REVIEWS

The Black : She is not! I made a mistake! The Bellrose girl is the banned one, Ashley is 100% on the table!

To the Guest: Not yet. I have plans for that bullet.

As always, guys here is my discord: /FVXgdXtMUv

And if you want to support me, go to the bottom of this here page for a link to my Slatreon (You know what I mean). If you enjoy my works, that is, and wish to help me keep going for a long time to come. Also, I do not know why there was no link on the previous chapter, since I am sure I put it in.

Anyway, as always, chapter 9 is going to be up on Slateon (You know what I mean), for early-access. For those who don't wish to wait 2 weeks, you can go there and read it for a small contribution.

With everything that has been happening, Jaune was not surprised that his schedule was becoming a bit hard to manage. Talking business with Aiko was something they did during breakfast, and Ashley pretty much liked doing her own thing around the house or going off. Lillian, for her part, mostly hung out in her room. She didn't like going out and mostly only came out to eat or something. It has been a few days since his date with Beli and in all honesty?

Things were a bit awkward at first when they met at the gym the following day. And during yoga class, Jaune had been getting more than a few stares and giggles from the other women there. It didn't take a genius to understand what they were giggling about. They judged the way he and Beli were interacting and figured something must have happened. A good number of them even looked disappointed!

They were thinking he was taken, but truth be told, he had talked with Beli about the whole harem thing before. And the more he did, the more she seemed to paint the picture of his current situation. Wealthy, With a big house able to house everyone he might seduce. Kyu certainly didn't fight it.

She encouraged it. But how did he gather a harem? Well, the answer was that he might not know how; he just has to. Great, as if things were not complicated already. Still, he had to take it slow. He had to remember his goal: Seduce the women! Sounded simple enough…

Gods give him strength; for now, he was before Lillian's door!

"Now or never…"

He approached his hand to the door, then knocked, waiting for her reply. It was almost twelve in the day, and as Jaune waited for a reply, he eventually knocked again, seeking an answer. "Lillian?" He called out to her, and this time, she answered, opening the door and revealing why she didn't answer the first time: Music. She was wearing headphones, and judging that he could hear the music blasting, they were at high volume.

"What do you want? I'm busy."

"Oh?" Kyu perked up, flying behind Lillian and grinning. She saw what Jaune didn't, which was Lillian's left hand, the one she was using to hold the door. "Ohohoho!"

Jaune, however, merely focused on his task. "I was actually wondering if you'd like to grab something to eat out in town. Aiko and Ashley are out as well, so we might meet them-"

"Not interested." She closed the door, not letting him continue.

"Damn!" Jaune swore, with Kyu coming to his shoulder. "What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong apart from interrupting her rubbing session," Kyu replied, taking Jaune by surprise.

"What? No, she is clearly listening to music. I could hear it!"

"And she could clearly hear you knocking! She just faked it to hide the fact she was masturbating! She likely changed it to some loud music to hide the fact. Clever girl, but she forgot to clean her fingers." Kyu pointed out. "But yeah, try again. And this time? Put some authority behind it! Come on, be a man for once! This is your crib!"

"Alright…" He knocked again, harder this time, and sure enough, she immediately opened the door.

"Are you deaf? I said I am not interested in going out!"

"Then don't go out, and we stay here, ordering something," Jaune replied quickly. Lillian, however, simply narrowed her eyes at him.

"Yeah, right. As if." She then tried to close the door, but Jaune put his foot into it, his aura stopping the door from hurting his foot. "Hey!"

"Lillian, look. I don't want to force you, but if you are to live under this roof, I do think there are things we need to talk about." Jaune stated again, strongly. "Rules, if you might."

"And why would I follow those rules? Living here or out in the streets, it doesn't matter to me." Lillian replied.

"Bullshit!"

"It doesn't." Lillian insisted.

"If it didn't, then why'd you stay for so long? Eating food I bought and yelling at me."

"Ugh. You sound like my parents." Lillian whined, but Jaune didn't let go. "Fine. We can talk. Order us some pizza or something, and let's talk. Why not? A talk fixes everything, doesn't it?" The way she spoke clearly said a lot about what she thought of him right now, but Jaune knew it was worth it. Maybe. He wasn't really sure of what he was doing right now. Still, they went to the living room, where Lillian sat on the couch while Jaune ordered some pizza.

While they waited, he sat down as well and began. "Alright, so first things first, I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop walking around the house naked when you get out of the bathroom."

Lillian scoffed. "Why? Are you swinging for the other team and can't stand seeing a young girl in her prime naked?"

"Lillian, this is not an issue of my sexuality but one of basic decency." Jaune pointed out, but Lillian only rolled her eyes.

"Fine! If you are such a pussy you cannot look at a real one, then suit yourself." She bit back, and even Kyu had to admit she was vicious when she wanted to be. But Jaune had a lot of wisdom growing up with many sisters, and he knew a thing or two about dealing with problematic behavior.

"Right, like you ever saw any real dick."

"Hey!" Lillian jumped up, seemingly triggered by that line. "Are you implying I am some virgin? Ha! As if! I lost that membrane when I was 16."

"Isn't that a bit young?" Jaune asked.

"Do I care? No. I did it, and it felt great."

"Bullshit," Kyu replied, not believing Lillian's words. "The first time never feels that great, trust me. Special? Maybe, but the way she is speaking of it…Careful, dude, this one might have some real heavy-duty baggage."

