I may have underestimated Necrotic energy a little too much.

See, this whole time I've been experimenting with it, raising a few more corpses by using Sheekh's necklace. I thought that Necrotic energy was the key to countering my own potions in case some dickhead gets the bright idea to use my own bullshit against me. While that was somewhat successful, I got lost in my own thoughts, and my experiments deviated from the primary goal.

First, the good news. The anti-potion thing is possible. This ominous black liquid can completely stop the effects of the potions, preventing you from gaining any stat benefits. It's a bit grotesque, though. As in, you'll expel all the potion currently in your system in a very uncomfortable manner. Mainly puking.

Never testing that shit on myself again. Christ, that was horrible.

I've yet to perfect it, unfortunately. It only works if the effects of the potions are still in your body, meaning it can't exactly prevent you from healing because HP pots are instant. I'm trying to find a way to completely stop people from using any potions, at least temporarily. Something like a debuff maybe.

I'm getting there, though. I just need more Necrotic energy, something better refined. Perhaps I can ask Sheekh if I see him again in a dungeon? He's an ancient Necromancer, so he probably has some tricks he can teach me.

Anyway, now the bad news. So once I got the anti-potion down, I decided to experiment a little more since I did it fairly quickly. Gwyn, the bestest boy that he is, caught a few low-to-mid level Grimm – mostly Creeps and Bug-based ones – and brought them here. Since Necrotic and Dark mana are pretty similar, I wanted to see how they'd interact with each other. Why? Well, admittedly, 'Zombie Grimm' sounded kinda cool.

The result? A lot worse than I expected.

I stare at the Necrotic Grimm thrashing wildly, gnawing at the metal bars of the cage it's in as its once-red glowing eyes are now a sickly green. Might not look like much on the surface, but it's twice as strong as it was before. Turns out Necro and Dark synergize a little too well. Who would've thought?

Though, the energy made it a lot more aggressive. It killed the other Grimm with no hesitation, straight up ate them like they were nothing. Now that sounds pretty awesome, right? Letting Grimm fight each other and stuff?

Well, yeah, but if the Grimm it attacks survives, they also turn Necrotic. Do you know what this means? A possible worldwide zombie outbreak, because if it can affect its own kin, it sure as hell can turn normal people into zombies.

And unlike the regular ones I raised with rituals, I doubt I can control them.

So in short, I can prrrrooobably end Remnant right here and right now if I set this Grimm free.

…The Mad Wizard flaw is way too dangerous. I did not think about the consequences until I made it. The only thing I was thinking about was "How cool would that be?" and nothing else. Too bad I have no idea how to get rid of it.

Well, I've seen what it can do and I'm satisfied. Necro and Grimm should not ever mix, or it'll lead to the beginning of the end.

…A lich Grimm sounds like a nightmare to deal with.

Aiming my arm at the zombie Grimm, I unleash a torrent of flames that incinerate it in less than a second, so much so that not even the dark particles remained. Quickly, I grab my new device in the shape of a butterfly net, named "Mana Catcher", and wave it around, absorbing any remaining mana into it.

Don't want any of that Necro bullshit to be absorbed by anything nearby. I won't be responsible for starting a zombie outbreak or a demon invasion. There's already a wave of darkness that needs to be taken care of.

Right, writing "Messing with Necromancy" off the list now, at least until I find the expert that can teach me some safety measures. I'll just do the more important and smart thing and focus on perfecting the anti-potions.

But unfortunately, that's gonna have to wait. I was too absorbed in my own work and nearly forgot that I have a date with Weiss soon. I have everything planned out already. I hope she enjoys it, though, with how she's nearly worshipping the ground I walk on, I don't think that's gonna be a tough objective.

"You're staying here or going back to the mansion?" I glance at Gwyn, who was lying on a mattress nearly twice his size. "I know you like your naps, but I'd rather you do it anywhere else and not in this giant cavern."

He opens one eye and huffs in annoyance, promptly going back to sleep.

"Well, alright." I shrug. "Thought you'd rather spend the rest of the day playing with Zwei, but I guess not."

Gwyn's ears twitch as he looks at me, blinking.

"Ruby's gonna be there, probably to laze around, and she's bringing him along." I clarify with a grin. "Still sure you want to stay here all alone?"

Gwyn quickly gets up, tail swishing in excitement as he approaches me. The mere idea of this giant white wolf being best friends with Ruby's tiny corgi is the cutest thing ever. From the moment that they met, they immediately clicked.

They have equal amounts of energy, so they can run around for hours and hours and never get tired. I've seen them play, nap, and eat together like they're more than just friends. Some kind of brotherhood formed I'm pretty sure.

It's pretty adorable and genuinely good for Gwyn. He needs more friends that can match his hyper-activeness whenever he isn't napping. Putting his size aside, Gwyn is fairly young for a magical wolf. 15 years may be too old for most canines, but not for him. Adding that his Aura is unlocked and that he's a familiar makes sure he'll stay and act young for a very long time.

"That's a good boy." I smile as I scratch his chin. "Don't make too much trouble for Titania, though. Be nice, alright?"

He barks in affirmation, licking my face affectionately.

"Alright, alright, that's enough." I chuckle and playfully push him away. "Come on, let's go home. Hopefully Ruby and Zwei are there already."

I glance at my watch as my familiar disappears into particles. I have time before the date, maybe I can spare some of it to wrap up a few things around the business, and see if Oz responded yet.

– Velvet Scarlatina –

Knocking on her boss' door, Velvet entered the office and quickly put a binder containing many contracts and notes on the desk, noticing Reid on his scroll while staring at the window.

"What do you mean he just 'gave up'?" He questioned in a frustrated tone. "No, I know what you said, I want an explanation."

Velvet blinked as he turned around, seeing the mixture of emotions on his expression. Odd, it was rare seeing Reid like this, looking so annoyed and flustered. If anything, it was weird seeing him show any emotion that's not boredom.

