Kaisen sat by the dying fire, his sword resting across his knees, and tried not to think about the two women sleeping in the tent behind him. Failed, obviously, because exhaustion made his mind wander to places it shouldn't go.
Elise first, because thinking about her came with satisfaction instead of complication. The mage had impressed him during the fight—she was calm under pressure, tactical with her magic, willing to push herself to exhaustion to protect them. She was smart, competent, and had that quiet strength he respected.
They'd already crossed that line weeks ago, finding stolen moments in the darkness when they could. It was easy with Elise—no expectations beyond the sex, no complicated emotions tangling things up. She understood what he was, understood his choice of gathering a harem, and had accepted it without drama. Their arrangement worked. He loved her, she loved him.
But it was Rem who occupied most of his thoughts lately, and that was... complicated.
She'd changed. Not just physically—though the boost was obvious—but fundamentally. The woman who'd joined their party had been competent, quiet, kept to herself. Now she moved with a predatory grace, fought with strength that rivaled his own, and carried herself with confidence that bordered on dangerous. She was sexy, smart, reliable..... she was rem.
She was a major part of his life now, to think she would make a deal with a god just to protect them... also the mark, she'd said it was a pact with some unnamed god in exchange for their survival. He believed her, mostly, but something about her explanation felt incomplete.
The way she'd shifted away when he got close in the tent. The way the mark had glowed faintly through that silk kimono. The flush on her face when he'd mentioned it.
Heightened emotions, she'd said
Kaisen wasn't stupid. That had looked like something else entirely. Something she wasn't ready to talk about. Something that he desprately carved for, her teasing had made him go over his limits, on so many occasion...
He shook his head, trying to clear thoughts that would only lead to trouble. Rem had secrets, fine. Everyone had secrets. She'd saved their lives today. That's what mattered.
A familiar blue screen materialized in his vision, the system.
[QUEST COMPLETE: Survive the Alpha Assault]
[Rewards Processing... MAIN OBJECTIVE: Survive encounter with two three-core alphas]
[5000 System Points ]
[+3 to all stats]
[Level Up! Level 12 -13]
[BONUS OBJECTIVE: Kill both alpha beasts ]
[Additional 3000 System Points]
[Rare Skill Unlock Available]
[HAREM PROGRESSION]
Current Party Members -
Elise: 85/100 (intimate connection)
Rem: 35/100 (Building trust, Divine interference detected)
Warning: Divine mark on party member "Rem" may interfere with standard attraction mechanics and system tracking. Goddess "Aria" may have awareness of harem progression. Proceed with caution.
[Total System Points: 8000]
Kaisen dismissed most of it The attraction progression tracker had always felt invasive—reducing complex human interaction to numbers. But useful for understanding his limits
The rare skill unlock though. That caught his attention.
[RARE CORE SKILL UNLOCKED]
[Requirement Met: Defeat multiple three-core beasts]
[SKILL: Personal Realm (Tier 1) Type: Spatial Magic ]
[Pocket Dimension Cost: 8000 System Points (All available points)]
Description: Creates a personal pocket dimension accessible only by the user and those granted explicit permission. Initial realm is 1 square kilometer of flat terrain with breathable atmosphere and stable temperature. User has absolute control over environmental conditions, time flow (1:1 ratio with real world initially), and access permissions.
Realm expands with skill upgrades: -
Tier 2: 5 km2 (Unlocks at Level 15)
Tier 3: 25 km2 + Resource Generation (Unlocks at Level 18)
Tier 4: 100 km2 + Time Dilation 1:2 (Unlocks at Level 22)
Tier 5: 500 km2 + Full Terraforming (Unlocks at Level 25)
[Primary Uses: - Absolute privacy, Secure storage for unlimited items/resources, Safe haven during dangerous situations ,Training environment with controllable conditions]
[REDACTED - Harem Member Housing - Unlocks Tier 3+]
[Warning: This is a CORE SKILL. Once purchased, it cannot be refunded or removed. Your soul becomes bound to the realm's existence]
[Purchase?]
