My Taboo Harem System

Chapter 148: Met Him

The room settled into a comfortable silence, broken only by the slow rhythm of their breathing.

Denzel lay on his back for a few moments, staring at the ceiling as he tried to steady his thoughts. Beside him, Maria’s chest rose and fell with deep, exhausted breaths. Strands of damp hair clung to her forehead, and a faint sheen of sweat glistened against her flushed skin. She looked completely spent.

He, however, wasn’t.

Frowning slightly, Denzel flexed his fingers before rolling one shoulder. There wasn’t the familiar heaviness in his muscles, no aching fatigue weighing him down. If anything, he felt... refreshed.

His heartbeat had already slowed.

His breathing was perfectly even.

It was as if his body had barely exerted itself.

Is this... because of the System?

The thought lingered in his mind.

Ever since it had awakened, his body had continued to exceed his expectations. Stronger. Faster. More resilient. He had noticed the changes during training, but now, in a completely different situation, the difference was impossible to ignore.

Just how far could the System actually enhance him?

His thoughts came to an abrupt halt when soft fingers brushed against his cheek.

Maria smiled sleepily as she looked up at him.

"...Kiss me."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Denzel couldn’t help smiling back. Leaning down, he pressed a gentle kiss against her lips. It was slow and unhurried, lasting only a few seconds before he pulled away.

"You were amazing," she murmured, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.

He chuckled quietly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"You should get some rest."

Instead of answering, she pouted slightly before shifting closer until there was hardly any space between them.

"Then cuddle me."

Denzel let out an amused sigh.

"So demanding."

"You don’t sound like you’re complaining."

"I’m not."

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he drew her gently against his chest. Maria sighed happily, resting her head beneath his chin as she relaxed completely in his embrace.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

The room was peaceful, the silence almost comforting.

Yet Denzel’s mind refused to stay still.

His thoughts drifted back to the translucent blue screens only he could see... the quests, the rewards, the impossible strength he had begun acquiring.

Every day revealed something new.

Every day proved that the System was capable of more than he had imagined.

What else can you do?

The question lingered in his mind, unanswered.

Several quiet minutes passed before he glanced toward the bedroom door.

"...Maria."

"Hm?"

"We can’t risk Sophia finding out about us." His voice was gentle. "I should head back to my room before she notices."

Maria’s grip around him tightened almost immediately.

"Not yet."

She looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"Just... stay until I fall asleep."

Denzel hesitated for a moment before a helpless smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"...Alright."

Maria smiled contentedly, nestled closer against him, and closed her eyes once more.

Denzel remained where he was, holding her quietly as the room gradually fell into complete silence.

The next morning arrived long before the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon.

Denzel’s eyes opened almost instantly.

For a brief second, he stared at the unfamiliar ceiling before remembering where he was.

Maria.

Carefully, he glanced down at the woman sleeping peacefully against his chest. Her breathing was soft and even, one hand still loosely resting on his shirt.

A small smile crossed his face.

Without making a sound, Denzel gently lifted her arm and slid out of the bed. Maria stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before curling up around the blanket.

Thankfully, she didn’t wake.

After making sure she was still asleep, Denzel quietly picked up his clothes, got dressed, and slipped out of the room, easing the door shut behind him.

The hallway was deserted.

Not a single sound echoed through the apartment.

Good.

The last thing he wanted was for Sophia to step out and catch him sneaking out of Maria’s room before dawn.

Returning to his own room, Denzel let out a quiet breath before shutting the door behind him.

He quickly washed up, changed into the comfortable clothes he normally wore for training, and stretched his arms over his head.

There wasn’t much time to waste.

If he hurried, he could still make it to the forest before sunrise.

A few minutes later, he stepped outside and began his familiar journey.

The city was only beginning to wake.

Streetlights still illuminated the roads while the occasional shop owner prepared to open for the day. The cool morning breeze brushed against his face as he jogged through the quiet streets before eventually leaving the outskirts behind.

Soon, concrete gave way to dirt paths.

The towering trees of the forest welcomed him with their usual silence.

Denzel continued deeper inside until he reached the familiar clearing where he trained every morning.

The Knight was already there.

She leaned lazily against the trunk of a massive tree, one foot pressed against the bark while her arms were folded across her chest. Despite her relaxed posture, there was an air of confidence around her that made it obvious she had noticed his arrival long before he stepped into the clearing.

Without even looking at him, she spoke.

"You’re late."

Denzel raised an eyebrow.

