The situation at the gate shifted from a romantic comedy to a high-tension standoff in seconds. The moment Princess Lilith revealed herself, the three Goddesses—Ivory, Bellona, and Lustra—appeared behind Haruto like a wall of divine interference.
Lilith's eyes narrowed, her sharp gaze cutting through the morning mist as she scanned the three of them. "So, the three of you are here too? Hmph. Now I see why Haruto has been ignoring my invitations. You've been keeping him 'occupied,' haven't you?"
Lilith tapped her chin, her expression shifting into something dangerously mischievous.
"But then again, I barely know anything about him. Maybe he isn't interested in girls at all? Maybe he's into... guys? That would explain why he's so distant."
Haruto, who was still trying to keep his massive "Monster Physique" partially hidden behind the gate frame, felt a vein pop in his forehead. But Ivory was ahead of him. Using her Mind Reading powers, she intercepted Lilith's wild internal theories and broadcasted them directly to Bellona and Lustra.
(Mental Broadcast):"Girls, listen to this... Her Majesty is currently theorizing that Haruto is ignoring her because he prefers men. She's literally making up 'Head-canon' because she can't accept his lack of interest."
Ivory's expression turned into a mix of disgust and pure mockery. She leaned over, whispering into the ears of Bellona and Lustra while pointing at the Princess. The three of them suddenly burst into synchronized, mocking laughter, their eyes filled with "pity" for Lilith's delusions.
Haruto's brain momentarily hit a massive lag spike. He stared at the small elf, then at the Princess, then back to the elf.
"Wait... Kobi?" Haruto muttered, his mind going completely blank for a second.
"Bro, what are you doing here? You're a hotel valet! You carried my bags and showed me the golden crests!"
Lilith's eyebrows shot up.
"You know my personal bodyguard already? My, my... the world really is a small place, isn't it?"
Haruto turned his sharp violet eyes toward Kobi.
"Why are you working at a hotel if you're her personal guard?"
Kobi adjusted his collar, his demeanor shifting from the humble servant Haruto knew to a sharp, professional soldier.
"It was an undercover assignment, Sir Haruto. Nobody suspects the 'clueless' hotel staff. It allows me to gather intel without raising an eyebrow."
"Ah, right..." Haruto rubbed the back of his neck, his awkwardness returning.
"I remember now. When I left for the Academy, you vanished and said you were 'at the palace.' I knew something was fishy, but I didn't expect this."
Haruto leaned in, his voice dropping to a serious, almost mocking tone.
"But Kobi... do you even know how to fight?"
Lilith burst out laughing, but it wasn't a friendly laugh—it was the laugh of someone who knew a secret.
"Do you know how to fight? Haruto, Kobi are Level 78 warriors. He is one of the most powerful elves in the kingdom."
Haruto froze. He noticed that Kobi wasn't in "Friendly NPC" mode anymore; he was in Bodyguard Mode. His stance was perfect, his mana was silent but pressurized. Level 78. That was higher than Frederic. Since he was an Elf and not a Human, his base stats were likely even more optimized.
"Level 78... impressive, Kobi," Haruto said, nodding slowly. Then he turned his gaze toward the grumpy professor.
"Okay, so what about Vane? He's Kaelen's personal teacher. Why is he standing at my gate?"
To Haruto's absolute shock, Professor Vane didn't snap back. Instead, he looked at the ground, his face turning a deep shade of red as he looked genuinely embarrassed.
"Vane isn't just a teacher," Lilith explained, her voice dripping with royal command.
"He is a Royal Instructor. I have officially ordered him to serve as your personal advisor for the next 48 hours. He is going to help you find the weaknesses in Kaelen's style. I want you to crush that arrogant boy so thoroughly he never speaks to me again."
The air around the gate grew heavy as Haruto stepped fully into the light. The morning sun hit his new, high-density physique, and the effect was instantaneous.
Kobi's professional "Bodyguard Mode" wavered for the first time. His elven senses were screaming; he couldn't understand how he could possess such physical density in such a short time. Professor Vane actually took a half-step back, a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. "Is this his true form?" Vane wondered, terrified. "Has he been wearing a disguise this whole time? This pressure... it's like a high-level in hiding."
Lilith, meanwhile, was experiencing a total mental meltdown. She stared at Haruto's shredded frame, her heart hammering. "Wait... he looks even better now. If he really is into guys, maybe I should just dress up as a prince? Would that work?"
Ivory, still monitoring the Princess's brainwaves, made a face of pure disgust. She leaned toward the other Goddesses and whispered, "Seriously, this Princess is broken. She's considering gender-swapping just to get an 'eye' from Haruto. Disgusting."
