Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, two years had passed...
Over those two years, Haruki's life remained relatively peaceful, with only a few notable events.
The first: Not long after the Prime Minister's visit, an official letter arrived at Haruki's residence appointing him as the new Minister of Security. However, unlike other officials who showed up to court daily to debate politics and manage affairs, Haruki never once performed his duties. He was essentially a figurehead—completely hands-off.
But no one dared to criticize him. At this point, Haruki had become one of the most untouchable figures in the Imperial Capital. After all, he had executed the former Minister of Security and his entire family in broad daylight. Even though Great General Budo and the Prime Minister had been involved afterward, Haruki hadn't just escaped punishment—he'd been given the very position he seized. The outcome left everyone watching stunned.
Even after assuming the role, Haruki continued doing nothing. A few officials tried to impeach him before the Emperor, but every one of them was dismissed on the spot. This alone made it clear that Haruki's identity was far from ordinary.
Then, when word spread that Haruki had executed the minister's entire family because his son had harassed one of the girls by Haruki's side—and that the minister had threatened Princess Nina—his fiercely protective nature became well-known throughout the capital. From then on, the girls close to Haruki were seen as people no one in the Empire should ever dare to provoke.
The second: For nearly the entire two years, whenever Esdeath was in the capital, she spent most of her time at Haruki's mansion. Haruki would occasionally train her, and as someone who revered strength above all, Esdeath only grew more enamored with him the more they trained. She came to realize just how deep and unfathomable his power truly was.
Esdeath wasn't the type to hide her feelings. Once she learned that Haruki had already established relationships with the other girls, she openly confessed her love to him in front of everyone. It was the first time Haruki had ever been on the receiving end of a confession, and it left him overjoyed.
The third: After becoming noble-class vampires, Meiki and Meina were added to Gin's training regimen along with the others. Two years of consistent practice had brought clear results. By now, the girls around Haruki could be divided into three distinct tiers.
At the top were Esdeath and Gin, whose strength was nearly identical. They were now the strongest among the group—each one more than twice as powerful as Esdeath had been in the original timeline before acquiring her Teigu. Even against current Teigu Users, both Gin and Esdeath could crush their opponents with ease.
Tsukushi and Pony formed the second tier, just slightly behind the top two. The fact that they were once chosen as part of the elite Seven was a testament to their innate talent. And with the exceptional physique granted by the Progenitor Vampire bloodline, their growth had been explosive. If not for the downright monstrous talent of Gin and Esdeath, Tsukushi and Pony would have overtaken them by now.
The third tier included Kurome, Nina, and Meiki and Meina. Each of them could overwhelm standard Teigu Users with physical combat alone, and even when facing someone as powerful as Budo, they could still retreat unharmed. Meiki and Meina's rapid rise wasn't just due to their dedication—their enhanced Noble Vampire physique played a major role. Once fully adapted to their new bodies, they were formidable in their own right. Against typical Teigu Users, they could fight on even ground, especially with the mastery they'd gained from Haruki over the years in the Six Styles and advanced weapon techniques.
The fourth event: Perhaps it was Gin's surprise "night raid" that triggered something, but in the days that followed, several of the girls began seducing Haruki in various ways. Naturally, Haruki's relationships with them grew much closer.
One moment worth noting was just how close Tsukushi and Pony had become. The night they first slept with Haruki, they went to his room together. And in the heat of the moment, they called in their bloodkin—Meiki and Meina—dragging the two sisters straight into the action without a word. That night left a deep impression on Haruki and gave him a very different kind of experience.
The fifth event: Over the past two years, Esdeath's military career had flourished. She led campaigns across the Empire, crushing small-scale rebellions and racking up a significant list of military achievements. These feats silenced early rumors within the army that she had risen through seduction. Her power spoke for itself, and as a result, Esdeath had gathered a loyal following of elite soldiers under her command.
Today, Esdeath and another well-known general named Najenda were recognized as the two most promising rising stars in the Empire's military ranks...
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(40 Chapters Ahead)
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