The Plan

Calm down Yuto… maybe you misheard her.

She's probably confused, it's up to you to correct it.

"May you repeat yourself?"

Lola chuckled softly, her eyes slightly amused at his reaction. 

She spoke, a hint of a smirk on her lips, "I said... I want you... to be my practice partner"

Yuto's mind whirled as Lola's request sank in, his eyes wide and his mouth open in surprise. 

["Shit…"]

["I did hear correctly"]

He managed to stammer out a response, his voice filled with disbelief.

"You... you want me... to help you... practice... falling in love...?

Lola chuckled softly, her small smirk growing. 

She nodded slowly, her eyes not leaving his face.

"Yes. Exactly. I... I want you to help me... learn how to fall in love…"

"..."

Sound Barrier Tier 8

"Lola... did you listen to what I said yesterday?"

A small hint of confusion flickered across Lola's face at the sudden sound barrier spell. 

She spoke behind the magic barrier, her voice coming out as a faint sound, "Y-yes, I did... Why do you ask?"

Yuto sighed, it was clear that she understood nothing.

"Look, I'm not the kind of guy you think I am"

"And I am the last one you should be asking to be taught about love"

Lola's expression shifted to a hint of confusion and surprise at his response.

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't you be the one to teach me about love?"

He shook his head, "Look, find someone else, someone good"

He raised his hand, removing the sound barrier.

Lola's expression shifted from confusion to frustration. 

She crossed her arms, a hint of irritation in her voice. 

"Yuto, why are you being so stubborn about this?"

"You're a good, handsome, strong, and kind man. You would be the perfect person to help me with this"

He sat up, "I am here to help against the demon lord's army, that is all"

Lola looked hurt, upset really.

But he was holding his ground.

Yuto turned to Lola with a heavy sigh, his tone firm but not unkind. 

"Lola, I've told you this before, but I'll say it again. You're about to be crowned queen, and with that comes more responsibility than you can imagine"

"You'll need someone who can stand beside you in that role, not someone like me"

Lola's eyes widened, but she quickly steadied herself. 

"Yuto, I know you think this is about some fairy tale—"

He cut her off, his voice growing more serious. 

"It's not about fairy tales. It's about what you'll need. A king, a leader, someone who understands what it takes to rule a kingdom"

Her expression faltered for a moment as she processed his words, a pang of hurt flashing across her face. 

She opened her mouth to argue, but Yuto continued before she could.

"You'll find someone else, someone worthy of you"

The words hung in the air, heavy with finality.

"I don't want someone else," she whispered, almost too quietly.

Yuto shook his head, his voice gentle but resolute. 

"Lola, trust me. In time, in due time, you will"

He paused, waiting for her to say something, but before she could respond, a loud crash echoed from the window. 

A dark shadow swooped past, followed by the sound of shattering glass. 

Yuto's eyes snapped to the window just in time to see the figures of demons crawling through the broken opening, weapons drawn.

"Shit," Yuto muttered under his breath, his hand reaching for his sword.

Lola didn't hesitate. 

"Yuto, look out!"

He barely heard her warning before he was already on the move, leaping out of the window with them, and landing below. 

Yuto's feet barely made a sound as he faced the demons that had snuck into the castle.

The creatures snarled, some of them hissing and others charging toward him.

Yuto just stood there, surveying them with a smirk creeping across his face.

"Idiots," he muttered, almost disappointed by their stupidity.

One of the demons lunged, but Yuto was faster. 

He drew his sword in one smooth motion, cutting through the creature with ease. 

Its body crumpled to the ground as another demon charged forward, swinging its jagged sword.

Yuto ducked under its strike, his blade flashing through the air. 

With a sharp movement, he decapitated the demon, its head falling to the ground with a sickening thud.

He turned to face the rest of the demons, his gaze cold and calculating. 

"You're all wasting your time"

The remaining demons snarled in anger, but Yuto barely gave them time to react. 

He darted forward, slashing through one, then another, his strikes quick and deadly.

As the last demon fell at his feet, Yuto stood tall, wiping his blade clean and glancing around at the carnage.

"Well... that was fun," he said, his smirk still intact.

He turned back to the castle, completely unfazed. 

"Now, where were we?"

Lola had been watching from the window as Yuto dealt with the demons with surprising ease. 

Her initial surprise had been replaced by a mixture of awe and concern.

As Yuto jumped back into the room, Lola was there before him, her eyes scanning him for any injuries.

"Yuto... are you alright?" she asked, her voice a mix of relief and worry.

