Chapter 48: The tax evader

 Atha: Dungeon core, dual sword wielder. Wants one more person in the harem. 

"Sign here, here, and here," I point Reggie all the places where he has to sign, for him to become my underling. Reggie is this adorable brunette dungeon core, who likes to smile a lot.

Each one of his smiles shows off two gorgeous dimples. His golden orbs peer straight into my soul. They twinkle. I want them to twinkle as he looks at me. The problem? He is a tax evader. 

Reggie is the dungeon core of the Dungeon of Glass. Not very imaginative, considering he is a glass merchant, but I won't judge him too harshly. My dungeon is named the Slime Dungeon, and it used to have slime as mobs. 

"Oh, thank you, Atha. This is a great chance for me," I can see that Augustine is frowning at Reggie. I take Tine by the arm, and pull him to the side. 

"Come on, please? No one argued, when you nominated Allan for the harem," I whine at the Song weaver. 

"Allan is a dream. Reggie is a suck up," Augustine says. I tilt my head to the side. 

"Are you saying this only because he is yet to compliment you?" I ask him. He shakes his head. Still, I press on. "Once he gets a taste of your cooking, he will be smitten. Come now, Tine, give Reggie a chance." 

 "This should be a group decision," Augustine says. I nod at that. Dean is going to welcome another bedmate. Vincent owes me a favor or two, for the new bow I bought him with the golem slave money.

And Allan is an accepting sweetheart. Well, he wasn't so accepting of the guild master joining the harem. I file that as a potential argument for Augustine, if he tries to say he has never nominated people for the harem before. 

"Group huddle," I say. Even Reggie stands up. 

"Not you, Reggie," Augustine snaps at him. Reggie gives him a sad expression, that makes me want to go to him, and snuggle him silly. I don't do that, instead, I smile at him. 

"You will be a part of the group huddle soon, Reggie. Mark my words," Augustine snorts at my words. Soon, the party is in a group huddle. Dean gives me a knowing grin. 

"You enjoyed the compliments so much; you want a taste of the honey?" The incubus asks. 

"I would have put it in a more sophisticated fashion, but it is something along these lines, yes," I tell him. He smirks then. 

"Who is the roadblock that is standing between us, and the brownie?" Dean asks, eyeing each of us in turn. 

"You are using your way of making a pet name for me, to refer to someone else?" Allan looks betrayed at that. Darn, another supporter for Augustine. Guess that Vincent will be the tiebreaker. 

"He is pretty to look at," Vincent says when he notices that I stare him down. "Still, think about it, Atha. He makes golems that have a brain of their own. If you accept him in the harem, he is just going to cause trouble. I want to be a hero one day." 

"It is not very heroic to leave people in need on the side of the road," I don't want to use such a low blow, but I do want Reggie. I wish to romance him slowly. To be his favorite in the harem. 

Our harem is divided, despite us being together. Augustine is Vince's favorite. Allan is Tine and Dean's favorite. Vince is my favorite. But I am nobody's favorite. I think that this won't be the case, if we accept Reggie. 

To be looked at the same way that Dean looks at Allan. To have someone to joke with, the same way Vincent jokes with Tine. I want those things. 

"It would work," Dean says with a sly smirk. "How about we just let Reggie hang around us, for now? See what we can develop for him. If nothing comes from it, then he will be just Atha's underling, and that would be that." 

"Thank you, Dean," I say, as I give him a bright smile. 

"Anything for my little snake," Dean's hands wander on my backside. I allow it, but just this once. 

"I do want for you to be happy," Augustine says, as he sighs. "We can befriend him, at the very least." 

"I still think that the harem is big enough," Allan says, and I look at him pleadingly. "But you are smitten. I can't deny you this, Atha." 

I look at Vincent last. If he digs his heels in the sand, I won't push for it. He is laying his hopes and dreams at our feet. So far, we have barely done anything towards his goals. 

"If he causes trouble, he becomes just a henchman. Do you hear?" Vince asks. 

"You will be the most accepting Hero out there," I tell him. He lowers his gaze. 

"If I ever get to there," he mutters. I feel guilty about that. 

"How about we take a C ranked quest, when we come back to the guild house?" I suggest. Vincent perks up at this. 

"And we can also train? Do formations?" He asks, his voice dripping with hope. 

"Anything you wish. Even if you put a stop to this addition to the harem, I will still be behind you. Your dreams matter to me, Vince," I say, as I rest a hand on his cheek. He leans in into the touch, closing his eyes. 

"I think we can tell Reggie the good news," Dean says, and places his hand in the middle. 

I don't enjoy the loss of contact between Vince and me, but I get my hand over Dean's. Soon, we break the huddle, and go to Reggie. Dean gives him a bright smile, his tail making a heart shape behind him. 

"We have decided that we would like to date you," Dean says. Reggie blinks at us. 

"Uhm, I am asexual," he says, and my jaw drops to the ground. Just what was his behavior, up to now, if not flirting? Augustine chuckles next to me, as Allan breathes out in relief. 

 Come on! I deserved to be someone's favorite!