"I don’t remember us agreeing on a specific time."

"We didn’t."

Only then did she glance at him.

"I simply expected better."

A faint smirk tugged at Denzel’s lips.

"So you’re just looking for an excuse to complain."

"And you’re wasting time talking."

She pushed herself off the tree and casually rolled her shoulders.

"Come. Let’s begin today’s training."

"Hold on."

The Knight stopped.

"What?"

"You still haven’t held up your end of the deal."

She tilted her head slightly.

"My end?"

"You were supposed to keep an eye on Sophia."

His expression became noticeably more serious.

"She went out last night."

His eyes narrowed.

"Don’t tell me you didn’t follow her."

For the first time since he’d arrived, the Knight’s lips curved into a small, amused smile.

"I did."

Denzel blinked.

"You... did?"

"I followed her from the moment she left the apartment until she returned."

His irritation disappeared almost instantly.

He stepped forward without realizing it.

"Then what are you waiting for?" he asked, unable to hide the urgency in his voice. "Tell me."

The Knight regarded him for a long moment, as though deliberately stretching out the suspense.

Then, with the same calm expression she’d worn all morning, she finally opened her mouth to reveal everything she had seen.

The Knight studied him in silence for a few moments before a mischievous smile slowly crept onto her face.

"Hmm..." she hummed, tapping a finger against her chin as if trying to remember. "Sophia’s little outing last night was... quite entertaining."

Denzel immediately became alert.

"What happened?"

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"You seem awfully interested."

"I asked you a question."

"I know."

The Knight nodded thoughtfully.

"Well... she met someone."

Denzel’s eyes narrowed.

"Who?"

"A man."

His expression stiffened ever so slightly.

"What man?"

She shrugged innocently.

"I don’t know. He was tall. Fairly handsome too."

Denzel folded his arms.

"Get to the point."

"Oh, I am."

The Knight continued with a perfectly straight face.

"They greeted each other warmly."

Denzel remained silent.

"Then they held hands."

His brows furrowed.

"They looked deeply into each other’s eyes for what felt like forever."

A vein twitched faintly on Denzel’s forehead.

"And then..." The Knight paused dramatically before clasping both hands together. "They confessed their undying love, abandoned civilization, and ran away together to build a little cabin in the mountains where they’d raise twelve children."

Silence.

For exactly two seconds.

Then the Knight doubled over laughing.

"Hahaha!"

Her laughter echoed throughout the clearing, startling a flock of birds from a nearby tree.

She laughed so hard that she had to grab onto the trunk beside her to keep herself from falling over.

Denzel didn’t say a word.

He simply stared at her with an expression so flat that it only made her laugh harder.

After nearly a minute, the laughter finally subsided.

"You..." she managed between breaths. "You actually believed me."

Denzel pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled slowly.

"For a moment..."

He had.

Against his better judgment, he had actually believed every ridiculous word she’d said.

The Knight grinned triumphantly.

"The look on your face was priceless."

Denzel lowered his hand and looked at her with visible disappointment.

"I seriously thought you were going to tell me something useful."

"I did tell you something useful."

"No, you didn’t."

He shook his head.

"I can’t believe I expected you to take this seriously."

The Knight merely shrugged.

"You couldn’t even fool Sophia yesterday," Denzel continued. "Now you’re standing here trying to fool me instead."

She clicked her tongue.

"I’d say I did a pretty good job."

"For about ten seconds."

He turned away from her.

"Forget it."

"Denzel."

"I’m done."

He waved a dismissive hand over his shoulder.

"I came here because I thought you had information that actually mattered. Clearly, I was wrong."

Without waiting for a response, he started walking toward the path leading out of the clearing.

Behind him, the Knight watched him leave.

The playful smile on her face gradually faded.

"...Fine."

Denzel didn’t stop.

"I’ll talk."

Still, he kept walking.

The Knight sighed in mild annoyance before speaking in a calm, matter-of-fact voice.

"She met Patrick."

Denzel’s footsteps stopped instantly.

The forest seemed to fall silent.

Even the rustling leaves overhead no longer held his attention.

For several long seconds, he remained completely still with his back turned to her.

Then, slowly, he turned around.

Gone was the irritation that had been on his face only moments earlier.

His eyes had become sharp.

Focused.

Serious.

"...Patrick?" he asked quietly, searching her face for any sign that she was joking again.

This time, however, the Knight wasn’t smiling. Her expression told him everything.

She wasn’t joking anymore.