Chapter 5 [Caitlyn]

Caitlyn's eyes lit up in anticipation when he confirmed his interest in compensation.

However, her enthusiasm was short-lived.

"For compensation, I want to know why you saved my life." Leon requested dryly.

"I… don't know you well, but we share classes." Caitlyn replied in confusion.

"The thought of leaving you to die during one of your episodes was too much to bear."

Leon shifted his gaze to the six makeshift bandages still tied to her body.

Then he looked at his pristine body before locking eyes with her.

"That's a lie." He declared bluntly.

"Well that was rude." Caitlyn laughed.

"So is lying to the person who just healed your wounds." Leon countered.

"Fair." She chuckled in amazement.

"So?"

Caitlyn took a deep breath and sighed.

"I risked my life to save you because I was banking on that mind of yours to keep me alive." Caitlyn confessed with a serious expression.

"Then I wake with my panties on, in a relatively safe location, with a sink and a mini fridge to stock supplies. It seems I was right."

Leon narrowed his eyes further with a pensive expression.

While she looked like she was playing around, she had already examined her environment without him noticing. He underestimated her.

"I was lucky. I took advantage of the confusion." Leon reasoned.

"Is that so?" Caitlyn mused.

She turned back on her side to face Leon and stared at him with a mysterious expression.

"It's a warzone out there, you know? There isn't a section of this campus that isn't riddled with demons and corpses." She remarked in an enchanting voice.

"Yet despite getting a power that left you as a mortal, you got me here without a single wound on either of us. How curious."

"It was 80% luck, and I live here. Moreover, you wouldn't have been in rough shape if you hadn't protected me." Leon replied with a poker face.

"So you can hardly say it was worth the risk."

"Hoh? You're making it sound like my gamble wasn't an investment." Caitlyn said with a sly smile.

"Keyword [gamble]. What makes you think I'll continue to help you?" Leon scoffed while turning away his head.

"That would be a valid question if you didn't need women to~survive." Caitlyn chimed.

"Are you applying for my harem?" Leon asked with a serious voice.

"You do understand it could alter your personality or turn you into a sex puppet, right?"

Caitlyn's eyes widened in amazement before bursting into laughter.

"Isn't this where you're supposed to agree immediately or give me a sales pitch?"

Leon turned away from her with a conflicted expression.

"I don't know what it will do to you. Unlike you, I don't [gamble] with people's lives when I use them."

"How virtuous." Caitlyn giggled.

"You have no idea." Leon replied with a chuckle so bitter that it could eat through steel.

"Why do you sound so hesitant?"

"This power binds me to the person I use it on. If they have manipulative intentions, it can be lethal." Leon explained.

"You're one of those people. You've been hiding your cunning personality perfectly for a year, and now you're actively attempting to use me."

If Caitlyn had a heavy narcissistic personality disorder, true respect, gratitude, and loyalty might be disingenuous.

If she saw him as a tool for exploitation, that negative emotion could multiply in isolation.

Then she'd retain her powers and could enslave him. It was a serious issue.

"That's rich coming from the guy with a chiseled body but wears baggy clothes to hide it." Caitlyn laughed with a mocking smile.

"The same guy failed a linear algebra practice final only to pull off a 100% on the real final the next week because the professor announced he was removing the curve.

Saying I'm deceptive is delightfully ironic."

Leon scoffed in amazement. "Reason number three, stalkerish observations."

"Come on, don't be like that. I've noticed your talents. I wouldn't bank on just anyone to keep me alive." Caitlyn reasoned.

"Stop wasting my time. You're hiding the real reason you want to be with me." Leon replied curtly.

"You're right. There is a reason I want to be with you," Caitlyn replied nervously, "but can't a girl have secrets? The reason's embarrassing."

Her face flushed red, and she started fidgeting.

"At least try." Leon scoffed while turned away.

"Hey! If you ask a question, you can't simply reject it when you get an answer." Caitlyn huffed.

"In theory you're right; in practice you're wrong." Leon chuckled before turning away.

Caitlyn pouted on the couch with her arms crossed her chest.

BOOOOM!

A massive blast rocked the area.

While it was at least a block away, it still shook the room they were in.

Leon quietly walked over to the window.

There was a massive dirt cloud in the distance, barring his vision.

When the dust settled, he saw a glimpse of a large giant as it passed through a clearing.

It was twenty feet tall at a minimum, its skin was chalk white, and it's back had obsidian scales on it.

Leon cringed when he remembered the situation that he was in.

He turned slightly and pretended to think while glancing at Caitlyn from the corner of his eye.

BOOM!

A smaller blast reached their ears.

? "Ahwoooooooooooo!"

The sound of a pack of canines shot into the distance.

"Get it?" Caitlyn asked with a grave tone.

Leon turned back to the window silently to avoid her gaze.

"We were all given remarkable powers, Leon." She continued, "Soon, many will become extraordinarily strong. However…."

Caitlyn stood up, walked to the desk, and picked up her folded skirt.

"We were given them during the start of the apocalypse."

"In other words, they're weeding out the weak. Otherwise, they'd have given them to us sooner to develop and grow." Leon said, completing her sentence.

"Exactly." Caitlyn replied as she slipped her legs into it.

"I may be dangerous and using you, but you're alive, and we have a chance if we work together."

Leon scoffed breathlessly. He was grateful to be alive, but using his power on her was not [common sense], even in his situation.

He wasn't normal and was confident he'd outlive 80% of the naive, overpowered individuals.

However, sleeping next to a dangerous psychopath was a death sentence.

"Besides, no matter how capable you are, your narcolepsy makes it hard to survive alone." Caitlyn added in a serious tone.

Leon sighed. She pointed out his only glaring weakness.

