Chapter 176: First Step Towards A Harem

Charlotte stood outside the door, pacing nervously.

Her hands were clenched into fists, her heart hammering with unease. She had already banged on the door several times, called out to them, but not a single sound came from within. Not even a muffled word. The silence was unbearable.

Her lips trembled as she muttered to herself.

"Damn it, Anya...even if I fight you, even if I try to drag you down whenever it comes to Mika...you’re still my sister. You’ve always been my big sis. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Not because of some mistake you made in the heat of anger."

She lifted her hand again, ready to bang on the door harder, when suddenly, with a soft click, the lock turned. Charlotte immediately stumbled back, her body tense, her pulse racing as the door slowly opened.

And then they stepped out.

Mika first, looking calm, though his shirt was in complete disarray, faint stains marring the fabric. Behind him, Anya emerged. Her hair was a little messy, her blazer slightly loose, her expression unreadable.

The moment Charlotte saw her, she rushed forward, eyes wide with fear.

"Anya! Are you alright? Are you alright? Did he, did Mika punish you too hard? Was it too much for you to bear?" She wrung her hands, glancing from her sister’s face to Mika’s. "I couldn’t hear anything from inside. Nothing! And now seeing you like this, I need to know you’re really okay!"

Anya froze for a second. The raw, desperate concern in Charlotte’s voice...it melted her heart.

But instead of reassuring her outright, she decided to play with her a little.

Slowly, she raised a hand to her eye and rubbed it, forcing a single tear to well up. Her lips trembled, her voice quivered as she whispered.

"It’s alright, Charlotte...It’s alright. It was...painful. Painful enough that I’ll never forget it. But the punishment is already over. You don’t need to worry anymore."

Charlotte’s eyes went wide.

"You’re...crying?!" She gasped.

Her sister, her strong, fearless Anya, who never shed a tear even when she bled, even when she broke bones in training, was crying? That could only mean Mika had gone too far.

Fury welled up inside her. She spun around and immediately stepped in front of Anya, shielding her with her own body. Her hands shot up defensively, and she pointed at Mika, her fingers trembling.

"Mika, this is too much! What you did was too much!" She shouted, her voice cracking with both fear and determination. "It would be fine if you punished her for actually doing something, but all she did was say something stupid!"

"You know as well as I do she’d never actually go through with it, she’s not that reckless! But you, you used this as an excuse to hurt her, to break her down, and now look!"

Her eyes darted back to Anya, who dabbed at her tears pitifully.

"She’s crying! My big sis is crying! You...You’re a bad guy, Mika!"

Mika blinked, his mouth parting slightly in disbelief. "Bad guy...?"

But before he could respond, warm arms suddenly wrapped around Charlotte from behind. She squeaked in surprise as Anya, who couldn’t hold back after seeing her little sister fight for her sake embraced her tightly, resting her chin on her shoulder.

Then came the soft press of a kiss against her cheek.

Kiss!

"Oh, Charlotte." Anya cooed, her voice sweet as honey. "You adorable little fox. How can you be so cute? Fighting with me over Mika one moment, and then fighting for me against him the next. You’re just too precious!"

Charlotte’s face turned red. She struggled in her sister’s grip, flustered beyond words. "A-Anya, let me go! I have to protect you, I have to stand up to him for what he did!"

But Anya only hugged her tighter, giggling softly into her ear. "No, no. I’d much rather you spend this time with me, my sweet little sister. Don’t waste your energy fighting Mika on my behalf."

She peppered kisses across Charlotte’s face, until Charlotte’s resistance weakened and she sagged against her.

Watching this, Mika could only sigh with a helpless smile tugging at his lips. But his attention was suddenly drawn to movement further down the hall and his eyes narrowed in surprise and confusion.

A group had gathered. Not just Charlotte’s usual companions—but another, much sharper-looking crowd. Girls dressed in immaculate uniforms, their postures stiff, their expressions cold and disciplined.

The moment he saw them, Mika recognized them instantly.

They were Anya’s subordinates, members of the Disciplinary Council, the girls who carried out her orders with military precision.

But what struck him was the atmosphere.

The two groups weren’t mingling. They weren’t ignoring each other either. They were glaring, glaring like cats and dogs ready to pounce, sparks of hostility practically crackling in the air.

"What the hell is going on here?" Mika muttered. His eyes flicked between them. "Why are they looking like they want to rip each other’s heads off?"

Maria, who had been lingering nearby, finally stepped forward with an exasperated sigh. Her tone was dry, but her eyes were sharp.

"Do you really need me to explain, Mika? It’s obvious." She jabbed a finger toward Charlotte. "Those girls are her friends. They support her. So, they want her to win your heart."

Then she gestured at the pristine council behind Anya.

"And those girls? They’re that crazy girl’s. They know how much she loves you, and they’ll back her until the end. So, it’s only natural they hate each other. They’re rivals. Opposite factions. And you..."

Maria looked at him mockingly.

"...You’re the prize they’re fighting over."

Mika rubbed his forehead, exhaling through his nose. "So now I don’t just have the two of you fighting over me...but their entire entourages too."

Maria’s lips curled up, findind amusement in his headache. "Exactly. You’ve got girls clawing for you, and their friends clawing for them...You’re one lucky bastard, Mika."

