keima Katsuragi, I love you. Please go out with me.

"Wait. Did you know this will happen?" asked Mari, looking at the librarian.

"Probably not. Most likely, she always kept that piece of paper with her. Look, the paper is old and crumpled," he pointed out.

"How do you know that?"

"It's exactly what Konato did in The Shy Librarian. She fit Shiori to a T, so it's reasonable for her to do such a thing."

"Why am I not surprised that you got that from another of your games? So, what are you waiting for, Keima?" Mari asked.

"Waiting for what?" he asked with a dense expression.

"Answer her note," Mari demanded with an exasperated tone.

"Oh! Well, I am very flattered, Shiori, but I'm sorry, I don't like you."

Shiori's face was sad, but to Mari's surprise, it was as if she already expected that answer. She got another old piece of paper from her pocket and gave it to Keima.

I know. Please give me a chance to make you love me.

Keima sighed before handing the note to his mother. "Shiori, it's complicated. It's a long story, but basically, giving you a chance means you're going to have to share me with other girls. And no, that's not because I am a lying, cheating scumbug playboy. It's something I must do."

Shiori had a small pen in her pocket, along with stacks of paper.

She wrote something on a note and gave it to Keima.

I know. Your mother told me everything. It's okay. I'll share you for the next five years.

Keima's eyes nearly bulged out from his sockets when he read the reply before he handed it back to Shiori.

"Are you really sure about this?"

There was a small nod.

"Then, fine. I'll give you my time as long as my mother consents to it too."

Mari nodded. "I have no problem with it, provided all the other girls say yes."

Keima sighed. "Fine. We'll ask the other girls if they're okay with you, and you can be added to the list. Is that okay with you, Shiori?"

Shiori's eyes brightened as she suddenly went and gave a brief but sincere hug to Keima, before disengaging. "T-t-t-thank you. Can I go now?"

He nodded, and Mari also gave her permission to leave. She happily bolted for the café.

I did it! I did it! I did it!

"Oh, and call Ayumi Takahara," Mari shouted.

…

Part 325 – Ayumi in the Hot Seat

"So how did it go?" asked Chihiro when Shiori returned.

The happy look on the shy girl's face told everything.

"Fine," the librarian answered. "Um, Miss Takahara, you're next."

Ayumi gave an audible gulp, before standing up, and putting her game face on. "I can do this."

Chihiro encouraged her. "Don't worry. Just remember all that Elly and Katsuragi had told us, and it'll be fine. Mrs. Katsuragi's bark is worse than her bite, you know."

"That's good to know," the athlete muttered.

"So that means I'm last," Yui exclaimed happily.

"You might have changed how you dressed, but you still hadn't changed your act," Ayumi smiled at Yui before she stepped out of the café. "Wish me luck!"

Ayumi entered the Katsuragi living room and found Mari waiting for her. The place was familiar, as it was not the first time that she visited—that would be when Keima was sick, and they got into a comedy of errors. She wondered if she could ever explain to anyone that she was 'lying in bed' with Keima Katsuragi. If news of that spread…

That was one thing she was determined to keep a secret. She was a proper girl for crying out loud. No matter how much she would like to marry Keima for real, she needs to keep things in proper perspective.

Her mind was shaken from her thoughts by Mari's voice.

"Ayumi Takahara! Please have a cup of tea," the mother invited, although she herself was bereft of a drink. The athlete surmised that she probably had already drank several cups when interviewing the previous girls.

"Thank you, Mrs. Katsuragi," Ayumi answered as she sat down on the couch and poured herself a cup of hot tea.

"Elsie told me so much about you!" Mari began. "You're a great athlete of Maijima High! A runner even faster than your seniors, I've heard."

"Thank you, but I'm not that great! Elly's been exaggerating!"

"But didn't you win at the meet? Elsie couldn't stop talking about it! And you were the star of your school's Sports Festival!"

Ayumi was beaming at the compliments. Despite her affected modesty, she was very proud of her athletic achievements. If there's one thing she's good at, it's P.E.!

"I hear you are also terrific at football!"

"Football?"

"As the Americans call it, soccer," Mari mentioned. "Your kicks are legendary."

"My kicks?"

"Yes. Nobody can block the ball when you're the one who made the kick!"

Ayumi beamed proudly. "Yes. I can kick well. I'm the best at kicking."

"And I'm sure you're not the type of girl to just use those legs for kicking some poor innocent kids," Mari mentioned.

"Of course not!" Ayumi began before a cold shudder descended on her. She knows! She knows I kicked Keima before!

"And I'm sure you know that it's wrong to use physical violence on anyone for any reason, except to defend yourself from physical violence too, right?"

