Devil or angel, I can't make up my mind

“I’m glad you saw things my way!” Rose said, preparing the batter for her cake. “With your help, this cake is going to knock Amelia’s socks off!”

“Whatever you say,” Holly replied, rolling her eyes. “Personally I still think this is a really dumb idea. You know this is Amelia you’re dealing with, right? I can’t imagine a teacher who takes things as seriously as she obviously does would approve of cheating.”

“Again, it’s not cheating,” Rose reminded her. “We’re working together! It’s a collaboration! Don’t you want to appeal your best side to Nick’s stepmother? And when we beat Mary, it’s going to prove that two heads are better than one!”

“You just want to beat Mary though,” Holly pointed out.

The two girls were in one of the hotel’s many kitchens, preparing the ingredients for the devil’s food cake Rose envisioned as the perfect recipe to win the stern disciplinarian over.

Holly was less convinced.

“Whatever,” she said, shrugging. “As long as you keep up your end of the bargain, I really couldn’t care less.” To Holly, being rejected by Nick’s stepmother was a matter of course. It wasn’t like she really cared if Rose got in good with Amelia, either. But if Rose was going to torment her the way she did that night…

That prospect got Holly’s delta moister than the chocolate frosting she was stirring.

“I should have figured you’d be scheming something like this.”

Rose jumped in surprise.

“M-Mary!” She stammered, turning towards the door to see the cowgirl looking at the two of them with a cold expression on her face. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrow, obviously not impressed.

“Really, Rose? You couldn’t beat me fair and square, so you resorted to cheating? I should have known you’d try something like this,” Mary muttered, shaking her head in disdain as she walked further into the kitchen.

“I-I… well…” Rose stammered, not sure what else to say.

“I’m just surprised Holly was willing to actually go along with it,” Mary said, turning to her best friend. She looked almost hurt. “You’re really going to help her with this?”

Holly glanced aside and blushed.

“I mean…”

“She’s just helping me!” Rose blurted out. “Come on, Mary, it’s all in good fun, right? You don’t have to be so serious about this!”

Mary’s eye twitched. “…I wasn’t! I just wanted to show off my skills to Amelia! You’re the one who butted in and made this a competition!”

“So I’m just supposed to sit back and let you score brownie points with Nick’s stepmom?!” Rose whined. “That’s not fair! I have the right to try and win her over too, you know! Don’t think that just because you’re Nick’s first wife that gives you some kind of priority here!”

“It categorically does,” Mary said, waving her ring in Rose’s face. “Look, I don’t want to lord my position over everyone, but I got eliminated you know! That means my role’s been cemented as Nick’s wife, simple as that!”

“I’m aware,” Rose nodded. “But that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who gets to play that role!” She slapped her chest. “I’m not some second fiddle! I’m going to be the number one in Nick’s heart! And part of that is winning the heart of Amelia, too!”

Mary could see Rose wasn’t going to back down from this. The blonde was too determined to succeed. And while Mary could appreciate that… if Rose wanted to make this a competition, then Mary was going to win it.

“Holly,” Mary said, turning to her best friend, “have you really thought this out completely?”

“Huh?” Holly stared at Mary in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean,” Mary said slyly, “is that you’ll be pitting your cooking skills up against mine in this competition, right? With a little help from Rose as well, of course, but you’re going to be doing a lot of the work too, yes?”

“…Yeah…” Holly said, not sure what Mary was getting at.

Mary smirked.

“I don’t know what Rose promised you to get you to help her, but don’t you think it would be a lot hotter if you lost? I mean… proving that you’re the inferior chef once and for all, compared to me, Nick’s actual wife… how about that?”

Holly blinked. Then a twisted smile stretched across her lips as hearts flashed into her eyes.

“When you put it that way…”

“Holly!” Rose exclaimed. “Rrgh, you little gremlin! You’re going to throw this, aren’t you!?”

“Nooooooo…” Holly shook her head, unable to look Rose in the eye.

“That’s it! Deal’s off!” Rose locked Holly into a chokehold, though she made sure not to put any actual pressure on the girl’s neck. She didn’t want to hurt her after all, just show her frustration.

Holly grinned wildly. Totally worth it!

“Well then, now that this issue’s been solved, time to get back to my angel’s food cake,” Mary said, turning to leave.

Rose blinked, and let Holly go. “Huh? Angel’s food cake?”

“That’s right?” Mary said, looking over her shoulder. “It seems like the two of us had pretty similar ideas after all.”

