harem chapter 1

Prologue

I smoothed a hand over my chest, the unfamiliar sensation of my heart pounding at twice its normal pace. The scent of flowers tickled my nose, and warm sunlight peeked through the clouds. Not a single thing was out of place.

But the one thing that truly captured my heart was the man sitting before me.

“I never actually thought you’d come…”

The man blushed and averted my gaze. The tips of his ears, even redder than his face, were adorable.

Heh, so this is why people go on these arranged dates.

So much for my stubborn insistence on a spontaneous romance. What’s not to love about an arranged meeting?

I was quite pleased with this man, who had been selected after a rigorous screening based on my preferences for looks, profession, and other qualifications.

“If my date was with you, Felix, I’d come out ten more times.”

Was he going to explode? Felix’s face flushed so red it was worrying. He buried his face in his large hands, and the bulging veins on their backs caught my eye.

Ahem, his profession was a knight, wasn’t it?

Perhaps it was because his line of work didn’t offer many chances to meet women, but even a small smile from me elicited a quick reaction. Such an adorable reaction from a man with a breathtaking face…! Incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Looks aside, he seems steadfast.

In truth, my ideal type was nothing special.

A chaste man. That was enough.

Striking looks? Useless. As they say, you can’t trust a handsome face; those types always end up causing trouble.

But what about money, you ask?

Don’t make me laugh. Could he possibly have more than me? If I found a man who only had eyes for me, I could put 120-carat diamond rings on not just all ten of his fingers, but his toes too. I, one of the few magnates in the empire… well, not me, but my parents.

“Your face is so red. Are you all right?”

“I-I’m just very nervous…”

“Jasmine tea is good for nerves.”

I immediately ordered jasmine tea from a server, not forgetting to offer him a kind smile. How about that? This lady is quite thoughtful, isn’t she? I bet you’re falling for me all over again after that great first impression, right?

He ducked his head so low it nearly hit the table.

“Th-thank you.”

Aah, just look at that innocent expression!

From what I’d heard, he didn’t have any women in his life. Cute, handsome, and not even any female friends. Ha, Felix was a man straight out of a legend, a unicorn.

I can’t let this one get away.

I decided to move in to seal the deal.

“So, Felix, what do you think of me?”

“…What?”

Was that too bold for a first meeting?

But this is a meeting with a clear purpose, isn’t it?

What was the point in beating around the bush? Maybe it was because I’d died without ever having a proper romance, but I didn’t know the meaning of patience.

“…I.” The man’s lips moved slowly. “Of course, I like…”

Clang!

A teacup slammed onto the table, cutting the man off.

God, that scared me. Who would interrupt at such a crucial moment?!

I narrowed my eyes and looked up to identify the clumsy server. The light was behind them, forcing me to squint.

“Hello.”

Deon…?

What are you doing here?

Deon was leaning on the table with his left hand, a murderous smile on his face. In his right hand was a teapot. It wasn’t like he’d secretly gotten a job at this teahouse. What a bizarre entrance.

Besides, who in their right mind holds a teapot like that?