"Of course."

"And it isn't proper to kick someone just for something they said, right?"

"Yes, Ma'am. Violence is not the answer." Ayumi was sweating now. This was not part of Keima or Elsie's earlier briefing. And who told her about those things? She knew it was not likely that Keima would tell Mrs. Katsuragi, as he would be too embarrassed about it, and it didn't matter enough to him. And he was too careful with his words to blurt it out accidentally. But Elsie, on the other hand…

Wouldn't intentionally tell Mrs. Katsuragi.

I am going to kill that Elly!

"Especially if that someone was the one you love. You wouldn't inflict physical violence on that person, no matter what happens, right?"

"Of course."

And Ayumi further shrank from Mari's gaze.

"And we both know that what's proper between parent and child isn't appropriate between spouses and lovers," Mari added.

"Yes, I agree, Ma'am."

Part 326 - Ayumi and Mari's Deal

"Oh, I do apologize, Miss Takahara. I was watching too many shows about domestic violence," the mother sheepishly explained. "Anyway, let's go to the real reason why you're here. Do you know, Ayumi?"

"Because I was invited by Elsie for a group sleepover, right?"

"Yes. But do you know why?"

"I'm not sure, Mrs. Katsuragi."

"Well, Elsie explained something about you saying something to her, but I can't remember. Can you refresh my memory, Miss Takahara?"

Ayumi wanted to make an excuse, but she could see in her eyes that the mother knew.

"Well, I heard about the deal that Keima had with Tenri Ayukawa and Kanon Nakagawa—you know, where he spends three hours per week with each of them for the next five years?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Well, don't be mad at her, but she accidentally blabbed it to me," Ayumi answered.

"And?"

"I want to have the same deal as those two!" the teenage girl squeaked, her face blushing furiously.

"But why?"

Does she really want me to blurt it out?

"Because I love your son, and I know that this is the only way to have a chance. Please, let me in his life?"

Mari pretended to be shocked at the revelation. "Are you really willing to let Keima cheat on you every week?"

"And it's not cheating if I approve of it. And yes, I don't care if Keima has ten girls or more, as long as I am one of them, and as long as he chooses me in the end. I'm going to win, and I'll have him to myself after five years, as sure as the sun rises in the east!" she said in a very loud, emotional voice, her eyes burning with passion. "I love Keima, more than life itself, and I'll do anything."

At that point in time, Keima entered. "Hey Mom, I'm gonna get some snacks and… Ayumi Takahara? What are you doing here?"

Seeing her chance, Ayumi went over to him. "Keima Katsuragi, I'm here because I want to say sorry. Sorry for all the times I hurt you. I really didn't mean any of it."

"Oh, those? It's fine. It's probably my fault since I probably said something stupid!" Keima laughed. "Anyway, did you come all the way here just to apologize?"

"Well, yeah, but not only that. I want to say something."

"I guess I better go now," said Mari, "and leave you two lovebirds alone."

"Wait! Mrs. Katsuragi! Please, you've got to hear this too."

The mother stopped and looked at the two.

Then Ayumi gave a light kiss on Keima's lips. His eyes widened. That was not part of the plan.

"Huh? What's this about? Why did you—" Keima began but was silenced by Ayumi's fingers on his lips.

"Shhh. Shut up and listen. I love you, Keima Katsuragi. I love you so much it hurts. And don't say anything about it being impossible. I know everything. About your deal with Kanon and Ayukawa. What I want is to have the same chance as they have. I know that's the only thing you can give, so can I have it?"

"Ayumi, I had no idea. But I don't feel the same. Sorry."

"You don't like the others, either," Ayumi answered automatically.

There was a minute of silence as the runner looked at him expectantly.

He finally gave his answer. "If you want a chance, you may, as long as Mom and the other girls approve."

Mari gave an exaggerated sigh. "You're not the first, or even second or third girl to ask me this. So, I'll give you the same answer. As long Keima and all the other girls approve, I'm fine with it."

"Now that this is settled, what you saw and heard in this house this day remains here, right?" Keima asked.

"They wouldn't believe it even if it didn't," the athlete muttered.

"Well, I need to finish Sora's Bad Day," he said before he went upstairs.

"Miss Takahara, one more thing," said Mari before Ayumi took her leave.

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Look. Let's forget what happened in the past. I won't ask any questions about what you did or did not do to my son. But I know that you will be, from now on, someone who abhors violence and will never ever physically abuse my son, right?"

"Really, Mrs. Katsuragi!" Ayumi tried to sound offended but came off as sheepish. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"And of course, if that happened, you will take responsibility, right?"

