Transmigrated Young Master's Yandere Harem

He heard her before he saw her.

The soft sound of footsteps on the stone path. Light and unhurried.

Azael straightened up from the gatepost and turned. And then he forgot, briefly, what he had been doing. The reason for that was walking towards him.

Arista walked toward him through the morning light wearing a white sundress that fell to just below her knees.

Thin straps over her shoulders. Simple and clean. Her long crimson hair was down, loose and flowing freely behind her, catching the early sunlight in a way that made it look almost like embers. Her skin, lightly tanned from years of training outdoors, glowed warm and soft in the pale morning air.

Her soft mounds were held gently by the white fabric, giving them a perfect round shape. Her waist was thin, and below it flowed the white fabric.

She looked entirely different from the sister who woke him up before dawn to train.

She looked, in a word, breathtaking.

She met his eyes and smiled.

"Hello, Azael."

He stared for exactly one second longer than was polite. He just couldn’t help but get mesmerized by her.

Then he came back to himself, cleared his throat quietly, and smiled back.

"Good morning, Arista." He held her gaze. "You look so beautiful right now that you genuinely took my breath away. I mean that completely."

He said it simply. No performance to it. Just the truth, stated plainly. He was literally telling her the truth.

Her amethyst eyes curved slightly. A warm and pleased expression settled onto her face.

"Thank you. Also, you are looking quite handsome yourself," she said. Her gaze moved over him once.

"Handsome and a little cute, actually."

Azael was wearing a black long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves folded up at the ends and the hem tucked neatly into his black trousers. Nothing elaborate. But it sat well on him.

"Cute," he repeated. He blinked his eyes for a few seconds.

’Damn! She’s calling me cute now.’

"Cute," she confirmed, unbothered.

He opened his mouth.

"Well thanks I guess." He said with a small smile.

The family carriage rolled quietly up to the entrance just then, wheels crunching on the stone path. The driver climbed down from his seat and moved toward the door.

Azael stepped forward first.

He stopped the driver with a light gesture and took hold of the carriage door himself. He opened the door. Then he turned toward Arista, swept into an exaggerated bow, and extended one hand forward with the most serious expression he could hold.

"My lady," he said. "If you please."

Arista looked at him.

Then she laughed. Warm and genuine, her hand rising to cover her mouth for a moment.

She crossed to him, shaking her head slightly, and placed her hand in his.

"Thank you, Azael," she said, still smiling, as he helped her step up into the carriage.

He followed and settled in beside her. The door clicked shut. The carriage rolled forward smoothly, carrying them out through the gate and into the streets of Elaris.

They sat side by side, close but not quite touching, as the city opened up outside the windows.

Elaris in the morning was a different thing from Elaris at night. The streets were wide and clean, pale stone buildings catching the early light.

People were beginning to fill the pavements, moving with the unhurried purpose of a city that had not yet fully woken up. Shop fronts were opening. The smell of fresh bread drifted from somewhere nearby.

Azael and Arista talked quietly as the carriage moved. Nothing heavy. Nothing serious. Easy conversation that came and went like the streets passing outside the window.

"The city became just like before," Arista said quietly.

"Yeah. I thought it would take more time for people to get out of that incident."

"Well despite the incident. Not many people died. Thanks to that mask man. So everyone recovered easily."

Then she pointed something out occasionally and he leaned slightly to see.

He said something that made her smile and she shook her head at him with an expression that managed to be fond and exasperated at the same time.

The carriage stopped along a wide shopping street.

Clean cobblestones. Neat rows of shops on both sides, colourful awnings and window displays just beginning to catch the morning light. Not yet crowded, but alive with the comfortable movement of early shoppers.

Azael stepped out first.

He turned back immediately and extended his hand up toward her.

Arista looked down at him from the carriage step. Something warm moved through her expression.

"My Azael really is a gentleman," she said softly.

"Always for my dear Arista," he said.

