Harem System in an Elite Academy

The sun hung low but bright over the academy courtyard, the air warm enough to make everyone slow down a little. It wasn't an event day or a festival; just another weekend afternoon where the noise of training grounds had faded and the chatter of students filled the open spaces.

Arios sat on the stone bench near the fountain, leaning slightly forward with his elbows on his knees. His expression was blank as always, but his eyes kept tracking the movement of the water lazily circling the fountain's center. He wasn't waiting for anyone in particular, or at least that's what he told himself.

Then Lucy appeared, balancing two cups of iced drinks in her hands, and a small paper bag tucked under her arm.

"You look like you're brooding again," she said, handing him one of the cups.

"I'm sitting," Arios replied.

"Same thing for you," she said, sitting beside him. The space between them wasn't much—barely an inch. "I brought these. One's mango, one's lemon. Guess which one's yours."

Arios glanced down. Both looked the same from the outside. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it matters," she said. "Yours is mango. You look like someone who'd hate sour things."

He blinked once, then took the mango drink without argument. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," she said, sipping hers. "Lemon's better, though."

He didn't reply. They just sat there, letting the sound of the fountain and passing voices fill the silence. After a minute, Lucy tilted her head.

"So what are we doing today?"

Arios looked at her. "You're the one who invited me out."

"I didn't invite you out," she said quickly. "I just said I was going to sit outside for a while, and you followed."

"That's inviting," Arios said.

She frowned. "That's twisting words."

Before Arios could respond, another voice joined in from behind. "You two argue every single time I find you."

They turned to see Liza walking toward them, holding a half-eaten sandwich in one hand and a small bag of fruit skewers in the other. She sat on the opposite end of the bench, stretching her legs out.

"You're late," Lucy said.

"I wasn't invited," Liza replied, unbothered. "But I always assume I'm part of whatever you two do."

"That's called freeloading," Arios said.

"Then I'm good at it," Liza said, taking another bite of her sandwich.

Lucy sighed. "We should have brought a blanket. Sitting on stone benches makes it feel like detention."

"You'd only say that if you actually went to detention," Liza said. "Which you haven't."

"I've been close," Lucy said.

"That doesn't count."

Before the argument could go further, a quiet voice joined from nearby. "You're all loud for people who claim to be relaxing."

They turned to see Amelia standing a few steps away, holding a book in one hand and an umbrella in the other. Her uniform sleeves were rolled up neatly, and her usual calm expression was unchanged.

Lucy grinned. "You came."

Amelia nodded slightly. "I was passing by. I didn't plan to sit."

"You're sitting," Liza said, patting the space beside her. "We need someone with actual brain cells here."

Amelia gave her a small look. "I'll stand."

"You won't last five minutes," Lucy teased. "Come on, sit."

After a brief pause, Amelia sighed and sat—between Liza and Arios. She placed her book on her lap and glanced at the drink in Arios' hand. "Mango?"

"Apparently," Arios said.

Lucy nodded proudly. "I picked it."

"Of course you did," Amelia said, turning a page in her book. "You like picking things for people."

Lucy frowned lightly. "That sounded like an insult."

"It wasn't," Amelia said without looking up.

A short silence settled again, but it wasn't awkward—just calm. Birds chirped somewhere in the distance, and a few students walked by carrying training gear. The air smelled faintly of fresh grass and whatever was blooming in the courtyard garden.

Liza broke the quiet first. "So, are we just sitting here until dinner?"

"That's the plan," Arios said.

She raised an eyebrow. "You made a plan to do nothing?"

"Doing nothing is the plan," he said.

Lucy nodded in agreement. "He's not wrong. It's peaceful."

"You two are secretly old people," Liza muttered, leaning back.

Amelia flipped another page. "You're the one complaining about rest."

"I like fun rest," Liza said. "Like board games. Or something competitive."

"Last time we played a game, you threw the pieces," Arios reminded her.

"Because Lucy cheated," Liza said quickly.

"I didn't cheat!" Lucy protested. "You just don't understand rules."

"That's what cheaters say," Liza replied calmly.

Amelia looked between them and then at Arios. "They sound like children."

Arios nodded once. "They are."

Lucy crossed her arms. "Hey!"

Liza pointed her sandwich at her. "He's not wrong."

"Traitor," Lucy muttered.

Amelia turned another page, though her expression softened slightly at their exchange. "Still, this is better than watching the upper years fight in the training yard."

Arios looked at her. "You've been watching fights again?"

"Observation," she corrected. "It helps understand techniques."

"Or you just like seeing people get hit," Liza said.

Amelia didn't deny it.

Lucy laughed quietly. "She's scary sometimes."

"She's always scary," Liza said.

"I'm right here," Amelia said flatly.

They all stopped talking for a few seconds, and then all three of them laughed. Even Arios exhaled slightly, something that was close enough to a chuckle for the others to notice.

Lucy leaned back, smiling. "This feels nice."

"It does," Liza admitted.

"Until someone spills a drink," Amelia added, glancing at Liza's half-empty cup.

"I'm not that clumsy," Liza said.

"You are," Lucy said immediately.

"She's right," Arios added.

Liza looked at all three of them. "I see how it is."

They stayed that way for a while—just sitting, talking about nothing. Small topics came and went: the cafeteria's new menu, a rumor about an upcoming mock duel event, some gossip about an instructor who fell asleep during class. None of it was serious, and that was exactly why it felt easy.

At some point, Lucy stood up and stretched her arms high. "Okay, I'm bored. Let's go get something to eat."

"You just had a drink," Arios said.

"That was hours ago."

"It's been twenty minutes," he said.

She ignored that. "Come on, there's that food stall near the east path. They have those fried things you like."

"I don't like fried things," Arios said.