"I will withdraw from the schedule if I hurt him that way," she blurted out, still freaked out over that look on Mari's eyes and her enigmatic smile.

"I will hold you to that, Miss Takahara. Control your temper, or you'll never have the chance to be my daughter-in-law."

That frightened Ayumi. "Yes, Ma'am. I promise you that I will never ever physically hurt Keima ever again. Well, I may shout at him, but I won't use my superior physical strength in an argument or fight against him."

"I know," said the mother as her expression changed to friendly. "And please call Yui Goido, will you? Thanks."

…

Part 327 –The Rich Heiress

"Who are you?" asked Ayumi to a strange new girl.

The girl bowed to the athlete. "Nice to meet you. I am Yui Goido."

"You're Yui?" Ayumi shouted, and the rest of the girls laughed. Ayumi could not believe it. Yui Goido! In girls' clothes! Specifically, the female uniform of Maijima-High. And her hair was restored to her previous style.

Yui looking so feminine was something else.

"Yes, it's Goido," Tsukiyo mentioned. "While you were in the interview, she went to the toilet and came back looking like that."

"Yes. Just like I remembered her before!" Chihiro exclaimed with a big smile on her face.

"So, you're over the crossdressing phase, then?" Ayumi finally asked.

"Hardly. This is just for my future mother-in-law," declared Yui in her familiar style. "I need to show that I can be the perfect wife, and for that, I need to look and act the part!"

"And when mother-in-law is not looking, she's back to being a weird crossdresser," Chihiro laughed.

"Oh Yui, you're up. Good luck! And don't overdo it!" Ayumi said. "I wish I could watch it."

"Dear Mrs. Katsuragi is calling for me? I better get going," Yui remarked, reverting to how she acted before she got possessed by a Weiss. She acted with poise, like a lady, as she walked out of the café.

"Wouldn't the missus be surprised?" Chihiro cracked.

…

Mari evaluated the two most recent girls she interviewed. Shiori was a darling—she was too shy, didn't speak much, but her feelings were so obvious. She was so adorable that Mari did not have the heart to deny her what she wanted. The mother wished she could give the librarian a hand—it would be almost impossible to compete against the other girls.

As for Ayumi, her suspicions were correct. And such a shame too. If it weren't for that, Ayumi would be perfect! But the physical violence was just too much! Luckily for her, she answered every question correctly. If she had not, or tried to justify what she did, it would have been over for her. And thankfully, the athlete seemed to be scared of the prospect of losing Keima. Hopefully, that would knock some sense into her.

And here comes the final girl!

She was a bit surprised by the sight that greeted her. Was the proper, demure lady before her the same Yui Goido who, while wearing boys' clothes, casually declared that she would marry her son in five years? The face was the same, but everything else was different.

"My Lady Katsuragi," greeted Yui as she gave a deep bow.

"Um, plain Mrs. Katsuragi will do," Mari remarked, caught off guard by the girls' formality. "Won't you join me for tea?"

"I would be delighted to, Ma'am," Yui answered, sitting on the chair with perfect poise. She poured a cup of tea into her teacup the way she had been trained to do by her family.

And she drank it like the lady she was.

"Your tea is delightful!" Yui complimented. "May I have your recipe?"

"I'm afraid it's just an old family recipe. It's like my son's coffee. It's a family secret," Mari smiled.

"Yes. This is the same tea I've drunk in the café. It's as good as your son's coffee."

"Now, you are flattering me!" laughed Mari. "Nothing could be as good as Keima's coffee!"

They spent the next twenty minutes talking about nothing in particular—the weather, the flowers, different kinds of tea, the latest fashions, gossip around town, about the Goido family and their wealth, how to run a café, etc.

Part 328 – Yui's Betrothed

Yui seized the initiative. "Mrs. Katsuragi, I'd like to apologize."

"Apologize, Miss Goido?"

"For what happened the last time we met. I was presumptuous in asking the hand of your son without knowing the true situation."

"True situation?"

"Yes. Your daughter and my friend, Elsie, told me Keima's circumstances with the idol Kanon Nakagawa and his neighbor Tenri Ayukawa. I'm sad that Keima can't find true happiness in the next five years, and that he can't choose whom he'll spend the rest of his life with until it's over. On the other hand, some positives can come out of this."

"Positives, Miss Goido?"

"Yes. He has five years to choose, which means that his choice won't be rushed. He would have time to consider all the pros and cons of each girl and truly understand each of us. When he makes his choice, it would be the right one. He will make no mistake. I am sure of it."

"And do you know who he will choose?" Mari teased.

