Gacha Harem System

The remaining two quarterfinal matches played out across the rest of the afternoon.

Both were competitive, and both produced moments worth watching. But the crowd’s reaction didn’t even come close to matching what the stadium had given for any previous fight.

Everybody could still remember what had happened to Belle Aurielle, and as it replayed in their minds, they slowly lost their enthusiasm for the fights.

By the time Rollo announced the semifinal pairings from above the arena, the crowd were ready to go home.

Lukas would be going against Liam Walker, while Morgana Le Fay will fight Kaida Steele.

The [Pyromaniac] had exceeded every expectation by reaching this stage, and her semifinal against the mysterious masked fighter was already generating conversation before the day had officially concluded.

Whoever survived both matches would meet in the final, and only one of them would walk away with the [Kairos Fillet].

A few hours later, with the full moon in the sky, the hotel room was quiet after dinner.

The food sat mostly finished on the table, and the wine barely touched.

Outside, the city was doing what it always did on tournament nights. It was loud, lit up, and full of people discussing what they’d seen.

But in the room, silence filled the air.

At least until Melody spoke first. "He didn’t have to go that far."

"No," Akira agreed. She was looking at the table rather than either of them. "He didn’t. But I think he did it intentionally."

She paused. "It was a message to everyone still in this tournament, telling them to look at what he was capable of doing. He wanted to break their spirit before the semifinal even began."

Silence filled the air again.

Lukas looked at his hands for a moment. Then he made his decision.

"Tomorrow, I’ll leave my mana and constitution unlocked," he said. "Everyone saw what I did with it against Rashka, so there’s no point in hiding it now."

He looked at them both. "And tomorrow, I’ll give Liam Walker a taste of his own medicine."

"Damn right, you will." Melody nodded.

Akira picked up her wine glass. "Now that’s something I’ll gladly pay to see."

***

Morgana stood at the window with her arms loosely folded, watching the city below.

Havenhart at night was a different kind of beautiful than how it looked during the day.

Unlike Salaria with its tall buildings, most of the buildings were squat, allowing her to see the light from the torches decorating the roads and houses.

It shone like a beautiful jewel, and she had to admit that it looked better in the dark.

Her mind went back to the tournament bracket.

Tomorrow, she will see Liam Walker face off against Lukas Valentine.

She’d watched Liam dismantle Belle Aurielle, and she’d also watched Lukas rise from a broken body and respond with the kind of power she’d been wondering where he’d been hiding it.

And for a brief second, she wondered if Lukas would be able to win.

Then she dismissed the thought.

She’d felt his strength when he’d bumped into her that day. She didn’t know why he was hiding it, but she was sure he would not lose.

There was a knock on the door behind her.

Baldwin entered, bowing before he spoke. "You have a guest, mila—"

He was cut off as Lord Le Fay stepped past him into the room, his loud, energetic voice preceding him.

"Morgana! Your favorite uncle has arrived."

Morgana turned from the window to see that her uncle had already crossed the length of the room, before dropping into one of the chairs.

Considering his strength, if he did claim the place, no one in Havenhart would be able to wrest it from his hands.

He gestured to the seat across from him as if the room belonged to him.

She stared at him for a moment before sighing and reluctantly taking a seat. She already knew her uncle wasn’t the kind of person who took no for an answer.

"What are you doing here?"

Le Fay pressed a hand to his chest in mock pain. "I can’t visit my favorite niece?"

"Not when you don’t visit without a purpose," she said. "Which makes this one suspicious."

He laughed, the sound filling the room. His eyes moved to the table and found her lion mask sitting there. He picked it up, turning it over in his hands.

"The mask," he said. "Why? There’s no need for it. Everyone will know who you are eventually. And it isn’t as if you’re committing a crime here."

Morgana was quiet for a moment.

Then, in a voice considerably smaller than her usual tone, she said, "It was on my bucket list. Fighting in a tournament as a mysterious opponent and no one knowing who I am."

She looked away from him. "I’ve always wanted to do it."

Le Fay stared at her.

Then he laughed until his eyes watered. "You are so cute."

"I am not cute."

"Incredibly cute."

"Uncle."

Le Fay chuckled, then his amusement faded as he set the mask back on the table, then looked up at her.

Seeing his expression, she knew that this meant the social part of the visit was over.

"I want to talk to you about Lukas Valentine."

Morgana’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And why is my uncle interested in a tournament competitor?"

Le Fay exhaled, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "I have reason to suspect he may have connections to the Brotherhood."

Morgana looked at him for a long moment.

Then she laughed.

It was not a polite laugh. She laughed as if her uncle had taken an easy test and yet failed, getting all the answers wrong.

Le Fay waited.

"Uncle," she said after composing herself, "is there a Brotherhood operative anywhere in this area of the First Floor who would fail to recognize me on sight?"

He was quiet for a moment.

"No," he admitted.

"I met Lukas Valentine by chance at the registration booth the day I arrived in Havenhart." She folded her hands in her lap.

"He looked at my face and saw a stranger." She held his gaze. "You know how the Brotherhood operates. An operative meeting a Le Fay without protection in a public space will sacrifice their life in an effort to kill them."

Le Fay said nothing.

"While I’ll admit that he’s much more powerful than he seems, I can tell you that he’s not Brotherhood," she said.

"Which is exactly why, instead of investigating him, you should be thinking about recruiting him."