Harem System In A fantasy World

The clatter of several small objects hitting the floor echoed throughout the relatively cramped office.

"How did this happen!? Did you know about this!?"

Liora flinched as Dawncrest’s furious figure towered over her, his index finger pointed accusingly toward her face.

She frowned.

"I already told you. I knew nothing about Celeste Chronos and Elion’s apparent relationship."

"Don’t answer back to me, girl!" he hissed menacingly.

Liora’s brows furrowed.

"But you asked me a question—"

Kwap!

Her response was cut short by the sharp crack of a slap.

"Shut up!"

Dawncrest’s voice reverberated through the room.

"Just shut up!" He glared down at her. "Don’t forget that I own you now!"

Liora slowly raised a hand to her stinging cheek.

Despite the burning sensation spreading across her skin, her expression remained eerily calm.

She didn’t retaliate or let any resentment show on her face, but simply stared back at him.

Dawncrest’s breathing was heavy, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.

Those who thought they knew Liora would have been deeply unsettled by the stern calm on her face.

"I don’t like the look on your face."

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

"Why don’t you show a little despair? Some anger? Tears, perhaps?"

He snorted deeply.

"You think you still have honour?"

Liora remained silent.

"You lost that the moment your matriarch sold you to me. You are nothing but a slave now. You would do well to remember that."

Liora did not answer.

Wisely, she chose to keep her words to herself.

"The only honour you have left is your honour as a woman, and you’ll lose that soon enough. Once Xavier gives you a child."

Liora’s expression remained unchanged.

"You should consider yourself lucky that my son is clouded by some strange sense of chivalry."

At those words, Cain’s head suddenly snapped toward the doorway. Xavier had been standing there, watching the exchange with a disapproving expression.

"Father..."

He stepped into the room.

His gaze briefly settled on Liora before he walked over and handed her a cool, damp towel.

"If Liora is to become my concubine one day, then I suggest you treat her kindly."

Cain’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Are you threatening me, son?"

Xavier shook his head.

"I wouldn’t dream of it." He glanced back toward his father. "After all, a good leader is one who allows others to follow him willingly."

His tone remained calm.

"It won’t do if she ends up with me simply because she was forced into it."

Xavier paused.

"If there is a chance, then it is better if she chooses it herself."

Liora stared at him for a moment before looking down at the towel in her hands.

How idealistic...

A faint scoff echoed inside her mind.

I was forced, though. Her fingers tightened slightly around the towel. And apparently, my choice doesn’t matter.

She slowly pressed the cool cloth against her cheek.

"So, Father, seeing as you’ve had the news, I’m curious. What are we to do now?"

Xavier glanced toward him.

"I’m guessing you can’t simply proceed as you had planned, can you?"

Cain let out a long breath, finally beginning to calm himself.

"No. No, we cannot, unfortunately."

He rubbed his forehead before his gaze shifted toward Liora.

"I’m going to have to depend on this one’s testimony."

His expression darkened.

"Those bastards..."

He gritted his teeth.

"Acting all high and mighty just because I burned down a house."

He scoffed.

"This kingdom has gone soft!" He hissed.

Liora frowned.

Depend on my testimony?

She had already realized that something was wrong with Cain’s plans, but hearing him say it aloud confirmed her suspicions.

She hesitated before speaking.

"I already told you that I’m not even certain whether he is a demon."

Her fingers tightened around the towel.

"Chances are, my dreams weren’t manipulated by a demonic ability at all. They could have been influenced by an object, or perhaps even a third party."

"And what did I tell you?"

Cain’s voice sharpened.

"There is no need to speculate. Just give them the reason that works in our favour."

Liora’s frown deepened.

"Yes, but I can’t simply lie in a royal court."

Cain’s eyes narrowed.

"They have diviners and methods of detecting lies."

"Surely your matriarch taught you how to deceive such methods."

Cain’s tone became mocking.

"She told me that she trained you herself. Otherwise, I’d be forced to believe that her reputation isn’t as well earned as everyone claims."

Liora’s expression remained calm.

But internally, she was growing increasingly irritated. What did the Blossom Matriarch’s reputation have to do with her?

As far as she was concerned, that woman was better off dead.

So that’s what he intends to do.

He wanted her to walk into a royal court and knowingly provide false testimony against Elion, despite the possibility that the court possessed methods capable of exposing the deception.

And worse...

He expected her to be good enough to fool them.

Liora lowered her eyes slightly.

There was something almost absurd about the situation.

Her matriarch had indeed taught her many things. Like deception, dream manipulation, reading people, hiding her intentions, and even resisting certain forms of mental probing.

But none of that meant she could simply fabricate a perfect lie in front of the kingdom’s most powerful diviners.

Especially when she herself did not know the truth.

Xavier seemed to notice her hesitation.

"Father."

Cain looked toward him.

"What?"

"You’re asking her to testify against Elion based on something she isn’t even certain about." Xavier’s expression remained composed. "Isn’t that dangerous?"

Cain snorted.

"Everything about this situation is dangerous."

He turned back toward Liora.

"But if we do nothing, the situation will only get worse."

His eyes narrowed.

"The Vampire Kingdom has already taken that boy under its protection. If we allow this to continue, we may lose our opportunity entirely."

Liora remained silent.

"I’ve been thinking..." Xavier paused, choosing his words carefully. "Why not work out a solution with Elion Nova instead?"

Cain’s expression turned sour.

"Provided he proves his innocence, which he probably is. It’s highly unlikely that the vampires would work so closely with a demon, especially now that he’s apparently been accepted into their royal family."

He glanced toward his father.

"I’m sure he’d be open to working something out. He’s only an orphan who happens to possess considerable talent, after all. Even he wouldn’t want to make an enemy of a duke, the vampires’ backing or not."

Xavier’s expression remained thoughtful.

"I’ve spoken to him before. He seems intelligent enough to understand when cooperation is the better choice."

Cain immediately snorted before his son could continue.

"Just as I thought." His eyes narrowed. "You have no spine!"

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