"He will choose me to be his bride," Yui said without hesitation, "provided I am given a chance, Mrs. Katsuragi. Will you give it to me?"

And Mari nodded. "Yes, provided that Keima and the other girls agree. You already know what it means to be given a chance with Keima?"

"Yes. Perfectly. I know the deal they had, and if I am given a chance, how I will fit in."

"Keima!" Mari shouted at the top of her lungs. "Get down here!"

And a few seconds later, Keima appeared with an annoyed look on his face. "What is it, Mom! I'm in the middle of a critical route, and I still have a dozen more games to go through this—huh? Is that you, Yui?"

"Hello, Keima," the heiress greeted shyly and demurely.

Keima just stared at her, with mouth wide open, his jaw hanging so low that Mari thought it threatened to hit the floor. This was the only time he had been genuinely surprised by a girl that day.

"Is that really you, or am I hallucinating?" he finally cracked.

"It is me," the girl answered, looking at him with delight in her eyes even as her manner remained shy.

"Anyway, do you have something to say to my son, Miss Goido?"

"Yes. Keima, I am quite fond of you. I adore you. I wish to be your betrothed."

"Um, would your family approve?"

"Now, they won't, but I'm sure once they see the benefits this union could bring to both our families, they would see no objection to having you as a son-in-law."

"I can't—"

"I know of your situation, Keima. This should only be a preliminary to our engagement. The formal signing of the engagement contracts could wait until after five years, once you chose me."

"Huh?"

"I want to have a chance of winning your hand in marriage. Please give it to me? I will make sure that you will fall in love with me for the next five years. Your family will also see that the benefits that will accrue are not only of the emotional kind but also financial, not to mention the prestige too. For example, union with the Goido family will raise the profile of your café, and increase the number of customers. And maybe even increase investments too."

"And what, pray tell, Yui, would be the benefit to your family be, of us marrying? Aside from emotional benefits like love?" Keima challenged, playing the game too.

"Aside from the fact that it would raise my morale, our family would also gain the expertise of a genius such as yourself, Keima Katsuragi. I know just how smart, organized and dedicated you are. You can make the Goido family even richer using that intellect."

"But, you can just hire me if that's the case."

"But if we're married, you can't just quit the family business," the heiress answered quickly. "We would have you forever."

"Do you know what you're getting into?" Keima snapped, cutting off the business talk. He was not sure that his mother would be too pleased by the utilitarian reasons given by Yui.

"I am aware of your situation with your neighbor and the idol. I wish to have the same chance as them. If I have it, I am sure that you will pick me after five years. And before you ask, I have no objection to you having other girls in the meantime. It's only natural that men's eyes would wander, and as long as I am acknowledged as the number one, that is fine with me."

"Fine. As long as the others agree, I'll give you the same chance as them. How about you, Mom?"

"Miss Goido's fine," she said. "As long as you both know what you're getting into."

"Thank you. May I take my leave? The others are waiting for me."

"Of course, Miss Goido," Mari approved.

…

Part 329 – Keima's Admission

When Yui left, Mari remarked, "that is the weirdest girl yet. I mean, wasn't she a crossdressing tomboy the last time she was here?"

"She still is. Just look at how she acts at school. I guess she did that act to impress you."

"Act or no, she was so natural. It does not seem like she was acting at all," the mother remarked.

"That's because that's how she naturally acted before she became a crossdresser. Based on what I know of the Goido family, from what Elsie tells me, that's how Yui was trained by the family—to be the perfect wife. Being an enthusiastic crossdresser may be more of an act than being the perfect lady—that was already ingrained and natural to her. So Yui rebelled by consciously acting like a boy," Keima theorized.

"So why try to rebel at all?" Mari wondered.

"Oh, the typical teenage girl issues. She might want to try something new before she gets married off. Despite what she says, she won't marry against the wishes of her family," Keima remarked.

"Yet she thinks that she can marry you."

"Well, I'm sure she'll try to convince her parents that marrying into the prestigious Katsuragi family would be better than marrying some rich nobodies. Unlikely, but not impossible," the gamer remarked. "That happened in games all the time."

"Prestigious? Our family is prestigious?" Mari wondered.

"Of course not. But I'm sure Yui will do her best to make our family look worthwhile for their daughter."

"If you end up choosing her, you realize that you'll also need to woo her family too? Not just Yui?"

"Yes. If I choose her, it would be the hardest, as I would need to conquer the entire Goido clan too, but let's see what happens."

"Well, that's that. So, what do you think, Keima? Do you finally believe Elsie when she told you five of her friends are in love with you?"

