Harem Tournament of Champions

In the courtyard,

"Where are we going?" Solara muttered and squealed with delight from the rush of hair that blew the towel off her head.

Wet hair swayed with the wind and she felt like a blind mouse following directions laid out by the food.

Hisha had maintained his hand over her face and walked behind her, leading her through the walking path.

Feeling the grass under her feet, Solara took a sniff of the environment, picking on the fact that it was a familiar scent of flowers, one she only knew too well in her race.

"Ræsie?" She muttered, shocked by how strong the scent was.

This was an ancient plant for her people which had aphrodisiac-inducing abilities on those who inhaled a large quantity of its produce at night.

All of which HTC had refrained from giving out the aphrodisiac properties in hopes of getting its host an opportunity to get intimate with Solara.

Hisha looked up at the full moon and grinned widely, intentionally getting overwhelmed by the scent.

[Ræsie induction imminent]

Hisha furrowed his brows at the warning and was slightly still kept in the dark due to the unwillingness of HTC from letting out the real reason.

Pulling down his hand so Solara could view all around her, she let out a gasp upon noticing the radiant heart-shaped petals that surrounded them.

"My lord, how did you get this?" Solara questioned, amazed by the sheer square size that had been occupied by them.

Pulling her by the waist, Hisha had a grin with his gaze glazed over, and his breathing was ragged and huffs of breath were let out in hopes of getting intimate with her.

'What's going on with my body?!' Hisha wondered, confused and ecstatic about the encounter.

"I wanted this meeting to be special." Hisha managed to speak out and force down his desire temporarily.

'HTC, what's going on? Answer me!'

To his dismay, there was no response, not even the usual loading epistles that signaled HTC ignoring him or thinking of a solution.

Solara nodded her head, understanding where he was leading with it.

"Just because of a little interruption doesn't mean I never thought about this time coming up for the two of us." His fingers caressed the side of her cheek and made her lean in for more of his touch.

Although for her race it had a much slower effect on them, for others it would slowly consume them and would have nothing more to do than fulfill their desire.

Peering into Hisha's eyes, she could see that much desire in them as he planted a kiss on her lips.

'It's been awakened.' Solara feared the worst.

Creating a barrier around them that served as a shield to stop anyone from peering in and give them access to the outside world.

Slipping down her towel, he took in her naked body with great delight. "You never cease to amaze me."

Solara blushed at his comment, relishing the thought of finally becoming one with Hisha.

Barely covering up her breast with her hands, just to tease him. She looked back down at the floor which still had a bed of Ræsie littered around.

As the scent continued to permeate their surroundings, Hisha's resolve began to dwindle.

"I... I... can't." Solara muttered and pushed away from him, wrapping her hands around her as a form of comfort.

'What are you doing, Solara?!' She had an internal conflict in her head.

Having her back against the barrier, she stared back at Hisha. "We can't go through with this under the influence of the plants."

Hisha paused and thought about what that could mean and was caught in a loop of 'what ifs' and the reason HTC had kept it a secret from him.

"They are beautiful and I do appreciate your thoughtfulness, my lord..."

"...but what we were about to do isn't what and how you hoped for." Hisha completed, disheartened but understanding.

Placing her hand on his cheek, she stared lovingly into his eyes and smiled brightly. "The fact that you were able to do this for me is enough reason to be happy that you went out of your way to prepare all of this."

She picked up the towel and wrapped it back around her. "They must be waiting for me."

Without allowing him to nod to her statement, she gave a light kiss on Hisha's lips and scurried off in the same direction from which they came.

'HTC, tell me why I don't need to find your motherboard and bury it alive!' Hisha suppressed his anger at having to come to terms with the fact that HTC had once again willingly kept out information from him.

[Who says I operate using a motherboard?]

'Whatever that your selective memory holds, you had intentionally kept that part a secret from me, yet you expect a smiling face?!'

[You would have gotten a chance with her, I know you have a special liking for her]

HTC teased him with a smug emoji.

'Does it look like she's in my arms, at the least?!'

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he shook his head and walked back in.

*****

Stepping back into his room, he slammed the door behind him and let out a frustrated yet inaudible scream.

[Now that you have that out of your system, how about you share o wise one on your plans]

Hisha raised a brow, 'what plans?'

[You seem to have forgotten a deal you had made]

'Would you stop speaking in riddles?' Hisha hissed.

Dragging his feet towards the floor-size mirror, he took a quick glimpse of his figure, flexing his biceps.

[...]

When Hisha realized that HTC hadn't responded, he heaved a sigh and straightened his posture.

'Are you going to speak or not?' Hisha questioned, looking over at his perfectly laid bed.

To a degree, he felt a sense of loss at Alta not being there like she had always been.

[You're thinking of the succubus]

Not bothering to deny it, he nodded his head and let out a sigh.

[You very well know it is risky letting her with you, especially at night, without your Sux and mentality at stake]

'I get it, now can we skip all of that and you tell me what I seemed to have forgotten?!'

[How do you expect to find your creation if she's gone?]

A wry smile made its way to Hisha's lips, 'how could you doubt my capabilities?'

[Coming from you, host?]

'What the heck does that even mean?' Hisha felt slightly triggered by its words.

He had come to terms with that when he had arrived in Kurg at the time, he was stupid and had asked questionable inquiries, but throughout his stay, he had proven to adapt and be calculative.

There had been some moments when he felt that all that had happened to the original host were originally his and would act accordingly.

[I didn't mean it that–]

'I have changed, I know I have and I would appreciate it if you would always remember it that way.' Hisha chastises, downhearted that even his system still had a pinch of doubt about his capabilities.

'You know, in the past, I was confused as to why you had refrained from letting on more than I could take or why you refrained from a warning or telling me some key information...' Hisha had a bitter smile, looking out his closed window.

The window swayed back and forth, threatening to break free.

Taking three steps closer to the window sill, he pushed it open and felt a gust of wind cool his face. Instinctively opening his arms, he had a weak smile.

Turning around, with his back to the outside world, he continued his telepathic discussion. 'You didn't want to control my life, yet you served merely as a guide that would straighten up the creases in this confused guy who landed in a strange environment.'

HTC responded with a teary-eyed emoji but uttered no words until its host was done wallowing in pain and disappointment in its manner of speaking.

'I know I was not the brightest, but I am grateful for the help. If you may be just a little more optimistic about my tactics and ways of doing things, I would be so relieved.'

Slowly dropping to the floor, he sat down and stared for a while.

"Can you do that for me?" He mumbled, looking down at his fingers.

[Affirmative]

Rephrasing its question, HTC began once more.

[What bright ideas do you have, host?]

This positive manner brought a smile to Hisha's face, lowering his head as though he was drifting off to sleep.

'There is only one way. One that would help me in another quest of mine.' Hisha placed his palm on the floor and grinned widely.

*****

A/N

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