Clearly, he didn't like the job, even if he was decent at it, but that was a given considering how much energy he had. He did seem to appreciate the peace and quiet, though, which was something she shared.

Velvet did wish he'd stop getting distracted by nearly everything he saw. She'd lost count of how many times she'd had to remind him to do his job and stop watching random videos on the internet.

And admittedly, this job was fairly demanding, especially seeing how understaffed they were. The Headmaster gave him a few candidates to help in case he needed any, but Reid refused, saying he'd find some on his own.

Honestly, though, Velvet did enjoy this job, a lot more than she had thought she would. Especially since her family wasn't in debt anymore. Compared to before, this was practically a stress-free job, no matter how much paperwork she had to do.

Plus the fact that she was close to her savior and lover most of the time, who'd give her all the stress relief that she could ask for. Velvet had never been happier being a secretary before, although she did miss her team back at Beacon, even though she still hung out with them fairly often.

She frowned a little in thought as Reid continued his conversation, a thought crossing her mind. It was something that had been stuck in her head for a while now, and Velvet wasn't sure if it was the right thing to do. It felt… cowardly in a way.

"Okay, look, I get it." Reid sighed, still on the scroll. "I'll come up with an idea, just please tell him to not give up yet. I know he can do it, all he needs is to believe in himself."

Velvet glanced at her boss. Maybe he could give her some advice? She needed a second opinion before going through with it.

"That's all I needed to hear. Thanks, Kiryu." He said. "And tell Gwyn to behave. I can hear him being a little shit to Titania from here."

Reid rubbed the bridge of his nose and sat down on his chair, putting the scroll away. Velvet, the eager secretary that she was, addressed her boss politely with a smile.

"Coffee?"

"Please." He groaned.

She giggled and nodded, preparing his drink.

"Sorry you had to see that." He suddenly said. "Just some stuff back home."

"It's alright." She waved it off. "I can relate. I've had these moments too."

He snorted in amusement as a response.

"By the way, we've been getting more demands from the Guild." She said, pouring the hot liquid into a cup. "Triple the usual."

"Wh- already?" Reid blinked in surprise. "I just sent them three months worth two weeks ago."

"It's for other kingdoms."

"Oh my fucking god– I already said no to that!" He scoffed. "We know the idiot nobles in Atlas are gonna try to bribe the guild into handing them some potions and giving every guild but Atlas' will make me look biased. I'm expanding when I feel like it."

"Well, I suppose being stubborn is a trait." Velvet said as she put the cup on his desk, already used to his persistent nature. "Still going to Menagerie first, then?"

"Yup." He nodded. "You know, for a struggling kingdom, it looks pretty nice from what I saw. The main city anyhow."

"Because that's where the White Fang's main base of operation is." Velvet explained. "The city is the safest place on the continent since they're practically the kingdom's military force."

"Let's hope they don't hate my guts if I decide to go there."

"I doubt they hate you. Sure, your resemblance to the Schnee might put them off, but you're a beloved hero across all of Remnant." She assures him. "Even if they show dislike, then the rest of Menagerie will be happy to have you."

"...I'll take your word for it," Reid said after a moment, smiling.

The two spent the next few minutes in silence as they worked on the paperwork, and halfway through them, Velvet suddenly spoke.

"Reid?" She started. "Is it alright if I get your advice on something?"

"Sure, what's up?"

Velvet hesitated for a moment, but resolved herself and told him what was on her mind for months.

"I'm thinking about quitting Beacon." She said, feeling bad just saying it. "I feel my work here suits me a lot more than fighting on the frontlines."

"Ah…" Reid put the pen down and leaned forward, giving her his full attention. "So what's the problem?"

"My team." Velvet replied. "I feel so selfish abandoning them like this. They're wonderful people, I don't want to inconvenience them."

Reid waited for her to finish.

"I wanted to become a huntress because being high ranked pays a lot, and I needed the money at the time for my family debt." She explained. "But now you've taken care of it, I have no reason to continue my education there. I don't like being a huntress, but I like this job. I like working under you."

"With me." He smiled. "You work with me, Velvet. Not under me."

Her heart fluttered as he told her that, smiling back at him before continuing.

"I guess I'm just not really sure what to do." She sighed. "Should I do it? Or is that too selfish?"

"You don't owe anybody anything, Velvet. You get to choose your own career." Reid answers. "It's not selfish to decide what you want to do with your life."

"I-I know, but still…" Velvet fidgeted slightly. "It feels like I'm betraying them, or running away."

"You're not betraying anyone, V," Reid assured her, standing up from his chair and gently rubbing her bunny ears as he brought her close to his chest. "They're your friends, I'm sure they'll understand. There's nothing wrong with pursuing your own dreams. And remember, I'm always by your side no matter what you decide."

Velvet paused and contemplated his words for a minute, worries washing away immediately with his words for reassurance, before nodding to herself. He was right, her team would most likely understand her decision and support her as they always had from the moment they met.

Hopefully. It'd be tough to tell them, but she had to.

"Actually, V, there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Of course." Velvet's bunny ears twitched in curiosity as she looked up at him. "What is it?"

"Have you felt anything weird recently?" He said vaguely, but Velvet understood what he meant immediately.

"I-I'm not, sir." Velvet answered quietly, hand on her stomach. "I checked recently."

Reid paused and looked at her weirdly.

"What?" He blinked. "You're not what exactly?"

"I'm not pregnant." She said again, whispering the last part. "...I think."

"Oh." He looked at her in surprise, before grinning in amusement. "Oh, no, I didn't mean that."

"A-ah…" Her face turned redder. "Sorry for jumping to conclusions…"

"What, were you hoping that you are?" He suddenly asked, making her shiver. "Because that can be arranged~"

"Please stop teasing me." She whined.

"Sorry, sorry. Was just a joke." He chuckled again. "Not like I'm ready for kids anyway. I'm not even twenty yet."

"W-what did you mean then?" Velvet asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"Eh, nevermind." He waved it away. "Actually, come over tomorrow to my training grounds, alright?"