"And what did your family think?" Jaune asked, but all Lillian did was scoff.

"As if they cared. I doubt they so much as reacted when I came home late, reeking of sweat and booze." Booze? Alcohol? From what Jaune could tell, Lillian looked Valean, and if she was from the city, he heard they tend to have stricter drinking laws there. 16 was definitely not the legal age for drinking or even engaging in sexual interactions with someone!

Some things do not make sense here. Jaune knew that. He originally labeled everything as issues with her parents, but he has started to doubt that it is everything. "Are you not close with them?"

"Please, like they wanted me. My father was never much, and ever since that aunt of Ashley's came into view, everything somehow became even worse!" Lillian stated, throwing everything out in the open. "I swear, sometimes, I think I can just hang myself in the attic and would only be found after I stunk up the place with my rotting corpse."

"Sheesh, yeah, she has a bunch of issues," Kyu remarked. "She might be more of a handful than I realized. Forget taming; you need to be yourself. Just…Be yourself with her as much as you think you can." Kyu didn't change her approach often, but when she did, it was well warranted. Jaune acknowledged her words and decided to probe a bit more.

"Hey now, surely it isn't all that bad, right?" Jaune asked, but all he got was a scoff.

"Like, please. You don't know jack shit about my home situation. If I will even have one when I go back. I am 18, meaning they can just as well throw me out of the house now that I am an adult." Lillian stated. "Heck, I am even willing to wager this trip is an excuse for them to have time to clean out my room."

"Wait a minute…" Jaune thought of something, and it hit him strong. "This is why you are not going away…Lillian, do you actually like it here?"

"Fuck you!"

"Ok, I misjudged that part of it," Jaune added.

"Ugh. Do you always snoop around other people's lives like that?"

"You did tell me." Jaune pointed out again, once again proving Lillian wrong. However, she wasn't totally wrong. He was snooping. He shouldn't be asking questions and trying to learn things he might just have no purpose knowing. But looking at her, the more he just looked…The more he saw sadness behind those eyes. Defiant, yet broken. "Why would you tell me if you didn't want to say something? Many things, for that matter of fact!"

"It is none of your business, get it? Dust, why'd I even entertained you by answering your fucking interrogation? Food is not even here, and I am already sick of this talk." Lillian added. And Jaune knew he was losing her. He had to say something.

"Dude…Don't say anything rash, it might-"

"Was your first time…Against your will?" Jaune's question made Kyu slap herself over the face, and Lillian actually froze, staring at him.

"What?" She asked coldly.

"Earlier, you said things about booze, late nights, and it just sounded like…Well, it sounded like something happened, and your own parents didn't know about it." Jaune stated, and Lillian seemed to begin showing different emotions than her usual bratty attitude.

"They do know…" She said slowly. "Oh, they fucking know, I told them the very next DAY what happened! Yet, all they fucking cared about was that little shit son of theirs! They thought I was seeking attention, BEGGING for affection or some shit!"

"But you weren't. You were truly hurt and in need of their love. Love you never received." Jaune pieced it together. Lillian wasn't the way she was because of her own choices…it was due to neglect. Her parents had paid no heed to things, and it made her turn out like this. "Lillian…I…My own family also disowned me…For a mistake that I had made. I know it doesn't really relate, but I am not exactly on speaking terms with my father either. I can understand how it feels to have the person you thought would always be there for you turn on you."

"It's just…Not fair…" Lillian was shaking and clearly starting to break down. "I just…No." But then she seemed to stop and took a deep breath. "No more. I am not going to go there! Whatever the fuck you thought I was gonna say or said, well, forget it! It still isn't any of your business, Jaune, so leave it at that!"

"Lillian, wait!" Jaune shouted for her as she got up, reaching out and grabbing her wrist.

"Let me go, you idiot!" She shouted at him, lashing out with her nails. However, Jaune's aura protected him. "Stupid aura!"

"Lillian, I didn't want to harm you!" Jaune shouted, but she still struggled. "Please…Just stop."

"Stop what? Trying to yank my arm from you? Tough luck on that!" She yanked her arm again but failed to break Jaune's grip.

"Stop blaming yourself." He added, and she finally froze again. "Lillian, I can see it in your eyes. I know that look…You are blaming yourself for everything that happened. You think there is no one else at fault but yourself, but that is not right! You are not at fault for anything."

"Bullshit!"

"IS IT?!" Jaune shouted. "Or is this the truth you chose not to listen to? The one others said was a lie to protect themselves? The one your parents wanted you never to believe." Just like how Jaune's father wanted to control everything in his house to uphold his family's laws, Jaune realized Lillian was not much different. "Just…Open your eyes."

"You think I am going to cry in your arms? Ha! Delusional! I don't give a Grimm's ass about those fucks! In fact, I might just do something different. How about it? I will call them up and tell them to pack up my stuff, and I will move here for good!" Lillian suggested that almost as if it was a way to now get back at Jaune, but Kyu picked up on it for what it really was.

"She is asking for help," Kyu stated. "This attitude of hers? It's a defense mechanism! The way she speaks, the words she uses, everything! What she is saying - the words - do not match what she means! Holy shit, she makes so much sense now. Jaune, listen, she wants you to help her, but her walls are pushing you back. You need to keep working on this case until it cracks wide open! Do not give up on her!"

"Then do it." Jaune let go of her arm. "I have more than enough space to house you."

"Wait…You are actually…" Lillian shook her head. "I am going to my room to give them the call. I half-expect them to be thrilled about it and throw some party."

