Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

"Belala, you know daddy gets angsty sometimes. Don't take it to heart. He is not angry at you, I am sure of it. He used to fight like this with Jessica and Rebecca too."

"Lilim…" Rudy's eyes twitched. "It seems you want to be punished too."

Lilim squirmed and said, "If you think I am being a bad girl, you can always punish me in bed~ daddy~"

"Seriously…" Rudy shook his head in disappointment and said, "Now I am not even sure if Angelica is more perverted or you."

"What's wrong with asking my lover to have sex with me? And how does that make me a pervert?" she asked with a knowing look on her face.

"Don't bring logic into this conversation."

Lilim's main goal was to interrupt Lu Bela and Rudy's argument and distract their heated mood.

"Rudy Ross, I understand you were worried about your lovers, but I was worried about all the guests present here. I have been doing it for centuries, so I know what I am doing. Of course, I would have taken full responsibility if anything went wrong.

You are the Lord, and your duty is to protect each living being from harm. But you were only worried about your lovers. I don't want to draw conclusions, nor do I care what you want to protect.

You are the Lord, and you can do anything you want. But in Lord's absence, I was protecting the human world from all the evils. I have been humanity's savior hundreds of times.

I don't do it to gain fame, to take credit, or to owe favors to anyone. I do it because I can. There is nothing wrong with going the extra mile to protect something. Now that the Lord has returned, I think it best suits you if you can do the Lord's work once in a while.

Again, I don't care if you do it or not. I am simply suggesting you. The other races don't know about the Lord's return, but when they do, they will accuse you of things you haven't done.

You see, living beings love to throw the blame on the ignorant ones and take credit for the same. You, as Lord, are privileged for both. You can silence those who go against you, but how many are you going to keep silent?

For how long will you keep them quiet? What if the whole race, or worse, the entire world, turns against you? Would you silence them all? You can easily do that if you want to.

You have to know that the previous Lords weren't liked or loved by anyone. Every living being who is aware of the Lord's existence hates the Lord. They respect the Lord, not out of admiration but… out of fear.

When the Lord's incarnation hadn't arrived even after passing the ten thousand years mark… everyone was happy. Please, change that system. Be the Lord that everyone needs. Be the Lord who everyone remembers. Be the Lord whom everyone calls out of love and respect."

Lu Bela had tears in her eyes when she said, as though she had spoken about her true feelings and truly didn't want Rudy to walk on the same path as the other Lords.

Rudy shook his head and said, "Not possible. You see, when I sat on the Lord's throne, I heard a voice. I always thought that the voice was my own voice, and I simply uttered that in my mind. But for some reason…. I was never convinced by it. I am still not sure what it was, but I think I am going to play by that rule."

"Is it… too much to ask what the voice said?"

"It was nothing mind-blowing, nor were they words of wisdom. It was one simple sentence."

Lu Bela, Maria, Lilim, and Ruby looked at Rudy with curious looks on their faces.

"Don't be the Lord they need you to be, be what they deserve." Rudy quoted the words.

"That's… concerning…" Lu Bela muttered.

"I have morals and ideals, just pray that I don't lose them with time. Because… I no longer see any point in having them. I see each and all living beings as the same. A human's life and an ant's life hold equal value to me. Of course, beings of other races too."

He looked into Lu Bela's eyes and continued, "You asked me to act like the Lord, but believe me… if I act like one… you would want me to stop."

"..."

"And you were wrong about another thing. The Lord is not a savior of the universe… he is a dictator. What I consider right is right, and what I say wrong is wrong. I make the rules, I make the laws. So… let me be an ordinary teenage high school student for a little longer before I announce the Lord's return."

He gestured to the girls to grab his hand while looking at Lu Bela.

"Don't worry, I won't become like the other Lords, but I won't be any different either. You, of all people, should know what type of Lord this world deserves."

"Well… I am glad to be on the good side of the Lord," she chuckled.

"Update me regarding the castle restoration. And feel free to call me if anything comes up."

"I sure will."

Rudy teleported to the pool house with the girls.

"We are here…"

He looked at Maria and Ruby and asked, "You two should sleep before you mess up your sleep schedule again."

"It's morning, so I think our sleep schedule is already messed up," Ruby commented.

"It can be fixed easily as long as you don't make it a habit. And yes, I am speaking from experience."

"Where will Lilim stay?" Maria asked with an anxious look on her face.

"I will take her home with me."

"Why? How come she gets special treatment?!"

"Relax. The castle will be ready in a few days, so it's not a big deal. And I don't want vampires and a demon to share a room in my absence. They might fight, you know?"

"Fine~" Maria kissed Rudy on the lips and asked, "When will you come again?"

"Today is a special day, so we might not meet today."

"Hmm?"

"Elena is coming."