He chuckled as he puffed out his chest, "This was a simple cake walk"

Lola's relief at his nonchalant response quickly gave way to a mix of annoyance and disbelief. 

She rolled her eyes, placing her hands on her hips. 

"Of course it was. You barely broke a sweat, did you?"

Yuto chuckled, his smirk still in place. 

"Not really. I could've taken on twice as many demons"

"Those guys were just... well, pathetic," he said, running a hand through his tousled hair.

Lola's annoyance deepened, but she couldn't help the slight smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. 

She tried to maintain her stern expression, crossing her arms as she shot him a look. 

"You're insufferable, you know that?"

He rubbed his chin, "I get that a lot"

Lola rolled her eyes again, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips. 

"Arrogant, insufferable, and reckless" she muttered, her hands still on her hips.

Yuto chuckled, the smirk on his face widening. 

"You forgot handsome, strong, and charismatic"

Lola's annoyance turned to a mix of amusement and irritation. 

She tried her best to suppress a smile as she retorted, "You really do think highly of yourself, don't you?"

Yuto smiled as he sat back down on the couch.

"I need you to call your council, demons attacking in broad daylight needs to be discussed"

Lola's expression shifted from annoyance to a serious demeanor. 

She nodded, a hint of concern in her eyes. 

"Right, you're right"

She took a deep breath, her voice firm. 

"I'll call for an emergency council meeting right away. We need to discuss this attack and prepare for any further threats"

Lola quickly moved toward the door, but Yuto's voice stopped her.

"Make sure you have a proper defense strategy in place," he said, his tone serious now. 

"This isn't just a random attack. The demons are getting bolder"

Lola turned, giving him a tight nod. 

"I will," she said, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than necessary. 

"You've already done enough. I'll handle the politics from here"

Yuto raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. 

"Politics, huh? That sounds... boring"

She shot him a look. 

"Not everything is about fighting, Yuto. Someone has to deal with the aftermath"

Yuto leaned back casually into the couch, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched her. 

"Fine, fine. I'll leave the talking to you" 

He gave her a teasing grin. 

"But don't expect me to stay in the background for long. The demons are only going to get worse"

Lola sighed but couldn't suppress a small smile. 

She stepped toward the door, pausing to glance back at him. 

"Stay here. I'll be back soon"

As she left to summon the council, Yuto's mind wandered briefly, replaying the fight with the demons. 

He didn't think they posed any real threat, not while he was around. 

But the implications of an attack like that weren't lost on him. 

It was clear that someone was testing the kingdom's defenses.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat behind the door. 

He looked up to see Catherine and Luna standing at the doorway, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"Didn't expect you to have so much fun," Luna said, crossing her arms. 

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself back there"

Yuto gave a lazy shrug. 

"Just another day on the job"

Catherine stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. 

"You need to be careful, Yuto. You can't always handle everything like that. There are limits, even for someone like you"

Yuto scoffed lightly, his smirk returning. 

"Limits are for amateurs"

Luna sighed, shaking her head. 

"You're lucky you didn't get injured. But that's not the point. The demon army... we don't know how many more will come"

"You can't be everywhere at once"

Yuto stood, pacing slowly as he ran a hand through his hair. 

"I know, Luna. But I'm not about to sit back and let the demons take over"

Catherine's expression softened. 

"That's not what she's saying. We're just worried that you're pushing yourself too hard"

He met her gaze, a rare moment of seriousness clouding his features. 

"We can handle it. But they—" 

He motioned to the city, "—they won't be able to if we don't act fast"

Before Luna or Catherine could respond, the door to the room swung open again, and Lola returned, a look of determination in her eyes. 

"The council's been called. They'll be here shortly"

Yuto raised an eyebrow. 

"You didn't waste any time, huh?"

Lola gave him a light grin.

"We don't have time to waste. The situation's already worse than I thought. We need to prepare for an all-out war outside our borders if necessary"

Yuto nodded, his smirk fading as his face became more serious. 

"You think they are planning something bigger?"

Lola hesitated before answering. 

"Possibly. There have been rumors... but nothing concrete until now. I don't think they'll stop with this attack"

"They'll keep coming. And we need to be ready"

Yuto's gaze hardened. 

"Then we'll make sure they regret it"

"AH but we should probably not meet in this room, I mean there's barely any space"

Lola looked around, a messy table, broken glass window, and blood stains on the ground.