And so, she went upstairs, giving Jaune and Kyu one more moment of deliberation to talk about what had just happened. "You think she is asking for help?"

"Her parents were not abusive or controlling, from what she is saying, but they were definitely neglectful. Then again, this is merely her point of view, which could be biased. Best ask Ashley about things." Kyu suggested, and Jaune nodded his head.

"WELL FUCK YOU, TOO!" Lillian's shouting and angrily slamming the door was all Jaune heard after Kyu spoke, followed by Lillian angrily scampering down the stairs, looking strangely conflicted, somewhere between anger, stress, and relief. "News flash, blonde ass, I am moving in! I just got off the phone with my father."

"Right…Assuming it went decent?"

"As decent as it could go." She stated back, but then, she seemed to soften somehow. "And…Thank you for letting me stay here."

"We might not have known one another for long, Lillian, but I do care. Just…Talk with me. Even if I cannot change what happened, I can help you bury the ghosts." Jaune replied to her.

"Heh. Burying ghosts? Really? They just fly out of their tombs." Lillian replied. "But I will try."

"All I ask."

Suddenly, however, as the door opened, the person who entered the room was not the pizza boy, as they expected, but Ashley. "Lil! What the fuck did you do?!"

"What do you mean? Oh! Right, I decided to move in with Jaune permanently. At least my parents get rid of me." Lillian replied, making Jaune sigh. She was back to her usual attitude, alright.

"Lil, my aunt called me barely three minutes ago! She was hysterically begging me to speak with you, make you change your mind, and…Just what the fuck, cuz?"

"Lillian? Does Ashley…"

"She knows," Lillian replied, confusing Ashley.

"Know what? Wait…Is this about that party where you…Oh, my Dust, Lillian, you told Jaune?!" Ashley seemed utterly shocked by that.

"I didn't have to. He is smart enough to figure it out by himself, apparently. I just let a few things slip, and he pieced it together."

"It was more of a calculated guess than me knowing, however." Jaune clarified.

"Truly? Jaune…THANK THE GODS WE MET YOU!" Ashley shouted, leaping at him and hugging him. "You have no idea how much I appreciate this!"

"Hold on, I am officially confused. Ashley, you knew about what happened with Lillian, yet did nothing?"

"Nothing? Dude, I was the one to pay for her therapy behind her parents' back!" Ashley pointed out. "However, things eventually hit a stone wall. The doctor said Lillian here developed trust issues and shit, and the only way she'd heal is by sharing her experience with someone who isn't family."

"Ok, now I am even more confused! Why'd you take her behind her family's back?"

"Ok, I think we need to step back a bit. Jaune, you see, Lillian's current mother, my aunt, is not her birth mother." Ashley explained, and things began to click for Jaune. "Lillian's birth mother died in childbirth from what I heard, and her father…He wasn't the best father. I know he was at least somewhat decent, though."

"He was. Past tense is the important detail to keep in mind here." Lillian pointed out. "But then he got married, and suddenly, I really stopped existing."

"Right. And, well, I love my aunt, but Jaune…I sincerely hope you don't have to meet." Ashley said awkwardly. "She is quite the hassle."

"You mean she is equally as bad as Lillian's father?"

"In her way, yes. She never does care about many other people, though; she told me she at least cared about Lillian enough not to throw her out." At this, Lillian scoffed.

"As if! They mostly kept me around for the social aid since Dad's job was a dead-end one." Lillian added venomously.

"Yeah, I won't argue much with you there," Ashley replied sheepishly, yet Jaune had many questions. "But anyway. Let me jump to the night at fault. As you might have guessed, that night, Lillian went out to a party. One she knew she had no business being at."

"Fake ID." Lillian clarified.

"Still!" Ashley pressed on. "Drinks flowed, and eventually, Lillian was apparently assaulted by some drunk punk." Lillian went stiff at the mention of that event. "She was 16, Jaune. Worst yet? Her parents thought she was lying to get attention! But I believed her…And helped her."

"Why didn't you guys report everything then? Or better yet, try to get Lillian's parents in trouble?" Jaune asked, feeling more and more confused. "Why not seek legal aid?"

"Jaune, at the time, I was 19 and, frankly, going through my issues. I wanted to do more, trust me! Modeling was doing well, and it is what paid for Lillian's therapy, but…" She sighed. "As I said, I still cared for my aunt, and there was the baby. We couldn't drag their reputation through the mud with the entire incident. Otherwise, the kid's life might really get screwed."

"I do hope I get to haunt him after I pass…" Lillian said softly.

"Did you at least confront your aunt about it all?!" Jaune asked, feeling himself growing frustrated with the entire deal.

"Yes! I did! It was a big fight as well…" Ashley said, recounting the events. "Furniture flew that day, and my aunt and uncle both accused me of buying into Lillian's lie. But I knew the truth! They were just too stupid and with their heads up their ass. They just refused to see the truth that was right there, and honestly, had I had the means, I'd have taken Lillian with me, but as said…The social aid was a thing. They'd have never given her up."

"But, since I am now 18, they have no more say in that regard." Lillian reminded them. "I am free to do what I want, and they can just try coming to the island with their funds. They'd bankrupt themselves with just one ticket!"

"What about CPS? Didn't you try to-"

"We did…" Ashley replied. "Unfortunately, the event was ruled as being mostly on Lillian here since it was her who got drunk and, well…You know."

