Harem Master: Seduction System

Chapter 140: Alaric’s Scheme Fails

The aftermath of the practical examination left the class in an uproar. Some were still recovering from the embarrassment of failing spectacularly, while others celebrated scraping by with a passing score.

Then there were Kenneth and Noah.

Both had performed exceptionally, far above the average students, displaying their skill and adaptability as Adept Mages. The only problem? They had both assumed they’d be the only one at that level.

Kenneth had initially thought himself leagues ahead of his peers. That smug confidence had lasted exactly up until the moment he saw Noah clearing his own trial with just as much competence.

Noah, on the other hand, had been perfectly content in his belief that his alchemical mastery and control over magic energy set him apart. That contentment shattered the second he saw Kenneth effortlessly weaving between elemental attacks like he was born for it.

For the first time, the two acknowledged each other. Not with words, of course. That would imply they actually cared to talk to one another. No, they simply exchanged glares. The kind of glares that spoke of an unspoken rivalry that neither of them wanted but neither could ignore.

And yet, after witnessing Alaric Steele’s performance—if that farce of a display could even be called a performance—both of them silently decided:

They were giving up on that fight. At least for now.

Competing with Alaric was pointless. The man was practically in his own league, playing an entirely different game that they weren’t even invited to.

Instead, they turned their attention elsewhere.

~~

Kenneth Darlington-Whit found himself welcomed—if not outright pursued—by the heirs of noble families. His ability to wield multiple elemental spells with ease had not gone unnoticed. While not on Alaric’s insane level, his mastery of difficult and high-tier elemental magic placed him firmly at the top of the normal elite.

’Finally,’ Kenneth thought, sipping a fine glass of enchanted wine at one of the academy’s social gatherings. ’People who recognize true talent.’

Of course, he was careful. He kept his background as the heir of a fallen royal family tightly under wraps. The kingdom responsible for his family’s downfall still existed, and while it was far from the Eloriath Kingdom, caution was the better part of survival.

So instead of parading his lineage, he let his abilities do the talking.

And they talked loudly.

"Darlington-Whit, you must tell us—how did you manage to control both fire and wind at such a level?" a noble heir asked, eyes gleaming with admiration.

Kenneth smirked. "Some of us are simply born talented."

The flattery was enjoyable.

But in the back of his mind, there was a tiny, infuriating thought.

No matter how much recognition he received, no matter how much he excelled... he was still standing in Alaric Steele’s shadow.

And that? That was unacceptable.

~~

Meanwhile, Noah Gilkes had started rubbing shoulders with an entirely different crowd.

Unlike the nobility, who fawned over raw magic prowess, the trade unions, artificer guilds, and alchemy unions cared about results.

And Noah? He delivered results.

His talent in alchemy, combined with his absurdly strong magic energy, had made him a hot commodity.

"Master Gilkes, your elixir’s purity is remarkable!" an artificer praised, examining the glowing liquid in a crystalline vial.

Noah adjusted his sleeves, pleased but not surprised. "Naturally."

His status as the heir of one of Eloriath Kingdom’s renowned Alchemy Unions certainly helped, but it was his own skills that had truly solidified his place.

As far as he was concerned, this was where he belonged.

Among people who appreciated intellect and craft, not just brute magical power.

And yet...

Despite all the recognition, all the admiration...

There was still one irritating little fact he couldn’t erase from his mind.

No matter how accomplished he became... Alaric Steele still existed.

~~

While Kenneth and Noah were busy forging connections, Alaric Steele was engaged in something far more important.

Lazing around with his head in Natasha’s lap.

The midday sun cast a warm glow over the academy gardens. Alaric lay stretched out on a plush, enchanted blanket, utterly relaxed as Natasha delicately fed him grapes.

"Are you sure you don’t feel guilty?" Natasha pouted, placing a particularly plump grape between his lips.

Alaric chewed slowly, savoring the taste. "Guilty about what exactly?"

"Winning the bet!" she huffed. "Obviously!"

Ah. That.

The bet had been simple. Alaric had claimed he’d take first place in the enchantment and artifact creation exam. Natasha, ever confident, had insisted she would.

She had been second.

And now, per their agreement, she was personally feeding him grapes.

Alaric swallowed another one and smirked. "A deal’s a deal."

Natasha groaned. "You only won because you spent so much time learning from my sister!"

That was... technically true.

Iridelle had been instrumental in refining his enchantment skills. But Alaric was not about to let a mere fact ruin his moment of divine indulgence.

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well, that might be true, but as they say—"

He lowered his voice, bringing it to a conspiratorial whisper.

"—all’s fair in love and war."

Natasha’s eyes narrowed. "You just made that up."

"Did I?" Alaric grinned and gestured for another grape.

She sighed dramatically but complied, plucking another one from the bowl and placing it in his mouth.

He chewed, feeling particularly pleased with himself.

But, of course, there was one tiny detail Natasha didn’t know.

Yes, he had learned enchantment from Iridelle. That much was true.

But what wasn’t true... was the assumption that learning enchantment was all he did with her.

His lips curled into a subtle, knowing smirk while recalling the intimate moments he had shared with Iridelle, the passion that had ignited between them.

’Oh, Natasha. If only you knew what your sister and I really spent our time doing...Your reaction would have been quite entertaining. However...’

