After settling the Night Raid squad and seeing that the night was still young, Esdeath leaned close to Setsuna's ear and exhaled gently.
"Commander, would you keep me company tonight?"
"You've been spending time with that Jeanne girl these past few nights, haven't you? She was clearly my defeated opponent, yet dares to compete for your affection..."
Jeanne Alter crossed her arms and acted indifferent.
"Hmph, Master, I used a lot of mana during my training the past few days. I need you to replenish me."
"...Wait, who are you calling a defeated opponent?!"
"..."
Tohru and the Spirits, watching their little rivalry, couldn't help but chuckle.
Mana replenishment?
The magical energy Jeanne Alter was radiating already surpassed all other Heroic Spirits.
Only heaven knew how many times the Commander had topped her up.
"The Commander belongs only to the strong."
Esdeath was absolutely uncompromising.
"You trying to pick a fight?!"
Just as Jeanne Alter was about to argue—
Setsuna quickly stepped in to stop them.
Shwaa— The projection of the Eternal Snowfall appeared over the sea just outside the capital.
"Ugh, finally."
During the expedition, the ship had been overcrowded, and using time distortion had consumed too much energy.
Now that they were home—
Plenty of time until dawn.
"Come on up, everyone. All aboard."
He waved to the shipgirls, dragon girl, and Spirits.
He also brought Esdeath and Jeanne Alter aboard.
"..."
"Commander, you really don't hold back..."
Richelieu didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
Tohru's time manipulation technique was truly being used to its fullest.
"It's rare we get to relax, right? Besides, it's been a while since I spent time with you."
Setsuna wrapped an arm around Richelieu's waist and kissed her gently.
"Hmph."
She snorted, but obediently boarded the ship.
Indeed, without the Eternal Snowfall, there was no way the Commander could keep up with so many girls.
It wouldn't be fair to neglect anyone.
Spending time together occasionally... wasn't so bad.
Taihou enthusiastically sprinted up,
While the gentle and reserved Yat Sen blushed, lowered her head, and slowly climbed the ramp one step at a time.
She wasn't used to crowds, but the Commander always gave her special attention.
Nagato, Chen Hai, Mio, and others followed suit.
"???"
Esdeath and Jeanne Alter, both newcomers, were dumbfounded by the scene.
Snap—
Once everyone was aboard, Setsuna snapped his fingers.
The electronic doors sealed with a click.
The ship trembled slightly, and time twisted for a moment.
Looking out the windows again, everything outside moved in slow motion—
The entire capital was crawling like it was in a slowed video.
"Thirty times time dilation. One night outside is ten days in here."
Setsuna cleared his throat.
"Alright then. The fun is just getting started."
...
Half an hour later.
In the spacious hall of the Eternal Snowfall, Setsuna sat with Richelieu in his left arm and Taihou in his right.
Nagato curled up like a fox in his lap, eyes half-closed, tail lazily swaying.
Softness surrounded him from all directions.
The other shipgirls chattered and gathered around.
"Now this is the life a Commander should live."
Setsuna sighed contentedly.
Conquering other worlds and fighting aliens aside, spending time with his girls was one of life's greatest pleasures.
"Commander-sama, you're so greedy. Even with Taihou here, you still called over so many sisters..."
Taihou leaned closer, her voice syrupy sweet.
She used to be extremely possessive—
Even if a small destroyer got too close to Setsuna, they'd get a death glare from her.
Now, she was tender and charming, like a newlywed wife, eyes filled with affection.
"Because I love all of you."
Setsuna stroked Nagato's large ears, and the girl in his arms nuzzled even closer to his chest.
He truly thought shipgirls were amazing.
Some were gentle, some were cold, some were cute—and they were rarely jealous of one another.
After becoming their Commander, they all willingly became his wings.
Richelieu leaned against his right shoulder, unfazed by where his wandering hand landed.
She thoroughly enjoyed being the object of the Commander's desire.
It showed she still had allure in his eyes.
"Dear husband, don't forget about me."
Kurumi wrapped her arms around him from behind, joining the shipgirls in surrounding Setsuna from all sides.
Her waterfall-like black hair draped over her face, tickling his skin, while her heterochromatic eyes exuded a dangerously irresistible charm.
Spirits were also amazing—Setsuna gave her a kiss.
"I'll be with you later. Go wait with Mio."
As the Spirit of Origin, Mio was technically Kurumi's 'mother' in Spirit lineage. Setsuna enjoyed this double-up dynamic.
"So this is the Master's harem... tsk."
Jeanne Alter sat on the sofa across from them, watching Setsuna bask in attention. Her understanding of him deepened.
There were even more people than she expected.
"By the way, shouldn't we pick someone to be in charge? We've got so many now."
As everyone relaxed, she casually tossed out a bombshell.
"?"
Setsuna, enjoying his time buried in softness, blinked.
"In charge? You mean appointing a head consort from the harem?"
"!!"
At the words "head consort," everyone perked up. Even Nagato's swaying tail suddenly stilled.
"You really love stirring things up, huh."
Setsuna flicked Jeanne Alter on the forehead.
As expected of a witch—her words always carried weight.
"Should we pick one, Commander?"
Richelieu whispered in his ear.
"I too would like to know which of us you love the most."
"I love you all equally. I don't play favorites."
Setsuna swiftly shut down the question that could burn his entire harem to the ground.
"What if you had to choose?"
Jeanne Alter pressed on.
"Master, where would you rank me?"
"..."
Setsuna thought for a moment, then joked.
"Whoever's the best in bed gets top spot."
"Wow, you're really that blunt?!"
Esdeath was stunned.
Among pledged shipgirls, there were no real boundaries.
Especially in front of the Commander, they were willing to give their all to please him.
"Really? Commander-sama, are you satisfied with Taihou's body?"
Taihou didn't care who else was around.
She straddled Setsuna face-to-face, pressing herself against him.
"You taught me so much back then... I'm your first pledged shipgirl. Are you still happy when you're with me?"
Her short kimono and sultry gaze made it hard to look away.
"Couldn't be more satisfied."
Setsuna nodded and gave her a passionate kiss.
Who wouldn't love a curvy, passionate aircraft carrier girl?
If he were an emperor flipping name plaques, he'd pick Taihou every night.
"Taihou loves the Commander too~~ so I'll do anything for you~~"
"Just tell me what you want, and I'll do it~~"
Taihou's hands started to wander.
"Whew, only Taihou could pull this off—"
The other shipgirls were amazed.
She was the only one who could be this forward with the Commander, even in public.
—Yat Sen, for example, would at least wait until they were in the bedroom.
"Commander, you really favor her, huh?..."
Nagato pouted, sulking cutely. She felt disadvantaged with her petite build, standing out awkwardly among all the curvier girls.
"You're all equal."
Setsuna pulled Nagato into his arms, stacking her right on top of Taihou.
"We have all the time in the world. Everyone gets their turn."
...
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