Lillian perked up. "The least they could have done is take me away from there, but no! Not enough evidence and all of that legal bullshit!"

"Fuck…Talk about a can of worms to shove your hand in." Jaune said softly, processing everything. "But I did snoop my nose around. I asked for it, really."

"That you did." Lillian pointed out. "And now you are not getting rid of me."

"Who says I was gonna? If anything, you are free to live here until you have kids." Jaune's words seemed to strike both girls as odd, as Lillian blushed and Ashley began to snicker, failing to control her laughter. "Something the matter?"

"Dude…" Ashley snorted, slowly losing the battle against laughter. "The way you put it makes it seem like you want to knock her up."

Lillian turned sharply to her cousin. "Not. In. A. Million. Years." And that reply told both of them all they needed to know about Lillian's opinion on the matter. "Plus, look at him! He is so not my type; he is just too bright to look at with that blonde mop on his head!"

"What does my hair have anything to do with it?" Jaune asked.

"Maybe if you switched your dye," Lillian commented.

"I am a natural blonde!" He pointed out. "Plus, you should have seen it when I was younger. I swear, my sisters liked to style it long, into pigtails, and dress me up…I still haven't lived that down." Oh, the memories were still raw and hurtful; the humiliation will haunt him for years to come.

"Whatever," Lillian added, then the door rang. "Looks like the pizza is here."

"Oh, you guys ordered pizza?" Ashley asked, clearly interested.

"Yeah, since she refused to go out, why not order something instead? I didn't expect the heavy loads of family history, though. A bit of an appetite killer." Jaune commented, going to the door and paying the man, then returning with the pizza and placing it on the table. "Dig in."

Lillian and Ashley both took a slice, with the smell bringing his appetite back as well for two slices. "Oh man, I am so jealous right now…" Kyu whined. "I need to stay hidden, meaning I cannot enjoy this right now! Fuck!"

And so, they kept eating the pizza, much to Kyu's chagrin. However, something was off. Jaune could tell. He hasn't seen Aiko all day. "Hey, have any of you seen Aiko?"

"The chick handling your money?" Ashley asked. "I think I did last evening. She was dressed pretty posh, so I assumed the two of you were going out."

"We didn't, no," Jaune replied, starting to get a bad feeling about this. Suppose she went out last evening but isn't back even now…No. She wouldn't, would she? Jaune was starting to worry, especially about whether Aiko would go back to the casino to gamble again! "Excuse me, I need to go check something. I will be back later. You girls try not to burn down the house, alright?"

"Alright?" Ashley replied, while Lillian simply waved her hand at him to just go away. Jaune quickly got his scroll out, called Nicky, and went out into town.

"You really think she relapsed?" Kyu asked, sounding not that surprised.

"You don't sound surprised," Jaune replied mentally as he looked around the casino. This was the second one they were checking, as the first was where Jaune became a multi-millionaire. She wasn't there, and he even spoke with the owner if any of his employees saw her.

"Honestly? I am surprised she lasted as long as she did. You might think you cured her addiction to gambling, but all you did was solve her issue with the debt, then left it at that, thinking it was solved. Dude, you and I both know addiction doesn't go away that easily." Kyu pointed out, and Jaune had to admit to feeling silly, considering he might have helped Aiko that greatly.

"I thought she'd stay clear of the casino if the money she was gambling weren't hers. She knows that since she is responsible for my finances if she gambles all of my money, she'd drag me down with her. She wouldn't do that, right?" Jaune asked.

"You gave her a job and a salary, dude. A VERY good salary. You gave her money to gamble with, which was hers." Again, Kyu had a point. How Jaune failed to see the possibility, well, that was on him. There was no one to blame but himself for essentially ENABLING Aiko to gamble again, possibly. He might have thought he had closed the door of her addiction, but truly, he had forgotten to lock it and throw away the key!

He made a mistake. And now, he had to find Aiko and make sure she didn't dig herself into a giant hole again! Although he had funds, if he kept this going, it'd just be an endless, self-destructing cycle that'd see both him and Aiko brought to bankruptcy! He cannot have that. Not at all.

"Damn it!" After just finishing checking the other casino, Jaune once again was met with nothing to show for it. Aiko was in neither casino. Still, he kept searching and trying to dial her number. Nothing. She wasn't picking up the phone. There was only silence.

If what Ashley said checked out, Aiko went out yesterday evening and hasn't come back since. That was a reason to worry, and he had to be ready for the worst. He knows the laws of the island, how he couldn't take an active role in fighting someone who doesn't have an aura, and the odds of them having one with the laws in place were low, to begin with.

He was in a bind if he had to fight.

Hopefully, he could be more diplomatic about it.

To his fortune, at the fourth casino, after showing a picture of Aiko from his scroll, the owner nodded their head. "Yeah, she was here yesterday. Had to kick her out since she was racking up quite the amount of losses."

"She didn't go into debt by borrowing?" The owner shook their head.

"No way! I heard of her from one of the other owners, saying how she doesn't have that kind of money on her. We never know who is such a risk, but trust me, when we do, we don't allow them to borrow money. Helps both of us. She did blow through most of her cash, though. Last I checked, after we kicked her out, she went downtown. Must have gone to drown her sorrow in booze." The owner told Jaune, and the boy thanked him for the information. However, this didn't help as much as they thought it did.

