Building a Harem in a Noble House

Chapter 116: Head of House May

"You sure you’re in the right line?" One of them said, a lanky man with scruffy hair. "These trials are not for people who get lost on their way to soup kitchens."

Meredith stiffened. I looked up slowly.

"You should go home before someone mistakes you for a damsel," the other jeered, a shorter man with a perm. "Wouldn’t want to break a nail, right?"

I was already done with them. I turned in my seat.

"She is with me."

Both of them looked at me like I had grown a second head.

"And who are you supposed to be?" the perm one asked.

"Lloyd May."

Their faces dropped just enough to tell me they recognized the name. The lanky one spoke up. "You’re that Five Star, right? You think that matters here?"

"You’re wearing armor that could lose a fight against a bucket of water. Don’t talk to me about what matters."

The lanky one gritted his teeth. "You talk big for someone with no backing. No House. No lineage. You’re just an orphan with a little strength and luck. Don’t forget your place."

"I am the head of House May. I own more land than your entire family has touched in three generations. You are a mouthbreather in bargain armor with wooden swords. Stop arguing with me."

The lanky one clenched his jaw. "You want to say that again?"

I shrugged, failing to hide my growing smile. "Sure. I am the the head of House–"

Meredith grabbed my wrist hard enough to actually surprise me. "Lloyd, come."

She pulled me away from them. I let her. Mostly because if I didn’t walk away, I would kick them across the room and get disqualified before I could so much as swing a sword.

"I think Lyra’s impatience is rubbing off on me," I sighed. "Took long enough, I guess."

Behind us, I heard one of the idiots laugh. "Saved by your girlfriend, huh?"

"You sound like you’re six. Go back to your incest boyfriend and fuck off."

They started to stand, but Meredith yanked me forward before I could meet them halfway. I turned to her, still surprised by the amount of force she was using. She looked a bit more nervous than normal.

"Was that too much? Sorry."

"D-don’t worry about it," Meredith managed, wiping her face with an armored sleeve. "T-they simply say strange things. ’Girlfriend’. What a... juvenile word. D-don’t you agree...?"

I started to answer, but stopped when a group of Paladins entered. We sat on a set of chairs across from a filled bench, taking notice of the newcomers on the stage. Their armor gleamed under the hall’s lights, pristine and ceremonial. Leading them was someone I had not expected to see.

Dorin the Immortal.

Everyone froze. Some stood. Others whispered like they were seeing a legend rise from the dead.

To the world, Dorin the Immortal is the man who survived Rushela. Stranded on that demon-infested island for months. Faced the old Demon Lord–Jolyne’s father. Lived through nightmares that would kill most adventurers in under an hour. Surviving that was how he earned his "Immortal" title.

To me, though, he was Mr. Shaw. The same Mr. Shaw who trained me in another timeline. The same Shaw who became the head of the Adventurers Guild in this timeline. The same man who never bragged about anything and preferred tea over alcohol.

He stepped to the center of the chamber and stood with the calm presence that someone of his stature ought to.

"Welcome, applicants." Everyone straightened instinctively. "You are here because you seek to join the Order of Paladins. The backbone of Aspia. The shield that denies chaos. The force that keeps peace where peace cannot sustain itself." I watched his expression. Calm. Almost bored. Same Shaw. He continued. "Your trial is simple. You will be sent into a controlled dungeon. Inside, you will find a group of stranded townspeople. They are actors supported with magic to mimic genuine stress and danger. Your mission is to rescue as many as you can. You will be judged on survival count, time taken, and efficiency of your actions. Teams will consist of four. The highest performing teams will pass on to the next exam. The lowest will fail today."

People swallowed hard. No one dared talk. As groups started getting called up, Meredith leaned toward me.

"There are so many strong people here. But most of them are awful. Why do they even want to be Paladins?"

"Because it pays really well," I answered honestly. "Most Paladins get hundreds of thousands of gold a year just to look scary and stand near important buildings."

She recoiled as if that offended her soul. "That is disgusting. Paladins are supposed to maintain order. Without them, Aspia falls apart. This is supposed to be a calling, not a paycheck."

"Then it’s on you. When you get certified and swear your oaths, you get to show them what a real Paladin looks like."

She took a breath and nodded slowly. The fire in her eyes returned. A few more teams were called. Groups shuffled forward reluctantly. A Paladin near the front motioned for silence.

Next team. Lloyd May. Meredith Weston. And...

Ruth Odelium. Harris Odelium. I hadn’t heard the names before today, but my luck was shitty enough to know exactly who they are.

Indeed, it was the lanky recruit and his short, permed brother. They strutted toward us like they hadn’t spent the last ten minutes mouthing off like toddlers in a sandbox.

Meredith leaned closer, whispering. "...This troubles me."

"Yeah, me too."

One of them smirked. The lanky one, Ruth. "Looks like you’re stuck with us. Try not to slow us down, yeah?"

I smiled without warmth. "Sure. Do your best. Try not to suck your brother off in the middle of the exam, yeah? Kids watch these exams sometimes. Be considerate."

They glared, but they also didn’t have a comeback. For all their noise, reality had just slammed into them. They were about to fight next to someone who could bury them ten feet under with a flick.