[Y/N]
Kaisen stared at the description. A pocket dimension? An entire world, even if small initially, that belonged to him completely. Absolute control, absolute privacy, unlimited storage.. but the cost.
Eight thousand points. It was every single point he'd earned from this fight. It would leave him with nothing for other upgrades, no stat boosts, no skill purchases. All his eggs in one basket.
But gods, the possibilities.
A place where he could retreat completely. Where he could store supplies without weight limits. Where he and Elise could fuck like animals without worrying about waking the others. Where, eventually, other harem members could have private spaces if things progressed that direction.
And that [REDACTED] section about harem member housing at Tier 3... he didn't want to think about those implications yet.
He selected Yes.
Power flooded through him, different from the combat skills or stat increases. This felt fundamental, like something was being carved into his soul and bound there permanently. His vision swam, consciousness splitting between the physical world and somewhere else entirely.
He saw it—a vast empty plain stretching to a distant horizon, flat terrain covered in short grass, the sky above that seemed both real and alive. One square kilometer of nothing, waiting to be shaped.
His realm. His own domain.
The connection settled in . He could access it through act of will, opening a portal when needed. His realm now, forever bound to his soul.
[SKILL ACQUIRED: Personal Realm (Tier 1)]
[Your soul is now bound to a pocket dimension measuring 1 km²]
[Access Method: Visualize realm entrance and channel mana to open portal (Cost: 100 mana initially, decreases with mastery)]
[Current Permissions: User only]
[Portal Duration: 10 minutes per opening]
[initially Realm Time Flow: 1:1 with reality]
[Warning: Divine interference detected in party. Goddess "Aria" may have awareness of pocket dimensions. Recommend caution when bringing marked individual into realm.]
Kaisen blinked, processing that last warning. Aria. So that was the name of the god who'd marked Rem. Interesting that the system knew it, the system was warning him about bringing her into his private realm.
He looked back at the tent where both women slept
The fire crackled, embers rising toward a star-filled sky. Dawn would come soon, bringing the settlement, and whatever challenges waited there.
Kaisen added more wood to the fire and settled in for the rest of his watch, very carefully not thinking about a private dimension he could now access at will or the possibilities it created.
He failed at that too.
The sun climbed above the horizon slowly, painting the sky in shades of orange and gold that felt almost peaceful compared to yesterday's chaos. Kaisen watched it rise while sipping cold water, the day starting quiet and serene.
That changed when Elise emerged from the tent, her hair was disheveled, and her eyes still heavy with sleep. She moved to sit beside him by the fire's dying embers, her shoulder brushing his as she placed her head on his shoulder.
"How is he?" Kaisen asked, though he already knew the answer
"Same as last night. Stable but unconscious." Elise pulled her cloak tighter around herself. "The potion did what it could but i really hope there is a healer in that town or else..."
"We'll get him there." Kaisen said it with confidence The realm would be secure storage for medical supplies, the pocket space could become their base of operations. Things were starting to align, at least mechanically speaking.
Rem emerged next, the silk kimono she'd found in inventory looking incongruous with her battle-weathered face and blood-matted hair. She moved to start packing their minimal supplies without speaking, her graceful yet cute at the same time.
"Settlement's still hours away," Kaisen said while standing. "We should move while it's cool."
No one argued. They worked in silence, quickly breaking down camp and preparing Marcus's stretcher for another day of hard travel.
By mid-morning they were on the road, pulling the stretcher toward the distant grassland where smoke could already be seen rising from the settlement's chimneys.
The transition from ash forest to actual grassland happened gradually, trees thinning first and then disappearing entirely until only rolling plains stretched ahead. The change was dramatic—from burned desolation to living ecosystem, from ash-covered ground to actual soil and grass.
They made good time despite Marcus's weight. Kaisen and Rem alternated pulling the stretcher while Elise walked alongside. His breathing had stabilized further overnight, color returned to his face, his wounds were sealed and healing though he remained deeply unconscious.
The closer they got to the settlement, the more Kaisen could make out details. The Farmland first—fields of crops spreading over vast land with simple structures for storing harvest. Then actual buildings, there was a church tower visible above everything else with a white symbol of the goddess catching afternoon light.