Before Mika could reply, Anya suddenly stepped forward, still holding Charlotte possessively. She smiled sweetly, her voice ringing with devotion.

"No, Maria. You’ve got it all wrong." She tilted her head. "The lucky one isn’t Mika. It’s me, and Charlotte. Because we’re the ones blessed to be with him. We’re the ones allowed to bask in his light. Mika’s presence humbles us. I’m just grateful just to stand at his side."

Maria blinked at her, taken aback. Then her eyes narrowed and she instinctively stepped back, on guard.

Just minutes ago, Anya had threatened her. Now she was smiling like a saint and she wasn’t accepting that one bit.

Seeing this, Anya knew what she was thinking and in response quickly bowed her head low, her voice gentle as she apologized saying,

"I want to apologize, Maria. I let my emotions take over earlier. I said things I didn’t mean, things I’d never do. That was my mistake." She looked up with soft eyes. "So I’d like to ask for your forgiveness. And...your friendship, if you’d allow it."

Maria froze, her lips tightening, before slowly, she shook her head.

"No. I’d rather not be close to someone who would threaten to burn my face off just because I say something that she doesn’t agree with. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take."

"That’s sad." Anya only smiled wider. "But it makes sense."

Then, with a light giggle, she added,

"But even if you don’t consider me a friend, I do. Anyone on Mika’s good side is on my good side too...So I hope we’ll get along in the future, Maria."

Maria stiffened, taking a subtle step back, her eyes wary. She knew this girl, this terrifying, fanatically devoted girl, could switch from warmth to cruelty in the blink of an eye.

And though Anya’s smile was bright, Maria kept her guard up, unwilling to trust the mask she wore so easily.

Anya noticed Maria’s distrustful eyes on her and only smiled faintly, as though she had expected that reaction all along. Then she turned to Mika, her voice softer, almost reluctant.

"Mika...I really want to spend more time with you, especially after seeing you again after so long. You don’t know how much I’ve missed this..." She touched her chest gently before sighing. "But I can’t, not right now. My girls are waiting for me."

She nodded toward the disciplinary council still standing sharp in formation behind her.

"I need to sort things out with them, clear up what happened today. I can’t just let them shoulder all the work. I’m their leader, I have to face them too. So...I’ll be going for now."

Charlotte blinked, pulling her head out of Anya’s embrace.

"Ah! Mika, me too." She bit her lip, looking guilty. "We were supposed to have lunch together, but I can’t. I need to clean this lab, file the complaints about the device, get everything back in order. There’s a lot piled up already. So I...I can’t join you today either."

"Alright. It’s fine. We can meet another time." Mika gave them both a soft smile and a little nod. He then quickly added, "And know that you don’t have to hesitate anymore—if you want to see me, come whenever you like."

Those words struck like a spark. Both Anya and Charlotte lit up instantly, their eyes wide and glowing, hope blooming so fast it almost made their hearts burst.

For them, that one invitation meant more than any promise, it meant he was no longer pushing them away.

They were just about to bid farewell, when Mika paused.

Something gnawed at him.

Yes, he had grown closer to them today.

Yes, he had shown warmth, affection, even allowed himself to be vulnerable.

But the core problem remained untouched: if he openly chose one sister, the others would rise against it. War. That was what he feared.

And so the only solution, the only strategy, was to take them all. A harem, bound together by his love, and his alone.

And yet, he hadn’t said a word about it. Not directly.

And he knew if he didn’t start laying the groundwork now, he’d risk the whole fragile balance breaking later and decided to change that and take the first step towards his harem plan.

So when they turned to go, Mika suddenly said, "Wait. One more thing."

They blinked in confusion but stepped toward him, curiosity outweighing hesitation.

Anya tilted her head. "What is it, Mika—?"

But she didn’t get to finish.

Because suddenly Mika’s hand slid around her waist, pulling her flush against his body. The world seemed to pause as his arm rose, fingers threading into her hair, and he pulled her head in.

And then, in full view of everyone—his lips crushed against hers.

"Kiss!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Mwah!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Nibble!♡~"

It was a fierce, passionate kiss, wet, heated, filled with pent-up fire, that made the gathered crowd gasp. Even Maria, composed as she usually was, flinched.

Anya, for once, was caught completely off guard, her eyes wide before slowly fluttering shut as she melted into him.

The kiss lingered until Mika finally pulled back, leaving Anya dazed, her lips trembling.

But he wasn’t finished.

Without hesitation, Mika’s other hand shot out, gripping Charlotte by the back of the head and pulling her in.

"M-Mika—?!" was all she managed before his lips locked onto hers.

"Mmm!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Kiss!♡~ Mmm!♡~ Slurp!♡~"

Charlotte’s knees buckled instantly, the intensity of the kiss leaving her weak and clinging to him. It was furious, consuming, nothing like the soft, hesitant kisses she sometimes dreamed of. Her body went pliant in his arms, her heart racing out of control.

The girls watching fanned their faces furiously—some in disbelief, others trembling with heat, because Mika wasn’t just kissing one of them, he was brazenly claiming both right in front of them all.

But Maria on the other was more intrigued then flustered as she knew that Mika wouldn’t do something like this just for fun and she wondered what exactly his goal was.