She accepted his hand and stepped down. While laughing.

Even though she stepped down, Azael didn’t let go of her hand.

She glanced down at their joined hands, then back up at him, as he turned forward and began walking, his fingers sliding naturally between hers until they were properly interlocked.

She walked with him as he kept holding her hand.

Her cheeks colored. Just slightly. A faint and quiet flush that she made no particular effort to hide.

"Azael. You are still holding my hand."

"Well there’s a crowd, we might get separated." Azael said with a chuckle.

"Hey! We are not kids. And the number of people here is normal. Why are you calling it crowded." She retorted.

"Haha." Azael laughed at her words. "To be honest. I just wanted to hold you. Also might show off a little that I am on a date with such a gorgeous lady."

Her cheeks flushed more. But she didn’t act nervous. With a smile she said, "Now you are showing off... hah. Listen this is not some date. We are just hanging out."

"So what? I want to hold hands with you. Can’t I do that?" He asked while looking at her with his puppy eyes.

"Tch!" She clicked her tongue and looked forward. "Okay! Okay! I got it. I will hold your hand. Happy?"

"Yes! Thank you Big Sister! You are the best."

She giggled while holding his hand and walking beside him. "Also what’s up with you? Sometimes you call me Sister Arista and sometimes Big Sister. And sometimes Arista."

"You do know I am still not used to it. I mean for so many years what I used to call you before I got my illness recovered?"

"Lady Arista. That was what you used to call me while acting all distant."

"Sorry about my past self. I was really bad to you." He said while scratching his cheek with his free hand’s finger. He had a sorry expression.

"You should be! You know when you were little you were so cute. But you always kept yourself away from us."

"I-I am sorry." He apologized again.

"Even mother tried to talk with you many times. You do know now, that her expression is cold and indifferent at most times. But that doesn’t mean her personality is like that. Still you always got scared of her the most. Running away from her the moment you saw her face."

"Ouch!" He groaned.

Azael felt like an arrow tore inside his heart.

His stepmother who actually had a cute side. She tried to treat him well when he was a kid. But the young boy was too scared of her at that time.

’How must she have felt each time I ran away? Like I saw a monster.’

Though Azael had gotten memories of old Azael.

They were still not perfect. He didn’t remember about his childhood in detail.

"Now remembering that I really feel terrible."

"Haha! It’s alright. You changed now. And became more bright. I like this you more. I bet even mother is happy for your change."

"Yes. I think you are right."

His grip tightened on her hand.

"I know she cares about me in her own way."

’That’s why I am liking her more and more. This is a dangerous issue.’

"You used to spend all your time with Isabel at that time... wait now that I said her name. What’s going on with Isabel? Any improvements?" She asked while looking at him from beside.

Azael decided to act. He dropped his gaze. "Well... it’s okay... for now no progress."

Seeing his dejected expression she leaned closer to him.

Her side breast pressed against his arm.

Then she rubbed her cheek against his. "Oh my dear brother. Don’t be sad! Didn’t you say you still have me. So don’t be sad."

Azael soon started to giggle. "Haha! Yeah you are right. I knew you were the best. I love you Big Sister!" He said in the heat of the moment.

And those words had an impact on her.

She pulled her face away from him. Still holding his hand. Her cheeks crimson just like her hair.

She shook her head. As if telling herself that he meant it as a sister.

Around them the street moved at its gentle morning pace. People passing in both directions, the low hum of voices and the occasional call from a shop front. Nobody paid them much attention.

Azael continued to walk beside her at an easy pace, her hand warm in his, looking ahead at the row of shops with a calm and unhurried expression.

Like holding her hand was the most natural thing in the world.

Which, as far as he was concerned, it was.

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[A/N:sorry guys for only one Chapter daily. Kind of busy this days. Want to do two Chapters but it’s hard. Still I hope you continued to support it. I want to write slow-paced with good relationships development. That’s why I am taking time. Anyways enjoy your day.]