Harem Sync: Divine Edition-Chapter 16: The End of Valtherion Manor

Both jumped back.

But Calvin was the first to move. He launched an explosive dash at Haru, not giving him time to adjust. With his sword, he began a sequence of consecutive strikes: diagonal, horizontal, thrust, spinning cut.

Haru defended each one. He drew his sword at the last moment, blocking. He retreated, maintaining his balance.

Calvin executed a blow from above with both hands. Heavy. Brutal.

Haru defended with both hands as well.

The swords clashed. The impact was so strong that Haru crouched, his legs trembling. He stood there, holding the blow with the blade above his head.

"Ghrrr..." Calvin growled, pressing harder.

The ground beneath Haru cracked.

And then, a golden aura began to emanate from Calvin. Enveloping his body. His hands, his sword. The pressure increased.

Haru felt his muscles burning.

"Shit... he’s using combat aura..." he thought.

But he didn’t panic. He tilted his sword slightly. He let Calvin’s blade slide across his own.

Calvin staggered forward, unbalanced by his own strength.

Haru took advantage. He spun his sword. With the pommel of the hilt, he struck one of Calvin’s arms.

Calvin felt a shock. "Damn! What the hell is this, it’s like a discharge of mana was injected into my muscles. Brutally."

"Ghrrr!"

A shockwave exploded from the point of impact, repelling his arm. And consequently, himself.

Haru took the opportunity to move away. He stopped a few meters away, holding the sword with both hands.

Calvin composed himself, took a deep breath, and looked at Haru.

"Ahhh!" he said, sounding annoyed. "Why are you holding back? Come at me with everything you’ve got!"

Haru smiled and stopped holding the sword with both hands. He held it with his right hand only. He let his left hand fall to his side.

He sighed and did what he always did in combat. He let the mana flow quickly through his body. Like a river. Fast. Intense.

Calvin advanced, but when he realized it... Haru was no longer in front of him.

To Calvin, it was as if, in a fraction of a second, Haru had moved out of time.

Haru appeared beside him and began a series of quick strikes. Here. There. Back. Front. Side.

Calvin tried to adapt, dodging, defending, and blocking. He increased the brightness of his golden aura, becoming stronger. But he was no match.

Haru appeared in flashes in all directions. It was like an unpredictable beam of light.

He appeared in front. He made a precise lunge at Calvin.

Calvin defended with his blade.

But the blow didn’t stop there. Haru pressed on, pushing Calvin back with brute force.

"You’re going to get it—"

Before Calvin could finish his sentence, a wave of mana at the tip of Haru’s sword exploded.

BAM!

The force shook Calvin, causing him to drop his sword, and before he could even blink... He felt it again, that sensation of Haru moving out of time.

He received a punch to the face, bright. Bathed in mana.

BOOM!

A wave of wind exploded, tearing up some of the earth behind Calvin. His hair flew back.

Calvin opened his eyes. Haru didn’t have the emerald, but his fist remained aligned with his face. He saw Haru’s eyes, gray. Shining, frightening. Like those of a maniacal predator.

"Unlike me..." Calvin thought, still processing. "He’s not even wearing armor. He doesn’t even know swordplay. Maybe he didn’t even go to a basic school where they teach elemental magic. But even so... he..."

Calvin raised a hand. In a sign of surrender.

"I lost."

Haru returned to normal. The mana ceased. He sighed.

The servants began to clap enthusiastically.

One guy there, all happy, was teary-eyed: "I know that kid! I used to throw water on him every day to wake him up! I’m so proud... he’s grown so much..."

Calvin held out his hand. Haru shook it.

"You did well," Calvin said, smiling wearily.

Haru nodded.

He went back to where he had been before the fight started and stood face to face with the baron.

He paused, feeling the weight of the moment. "I don’t know what to say..." he thought.

The baron stood up. "We have a winner."

He stepped down from his high chair and walked over to Haru.

"From now on, Haru Mizuki will be recognized as the guardian of my firstborn, Isabela Valtherion."

He extended his hand.

Haru hesitated. Then he shook it.

He felt a tremendous energy coming from the baron. As if he were shaking hands with a contained volcano.

The baron leaned close to his ear. He whispered:

"Later this afternoon, come to my office."

And he left.

Isabela, from where she sat, smiled, stood up, and followed her father.

The servants entered the training ground. They surrounded Haru. They congratulated him on his victory and achievement. They patted him on the back, smiled, and celebrated. Haru stood there, awkwardly, thanking them.

"Over 500 deaths for this."

In his previous life, he had never been congratulated like this. Only on the internet, after selling a mod, codes, game-related information. But never... in person, never with real people around him.

