Building a Harem in a Noble House

Chapter 118: Without Hesitation

"And you two. You mock my lack of a House, yet yours has no legacy worth honoring. No tales of heroism. No history of sacrifice. Only a reputation for arrogance and coats lined with expensive stitching. You speak of what it means to be a Paladin when neither of you understands even the foundation of service."

Harris swallowed audibly.

Meredith’s voice rose a little more.

"A Paladin does not belong to a noble House. A paladin belongs to Aspia. To the people. To the defenseless. To the ones who need someone to stand between them and the darkness. Nobility is not a prerequisite for courage. Titles do not manufacture compassion."

The room had fallen completely silent. Even the lantern flames flickered quieter, like they were listening too.

"You chase glory," she said. "You desire admiration. You want to be seen, not to serve. And if by some tragedy you become Paladins, you will not last. You will die on missions you underestimated because you believed your crests would shield you from reality." Her voice lowered to a chilling calm as she smiled slightly, the gesture slightly unnerving on her. "And no one will mourn you. Not because you are nobles, but because you will never have been heroes. Merely privileged children wrapped in polished tin and decorated blades."

She stepped closer to them, eyes blazing.

"You are not pathetic. You are contemptible. Every one of you."

A ripple of shock passed through the room.

Meredith turned sharply and walked out of the waiting hall toward the training corridor without looking at any of them again.

I stood and followed her without hesitation.

The training corridors were quieter, the lanterns brighter. The muffled noise of the recruits faded behind me, replaced by the distant clangs and thuds of weapons hitting worn practice dummies. I checked the first room. Empty. The second room had its door slightly open.

Inside, Meredith was pacing back and forth, clasping and unclasping her hands like she was trying to drain frustration from her body. She didn’t look up until she heard me step inside.

"I... lost my composure," she admitted, fire gone from her face, returning her to the slightly timid recruit I knew.

"Really?" I asked, smiling slightly. "What makes you say that?"

"I appreciate your attempt at levity, Lloyd, but I do not wish for it."

"Sorry, you’re right. Bad timing."

"D-do not misunderstand. I–"

"I get it, Meredith. You want someone to listen." I nodded, leading her to a nearby wall where the stools were piled up by a weapon rack. I pulled one out and sat her on it while I stood before her. "What are you thinking right now?"

She huffed out a stiff breath and rubbed her temples. "I’m thinking that I am clinging to ideals that everyone else has long abandoned. That perhaps I am foolish for believing the Order is what I dreamed it to be."

I knelt down, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You’re not a fool, Meredith. You’re here working, driven, and determined. You’re the kind of woman that the Order of Paladin needs–not another night Noble, but someone who could actually serve. I... I have faith in the idea of you being the strongest person Aspia has even seen. That includes me, Meredith. And people like you fighting for Aspia and her people are the backbone of our planet."

"Do you... truly believe that...?" she asked, eyes misting.

"One hundred percent, Meredith."

She shook her head slightly, blushing a bit. "Y-you are my rock, Lloyd May."

I smiled. "Thank you, Meredith. That’s a really sweet thing to–"

"I mean it. In such a short amount of time, you’ve shown me kindness, compassion, and empathy in ways that I have never experienced." She looked up, blush deepening. "Why...?"

I considered her words for a while, even as I contemplated the true answer to that question. It was obvious, really. It’d been obvious when we’d first partied, and it’d been obvious when I’d watched her leave us for the final time. Meredith the Life Warden, Meredith Weston...

"I do it because I love you, Meredith. No matter the form you take or the name you claim, I’ll always love you and always be there for you. I refuse to lose you, Meredith."

She inhaled sharply and blinked at me like she hadn’t expected me to say it out loud.

"That was... I-I love you as well!" she said, voice delicate and shaky.

She hugged me. Not a quick one. Not a formal one. A gentle, lingering embrace where I could feel her breath against my neck and the tension finally leaving her body.

When she pulled back, her face was right there in front of mine.

Then, without warning, she kissed my cheek.

It was soft. Warm. Hesitant. Her lips barely lingered before she pulled away with this startled, flustered look like she surprised herself.

I didn’t think. I leaned in and kissed her cheek back.

She blinked once, then kissed me again, closer to the corner of my mouth.

I kissed her again too, matching her little shift.

Back and forth. One kiss on the cheek. Then another. Then another. Each one drifting toward the space where cheek and lips meet.

And that’s when it happened.

We leaned in at the same time, our lips colliding. It was a warm, careful kiss at first, like both of us were afraid to break the moment. She tilted her head slightly and kissed me again, not careful anymore. I kissed her back, deeper. Her fingers slid lightly to my jaw. My hand found the curve of her waist. We kept kissing, unthinking and inevitable, losing track of where the kisses started or ended.

She brushed her thumb along my cheek between kisses. "It will be a long while before we are called for the exam. They must finish constructing the dungeon. Then the Everwinters must take their trial. Then the proctors must adjust it again for our team."

I raised an eyebrow. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Her face flushed. Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. "Before battle, P-pladins traditionally help each other... relieve tension. Emotional tension. Mental tension. Physical tension..."

My heart thudded hard.

She leaned closer, almost touching her lips to mine again.

"We could help each relax before the Qualifiers," she murmured. "If you wish."

I kissed her again. Deep, certain, and without hesitation.