"Fine, I get, follow me"

Lola turned to lead them to the council chamber, Yuto followed closely behind, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. 

His mind was already racing with strategies, thinking of ways to bolster the kingdom's defenses and repel any further attacks. 

The demons wouldn't get away with this.

Lola led the others down the corridor, her heels echoed in the empty hallway.

Yuto trailed behind her, Luna and Catherine at his side.

His gaze was fixed on Lola's back, watching her every move, Catherine glanced at him, a hint of a smile on her lips.

"You're distracted" 

Yuto quickly looked away, his gaze shifting towards the window.

"I'm just thinking," he muttered, trying to sound nonchalant.

Catherine chuckled softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Thinking, or staring?"

Yuto shot her a sharp glance but didn't respond. His eyes drifted back to Lola, who was still walking several feet ahead, her steps measured and confident.

Luna noticed Yuto's gaze but said nothing, watching him with a knowing smile.

["These two probably have the wrong idea"]

Yuto sighed, "Hey Lola"

Lola glanced back at him, her expression serious but still tinged with a hint of a smile.

"Yes?" she responded, not slowing her stride.

Yuto pointed at his room, "I and my group need to discuss something"

Lola stopped, turning to face him completely, her eyes flickering from him to his room.

She raised an eyebrow, her voice curious and a bit confused.

"Something important?"

"You can say that," he shrugged his shoulders.

Lola studied him for a moment, trying to read his expression. But Yuto's face was unreadable, his gaze steady and serious.

After a few moments, she nodded.

"Alright. I'll wait here for you"

Yuto nodded and turned to head back into his room, Catherine and Luna followed, their expressions curious and a bit wary.

When they were alone, Catherine broke the silence first.

"You want to talk to us about something?"

He walked towards his bed, patting the spaces beside him.

Catherine and Luna took the cue and sat down on either side of him, their gazes fixed on him.

"Lilith, come out, I need you to hear this too"

There was a moment of silence, and then a swirling vortex of dark energy appeared in the corner of the room. 

From the shadows, Lilith materialized, her wings folded behind her.

"Yes, Yuto?"

He patted his thighs.

"Sit"

Lilith rolled her eyes but still made her way towards Yuto, sitting down on his lap.

Catherine and Luna raised an eyebrow but said nothing, their gazes flickering from Yuto to Lilith with amusement. 

Yuto just wrapped an arm around Lilith's waist.

"Hah…"

Lilith leaned back against him, her wings wrapping around them both like a blanket.

Luna broke the silence first. 

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Yuto sighed, letting go of Lilith, getting up, and giving her his seat as he pulled a chair for himself.

"Right, I alone will fight the demon lord's army"

The room went dead silent as Yuto dropped his bombshell declaration.

Catherine and Luna looked stunned, their eyes wide in disbelief.

Lilith, who had been relaxed against the bed, now sat up straight, her wings flared slightly in surprise.

"What..?" 

Catherine was the first to find her voice, her tone sharp and surprised.

"What do you mean you're going to fight their army by yourself?"

Yuto glanced in her direction.

"What you heard, I alone will fight them"

"Alone?" 

It was Luna who interrupted this time, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words.

"You do realize how completely insane that is, right?"

Yuto met Luna's gaze, his expression unwavering. 

"Insane? Maybe. But it's the only way I can guarantee victory"

"The demon lord's army isn't going to wait around, and I don't trust anyone else to handle this"

Catherine shook her head, clearly frustrated. 

"Yuto, you can't seriously think you can take on an entire army by yourself. Even you have limits"

"And we won't just stand by and watch you throw yourself into danger"

Lilith, still perched on the bed, leaned forward, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. 

"You've never been one for teamwork, have you? But you're going to fight alone?"

"Against a whole army? That's ridiculous"

Yuto stood, pacing the room as his mind raced with thoughts of the impending battle. 

"Look, I've fought demons before, it's nothing new to me"

"And if we involve more people, that only increases the number of casualties"

"So I should go and do this alone, I can control the flow of the fight and wipe them out before they even have a chance to regroup with the larger forces"

Luna's voice was thick with concern. 

"And if you can't handle it? What happens then? You're not invincible, Yuto"

His eyes softened for a brief moment as he turned back to face them. 

"I know my limits, Luna. But this... this is something I have to do. I'm the only one who can stop them before it gets worse"

Catherine stood up suddenly, walking toward him. 

"No, Yuto. This isn't just about you. This kingdom, these people… we are all in this together"

"You can't carry the weight alone. You need us"

Yuto's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he shook his head. 