"...If you say so…" Velvet muttered.

She didn't know why she suddenly felt very disappointed, but she did not like the implication one bit.

Maybe quitting Beacon was a much better decision than she first thought.

– Reid Astera –

"Everything alright, Weiss?" I ask my date. "You look a little red."

"I-I'm perfectly fine, thank you for asking!" She flinches, pulling down on the hem of her blue shirt. "I'm just… not used to the weather."

"...But we're in an aquarium," I say with a shit-eating grin, making her blush even more.

She blushes even more at that tiny act, prompting me to hold back my laughter. God, she's so cute and easy to mess with. She's been like this the moment I held her hand, being all flustered and embarrassed.

Once I was done with my work at the company, I immediately headed out to meet up with Weiss next to a bullhead station for our date. I thought about a couple of places and decided something like the aquarium might be a neat spot. Funny too, considering what I am.

I was surprised to see her in casual wear, not really used to it that much, but I'm pretty sure Yang had a hand in this. If the blond wasn't part of it, then Weiss would've probably worn a dress that cost more than my net worth. You'd think it's an exaggeration, which it kinda is, but this is Weiss we're talking about.

Gotta go overboard no matter how insignificant the thing is. It's adorable, but I should probably try to get her to break that habit. I don't think it's healthy.

"S-so, um." Weiss starts, still averting her eyes. "You come here often?"

Oh my god, she's terrible at this, but I love it so much.

"No, actually," I answer truthfully. "This is my first time. I thought I'd take you somewhere we both might enjoy."

Yes, I too am shocked by this. Me, the Leviathan, never going to an aquarium. How could this happen?

"Oh, yes. I do like it." She nods frantically. "Aquariums are nice, I suppose."

"You've been to an aquarium before?" I ask in interest.

"A few times. When I was little." She answers. "With my family."

"Ah, damn." I sigh faux-dejectedly. "And here I thought I was being clever with my idea."

"No no no! I do like it, I promise." She panics while trying to assure me. She is being truthful, though. "Besides, it's been a very long time ago. I barely remember anything."

"I'm messing with you, Weiss." I grin, patting her head. "Though, tell me if you want to do something else. We have all night to have fun."

"O-of course…" She nods, face still red, but smiling.

Christ, I just want to hug her so bad right now. This is some Ruby-level of cuteness. I never thought this was possible for anyone else to do.

I want to have Weiss open up and be more comfortable, despite me holding her hand very tightly. I really want to tease her just like I do with Ruby, it's so damned tempting, but think holding back on that, for now, is a better idea.

I want to ease her into this relationship, make her comfortable with me and the other girls, so being mean to her so early isn't the best thing to do I think, even if I know for damn sure that she'd probably give me the best reactions.

Ruby's gotten used to my teasing, Yang is nearly immune and not worth the effort, and I'm not as close to Blake and Levi. Other than Velvet, Weiss is the only one I can have fun with in that regard.

"So what's the difference between the one in Atlas–" I ask, gazing at the aquatic life alongside her. "And this aquarium?"

"Well, I suppose this one is smaller." She answers after clearing her throat. "And there are a lot of people here compared to how empty that one was."

"Oh?"

"It's… incredibly expensive. The one in Atlas." She continues. "And we used a VIP ticket."

"So you barely saw anyone." I nod in understanding and she giggles.

"Well, my brother used to be very lively when he was younger," Weiss says. "I used to be annoyed by him, but looking back, I can't help but miss those times."

"His name is Whitley, right? He's a kid, though. I'd be more surprised if he wasn't energetic."

"You'd be surprised. It was as if he never ran out of energy. He annoyed me so much when we were children." She giggles, a fond but sad smile taking over her face. "He was one of the few positives I had back there."

I smile sympathetically as I sense her emotions. I expected some sort of disdain shown to her brother, which is what she felt in the show from what I remember, but there was nothing but unconditional love and concern for him.

I'd love to meet him if I get the chance. I think the boy needs a better influence than fucking Jacques of all people.

"Of course, he grew to be insufferable. You know how aggravating kids like him can be." She rolls her eyes, not really meaning what she said. "What about you? Do you… have any family members?"

I pause as an image of a towering white-haired old man flashes in my mind, and I resist the guilt from trying to take over my expression. Aside from him, I don't think I met any parent or sibling, assuming I had any.

Even in my past life. Yes, I don't remember anything, but sometimes I'd get these flashes, like a very strong feeling of deja vu. I know for damn sure I didn't have parents before dying, so he was the only genuine blood-related relative I have.

Well, had. Before I slaughtered him without a second thought like some bloodthirsty barbarian.

"Not really." I shrug. "Lived alone, grew up alone, turned out fine. Somehow."

"Wow." Weiss blinks in surprise, looking at me with sparkling eyes. "And you learned how to fight so well on your own. That's incredible!"

Yes, stroke my ego some more, love.

"Oh please, anyone can be as strong as I am if they try hard enough." I roll my eyes, acting modestly. At my current level? It's definitely possible for anyone to get this powerful. Keeping up is an entirely different story, though. "You just gotta think outside the box. It's why you're so strong now. Because we haven't gone the traditional way of training."

I still have the cheat code that's called "The Gamer" but we don't talk about it. It's a gift, and I'm using it to make the world a better place, so who cares?

"That is true." Weiss' eyes burn with conviction. "We're winning the Vytal tournament for sure!"

She unconsciously squeezes my hand, making me smile a little. Good, she's getting significantly more comfortable now. It makes me happy knowing she's having a good time. She probably needed this if what Yang said about her workaholic nature was true.

As we look at the aquatic life some more, I try to keep a light aura of Conqueror's Haki around us so people don't bother us. They're pointing, whispering, and taking pictures of us, which I actually want to happen since the rumors would be pretty beneficial to the two of us, but they don't dare to approach.

Yeah, keep your distance. I like you people, but I don't think I'll be very patient with you right now.

