How to Handle a Yandere Harem - Chapter 6 - Quest

Inside my head, there’s always this bustling marketplace of thoughts. Still, today, one idea sits like a lone vendor in the square, shouting for attention: a mission, my mission, unassisted by Emma, Elizabeth, or Seda. 

Don’t get me wrong — I don’t harbor any ill feelings toward them. It’s just… their overwhelming urge to protect me stifles my actions on missions. They see danger in every shadow, every corner. 

A mere scratch on my arm, and they’re off — transforming into whirlwinds of destruction, obliterating everything in their path to safeguard me. The mission ends with them as the champions and me… merely a bystander in my own story. 

“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath, more to the universe than anyone in particular. 

I yearn to prove my worth, to showcase that my D-rank isn’t the full measure of my capabilities. 

My pride, albeit bruised, remains intact.

Their overprotectiveness even extends to rewards. Somehow, they always manage to argue or charm the officials into amplifying my share. “Generosity,” they call it. I call it another blow to my independence. But that chapter closes today.

Now, I find myself seated in a waiting room that’s the antithesis of my chaotic thoughts — a realm of calm and luxury. Plush velvet chairs line the room, their deep maroon hues complementing the ornate chandeliers’ soft, golden glow. 

Rich, dark wood panels adorn the walls, interspersed with paintings that whisper tales of ancient magics and distant worlds. The air carries a subtle scent of jasmine, soothing the nerves. 

In this enclave of luxury, I wait for my name to be called, for my turn to step into a narrative where I’m the protagonist, not a side character.

“Adriel-san, your turn,” comes a voice, snapping me back to reality. 

My heart nearly leaps out of my chest. This is it — the beginning of my story, one where I tread my own path, unaided and unburdened by the fears and strengths of Emma, Elizabeth, and Seda. As I stand, a flicker of determination ignites within me. No, this mission might not be of SSS rank, but it’s mine. 

And in that lies its true value. With a deep breath, I step forward, ready to face whatever challenges await and prove that even a D-rank mage has his day in the sun.

As I crossed the threshold, the room unfolded before me — a stark, monochromatic expanse that seemed to stretch into infinity. The walls, ceiling, and floor melded into a seamless void of white, interrupted only by the imposing figure of Professor Akuma. He sat, an island of certainty in this boundless space, at a sleek, minimalist desk that appeared to be carved from a single block of marble. The starkness of the room was almost blinding, a physical manifestation of the clarity and focus required of us as mages. It was a place devoid of distractions, where only the essence of one’s purpose remained.

“I see you weren’t scared, huh…” Akuma’s voice, deep and resonant, broke the pristine silence, pulling me back from my observations.

“Yes, sir…” I replied, my voice a mix of resolve and respect. The room’s simplicity mirrored the simplicity of my mission, or so I hoped.

“Well, our conversation will be brief,” he continued, his eyes piercing as if assessing my soul. “Your mission is simple for now. You are going to a school together with your friend, Issei Norisa. Your mission is just to investigate the situation and return. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Yes, sir!” My response was automatic, a mix of eagerness and anxiety. The mission seemed straightforward but appearances could be deceiving in our line of work.

“Issei is already waiting for you outside with a car. Good luck.” With those final words, Akuma dismissed me, his attention already turning back to the responsibilities that commanded his time.

I exited the room, the door closing silently behind me, and stepped back into the familiar corridors of Magus High.

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As Adriel’s footsteps receded into the silence of the hallway, the atmosphere within the stark, white room shifted, becoming charged with an eerie anticipation. From the shadows, a figure emerged — her presence both mesmerizing and foreboding. Hair as red as freshly spilled blood cascaded over her shoulders, framing a face that embodied beauty laced with danger. Her eyes, ablaze with an intense hatred that seemed almost palpable, scanned the room with predatory precision. Freckles dotted her porcelain skin, starkly contrasting the severity etched in her expression, adding a nearly ethereal quality to her fierce demeanor.

“Emma, I see you got the news,” Akuma said, his tone laced with a dismissive edge that did little to mask the undercurrent of tension between them.

“Cancel this mission you gave Adriel,” she demanded, her voice a chilling mix of command and venom.

“No.” Akuma’s refusal was as immovable as the walls that surrounded them.

In any normal circumstance, Emma’s power would be unchallenged, her strength unrivaled among her peers and feared by the faculty. Yet, Akuma was no ordinary adversary. 

His rank, like Emma’s, was SSS, but it was his intellect, his cunning, that truly set him apart. He was revered and feared for his ability to outwit even the most formidable opponents. He was a master of deception whose only known equal had once been a lover turned foe — a tale shrouded in whispers and warnings.

“Akuma… if you don’t cancel this mission, know that you will pay a high price. I will give it to you until Adriel arrives at the school. If not… consider me your new enemy…” 

Her threat hung in the air, a promise of retribution as palpable as the darkness that seemed to cling to her silhouette.

In a moment that felt drawn from the darkest corners of a Lovecraftian nightmare, Emma turned on her heel, her movements a dance of restrained fury. With a force that seemed to shake the very foundations of the room, she slammed the door behind her. The impact was monumental, a testament to her strength and anger, leaving the once immaculate door shattered in its frame, a mangled testament to the power she wielded.

“She-hulk.” 

Akuma mused, contemplating the extent of repairs needed for the door.

“It is what it is.”