My Taboo Harem System

Chapter 133: Rush Hour

"Tera?"

The name left his mouth before he could stop it. Denzel’s spine went rigid, every muscle pulling tight at once. He stared at the knight across from him, something cold settling in his chest.

"How do you know that name?"

The knight didn’t even blink. She reached for her cup, took a slow sip, set it back down with the kind of patience that made you feel like the question was cute.

"I have a friend who works customs. Merchant goods coming through the east gate — routine check. Your girl was sitting in the back of one of the carriages." She tilted her head. "She asked my friend to pass the message along."

Denzel looked at her for a long moment.

"That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard."

"Is it?"

"She doesn’t know you. She doesn’t know your friend. She doesn’t know I’d ever be in the same room as either of you." He leaned forward slightly, voice dropping. "So I’ll ask again. How do you actually know her name?"

The knight’s expression didn’t shift. She just let the silence sit between them, completely unbothered, like she’d expected exactly this response and had already decided she wasn’t going to dignify it with anything more.

"Come to the academy," she said finally. "Find out."

"And if I can’t pass the exam?"

"I’ll train you myself."

Denzel almost laughed. "You don’t even know what I can do."

"I know enough."

"That’s not an answer."

"No," she agreed. "It’s not."

He pushed back from the table slightly, jaw tight, running the numbers in his head without wanting to. Thera’s name in a stranger’s mouth. A knight sitting in his kitchen like she belonged there. An academy he’d never once considered.

None of it made sense. All of it pointed in the same direction.

"Fine." The word came out flat. "Let her have her way. I’ll go."

Something shifted in the knight’s face — not quite a smile, but close. She rose from her chair in one clean motion, rolling her shoulder back like she was already thinking about tomorrow’s schedule.

"Good. We start at dawn. The entrance exam is in just under a month, so we don’t have time to — "

"What even makes you think a month is enough?"

She looked at him evenly. "Because I’ll be the one training you."

Denzel said nothing. She took that as agreement.

"So...is that a yes?"

The silence stretched as she patiently awaited her answer, with her usual carefree expression over her face. Until-

"Go fuck yourself." Denzel muttered as he leaned in,locking eye contact with her.

"Are you sure that’s the best answer?"

Denzel didn’t respond.

She let the silence stretch, watching him with that same unhurried patience that was starting to get on his nerves.

"Think about it," she said finally. "I’ll be here by sunrise. Give me your answer then."

He turned around. Took steady steps toward the door. Didn’t look back.

He left her entirely alone in the echo of where she’d been.

***

Some time later, Denzel finally made it back into town.

He didn’t stop anywhere. Didn’t slow down. Walked straight to the parlour like a man who had already rehearsed his apology three times and still wasn’t confident in it.

He pushed through the door, mentally bracing for Antonia.

He got Sofia instead.

She was near the front, adjusting something on the shelf, and she turned at the sound of the door. Her face opened up immediately.

"You’re back."

"Been back since last night," he said. "You weren’t here."

"Oh." She laughed — light, unbothered. "I stayed over at Mia’s. We lost complete track of time, so I just came straight from there this morning."

Denzel looked at her. "Mia’s place."

"Yes?" She smiled at his expression, a small laugh catching in her throat. "What?"

"Nothing. Just I haven’t really seen you two talk that much."

"Maybe you just don’t pay enough attention."

He opened his mouth. Closed it. Actually thought about it for a second, rolling his neck until something popped.

"Yeah," he said. "Maybe that’s it."

Sofia smiled again, already stepping back. "I have to get back to work. Welcome home."

She slipped past him and was gone.

Denzel turned.

Antonia was sitting at the front desk.

Staring at him.

Not moving. Not blinking. Just sitting there with both hands folded on the surface in front of her, delivering the kind of look that could strip paint off a wall.

Denzel raised both hands slowly.

"I know."

He walked toward her.

"I know, I know before you say anything"

"Say anything?" Antonia’s voice was dangerously calm. "Me? Say anything? Why would I say anything, Denzel? It’s not like you vanished for days without a single word."

"It wasn’t days"

"It felt like days."

"Antonia"

"Do you know how many customers I covered? Do you have any idea? My fingers literally ache." She leaned forward slightly. "My fingers. Denzel. My actual fingers."

"I’m sorry." He dropped his hands. "Genuinely. I’ll make it up to you, I swear."

"You better." She pointed at him. "You better make it up to me in ways that are meaningful and immediate."

"Meaningful and immediate. Got it."

She held the stare for another second, then leaned back, the sharpest edge of it fading. Her eyes moved over his face and something shifted.

"Rough morning?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"It’s written all over you. Sit down before you fall down."

"I’m not going to fall down."

"Denzel."

He pulled up the stool across from her and sat.

"How much trouble?" she asked.

"Long story."

"I have time."

"I’d rather not." He exhaled through his nose, slow and even. "Actually — Sarah. I haven’t heard from her in a while. How’s she doing?"

Antonia blinked. "Oh. She made the voyage to the capital. Left not long ago."

"The capital? That soon?"

"I know. I actually forgot to mention it — that’s why you haven’t been able to reach Tara either. She went with her."

Denzel went still.

He looked at Antonia for a moment, something turning over quietly behind his eyes.

"Is that so."

"Is something wrong?"

He already knew about the fight with Patrick. She didn’t know about the system — and he wasn’t ready to hand her that much yet. Maybe not anyone. Not yet.

He shook his head, a small smile finding its way onto his face.

"No. Nothing wrong at all."

Antonia studied him for exactly one second, then nodded, seemingly satisfied with that.

"Okay. Well." She stood, smoothing her apron. "Get changed. Rush hour’s coming and I am not covering your customers again."

"On it."

He was already moving toward the changing rooms.