"That's an Atlesian Tuna." Weiss suddenly says, pointing at a blue fish that was staring at me directly in the eye. "How did they get it here?"

"Hm?" I blink. "What do you mean?"

And what the hell are you looking at? Is it– oh, it's bowing to me. Right, Leviathan presence makes me able to control aquatic life. Neat.

"Well, they only survive in very cold water, and they're very rare." She explains. "They're a delicacy throughout the whole world. Even Atlas nobles don't get to eat it every day."

Oooh, now that's interesting.

"Have you tried it?" I look at Weiss with newfound interest. "What do they taste like?"

"Fantastic," Weiss responds simply. "I've only ever had it once, and it was way beyond anything I've ever tasted."

The thought makes me somewhat hungry, even though I don't actually feel hunger. If Weiss, someone who had my 'moan-worthy' food is saying this, then that means it's the real deal.

"Do you like seafood?" Weiss asks curiously.

"You kidding? It's my favorite kind of food." I answer.

God, I love fish so much.

"Oh, maybe I can get you some with my connections someday." She says, smiling at me kindly. "With your cooking skills, I'm sure you'll whip up something incredible."

"I will love you forever if you get me some," I say, making her blush return as she plays with her hair, fidgeting slightly. "Seriously, nothing gets me going more than well-prepared seafood."

I glance at the Tuna, who now seemed a lot more scared than before, and grin.

"Actually, wanna see something awesome?" I look at my date, who glances up to me curiously.

"Yes?"

I look back at the fish and my grin widens.

"Do a barrel roll."

It understands me completely and obeys, making Weiss gasp in amazement.

"What in the world?!" She looks at me, shocked and dumbfounded. "How did you do that?!"

"That's a secret." My grin turns smug as I tighten my hold on her hand. "Come on, let's try that out on other fish."

Weiss follows me, looking so much more enthusiastic and cheerful than before. She's loving this little trick a lot more than I expected, and that's good. This is all I'm asking for, which is a happy Weiss.

I really hope what I do later doesn't ruin it for her, but it's worth the risk.

– Weiss Schnee –

She'd been waiting for this day for so long, a whole week of nearly sleepless nights because of her inability to think about anything else until then. And it wasn't like she was the one who approached him and asked him out. It was Reid who casually did that under the guise of 'making it up to her' after beating her badly in a sparring match.

Both knew it was a joke, of course. Weiss knew full well what to expect from him after the first session, and had she been a lesser woman, she'd have given up and gotten as far away as she could from the Blue King.

But giving up wasn't something Weiss Schnee did.

Back to the matter at hand: A date with the greatest man on Remnant sounded like a dream come true, and she almost couldn't believe her luck. This was all possible because Ruby and Yang knew him before he became the man that he is today, with the latter being in the same team as her.

Naturally, Weiss still remembered that night at his estate. She could never forget that kiss, but unfortunately, their relationship never truly progressed beyond it. Well, yes, she told him to wait until she felt comfortable, that much is true, but a part of her wanted him to do something at least. She'd seen Yang's little sister kiss him with no fear or shame of others, making the SDC Heiress feel… annoyed?

Now, she's aware that he's dating Ruby, who seemed to be alright with them doing all that apparently, and she's somewhat suspicious that her blond teammate is also involved, but that was no issue.

Obviously, he is a man of very high status. A hero, a demi-god in the flesh. Certainly, someone like him is bound to have more than just one or two wives. It's the duty of powerful huntsmen after all, and Weiss was perfectly okay with it. No issue at all.

…Well, that was a lie, somewhat. Of course, she understood why, it was a worldwide tradition at the end of the day, but her jealousy was too difficult to contain within herself. She didn't blame Ruby, of course, she even liked the girl, but the fact that she was so far beyond Weiss in this relationship made her upset.

What did she have that Weiss lacked?

But enough of that, no more bad thoughts. She was alone on a date with her crush, and no one else. The moment she'd been waiting for all this time was finally here, and for the most part, Weiss was having the time of her life.

This was not her first date, she'd been 'convinced' to give some of those creepy sons of aristocrats a chance as they tried their damned hardest to impress her. From taking her to plays she'd seen several times already, to empty words of flattery. Even a toddler could realize they wanted her company while keeping her as a trophy wife.

Idiots.

True, not all of them are like that. Some were equally as distressed and annoyed to be forced on a date, and sometimes, Weiss would find some common qualities between her and them. If anything, she gained some friends in this way. Well, 'friends'. She doesn't quite talk to them anymore after the first time.

And admittedly, she did enjoy subtly tormenting them while on said dates. Throwing dismissive offhand remarks, looking unimpressed through the whole thing, and generally being as unpleasant as she could without being obviously rude. Acting unbearably self-important in front of those pompous morons made them so flustered.

Couldn't handle a taste of their own medicine. Pathetic.

However, she'd never been on a so-called 'casual' date like this before, it was an all-new experience for her. She was nervous at first, not knowing how to act, but it became clear very quickly that there was nothing to really worry about. It always fascinated her how Reid's presence was so easygoing despite his status.

She mentally thanked Yang for the advice she gave, which was to not wear anything too extravagant and instead settle for simple. She replaced the dress she usually wore for these occasions and wore a blue shirt and pants combo, while also replacing the tiara with a ribbon.

Had she gone out in an expensive dress, it would've been utterly inappropriate considering the places they've visited. You don't go to an arcade or a cafe dressed like that. Even Reid was wearing something simple.

"I didn't know you were so knowledgeable about marine life, Weiss," Reid said as the waiter took their plates off the table. "Some kind of hobby?"

"Yes, actually. I've always liked the sea as a child." She nodded. "So I read a lot about it in my free time."

"Read would be an understatement," Reid responded with a chuckle. "You practically knew everything there. That's some dedication alright."

Weiss blushed, enjoying the praise.

"I didn't know you were interested. I enjoyed talking about it with you." She replied.