Downtown in Bella Dia was a densely populated area, and as far as bars go, there were plenty. Open at such hours? None. They open soon, however, so it was best for him to keep a move on. Damn, if only there were a way to track the girls so he doesn't need to chase them around the island…

Wait a minute. "Kyu…Could you use some magic to help me find Aiko?" He almost forgot that Kyu could actually do magic; she just has low energy for it! But maybe, just maybe, she had enough to locate Aiko.

"To be honest? Yes, we have enough mana for such a small spell. But if I do this, I will become sluggish from lack of mana. It is not a nice feeling." Kyu stated. "But this is somewhat of an emergency. Alright, let me just focus." Jaune kept walking as Kyu did her magic, and soon, the fairy perked up. "Keep going straight! She is close!"

And Jaune kept going, and sure enough, he found Aiko sitting on a terrace, nursing a cup of coffee. She spotted him and perked up but then looked awfully guilty. She knew what she had done, and Jaune did too. He approached her slowly. "Hey."

"H-hey." She replied slowly, trying to avoid eye contact. "Fancy meeting you here?"

"Aiko…I found out from Ashley you went out last evening and didn't come back. I went out searching for you. I know you gambled." Jaune told her, which seemed to hit Aiko like a knife to the gut. "Look, I am not mad, I just-"

"But you are disappointed, right?" She asked. "You should be. I am actually flat broke until my next payday from you, too. I gambled everything and lost badly." Her admission to this felt crushing to Jaune. Seeing her so down showed she at least felt guilty about what she had done, and as much as he'd like to say it was all alright, the truth was wholly different. He couldn't enable her gambling and let her keep harming herself like this.

He had to be stern here. He had to tell her not what she wanted to hear but what she needed to hear. As much as he hated being the relatively bad one here, he had to make sure Aiko didn't become a danger not only to herself but also to him. "Aiko…I thought you were done with gambling when I bought out your debt."

"I thought so, too!" Aiko replied. "I just…At first, I was so grateful to you, and I felt so free, and it was great! Truly! But, over time, I just kept wondering if I went there and won, thinking my luck was turning around if I could maybe repay you what you spent on me."

"Aiko, you are speaking about 40 Million Lien. There is no way you could walk away from a casino with that much money."

"You did! Heck, you walked away with HUNDREDS of millions of Lien! I don't know how you did it, or if you are just that lucky, or you really have a luck semblance, but…Why do you have such good luck when I don't?" Aiko asked. "Maybe the world is seeing it fit to punish me. You know I wasn't the best daughter to my mother."

"Hey, hey, don't go there!" Jaune said quickly. "Aiko, nothing here has anything to do with your mother. You know that. Heck, you know that better than I! You are not as foolish to think your mother is at fault here or that you are!"

"But I am, aren't I? I am too weak to fight the temptation, and now look where we are. Back to square one." Aiko said back.

"No. You're mistaken, Aiko; you are not back to square one. You are broke, yes, but you are not in debt or alone." Jaune told her. "You have me."

She let out a laugh. "The boy whom I blew after he paid off my debt? Don't you think this is a bit messed up?"

"Oh, it is plenty of messed up in many ways, but think about it differently. Is it bad? You got rid of a huge debt and gained a friend, together with a nice income, plus a nifty place to stay!" Jaune stated to her. "How could you say your luck isn't turning around? Aiko, the casino doesn't get to decide your luck!"

"You do have a point…" She said slowly. "Still, that doesn't fix what I did. I lost the money you so generously gave me."

"Paid you, Aiko. Remember? You are the one helping me make more money, and in exchange, you get a cut." Jaune reminded her. "Heck, I doubt I'd have an income had it not been for you."

"You are just saying that to make me feel better."

"And am I lying?" Jaune asked her, and Aiko remained silent. Jaune wasn't lying; he was stating the pure truth about the situation. Thanks to Aiko's knowledge of investing, they now have a very nice income, and his fortune is growing even now. And that was thanks to Aiko. "You made a mistake, but making mistakes is alright. Every living being makes mistakes. I know I made my fair share of them…"

"But you weren't risking dragging anyone down with you! If I went beyond the limit, I might have gambled your fortune! All of it! What then, Jaune? You'd have had nothing." Aiko stated again.

"Wrong…What I did was stupid, and I could have brought others down with me. Down something worse than just going bankrupt." Jaune said, not wishing to give Aiko more information about his past. She already knew enough. "Aiko…I won't say I can look past this because I cannot. Not because of what you almost did to me but because of what you did to yourself. You have to stop."

"I can't…I tried so many times, but every time I see slots, I just…I can't, Jaune."

"Yes, you can, Aiko. You might think you are not strong enough to, but I tell you, that is not true." Jaune told her. "You have that strength inside you. You just don't realize it."

"And what if you're wrong? What if I am not strong enough to rise above my addiction?" Aiko asked him.

"Then let me push you above it." He answered. "Aiko, you don't need to be alone in this."

"But what will you do? There are also online gambling platforms, and if I cannot get to a casino, I might just resort to those." Aiko stated, looking down in shame. "I am just a hazard."

"Aiko, look. I won't pretend that your addiction is easy to get rid of, and honestly? I know it will take a long time to get rid of it, but know that I am behind you. Not to feed you cash to lose, but to help pull you away from gambling." Jaune told her, which seemed to have some kind of effect on Aiko. "And not just me. Think of Beli."

"Beli? Beli!" Aiko seemed to realize something. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit."

"Did I say something wrong?" Jaune asked.