"I don't want to risk any of you. Something this big, I'll do it by myself"

Lilith's wings fluttered slightly, a sign of her agitation. 

"You're not invincible, you know? And while you like to pretend otherwise, you can't win this fight on your own"

"You need to stop acting like you have all the answers"

Yuto clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he looked at them all. 

"I don't have all the answers. But I do know this: I'm the only one who is strong enough to fight them alone"

The room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone absorbed his words. 

It was clear that he wasn't backing down, but the weight of his decision hung heavily in the air.

Luna finally broke the silence, her voice low but steady. 

"Then at least let us help in other ways. We'll do everything we can to prepare the kingdom and support you however we can. But you're not going to face them alone"

Yuto paused, the intensity of his gaze softening as he met Luna's eyes. 

"Okay… then before I confront them, you three can cast buff skills on me, is that better?"

Catherine walked up to him, her tone more resigned now. 

"Just don't get yourself killed, Yuto. That's all we're asking"

Yuto gave a slight smirk, the tension in his shoulders easing a little. 

"I'll do my best"

Lilith gave a sarcastic roll of her eyes. 

"Men and their pride. If you get yourself hurt, I'll be the one to drag you back"

Yuto chuckled at her words. 

"That's why I have you around, Lilith. To keep me in check"

With a final, long sigh, Catherine crossed her arms and looked at him with a mix of disbelief and affection. 

"Make sure to give them hell"

Yuto nodded, feeling the weight of their support despite his stubbornness. 

"Will do"

The moment hung in the air for a while before Lola's voice echoed from the door. 

"We're ready to begin the council meeting"

Yuto's expression shifted back to seriousness, and he nodded to the others. 

"Alright, let's get to it. The demons aren't waiting, and neither can we"

10 Minutes Later

The meeting room was buzzing with hushed conversations and murmured plans as the council members filed in, their expressions a mix of worry and determination.

Yuto sat at the head of the table, his expression serious and focused. 

Catherine, Luna, and Lilith took their seats beside him, their gazes flickering between him and the other council members.

Lola took a seat across from Yuto. 

Her face was a mask of cool professionalism, but her eyes betrayed a hint of concern as she glanced at him.

Lola banged her gavel on the table, bringing the room to order. 

The conversations died down as everyone turned their attention to her.

"Welcome, everyone. We have much to discuss, so let's get straight to business"

She nodded at Yuto, signaling for him to start.

Yuto nodded in return.

His smile appeared, although most council members were scared of that smile.

Who wouldn't?

Yet despite the feeling of glares on his back, he continued.

"As Lola may have told you, a group of demons managed to make their way inside"

A few murmurs were heard.

"I took care of it, but it brings us back to the first request you gave me and my group"

The room fell silent, the council members listening intently to his words. 

A few exchanged glances, their expressions worried but trying to maintain their composure.

Lola, who was used to Yuto's usual demeanor, remained unfazed.

She nodded for Yuto to continue.

He clicked the table with his finger.

"In regards to helping fight off the demon lord's army"

"I have come up with a solution"

There was a collective intake of breath from the council members. 

This was the moment they had been waiting for. 

A few of the council members leaned forward, their eyes locked on Yuto.

Lola, who was now paying very close attention, gestured for Yuto to continue.

"I have–"

One of the council members interrupted, cutting Yuto off.

His voice was filled with worry and a hint of doubt.

"Wait, hold on a moment. We haven't discussed—" 

The council member trailed off, noticing the sharp glare of Lola. 

She was silently urging him to be quiet and let Yuto speak.

However, it was too late as the whole mood changed.

Blood Lust Tier 9

"Who just cut me off?"

The room went dead silent, the council members exchanging horrified glances. 

Some of them shrank back in their seats, their eyes wide and filled with fear. 

The one who had interrupted was trembling now, his face turning pale as he met Yuto's gaze.*

Lola remained calm, her expression betraying nothing. 

She knew Yuto was doing this to make a point.

He canceled his skill.

"Shut up and listen, I have come up with a way so no more lives will be lost"

The room seemed to collectively exhale. 

The tension eased slightly, and the council members slowly relaxed. 

The one who interrupted slinked back into his chair, clearly shaken.

Lola gave a small, almost imperceptible smile of approval. 

She gestured for Yuto to continue.

"My group will support you in defenses, in case some manage to escape"

The council members looked surprised, their gazes flickering from Yuto to one another.

Lola was the first to speak up, her voice serious.

