I Became a Veteran Heroine in a Harem Story

This was my second possession. So I was relatively at ease, and my mind was lighter. Though the genre, environment, and even gender had changed, it was my second time, so I’d managed to get through it smoothly.

“What a useless status window…”

It wasn’t the first time I had seen a window appear before my eyes. That’s why it was even more chilling. It felt like a remnant from my first possession remained.

‘What kind of harem story randomly kills heroines these days? Were there such stories?’

My head was confused. The content of the work I knew and my current situation were quite different. Even with my hazy memory, I could be certain that such an element never appeared in the original work.

Of course, for me who is living in this world now, the work I knew was ultimately just one possibility. That’s what possession was.

‘It feels like I’m being played with.’

After examining the status window once more, I smirked. I could accept the protagonist’s heart index, but the reader index bothered me.

If that truly represented what readers were thinking, wouldn’t it mean that this world we’re in is being nakedly displayed to those people called readers, centered around Erich, the protagonist?

I understood why my protagonist heart index was high but my reader index was lower. It was clearly because my importance had diminished as I intentionally kept my distance from Erich.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

I sighed and dismissed the window.

If this was visible only to me, it could be understood as a special feature of being a possessor. I just couldn’t understand what I was supposed to do with it.

Was it a consideration to manage my score to avoid penalties? But thinking about that, I snorted.

The heroine ranking in the status window wasn’t an absolute evaluation but a relative one, meaning there would inevitably be someone in last place.

If I wasn’t in last place, it meant that Lunara, Deina, or other heroines who would appear later would die one by one, receiving whatever this penalty was.

‘How dare they play such a game.’

I didn’t know who planned this, but it was very displeasing that someone had planned something that only the worst Constellations would do.

It was an evil scheme that brought only horror and pain to both me, who didn’t want to get involved with them, and to those who lived without knowing anything.

[Currently Registered Heroines: Lunara, Deina, Kiina, Karin]

[Ranking: Kiina, Lunara, Deina, Karin]

‘One more has been added. Karin, Karin Kruger. Was she a magician? With this, the academy’s group of four is complete.’

At that time, the status window I reopened had one more heroine added. Karin, a name I remembered, was a heroine from the magic department who was a student present at the same place just yesterday.

The meaning of a name that wasn’t there yesterday being added now was clear.

It meant that Erich the protagonist had become acquainted with Karin and added her to his conquest targets.

“Were you acquainted with that girl?”

“Like Deina, she thanked and apologized to me yesterday. For stopping her from getting hit and for being too scared to step up herself. I didn’t even know her name, but she’s a nice girl.”

When the day’s schedule ended. As per our prior arrangement, I approached Erich’s side as he watched Karin’s retreating figure.

Erich, who had already become acquainted with her, was giving a positive evaluation of Karin, saying she was shy but kind.

‘Was that so?’

I knew which heroine had the strongest attachment and which one had the most disparity between her outside and inside, but I said nothing.

After all, we had more important matters to resolve now.

“Don’t worry about the arrangements. The facility for the duel has been booked for this weekend, just two days from now. During the remaining time, whether you three make plans or train, just arrive at that place on time.”

Raines, whom we visited together, stood us up and patted the shoulder of Eric, the second-year student guidance squad leader standing next to him, saying everything was already prepared.

“Prepare well. The seniors will also prepare thoroughly without letting their guard down. You have to face 10 opponents each in succession, and we won’t go easy on you.”

At Raines’s words, Eric snorted and glared at us with fierce eyes but left with Raines without saying anything.

The expressions of the other two, excluding me, were not very bright. They seemed to judge that the duel would not be easy.

“No matter how much I imagine, I think my limit will be 2 people at best. Will this really be okay?”

“Lunara, you take one. Then Erich, how many do you think you can handle?”

“What about you?”

“I asked first.”

