Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

FLAP~ FLAP!

Each flap of Jane's wings created a powerful sonic wave. Her first flap broke through the sound barrier and made the sound of a sonic boom.

However, each flap generated two sonic booms due to the pressure from both ends, but the difference between the two sonic booms was barely noticeable because the time between the first and the second sonic boom was shorter than a mili-second as she was flying with speed faster than the sound.

The trails created by her aura were a sharp straight line, but the sonic wave created by her wings would break the straight line and scatter in, making it seem like the aurora. But before that, the trail of her aura would look like a shooting star in the sky.

Just like how Rias felt that Jane didn't put any effort into having a relationship with Rudy, Jane felt the same. After all, their relationship started with lust and turned into love.

She felt guilty and thought that she didn't deserve Rudy— although Rudy had changed her mind after he reassured her a couple of times. Still, that wasn't something she could forget that easily.

Jane wanted to win the race, not only to ask for Rias' forgiveness but also to redeem herself. She wanted redemption.

Even at such speed, she glanced back to see if Rias was chasing after her, but she was nowhere to be seen.

'I left her behind?! No, I shouldn't get excited or slow down. I won't stop until I reach the pool house.'

The people on the street were confused by the sound they were hearing above the clouds. They couldn't see what was happening, but they could see something shiny.

It was early morning, so only a few people were on the street. Still, the roads weren't empty. Some of the people present there took out their phones and started taking pictures and videos.

Within a minute, Jane reached the pool house and landed on the empty ground. She stood still for a few seconds to let her body go back to its normal state before moving forward.

She looked up at the sky and muttered, "Rias still hasn't arrived. Did I win…? Does that mean I am now… worthy to be Rudy's lover?'

She was standing in front of the pool house, looking up at the sky and waiting for Rias, but even after a few minutes, she couldn't see Rias anywhere in the sky.

'Something feels… wrong. Rias wouldn't take this long to arrive. She would usually be right behind me or at a visible distance away from me. I should go check.'

Just as Jane was about to jump into the sky, the door to the pool house opened, and Rias walked out.

"...!" Jane blinked a few times and exclaimed, "What?! How?! When did you arrive?!"

"It's been a while. I heard you land and thought you would come in, but you didn't, so I came out to check on you. What were you doing outside?"

"I was waiting for you! How can you arrive before me? I couldn't see you anywhere." She gasped in realization and said, "Don't tell me you cheated somehow."<novelnext></novelnext>

"No. You flew above the clouds while I flew through the city."

"But I flew straight to the pool house. And how can you arrive faster when you have to move through so many buildings? That doesn't make any sense."

"You were indeed flying straight, but it was a diagonal straight. If you had gone from the other side, the pool house was near the sea. You took a long way while I took a shortcut."

"That's not fair!"

"It's just like jumping down the mountain instead of climbing down." Rias shrugged and said, "What matters in a race is who arrives first."

'I never even considered flying through the city. The city is like a forest where you must make your way through so many trees and try your best not to slam into one. Obviously, anyone would prefer flying over the forest as it's safe and faster.

I thought Rias was at a disadvantage once I used my powers to enhance my wings, but I was wrong. The city was the biggest disadvantage for both of us, but Rias used that as her advantage.

However, even if I had done the same thing as Rias and flown through the city, I wouldn't be able to win as I wouldn't have enhanced my wings. Flying in the city at such a high speed and avoiding hitting the buildings is nearly impossible.

Only Rudy can do that.

Which means… I was bound to lose. My plan was a failure from the beginning. Had I enhanced my wings earlier at the start of the race and maintained a safe distance from Rias, I would have won.'

SIGH!

Jane chuckled softly with a smile on her face and muttered, "I have yet to learn more. I admit my defeat."

"And that means I can now command you to do anything, and you will have to follow it, no matter what it is," Rias asserted with a solemn yet knowing look on her face.

"..." Jane gulped down in fear and thought, 'I forgot about that too! Now that she has won, she can ask me to do anything. If she asks me to kill myself, I will have to kill myself.

I know that Rias would never command something like that, but what if she asks me to break up with Rudy? That's even worse than dying…'

Jane had challenged Rias so she could ask her to accept her relationship with Rudy, but now she was in bigger trouble. She had given a sharp dagger to Rias, which she could use to cut any string she wanted.

'I messed up. I messed up a big time. I should have let Rudy handle everything. What should I do now? Only Rudy can save me. Rudy! Where are you? I need you!'

Meanwhile, Rudy was dancing with Maria at the party.