Harem System In A fantasy World - Chapter 104: Twenty-Nine!?

Chapter 104: Twenty-Nine!?

Back to the present…

Selene, George, Eveline, and the six other first-year instructors had gathered all one hundred and twenty students inside the first floor’s large ceremonial hall, a space usually reserved for announcements that mattered such as this one.

The doors were shut, the noise outside muted, and a low murmur filled the room as students whispered among themselves. Elion scanned the teachers at the front, and it didn’t take him long to notice the mood. Their expressions were light, satisfied—some even looked openly pleased. Whatever this was about, it wasn’t bad news.

“What do you think is the reason they gathered everyone up?” Aria asked quietly.

She was seated comfortably on Elion’s lap, her weight resting easily against him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Her eyes were closed, and she nestled deeper into his lap, her soft ass cheeks spreading comfortably over his thighs.

She leaned back against his broad chest as she guided his arm across her torso, draping it between the plush mounds of her breasts. The weight of them pillowed his forearm, and he could even feel the steady thrum of her heartbeat.

Quite clearly, she was enjoying the moment of calm before whatever came next. Elion shifted slightly to make sure she was comfortable, then shrugged faintly.

“Well,” he said, keeping his voice low, “we just had our assessments. It probably has something to do with that. Either the results… or maybe we’re being sent into the dungeon again.”

His free hand rested on her hip, using his fingers to grip the curve there, his thumb dipping toward the crease where her ass met the thigh, teasing the edge.

Aria hummed softly at that, neither bothered nor excited, simply listening. Beside them, Mira sat quietly with her legs crossed and her expression slightly thoughtful. After a moment, she nodded in agreement, her gaze drifting toward the teachers at the front.

“It’s most likely related to our progress evaluations,” she said calmly. “They wouldn’t gather everyone like this for something minor.”

As she spoke, her hand came to rest lightly on Elion’s thigh, and her palm fell flat and warm against the muscle, her fingers curling slightly to trace lazy circles.

Aria’s eyes cracked open at the movement, and a flicker of possessiveness sharpened her gaze, but she didn’t act on it; instead, she pressed Elion’s arm tighter between her breasts.

Elion barely reacted; he was used to the tension that was always brewing between this troublesome pair by now.

Instead, he looked toward the nine professors whom everyone was waiting on. While there was nothing really to take note of from a simple glance, he did notice Eveline laughing quietly with one of the other teachers at the front.

That alone was unusual.

Eveline didn’t laugh during formal gatherings unless something genuinely pleased her.

Around them, his peers continued to speculate in hushed voices, some excited, some nervous, but the overall mood was unmistakably positive.

Elion leaned back slightly, letting Aria rest against him, while Mira’s fingers remained still and warm against his leg.

The murmuring in the hall gradually died down as a large, burly man stepped forward from the line of instructors.

He had a round belly, broad shoulders, and a presence that felt solid and reassuring rather than oppressive.

This was Professor Randall, a man known for his booming voice and straightforward mannerisms. He cleared his throat once, waited until the silence fully settled, and then smiled broadly at the sea of first-year students before him.

“First of all,” Randall began, his voice carrying easily through the hall, “I want to congratulate the majority of you on your outstanding progress assessment results this month. As a collective, you’ve done exceptionally well.”

That alone was enough to trigger a round of applause from the students, excitement rippling through the crowd. Randall raised one hand, letting the clapping die down before continuing, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.

“Now,” he said, “let’s talk about some standout performances.”

He glanced down at the parchment in his hand.

“Isolde Velora,” he called out. “Level twenty-six.”

A wave of surprised murmurs swept through the hall. Isolde stiffened where she sat, her ears flushing pink as she ducked her head slightly, clearly not used to being singled out like this.

“Tessa Crimson,” Randall continued. “Level twenty-five.”

Tessa accepted the attention with far more composure, a confident smile tugging at her lips as several students turned to stare at her.

“William Dawncrest,” Randall said next, his tone neutral. “Level twenty-five.”

The reaction here was more mixed, with some impressed whispers and others far less friendly.

William, who had been rather quiet and docile lately, simply snorted proudly as if the result was only natural. But anyone could tell he was quite proud of himself.

“Mira Gale,” Randall went on. “Level twenty-four.”

Mira remained calm, merely inclining her head slightly, though most people clearly hadn’t expected her to be that high. In fact, they all knew she had no business up there!

Randall paused, just long enough to be dramatic before mentioning the next name.

“And lastly,” he said, lifting his gaze from the parchment, “Elion Nova.”

A collective wave of breaths hitching washed over everyone as the massive hall went completely silent.

“Level twenty-nine.”

For a split second, no one reacted.

Then the room exploded.

Gasps, disbelief, and outright shock rippled through the hall as every single head turned toward Elion. Even after everything that had already happened this month, this number still felt unreal. Twenty-nine. In the first year. It was absurd!

And yet—Elion himself looked completely unbothered. He didn’t even look surprised. No pride. There was no visible reaction on his face at all!

That, more than the number itself, made lips twitch, and brows furrow across the hall. How thick-skinned did someone have no reaction to something like this!?

It didn’t help that he had one beautiful girl seated comfortably on his lap, relaxed and content, while another leaned into him from the side, her arm resting casually on his leg as if she belonged there.

A strange mix of jealousy and irritation bubbled up among the students, and more than a few felt the sudden urge to punch his face for reasons they couldn’t quite articulate.

Even some of the professors raised their brows at the sheer audacity of this young man.