She smiled sadly at the blonde. “Rose… you don’t have to use Holly to improve your skills. You’re an okay cook, but your baking skills are excellent. I really want to have a direct competition with you, playing fair. Okay?”

Rose let Mary’s words sink in as she watched the other woman turn to leave.

“…Mary, wait!”

“Yo, what up, Teach?” Vivian strolled into the common area with her hands in her pockets and an amused smile on her face. “Watching TV? I didn’t think you did that sort of thing! You always struck me as more of the ‘read boring two-inch thick novels all afternoon’ sort of gal.”

Amelia sighed and removed her glasses to rub the space between her eyes. Without even looking at Vivian she put them back on and stared at the screen. “While I would never even attempt to guess what sort of television you find entertaining, I’ll have you know that this series is very respected and high-class. Unlike the so-called ‘trash TV’ of the states.”

“Says the woman who spent how much of her life living there again?” Vivian smirked, sliding down into an armchair. She leaned back and crossed her legs, baring even more of her thigh than before. Amelia remained silent. She could tell that this was just another ploy from the heiress to goad her into losing her temper.

She wouldn’t fall for such an obvious taunt. Instead, she returned her attention to the screen. For some frustrating reason, there were still commercials, even here. And the commercials were all erotic in nature, because of course they were. But she put that out of her mind now that the show had returned. The classic historical drama was one of her favorite programs, detailing the rise and fall of the old aristocracy, and the ramifications of-

“Oh, hey! They shot this in my house!”

Amelia’s eye twitched. “…Excuse me?”

“Yeah, a few years back. Some big producer approached my dad with the idea. There weren’t a lot of places they could use for filming, and our family estate had everything they needed for the setting. So we let them film on location for a few months out of each year while the show was airing. It was pretty cool, getting to see all those actors and actresses running around in period clothes, I felt like I’d gone back in time!”

Vivian flashed a toothy grin. “It’s actually one of the ways I dipped my toe in the industry, if you can believe that! I had some recommendations for some of the costumes, especially Lady Ambersworth. You know how they make a point to show her in those different fancy dresses every episode?”

Amelia sighed. Was there nowhere she could take refuge from this girl?

“So where’s everyone else?” Vivian asked, looking around, as if noticing for the first time that they were the only people present. “They just leave you all alone or something? I was gonna ask around, see what folks do for fun here, but if it’s just you, well… talk about boring.”

Amelia’s eye twitched. “Mary, Rose, and Holly went to go cook. Gina went to bed. Dawn was here for a while, but then she departed to her room as well.” Amelia recalled the cat girl’s flustered face when she jumped off the couch and ran for her bedroom. She looked a little embarrassed and overwhelmed, and said something about being too stimulated.

But that wasn’t any of her business.

“Right… right…” Vivian nodded. “And Dawn… which one is she again? The one with the cat ears?”

“Yes, Carrington, the one with the cat ears,” Amelia said, sighing in exasperation. “Tell me, isn’t one of your transformation paths- that’s what Dakota called them- Harem Manager? If you’re intending to take your duty seriously in that regard, it would behoove you to actually get to know the women who will be sharing Nicholas with you.”

“That include you?” Vivian asked with a smirk. But her teacher’s lack of response caused her amusement to quickly fade. She sighed and shrugged. “Hey, I mean… what the heck, right?” She shrugged. “I’m trying. But I take things slow, casual, you know how it is.”

“I see.” Amelia raised her eyebrow. “Can I take that to mean the same will apply to your actions with Nicholas?”

“Hmm? Oh, you mean having sex?” Vivian smirked. “How do you know we haven’t gone that far already?” She teased.

Amelia wasn’t going to baited so easily. “The contestants on this twisted show get Victory Points for sexual acts they do with Nicholas. And those points are displayed right here.” She held up her hand to reveal her own score, which still sat at 73 VP. Dawn had been very helpful in teaching Amelia about all the rules of Harem Hotel she needed to know.

A pointed glance at Vivian’s hand, and the 53 VP displayed on it, told Amelia all she needed to know about how far the teasing heiress had actually gotten with her stepson.

They hadn’t done anything.

But what was even more telling of that was the fact that Amelia was supposed to feel a bond of maternal affection towards any woman in a sexual relationship with Nicholas, thanks to her transformation. She felt those pangs for a lot of the girls in his harem, even those who she’d barely interacted with so far. But for the moment, her feelings of frustration towards Vivian Carrington hadn’t changed one whit.

“Well… fair enough,” Vivian admitted with a sigh. “But don’t worry, Teach. It’s coming! We’ve got plenty of time together.”

