Reincarnated with an SSS-rank Tamer System: My Harem of Villainesses-Chapter 39 – The Week Before

The week passed faster than Adam expected, though not exactly in the most pleasant way.

Training with Piers continued every afternoon after classes, always in that same secluded area where they could practice without too many interruptions.

Piers had improved somewhat during those days, barely enough not to be completely destroyed in the first seconds of a fight, but it was progress nonetheless.

"Your guard is still weak on the left side," Adam commented as he watched him practice against a training dummy. "Anyone who notices that is going to take advantage of it."

"I know, I know," Piers replied between breaths as he corrected his stance for the umpteenth time. "I’m working on it."

And he was. Adam could see the dedication in how Piers didn’t give up despite the obvious exhaustion, how he came back every day willing to keep improving, even if his muscles still ached from the previous training session.

But training wasn’t the only thing that had defined the week.

Alice.

That damn Alice kept bothering him constantly.

She appeared out of nowhere during breaks, sat next to him in the dining hall without asking for permission, and even sought him out in the mornings when he finished his usual jog.

"Don’t you have anything better to do?" Adam had asked irritably one of those many mornings while she sat down on the same bench where he rested after running.

Alice smiled with that expression that made it clear she was enjoying annoying him. "Not really."

"Alice, seriously, stop bothering me."

This time, instead of getting angry like Adam expected, she simply shrugged with a soft smile. "It’s not my fault, you know? I didn’t force you into anything. You enjoyed it as much as I did."

Adam had looked at her with a neutral expression while she kept talking.

"We’re adults, Adam. Take responsibility for what you do and stop complaining so much."

And she kept bothering him after that, showing up at random moments as if nothing had happened.

Of course, being seen together so frequently only fueled the rumors that were already circulating around the academy. Now they weren’t just talking about what had happened that night, but also speculating about whether they were in some kind of relationship.

The rumors were annoying, but eventually they began to die down little by little as the days passed and new gossip emerged to replace them.

Though Adam noticed how in the classroom they avoided him.

The women mainly, many of them friends of Valeria, looked at him with barely concealed disdain or simply acted as if he didn’t exist. The men... well, most of them didn’t give a damn what he did with his personal life as long as it didn’t interfere with them directly.

Piers was practically the only one who kept talking to him normally without judging him or making awkward comments.

"Doesn’t all this bother you?" Adam had asked him during lunch.

Piers looked at him in confusion. "What thing?"

"The rumors. People avoiding me."

"Oh, that." Piers shrugged while eating. "Honestly, I don’t really care what you did or with whom. It’s not my problem or my life. As long as you keep being my friend and training me, we’re good."

That simple answer made Adam appreciate the boy’s company a little more.

Midweek, he ran into Dorian.

His brother appeared after one of the classes, waiting outside the classroom with that serious expression he always wore but that didn’t convey hostility.

"Adam." He greeted him with a nod.

"Dorian."

"I heard about what happened with Alice Velmoor," he said directly, without beating around the bush. "And with Valeria."

Adam tensed slightly, expecting some lecture or criticism, but Dorian simply continued.

"Look, I don’t give a damn what you do with your personal life as long as you don’t lose in a humiliating way in front of others at the tournament. Or publicly ruin the Shadowend name. Other than that, do whatever you want."

That was... unexpectedly permissive coming from someone like Dorian.

Before Adam could respond, his brother handed him a sealed envelope. "This arrived from home. It’s the response from when you sent the escort to report the ambush."

Adam took the envelope and opened it, quickly reading the contents:

*We are glad you are well. The matter of the Noble Hunters will be investigated. We have taken action. Focus on your studies.

-The Shadowend Family

Brief and direct, as was typical of his father.

Dorian also handed him a small but heavy pouch that jingled faintly when Adam grabbed it.

"They sent that too. Gold coins in case you need anything at the academy."

Adam opened the pouch and saw several shining coins inside. Money he could probably use to pay Evelyne for everything she had done for him during the journey.

If she ever spoke to him again someday.

"Thanks." Adam said as he put both the envelope and the pouch away.

Dorian nodded before turning to leave. "Don’t disappoint at the tournament."

And he left without another word.

***

Now Adam was lying on his bed, waiting for the tournament that would take place the next day.

He was staring at the ceiling with Nox curled up on his chest, purring softly.

The little dragon was one of the few, besides Piers, who didn’t care about what he had done with Alice. He simply remained the same loyal companion as always.

Or at least that was what Adam thought.

At that moment, the system screen appeared before his eyes, interrupting his thoughts.

[Tamer System]

[Hello, host. Nervous about tomorrow?]

Adam didn’t respond; he simply waited for the system to say what it really wanted to say.

[Well, I have a small mission for you. Nothing complicated...]

’Here it comes.’ Adam thought with a certain resignation.

The screen changed, displaying the information for the new mission, which made Adam sit up abruptly in bed, startling Nox, who jumped to the side with a squeak of surprise.

[Tamer System]

[MANDATORY MISSION]

[Objective: Kill your opponent in tomorrow’s tournament]

[Punishment: 90% permanent reduction of all your stats + Contracts permanently disabled (Nox will be released from the bond)]

[Reward: None]

[Note: This mission cannot be rejected or avoided. The combat is scheduled and the result must be fulfilled]

Adam read the message once, twice, three times while feeling something cold settle in his chest.

’What the hell?’ was the only thing he could think as he stared at the screen.

Kill. He had to kill his opponent. He wouldn’t complain if he had to kill someone, but a student... what reason was there for that? And in front of everyone.

"Are you kidding me?" Adam muttered aloud as he ran a hand over his face.

[Unfortunately not, host. The mission is real and mandatory]

[Good luck tomorrow. You’re going to need it]

And the screen disappeared, leaving Adam sitting on his bed processing the information while Nox looked at him with obvious concern from the other side of the mattress.

He had less than twelve hours before the tournament.

And now he had to find a way to kill his rival without it looking like an intentional murder.

Or lose everything he had gained since arriving in this damn world.

’Perfect.’ He thought bitterly as he let himself fall back onto the bed. ’Just what I needed.’