"Yes. You win the bet, Mom. I was wrong. The world is really crazy, and five girls who have no business doing so are actually in love with me! I still think they're crazy. I am a nerdy gamer! An otaku! I don't know what they see in me."

"You're not giving yourself enough credit, my son! You have enough good qualities to hold the interest of many girls."

"Well, love is blind, they say!" Keima quipped. "Tonight just proves it!"

Mari nodded. "What's surprising was not that girls could like you. It's that they are willing to share."

"Well, we'll see about that. They have to accept the other girls too."

"They said that it's fine, and they are willing to share," the mother reminded.

"Words. Mere words. Would they actually consent if they see their rivals? We'll see. The next part will show how serious they are. I'm sure none of them will go through with this."

"Are you sure, my son?"

"Yes. Despite what they say, no sane girl would willingly put up in a relationship where the boy can date other girls too. It's not natural!"

"True. We'll see, shall we? Still, if they do accept the others, you do have a responsibility to date them all for the next five years."

"I know. I made a promise, and I won't back down if the girls accept it. But they won't."

"We'll see. Should we start?"

"Yes," the mother said.

…

Part 330 – Permission Granted

"Yahoo!" Yui shouted as she bounced back into the café. "I'm gonna marry darling!"

"So, I take it that it went well?" Tsukiyo remarked.

"It went very well! I was able to impress darling's mother with my impeccable manners!" the heiress remarked as she recounted her interview.

She was acting like the crossdresser they all knew.

"I'm still surprised you pulled that act!" Kanon remarked. "I never pegged you as an actress."

"Well, not really. That was how I normally acted before I met Keima. All proper and demure. It's really easy to slip back into. I'm telling you, dressing up as a boy and acting like one is harder!"

"Really?" Tsukiyo wondered.

"Yes. I always have to think, how would a boy act in this situation? Of course, a lot of it was from my memories of when I switched bodies, but now that I'm a girl again, I need to remember how I acted during that time. Not to mention that there were many new situations that I haven't encountered before as a boy, so I have to think. Acting like a lady is something I've been doing since before I can remember, so it's more natural. I've been dressing and acting like a boy for only a few months, so it's still new."

"Of course, when Mrs. Katsuragi catches you acting like you really are, there would be trouble," Ayumi reminded.

"Oh, she won't. And if she does, I have a ready explanation for that!" Yui proclaimed.

"So now that that's taken care of, what's next?" Tsukiyo wondered, and all eyes focused on Elsie, who had been engrossed in conversation with Ayumi and Chihiro.

"Oh, you'll see!" Elsie said with a big smile on her face that scared some of the other girls. The girls, now that they have known the young-looking devil more, were aware that Elsie should not be underestimated.

Then, Mari Katsuragi entered, followed by a sulking Keima.

"Mom, do I need to be here?"

"For the last time, Keima, yes," snapped the mother. She turned to the girls and smiled.

The girls all stood up.

"Tenri, Kanon," Mari called, motioning to the two girls to come to her, and the two complied.

The mother looked at the five other girls and said, "don't you have anything to say to Kanon and Tenri?"

And that was their cue. Chihiro stood up and went in front of Kanon and Tenri. She bowed and began. "Tenri, Kanon, I know, well, we all know about your deal with Keima Katsuragi. So, um, could I share with you? I mean, have the same deal, you know what I'm talking about."

"I'm not totally happy about it, but yes. You can," Kanon answered.

"Yes, Miss Kosaka, you can," Tenri whispered.

"Thank you very much, you two!" Chihiro bowed again before going back.

Tsukiyo was next. "Look, I know it's not the most beautiful thing in the world, but I want to ask your permission to spend time with Keima. Can I?"

Kanon nodded. "It's fine with me. It's for Keima's sake, after all."

Tenri nodded and merely said, "Yes."

Then it was Shiori. The librarian just looked at the two. "Please?" she mouthed, her words almost inaudible.

Kanon went and shook Shiori's hands. "You may."

"I'd be glad to have you onboard," Tenri smiled.

Ayumi was next.

"Hey, Kanon. I'm your friend from school, right? I'm a big fan too! Can you please grant me this favor?"

"It would be my pleasure!" the idol answered as she gave a friendly hug to Ayumi.

Ayumi went to Tenri and grabbed her hands. "Pretty please?"

Tenri giggled as she gave a big nod.

Finally, it was Yui. With Mari there, she reverted to her lady mode.

"Dear Miss Nakagawa, can I have a chance to win Keima in five years? I know it would be a burden and a disadvantage to you to have competition for his heart, so I understand if you refuse, and I would bear you no grudge if you do so. I am asking this as a favor to a friend."