He waited until he heard her zipping the skirt before turning around to face her.

"It's not safe for me to make this contract with you." Leon asserted.

"However, I'll do it if you accept it without knowing its contents."

"I accept." Caitlyn giggled.

Leon's poker face crumbled.

"Why are you so surprised? If your power turned women into mindless puppets, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Caitlyn pointed out with a bemused voice.

"Besides, I'm a virgin. I'd know if I was assaulted. Paired with being alive and fully healed, I'd say you're not an evil person." She added, "Considering the situation, it doesn't seem like a bad deal."

"Kiiiiiiii! Kiiikiiikiii!"

BOOM!

The sounds of fighting grew closer and louder.

"Why, Caitlyn? At least give me a lie as a reason." He sighed in defeat.

"You're cunning, shockingly capable, strong, resourceful, and not hard on the eyes." Caitlyn replied fluidly, "If you put two equally capable people together, the last part would win my interest. Did I pass?"

"[Contract]." Leon sighed in resignation.

His body was enveloped in muted yet beautiful pink light.

"If you consent, I have to kiss you to seal the contract." Leon explained.

"This is your last chance to back out. Are you sure you don't want to wait?"

"We're lucky we haven't been overrun yet." Caitlyn replied with a serious glint in her eyes.

"We genuinely don't have a choice. So let's get it over with."

Leon's eyes narrowed at her sudden shift in attitude.

However, his heart started racing when she closed her eyes and parted her lips without a shirt on.

'Let's get this over with.' Leon thought as he approached her.

He kneeled on the ground and parted his lips.

The second they connected, it felt like a torrent of energy exploded in his body.

Leon wanted to gasp for breath, but Caitlyn grabbed him by the back of the head and pushed her tongue into his mouth.

He wasn't ready, so he reflexively pulled back and gasped for air.

"Oh no. Did I hurt you?" Caitlyn asked with a panicked expression.

"No. Not at all. I just got overwhelmed with the power I received." Leon replied.

"Oh~that. It felt~good. Didn't it?" She asked seductively.

"It didn't feel bad." He replied dryly.

"Well? Aren't you going to check your interface to see if your gamble was worth it?" Caitlyn asked with a mocking smile.

"... Yes." Leon replied with a narrowed gaze.

"Interface."

—

Congratulations! You've received your first member!

-

Name: Caitlyn Mira

Age: 20

Sex: Female

Member Type: Yandere

Title: Wildcard

Relationship Status: Co-Dependant

User Reputation: 100

Emotional Magnification: 0%

Bonding Period Bonus: 0%

Max Comfortability: -50%

-

The Harem God is amused by how quickly you've gained a member. He has rewarded you generously.

He has also given you access to Aphrodite's Corner and the Forbidden Library.

Would you like to see the rewards now? [Y/N]]

—

Leon chose [N] without hesitation and pulled up the Harem Leveler info page as fast as possible.

—

Emotional Magnification:

…

Warning: The default is a 50% increase. However, for the user's safety, the Emotional Magnification will decrease downward toward 0% depending on the intensity of their feelings.

…

Max Comfortability:

…

Warning: For the user's safety, Max Comfortability will be reduced by upwards of 50% depending on the intensity of an individual's feelings.

…

Bonding Period:

…

Warning: For the user's safety, the effects of the Bonding Period will be reduced or removed to prevent dangerous levels of obsession.

—

"... Interface." Leon whispered with a shaky voice.

When he closed his interface, he found Caitlyn staring at him with a dreamy gaze that sent shivers down his spine.

"Is this where I call you master? Or do you like to act virtuously when you use your women?"

Primal fear washed over Leon as he met Caitlyn's predatory gaze.

"Or perhaps you'd like a subservient woman who speaks when spoken to?" She mused playfully, "Or perhaps…."

Caitlyn summoned her wings with a coquettish expression.

"You like a virtuous woman?" She asked shyly.

Her pink bra popped against the bright white wings and her white skirt blended perfectly.

Notifications started popping up in the corner of his eye rapidly.

Ding!

[Congratulations! You've made your first contract with a follower!]

Ding!

[Loyalty requirements from member Caitlyn Mira have been met! Your follower has leveled up!]

A pink aura developed around Caitlyn, illuminating her vibrant white wings.

The color complemented her pink bra perfectly.

Ding!

[Affection requirements from member Caitlyn Mira have been met! Your follower has leveled up!]

Ding!

[Sexual willingness requirements from member Caitlyn Mira have been met! Your follower has leveled up!]

Ding!

[Contentment requirements from member Caitlyn Mira have been met! Your follower has leveled up!]

Ding!

[Level requirements from member Caitlyn Mira have been met! Your member's title has been promoted from Wildcard to Crazed Protector!]

With every new notification, the pink light increased in vibrancy until it gave her face a darkened demon-esque appearance.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

New notifications came up, and many repeated themselves.

After the fifteenth notification, Leon remembered something unsettling.

—

Contracts: The user can make or release a contract with any consenting individual.

…

Warning: If the relationship status of an individual starts positive but quickly declines or becomes negative, they will retain their powers.

Warning: Releasing a contract without consent could be considered a betrayal and reverse emotional standing. The member would then retain their powers.

A judgment from the Harem God will ensure that you cannot release a contract to avoid a fallout.

—

'This is irreversible.' Leon thought in horror. An icy chill crawled down his spine when he looked at her face.

"Isn't this wonderful?" Caitlyn asked with an ecstatic expression.

Ding!

"This system recognizes my love for you and is making us stronger because of it."

Ding!

"With this much power, spending the rest of our lives together has true meaning."

Ding!

Leon stared at her in a state of shock. 'What the fuck did I get myself into?'