"I borrowed money from her last night," Aiko admitted, making Kyu facepalm on Jaune's shoulder. "Gods, I was so stupid…I knew she wouldn't say no to me and used that to get her to lend me some of her hard-earned money, then I blew it!"

"How much did you borrow? I will help pay her back." Jaune told her.

"Ummm. 3000 Lien?"

"Where'd she get that kind of money to lend her? Does her job pay that well?" Kyu asked.

"I didn't realize Beli had money to spare like that," Jaune remarked.

"She doesn't…She just got her paycheck, and I took it from her. Gods, I feel like such a bitch." Aiko told herself.

"I will give her a call later and talk with her. I will pay her back." Jaune told Aiko. "but let this be the final time I cover your debts, Aiko."

"I will try."

"No. Trying won't do it. Aiko, if you do not give it your all, I WILL take drastic measures." Aiko actually sounded scared by those lines.

"Oh Gods…Alright, alright, I promise on my life to stop gambling!" Aiko said, swearing herself right in front of Jaune. "So, what now? You did search for me across the island. I feel bad for making you waste your time like that."

"Now? I don't know. Preferably, I'd ask you to wrap up your coffee, then come home with me, where we can discuss things further in a private place. But-"

"Actually, let's do that!" Aiko perked up strangely at that. "Please? I also need to change my underwear, and I could really use a shower."

"Let me call Nicky."

"Well, the prodigal hoe is back under our roof," Kyu remarked.

"Could you not call her a hoe?"

"But she is prodigal, is she not?"

"No argument there."

"Dude, she gambled away all of her money now. All of it! I don't know how much she had left or how much she had after you pumped her account with more, but she definitely needs to get her addiction under control. She could ruin us, for fuck's sake! And let me tell you: I am NOT helping you cheat at the casino again! Last time was total, undisputed luck at the end there!" Kyu was right, and Jaune knew that well. Still, he'd like to consider the fact they have already begun helping Aiko on her road to recovery.

Even if he doesn't know how to start helping someone with addiction, drugs are one thing; he heard you just have to wean someone off of them slowly. That way, their bodies don't go into shock from withdrawal, and they slowly become free of their influence. But there were no physical risks when it came to a gambling addiction suddenly being cut off. Maybe mental ones, but Jaune was no expert in this field to know for sure.

"So, what now?"

"I'd like to say you need to get out and get more babes, but in all honesty, you have your hands full already with what you have here. You got a very good start with Lillian, and Aiko seems to be opening up more and more to you. I don't know about Ashley yet, and Beli has definitely shown interest in you." Kyu stated. "Heck, if anything, things are progressing quite nicely. Very smooth."

"You still can't wait for me to sleep with one of them, can't you?"

"Bitch, I cannot take being this small for much longer! Seriously, you have so much potential, yet you chose the slow route? Guh. At least that Beli girl presented us with the option of the harem route. Now there's an overabundance of mana!" Kyu stated.

"Still, it is a cultural thing. Even Beli agreed with it! Odds are I won't exactly be able to form one, and even if I did, how do you manage one? Having to split time between everyone to make sure no one feels neglected sounds…rough."

"Differs from case to case. From my experience, some harems are more hands-off than others." Kyu said. "But some can be very high-maintenance, and-"

"Phew! I needed that!" Aiko came out of the shower and came to Jaune in the living room wearing some casual clothes. She sat on the sofa close to him and then began speaking. "Thanks again…For the pep talk. I promise to try and clean up my act."

"All I ask is that you take care of yourself, Aiko. Your gambling has to stop if you are to remain stable." Jaune told her, but then Aiko seemed to want to say something.

"So…What is my standing?"

"Your what?" Jaune asked, confused.

"In your harem, silly!"

"MY WHAT?!" Jaune gasped, shocked by Aiko's words. The woman burst out in laughter at Jaune's reaction, wheezing as Jaune pieced together what she said. "Aiko, where'd you get those kind of ideas?"

"From the fact that Beli gave you a topless massage the other day?" Aiko stated again, and Jaune wondered how she knew, but then it hit him.

"She told you."

"We are friends, of course, she told me!" Aiko replied strongly. "I must say, I was quite surprised she did something so bold! I totally misjudged her with the whole deal about her being conservative. Was she willing to go that far? Man, you are in for some fresh snatch. And I have to admit, I am a bit jealous. She has a killer body, and you know my preferences."

"Yeah, I do…But what exactly did you two speak about?" He asked, curiously, at that.

"Well, she told me about her doubts. Then she mentioned the whole harem deal, and I must say…It sounded endearing. Multiple women to one man? Sounds like a dream for men! But, I ain't that stupid to think everything would be milk and honey. Could you imagine yourself in that position?"

"I'd rather not…" Jaune replied awkwardly. "Like, I know about the whole population issue on Remnant and whatnot, Beli told me, but surely that doesn't justify such levels of…I don't even know how to call that!"

"Well, personally? I think it's a great idea! I even plan on speaking with Lillian and Ashley about it! Could you imagine yourself surrounded by us all, ready to tend to your every need and desire?" The tone she was taking, sophisticated and warm, was a clear attempt to tease Jaune. One, he realized.

"I doubt they would agree. Valean upbringing, you know?" Jaune argued, and Aiko had to weigh that information now, seeing how it was important.

"Well, I guess it also depends on them, does it not? But be honest now, Jaune. Because frankly? I am not going to lie. After everything you've done? I want to blow you again." Jaune gulped, hearing those words. "But Beli also wants a bit of that…She is my friend, Jaune."

