Chapter 6: Consensual Harem

Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Consensual Harem

Hearing the door of the storage room open, Ivy raised her head.

The moment her silver eyes found Michael, the cold mask she wore on her face vanished, and a bright, unguarded smile spread across her face, deep dimples appearing on both cheeks. It was the kind of smile that made her look younger, softer, almost radiant.

Michael stopped mid-step. Even after eight years in this world, he had never seen anything quite like it. That single expression still hit him harder than most people ever could.

With controlled steps, he walked toward her. Ivy slid off the low platform she had been sitting on and landed lightly in front of him. She tilted her chin up to meet his eyes, and the brightness in her eyes caused Michael to smile back without even realizing it.

"Why aren’t you out there celebrating with everyone else?" he asked in a soft, concerned tone.

She sighed and tilted her head, her hair shifting over one shoulder. "It sounds exhausting. My presence just puts everyone on edge."

I guess she’s still not comfortable with social gatherings.

Honestly, it made sense considering her background.

The Fox family sat among the top seven powers inside the dome. They controlled multiple high-value dungeons and several major guilds. If Ivy so much as looked at someone the wrong way, lives could be ruined. If she were to join their party, most students would spend the entire time trying to curry favor instead of actually enjoying themselves.

Michael clicked his tongue in exaggerated disapproval, the way an old auntie might. "This is why it’s better to be poor like me. At least I don’t have to play ice princess all day."

Ivy pouted and gave him a light chop on the head.

"You’re not poor. And I don’t hate the quiet."

He chuckled and reached out, gently pinching both of her soft cheeks. "Whatever you say, my dear wife."

The words made her freeze. Color rushed up her neck and into her face as she suddenly found the concrete floor extremely interesting, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her blouse.

After a few seconds, she looked up again, still flushed, and raised one hand above his head as if measuring him.

"You’ve gotten really tall. I still remember when we first entered the academy. You were shorter than me... and you looked like a total femboy."

Michael’s ears went slightly red. "I was not a femboy. I was just small."

Ivy laughed behind her hand, her silver eyes curving.

"During the island entrance exam, you stuck to me the entire time, calling me ’big sis’ even while everyone else whispered that I was some ice princess who murdered people for fun. Honestly, I thought you were a masochist."

He had no real comeback to that. It was true. In the first two years, he had clung to her more than he cared to admit. Only in his third year had he finally found solid footing in this world of hunters and rifts.

They had fought plenty of times. Her family had even tried to pull her away from him, only backing off when they realized that the quiet boy she protected had ranked first since the day he arrived.

To them, it had seemed impossible. To Michael, it had simply been the natural result of having read thousands of novels and understanding how power systems and tropes usually worked.

Ivy’s hand came up and rested against his cheek, her thumb brushing lightly under his eye.

"I’ve told you this so many times already," she said softly, "but I love you. If it weren’t for my family, I would follow you anywhere."

Something in her tone made his expression darken.

"What do you mean by that?"

She hesitated. Her gaze dropped. When she spoke again, her voice was tight, almost choked. "Let’s break up."

For a second, the floor seemed to tilt beneath Michael’s feet. His chest tightened hard enough that it hurt to breathe.

"...What?"

Ivy still couldn’t look at him. Tears were already gathering along her lower lashes. Her heart felt like it had been pierced by a hundred thin needles, but she forced the words out anyway. She needed him safe more than she needed to keep him beside her right now.

She drew a shaky breath. "News that you destroyed the awakening crystal has already spread through the entire school. People are saying all kinds of things. My family... they’re especially interested."

Ivy paused for a moment, as if choosing her words. "When they called me about it, I told them the principal took you away and that it couldn’t have been a low rank, but they still demanded either a retest under Fox family supervision or that we end things. I know you broke the crystal for a reason. Doing a public retest would ruin whatever you’re planning. So..."

She finally lifted her tear-filled eyes to his. "It’s better if we break up."

Michael’s fists clenched at his sides. He wanted to say something, argue with her, tell her that her family couldn’t stop them, but he couldn’t bring himself to say a word. After all, he wasn’t stupid enough to think he could oppose such a powerful family.