There were many people on the roads, from farm workers stopping to stare at this trio pulling an unconscious man on a makeshift stretcher, all of them covered in dried blood and wearing clothes that had seen better days. Whispers followed them, questions they didn't bother answering.
By late afternoon they were approaching the settlement, a small farming community, maybe two hundred people at most, clustered around a central square dominated by the church and a marketplace. It was even smaller than their backwater town
Kaisen scanned the area for any potential dangers, escape routes, resources, political structure. The mayor's house would be the largest building besides the church. Guards here were minimal, just a few militia members watching the square.
A woman emerged from the crowd as they approached, older with gray threading through her dark hair, wearing what looked like authority. "You need help?" she called out, moving toward them while taking in their appearance with sharp eyes.
"Yes.." Kaisen said simply. "Our companion is critically injured. We need a healer."
The woman's expression shifted, becoming worried. "Follow me to the church. Sister Aria is there, She's good, maybe the best in the region."
Sister Aria. Same name as the goddess who'd marked Rem.
Kaisen felt Rem tense beside him, saw her glance sharply at the woman before composing herself.
"Lead the way," Kaisen said while making eye contact with Rem. Just a brief moment of worry—they'd both heard it, he wanted to console her.
The church interior was cool and dim, stone walls were soaked in perpetual shade. Shelves lined one side holding bottles and jars of varying colors, medical supplies and holy texts arranged in careful organization. The smell of herbs and something antiseptic filled the air.
An older priestess was arranging supplies when they entered, her back to them, movements sure and practiced. She turned at the sound of footsteps and froze.
She was young. Far too young to be called "Sister" by an older community leader, couldn't be more than twenty-five, with long copper hair tied back in a neat braid and eyes that were startlingly bright green. Porcelain skin, delicate features, small frame that made her look like she'd break under slight pressure. She was one of the most beautiful woman he has seen
Naive didn't begin to cover the innocence radiating from her.
But her hands moved with confidence when she saw Marcus unconscious on the stretcher, already looking for injuries, checking his pulse and breathing. Competence and kindness, damn that was hot.
"What happened?" she asked while gesturing for them to lay him on a prepared table.
Kaisen explained while she examined the stomach wound, the neck damage, the severity of everything Marcus had endured. The priestess—she introduced herself as Altaria—made small sounds of sympathy but her hands stayed steady.
"You used a mid-tier potion?" she asked while peeling away the bandages to see the scarring.
"Yes," Rem confirmed, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. Her voice was careful, measured.
Altaria nodded. "He'll live. The potion stabilized him, and the wounds are clean. But he needs proper care to get him out of this coma and heal him properly, his mana core is shattered too" She looked up at them with earnest concern in those bright eyes. "I can help him. he might not be able to use man, but I can help him."
"How much?" Kaisen asked, they could afford most if any unreasonable price she threw
"No charge," she said simply. "The church provides healing. Donation is welcome if you have it, but its not required. A man shouldn't suffer for lack of coin."
Behind them, in the church shadows where only Rem could see due to some reason, Aria manifested just barely visible. The goddess was grinning, clearly delighted by whatever she was seeing in this young priestess.
And Rem understood immediately why. This girl—naive, kind, innocent Altaria who helped people without expecting payment—was absolutely perfect for corruption. Absolutely perfect for Aria's amusement. Absolutely perfect for the kind of degradation the goddess loved to orchestrate.
Kaisen watched Altaria work with fascination. The priestess moved around Marcus efficiently, her hands glowing faint green as healing magic flowed from her into his damaged body. The wounds that should have taken weeks to heal began closing noticeably within minutes, his internal organs finishing their regeneration under her directed power.
She was good. Better than good. This was someone trained in healing arts from childhood, someone with natural talent amplified by years of study and practice. The system would probably classify her as high-tier healer material, someone capable of supporting front-line combat teams or running a full hospital operation.
But what caught Kaisen's attention most wasn't her competence. It was her innocence. The way she moved with complete unselfconsciousness, the way she helped Marcus without considering cost or benefit, the way her bright green eyes looked at people like she believed in fundamental human goodness.
