I woke up to two things.
One, the chain was still on my wrist, glittering like a cruel joke.
Two, Elise was already awake, already dressed, already angry at the concept of mornings.
She sat on the edge of the bed with perfect posture, staring at the wall like she was trying to execute it.
"Good morning," I whispered.
Elise didn't turn. "Do not say it like that."
"Like what."
"Like you're happy," she snapped.
I looked down at the chain. "I'm not happy. I'm… alive."
"That's temporary," Elise muttered.
The Consent Candle on the table had burned down a little in the night. Like even the candle got tired of us.
I stretched, and the chain tugged.
Elise's shoulder jerked in response like her body hated being connected to mine, but her face was doing that thing where she looked angry and pink at the same time.
"Today," she said, standing abruptly, "we will buy supplies. Food. Clothes. Something that makes you look less… available."
"I'm just existing."
"In Lustra, existing is an invitation," she said. "You will cover your chest."
"My chest."
"Yes," Elise said firmly. "Your chest. It's too… hero shaped."
I blinked. "That's not a sentence."
"It is in this city," she replied, and yanked the curtains open like she was trying to punish the sun.
The moment sunlight hit the room, my system window popped up like a jumpscare.
MORNING STATUS REPORT
EROS MANA FORECAST: EXTREME
CITY EVENT: HERO BLOOM
WARNING: COMPATIBLE COURTERS NEARBY
TIP: DO NOT GO OUTSIDE
I stared at it. "What is Hero Bloom."
Elise froze. Slowly turned.
"…What did it say."
I swallowed. "It says Hero Bloom."
Elise's face went pale. Then immediately red. Then immediately pale again.
"Change of plan," she said, grabbing her cape. "We are not going outside."
A knock hit the door.
Three knocks. Confident. Like whoever was knocking owned the hallway.
Elise's eyes narrowed. She stepped toward the door, hand near her sword.
"Stay behind me," she ordered.
I nodded fast.
Elise opened the door a crack.
A woman leaned into the gap like she'd been born for doorways.
Long black hair. Sharp, pretty eyes. A smile that looked like it had been trained.
She wore a sleek dress with a deep neckline and a collar that screamed expensive. On her wrist was a gold bracelet that matched mine, except hers had a tiny engraved heart.
"Good morning," she purred. "I'm Lady Charlotte Beaumont."
Elise's voice went ice cold. "This is a private room."
Charlotte's gaze slid past Elise, straight to me. Like Elise was a curtain.
"There he is," Charlotte said, delighted. "Ren Varga. New hero. Probation stamp. Chaperone chain. Oh, how precious."
My entire body went hot.
Elise stepped fully into the doorway, blocking the view. "How do you know his name."
Charlotte tapped her temple. "Lustra has alerts."
My system chimed as if to confirm it.
SYSTEM NOTICE: YOU HAVE BEEN TAGGED
TAG: HIGH-VALUE HERO
PUBLIC VISIBILITY: ON
I whispered, "What."
Charlotte's smile widened. "We all get notifications when a fresh hero arrives. It's like a holiday."
Elise's jaw clenched. "Leave."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled. "I came to offer help."
"We do not need help."
Charlotte leaned closer to Elise, voice sweet. "I can sponsor his license upgrade. I can buy him a wardrobe. I can give him a private suite. I can keep him away from the hungry ones."
Elise's eyes narrowed. "Hungry ones."
Charlotte glanced behind Elise toward me again, and her smile turned wicked.
"Oh," she said softly. "Too late."
The hallway filled with footsteps.
Not heavy footsteps. Light ones. Quick ones. The sound of trouble arriving in multiple flavors.
Elise shut the door fast.
Too fast.
The chain tugged, because of course it did, and I stumbled forward.
Elise caught me by the front of my shirt.
For one second, her fist was gripping my collar, pulling me close, her face right there. Her eyes flicked down to my mouth like a betrayal.
Then she shoved me back.
"Sit," she hissed. "Be quiet."
I sat on the chair like it was my assigned survival position.
Another knock hit the door. This one was playful. Tap tap tap, like a teasing finger.
A voice sang through the wood.
"Ren-kun. Open up."
Elise's face did something violent.
"That is Yuki," she muttered, like she'd said a curse word.
Then another voice, deeper, warm, amused.
"Elise. Don't be greedy. Share."
Elise spun around. "I AM NOT GREEDY."
A third voice, bright and shameless.
