Chapter 30: The Next Step

Katrina grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a corner of the room, her face flushed as she avoided looking me in the eye for more than a second. The room had settled into a comfortable quiet, low enough that I could hear her uneven breathing.

"What’s wrong, Katrina? Is everything okay?"

"I just..." she trailed off. Her eyes locked onto mine. "I wanted to say thank you," she managed, the look in her eyes intense. "You have made me feel so... happy. So... safe."

Without thinking, I reached out and embraced Katrina tightly, laying my head on her shoulder. "I’m happy you feel that way. That is the goal."

From around her neck, a light appeared, growing in intensity before dispersing, leaving behind a collar in its place. She touched it curiously, and her smile grew wider.

"Finally!" she quietly exclaimed.

"What do you mean, finally? You aren’t freaked out about it?" I said, taken aback by her proclamation.

"Damara and Sarah both have them... I guess I started associating the collar with being closer to you," she rubbed the collar gently. "I somehow feel like I’m at the same level as they are now."

"Katrina... you were never any less than them," I assured her, rubbing the back of her head gently. "I’ll try to do better."

"But you’re perfect, Sam," she chuckled, her grin wide again. "Just stay the way you are."

She trotted away, climbing into her bed shortly after. I stood there for a moment, relishing the feeling. On Earth, I could barely look at a woman, but here, I had confidence. I believed the words I said and, more importantly, believed that I deserved to say them.

A memory of my mother surfaced, lowering my mood slightly, but it didn’t ruin the moment. I remained there, the corners of my mouth beginning to ache from the smile I couldn’t seem to suppress.

I returned to my mattress as well, stripping down to my boxer shorts before climbing under the warm comforter. I quickly found a comfortable position and thought about the past few weeks.

---

"Welcome back," an unfamiliar voice said. "Wake up!"

My eyes shot open. The light in the room made me wince. Rubbing my eyes furiously allowed them to acclimate and focus. In front of me was the winged Goddess Celestia.

"Wh-what the hell?" I looked around the area. "How did I–"

"I’m visiting you through a dream," she explained. Her eyes were almost piercing. "We don’t have much time. Listen. When you return to the manor, check the Celestial Market."

"Wh–"

She raised her hand, cutting me off completely. "Quiet, just listen. As it stands, there are no compatible harem members in your surrounding area." She stretched her arms above her head. "It’s no big deal for a Goddess like me, though."

Celestia crossed her arms, her wings shifting slightly behind her back as she peered down at me with a knowing smirk.

"You’ve gathered three wonderful additions to your harem so far, Sam, but the system is expanding," Celestia continued, her tone shifting from playful to serious. "The Celestial Market is going to introduce a new category soon. Keep your eyes open when you wake up. It’ll make the upcoming royal wedding much more... interesting."

"Wait, a wedding? You know about the Demon King’s event?" I asked, trying to sit up, but my limbs felt heavy, weighed down by the dream state.

"Of course I do! I’m a Goddess," she laughed. "I see everything. Now, before your little cat-girl wakes up and wonders why you’re talking in your sleep, it’s time for you to go back."

Before I could demand more answers, Celestia snapped her fingers. The bright white light flared, blindingly washing away the dreamscape entirely.

My eyes shot open. The dark ceiling of the bedroom greeted me, illuminated only by the faint glow of the twin moons outside. I let out a long breath, my heart thumping against my ribs.

Beside me, the women were fast asleep, their soft breathing steady. Katrina’s tail curled loosely around her legs. Damara was in her regular spot, on my chest, and Micro-Sarah slept peacefully next to my head.

Reaching out carefully so as not to wake them, I pulled my phone from the nightstand and tapped the screen.

The Harem System interface blinked to life. Right there on the main menu, flashing with a subtle golden border, was a brand-new notification:

[ CELESTIAL MARKET: NEW CATEGORY UNLOCKED ]

[ Special Event Items & Royal Registry ]

I tapped it out of sheer curiosity. A grid of items popped up, ranging from formal wear enhancement kits to items labeled strictly as ’Icebreakers: Demon Realm Noble Edition.’ I couldn’t help a quiet snort. Even in a parallel world dealing with royal politics, the system was determined to treat my life like a dating simulator.

Still, Celestia’s warning lingered in the back of my mind. Compatible members in the surrounding area. If the system was expanding its catalog just as we were heading into the heart of the Demon King’s palace, would this place be one of the locations?

I closed the app, locked my phone, and settled back under the covers. Despite the bizarre midnight interruption, the warmth of them sleeping beside me grounded me. I closed my eyes and let exhaustion pull me back under.

Morning arrived with the harsh, brilliant sunlight of the Demon Realm streaming through the high windows, cutting straight across the stone floor of our grand suite.

The sound of rustling fabric and soft murmurs pulled me awake. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, to find the room already a flurry of motion.

Katrina was standing near the large ornate mirror, carefully smoothing down the fabric of her tiered ivory dress. The off-the-shoulder cut and subtle slit caught the morning light, and she looked every bit the noble guest, though her twitching cat ears betrayed her nervous energy.

Across the room, Damara was buttoning up her own off-white silk gown, her dark complexion contrasting sharply with the pale fabric. She looked up and caught my eye in the reflection, offering a small, reassuring smile that instantly settled the flutter in my stomach.

"Morning, sleepyhead," Damara called softly, walking over to toss a bundle of neatly pressed white fabric onto the edge of the bed. "Zeke had the palace servants drop off your formal wear an hour ago. Unless you plan on attending your first royal demon wedding in your undergarments, I suggest you get moving."

I stretched my arms overhead, letting out a loud yawn. "Right, right. Can’t show off to the King of the Demons by dressing down," I muttered, sliding out of bed.

Micro-Sarah, having already magically tailored her miniature starlight ballgown, fluttered down from the headboard and landed gracefully on my shoulder, patting my cheek with a tiny hand.

"Hurry up, Sam! The carriage will be departing soon, and I refuse to miss the entrance," Sarah chirped excitedly.

I grabbed my white tuxedo off the bed, shaking it out with a grin. With the wedding fast approaching, a new category unlocked on my phone, and three incredible women counting on me, I pulled the jacket on, locked my shoulders back, and stepped forward to face whatever the Demon Realm was about to throw at us.