CHAPTER 125: RIN WON’T BOW!

Rin lay on the massive bed in the harem chamber, his eyes fixed on the ornate canopy above him. The mattress was softer than anything he’d ever slept on, practically swallowing him in its plush comfort. But he wasn’t here to enjoy luxury. He was here for a purpose, and the weight of it pressed on his mind.

DING!

[Reminder: Mission – Survive the Crown Prince’s Harem.]

[Duration: 6 Days, 23 Hours Remaining.]

Rin groaned, sitting up and running a hand through his white hair.

"Yeah, yeah... I know," he muttered, his voice rough with sleep.

The system’s constant reminders were starting to annoy him, but he couldn’t ignore the mission. Surviving the harem was one thing; getting access to the forbidden demon texts was another. He needed those texts to understand the demons that were probably going to hunt him later.

Outside his door, faint shuffling sounds reached his ears. He froze, his crimson eyes narrowing. The soft padding of bare feet, hushed whispers behind hands, then sudden silence.

’They’re watching me,’ he thought, his lips twitching. ’What do they expect me to do? Cause a scene?’

His stomach growled loudly, pulling him from his thoughts. Rin clicked his tongue and stood, pacing the room. He considered pulling out his stash of instant ramen from his system inventory but paused, glancing at the door.

"...No. If I stay holed up in here, I’ll never figure out how this harem works. I need to know the rules if I’m going to survive this."

He straightened his simple tunic, smoothing out the wrinkles, and stepped out into the wide corridor. The moment he opened the door, the whispers sharpened, like a blade being honed. Eyes darted toward him from every direction... concubines lounging on plush cushions, maids carrying trays, even a few guards stationed at the far end of the hall.

Their gazes felt heavy, sizing him up, judging him. Rin ignored them, his expression blank, but inside, he felt a strange thrill.

’Let them stare. I’m not here to play their games.’

He strode down the hall, his boots clicking softly on the polished marble floor, until he spotted a maid in a crisp uniform carrying a silver tray. "Um... Excuse me," he called, his voice flat but firm. "Where do I get food around here?"

The maid froze, startled, her eyes widening before she bowed her head politely. "Ah, please, speak informally to me, my lord. Meals are delivered on schedule to each chamber, but if you wish, I could—"

Before she could finish, a silken voice cut through the air. "Before you fill your belly with food, you need to greet the Head of the Harem."

Rin turned, his crimson eyes narrowing. A tall woman reclined lazily on a chaise, her lips painted blood-red, her long hair coiled in glossy waves. Her sharp eyes glittered with amusement, and a small group of concubines around her giggled, their jewelled fans fluttering. She was clearly someone important; her presence commanded attention.

"That’s the rule," she added, her smile taunting. "No food, no water, no luxuries... you’ll get none of that until you acknowledge her authority."

Rin arched a brow, his voice dripping with disinterest. "Authority? No thanks. I’m not into bowing to people who don’t deserve it."

The hall fell silent, the air growing thick with tension. The concubines froze, their fans pausing mid-flutter, and even the maid looked nervous, her hands tightening around the tray.

The woman blinked, then chuckled, covering her mouth delicately. "Oh? How bold of you. Since you’ve refused to do this the easy way, you’ll learn the hard way. You’ll be on your knees soon enough, new lamb."

Rin rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath, "What a waste of time." He turned on his heel and walked back to his room, ignoring the gasps and whispers that followed him. He wasn’t here for their petty power plays. He had bigger problems.

Once inside, he locked the door, the click echoing in the quiet room. He pulled out a cup of ramen from his system inventory, adding vegetables and meat he’d brought from the brothel, and slipped it back into the inventory to cook.

Three minutes later, he took it out, the steaming broth filling the chamber with a savoury aroma that made his stomach ache with hunger. He sat on the bed, slurping the noodles loudly, ignoring the muffled whispers outside his door.

’Let them starve me. I can feed myself. What am I? A kid?’ he thought, a smirk tugging at his lips.

.

.

In another wing of the harem palace, the tall woman who had confronted Rin approached a lavish chamber draped in deep velvet. She entered, bowing low to the woman seated on a throne-like chair... the Head Concubine. The room was opulent, with gold-threaded tapestries and a massive crystal chandelier casting soft light over the polished floor.

