Three Month Trial Period

Human World, Japan, Kyoto, Youkai Sub-Dimension.

Two days have passed since James and Yasaka made their relationship official. Unfortunately, James and his group were scheduled to return to Kuoh today as well. With the final term right around the corner, preparations have to be made.

"Do you really have to leave, Onii-Chan." Kunou asked sadly as the group stood in front of the gate leading outside of the sub-dimension.

"I wish I could stay, too." James said with a wry smile. While patting Kunou on her head, he continued. "But things will be different from now on. I'll do my best to visit more often. And you can call me whenever you want to come visit us, too."

Using the back of her hand to rub the tears pooling in her eyes, Kunou did her best to smile. Then, she gave James, Leona, and the girls a hug. After that, Kunou retreated behind her mother. After Kunou, Yasaka stepped forward to say her own goodbyes.

"It's a shame you have to leave so soon, but I understand that you have responsibilities to fulfill." Yasaka said with a graceful smile on her face. "But please remember, for as long as I'm still the leader of the Kyoto Youkai Faction, you can consider this place your own."

"Well, I don't have any responsibilities, so I'll come and visit whenever I want a girlfriend to drink with." Leona said with a smile as she stepped forward to give Yasaka a hug.

Yasaka returning the hug smiled wryly.

"I never thought I'd become drinking buddies with my mother-in-law." Yasaka muttered.

At the same time, James and his peerage rolled their eyes at Leona's flaunting of the fact that she was free of any duties. The reason she was even living in Kuoh was because she did not want to be bored in the underworld. They even knew that she would disappear to drink with the ladies in the Underworld whenever she found out they were free.

After hugging Leona, Yasaka proceeded to hug the other girls as well. The only one who did not receive a hug from either Yasaka or Kunou was Cu Chulainn. He did not mind Yasaka not giving him a hug as she was James' woman. But the way Kunou ignored him hurt a bit. He spent quite a bit of time with her when she was living in Kuoh. As he was the only one who did not attend school that lived in the mansion, he became her playmate on more than a few occasions.

After hugging the girls, Yasaka strutted over to James with her tails wagging. Slowly wrapping her arms around James' neck, Yasaka pressed herself against James tightly. As James wrapped his arms around her waist, Yasaka pressed her lips against his, resulting in a passionate kiss.

After a few minutes, the lovers separated. After gazing into each other's eyes for a moment, James was the first to speak.

"Even though I know I could teleport over here whenever I want, I'm going to miss you." James said sincerely.

"I'm going to miss you, too." Yasaka said seriously. "I'll make sure to let you know whenever I have some free time. If you happen to be free, too, then we can have some family time with Kunou. Or some time for us, if time permits."

"I'll be here as often as I can." James said with a nod. "As long as those damned high-born fossils don't start dropping things in my lap."

"Speaking of that." Yasaka said, with slight anger in her tone. "I'll be having a word with your Devil Council for denying you the credit you deserve."

"Oh, they'll pay for it." James said with his tone changing to something wrathful, before he quickly reigned in his emotions. When a smile returned to his face, he continued. "I really appreciate you doing that, though."

Smiling in response, Yasaka pecked James on the lips before stepping back and returning to Kunou's side. After Yasaka retreated, Shuna and Shion stepped forward. Until now, James had yet to accept them into his peerage. Shuna was surprised about that fact. Even though she understood James had to make sure they were a good fit for his peerage, she thought that she had shown her best side while he was in Kyoto.

"James-Sama." Shuna said while she bit her lower lip in frustration. "Have I not shown enough of my good qualities? Or is it that you find me lacking in some way?"

Shion was also frustrated to see the frustration in Shuna's eyes. She was unable to understand why this young man refused to accept her princess' loyalty. It was made even worse as Shion was not the best at using her brain.

"*Sigh* You've shown your good points more than enough." James said exasperatedly. "And your skill set is great."

"Then why?" Shuna asked frustratedly.

"The problem is that your good side is all I've seen." James said bluntly. "You've been putting on an act the whole time I've been here."

Shuna was surprised when she heard James' words. She just wanted to show her good points to someone she wanted to follow.

"What's wrong with trying to emphasize my good points?" Shuna asked as her frustration grew.

"*Sigh* Believe me when I say this. There is nothing wrong with emphasizing your good points..." James said before being interrupted.

"Then why!?" Shuna shouted as her frustration was beginning to turn into anger.

Hearing that, James did not get angry. Instead, he smiled brightly.

"That's what I was waiting for." James said while gazing into the Oni's eyes. "I've been waiting for you to take your mask off."

Shuna's anger morphed into confusion upon hearing James' statement.

"I see you don't get it." James remarked. "I can deal with someone untalented who is willing to work with the team, but all the talent in the world can't make someone fit into a team they aren't a fit for."

Slowly, realization started to dawn on Shuna. And James could tell because her expression reflected it, perfectly.

"No person is made up of only their good points." James said with a smile. "To know someone and to know if someone would fit into the team, I need to see both their good and bad sides."

With that, Shuna knew exactly what she had been doing wrong for the last few days. Hanging her head, Shuna felt that she had lost her chance.

"To be honest, Shion was much easier to get a read on." James said with a wry smile. "She wears her heart on her sleeve at all times."