Amelia’s eyes narrowed slightly. She would have preferred Nick end up with someone else than this girl in his harem. He deserved better than her. And while the Carrington fortune would definitely go a long way in funding the lifestyle that Nick could expect from here on out, that wasn’t something Amelia herself cared that much about.

She was much more concerned with his mental wellbeing.

“Hey, Teach, you’re not even watching your show,” Vivian pointed out.

Because you keep distracting me.

With a sigh of resignation, Amelia pressed the pause button. There was little chance of gleaning any enjoyment out of this program while she had Amelia and her goading taunts echoing in her ear.

“Hey! That’s better. Now, perhaps you might want to help me with something?” Vivian peered down her glasses at Amelia, delighting in the expression of raw shock on the other woman’s face. It took a lot to get the blonde to display her emotions on the surface, but when she did…

Boy, it was really something.

“You… are actually asking for my help?” Amelia’s incredulous tone was remarkably emotive, given her usual interactions with the people around her. But she really couldn’t help herself. Vivian asking her for help was practically unthinkable given their relationship. How many times had Amelia tried to get the girl to complete her assignments on time? Offered her support to make sure her homework was finished? And how many times had Vivian blown her off with a snort and a roll of her eyes, showing how little respect she had for Amelia and the institution of learning she represented?

No, there was definitely something else going on here.

“Yeah, I’m really curious about what I should buy,” Vivian said, reaching into the pocket of her vest and pulling out a sheet of paper. “You see here? All the things that are for sale? There’s so much stuff! And usually, I would just buy it all, right? But for the first time, I’m actually working with limited funds, so I’m not sure what I should purchase. Should I buy the more generic stuff on the front side? Or the stuff on the back that’s specific for me?”

She showed Amelia the sheet of paper, and her own unique purchases.

• 2000 BP: Salary Bonus – Contestant Vivian will be given a checkbook that she can use to write bonus checks to the other contestants. Whenever a contestant completes a sex act written on the check, they may cash it in to the host for a minor BP reward. (Contains 5 checks.)
• 4000 BP: Transmogrification Ray – Contestant Vivian will be given a special ray gun that, when fired, transforms the target’s clothing into whatever outfit she desires. This change only lasts for 24 hours, and during that period the target can’t put on any other clothes. (Contains 3 shots.)
• 15000 BP: Screw the Rules, I Have Money – Contestant Vivian will be given access to the rulebook of the show. In consultation with Master Nick, she may make one amendment to the rules governing the harem. This could range from who gets to sleep with the master in what order to who sleeps in which room, or even how many girls are required to go to the Master’s Suite each night. The rule is considered legally binding, but only in so far as it effects the administration of the harem itself. She cannot change the overarching rules of the show. (NOTE: This rule cannot be instituted without consent from both Contestant Vivian and Master Nick. This item may only be purchased once.)

Amelia had to read over that last rule several times to make sure she fully understood it. When she was done, she looked up at Vivian, and was unable to contain the shock on her face.

“I know, right?” Vivian nodded. “That was my reaction, too. Can you believe it? If I can get enough money, I’ll be able to actually change the rules of the show!”

That sounded like a nightmare. In Amelia’s experience with the delinquent, Vivian thrived on flouting the rules. Putting her in charge of them? No way could that end well. Amelia quickly recovered her composure and thought through all the possibilities.

“…But it’s not that simple,” Amelia said, straightening up and passing the paper back to the heiress. “After all, it says that Nicholas must consent to the rule as well. And my stepson is the sort who thinks through every decision he makes.”

To an almost problematic degree, she silently added. As much as Amelia loved her stepson, she couldn’t deny that Nick suffered from his tendency to overthink things to the point of unhealthiness. I suppose that’s my fault, as well. For so long he was worried about disappointing me, that he can’t even make decisions on his own without worrying they might hurt the people he cares about.

Just another way Amelia felt guilty about her incompetence at motherhood.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Vivian nodded. “That’s why I’m debating right now, you know?” She leaned back in her seat and groaned. “Normally, I’d just buy everything because I could. But I only have 3100 BP to work with! And I have no idea how easy it will be to acquire more… no, I need to play conservatively here, don’t you think? And save up for a big purchase? Or maybe I should just splurge… honestly, Teach, I’m just not sure.”