Ivy reached up again, cupping his face with both hands as the tears finally spilled over. "I’ll get stronger. You get stronger too. Strong enough that even my family won’t dare come between us. Then we can be together properly."

Michael stared at her wet cheeks and pursed lips. And somewhere between her confession, his entire plan of collecting women and living freely suddenly felt like a betrayal.

Without realizing it, his lips parted, and the words left him before he could stop them.

"I’m sorry. I’m not worth you doing any of this. I’ve been a complete scumbag."

"I know."

"I’ve cheated. Multiple times."

"I know."

"I don’t think I’m going to suddenly become a one-woman man."

"I don’t care."

She wiped her face with the back of her hand and gave him a small, watery smile.

"I love you exactly the way you are. Actually... I kind of like that my man is a little polygamous. It means I’ll have lots of sisters." The smile turned into a mischievous grin. "What I don’t like is that you never introduced any of them to me so I could properly establish myself as the first girlfriend."

Michael’s eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

"Completely."

Ivy stepped past him toward the door, then paused and looked back over her shoulder. The bright, playful smile had returned, even if her eyes were still red.

"Even while I’m gone, make sure no one tries to take my place. And tell whatever other women you collect that their eldest sister is out on a brilliant adventure to become the strongest."

Just as she reached for the handle, Michael caught her shoulder.

"Wait. There’s something I need to tell you too. I wasn’t going to, but... I think I should."

Ivy turned, one brow raised.

Michael scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Well... I awakened a special talent today."

Her eyes went wide. "Does that mean you’re actually a—"

He nodded and began explaining. The Mission System. Emotion Points. Growth Points. The restrictions. The way rewards and costs scaled.

Ivy listened without interrupting, her expression shifting from shock to something close to awe.

"This..." she whispered. "Sounds almost like reality manipulation."

Then she smiled, fierce and bright. "I guess I have to train even harder, then. Can’t let you surpass me too much."

Before she could turn to leave again, Michael quickly opened his system panel and glanced at his current Emotion Points. Perhaps because of the interaction he had just had with Ivy and their personal history, his points had increased severalfold without him even realizing it.

Michael couldn’t help but smile a little as he selected Ivy’s name and carefully built the mission.

A moment passed before a purple panel bloomed in front of her face, causing her to jolt backward slightly.

Ding!

[Mission: Become the strongest among the Fox family’s younger generation within one year.]

[Reward: The Fox family’s lost ancient artifact.]

Ivy stared at the glowing text. Fresh tears welled up, but this time they were different.

She launched herself at him, her arms wrapping tightly around his neck, and kissed him hard. When she finally pulled back, she was grinning through the tears.

"Thank you. Really. Thank you."

She pumped one small fist against her chest. "I’ll complete it. I swear."

She backed toward the door, then stuck out her tongue and winked.

"If I come back and you’re still weaker than me, I won’t let you marry me... and I definitely won’t let you take my first. So you better work hard too."

Michael stood alone in the quiet storage room for a few seconds, the tightness in his chest finally easing. She was going to be okay. More than okay.

He turned to leave when he felt something warm settle on his shoulder from behind.

Michael’s entire body stiffened at the feeling of someone’s hand, just as a soft voice rang in his ear.

"Boo."

Michael nearly jumped out of his skin. He spun around, heart hammering, only to find the same beautiful woman who had stood on the platform during the awakening ceremony with Principal Diomande. She was still in her charcoal suit, her glasses slightly askew, looking far too pleased with herself.

He let out a long, relieved breath. "Oh, it’s just you." His relief quickly faded as he narrowed his eyes. "Wait, what are you even doing here?"

She shrugged, grinning.

"I got tired of waiting in the classroom, so I followed your girlfriend instead." She hugged herself and swayed slightly, her eyes sparkling with exaggerated emotion. "I saw the whole thing. What a beautiful, tragic, wonderful couple. My heart can barely take it."

Michael gave her a flat, deadpan stare and started walking past her.

She caught his wrist.

"Wait, wait, I’m kidding." Her voice softened. A faint flush colored her cheeks as she looked up at him. "I actually came to tell you something important."

Michael raised a skeptical brow.

She leaned in a little closer, still holding his wrist, and spoke in a near whisper.

"Michael... I’m pregnant."