"Eh, to be completely honest, I'm only interested in how they taste," Reid said honestly, making her roll her eyes playfully.

"Is your stomach the only thing you care about?" Weiss smiled cheekily.

"Yes." He answered shamelessly. "I'm still a growing young man. I need all the nutrition I can get so I can become big and strong."

I think you've grown enough already. Weiss thought with a red face, remembering all the times she got a glimpse of his abs and godlike body.

"A-and what was that trick there?" She shook her head. "Every fish listened to what you said as if they instantly understood your words. How did you do it?"

"That, my dear Weiss, is a secret." He winked. "You're gonna have to figure it out on your own."

The waiters arrived soon with desserts, giving each a plate full of cake. Weiss wasn't the biggest fan of sweets, not when they were usually full of sugar and calories, but maybe tonight she could make an exception.

Yes, being a huntress, she needed a little over double the number of calories of regular civilians, but overindulgence was a very easy trap to fall into. She had to watch her weight if she wanted to keep her figure.

"So how's Beacon?" He asked. "Yang tells me it's pretty tough, but I've never heard your thoughts about it."

"Yes, well, Yang is correct. Beacon is fairly demanding." Weiss answered. "Homework and projects keep piling up as fast as we can finish them, but we were easily able to handle it of course. The extra day off you've given us has been more help than any of us could've realized."

"Thought as much. I know Yang does really well academically, so if she says it's tough, then it probably is." He shrugged. "Plus, you're gonna need that extra day once we get to the next stage of training."

"I've been meaning to ask about that, actually." Weiss sipped from her drink. "What will it be about? Saying it's the 'next stage' implies it'll be different from what we're doing now. I was wondering what you meant by it."

"Well…" He leaned back on his chair with a thoughtful frown, then a sly smile took over his face once he locked eyes with her. "I guess I can show a little demonstration."

Reid raised his arm, and suddenly, it turned into a metallic-black color. Weiss flinched at that, not expecting this one bit, and looked at him in surprise and shock.

"I'll teach you how to do this." He said as his arm turned to normal.

"What was that?" Weiss questioned in utter confusion. "I thought your Semblance was pyrokinesis?"

"That's all you're getting from me, sorry." Reid's grin widened. "You'll have to beat the test I've got in store, remember?"

And that got her infinitely more motivated. What was that black thing on his arm? Some kind of… no, it wasn't a Semblance. He just said that he was gonna teach her this, and you can't teach Semblances, but for the life of her, she couldn't make sense of it. Some potion effect? Dust? Ancient Aura technique?

Weiss shook the thought off. She'd know what it was soon enough, she just needed to be patient and focus on her date right now.

"Right, of course." Weiss nodded, clearing her throat. "Changing the subject, I hear you've been looking for a good place to expand your business."

"Not anymore." He said. "I think I know where I should do it first. Obvious answer if you really think about it."

"Atlas?" Weiss tilted her head. That would be the best place to expand because of how rich the kingdom is–

"Menagerie." He answered casually, making her do a double-take.

"...P-pardon?"

"Surprising, isn't it?" He chuckled. "Even my own secretary didn't expect this when I told her. I gotta admit, it is an odd choice, but I know what I'm doing, trust me."

"I… don't understand," Weiss said, genuinely bewildered and slightly annoyed. "The most obvious choice is Atlas. You're not only benefiting long-term, but short-term as well. Most nobles live there and would do anything to get your potions."

"Coincidentally, that's part of the reason why I didn't choose it first. If anything, Atlas might be the last place I expand to." He replied, surprising her again. "I want them to get desperate because desperation leads to stupidity, and stupidity is one of the biggest reasons people lose money."

Weiss paused as she suddenly saw Reid in a different light.

He was surprisingly ruthless as a businessman as well.

"Plus, other kingdoms are in need of potions more than Atlas." He shrugged. "Opening up in Menagerie has too many benefits. Short-term, I might lose profit, that's true, but it's not all about the money at the end of the day. I mean, have you seen them? They don't even have a CCT tower for god's sake."

"Y-yes, I know that, but you do realize why that is the case, right?" Weiss frowned. "The main base of the White Fang is in Menagerie. Giving a terrorist organization a way of communication could be absolutely disastrous."

"Cutting a whole kingdom away from the rest of the world is arguably the bigger evil here," Reid argued.

"There is no bigger evil than an organization hellbent on destroying humanity." Weiss felt herself scowl. "They're even worse than Grimm because at least the Grimm aren't conscious or aware of good and evil."

"And what gives you the right to judge who is good and who is evil?" Reid calmly countered, the change in his tone making her flinch.

"They're killing innocent people everywhere!" Weiss raised her voice, standing up from her seat. "How's that not evil?!"

"Weiss, they were pushed to violence." He said. "The White Fang has been a peaceful organization trying to get equal rights for years, begging for it, and they were never given that. Of course, they were going to respond that way, anyone would."

She flinched, and her heart grew heavy as she understood the implication. Her words were caught in her throat as it tightened uncomfortably, unable to form any response. Of course he'd blame her too, why wouldn't he?

Not like he was the first person to say that to her face. Just when she thought he was different, that someone might actually agree with her for once in her life, he turned around and said that. Blame the Schnee for all the problems of the world, as if she had a damned choice in the matter.

Just like everyone else.

"This isn't a matter of good and evil." He said. "It's never that simple."

"So it's fine for them to kill people?" Weiss growled in anger.

"I didn't say that–"

"No, but it's alright for them to react that way, right?" She cut him off. "After all, it's my family's fault. Always has been. Maybe Remnant would be better off if we never existed because clearly, we're the root of every crisis!"

"Calm down–"

"I tried so hard, for so many years, to wipe off that image of us, tell them that we're not some racist monsters who think they're above everyone." She continued. "That none of us are like my father, that we were hurt by him too. But all I got as I tried so desperately to fix my family's reputation are looks of disdain and ridicule."

