My Scumbag System Chapter 452: A Schedule for Damnation

"I have excellent hearing." Her fingertips sketched designs across my chest, every purposeful stroke flooding warmth into my weary frame. "She instructed me to keep you breathing."

"Folks are overly worried about my survival odds."

"You nearly die all the time."

"Part of the job."

Silence hung briefly. Her palm paused on my skin.

Then: "I meant every word to your mother."

"I get it."

"Do you really?" Her tone sharpened now, cutting deeper.

I shifted my gaze to meet hers fully.

Those violet eyes shimmered softly in the gloom, their glow otherworldly rather than ordinary.

Silver strands gleamed under the moonbeams slipping past the window.

Stunning in a manner that still surprised me at times.

"Yeah," I replied. "I do."

"Good." She pressed closer, brushing her lips along my jawline, letting them stay. "Because I’m staying put. Even through your dumb moments. Even amid your lies to the world. Even as you assemble your harem of shattered girls while acting indifferent to them all."

"I care."

"I know that as well."

A meow echoed from the dark corners.

Natalia’s gaze tightened, scanning the shadows.

She shot a fierce look toward the noise.

"That’s Maki," I stated bluntly.

"Your nude catgirl familiar."

"Cat form at the moment."

"Doesn’t improve it, Satori."

Right on schedule, Maki shifted forms.

Darkness rippled.

Abruptly, a boldly bare, arrogantly grinning female with sleek ebony locks and amber-flecked eyes perched at my bed’s end, her twin tails flicking playfully.

Utterly unashamed of her exposure.

"Hi!" she chirped with feigned purity. "I’m Maki! Gotta be the intimidating purple girl Satori can’t get enough of!"

Natalia’s eye flickered.

Ice crept over the bedding in fragile, snapping veins.

The room chilled sharply.

"Satori," she uttered in icy, menacing poise.

"Clothes aren’t her style. Long story."

"Get her dressed."

"I pushed. She resists."

"I can hear you," Maki beamed, waving happily. "Happy to dress up if scary purple insists! Just hate how they scratch and bind and—"

"Maki."

"Yes, Master?"

"Shift back. Please."

With theatrical sulk, she obeyed slowly.

The bare figure dissolved.

The cat reappeared, lithe and dark with matching sly eyes.

Without pause, it hopped into Natalia’s lap and purred thunderously, rubbing her hand.

Natalia petted it instinctively, frost still edging the sheets amid her annoyance.

Her hand glided through the plush coat.

"She’s playing you," I noted.

"I know." Natalia rubbed the cat’s ears. "It’s effective."

I shut my eyes.

My door creaked open once more.

"Satori, whipped up a sandwich if you’re hungry—" Emi halted.

I cracked one eye.

Emi lingered in the threshold with a plate, azure hair in a tousled tail, clad in sleep shorts and a sleeveless top.

Her eyes darted from me to Natalia to the rumbling feline.

"Oh. Oops. Didn’t realize Natalia was here—I’ll head out—"

"Get over here," Natalia called.

Emi wavered.

"I don’t bite," Natalia tacked on. "Mostly."

Emi placed the plate on my desk and edged toward the bed warily.

Natalia tapped the spot next to her.

"Sit."

Emi obeyed.

The cat ditched Natalia instantly, leaping into Emi’s lap with amplified purring.

"Traitor," Natalia grumbled.

"She’s incredibly soft!" Emi caressed the cat’s spine. "The familiar you talked about?"

"Maki," I verified. "Bakeneko. Total troublemaker."

"Purring away."

"Scheming away."

The cat yowled in protest.

My door swung open yet again.

Skylar strode in unannounced, eyed our group, and arched a brow.

"This a new ritual? Whole crew piling in here?"

"Seems so," I remarked.

She shrugged, hopped onto the bed’s end, and hugged her knees.

"Your mom’s downright frightening, FYI."

"Told you."

"No joke, petrifying. That smile? Felt like she hacked my search history."

"Her specialty."

A rap at the door.

Celeste’s voice: "May I enter?"

"Sure," I sighed. "Room’s basically a lounge now."

Celeste stepped inside, spotted the gathering, and stiffened.

"I’ll return later."

"Plant yourself," Natalia urged. "Rest are."

Celeste settled lightly on my desk chair’s rim, poise impeccable even casually.

Five women.

One cat.

A utterly exhausted scumbag king.

"So," Akari announced from the doorway, naturally since she had shown up. "Are we doing this?"

"Doing what?" I replied cautiously.

"Talking about last night. About the System," Akari explained, her tone laced with that familiar risky sweetness. She strode fully into my room and seized the last spot on the bed with effortless grace, lounging as if she ruled the space. "About us all being soul-bonded to you now, trapped in this heavenly reality TV with all-knowing gods watching."

