The voice came suddenly, cutting through the haze of Dane's infant thoughts like a blade. It was calm, mechanical, yet oddly intimate, as if it had been waiting for this moment all along.
『Notice. The Omni Harem System is now activating』
Dane's tiny body stiffened, his glowing sapphire eyes flickering faintly as the words echoed in his mind.
『1%... 4%... 15%... 37%... 66%... 85%... 100%. The booting process is complete』
『The Omni Harem System is now online. Greetings, Host』
'Hmm yeah, I figured, this was my Anthem.'
Dane said to himself.
The system's voice was that of a woman, and it sounded smooth, almost soothing, as it continued.
Or rather, it responded to Dane's thoughts, basically confirming and expanding on what it was and did.
『This unit is not an external entity. It is the manifestation of your unique ability as a human, a power born from the information stored in your soul, or as the inhabitants of this world call it, the Lore Core』
'Mhm... I get that much... anything else?!'
『Well for starters, host The Omni Harem System is an extension of your desires and your potential. Its purpose is to guide you toward achieving your ultimate goal: building the greatest harem story ever told to empower your lore and reach your desired ending in this world, and as a result, concluding your story in the related world』
'Greatest harem story, huh?.... Hehehe... I do like the sound of that!! After all, I love slow romance, action, and adventure, especially in a harem story.'
Dane said to himself.
『Additionally』
The system continued.
『This unit will assist you in navigating the complexities of relationships, understanding the unique traits of potential companions, and unlocking abilities tied to their individual narratives』
'Abilities?'
『Affirmative! Every successful bond you form, or unlocking a unique route with a female lead, grants you a lore-based ability shaped by the emotional and metaphysical resonance of your relationship. This works because the system functions similarly to the System Spirit of this universe. However, in my case, I can directly influence your Lore upon mission completion, ensuring your interactions with the harem develop in a natural and organic way. Additionally, any powers you obtain will become unique to you, as befitting a harem protagonist and the main character of this new fanfic world』
Said the system, causing Dane to inwardly nod his head, but at the same time, Dane was knocked out of his thoughts when he heard Rakasha and Priscilla begin to speak to each other.
As a matter of fact, Priscilla was still glaring at him, her crimson eyes sharp enough to cut glass. Rakasha, meanwhile, was bouncing him gently in her arms, completely unfazed by the vampire's simmering irritation.
"Rakasha."
Priscilla said, her voice low.
"Anthem aside, what, exactly, do you plan to do with this… creature?"
The dragon girl shrugged as she replied.
"I don't know... Keep him, maybe? He's cute... and weird... I like weird."
Priscilla pinched the bridge of her nose yet again in annoyance, clearly fighting the urge to scream.
"You cannot be serious right now... He is a human infant... Do you have any idea how much trouble this could cause?"
However, Rakasha, being the cool-going person, simply said.
"Relax, Prisci."
Rakasha said, rolling her eyes.
"He is just a baby... What is the worst that could happen?"
"The worst....
Priscilla snapped.
"He could die. Or worse, someone could find out we're harboring a human in the monster realm. Do you have any idea how that would look?"
Rakasha waved a hand dismissively.
"Eh, we'll figure it out. Besides, Minerva's due back soon. I'll ask her if we can keep him."
Priscilla's eye twitched.
"You cannot just ask Minerva to keep a human child like he is some stray puppy!"
"I mean, he technically is."
Rakasha replied back.
"But we just can't... you know humans are not allowed in the monster realm; you are putting us in danger, and the human child as well."
Said Priscilla.
"Well, we just hide him... till we can figure something out... also, I am sure Minerva will understand. Do you really expect me to just toss away an innocent child when we are more than capable enough to take care of it? We might be monsters, but we don't have to make stereotypes define who we are, ya know."
Rakasha said, to which Priscilla replied.
"Ahhhh, that's exactly why I don't want you to ask Minerva; for being one of the Thirteen Crowns, she hates the Monster Society rules more than anyone else; she will jump at any opportunity to rebel against it."
This was a valid argument indeed, but Rakasha was firm in her decision.