This time Reid didn't say anything, prompting her to look at him with an even deeper scowl. Why is he looking at her like this? Does he think he knows better? What a joke! He couldn't even begin to understand what she went through.

"What, are we the villains in your eyes too? Is that it?!" She growled, her heart pounding. "Because the White Fang are clearly 'Freedom Fighters' and 'Heroes'! They're definitely not terrorists, they only want to save the Faunus from the 'cruel Schnee family', as they haven't ruined what little childhood I had back then!"

Weiss screamed and broke the table's edges between them from how tight her fists clenched, which finally made her eyes widen as she realized what she had said, right in front of her date, and felt utter shame at losing control like this. She stammered, trying to apologize for what she did and said, but no words could come out clearly.

There is nothing she hated more than herself right now. The moment she started talking about the White Fang, she immediately lost control like a petulant child. She didn't deserve to be in his presence anymore, not when she offended him like this. She didn't even give him a chance to respond with his own thoughts before she threw a tantrum.

"I-I'm sorry- I didn't mean to-"

Reid got up, which made her flinch, then put one arm around her shoulder. Weiss hesitantly looked at him and saw that he was only concerned about her. Not angry, not disappointed, only worried.

"Let's go somewhere else." He said. "We can go back once you calm down, okay?"

"I-I'm alright now. No need-"

"You're not." He disagreed. "You're crying."

Weiss finally noticed the tears of shame and anger rolling down her cheeks. She didn't argue this time as he led her out of the restaurant.

– Reid Astera –

I knew Weiss would show this type of reaction the moment I sensed annoyance when I mentioned Menagerie as my first option, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I didn't think she'd be one to lose control so easily like this, but that's on me for not expecting it.

One might ask why I pressed and didn't settle for a less risky subject, and it's because I want to know her more. I can dance around these conversations all I want and farm affection easily with someone like her who looks up to me so much, but that seemed pretty selfish in hindsight.

I'm not just doing this to get affection or perks, I do like Weiss and want to learn more about her as a person. Getting affection and reputation perks should never, ever be my main reason for getting close to anyone, otherwise, are my relationships really genuine? Or am I just doing it because of the system's mechanics?

Perks are useful, they end up saving my life countless times, but I don't want relationships built on them. I'm not that shallow and never will be.

…The mere possibility that the REP system has some mind control elements is damning enough.

Back to the matter at hand, I knew Weiss had a distaste for the White Fang from canon, and seeing that she hasn't discovered that Blake is a Faunus, I doubt she's gotten over it yet. From what I vaguely remember, the White Fang is responsible for a lot of bad things happening to her family, mostly assassinating higher-ups of the SDC and whatnot, which in turn pissed off her dad.

And that probably wasn't pleasant for her or anyone in her family.

Aside from being under constant threat seeing that she's Jacques' daughter, her clusterfuck of a family, and the fact that she lived around people who could very well manipulate and brainwash her into thinking that the White Fang is pure evil, she turned out relatively well.

Weiss is a smart girl, she's pretty inquisitive and skeptical most of the time, so I know deep down that she understands the real issue, but maybe refuses to acknowledge it due to frustration or resentment. She's stubborn enough for that, but seeing that she admires me immensely, convincing her to be more open might not be that hard to do.

…I just realized that most of my students have some sort of problem or trauma, and I'm not sure how to feel about it. Ruby's terrible self-esteem, Yang with her abandonment issues, Blake and her guilt, and Weiss' dysfunctional family problems.

I really hope Levi doesn't have some sort of PTSD or something. Please have a normal childhood.

The sheer irony is baffling.

What? What do you mean?

"Again, I'm very sorry for what I did back there, sir," Weiss said with a sigh, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief, her tone much more professional now. "That wasn't kind of me."

"Don't apologize." I let go of the railings and sit next to her on the bench. "I can tell letting that out lifted some weight off your shoulders."

Weiss wasn't very convinced, still looking away in shame.

"Look, I'm not angry at you or anything." I continue. "If anything, that fault kinda lies with me. At the end of the day, I'm the one who provoked you first."

"I still responded in an immature manner." She replies. "I-I just…"

"I get it, Weiss. I do." I put a comforting hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing. "You have a bad history with the White Fang and you thought I was taking their side."

"...Is that not the case?" She questions quietly. "After all, if my family wasn't there to push them around, then they might've not…"

Her words trailed off as she tightly clenched her fists.

"Of course not. I never said they were right." I say. "Listen, I'm not saying what the White Fang's doing right now is admirable."

She stays quiet, listening intently.

"I'm just saying that I understand why they do it, and you should too." I bring her closer to me, making her rest her head on my shoulder. "It's not right, and I wouldn't hesitate to stop them at any chance I got, but they're not all bad people, their actions are."

"And my family, too, right?" She responds with a whisper. "That's what everyone thinks anyway."

"Weiss…"

"I'm not blind, okay? I know what my father's doing. I've seen it happen more than once." She sniffles. "The abuse? Just how cruel he can be? I lived with him, I know him more than anyone else does."

I try to comfort her by gently rubbing her shoulder, knowing just how she needs this.

"It's not like I had a perfect life back in Atlas as most people think. True, at least I wasn't starving or homeless, but sometimes, I really wished I was because there was nothing colder than the Schnee mansion. It was a prison, I was forced to do things I don't enjoy for 'publicity'." She said. "I hated every single second of it. I hated smiling and pretending to be happy and nice to those snot-nosed morons, I felt sick to my stomach having to go on these stupid 'dates' with them. Even singing became a chore and an annoyance.

"Then they came along and made everything even worse." Weiss continued. "I've seen board members get assassinated right in front of me, attempts on my and siblings' lives. My mother nearly damned died from them, so how am I supposed to feel sympathetic for them? And why does everybody think I'm the bad one?"

I wait for her to finish as she reins in her emotions, taking a deep breath.

"Why do they think I was part of the problem? When I suffered under that bastard just like them? What did I do to deserve this?" She chokes back a sob. "I tried so hard to be different, to be more open-minded and kind just like my grandfather was, even after everything the White Fang did to me, but I still get lumped in together with him all the same. It's not fair."