"And you in the meantime?"

Yuto stood up, placing his sword on the table.

"I alone will face them"

The room erupted into noise. 

The council members all began talking all at once, their voices a mixture of surprise, disbelief, and concern.

"You can't be serious—"

"Alone? That's insane—"

"Who do you think you are—"

But Yuto's icy glare and Lola's sharp voice quickly silenced the room.

Lola slammed her fist onto the table, the sound echoing through the room.

"Quiet" 

The room fell silent once more. 

The council members shot each other nervous glances, none of them wanting to be the next to incur the wrath of Yuto and Lola.

Lola turned her gaze back to Yuto, her tone now serious.

"Continue"

Yuto scoffed at them, his irritation was very much clear.

"If any of you interrupt me one more time, you will die"

The room went deathly still. 

The council members all sat frozen in their seats, their eyes locked on Yuto as they swallowed nervously.

Lola simply watched, her expression calm and collected. 

She knew Yuto was deadly serious. 

He wasn't making idle threats.

"Anyways, as I said, I alone will fight them and you all will be the clean-up group"

The council members glanced at each other, clearly worried about his plan.

A few of them looked like they wanted to protest, but they quickly clamped their mouths shut remembering the threat from Yuto.

Lola, the only one unfazed by Yuto's threats, spoke up. 

Her voice was steady.

"And you're certain this will work?"

Yuto chuckled as he picked up his sword, signaling for his group to follow him.

"Trust me, it will all work out"

Catherine, Luna, and Lilith rose from their seats and fell into step behind Yuto.

The council members murmured amongst themselves, but nobody dared to question Yuto's plan. 

They were left to stand by and wait and see.

Lola watched as Yuto and his group left, shutting the door behind them. 

An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment before Lola spoke up.

"I hope for all our sakes that he knows what he's doing"

The council members nodded in agreement, their gazes flickering from the door to Lola and back. 

They were worried, and some looked like they wanted to protest, but they remained silent. 

They had to trust that Yuto knew what he was doing... even if it did seem like his plan was insane.

...

As they stepped back into their rooms Yuto turned to face them.

"Okay, so I know how–"

Catherine, Luna, and Lilith all pushed him onto the bed, practically ripping off his clothes.

Yuto couldn't help but chuckle, "Now?"

Catherine nodded, her hands already working to remove his shirt.

"We have time," she said, her voice low.

Luna smiled as she undid his belt, her fingers tracing along his hip.

"And we know you need to... blow off some steam after that meeting"

Lilith chuckled, her hands gently pushing him back onto the bed.

"So relax and let us take care of you"

Yuto blew a small whistle.

"By all means my loves... take care of me"

Catherine chuckled. 

She straddled his waist, her hands running along his chest. 

In the background, he could hear both Luna and Lilith chuckling too.

"Oh, we plan to," she said, her fingers tracing the lines of his muscles.

Luna and Lilith quickly joined them on either side of him. 

Lilith leaned forward and began to kiss his neck, her lips tracing a path along his throat. 

Luna, meanwhile, placed a gentle hand on his chest, her touch sending tingles through his skin.

Catherine continued to straddle his waist, her hands now roaming lower and bringing down his pants. 

She looked down at him with a cheeky grin.

Their touches were both firm and gentle, their eyes filled with a mixture of love and desire.

5 Hours Later

As Yuto opened his eyes, he found himself surrounded by the sleeping forms of Catherine, Luna, and Lilith. 

Their bodies were all pressed against his, their limbs intertwined in a tangle of warmth and comfort. 

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a silvery glow over the room.

Yuto took a moment to just lay still and watch them. 

They looked so peaceful, their faces relaxed and free from worry. 

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he watched them sleep. 

It had been a good evening.

Catherine stirred in her sleep, mumbling something indistinct as she shifted closer to Yuto. 

She snuggled against him, burying her face in his chest as she drifted back into her dream.

Luna, on the other side of him, sighed in her sleep as she unconsciously reached out to grab onto his arm, her fingers wrapping around his bicep and holding on tightly.

Lilith, who was pressed against his back, snuggled against him like a cat, her breath warm against his skin.

Yuto chuckled to himself and settled back down into the bed. 

He pulled the covers up a bit, making sure that all three of them were warm and comfortable. 

As he let his eyelids flutter shut again, he couldn't help but feel a sense of contentment. 

They were all here together, safe and sound.

As sleep slowly started to claim him again, Yuto made a mental note of needing to buy them a gift after everything was over.