"Wait, does this mean-" Suddenly, Aiko lunged at him, planting a quick kiss on his lips. "Aiko!"

"Hehe. Think of that as a bonus. You are really a great guy, Jaune, and I wish I'd met you sooner. Beli thinks so, too. But then comes the issue of which of us will pursue you…But I think you know the answer to that problem, don't you?"

Jaune gulped. "YES! FUCKING YES! EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER! EVERYTHING IS COMING TOGETHER! YES!" Kyu was overjoyed. "Harem path is a go! Venus, be praised; if a threesome ends up as your first, I will get my full size back immediately! Don't blow it! DO NOT BLOW IT!"

"I-I do…" He replied slowly, stuttering in his words. How couldn't he? "But, Aiko…You know I am-"

"Shush," Aiko told him. "I know. No need to say it aloud. Beli knows, too. And don't worry, we don't want to ride your bones right now. We are still unsure if you are truly Mister Perfect. Especially for Beli, since you might be her first as well."

"Shit, that is right," Jaune said, realizing the pressure on him. Beli was untouched, meaning that he'd likely be her first man. He really needs to be careful now; he was on extremely thin ice! "Well…" He began slowly. "I guess we could give it a shot? I am not entirely sure about the full logistics of this, but let's try to make it work."

"Wonderful! I will text her to pack her bags then!"

"Wait, what? What do you mean by that?!"

"Well, here's the thing: Beli did forgive me for the money I borrowed; I just spoke with her, but there has been an issue at the gym," Aiko said slowly, and Jaune had to admit, he wasn't really at the gym today since he had to search for Aiko.

"Something happened?"

"Yeah…They were almost sued." Aiko's words hit him hard.

"What?! How, why, by whom?!" Jaune asked in quick succession, never having expected this turn of events.

"Some roid head tried to grope Beli, and the owner stepped in. They escalated the things, and the owner punched them, but they apparently had their lawyer on speed dial. The gym owner called their lawyer, but at best, they got a settlement." Aiko explained. "The gym was forced to pay the douche a hefty sum. Unfortunately, to keep going, they had to close the yoga classes until their finances recovered."

"Are you kidding me?" Jaune asked with disbelief etched on his face. "Wait, Beli was out of a job and she still-?"

"Her severance pay." Aiko clarified. "I only just found out. The issue is that she doesn't have enough for rent now, and even if you give her money now…Yeah."

"Are you sure this isn't some complex story just to have Beli move in?" Jaune asked but received a light glare from Aiko.

"I am dead serious, Jaune."

"Oh…I will consult with my lawyer and see what they have to say. But I guess until then, Beli is welcome to move in as well!" Jaune said, but Kyu, of course, had a comment to make about it.

"Things are really looking rosey." She commented. "Hmmm." And she didn't like it. She admits that things have been going marvelously so far, but when things go well, that is when things tend to go to shit. She doesn't know how, but strangely…She had a bad feeling.

"Did you find her?" The being who asked that question remained in the shadows of a large throne room, gazing down at a Love Fairy, much like Kyu, but her uniform was blue in color instead of pink.

"Yes, Sir, we have. She has escaped to the world of Remnant."

"Remnant?! That place has almost no magic or mana to draw from! She is doomed." The being stated.

"Not quite, Sir. We have been keeping tabs on recent activity on Remnant, especially that of magic, and ignoring the only six users present, we have recently picked up a seventh signature." The fairy said, drawing the attention of the being on the throne. "Kyu had used magic, from the looks of it, for a minor spell. Still, it was enough for us to get a read on her location, and we examined her state."

"Tell me then, how she could still have mana in a world with so little left? She shouldn't be able to so much as move!" The being asked, raising their voice at the fairy.

"It seems that she has found a host."

"A host?"

"A male specimen, or female, of the dominant species, or one of them, with whom she has established a bond to feed on their mana. This is an unusual practice and not done anymore, given how Sky Garden can provide us with mana across worlds." The fairy explained. "In fact, the last it was done was before Kyu's creation. Unfortunately, I am unaware of how she knows about this method. Partly due to the reset."

"Damn!" The being punched their throne. "You mean that the protocol - the reset all fairies underwent - is what prevents me from knowing who taught her that? No matter! No matter…Tell me more about this method."

"Essentially, it implies finding a host with whom to bond and feed on their mana. It is a relatively parasitic mode of survival for us fairies. However, we Love Fairies can increase the host's mana capacity by using the raw passion generated from acts of lust and love." The fairy explained. "Kyu seemed to have been aiding this human, named Jaune Arc, in getting back on his feet."

"Got his file?"

"Already sent it to you, Sir."

The being brought forth a screen before his eyes, reading it with narrowed eyes. "Ha! What a loser…Disowned in all but official papers? Lame. And he was at the bottom of the barrel, says here? Hopeless! Yet, she aided in making him rich? More than that, it says here he had already gathered some experience."

"Minor experiences, Sir." The fairy pointed out.

"This cannot stand…This human goes against what I stand for! Only the naturally gifted and rich should get the privilege of love!" He stated strongly. "What options do we have to recover Kyu Sugardust? Moreover, what about dealing with this human?"

"Next to none, Sir."

"Excuse me?" The man asked. "What do you mean by that?"