The Head Concubine sat with her legs being massaged by two maids, her elegant form draped in silks that shimmered with every movement. Her hair was piled high, adorned with jewelled pins that caught the light, but her eyes were cold, sharp as a blade.

"My lady," the tall woman said smoothly, her voice respectful but edged with excitement. "The newcomer refused to greet you. He said he isn’t interested in acknowledging your authority. I tried to speak to him, but he’s the arrogant type."

The Head Concubine’s painted lips curled into a frown, her fingers tightening around the armrest of her chair. "...He said that?"

"Yes, he did," the woman confirmed, a faint smirk playing on her lips.

The Head Concubine rose, her long robes sweeping the floor as she paced slowly.

"Seems like we’ll have to make him learn the hard way. If he doesn’t come to me by tomorrow, I’ll make him regret it his whole life."

A younger concubine, with timid eyes and trembling hands, spoke up softly from the corner of the room. "What if... he still doesn’t come?"

The Head Concubine stopped, her heels clicking sharply as she turned. Without warning, she strode over and slapped the girl hard across the face, the sound echoing in the silent room. The girl gasped, her cheek reddening as she stumbled back, tears welling in her eyes.

Gasps filled the room as the other concubines trembled, their heads bowed to avoid drawing attention.

"What if he doesn’t come?" the Head Concubine repeated, her voice dripping with venom. "Then we’ll make life so miserable for him that he won’t last the week. Understood?"

The room echoed with murmurs of agreement, though some of the concubines exchanged uneasy glances. They weren’t all loyal to her cruel tactics, but fear kept them in line. They knew their place in her faction... nod when she wanted agreement, shake their heads when she demanded dissent. They were little more than puppets, their strings pulled by her cold hands.

The tall woman bowed again, her smirk widening. "Shall I arrange something to... persuade him, my lady?"

The Head Concubine’s eyes glinted with malice. "Yes. Make it clear he’s not above our rules. But be subtle. The prince is watching him closely."

The woman nodded and slipped out of the room, her footsteps silent on the plush carpet.

.

When morning came, Rin stretched lazily on the enormous bed, the silk sheets tangled around his legs. Sunlight streamed through the balcony, warming the room with a golden glow. For a moment, he was tempted to stay in bed, the comfort almost too good to leave. But the system chimed, snapping him out of it.

DING!

[Reminder: Mission Objective – Research Forbidden Demon Texts.]

Rin groaned, burying his face in the pillow. "...I know. Don’t rush me."

He sat up, running his fingers through his white hair. Caspian had promised to fetch him and take him to the palace library, but after waiting an hour, then another, there was still no sign of the prince.

"Tch. So much for promises," Rin muttered, his patience wearing thin.

He decided to take matters into his own hands. This time, he didn’t bother hiding his silver-white hair, though he tied a light veil across his face, covering his nose and mouth to keep some anonymity. He stepped out of his chamber, his boots clicking on the marble floor.

The moment he appeared, eyes followed him. Concubines lounged against pillars, whispering behind jewelled fans, their gazes sharp with curiosity and hostility.

"Is that him...?"

"He thinks he’s special just because the prince escorted him last night. We’ll teach him a lesson!"

Rin ignored them, striding down the hall with purpose, his crimson eyes fixed ahead. He wasn’t here to play their games, but he couldn’t help the faint smirk tugging at his lips.

’Let them try. I’ve dealt with worse.’

Then... THUNK! An apple core landed at his feet, rolling to a stop on the polished floor.

Rin paused, glancing down at it. His smirk widened beneath the veil.

’So they’ve started making their moves. Let’s see how far they’re ready to play.’

He looked up, his crimson eyes scanning the crowd. A group of concubines stood nearby, one of them... a young man with sharp features and a smug grin....holding another apple core, tossing it lightly in his hand.

"Oops," the man said, his voice mocking. "My hand slipped."

Rin tilted his head, his voice calm but laced with danger. "Careful. Next time, it might slip right back at you."

The man’s grin faltered, but he recovered quickly, tossing his hair.

"Big words for someone who’s only been here a day. You’ll learn your place soon enough."

Rin shrugged, stepping over the apple core and continuing down the hall. "Sure. Keep dreaming."

Then another one fell in front of him again. This time brushing his clothes before landing on the floor.