She wore the priestess robes of the church with reverence, clearly took her vocation seriously. Young, probably hadn't seen much of the world beyond this settlement. Naive wasn't an insult here—it was literal.
Kaisen found himself studying her more carefully, noting details with the system's harem conditions in the back of his mind. What attracted him? Competence, obviously. Intelligence masked by innocence, looks? how hot the girl was or how lewd she looked?. The contrast between her kind demeanor and the power she clearly possessed. The way those green eyes showed every emotion without filter.
A woman like that would be valuable to any cohort, and especially his harem. Her healing alone made her tactically important. But her personality, her genuine desire to help others, her lack of artifice or manipulation—that was rarer and more precious.
He could work with this. The system said so at 0% attraction progression, which meant she was completely unaware of him in that context. But that would change. They always did.
Altaria looked up from Marcus's almost-healed form, checking his pulse one final time. "He'll sleep for a while longer, one or two weeks give or take"
Relief flooded through Kaisen despite himself. Marcus would be okay. Their healer would survive.
"We can't thank you enough," Elise said, speaking with genuine gratitude.
Altaria smiled, and it was pure sunshine in the dim church. "No thanks necessary. This is what I do—help people. What are your names? How did you end up fighting two alphas? Those are dangerous creatures and you all look like you've been through something terrible."
She asked with genuine curiosity, settling in to hear their story. And Kaisen found himself answering, found himself drawn into conversation with someone whose innocence was refreshing after weeks of combat and survival.
He didn't notice how naturally he was starting to like her. Didn't notice how the system's attraction tracker was probably starting its slow climb from zero.
Didn't notice Aria watching from the shadows with genuine delight.
Rem watched Altaria work and felt her stomach turn with a mixture of dread and understanding.
She knew who this was of Couse... the saintess, the second member of kaisen's harem and a key factor on his survival through this journey.
She could see it immediately—the perfect target, the ideal victim, complete innocence that Aria would destroy piece by piece for entertainment. This girl healed Marcus with genuine care and asked nothing in return. This girl looked at them like they were heroes instead of survivors. This girl believed fundamentally that the world was good and people were worth helping.
Aria's laughter echoed through the mark's connection, intimate and cruel. "Oh darling, isn't she delicious? That naive little priestess with her pure heart. Can you see it? Can you see how easily she would crumble under the right pressure? How beautifully she would corrupt?"
Rem gripped the edge of a nearby shelf, forcing her breathing to stay level.
"She's going to be part of his harem, you know," Aria continued, her voice dripping with malicious glee. "That boy toy is already drawn to her. Can't you see it? The way his eyes linger, the way he's starting to smile around her. She'll fall for him eventually—she's too naive not to. And then..."
The goddess let that sentence hang, meaning clear without being completed.
"And then he'll corrupt her with whatever the system gives him, and I get to watch her transform from this innocent priestess into something far more interesting. A healer who uses her power to pleasure her master. A priestess who breaks her vows. your personal creation!!"
"Stop," Rem muttered under her breath.
"Stop what, toy? I'm not doing anything yet. This is all just future possibility." Aria's presence intensified, pressing against the mark. "Though I have to say, the fact that you're already thinking about what happens to this girl... very interesting. Seven days left on your virginity quest, and you're already worrying about another woman's corruption. Tell me, is that guilt? Or are you thinking about how this could all work out perfectly for your fantasies?"
Rem felt the mark pulse with her involuntary arousal response—arousal from anger, from stress, from the complexity of what she was seeing.
Altaria looked up suddenly, as if sensing something, and her bright green eyes met Rem's across the church. She smiled with pure kindness, completely unaware of what was being orchestrated around her.
"What's your name?" Altaria asked. "You look tired"
It was an innocent question, concern from a girl who genuinely cared. Rem felt her throat tighten.
"Rem," she answered. "My name is Rem."
"Rem," Altaria repeated, like she was memorizing it. "That's a pretty name. I'm glad you're here. I'm glad I can help your friend."
And Aria laughed, her presence washing through the mark like oil spreading across water.
"Oh yes, this is going to be delightful."