I frown sympathetically at that.

"Why does everyone hate me when I've never done anything wrong?" She whispers. "I don't understand, what am I supposed to do?"

Christ, her issues run a lot deeper than I thought. I expected her problems to stem from the White Fang directly, not her dad being a dick with the consequences of that falling on her shoulders. In my opinion, she cares a lot more about her image than she should, but not everyone can just ignore all this hate.

And especially not when assassination attempts are included.

Trying to fix your family's reputation when you're faced with so much hostility when it was never your fault to begin with is for lack of a better word, pure bullshit. I can't imagine how disheartening it is. Had Weiss never met her team, who knew her better and didn't blame her for anything, I'm not sure she'd turn out any good.

To make matters worse, I doubt she had anyone to talk to about it. She had this bottled up for so many long years because of the pressure that was on her. She's arguably had it worse than a lot of people. No warmth at home in the comfort of her family, nor outside of it. Just pure misery brought upon by her shit father.

Might just cave that bastard's face in when I see him.

"I think you already know what you have to do," I say after a moment as she calms down. "I know it's unfair, but life never is. You have to make things right."

"I tried, but nothing worked." She looks at me, confused and pleading. " I don't know what I have to do anymore."

"Remember what I told you at the party a few months back?" I wipe the tear off her eyes. "I said you're a good person with so much power, enough to change Remnant as we know it."

"T-the company isn't mine yet." She protests.

"You don't need the company to do good," I respond. "You're already a well-known figure, and you can use your vast influence to help so many."

"My father wouldn't allow–"

"Who cares about what he thinks? Didn't you just say that he made you suffer?" I gently squeeze her shoulders. "So why won't you go against his wishes and do what you think is right?"

"He can take away my right to inherit the company whenever he wants." She argues. "I can't risk getting his ire."

"He wouldn't dare," I say with confidence, confusing her more. "Not when people have started spreading rumors on the internet after seeing us together outside."

"Rumors? What rumors?"

"The Blue King and the Heiress of the SDC, going to various places and hanging out for a whole night." I wink. "Heh, I can see the headlines already."

This news seemed to have calmed her down a little as she frowned.

"I don't understand."

"Think about it, with this, your dad wouldn't dare do anything to you, not when there's a possibility that we're very close," I explain. "Doing anything to you might give the public the idea that he's against me, and I don't think anyone would want to be my enemy."

"Wait…" Realization finally begins to set in. "Y-you knew this would happen? You planned this?!"

"Partially? I didn't expect this whole thing to happen, with the whole conversation back there, but I knew rumors of you being close with me would help you in the long run."

"At the expense of your reputation–"

"Please, people are basically worshiping me at this point. It's really nothing." I state modestly with a roll of my eyes. "My point is that you're not alone, Weiss. I love you, Ruby too, and so does your team, and we want you to be the best and happiest version of yourself you could possibly be."

Weiss' face turns red as I say that, quickly looking away in embarrassment.

"You're a very strong person." I gently hold her shoulders. "And I'm certain you will make your grandfather proud."

"You're not saying that just to make me feel better, right?"

"I wouldn't lie about this." I bring her close for a hug. "So there's no reason to worry, alright? You're never alone, and I'll always be here for you."

I can sense her worry, fear, guilt, and other negative emotions slowly disappear as she rests her head on my chest, replaced by mostly positive ones. Love, relief, and appreciation are the most prominent. There was embarrassment and shame, as weak as they felt, but that's probably because she was seen in this state.

…This has turned out to be a lot tougher than I expected it to be. I knew what I wanted to say, but the perfect phrasing was hard to come up with. I don't know what could've happened had I said something wrong, but probably nothing pretty.

It makes me feel better knowing I managed to get her to pour her heart out like this. I don't think she ever had the chance to do that at all.

Maxed Affection with–

Stop ruining the moment you bitch.

Rude.

"Come on, it's getting late." I break off the embrace, gently holding her hand. "I'll drop you off at the station, alright?"

Weiss doesn't give a verbal response, but she listens anyway. As I lead the way in comfortable silence, I'm inwardly glad I didn't fuck this up. Holy shit that was a huge risk right there, and when she blew up the first time, I thought I was done for.

But everything turned out alright. More importantly, Weiss feels a lot better about herself and knows that she isn't alone anymore, so objective achieved I guess. I don't think I would've gotten the perfect outcome if I didn't have my Observation Haki.

Shit, I don't think I'd even be here without it.

Now hoping she becomes reasonable for the Blake problem.

As we're halfway there, Weiss tugs at my shirt, prompting me to stop and look at her. Her face is bright red, only feeling embarrassment as she averts her eyes, placing her head on my chest. I blink in confusion, still not understanding what this is about even with my emotion sensing.

"What's wrong?"

"I…" Weiss starts quietly. "I don't want this to end yet."

I almost blurt out a particularly dense response but stop myself as soon as I understand her meaning.

"...Are you sure?" I ask after a moment, still not very certain myself.

No verbal response, only a slow nod as she tightly grabs the hem of her shirt with her other hand.

Well then…

One more thing I didn't expect I guess…

– Weiss Schnee –

Weiss almost regretted her hasty decision, one she took while very emotional, but she hated the fact that her date ended so soon even more. She didn't think it would lead to anything truly substantial, but she was going to treasure it regardless. It was the first date she actually enjoyed after all.

But then that whole thing happened, which had her say so many things she kept quiet about for so many years that it began to tear her insides to pieces, and then a response she always longed to hear.

Not even Winter showed this much affection after she left for the military. Her cold bastard of a father never batted an eye, and her mother was too busy drinking herself to death. Klein and her little brother were the only comforts she had when Winter left, but then the latter began to drift away from her, trying so hard to impress their father.

Being assured that she was precious in the eyes of other people– real friends made her heart flutter. There were always those dark thoughts, telling her that they were just being nice and putting up with her because of her name, but that was never the case.