"You ate six last time," she reminded him.

Liza smirked. "He's not going to win this."

Amelia closed her book and stood. "I'll come. The wind's getting strong here."

Arios sighed, but stood anyway. "Fine."

Lucy grinned, triumphant. "See? I always win."

"You just don't stop talking," Arios said.

"That's why I win," she said proudly.

They walked together down the cobblestone path that curved around the courtyard. The academy's main buildings stood tall in the distance, their windows reflecting the orange hue of the setting sun. Students passed by in small groups, carrying snacks, books, or just walking without purpose.

Lucy led the way, chatting about random things. Liza followed beside her, occasionally teasing or correcting her stories. Amelia walked quietly behind them, keeping her eyes forward. Arios matched her pace.

"You're quiet," Amelia said after a few moments.

"I usually am," Arios said.

She nodded slightly. "You think a lot."

"Someone has to," he said.

That earned the faintest curve of her lips. "True."

They reached the small food stall—just a temporary setup run by two older students who sold snacks during weekends. The smell of fried batter filled the air. Lucy immediately stepped forward, scanning the menu.

"One of each," she said.

"You can't eat all that," Liza said.

"I'm sharing," Lucy said.

"With who?" Liza asked.

"Whoever's nice to me," Lucy replied with a smirk.

Liza turned to Arios. "I'm out."

He handed her a few coins anyway. "You're paying for your own."

She looked at him. "You're learning."

"I had to," he said. "You eat too much."

"I'm growing," she said.

"Sideways," Lucy muttered.

Liza's head snapped around. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Lucy said quickly.

Amelia, standing off to the side, spoke in a quiet voice. "You two are exhausting."

"They're entertaining," Arios said.

"Same thing," she said.

When the food came, they sat at a nearby bench. The sky had started to shift colors—orange to pink, pink to violet. The lamps along the pathways flickered on one by one.

Lucy handed everyone their share. "Here."

Arios accepted his quietly. Amelia took hers and started eating neatly, while Liza was already halfway through her portion.

Lucy took a bite and made a face. "Hot."

Liza swallowed. "That means it's fresh."

"Or trying to kill me," Lucy said, fanning her mouth.

Amelia shook her head slightly. "You never wait."

"It smells too good," Lucy defended herself.

Arios finished his calmly. "It's fine."

"That's high praise coming from him," Liza said. "Write that down."

"I already did," Lucy said.

They stayed until the lamps fully lit the area, bathing everything in a soft glow. Conversations from other students drifted in the background. The four of them didn't talk much anymore—just quiet chewing, small remarks, comfortable silence.

After a while, Amelia spoke again. "It's strange."

"What is?" Lucy asked.

"This," Amelia said, gesturing faintly at the group. "A few months ago, none of us would have sat like this."

Lucy smiled. "That's what makes it good."

Liza nodded. "Yeah. We actually don't hate each other anymore."

"Progress," Arios said.

Lucy grinned. "See? We're evolving."

Amelia gave her a look. "That's not how evolution works."

"It is emotionally," Lucy said.

Liza laughed. "You just make up things now."

"I'm creative," Lucy said.

"Uneducated," Liza corrected.

"Rude," Lucy replied, throwing a crumpled napkin at her.

It hit Liza's arm. Liza blinked slowly. "You did not just—"

Lucy laughed nervously. "It was an accident."

Amelia sighed. "You two are children."

Arios didn't even look up. "Don't escalate."

Liza grinned slowly. "Too late."

She flicked her own napkin back at Lucy. It hit her square in the face. Lucy gasped dramatically. "You started a war."

"I ended it," Liza said, crossing her arms.

Amelia leaned toward Arios slightly. "They really need supervision."

He nodded once. "Unfortunately."

Lucy reached for another napkin, but Arios reached out and stopped her hand before she could throw it. "Enough," he said calmly.

She froze, then sighed. "Fine."

Liza looked smug. "Obedient."

Lucy glared. "Shut up."

Amelia almost smiled. "At least you stopped."

Arios released her hand. "Let's not make a scene."

"You say that like we haven't already," Liza said, glancing at a few passing students staring at them.

Arios stood up. "Then we leave."

They followed him, still laughing under their breath. The walk back to the dorms was slower, the air cooler now that the sun had set completely. The paths glowed under soft lights, and the sounds of the courtyard faded behind them.

Lucy walked beside Arios, occasionally bumping his arm. "We should do this again."

"We already did this last weekend," Arios said.

"And we'll do it next weekend too," she said firmly.

Liza yawned. "You're not giving him a choice."

"I never do," Lucy said cheerfully.

Amelia shook her head lightly. "You two are impossible."

Arios didn't disagree. "That's accurate."

They reached the dorm area eventually, standing at the fork where their rooms split off.

Lucy turned first. "Good night."

"Good night," Arios said.

Liza waved lazily. "Don't burn anything."

"I'm not cooking," he said.

"That's why I said it," she replied, smirking.

Amelia lingered a bit longer before saying, "Rest. Tomorrow's still a training day."

He nodded. "You too."

When they left, the silence returned, but it wasn't empty—it was the kind of quiet that carried the faint echo of laughter and shared time.

Arios walked into his dorm, dropped his bag, and sat on the edge of his bed. For a long moment, he didn't move. The smell of fried food still lingered faintly on his hands.

He looked toward the window, where the night had settled fully. He could hear faint voices outside—Lucy's, maybe, or Liza's laughter carried by the wind.

He leaned back slightly, letting his shoulders relax.

It wasn't much. Just another day. But days like this made everything else—the battles, the suspicion, the chaos—feel a little smaller.

He closed his eyes for a second.

Tomorrow would come, with whatever it brought.

But tonight, things were simple.

And that was enough.