He felt his eyes burn. "Damn..." he thought, trying to hold back.

He almost cried, but he held back and smiled....

Later, as the sun was setting, Haru went to the baron’s office.

He stopped in front of the door. He was about to knock.

"Come in, Haru," said the baron’s voice from the other side.

Before he even touched the wood, Haru took a deep breath. He opened the door.

The baron was sitting behind his desk. Documents were scattered around. An open bottle of whiskey beside it. Two glasses.

He gestured to the chair in front of him.

"Sit down."

Haru obeyed.

The baron poured whiskey into both glasses. He pushed one toward Haru.

"Drink."

Haru took the glass and took a sip. Strong. Bitter.

The baron drank too. Then he put the glass on the table. He looked at Haru.

"Congratulations on your victory. It was... impressive."

Haru nodded. He didn’t know what to say.

The baron continued:

"But that’s not why I called you here." He paused. "I want to thank you. Really. For saving my daughter. And my mansion."

Haru blinked. Surprised.

The baron rarely showed emotion. But now, there was something different in his eyes. Gratitude. Genuine.

"Cedrick..." The baron sighed. "He had been with me since Isabella was a child. I trusted him. And in the end... he was a traitor."

He shook his head.

"You, a boy I bought as a slave... honestly, I don’t even remember when I bought you, killed Cedrick. And defeated the leader of a cult. That’s... a lot."

Haru swallowed hard. "I just did what needed to be done."

The baron smiled. Slightly. "Humility. That’s good." He drank some more. "But now let’s get down to business. Your duties."

The baron leaned back in his chair.

"As Isabela’s personal guard, you have responsibilities. Protect her. Always. In any situation. Even if it costs you your life."

Haru nodded. "I understand."

"You will be paid. 200 silver coins per month. That’s more than any other guard receives. Because you are not just any guard."

Haru nodded as if he understood. "200 coins? I don’t even know how much that is... I should have played this game in my other life."

The baron continued:

"In this mansion, from now on, you will have your own room. Next to Isabela’s. You will have access to the mansion’s library. And..." He paused. "As part of your duties, you will have to study at the Imperial Academy."

Haru frowned.

"Yes. Isabela will study there. And as her guard, you will too. Not as a regular student, but as... an assistant. A protector. But the Academy’s regulations require that everyone who enters take the courses. So you will study too."

The baron poured himself more wine.

"I will pay. Everything. Tuition, monthly fees, boarding. Everything."

Haru processed this.

"And when... do we start?"

"Tomorrow morning, you leave. The official entrance to the Academy is in 15 days. The trip to the capital takes 5 days by road. So you’ll have 10 days to settle into the city before classes start."

The baron opened a drawer in the table. He took out something small and red. A ring.

He placed it on the table, pushing it toward Haru.

"Wear this."

Haru picked up the ring. Ruby red. Simple, but elegant.

"It’s an oath ring," said the baron. "It has a secret. It will only work in a moment of crisis. But it also serves as... a guarantee."

Haru looked at him. "Guarantee?"

"Yes." The baron looked him straight in the eye. "I want you to swear. Now. That you will never hurt Isabela. And that you will never conspire against House Valtherion."

"And if I break it?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"The ring will burn your soul... Until there is nothing left."

Silence.

The baron continued:

"The ring cannot be removed. Under any circumstances. If you try to take it off, it will be considered treason. It’s nothing personal, Haru. These are... measures."

Haru looked at the ring on his hand, then at the baron. He took a deep breath.

"I swear. I will never harm Isabela Valtherion. And I will never conspire against House Valtherion."

He placed the ring on the index finger of his left hand.

The ring adjusted itself. It squeezed slightly. Then it became comfortable, and Haru felt something warm run through his arm, then stop.

The oath was made.

The baron nodded. "If there is nothing else... you may leave."

Haru stood up, bowed, and left the office.

He let out a long sigh as soon as he closed the door. He looked at the ring on his finger.

"Shit... now I’m really stuck... heheheh but he didn’t forbid me from taking his daughter into my harem," he thought.

He started walking out.

When he turned the corner, a hand pulled him back quickly. He was thrown against the wall.

He looked up. It was Isabela.

She was pressed against him, her hands holding his shoulders and looking directly into his eyes.

Haru instinctively looked down. At her breasts. Which were pressed against his chest.

"Hey!" Isabela tapped him on the shoulder. "Look me in the eyes!"

Haru looked up. Slowly.

Isabela stared at him. Seriously.

"What were you doing with my panties?!"

Haru blinked.

"...What?"