Haruto ignored the weird stares and locked eyes with the group.
"So, let's cut the drama. Why are you here so early?"
Lilith, struggling to find her voice, stammered out,
"W-we're here to give you training! Vane is going to be your personal coach for the next 48 hours.!"
Haruto went silent for a moment. He looked at Vane—the man who had personally shaped Kaelen's entire fighting style.
(Inner Thoughts): "Wait... if Vane taught Kaelen everything, then Vane knows exactly where the 'Critical Errors' in Kaelen's combat code are. This isn't just a coach; this is a Cheat Code in human form. This is perfect."
The three Goddesses braced themselves, expecting Haruto to reject the help out of pride or boredom. But Haruto surprised everyone. A sharp, predatory grin spread across his face.
"Training? From the man who built my opponent?"
Haruto stepped aside, gesturing toward the courtyard with mock politeness.
"By all means, come in. I'd be an idiot to turn down a walk-through of Kaelen's weaknesses."
The three Goddesses—Ivory, Bellona, and Lustra—were burning holes through Lilith with their glares, their eyes filled with divine judgment. But Lilith didn't even flinch. She stood there with her head held high, radiating the supreme confidence of someone who knew she was the reincarnation of the Goddess of Beauty. To her, she was the most beautiful girl in existence; why would the stares of "mere attendants" bother her?
However, the real shock was felt by Kobi. He stood a few paces behind her, his elven ears twitching in pure confusion.
(Kobi's Inner Thoughts): "What is happening to the Princess? This is the 'Ice Queen' who treats every Noble suitor like dirt. She calls her own fiancé, Lord Kaelen, a 'rat' to his face. She's never shown an ounce of warmth to any man... so why is she acting like a hyperactive schoolgirl around Haruto? Is the world's logic failing?"
Even Kobi, who had served her for years, felt like he was watching a "glitched" version of his mistress. The cold, untouchable Princess had been replaced by someone desperate
The atmosphere in the mansion's main hall was thick enough to cut with a dagger. As Haruto excused himself to the bath to wash off the grime from his "Monster Mode" workout, the visitors were left alone with the three Goddesses.
Kobi stood in a rigid, defensive stance. He had heard the rumors that this mansion was haunted—cursed by ancient spirits—yet Haruto had been living here for weeks, not just surviving, but thriving. It didn't make sense.
Ivory sat across from Lilith, her eyes glowing with a faint, predatory light. She was deep inside the Princess's mind, and what she found was baffling.
Ivory's analytical gaze focused on Lilith's status bar. It was a glitch in the world's logic:
The Title:[GODDESS'S CHILD] — A title that matched Haruto's own origin pattern.The HUD Color: A vibrant, shimmering Pink.
Ivory's breath hitched. In the history of reincarnations, a pink HUD was a "One in 10,000" rarity. Even though Lilith was the reincarnation of the Goddess of Beauty, her power signature was leaking something much more ancient and potent—something that could potentially rival the Goddesses themselves.
"Where is Haruto?" Lilith asked, her eyes wandering restlessly around the opulent hall.
"I want a tour of the house."
"He's in the bath," Ivory said flatly, her voice dripping with territorial warning.
"He just finished a high-intensity session. He needs to... cool down."
At that exact moment, Toya walked into the hall, steam still rising from his skin. He had just finished his own shower in the guest wing and was drying his hair with a towel, looking relaxed and damp.
"Whoa! Princess? Professor Vane?" Toya froze, his eyes wide. "What are you guys doing here? Haruto didn't say we were having guests."
Lilith looked at Toya—damp, shirtless, and clearly comfortable in Haruto's home—and then back toward the direction of the baths where Haruto was currently soaking.
"I knew it!" Lilith's internal monologue screamed, her mind spiraling into a 100% incorrect conclusion. "He's in the bath, and this handsome boy is just walking around half-naked? My theory was right! Haruto isn't interested in me because his heart is already taken by... his training partner!"
Ivory intercepted the thought immediately. She looked at Lilith's desperate, wide-eyed expression and realized the Princess was about to go into a full-blown romantic panic.
(Ivory's Inner Thoughts): "If I let her believe Haruto is into guys, she might actually leave him alone out of respect for his 'relationship.' It's the perfect way to keep this Royal pest away from our vessel."
But Ivory's plan backfired instantly. Instead of being discouraged, Lilith's eyes lit up with a terrifying, competitive fire. She wasn't giving up—she was becoming more desperate.
"If it's a competition against a boy," Lilith thought.
"then I just have to be more 'manly' and reliable than him! I'll win Haruto over by being his best 'bro' and his fiancé!"
Ivory's face paled.
"Wait... no. That's not how this works. That's not how any of this works!"