Weiss doesn't remember when was the last time someone told her "I love you", but hearing that nearly made all the pain she went through disappear, and it was by someone whom she greatly admired.

Said someone was currently making her feel all tingly inside as he gently kissed her, rubbing her thigh and legs with his hand. It was very embarrassing for the inexperienced Weiss, however, as she didn't quite know what to do in this situation. She had never done anything like this before and felt a little bad for letting him take the charge.

Reid took her to the first shop he opened, the one with the giant underground training area, and straight to the bedroom after asking her multiple times if she was sure about this. She felt herself smile as she remembered his concern. How sweet.

But she lamented the fact that she didn't buy sexy lingerie for this occasion, and that Reid had seen her in very plain white underwear, but he didn't seem to mind it much, not when he suddenly unclipped her bra in the midst of their make-out session.

Weiss flinched in surprise and pulled away from the kiss, quickly covering her breasts and looking away in shame at her unimpressive figure. Even Ruby, a girl two years younger than her, had a better body than hers. What a disgrace-

"You don't have to be so embarrassed, Weiss." He said softly, caressing her cheek. "You're beautiful the way you are."

Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest as he said that, face turning even redder. This was the first time Weiss had felt this giddy.

Reid lowered her arms for her, revealing her small breasts to him. He gently pushed her down, hand squeezing the soft flesh as he started to kiss her neck. Weiss moaned quietly, rubbing her thighs together as tiny sparks of pleasure went up her spine.

His other hand slid under her panties, making her flinch as she felt his finger rub her wet slit. This was an entirely new experience for the SDC Heiress. Personally, she never thought she'd do this with another person until marriage, and while yes, she had masturbated before, this felt completely different.

Weiss wrapped her arms around her lover's neck as he continued to pleasure her. She panted, shuddering as Reid worked his magic and brought her closer to orgasm with every stroke.

However, Reid spared her the embarrassment of climaxing too fast and stopped. Weiss almost reflexively closed her legs once he pulled down the last piece of underwear, showing him just how aroused she was as fluids dripped down onto the bed.

The overwhelming mortification she felt evaporated as soon as he whispered the next three words, staring at her with his loving deep blue eyes.

"I love you."

Reid chuckled in amusement as she covered her burning face with her hands, whining adorably. The attention and affection were too much for her poor heart. She was never built to handle something like this, no matter how much she longed for it!

He was so mean.

Still covering her face, Weiss flinched again as she felt something big and hard press against her lower entrance, almost passing out from how much blood rushed to her face.

We're really doing it! Weiss thought in overwhelming joy and anticipation. W-we're making love! I can't believe it!

The fact that she was losing her precious virginity to a hero who made history multiple times, and is also the one she loves, made her feel like she was in heaven. This was way too good to be true.

"If it hurts, tell me. Okay?" Reid said, and she nodded frantically, almost begging him to just do it.

And finally, he pushed his throbbing member inside her, slowly stretching her tight folds wide. Weiss gasped and gritted her teeth, the incredible pleasure from this mere act just about made her climax. This was just from one thrust?

"Ngh…" She grunted as she felt him move gently.

Reid silenced her moans by kissing her deeply. His hand held hers, their fingers interlocking as she reached her breaking point, saying something she wanted to for a very long time.

"I love you..." She panted as he pulled away. "I love you."

He smiled softly at her as she occasionally repeated the same statement, her mind in a haze of lust and adoration. Whenever Reid would say it back, her heart would feel so full. Never in her life had she felt so complete, as finally got what she always craved.

Weiss climaxed from a particularly fierce thrust with a cry, making him slow down as her insides constricted around his member. She breathed heavily, hugging him tightly as he began moving again.

Eventually, Reid sped up, prompting Weiss' moans to get louder as she orgasmed again and again. She grabbed onto him tightly, feeling his impressive length throb more often, until with a grunt, he filled her special place with his hot seed, spurt after spurt.

Weiss realized how dangerous it was to not use protection once she sobered up after a minute, but in all honesty, she could not bring herself to care. If it was him, then it might not be so bad.

This time, it was Weiss who took the initiative and kissed him first, all the embarrassment she was feeling washing away. She felt nothing but adoration and bliss as she stared into Reid's eyes. She never thought she'd ever meet someone like him, who'd make her feel so loved like this, but maybe things were starting to look up for the Heiress.

"Think you're up for another round?" He asked with a wink.

Weiss blushed and nodded.

Coming to Vale was the best decision she'd ever made.

– Yang Xiao-Long –

Lazily brushing her teeth, she glanced at the time on her scroll, frowning slightly in confusion at the trending sentence "Do a barrel roll" on Scribe before focusing back on her oral hygiene. Weird, Weiss should be back in the dorms by now. It was getting late, and she never liked going out for too long.

Well, Reid did, so if anything, he was probably dragging her around Vale doing all sorts of activities. She did give him some information about Weiss after all, like how she'd never been to an amusement park for example.

And considering how sweet he could be, he probably wanted her to try out all kinds of stuff so she could have fun.

Her scroll suddenly vibrated in her hand, prompting her to look at it. She raised her brow in interest as she saw a message attached to a picture sent by her boyfriend, and when she checked it out, she almost dropped her scroll.

A wide grin split Yang's face as she saw the selfie Reid sent of him with Weiss sleeping peacefully in his arms, both naked and under the blanket. Yang barely stopped herself from squealing so as to not alert Blake and Levi.

Ah, the benefits of having a playboy for a boyfriend.

Once she finished brushing her teeth, Yang closed the bathroom door behind her and subtly glanced at her teammates with a lustful gaze. Oh yes, it was all coming together.

Two more, and she'll get that team orgy she'd been fantasizing about.

Weiss-centric chapter, one that was a long time coming. Also, I surprised you there at the end, didn't I? You expected a daddy kink, but it was me, wholesome sex!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter tho. thanks for reading.

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