Harem Stealing System

At afternoon, after the class had ended, Eiden made sure to seek Lyra first and confirmed she was with the girls. Only after reassuring himself of this did he move away. He avoided everyone he knew, deliberately walking toward a corner of the college he knew none of his acquaintances or friends would ever pass by.

There, he lingered in silence, waiting. The empty classroom he chose was quiet, dust gathering faintly at the corners of the floor. Eiden sat down, leaning his elbows on the desk, and then ordered System-chan to conjure up a map. The holographic-like projection flickered into sight, revealing the faint glowing mark of Airie's location.

She had already left the college.

Eiden confirmed it twice before rising from his seat and slipping out of the building. The corridors echoed with the fading sound of students chatting as they made their way home. He kept his pace measured, making sure to blend in, though he knew he could afford to be more discreet. He did not need to tail her directly since the map showed her precise position, yet he still kept her figure faintly in his line of sight.

It was not about necessity, but about caution.

So, Eiden followed her from a certain distance. Close enough to track with his eyes, but far enough to make it appear coincidental. If anyone happened to be watching, they would think nothing more than that he happened to be walking in the same direction. The map in his vision made things easier. Actually, he did not even need the map at this point. He already had the place in mind, as well as the rough time. Although the time was vague, it was afternoon, which narrowed things down for him.

Eventually, after weaving through streets and slipping past the flow of the crowd, he reached the destination.

Salvan Street.

The place was quieter than the bustling roads near the college. The tall buildings on either side blocked part of the sunlight, and vending machines lined the corners here and there. Eiden stopped at the intersection, glancing around with sharp eyes. He checked the surroundings, his senses heightened as he tried to see if there was anything unusual.

But there was nothing.

No suspicious figures, no one lurking in the shadows. Just ordinary movement of a few people and the hum of the vending machines.

He turned back to his target. Airie had moved farther down the street, and at first glance, it looked like she was simply walking forward. But after observing carefully, Eiden frowned.

Something was strange.

She was not exactly moving forward. Instead, she seemed to be moving around within a certain area, circling slightly and bending down from time to time.

Minutes passed. Then more minutes. Airie remained in that area.

She stayed there for an hour.

Eiden's frown deepened. "What the hell is she doing?" he muttered under his breath.

His patience waned, curiosity gnawed at him, and finally, he decided to get closer. Moving silently, he shortened the distance between them, stopping at a corner where the shadow of the building gave him cover.

From there, he had a clear view of Airie.

She was bent down, her posture low, her already short figure appearing even smaller. She shuffled slightly, her hands brushing the ground, her head darting left and right as if checking each inch of pavement. Her face was tense, her brows furrowed, her lips pressed tightly.

Eiden studied her expression carefully and came to a conclusion.

She was looking for something.

Her eyes moved desperately over the ground, and her anxious face told the rest of the story. The little fidgets in her movement, the quick darting glances, all of it revealed she was searching for something precious.

Another thirty minutes passed. Finally, Airie stood upright.

Her face was gloomy, her shoulders drooped. She looked not only sad but defeated. Her lips trembled faintly, her expression almost at the edge of tears. The disappointment was written clearly in her eyes, and she seemed to be holding herself together only barely.

Eiden watched her silently. For a brief moment, he felt pity. He did not take action immediately.

But after a while, he decided.

He casually walked forward, his pace steady, pretending that he was simply passing by. As though he had just happened to see her there, he acted surprised and halted slightly.

"Airie?" he called out.

The girl turned, startled. She looked at him, not recognizing him completely at first. It was as though she had seen him before but could not quite place where.

Eiden let his voice show concern. "You look… sad. And you seem to be searching for something. I couldn't help but notice. Did you lose something?"

Airie's lips curled into a bitter, sad smile. She lowered her gaze for a moment before answering softly.

"I lost my pendant."

"Oh? Is that valuable?" Eiden asked carefully.

Airie nodded faintly. "To me, it is."

Her voice was quiet, tinged with grief.

Eiden did not press further on how she had lost it. Instead, he offered calmly, "How does it look? I think I can help."

But Airie shook her head, still smiling faintly though her eyes carried sadness.

"You don't need to. I have been searching for a while, and I can't find it. Besides, it will get dark soon. I can't bother you. But… thank you."

Her tone was soft and polite, but her disappointment was heavy. She turned, muttering, "I will be going too," and walked away.

Eiden remained standing there, watching her retreating figure. He had no plan of following her any further.

After a while, he checked again, both with his eyes and with the glowing map conjured by System-chan, confirming that Airie had truly left the area. Only then did he begin to move himself.

He scanned the surroundings more carefully, walking step by step, his gaze narrowing. After some time, he noticed a vending machine at the edge of the street. His eyes lit slightly.

He quickly approached it, crouched, and checked underneath. But he found nothing.

Clicking his tongue, he straightened. His eyes darted across the street until he saw another vending machine farther away.

Without hesitation, he hurried toward it, crouched down, and inspected the bottom. Again, he found nothing.

"Strange," he muttered, frowning. "Then what was the hint regarding under the vending machine for?"

He thought for a while, trying to piece the information together. Yet nothing clear came to him.

Still unsatisfied, he kept moving. He looked around at every vending machine nearby. He checked them one by one, refusing to give up. The street was long, with vending machines lined at intervals, and he inspected each in turn.

Minutes passed. Then, suddenly, a faint glint caught his eyes.

Near one of the machines, at just the right angle, he saw something shining faintly under the dim light.

His heart leaped slightly. He rushed forward, bent down immediately, and reached out his arm as far as he could under the machine. His fingers brushed against something smooth and cold.

With a quick pull, he dragged it out.

A pendant.

The chain glittered faintly, and the small jewel at the center shimmered with a mix of green and pink hues, glowing softly under the light.

Eiden's lips curved slightly. "Bingo."

He held the pendant firmly in his hand, the weight of it confirming it was no ordinary trinket. Airie's pendant.