Eiden sat cross-legged on his bed, the faint glow of System-chan's translucent window still pulsing gently in the dim light of his room. He rubbed his temples, processing the absurdity he'd swallowed—both literally and figuratively.
"So… stealing harems. Right. I need to know the rules."
The window flickered as if acknowledging the seriousness in his tone.
> "Ask away, Protagonist-kun!"
He sighed. "First off—can I build my own harem outside your targets?"
> "You can. But I won't help you. Skills and support only activate when you're courting girls already involved with someone else romantically."
"Figures. So, if I fall in love with someone single, it's solo grind time?"
> "Yep! But don't worry—your stats won't drop. I just won't carry your lazy butt through it."
"Charming." He leaned back, glancing at the flickering stat screen. "No mind control, no force, no instant panties-drop… right?"
> "Correct~! Effort-based manipulation only. You can't hypnotize anyone or directly change their thoughts. You must make her want you."
He clicked his tongue. "What about guys?"
> "Irrelevant. You can't affect them. Only steal their girls."
"So girls in fanclubs, or idol worshippers—those count?"
> "Nope. Admiration isn't affection. To be a valid harem, at least one girl must truly love the guy, and at least one more must be romantically connected. Fake harems, gold diggers, trophy partners—they don't count."
Eiden narrowed his eyes. "So if two girls are with the same guy, but only one genuinely likes him?"
> "Only she is targetable."
He smirked. "Sounds like a morality test wrapped in spice. You're twisted, System-chan."
> "Flatterer~!"
---
Morning came with chaos, as usual.
"Eiden! Your toast is burning!"
The door burst open. A pink-haired hurricane stomped in, a toothbrush in her mouth and mismatched socks on her feet. Sasha. His oldest trauma.
She wore an oversized hoodie that probably wasn't hers, and her curls were done up in messy twin buns like she couldn't decide whether to be a child or a streetfighter.
Eiden deadpanned. "This is my room."
"This is my emergency entryway," she replied, hopping onto his bed without hesitation. "Anyway, why're you talking to yourself like a villain last night? You sounded like you were about to conquer the world."
"I was," he muttered.
Sasha had been with him since kindergarten—cute, loud, chaotic. She changed hairstyles as often as people blinked, had pink eyes that sparkled when gossiping, and gave absolutely no signs of romantic interest in him.
The feeling was mutual.
Mostly.
She was like a sister. Annoying. Familiar. Safe.
Still, Eiden wasn't naive enough to claim he'd never thought of what-if's on especially lonely nights… but those thoughts passed, like gas. Brief and forgotten.
"You're staring at me weird," she said, narrowing her eyes.
"I'm calculating how much noise you make per cubic breath."
She grinned. "You love it."
He rolled his eyes and shoved her off his bed. "Go. Before I actually launch a toast at your face."
---
School was a brisk walk away.
Eiden stuffed his hands in his pockets, glancing around like a predator searching for prey. His first real day as a harem thief had officially begun.
> "System-chan?"
"Yes~?"
"Scan radius?"
"One kilometer. Alerting you now—Target Detected."
Across the street, a tall woman in heels and a tight-fitting gray blazer exited a luxury sedan. Her legs were sculpted, her blouse was two buttons too relaxed, and her perfume lingered like sin.
> "Name: Mika Kurobane. Occupation: Literature Teacher. Status: Secret affair with a married man. Target: Valid."
Eiden blinked. "Wait, that's… a teacher? Damn."
> "Also, the married woman he's with is valid too."
"Oh boy. Two birds. One homewrecker."
> "Mission: Touch her once. Accidental allowed."
Eiden snorted. "That's your quest? This feels like an ecchi anime plot."
Still, he watched carefully. Mika adjusted her bag on her shoulder. She looked flustered, checking her phone, frowning.
He made his move as she neared the college gate, timing it just as she turned a corner.
Their shoulders brushed.
"Ah—sorry," he muttered smoothly.
She glanced at him, barely sparing a nod, before moving on.
> "Mission Complete. +3 Stat Points."
---
[INSERTED SECTION — your requested monologue begins here]
Eiden didn't stop walking, but his eyes sharpened.
+3. Just like that?
So that's how it begins—graze a woman tangled in forbidden strings, and boom, I level up. This really is a homewrecker system.
He pulled up the status screen mentally.
> Status Points: 3
His eyes lingered on the charm stat—still an abysmal 6.
If I want these encounters to go smoother… I need to stop looking like a background character in everyone's life. Charm is my weakest link—and I need to change that if I want to survive this twisted game.
But not too fast. No one likes sudden glow-ups.
If I suddenly show up looking like a K-drama lead, people will start asking questions. Linda will think I hit my head. Sasha might drag me to a hospital.
No, I'll do it naturally. Slowly.
Better posture. Cleaner shoes. Fix my hair. Subtle upgrades. Let the world warm up to the new me before they realize they've already fallen.
He smirked to himself.
Charm isn't a number. It's a slow infection. I'll make sure they don't see it coming.
---
Campus was already buzzing.
The scent of sweat, perfume, and poorly hidden alcohol filled the air. Eiden wandered through, trying not to look like he was window-shopping for girlfriends.
> "Target Detected."
The system's tone dropped to a whisper.
At the far end of the hallway near the vending machines stood a girl tugging on a stuck can. She wore a navy-blue cardigan over a plain white shirt, her pleated skirt hanging slightly longer than most.
She wasn't model-tier, but she was easy on the eyes—soft features, hazel eyes, and brownish hair that curled naturally at the tips. Her glasses sat slightly crooked, like they'd been dropped and never fixed. She wasn't beautiful, but something about her felt… grounded. Real.
> "Name: Lyra Elwin. Affiliation: Emotional relationship with male X. At least two emotionally attached females detected. Status: Harem Confirmed."
Eiden watched her smack the machine in frustration. She cursed under her breath, then leaned in too hard.
The machine creaked.
He moved instantly.
The girl stumbled forward—and Eiden caught her by the waist.
Their eyes met.
"Whoa," he said, steadying her. "You okay?"
Lyra looked up, flustered. "I—yeah. I… Sorry."
Her cheeks flushed faintly, fingers twitching as she steadied herself against him.
Eiden smiled, not the flirty kind—but the warm, disarming one that made people lower their guard.
"You sure? Machines have a habit of biting back."
She let out a small laugh, brushing her bangs behind her ear. "Yeah. I've… noticed."
He helped her stand fully.
> "New Quest Unlocked: Escort Lyra to class. Optional Objective: Hand Touch Bonus."
He tilted his head at the glowing text only he could see, then turned back to her.
"Well then, Miss Machine Slayer. May I walk you to class?"
Lyra blinked, surprised. Then she nodded slowly. "Sure… I mean, if you're not busy."
Eiden offered his hand like a gentleman.
"Oh, I'm free," he said, voice laced with subtle amusement.
> Ohh boy im so excited!
To be continued....