When he came to, he was face-down again, cheek mashed against the Sacred Pillow's blessed softness, his own drool forming a small wet patch. The muffled chaos of voices filtered into his ears like a nightmare chorus.
He peeled one eye open.
Selvara and Rhyla had squared off, sparks practically leaping between their glares. Selvara's tail lashed like a whip, her nails twitching toward her daggers. Rhyla's sword gleamed, her stance braced, boots digging into the earth. The two looked seconds away from tearing into each other.
Between them, poor Lysera flailed like a frantic bird, arms spread wide, her staff clutched awkwardly as though it could hold them apart. Her lips moved in desperate pleas for peace, but her trembling betrayed her terror.
And Aurelia?
Aurelia stood apart, at the clearing's edge, arms folded across her armored chest. The smirk on her lips hadn't faded; if anything, it had deepened. She looked not like a newcomer, but like a queen surveying the borders of land she already owned.
Kael buried his face back into the pillow with a groan. "Kill me now."
The system chimed, merciless, implacable.
[Quest Triggered: Initiate Dominance Ritual with Aurelia.]
[Objective: Establish control before Aurelia assumes leadership.]
[Reward: Permanent harem stabilization buff.]
[Failure: Aurelia will attempt to claim leadership of the harem.]
Kael let out a muffled scream into the pillow until he ran out of air.
Kael's scream strangled itself into the Sacred Pillow, the sound muffled and pitiful. He kicked his feet weakly against the grass like a child mid-tantrum. "Why," he wailed into the fabric, "does every reward come with more suffering?!"
Selvara's forked tongue slipped across her lips with an audible tsk. Her tail curled in lazy spirals, her eyes gleaming like a cat watching a bowl of cream. "Mmm… a ritual, is it? I wonder if it involves oil… silk robes… perhaps a candle-lit bath." She leaned forward, voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Kael, if that's the case, I'll be happy to volunteer as the instructor~."
Rhyla's response was less sultry and far more explosive. With a snarl, she wrenched her sword free and stabbed it point-first into the earth with a metallic thunk. The blade quivered, dirt spraying. "If she dares to take command, I'll cut her down where she stands. Titles mean nothing on the battlefield."
Lysera nearly jumped out of her skin at the noise, her hands flying to her mouth. Her pale face drained of color as her staff trembled in her grip. "No!" she gasped, shaking her head so hard her golden hair flared around her like sunlight. "We mustn't! Rituals are sacred! They… they bind souls and destinies! What if it involves… c-c-carnal acts?!" Her voice broke on the last words, cheeks flaming crimson.
And then Aurelia moved.
She strode forward, the meadow bending to her presence, her boots sinking into the grass like drumbeats of war. Sunlight glinted off her halberd as she lifted it, the etched runes pulsing faintly like a heartbeat. The weapon sang as it cut through the air, demanding attention.
"The ritual is simple," Aurelia declared, her voice low but carrying the weight of a warhorn. She stopped mere feet from Kael, her halberd planted into the ground with a heavy thud. The shock ran up his spine. Her crimson gaze locked onto him, sharp enough to strip him bare. "You and I fight. If you win, I kneel." Her lips curled, teeth flashing as her smirk widened into something feral. "If I win… you kneel."
Kael's throat closed, his words cracking into a squeal. "I DON'T LIKE EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS!"
---
The meadow exploded into chaos.
Aurelia swung first, the halberd's blade hissing as it cleaved through the air. Kael flung himself sideways, feet tangling in a tree root. He tumbled, landed flat on his back, and watched with wide, terrified eyes as the weapon buried itself in the ground where his skull had been. Dirt showered him like rain.
Scrambling upright, Kael seized the Sacred Pillow with both arms like a holy shield, knuckles white with panic.
The system's merciless ding filled his head.
[Hint: Use the Sacred Pillow. It is your greatest asset.]
Kael screeched, veins bulging in his neck. "IT'S A PILLOW, NOT A WEAPON!"
Aurelia lunged again, the halberd sweeping low. Kael yelped, legs flailing as he leapt wildly. His foot landed on the shaft, momentum carrying him upward like an acrobat who had no business performing. He flipped—screaming the entire time—and crashed behind her, slamming the Sacred Pillow against her armored back with a desperate whump.
To his horror—and everyone else's—Aurelia actually staggered a step.
Her crimson eyes flared with heat, and then… her lips curved into a grin. She exhaled, low and throaty. "Good. You're not completely worthless."
From the sidelines, Selvara purred, fangs glinting. "Mmm, spank her harder, my lord. She looks like she enjoys it."
Lysera squealed, dropping to her knees and covering her face with both hands. "S-S-SINFUL! This entire meadow has become a den of debauchery!"
Rhyla leaned on her sword, grinning wide, eyes gleaming like a predator watching prey. "This is finally getting interesting."
Kael flailed both arms, the pillow held like a white flag. "THIS ISN'T A SHOW!"
---
The fight devolved into a nightmare carnival.
Aurelia struck with deadly precision, her halberd whistling through the air in arcs that could cleave trees. Kael avoided death by pure chaos—tripping over rocks, slipping on grass, ducking at the exact wrong moment, only for the weapon to whistle past his hair. Each desperate pillow-swing smacked against Aurelia's armor with a muffled pomf that should have been laughable.
And yet.
Each strike made her falter—just slightly. Each blow deepened the flush on her cheeks. Her breathing grew heavier, her movements sharper, more excited. Kael's horror grew with every gasp of pleasure hidden behind her grin.
She wasn't tiring. She was thriving.
By the tenth frantic smack, Aurelia halted. She stood still, her chest rising and falling in quick, hungry breaths. Her halberd lowered slowly, the blade quivering in the grass. Her eyes locked on Kael, crimson burning with feverish hunger.
"Enough," she growled.
Kael stumbled backward until his spine hit the rough bark of a tree. The pillow was squished uselessly between them as Aurelia closed the distance. Her shadow fell over him, warm breath brushing his cheek.
"You've proven yourself."
Kael's knees knocked together. His voice cracked into a high whine. "P-Proven what? That I can… hit a woman with bedding?!"
Her smirk turned into something wicked, devastating. "That you're worthy of kneeling beside me."
The system's cold chime cut through his terror.
[Dominance Ritual Complete. Outcome: Shared Command.]
[Aurelia has joined the harem.]
[Stability +20.]
Kael's soul visibly deflated out of him. "…Shared… command?"
Selvara clapped her hands, delighted. "Ohhh, this will be so much fun."
Rhyla snarled, her grip tightening on her sword hilt. "Over my dead body."
Lysera swayed on her feet before finally collapsing in a faint, robes billowing around her.
And Aurelia?
Aurelia leaned in until her lips nearly brushed Kael's ear, her voice a velvet promise. "From now on, you sleep with one eye open, Overlord. Because when I take you…" Her breath ghosted hot across his skin. "…it won't be gentle."
Kael screamed into the Sacred Pillow until his lungs gave out.