Kanon restrained herself from laughing as she said, "Yes, yes. No problem, Yui!"

Yui turned to Tenri, and asked, "How about you, Miss Ayukawa. Can I have a chance at Keima too?"

"Yes, you can," Tenri finally said.

Yui smiled as she bowed to the two girls.

"Thank you very much, both of you. I will never forget this," she politely bowed before going back to her table.

Part 332 – The Final Touches

Mari looked at Keima and dared him to comment. However, he was too busy playing with his PFP. The mother snatched the gaming console from his hand. "Pay attention," she whispered.

"I heard everything," he answered. "Am I screwed?"

"Very much so. Enjoy the next five years," she answered, still in whispers, with a look of triumph in her eyes. The Mother looked at the girls in front of her.

"One last thing. It's nice that Tenri and Kanon accept all of you five. But you must also accept each other. Miss Kosaka, Miss Takahara, Miss Kujo, Miss Shiomiya, and Miss Goido, you already know each other in school, right?"

"We do," Chihiro answered. "Ayumi's my best friend, and Yui's my bandmate. Shiomiya, I know from the library, and I am a regular visitor to Kujo's astronomy club."

There were similar claims from the other girls, except for Shiori, who was just quiet.

"Well, then. Do any of you have any objection to sharing Keima with any of the other girls here? Speak now or hold your peace for the next five years! Or else!"

There was a hint of threat from the Mother to those who would break the peace.

All the girls shook their heads while there was a cacophony of "no" and "none" from the five girls.

"Good. Then I approve of all of you! Keima?"

The boys put his PFP in his pocket and gave a smile that made the girls' knees weak. "If that is what you want, then I'll be willing to give you a chance to win my heart. I promise that starting next week, I will spend three hours with you each week for the next five years. And I will choose one of you. It's the same deal as I previously gave Kanon and Tenri. I apologize for imposing this on you, as my situation is unique, and I cannot have a girl to myself as a result until this business is over."

"We understand, Keima!" Ayumi exclaimed before she hopped over and hugged him. "Thank you for giving me this chance. I never thought that I would be lucky enough, especially after I found out about your true situation!"

Her voice cracked, and to the astonishment of the other girls, tears began to flow.

Just how much can you act? Tsukiyo thought. She shook her head before she too went and joined the hug. "Yes, Keima! Thank you!"

The other five girls then rushed and crowded Keima, hugging him on all sides, crushing him in the middle.

When it was all over, they were a mess. Shiori, Tenri, and Kanon joined Ayumi with the crying, while Chihiro, Tsukiyo, and Yui were more subdued. This was not part of the plan.

"Well, I'll be going now!" Keima uttered as he separated himself from the girls.

"What? You're leaving? So soon?" Chihiro protested.

"The week starts on Monday," Keima quipped before leaving the girls with his mother.

Mari looked at the seven girls. "Now, girls! I'm so glad that we made this arrangement. I'm not sure outsiders will understand, so let's keep this a secret, okay?"

"But what will happen when others see Keima dating different girls? Won't that blow our cover?" asked Ayumi.

"And even if it does not, that would brand him as a dirty cheating scumbug," Chihiro pointed.

"Keima and I have discussed it. So here's my suggestion. You make ruses to explain your relationship with him. For example, Shiori, how about—"

"Um, I am writing a book. So he's helping me?"

"Excellent, Miss Shiomiya!" Mari exclaimed. "And I'm sure the rest of you could cook up ruses. And if that fails, there's still one last thing."

Part 333 – Mari and the Talk

Seeing the girls look at her expectantly, Mari continued.

"Keima will play the oblivious fool. No matter how much each of you spends time with him, he'll insist on anybody who asks that it was entirely innocent. No matter how obvious it is that all seven of you are in love with him, he won't 'notice' because he's that dense. As long as you don't do anything too obvious in public, I think Keima's reputation for obsessive gaming is such that it would be believed, right?"

There was a series of nods from the girls.

"Um, what do you mean anything too obvious?" Yui asked.

"You know, things like kissing, and those kinds of stuff?"

The girls blushed at her words.

"Oh, one more thing. I know you're going to spend time together with my son, and you'd like to do things normal couples do. And to an extent, I have no problem with it. But since you are not yet formally a couple until after five years, there are certain things that I would insist that you refrain from doing. Now, kissing, I'm okay with. And I don't really mind hugging and holding…"

And Mari spent the next hour or so telling the girls what they can and cannot do with her son, and what they can and cannot allow Keima to do to them.

"Do you understand?" the mother finally asked when she was done, and she had answered all their questions.

