Thanks to my Harem, I Rise as the Dragon King-Chapter 18: What the fuck happened?!

My eyes snap open.

I gasp, cold sweat running down my forehead.

Am I... in my bed? Yes, it really seems that way. And this is the bedroom, inside Astralea’s dormitory. How can I possibly be here?

And Selene... she sleeps deeply beside me. Her small bare chest rests on mine, bathed in the moonlight filtering through the shutters, rising and falling softly with the calm rhythm of her breathing. She’s unharmed, and more than anything, she is still alive. Seeing her lying next to me, I can’t help but pull her into a long, tight embrace.

Selene... I thought I had lost you forever, and now you’re here with me... I’m so happy...

«J-Jade, why are you already awake...?» Selene mumbles, probably stirred by my affection or by the sudden jolt of my awakening.

Could it be that everything in Arcanvia was only a dream? I want to ask her outright, but I’m afraid I’d sound crazy. It’s obvious the fight with Vadim never actually happened. Damn... my head feels like it’s going to burst, I can’t make sense of anything anymore!

«Selene, forgive the late hour, but I want to talk with you about our little adventure last night.»

I know she’d much rather be sleeping peacefully at this time of night, but I need answers. I’m certain that if I don’t find a rational explanation for all this soon, I’ll go insane.

She leans up slightly, shifting her head from my chest to the pillow. Our noses are close enough to brush, our warm breaths mingling.

«Sure, tell me, Jade. But I have to admit, you’re starting to worry me...» she murmurs, her voice heavy with sleep and her eyes still shut.

«Last night, after we left the academy... what happened?»

Her eyes fly open, and she stares at me as if I’d just asked the most ridiculous thing in the world.

«Jade... now I’m REALLY starting to worry. Aren’t you a little too young for amnesia? Or maybe all those hits to the head you took in the semester tournament knocked your brain loose?»

«Just answer.» I retort sharply.

«Yeah, yeah, don’t get mad...» she mutters, forcing a sulky pout. «Anyway, we reached Arcanvia—on the way I fried about twenty bandits who tried to rob us. We handed over the tome to that bastard whose name I don’t even remember—he pissed me off so much with his jabs about me being weak. Then he mentioned something about Demonic Crystals, but you said you didn’t care, that you had no time to waste, and we came back here. We were so exhausted that as soon as we undressed we passed out at the same time. Just think, you collapsed even though I was completely naked and horny right in front of you—you’re really getting old!»

«I could say the same about you, since you passed out too, even though, by your own words, I was naked as well,» I point out. «Anyway, nothing unusual happened between when we gave Vadim the tome and when we left?»

«Oh, right, that bastard’s name was Vadim! For his sake, I hope I never cross paths with him again, or I’ll fry him! Anyway, no, nothing unusual. Why do you ask? Did something happen that I didn’t notice?» she asks, confused.

«Nothing...» I answer quietly, shaking my head.

I had hoped Selene’s answers would help me piece together what happened, but instead I’m more confused than ever. It’s obvious her version is the real one, since in mine we both ended up dead. But then... if her reality is the true one... what the hell did I see?

Even if it all happened only in my imagination, it doesn’t change the fact that I was about to use Shadow Magic. The rage and pain of watching Selene being torn apart, and Vadim’s insults against her, completely clouded my mind. One day I’ll be king of Kristalia... how can I expect to rule a kingdom if I can’t stay calm and clear-headed even in the most critical moments? That must never happen again.

«Oh, now that I think about it, there’s something else that happened last night...» Selene mumbles.

My ears prick up instantly—my focus sharpens. Maybe she’s remembering something?

«And what is it?» I press her, impatient.

«That you promised me that once we handed over the tome and came back to the room, we’d play that game where I’m the spoiled adopted girl and you’re the strict yet perverted stepfather who punishes her by taking the virginity she’d planned to give to her stepbrother instead! But then her stepbrother steps in, saves her, and to celebrate they have sex all night!» she fires back, shooting me a glare.

«The stepbrother part you just added—I’m sure I never promised you anything like that. And anyway, if I’m the stepfather, then who’s the stepbrother?! No way I’m playing one of these games with another guy!»

«So you do remember what happened last night! Then why wake me up at all?!» she grumbles. «Anyway, you really are an idiot, Jade! Do you see any other guys in this room?! Of course you’ll be doing both parts!»

Ah, such patience...

Without giving me a chance to reply, she rolls on top of me—her small but firm breasts pressed to my chest, my erection caught between her thighs. Her tongue slides slowly up and down my neck, from my shoulder blade to my ear, with sensual languor—shivers of pleasure run through my back, raising goosebumps on my skin.

«You promised me, Jade! I went with you to deliver that tome in the middle of the night, risking expulsion, and then you even woke me up for nothing! The least you can do now is pay me back by playing with me!» she whines like a spoiled child—clearly, she’s already in character.

But my resistance to what she suggested is only a façade—last night, after watching her die brutally before my eyes, I would have given my soul just to spend one more day with her. For reasons I still can’t grasp, she isn’t truly dead, but the fear and despair of thinking I’d lost her forever are still seared into my heart. I’ll do whatever she wants—anything to make her happy.

My fingers tighten firmly around her small ass, sinking into her soft, smooth skin. My tongue slides into her mouth, swirling with ravenous passion.

«All right, little sister. Let’s play.»