Shion felt a bit uncomfortable hearing James say that about her. However, she knew what he said was true. It was not the first time she had heard that about herself, after all.

"I'll give you one more chance." James said. "If you're serious about joining my peerage, you'll take it."

Hearing that, Shuna raised her head. When she saw the serious expression on James' face, she knew he was not exaggerating about this being her last chance. So, she listened intently to his next words.

"Come back with us to Kuoh." James said seriously. "I'll observe you throughout the third term of the school year. If at the end of the term I find you suitable and you still desire to be in my peerage, I'll add you at that time."

Shuna's eyes lit up at James' proposal. Now that she knew she had a chance, she was more determined than ever.

"I accept." Shuna said immediately after James finished his sentence.

James could only smile wryly at the princess' enthusiasm.

"If I find you unsuitable, though, I'll send you back to the Oni Tribe." James said with the wry smile still present on his face. "I'd like to extend the same offer to you as well, Shion."

Shuna blushed in embarrassment when she realized that she had interrupted James again. Then, she nodded at the rest of what James had to say. Shion on the other hand, after spending a little time with James and his peerage was not so against the idea, anymore. Hearing from the girls and Cu Chulainn how they were treated gave her a better idea of what to expect.

With this conversation concluded, the group returning to Kuoh grew from seven to nine. Mizore then put up an anti-recognition barrier around the group as they walked through the gate leading back to the human city of Kyoto. After a moment, a magic teleportation circle appeared around the group when James snapped his fingers. As it rose from the ground, the group began to vanish. After they were all gone, the magic circle also disappeared.

Human World, Japan, Kuoh.

Moments after leaving Kyoto, the same magic circle appeared in the middle of the living room in the Alaverus' mansion.

"*Sigh* We're back." Mizore said once the teleportation circle vanished. "Yasaka's place was nice. Like, real nice. But nothing compares to being home."

"How fast you forget that you agreed to consider Yasaka's place home." Moka replied to Mizore in a teasing tone.

Hearing that, Mizore panicked slightly.

"No! That's not what I..." Mizore frantically tried to explain herself.

After turning her head, Mizore's words were caught in her throat. The teasing smile on Moka's lips silenced her immediately when she saw it.

"Moka! You tricked me!" Mizore shouted loudly as she lunged toward Moka.

"Hee hee. Indeed, I did." Moka said with a chuckle as she dodged Mizore's lunge.

Running away from the angry Mizore, Moka dashed for the stairway, laughing all the while. Seeing Mizore and Moka's antics, James, Leona, and Flora smiled. Shuna and Shion, on the other hand, were confused. During their stay in Kyoto, they had seen the two girls bicker on more than one occasion. They were not so unrestrained as to run around the place, though.

"Seeing them like that, always drives home the point that we're in our own house." Leona said with a smile while watching the girls play around.

"Yeah, I don't think it will take them long to get used to treating Yasaka's place like home either, though." James said as he flopped down onto the nearest sofa.

"As your retainers, aren't their actions unbecoming?" Shuna asked, confusion clear in her expression.

Shion nodded in agreement to Shuna's question. She had been trained strictly in how she should act in front of others.

"If they were to act like that in front of others, that would, indeed, be an issue." James said nonchalantly. "But there's no need for that stuffy etiquette in your own home when you're among family."

"Among family, huh?" Shuna said, contemplating what that phrase meant, exactly.

"Anyway, Like James said, you'll have to be yourself while you're here for the next three months or so." Leona said to the two young Oni women. "And there's no one here who will judge you for showing poor manners. So, it's okay to just let yourself go, a bit. As long as you follow the simple rules of the house, that is."

"Also, I need to see how you two adapt to new situations." James said as he turned his gaze to the duo as well. "So, I'd appreciate it if you did not take care of menial tasks for the princess, Shion."

Hearing that, Shion's anger began to build. Before it could explode James spoke once again to clarify.

"Shion, that's something we'll have to work on for you." James said exasperatedly. "Princess, you'll have to adapt to the fact that you will no longer be royalty if you join my peerage."

Shuna nodded calmly to James' words, having already expected it. Shion was confused at how calmly Shuna took the news, though. She just could not imagine Shuna being anything other than a princess.

"And Shion." James said, turning his attention to the older Oni woman. "*Sigh* We're going to have to get you to think, if even a little, before you act."

Shion could only lowerher head while blushing in embarrassment. She knew that she tended to jump to conclusions too quickly, which could cause trouble for those around her. Then she noticed James with his head down. He was also muttering to himself. Unfortunately, she was unable to hear him.

"I wonder if one of Big Sis Grayfia's hell mode crash courses would fix the problem."

Even though she was unable to hear what James was saying, Shion felt a chill running up her spine.

'I think I should try really, really hard to fix the issue James-Sama mentioned.' Shion thought to herself, as her survival instinct activated.

Shaking his head to free himself of those thoughts, James stood from the couch. Then he walked toward the stairs and began to speak.

"Anyway, let me show you to your rooms." James said while looking back over his shoulder. Then with a big smile he continued. "And allow me to be the first to welcome you to Kuoh and the Alaverus Estate. I sincerely hope that you enjoy your stay."