"Sometimes, you've got to stop thinking with your head and start listening to your heart. And mine is telling me that this child is destined for greatness, leading us to places we could never reach on our own. My draconic instincts are just as sharp as your intuition, you know."
Priscilla opened her mouth to argue but stopped herself, clearly realizing it was pointless to argue normally with Rakasha. Instead, she turned her attention back to Dane, her gaze piercing.
"And what about him?"
Priscilla said, her voice dripping with skepticism.
"What do you suppose he'll do once he is older? Assuming he survives, that is."
Rakasha shrugged again.
"I don't know. Maybe he'll be useful. He's got those weird glowy eyes, after all. And didn't you say something about an Anthem?"
Priscilla's expression darkened at Rakasha's reply, as she said.
"Anthems are rare. Exceptionally so... but it's rare to run into a human with an Anthem that can be classified as a literal threat... most Anthem users that exist are extremely weak when compared to monsters."
"But not impossible, right? For all we know, this child might just be a special case."
Rakasha argued, her grin widening as she continued.
"Come on, Prisci. Where's your sense of adventure?"
"My sense of adventure."
Priscilla hissed, clear that she does not agree with Rakasha's reasoning.
"Does not extend to adopting random human infants. Especially ones found in trash cans."
Dane, meanwhile, was doing his best to look as innocent as possible.
The System's voice chimed in again, calm and measured.
『Host's current situation is precarious but manageable. Recommend maintaining a low profile until Minerva's return』
'No kidding...
Dane thought.
'Any other advice?'
『Affirmative. Begin observing potential companions for future bonds. Current targets of interest: Priscilla Heartbreak and Rakasha Emberclaw』
'Priscilla and Rakasha, huh?'
Dane mused.
'Well, at least I've got options... and the system isn't forcing me to do anything immediate... or dangerous, so I guess this romance story is going to be a long one. Well, I have a lot of time either way, and as such, I will make sure I win these two over. First of all, I have to grow on them and slowly become a man worthy of their time. Ahh, this is going to be so fun, despite the danger of the situation.'
『Warning: Target Priscilla Heartbreak presents a high-risk, high-reward scenario. Proceed with caution』
'Yeah, no kidding... if she is lore accurate, then she is basically a walking apocalypse.'
『Understood. Adjusting strategy』
The System fell silent, leaving Dane to his thoughts. Priscilla was still glaring at him; her crimson eyes narrowed in suspicion. Rakasha, on the other hand, seemed utterly unfazed, her playful grin never wavering.
"Well...
Rakasha said, breaking the silence.
"Until Minerva gets back, I guess we're stuck with him. So... what do we do now?"
Priscilla sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"I don't know. Feed him, perhaps? Change him? Do you even know how to care for a human child?"
Rakasha blinked.
"Uh… no. But how hard can it be?"
Priscilla groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"This is going to be a disaster."
Dane couldn't help but agree.
But at the same time, visual images of notification play in his mind, like something manifested as a result of a photographic memory.
It was like having a live catalog or computer file in his head rather than seeing the system in a holographic-like way.
System Log:
- Current Objective: Maintain a low profile. Await Minerva's return.
- Potential Bonds Identified: Priscilla Heartbreak (High Risk), Rakasha Emberclaw (Moderate Risk).
- Note: Host's infant physiology limits immediate action. Patience advised.
『Pro Tip: Crying may elicit sympathy from Target Rakasha. Use sparingly』
'Got it... sigh!'
Dane muttered inwardly to himself, his tiny brow furrowing as best as it could.
'I need to get stronger, and fast. Before the main story kicks off, assuming this world even follows the same timeline as HDXD. But more than that, if I'm serious about the Overlord of Humanity ending, I've got to start building my own empire. No empire, no ending. It's that simple.'
He paused, his glowing eyes narrowing as he mentally mapped out the challenges.
'I need to work on my foundation early on; if anything, it's an advantage in its own right, given the ending I strive for is not purely just focused heavily around the accumulation of raw power, either. I need influence. Territory. Loyalty. And I've got to start laying the groundwork now, while I'm still… stuck like this. A freaking baby... Ugh, this is going to be a nightmare.'