Hearing Lunara’s worried words as she blinked her characteristically large eyes, I asked Erich for a number. Since 30 second-year students seemed a bit burdensome even for Erich, I planned to adjust accordingly.

“Fifteen. Then you need to take at least 13, is that okay?”

“Yes. I’ll handle the rest and pass them to you.”

‘This guy seems to be lying.’

Erich’s answer was 15. It’s an incredible confidence to take on half alone. He probably does possess such skills. However, I instinctively felt that the current Erich, who was not yet fully developed, was slightly exaggerating.

As the protagonist of the work, he might be able to overcome crises, but in reality, variables exist everywhere.

Whether it was consideration or recklessness, it was unnecessary. Since I planned to go first, there couldn’t be any gaps in the calculation.

“We’re thinking of training now.”

“You two work hard.”

Thinking that I should take on up to 20 people, I turned around and returned to the dormitory. It wasn’t because I was conscious of importance; it was because meaningful training with them wouldn’t be possible anyway.

It was more efficient to practice breathing techniques alone.

* * *

“…Enough. The spear techniques of Adenberg are indeed famous.”

“Have I passed?”

“Yes. There doesn’t seem to be anything more to teach you, so practice to refine your skills.”

It was the last class before the weekend, and also the last training session before the physical fitness test.

Dmish, the spear arts instructor who was watching students still running around the training field and hanging from bars, sighed and waved his hand.

At that, Kiina, who was holding a spear beside him, placed it on the rack.

‘After the physical fitness test comes the basic spear arts test. Early passing is confirmed.’

Dmish watched her and sighed softly. He had briefly taught Kiina, who had passed the physical fitness test early, the next level of basic spear arts one-on-one, but she had absorbed it too perfectly.

“Still wet behind the ears… yet performs like a battle-hardened elite soldier.”

Even considering the influence of a family with their own spear techniques, her fundamentals were too solid.

Knowing that this couldn’t come from mere talent or good teaching alone, Dmish was confused.

“That’s it for today. You should return with the other students.”

“Thank you.”

“And, I know what’s happening this weekend.”

After hesitating for a moment, Dmish finally spoke to her as she saluted. At that, her eyes, which normally never wavered, twitched slightly.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know? The rumors have already spread among the instructors.”

“Are you saying you knew about student-to-student punishment that violates regulations?”

“It might sound like an excuse if I say this. But to tell you the truth, there are ranks among instructors too. If the supporting side is higher in seniority and rank, it’s not easy to speak up. It’s easy to make excuses when thinking it’s the business of student guidance students who have limited disciplinary rights. Of course, guidance students can only discipline their peers.”

Dmish hastily continued. It ended up looking like he was making excuses to a student, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Anyway, since a solution of sorts has been found, everyone is watching with interest. Even if there’s intervention, it will probably come after the duel is over.”

‘Even in such a world, they love fighting too much. While they emphasize discipline to us, they ignore it themselves.’

Kiina inwardly sighed at the news that the instructors, perhaps even higher ranks, were watching this situation.

It was a place obsessed with cultivating strong individuals like the Continental Ten or the Imperial Five. A place where strength is pursued, and that strength becomes both the answer and justice.

Surprisingly, struggle and duels were also among the virtues emphasized by the academy.

Befitting a place that trains soldiers loyal to their superiors and country, it emphasizes strict discipline and law, but under the shield of turbulent political situations and external threats, the will to use any means necessary for that purpose was being revealed from all directions.

“I’m rooting for you who took courage.”

“Then please stand up for us if we happen to lose. Just as we stood up.”

“…Understood.”

Dmish, taken aback, nodded with a wry smile.

Right now, Kiina was telling the instructor, just as she had told her peers the night before, not to hide or be mindful of others’ reactions.

‘While others are asserting that the freshmen have fallen into arrogance and are doing something absurd, even betting on after how many opponents they’ll all collapse. But no. That girl truly intends to win them all.’

He became convinced of his thoughts as he watched Kiina walking away slowly.