When there was none, she made one last rule. "Those rules are not negotiable. Please, be on your best behavior, okay?"

"We will!" the girls answered in chorus.

Mari internally sighed. How will I ever explain this to Keiichi? Hey honey! Guess what? Keima has seven girlfriends at the same time, and I approved it!

And she was surprised at how it had come to this. Neither she nor Keima wanted this—and yet, it happened. Mostly thanks to Elsie's persistence, her own flawed assumptions, and Keima's delusions. How wrong all of them were about how girls in love acted—to think that all of the events conspired to bring about this outcome!

And she was surprised that all the girls made it. She and Keima were genuinely expecting a few or even most to drop out, yet they passed with flying colors. And their replies were so similar. As if they knew exactly what she wanted to hear. If she did not know better, she would have thought that Keima conspired with the girls to pass the evaluation, but that's impossible, as Keima did not like to have girls hanging around him. That meant it was Elsie who talked to them.

Looking back, it was Elsie's idea that all seven girls be with Keima at the same time. And all seven of them were her friends. So most likely, it was Elsie!

That surprised Mari. She never thought that the bubbly brain of Elsie could conjure up such a plot, but all evidence pointed to it. Guess she didn't know as much about her foster daughter as well as she thought.

At least she and Keima were able to fool the girls into thinking that he had no idea before that night! Keima really could act!

…

As Keima walked upstairs, he wanted to shout in triumph! Everything had gone to plan. The girls did their part, and they did it magnificently. Even if they sometimes acted weird—like Yui acting like her old self! What was that all about? Oh well, it worked.

Now he had his mother on board with his plans for the next five years! And her mother never even suspected a thing!

Now the next part of the sleepover would begin—right after her mother had gone to bed—that of the voting for Aoba Fuse. And he had a feeling that he would achieve an even greater triumph than the one he just achieved!

Nothing could go wrong. Nothing.

End of Flag XXX

Author Notes

Review Replies

To xellos540,

I originally sent this reply in PM, but I'm posting it here to enlighten other readers.

Yes, it's the beginning of the sleepover.

Aoba deliberately went early to avoid the other girls and hide out in the library. She's, as you said, metal gear Aoba XD.

Mari did not lead Keima to his way of life, of course. But Aoba thinks so.

As for the match in heaven? Keima and Aoba may not be so, but Mari thought so, not that she'd approve of the reason why she thinks is a match made in heaven.

The reason why Tsukiyo's not too eager to arrive is because she's apprehensive about the interview with Mari, for obvious reasons. She'd rather not confess to someone, who, to her, is a total stranger, even if that total stranger is the mother of her beloved.

Yep! Mari is terrifying. Although to be fair, Mari was not trying to be scary. The interrogation was supposed to be a total surprise for the girls, but of course, that's not the case. They were prepared. So they know what's up, and that scared them.

Imagine being asked to confess without any warning whatsoever! I don't think any girl would pass!

If Mari only knew! I wonder how she'll react? "You mean to tell me that devils are real, and Elsie not actually Keiichi's illegitimate child? I knew you were faithful all this time, hubby! I never doubted you! Wait! Goddesses are real? And ghosts too who hide in the gap of the heart of girls that my son has to kiss to drive out of? And that Elsie put an explosive collar around my darling son's neck so he would kiss girls? And in order to save the world from being taken over by devils from hell, Keima has to kiss the same girls? And that if Keima does not keep on kissing them, they'll die?" XD

Yep. Chihiro still has not transitioned into calling him "Keima". It's either Katsuragi, or Otamegane, Dweeb, or Doofus. Though the latter three is said as a kind of pet name, without malice.

And yes, Mari approves of Chihiro.

Tsukiyo is more rattled and scared rather than surprised. She was hoping that Ayumi would go next, and was disappointed she was next.

I wonder if every time Mari smiles in the future, it would scare the girls, or make them squirm, even if the smile is entirely innocent?

Poor Tsukiyo. She really isn't first at anything, except maybe that her Goddess was the eldest. Well, she could boast if she's the first girl whose initial conquest was not shown in the anime! The only girls who could claim to be first would be Ayumi, for obvious reasons, Tenri, for knowing Keima first, Kanon, for remembering first, Chihiro, for falling in love first without the need of being conquered, etc.

The "I have faith" dialogue may be repetitive, but only because, what else could they say? They couldn't say, "well, they already know that I am part of the schedule, so they have to approve of me if they want to remain in the schedule." But I'll see what I can do to differentiate the other girls.