"I brought breakfast. And I'm wearing nothing under my cloak, so you better open before I get cold."
I choked.
Elise whipped her head toward me. "Do not react."
"I didn't react," I lied, while my soul left my body to file a complaint.
The system chimed, practically singing.
HAREM EVENT: MULTIPLE COURTERS DETECTED
WARNING: THEY ARE SHAMELESS
TIP: LIGHT YOUR CONSENT CANDLE
Elise grabbed the Consent Candle from the table and lit it like she was pulling a fire alarm.
The glow spread.
The room instantly felt less like it was flirting with me.
The knocking did not stop.
It got louder.
Elise inhaled, then opened the door again, wider this time, like she was ready to fight fate with paperwork.
The hallway was full.
Actually full.
Women lined the corridor like a parade designed specifically to ruin my life.
And they were all looking at me.
All of them.
Like I was a prize. Like I was food. Like I was a cute problem they wanted to solve with their mouths.
Elise stood in the doorway, furious.
"State your business," she snapped.
A woman stepped forward first. Short dark hair. A neat suit. Round glasses. Calm smile.
She bowed politely.
"Mira Kuroda," she said. "Contract witch. I heard the hero is untrained. I offer a legally binding training plan."
She held up a scroll.
The title read, in perfect formal script.
Courtship Assistance Agreement.
Behind Mira, a beastkin girl waved enthusiastically. Cat ears. Tail. Grin so bright it should be illegal.
"I'm Rika," she chirped. "I'm here to sit on him."
Elise blinked. "Excuse me."
Rika said it louder. "I'm here to sit on him. For mana transfer."
I stared. "Mana transfer is sitting."
Rika nodded seriously. "Yes. Very scientific. Very warm."
Another woman stepped in front, tall and elegant, hair like silver. Her eyes were sharp, her lips painted dark.
"Sofia Dragomir," she said smoothly. "I specialize in stamina. Heroes need stamina."
Elise's face twitched. "Stamina for what."
Sofia smiled. "Existing in Lustra."
A girl in shrine maiden robes peeked from behind Sofia, cheeks pink, eyes huge.
"I'm Kaori Minazuki," she whispered. "I brought… protective charms."
She held up paper talismans.
Then she glanced at me and immediately squeaked.
"And… and also," she added, barely audible, "I wouldn't mind holding hands if you need emotional support."
Rika gasped like she'd heard a dirty word. "Hand holding. Bold."
Kaori went red and hid behind her sleeves.
Then a woman pushed through like she owned the hallway.
Red hair. Confident smile. A cloak draped over her shoulders.
It was open at the front.
It was not closed.
She was, indeed, wearing basically nothing underneath except confidence and the audacity to call it breakfast.
"Freya Lindholm," she announced cheerfully. "I brought pastries. And moral support. And my body is very aerodynamic today."
Elise's eyes widened in horror. "Close your cloak."
Freya blinked innocently. "Why. We're all adults here."
Mira cleared her throat, adjusting her glasses. "All participants must be eighteen plus. It's city law."
Everyone nodded like that was the most normal thing in the world.
Elise looked like she might actually start screaming.
Lady Charlotte leaned against the wall, smiling like she'd arranged this.
Yuki Tanaka appeared beside her, arms folded, looking deeply pleased.
"Oh," Yuki said. "It's a full bloom. Congratulations, hero."
I croaked, "Why are you all here."
Sofia's eyes slid over me slowly. "Because you're cute."
Rika nodded violently. "And because you blush."
Freya grinned. "And because you look like you'd whimper if someone praised you."
I nearly died.
Elise snapped, "ENOUGH."
The candle's glow warmed, steadying the air. Like it was trying to keep the hallway from turning into a riot.
Elise lifted her wrist, showing the chain.
"He is under my chaperone," she said. "He will not be touched. He will not be teased. He will not be coerced."
Freya raised a hand. "Can we tease verbally."
Elise glared. "No."
Yuki's smile turned wicked. "Actually, Dame Elise. The law says courters may approach verbally in public, as long as the Consent Candle is active and the hero is allowed to refuse."
Elise's eye twitched.
Mira nodded calmly. "She's correct."
Elise's shoulders went rigid.
I whispered, "Elise."
She didn't look at me. "What."
"I think the city is trying to kill me."
"It is," Elise muttered.
Rika leaned forward, peering around Elise, smiling brightly at me.
"Ren," she said, sweet as sugar, "can I call you Ren."
