The paladin's holy sword trembled against my throat as her steel-blue eyes wavered. Sweat dripped down her temple despite the chilly dawn air.
"I should... I must..." Her grip on the sword hilt tightened, then loosened. "Why does your neck look so... sliceable?"
[Fateweaver's Charm Progress: 87%]
[Warning: Target is resisting!]
Behind me, my newly-acquired hellhound growled, demonic drool sizzling on the cobblestones. The village gates creaked ominously as twenty more armored paladins came into view, their weapons drawn.
"Captain Elise!" shouted a brunette knight. "Execute the heretic before the charm fully—"
CRACK.
The captain's gauntleted fist suddenly slammed into her own subordinate's face. "WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO SPEAK ABOUT HIM?!"
[Fateweaver's Charm: Activation Complete]
[New Harem Member Added: Holy Paladin Elise (Lv. 78)]
I put my head in my hands. This wasn't my fault. This wasn't my fault.
---
The Aftermath
The village square became a warzone:
- Elise dueled her own troops with terrifying devotion, her sword movements blurring as she shouted "NOBODY TOUCHES MY DARLING!"
- My hellhound (now named "Fluffy") happily gnawed on a paladin's leg armor
- The villagers alternately screamed and took bets
- The system kept spamming:
▶ [Reputation with Holy Church: -1000 (Hated)]
▶ [Achievement: "Homewrecker of the Faith" Unlocked!]
Then came the worst part.
Elise pinned me against a water trough, her armored body pressing dangerously close. "Listen carefully," she whispered, breath hot against my ear. "The Church is sending the Grand Inquisitor - a man immune to charms. You need to—"
BOOM!
A fireball exploded the trough. We rolled apart as a black-robed figure descended from the sky, his face hidden beneath a crimson-trimmed hood.
"Pathetic." The Grand Inquisitor's voice dripped venom. "A mere F-rank adventurer corrupting our finest?"
[System Alert: CRITICAL THREAT DETECTED]
[Grand Inquisitor Marcus (Lv. 95) - Status: CHARM-IMMUNE]
Fluffy whimpered and hid behind my legs. Even Elise looked pale.
---
The Battle
Marcus fought like a living hurricane:
- His chain whip sliced through buildings like paper
- Holy fire turned the square into an inferno
- My desperate dodges earned me:
▶ [Skill Learned: "Pathetic Roll" (E-rank)]
Elise leapt between us, taking a brutal hit to her ribs. "RUN!" she screamed as her armor cracked.
That's when the second system message appeared:
[Emergency Quest: "Kiss of the Valkyrie" Activated!]
"Share a 'true love's kiss' with harem member to unlock temporary power boost!"
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Elise's eyes met mine, suddenly hopeful. Across the battlefield, Marcus raised his whip for the killing strike—
---
I grabbed Elise's bloodied face. "This means nothing!" I hissed before our lips met.
Light erupted.
[SYSTEM OVERRIDE: BLESSING OF THE WAR GODDESS]
[Temporary Power Boost: Lv. 1 → Lv. 50!]
Marcus actually stepped back as golden energy swirled around us. Then—
"THERE YOU ARE, HUSBAND!"
The Demon Lord crashed through the church roof, scythe gleaming. Right behind her, the Goddess of Love materialized in a burst of rose petals.
Marcus's hood finally fell back, revealing his horrified expression as all three women turned toward him.
"So..." The Demon Lord licked her lips. "Who's this bastard hurting my man?"
[Fateweaver's Charm Side Effect Discovered: Harem Synergy Mode]
TO BE CONTINUED—
• Will the town survive four SSS-rank beings fighting over Kaito?*l
• Why does the system keep suggesting increasingly lewd "power boost" methods?
• And who the hell keeps sending Fluffy armor-piercing bones?!
---