’Some secrets are best kept hidden,’ he thought, his mind already drifting to other matters. He was content to enjoy this moment of peace, this moment of intimacy with Natasha.

Meanwhile...

Back in the academy halls, Kenneth and Noah had firmly cemented themselves as rising stars within their respective circles.

Noble heirs whispered about Kenneth’s potential.

Trade and alchemy guilds eyed Noah with keen interest.

And yet, despite their newfound influence...

Neither of them could shake the same, unspoken realization.

No matter how high they climbed, no matter how much they achieved...

There would always be one name that overshadowed them all.

Alaric Steele.

And the worst part?

He wasn’t sure yet who the culprit was. But soon, very soon, he would have a name.

And when that happened...

He was going to enjoy what came next.

~~

Alaric’s plan unfolded over the next five days like a well-orchestrated symphony. Zylle executed everything exactly as he had instructed, meeting with each high-ranking Phantom Assembly member in secret.

Each meeting had been carefully arranged—hushed discussions behind closed doors, cryptic whispers exchanged in dimly lit rooms, and veiled warnings to never reveal the information to anyone else.

And of course, each individual was given a different location for the supposed shipment of phones.

By the fourth day, the trap had been set.

The Steele Family had arranged several empty carriages to travel along the designated routes, each one seemingly carrying a valuable shipment of Phones meant for the Phantom Assembly.

Now, it was simply a matter of waiting.

But there was one thing Alaric had not accounted for—

Gideon.

Unlike the others, Gideon was not a fool.

Deep within the underbelly of the Phantom Assembly’s hidden domain, he leaned back in his chair, the dim candlelight flickering against the sharp contours of his face.

His phone buzzed.

He picked it up and brought it to his ear.

"Master," Eskil’s eager voice came through. "We have an opportunity."

Gideon didn’t respond immediately, his sharp eyes narrowing.

Eskil continued, his excitement palpable. "Another shipment is coming. Steele is pushing out more Phones to the Phantom Assembly."

A deep hum rumbled in Gideon’s throat. His fingers tapped idly against the wooden table.

"Consecutive shipments?" he muttered. "Even while the Steele Family is desperately trying to fulfill the Royal Family’s order?"

Eskil hesitated. "...Yes?"

"Suspicious," Gideon murmured.

Eskil, of course, didn’t care about suspicions. He was already imagining the riches that could be made. The first shipment had given them a taste of power—Phones were an untapped goldmine in the underworld, and they controlled the supply.

If they intercepted another batch? Their influence would expand even further.

"Master," Eskil pressed. "Should I take action?"

But Gideon remained silent.

A few seconds passed.

Then—

"No."

Eskil blinked. "No?"

Gideon’s voice was firm. "Reign in your greed, Eskil. We have more than enough Phones right now. No need to get desperate for more."

Eskil was confused. This wasn’t like Gideon at all. Usually, his master would seize every opportunity that came their way. Why hesitate now?

"But—"

"Think," Gideon interrupted coldly. "The Steele Family just suffered a major loss of Phones to us. And despite that, they’re sending another shipment so soon?"

Eskil frowned. "...Isn’t that just because they’re desperate to maintain ties with the Phantom Assembly?"

Gideon exhaled through his nose. "Possibly. But I do not believe Steele is that reckless. Either they have an endless supply of Phones, or..."

He let the word hang in the air.

Eskil’s enthusiasm dimmed slightly. "...Or it’s a trap."

"Exactly," Gideon murmured.

Eskil’s mind raced. It made sense. The timing. The secrecy. The consecutive shipments.

He hated to admit it, but his master was right.

Gideon tapped his fingers against the table again. "We do nothing for now."

Eskil scowled. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like the idea of missing out on such an easy haul. But Gideon’s tone left no room for argument.

"...Understood," he muttered.

And with that, the call ended.

Gideon leaned back, eyes gleaming.

’Nice try, Steele. But you’ll have to do better than this.’

Meanwhile, Alaric was comfortably lounging in his academy dorm, completely unaware that Gideon had caught on.

Zylle had yet to send him any news, and he figured it was only a matter of time before the culprit made their move.

Stretching his arms behind his head, he sighed.

’I should start charging for my strategic expertise. Too bad I’m already disgustingly rich.’

Just as he was about to relax, his phone vibrated again.

A message.

Zylle: No attacks. None of the carriages were targeted.

Alaric’s eyes narrowed.

’...Huh.’

That was unexpected.

For a moment, he considered the possibility that all of the Phantom Assembly members were actually innocent.

Then he immediately discarded that thought.

’Not a chance.’

There was a mole. He was sure of it. But whoever it was—

They were smart.

Alaric rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

If he were in their position, what would he do?

’If I were the traitor and I suspected a trap... I’d stay quiet. I’d observe instead of act. That way, I wouldn’t expose myself.’

That meant the culprit wasn’t just any random high-ranking member.

It was someone cautious. Someone experienced.

Someone who knew what they were doing.

Alaric exhaled slowly, a sharp grin forming.

’Well, well. I guess I’ll just have to make things even more interesting for them.’

He picked up his phone and typed a message to Zylle.

"New plan. We switch from baiting to luring. Let’s make them come to us."

And with that, the next phase of his game began.