Chapter 475 - Powered Changes (1/2)
A/N: Alright, this is something I deeply enjoyed when I read EPIC in the past. Harem Management. In the previous arcs, Nik had a harem barely manageable, around 10 or so, but now, the situation has changed, and to make it easier on me and to develop the story fruitfully, I think that I should dabble in Harem Management myself. So, although the stuff I am about to write may not be well-appreciated, please do critique and let me know in the aspects I still lack in.
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”Let's see~ Umm, aside from me, your first fiancee,” Stating her position with glee once again, Lanruo looked at the group of girls. Now, it seemed like every day, their dinner would end up as a picnic. After all, the dining table couldn't hold so many women. While Nik sat in the middle of a rather loose circle with Klas always to his left and now Elsa taking his right, Lanruo continued, ”One... two... three...” he gaze lingered on every single woman, ”Well,” Lanruo pouted, ”Should you really just have sixteen women in one house?!” Her inquiry struck home as Nik silently ate. His gaze suddenly fell on Moon diving into a patch of bush before bouncing out with a small smirk on her whiskered face. Then, looking at everyone, Nik nodded in understanding.
”It is true that such living conditions may not be extremely suitable, but I don't see any problem in living in one building. It's not like any of you have to share your privacy with others. And, it is far more convenient and, not to mention, safer, if we all live together,” Nik stated as Lanruo couldn't help but feel the situation extremely 'disorganized.' ”Umm,” Ryu'er whispered, her cheeks puffed up by the rather chunky piece of meat, ”can't we just have 'sections.' Like, we—”
Before Ryu'er could complete, Lanruo interjected with a bright expression. Since the girls were only slowly warming to each other, Nik didn't mind most of them staying silent.
”That's right... we could do that! Aside from Nik, our interests have to align with someone else! And, I am usually pretty bored after the classes and these days have been horrifying! Since my playmate is spending more time with her fiance, I am left with nothing else to do... so... how about we form an inner club... as a no-Nik zone?”
The concept of club was still new to the girls but since Nik didn't hide the truly sensitive pieces of information, they pretty much knew the benefits of the club but without experiencing it, they still looked a little doubtful. Meanwhile, Nik's brows twitched by the 'No-Nik' zone... what is he to do then? Recruit more girls for the club while they engage in pleasantries.
”Or, you could work in completing the city and get used to Dream Core...” Sky muttered. When the time counts, Nik is far reliable than the horn dog she knew in her previous incarnation... but some things still hadn't changed quite largely. Nik instantly agreed on completing the city. Aside from a few important things, such as setting up the 'sense' sync and adjusting the time within the consciousness realm since he wanted Mitsuko and others to be able to communicate with him 'face-to-face,' Nik needed to find a way to bypass the temporal situation. The addition of Dream Core would help Nik in this matter and the Nightmare Demon Pot seemed timely, too.
Still...
”No, no, no... I need to be there... feeling left out sucks. How about this, we do form a club, but, I won't interact as a member but an employee?”
His words pulled a confused frown from others as an image of Nik in a form-fitting white shirt, black pants and a black waistcoat appeared in their mind. His untamed hair was slicked back, a bowtie hung over his collars followed by his sleeves neatly folded up to his forearms, making the girls slightly heated due to the image itself.
”How would you like to employ the bartender Nik?”
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{Sorry for another author's note: Since the club and the consciousness realm is basically a slice of life, aside for the lip service that it exists in canon, I'll transfer the stories to Daily Life of Nik series~}
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Ning'er woke up to slightly hurried knocks. She hadn't been feeling well. Rubbing her eyes while the events of last night that effectively restricted her apprenticeship to Nik due to his rather rowdy action against the entire aristocratic society. The Heavenly Marks Family had their women taken away, not only that, a few information sources stated that Nik had robbed the family somehow, the news was still slightly blurry as Nie Hai refused to answer even to the elders. Finally, it wasn't the act that displayed her master's virility that made Xiao Yunfeng take this decision but the unanimous union of all the aristocrats to finally suppress the threat named— Glory Center. That's right, it wasn't even about Nik in the first place. So what his reputation would take a hit... in a few groups, Nik's popularity, and trend could not be stopped, and seeing the youths of their city the most affected by the youngest and the strongest presence, the overlords of the city had decided to take a step back.
However, using Nik to attack Glory Center from the shadows was a completely different matter. The establishment of Glory Center and the prices they claim to enforce would kick at too many hungry stomachs to bear and now, the aristocratic society had the best excuse to target the lone woman that ran something that could possibly grow into a hegemony of its own. Ning'er realized all this without her father putting the reasons bluntly. Taking her away from Nik was, in her father's eyes, a method to protect her. Aristocrats use far crueler means to abolish their competitions and while Ning'er didn't know all of them, she knew plenty enough to understand how a 'woman' can be 'turned' into a sour spot.
As a noble, she had her fair share of sex ed, after all.
”Ning'er! Open the door quickly!” Her father's tone sounded far more anxious, eliciting Ning'er to move quickly and the moment she opened the door, Xiao Yunfeng fell on his knees, sobbing, with a slightly bruised face while Nik stood behind him, followed by a Ziyun and Xiao Xue, who had the strangest of expression.
”M-master?” Ning'er stammered. Understanding how immodest she looked in front of her master, Ning'er hurriedly closed the door.
”W-wait a minute! Let me change quickly!”
She shouted, although, Nik didn't mind the loose robe over her contours.
However, Xiao Yunfeng felt his mind buzz as his salvation closed the door to his face.