Amelia was surprised. Vivian seemed to be taking this seriously, and actually coming to her for advice. That was unheard of, but it seemed that she was genuinely trying to-

“So that’s why I came to you, since your family doesn’t have as much money as mine. I figured you’d know more about having to make tough choices due to limited resources,” Vivian explained, as her serious expression slowly shifted into a smirk.

Amelia’s eye twitched. Of course. She was a fool to think even for one second that Vivian wasn’t trying to taunt her.

“…Finished?” She sighed in exasperation. “Are you really trying to figure out what to do with your money, Carrington? Or was that just a convenient method of taunting me?”

Vivian took off her sunglasses and batted her eyelashes at the blonde. “Can’t it be both?” She cooed playfully.

Amelia was pretty sure it wasn’t.

“Do with your money as you wish,” she said, getting up from the couch. “I don’t think you’d listen to any advice I gave you anyway. You never have, after all.”

“Hey, that’s not true!” Vivian protested. “I’m seriously contemplating my future, you know! Like you told me? It’s not just about fashion and money you know. I’m putting real thought into my goals, especially when it comes to family.”

Amelia paused and turned towards the heiress. Vivian’s expression was uncharacteristically serious, but she wasn’t sure if she could believe it.

“And you’ve chosen Nicholas for that role?” She pressed.

Vivian’s lips formed a tight line. It was a face that revealed little, which again, came as a surprise. It almost seemed to Amelia like Vivian was emulating herself.

Before either woman could say another word, though, the elevator opened up.

“We’re back!”

Both women turned to see Mary, Rose, and Holly walk into the common area. Rose and Mary each had their hands under a tray, which they set down on the table. Sitting on top of it was a cake with one half white frosting and the other half dark brown frosting.

“…What’s this?” Amelia asked, raising her eyebrow in confusion.

The two girls glanced at each other as Holly stood on the sidelines nodding encouragingly.

Rose answered first. “Mary and I… we started talking, and we realized that this whole competition thing… it was kind of childish,” she admitted.

Mary nodded. “So we decided, um… instead of competing over who could make the better dish, we would all just collaborate together, and make something for you. Sort of like a welcome present, you know?”

“You baked me a cake?” Amelia was stunned. “But that must have taken hours, and you’ve only been gone…”

“There are special kitchens here,” Mary quickly addressed her confusion. “Time flows differently in there.”

“It was a really fun challenge back then, too,” Holly said with a grin.

“We put a lot of hard work into it!” Rose said, nodding eagerly. “It’s devil’s angel’s food cake!”

Mary shot her a look. “Um, no, it’s angel’s devil’s food cake.”

“That just sounds weird.”

“It’s alphabetical. It’s not weird.”

“Oh, how convenient, the alphabet just happens to support YOUR half going first.”

“It’s not divided into halfs! We did the layers, remember?!”

“Right, and the devil’s food cake layer is on the top, so it’s a devil’s angel’s food cake.”

“No, the angel’s food cake layer makes the base, so it’s an angel’s devil’s food cake.”

“Ahem.” Holly cleared her throat. “Don’t forget the layers of peanut butter mousse I added on?” She pointed out. “The correct term is a heaven and hell cake.”

Mary and Rose just stared at her.

Vivian was trying not to laugh, while Amelia… Amelia was touched by the gesture.

“This means a lot,” she said, walking over to the table and sitting down while Holly cut out a slice for her.

“Hey, where’s my cake?” Vivian chimed in, licking her lips. “‘Cuz that smells really good!”

Mary, and even Rose, ignored her. They were too focused on Amelia taking her first bite of the cake.

Tears slowly began to well up in the brit’s eyes.

“Ah! I knew it!” Rose crowed. “That’s the taste of my devil’s food cake! It was enough to bring her to tears!”

“It was probably the taste of my frosting,” Mary pointed out.

The two girls shared a heated glare at each other.

“My skill with the batter is why I’m the better wife for Nick!” Rose snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

“My frosting was delicious,” Mary replied. “And not to mention, I’m Nick’s actual wife, or did you forget?”

“How could I? You only remind me of that fact every five minutes!”

“Only because you keep pretending like it doesn’t matter a bit!”

“When it comes to who’s the best? That’s right, it doesn’t.”

“You haven’t even certified yourself as the best yet, though!”

While those two bickered, Amelia continued to eat more of the cake.

It tastes so good… she thought, unable to believe how delicious the cake tasted on her tongue. These girls… I’m so much older than them and yet they’ve completely outclassed me in terms of being a housewife. How aggravating!!

It was like a smack in the face to all her hard work learning to cook these last few years, and tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks with every bite, no matter how hard she tried to fend them off.