My system chimed.
TEMPTATION EVENT: PET NAME REQUEST
RESIST FOR XP
TIP: YOU ARE WEAK TO THIS
I swallowed hard. "Uh."
Elise cut in. "No."
Rika pouted. "I wasn't asking you."
The candle's neutral voice spoke softly.
"Ren Varga. Consent and boundaries. Respond."
Every eye in the hallway locked onto me.
My face went nuclear.
"I," I said, voice cracking, "consent to being spoken to. Boundaries. No touching. No… cornering. No… surprise lap sitting."
Rika looked devastated. "Aww."
The candle glow stayed steady.
Sofia stepped forward, voice velvet.
"Ren," she said, "you look tense. I can help you relax. Professionally."
Mira nodded. "Relaxation therapy increases survivability."
Freya grinned. "I can demonstrate."
Kaori squeaked again and tried to hide behind her charms.
Charlotte smiled. "I can buy him a better room. With two beds."
Elise snapped, "We do not need a better room."
Charlotte's gaze slid to Elise, amused. "Why. Are you comfortable sharing."
Elise's face went so red it was almost impressive.
Yuki leaned in toward me, voice playful.
"Hero," she murmured, "you're popular. What will you do."
My system chimed like it was laughing.
CHOICE EVENT: HAREM PRESSURE
OPTION A: RUN
OPTION B: HIDE
OPTION C: REFUSE POLITELY FOR XP
TIP: RUNNING IS IMPOSSIBLE. YOU ARE TETHERED.
I took a shaky breath.
"I," I said, trying to sound brave, "I need to eat. I need clothes. I need to not die today."
Freya lifted the pastry basket like an offering. "I can help with eating."
Rika chirped, "I can help with clothes. I can take them off and put them on again."
I coughed so hard my soul almost exited.
Elise slammed the door halfway, not closed, but enough to show she was done being polite.
"Listen," Elise said to the hallway like she was addressing an army. "You may escort us to the market. In a group. In public. No touching. No ambushes. No 'mana transfer.' If you break the rules, I will personally report you."
Everyone paused.
Then, horrifyingly, they all smiled.
Because apparently being threatened by a paladin was also flirting in this city.
Mira bowed. "Understood."
Sofia smirked. "I love rules."
Freya winked. "I love breaking rules."
Kaori whispered, "I will follow the rules."
Rika said, "I will follow the rules while sitting very close."
Elise's eye twitched again.
Charlotte leaned in, voice honey.
"Shall we," she said, "take the hero outside."
And just like that, I was marched out of the inn between a paladin and a crowd of shameless women, all of them staring at me like I was a walking dessert.
Elise kept one hand on her sword and the other on the chain, dragging me forward.
Every few steps, the chain tugged and pulled us close, and Elise would hiss at me like it was my fault gravity existed.
The women followed like a pack.
Whispering.
Giggling.
Arguing about who got to walk closest to me.
Rika tried to link arms with me and got blocked by Elise's cape like a tactical maneuver.
Freya kept "accidentally" letting her cloak slip and Elise kept snapping, "CLOSE IT," like she was fighting public indecency with pure rage.
Sofia walked on my other side, smiling slowly every time I swallowed.
Mira kept taking notes, which made it worse, because the idea of being studied while blushing should be illegal.
Kaori walked slightly behind me, quietly holding a charm like she was praying for my soul.
Charlotte walked ahead, turning back to smile at me like she already owned my future.
And my system would not stop chiming.
HAREM COUNT: 6
WARNING: COUNT MAY INCREASE
TIP: DO NOT LOOK LOST. THEY LIKE THAT.
I looked at Elise, desperate.
"Elise," I whispered.
She didn't look at me. "What."
"How do I survive a large harem."
Elise finally glanced at me, eyes sharp, cheeks pink, voice deadly calm.
"You don't," she said. "You endure."
Then the chain tugged again, pulling me close enough that my shoulder brushed her cape.
Elise stiffened.
Rika giggled.
Freya whistled.
Sofia smiled like she'd just won something.
And somewhere above the plaza, the billboard flashed again like a threat.
TODAY'S EROS MANA FORECAST: EXTREME
HERO BLOOM CONDITIONS: ACTIVE
STAY HYDRATED. STAY CONSENTUAL. GOOD LUCK, HERO.
I swallowed.
This city was going to eat me alive.
And judging by the way they all looked at me.
They were extremely excited to start.