My stepsisters are sexy demons, and I must protect them

Yuzu extends her arm toward him—a vivid crimson sphere of energy takes shape around her hand.

«I… I'll kill you, Shin!»

«Yuzu, what the hell are you doing?! Stop!» Chantal shouts, and throws herself between her and Shin.

«Chantal, please. Step aside,» Yuzu hisses — her eyes glinting with murderous intent.

The crimson sphere around her hand swells, pulsing with power — an attack fueled by every ounce of rage she's buried for years, all the hatred she's carried since childhood toward the man who killed her father and now stands just a few feet away.

If that magic were unleashed, it would obliterate everything within a half-mile radius — and Shin, in his current state, wouldn't stand a chance.

«Yuzu, please... calm down,» Rika begs through tears, clutching her sister's arm.

«How can you even ask me that?!» Yuzu growls. «How can you ask me not to kill the man who destroyed our lives?! Have you forgotten all those nights you cried yourself to sleep while our friends told us about the wonderful things they did with their fathers? I haven't — not for a second! Waking up to your pillow soaked with tears... it tore me apart! I couldn't stand it! I... I just couldn't!»

«How could I ever forget...?» Rika cuts in softly, her voice gentle yet comforting.

«Do you think I don't feel resentment and anger for what he did? I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him. But hurting him won't bring Father back — especially after everything he and Hakuto have done for us! If it weren't for them, we'd probably be dead by now, and that's a fact we can't ignore!»

«If Father hadn't died, we wouldn't even be in this situation!» Yuzu screams, her voice breaking as tears pour down her face. «He was strong — incredibly strong! Mom said so! If he were still alive, he would've protected us from anyone who tried to hurt us — we would've never needed help from some murderer desperate to atone for his sins!»

«No, he couldn't have!» Chantal snaps, her patience finally cracking. «During the three months I spent back in France, while Hakuto was training at HESPARC U.S., I asked my father — the director of the French division — for access to the HESPARC archives. I wanted information about your father, Soren Valakys, who died at twenty-five. According to the data we gathered, his strength was roughly comparable to the ogre that attacked us last year at the Ashiya Rock Garden — Velshekar's lackey. Very powerful, yes, but he never would've been able to protect you from threats on the level of the Cult of the Primordial Shadow. So stop whining and be grateful for what Shin has done for you!»

«You...» Yuzu snarls, the crimson sphere flickering violently as she thrusts it toward Shin. «What do you even know about—»

«What do I know about losing a father? Nothing, fortunately!» Chantal cuts her off sharply, her voice rising above Yuzu's. «And every day, I thank the God of Light that I still have someone I can call my mother and father. But that doesn't change the fact that you're being stupid! Why do you think he decided to tell you the truth, huh? He could've kept it a secret, taken it to his grave, and you never would've known. But he chose to come clean! Because he truly cares about you and your sister — and it's insane I even have to remind you of that, right after he was discharged from the hospital for fighting to protect you!»

Those words hit Yuzu straight in the heart. The immense power radiating from her magic begins to fade as her arm — once aimed straight at Shin — slowly lowers.

«Why did you do it...? Why did you kill our father...?» Yuzu sobs weakly. «Mom said he was a kind-hearted vampire. Gentle, generous, selfless — he would never hurt anyone. So why did you have to kill him...? He didn't deserve that...»

«For the same reason we killed everyone who tried to harm you — duty,» Shin answers flatly. «As HESPARC agents, our mission is to protect this world from threats that come from N'Raeth. Speaking ill of the dead is a vile thing, but I need to, so you can fully understand the situation.» He turns to Chantal. «Do they know about your girlfriend's story?»

Chantal nods silently, and Shin faces Yuzu again.

«Good. As you already know, Elisabeth Azuralis—» a cough interrupts him, a spatter of blood stains his hand.

«Shin, what's happening?» Chantal asks, alarmed.

«Nothing... just some lingering damage from the surgeries. The doctors said it's normal until my body readjusts. Anyway, back to Elisabeth...» Shin continues, his breathing uneven, as if every word takes a toll on him. «As you know, her family escaped from N'Raeth to avoid the massacre ordered by the crown against those suspected of taking part in a coup. Once they arrived on Earth, they registered with HESPARC and were placed under our protection — political refugees, in short. That right is usually reserved for humans from N'Raeth, but in rare cases it can extend to vampires, succubi, or other races that look human — or can appear human through magic — allowing them to live among us. And the same would've happened to you, if your father hadn't decided to go his own way...»

Shin pauses for a moment, struggling for breath. «Instead of following the standard procedure — probably fearing that HESPARC was working with those they were running from — he chose to flee with you. For a defense agency, that was an immediate red flag. For all we knew, you might have had bad intentions, so a capture order was the natural response. But your father resisted, and I had no choice. That's why I killed him.»

Yuzu turns her gaze toward Kagura, seeking confirmation — Kagura silently nods.

«If only your foolish father had listened to me...» Kagura murmurs, tears welling in her eyes. «We would still be a family now. I tried everything to stop him — to convince him that we could trust the humans — but he just wouldn't listen. He said it was too dangerous, that he couldn't risk it with the lives of his beloved daughters and wife on the line. Shin just did what anyone would've done — defended his homeland against invaders who refused to cooperate, that's all...»

Finally, Yuzu lowers her arm completely. It falls limply to her side, and the blazing sphere of energy fades away without leaving a trace. Then... she runs toward Shin — but not to attack him. She throws herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

«I'm sorry, Shin... I'm so sorry for what I was about to do...» she cries, her voice trembling. «I didn't mean it, really... I'm so grateful for everything you've done for us, and I love you — I love you so much... You're the best dad in the world! Thanks to you, we can finally live peaceful, normal lives like real human girls... please forgive me...»

Shin rests his hand on her head, gently running his fingers through her hair.

«You have nothing to apologize for... I would've reacted the same way if I'd found myself face to face with the one who took someone precious from me...» Shin murmurs softly.

Then he looks around, a puzzled expression crossing his face.

«Now that I think about it... where's my son?»

Chantal opens her mouth to answer, but—

BAM!

The front door bursts open with a loud crash.

It's Hakuto — but he's not alone. Beside him stands a woman, her presence both commanding and graceful.

Misaki Yuunami — his mother.