"I thought we'd all pretend that harsh truth away," I muttered, knowing resistance was useless.

"We attempted ignoring it. Lasted six hours." Akari stretched her legs out, totally relaxed in the mess. "Now we'll address it like grown, logical adults."

"Can't we do this any other time? Tomorrow? Or never?"

"No."

All five of them declared it.

In chilling, perfect sync.

I stared up at the ceiling, mentally cursing the deities or managers relishing this chaotic fiasco with pure glee, I bet. My once-private retreat had morphed into a weird council of war, betrayal included from my cat who'd switched sides.

Nel's laugh resonated in my thoughts, vivid and soaked in wicked delight.

I released a long, deep breath and sat straight, surrendering to their planned grilling. "Fine. What do you specifically want to know?"

The ensuing quiet hung thick, buzzing with unvoiced questions and poised restraint. The five traded glances, a wordless signal flowing among them that left me out.

Then Emi raised her hand shyly, her signature antenna-like hair strands flickering with nerves.

"Is there...a schedule?"

"Schedule?"

Her face flushed crimson. "For. You know. Spending time with you."

"Oh my god," Skylar grumbled.

"It’s a valid question!" Emi’s antennae twitched. "I don’t want to just...show up and interrupt something!"

Akari cackled. "A sex schedule. That’s so organized it’s almost cute."

"Can we not?" I said.

"We absolutely can," Natalia countered. "Because Emi’s right. We need structure. Rules. Something."

"I don’t do rules," Skylar declared.

"You do now," Natalia fired back. "Unless you want to walk in on him with someone else and deal with that awkwardness."

Skylar’s jaw tightened.

Point to Natalia.

"Okay," I said slowly. "So what are you proposing?"

Natalia crossed her legs.

"I go first. Always. That’s non-negotiable."

"Obviously," Akari agreed. "You’re the Covenant Queen. We all saw your profile."

"Then Emi," Natalia pressed on, "because she’s the least likely to cause problems."

"Hey!"

"It’s a compliment."

Celeste raised her hand slightly. "Where do I fall in this...rotation?"

"After Emi. Before Skylar."

"Why am I last?" Skylar demanded.

"Because you don’t actually care," Natalia explained. "You’ll take whatever slot is open and make it work."

Skylar opened her mouth.

Closed it.

"Fair."

"And me?" Akari asked sweetly.

"Floating position. You fit where convenient."

"Also fair."

I rubbed my face. "This is insane."

"This is logistics," Natalia corrected. "You wanted five of us. Now you get to manage five of us."

"I didn’t want—"

"You chose Impossible Mode," Celeste said quietly. "You knew what that meant."

She was right.

I had known.

I’d just been too arrogant to think through the actual implications.

"Fine," I said. "We’ll figure out a schedule."

"Good." Natalia stood. "Now everyone out. He needs sleep."

"But—" Emi started.

"Out."

The girls filed toward the door.

Skylar paused, looking back. "Tournament starts soon."

"I know."

"Don’t die before then."

"Working on it."

She left.

Celeste lingered longest, her hand on the doorframe.

"Thank you," she said. "For today. For introducing me to your family. For making me feel like I belong."

"You do belong."

Her smile was small but genuine.

She closed the door behind her.

Natalia remained.

"Alone at last," she said.

"Don’t you have somewhere to be?"

"Nope." She locked the door. "You’re mine for the next eight hours. I’m collecting."

"I’m exhausted."

"I know." She climbed back into bed. "That’s why we’re just sleeping. Together. Like normal people."

"We’re not normal people."

"Pretend."

I reclined once again.

She nestled close beside me.

The cat shifted form and snuggled onto my chest, wedged between us.

"Your familiar’s a brat," Natalia remarked.

"I’m aware."

"But cute."

"Also aware."

We rested there amid the enveloping darkness.

Beyond our space, the island persisted in its ceaseless spin.

The tournament timer steadily counted down.

Foes honed their blades in preparation.

And from some hidden vantage, the Administrator kept watch.

Yet in this fleeting instant, with Natalia’s comforting heat pressed to my side and a mystical cat rumbling softly on my chest, I permitted myself to imagine that all would turn out well.

Despite knowing full well it wouldn’t.

Despite the System already crafting the impending calamity.

Despite five soul-bound women with clashing ambitions forming a perfect storm of turmoil.

I shut my eyes.

Tomorrow’s troubles could linger until dawn.

For tonight, this was all I desired.

Natalia’s breaths grew steady and even.

Maki’s purring softened to a gentle hum.

And sleep overtook me, encircled by the two most perilous beings I had ever crossed paths with.

One linked to me through a celestial pact.

One tied to me of her own volition.

I remained uncertain which one filled me with greater dread.