As for Tsukiyo's opinion of Kanon, there was any moment in the manga or anime where Tsukiyo gushed over Kanon's music. As for Romantic Music, Tsukiyo was referring to the music produced between 1800 and 1910, which is called "Romantic". Classical Music, technically speaking, would be from 1730 to 1820. Both periods as well as the earlier Baroque era (1600 to 1750) are popularly known as "Classical Music". And I don't think Kanon's style would be similar to Tchaikovsky, for example, who is a Romantic Era composer.

Yep. Tsukiyo was one of the first girls conquered (excluding Tenri) who regularly called him "Keima" instead of Katsuragi during their initial conquest. So it's a bit jarring for her to start calling him 'Katsuragi' for any reason.

It's not being last that rankled Tsukiyo. It's not being first. And saying that she's not first to Mari rankled her. She wished the cover story was her being first.

Yep! If Mari could dictate for Keima, based on all the girls she interviewed and approved, she would probably choose Chihiro. She seemed the most normal of all the girls and could actually control Keima's bad (in Mari's view) habits.

Well, Tsukiyo lives like a princess, with her Astronomy Club transformed mostly into her personal home in the school. Most of the things inside are personal items (like the doll house) and is therefore, not funded by the school. And since she rides the bus, she's not wealthy like Yui. So yeah, Mari was right to worry about Tsukiyo's worth ethic and financial good sense.

Yes, head pats. :D It's especially powerful since Keima and Aoba has a Master and Disciple relationship, and it would also signify Keima's pride and approval of Aoba's gaming.

The Katsuragi home has a café attached to it. So it's only natural to many trays in it.

No, Keima did not account Mari asking Aoba the question. He still had no idea the real reason why Mari invited the girl genius along.

What Aoba meant was that he should treat her like a real girlfriend, not just a disciple, of course. The girl genius knew Mari would not understand what being a game "heroine" really meant, so she had to explain. And of course, Aoba had been playing Otome games too, so she had experience in playing the heroine too—in games.

Aoba knows what Mari wants from a daughter-in-law, and saw tells Mari what she wants to hear. It does not hurt that she also meant it.

As for changing the world, Aoba's already doing it too—like making Keima president by making him popular, making him feared by scaring the bullies using the devil's powers, etc. Who knows what schemes Aoba could come up with to change the world for Keima's sake.

I immediately thought of the actual Goddesses when I wrote that. XD Oh irony of ironies! Good thing Mari does not know the actual Goddesses, or she might have used a different word.

I do wonder if Diana would use that as an excuse. :
"Diana: Katsuragi, you're a God, right? The God of Conquests, right?"
"Keima: Of course, I am God. The God of Conquests. I'm glad you recognize my greatness!"
"Diana: Then I am the only one fit to be your bride. Because only a Goddess could marry a God!"
XD

I don't think Aoba is mentally ready to see herself as an equal. I mean, she could try, but unless Aoba could equal Keima in gaming, which is a looooong time off, then it won't happen.

How wrong Keima is about how the other girls will vote for Aoba? We'll see. And about Aoba refusing to share him? Hahaha! Keima is about to find out.

As for how Ayumi and Mari talks about physical violence, just wait for the next chapter. Although I have to say that Mari, I think, views her infliction of violence upon Keima as akin to corporal punishment to a naughty child, like spanking. Which, I don't you could extend the same to a husband-wife relationship.

Yup! It's funny how Keima views Yui's view on Aoba! I mean, it's perfectly logical based on everything he knows about Yui and girls in general.

To be fair, that part of Mari accepting the seven as Keima's girls while making it look like Keima is reluctant and only wants to make Elsie happy is working wonderfully.

Where are they going to sleep? Just tune in. XD

And once more, thanks for your beta and review xellos540!

To Red888,

Thank you for review.

Hope you like this part. And as for Shiori, I hope you liked she got interviewed. As for Kanon, she's already a well known part of the group, so there was not much chaos on her introduction.

To Undying Soul98,

Thank you for you review. I'm glad you liked it and read through all of it despite it's length. Yes, it was really hard to set it all up, because having a harem really is hard. Not a harem where a number of girls fall in love with the same guy-that's not hard to do. But where there is a relationship between that guy and all the girls-that is hard. Especially for it work, all the girls must be aware of each other and at the very least tolerate it.

And I'm glad that Aoba, Yui, and Shiori stole the show for you! I really enjoyed writing those three girls!

As for how this progress, there would be a time-skip soon. Don't worry, the day by day stuff is only to set-up the next few years, to give an idea how the day to day life of Keima and the girls go about.

As for the end, it's a secret, but I already have an end in mind. But setting it up will take a lot. And it's not even half over.

And thank you for your review!