"Remnant is, unfortunately, not a world we can willingly interact with. Currently, according to its file, its Gods are observing it under trial. Due to this, we may not intervene, as the intervention of any other deity-like being will be seen as a violation of their authority over their creation." The fairy said professionally.

"The Brother Gods, is that what they are called? Ha! They are young deities, nowhere near important enough to dictate how I use my divine rights!"

"But they remain deities, and as such, by the law established by Zakram, the Chief God, we cannot intervene in any major way."

"Curse him!" The man shouted in frustration. "Curse Zakram and his laws! Tell me, then, fairy, what options do we have to deal with Sugardust and her boy toy?"

"Despite being unable to send troops to recover her or even intervene using a divine act of punishment, we can still contact beings and individuals already on Remnant and task them with recovering Kyu Sugardust." The fairy stated.

"And what beings do you think would take this task?" A screen appeared to their side, revealing to them a certain breed of creatures. "Now, this is interesting."

"They are called Grimm. Creatures of pure darkness, with a desire to only destroy life and the creations of man." The fairy explained. "They come in a large variety, each with their means of survival and ways of killing. However, I have to point out that we may not kill humans since that would cross the boundaries of our permissions."

"Love, not war…Venus, you cowardly goddess." The man said, staring at the screen. "I may have a plan to deal with them, then. Could we still send fairies down to Remnant?"

"No, Sir. We may not have any influence on the world of Remnant currently. Kyu's actions cannot reflect on us since she is a rogue. We are safe from her actions."

"It is not her actions that worry me, fairy!" The man shouted. "I know already that we are safe, politically, that is, but what about the finer implications? If I, the new God of Love, can't control one disobedient fairy, then it'd ruin everything! I cannot let Zakram know about this! If my throne is called into question…"

"Sir, forgive me, but does Kyu pose such a threat to you? She is but one fairy."

The man remained silent, pondering the words of the fairy. "No…She is not. She is Venus' last fairy. The only one who abides by the teachings of the old Goddess of Love remains. Mark my words: She cannot remain at large! Now tell me what options we have to deal with her and her host! I want everything…"

"Well, Sir, you might have to contact Nocturian."

The deity's fist balled instantly. "Anyone BUT that guy."

"But Sir, he is the God of the Night, of Magic, and Wisdom. His abilities will be required for-"

"I said no!" The deity shouted again, and this time, they stepped into the light. He resembled a handsome man with a shaved beard and tanned skin. They had purple, glowing eyes and were completely bald, wearing intricate robes with golden accents. "I, Eros, God of Love, deny the aid of any other Deity! Let them nurse their domains and touch not anything that relates to mine!"

"In that case, we will try to make due." The fairy replied. "That is all."

"Dismissed." The fairy left, leaving Eros to maul over the situation. They have finally found Kyu Sugardust, but to hear she is surviving and slowly recovering was unacceptable! He had to take action, but the fairy just said Zakram's law prevented him. Eros was no fool. Going against the chief God's word was pure suicide. And going to Nocturian? He'd rather try his luck with Alorax, the God of War, Fire, and honored guardian of Sky Garden.

"Fuck them!" Eros raged, returning to his throne. It was not that uncommon for a deity to hold more than one dominion. Nocturian has three, Alorax has two, and even Venus was honored with not only Love but Fertility and Motherhood as well! Yet, when he took the throne of Love from Venus, he had only come with his previous dominion. Lust.

And even then, it was argued that Venus should have held that dominion as well! They'd have left him with nothing…But not anymore. It took some doing, but he got the throne of Love, and now, it was time to do things his way. He has already begun to implement his way of doing things. It was only a matter of time before the other Gods saw things his way.

A matter of time.

"Come here!" A rough voice said as they grabbed the fairy, the poor woman closing her eyes as she recognized the figure. Fear took her as she laid eyes on Alorax, the God of War and Fire. He was clad in his usual divine bronze armor, with a helmet equipped with a face plate that hid his face from the world. Yet, this God was a giant among his own. A large sword was strapped to his back as well, with the hilt glowing with an intense cheery red color. A heat no one could stand to except the God of Fire himself. "Do not worry, little fairy. I won't harm you."

"Lord Alorax…" The fairy bowed her head, not daring to make eye contact. "I didn't know you were around Passions Isle."

"I bear the burden of guardian all of Sky Garden from possible invaders. There is nowhere I am not allowed to roam." The God replied. "But tell me, little fairy, what is Eros up to?"

"Lord Alorax, you know that I cannot reveal the plans and designs of other deities. It is against the rules."

"But not against the law of Zakram." The God pointed out. "It is merely against the more professional rules…Now talk!"

"S-Sir, with all due respect, I need to-"

"What is going on here?!" Eros showed up, seeing Alorax speaking to the fairy. "Alorax! Think of the God, and here he is…What are you doing to my fairy?"

"Just chatting." The God of War replied. "What are you up to, Eros?"

"None of your business, Alorax. Fairy! Go. You have duties to attend to."

"Yes, Lord Eros!" The fairy ran along, leaving the two Gods to face against one another in the hallways.

"You have some nerve showing up here, Alorax."

"I am within my rights, Eros. Guardian of Sky Garden, remember?" Alorax pointed out again, reminding Eros of the role this deity was fulfilling. "There is no place in Sky Garden I am denied entry to."

"I sure hope you do not abuse that right like you just did again." Eros left, leaving Alorax behind to scowl under his metallic mask.

"Brat….You are unworthy of Venus' throne. I will prove it."

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