行尸走肉第3季

After Amanda showed Ryan his new room, she, unfortunately, didn't stick around for party time, saying she should probably talk to Isabelle before things got too heated.

Ryan pretended to nap after Amanda left the room. He activated his bloodline, looking for any hidden monitoring devices.

[What the fuck,] Yoko and Ryan both muttered simultaneously.

The room was practically littered with listening devices, from the lamps to the ceiling fan, to under the mattress. Ryan and Yoko counted a total of 112 listening devices inside his moderately sized room.

[Yoko, do you know why she would put so many listening devices?]

Scrutinizing the listening devices for another few seconds, Yoko said, [They aren't from the same person, at least I don't think so.]

[What do you mean?]

[Take a look at the types of listening devices. There would be no point in putting so many in such close proximity. The most likely scenario is that more than one person put monitoring devices in here.]

The most obvious culprits that came to Ryan's mind were Page and Isabelle, but he couldn't discount the theory that he simply hadn't met all the parties that would want to track a new harem member.

'Not like I'm not used to being watched.'

Clearing his thoughts, Ryan started mentally noting the tasks he had to do.

He still had his meeting in around two weeks with the Zol'Gan Empress.

He had to complete the mission with Shade, Hannah, and Dianna once they found what he was looking for. 'Hopefully, that mission will be lucrative. Especially if it can raise me to S-Rank before the wedding,' Ryan thought.

His immediate goals were to fit in with the Dragon Empress's harem and try to win her over.

If nothing else, at least get into Page's head and make her rethink whether or not she wanted to be in the Holy Alliance.

'I also have to go pick up my necklace... and the girl wearing it,' Ryan thought, remembering Vimmi, who had escorted him to the testing center.

But seeing as he couldn't do anything, Ryan decided some shut-eye was in order.

===

The next day (48 days until the wedding)...

Ryan awoke to the sound of footsteps outside his room.

Circulating his energy just in case, Ryan said, "Come in," when he heard the knock.

Unexpectedly, it was someone Ryan wasn't acquainted with, but from her maid outfit, Ryan assumed she was one of the Dragon Empress's many servants.

"Hello, Master Ryan. I'm here to escort you to the ballroom where the other members of Her Majesty's harem are currently," the maid spoke, bowing to Ryan.

Not seeing any point in asking questions, Ryan followed the maid silently as they walked through the gigantic palace.

'I'm glad there's someone to lead me around. I'd surely get lost in a place this large,' Ryan thought.

'Thankfully, I don't have that problem in my palace. Or getting lost would be pretty embarrassing.'

Entering a dining hall in which a gigantic table stood, Ryan saw the familiar faces of Amanda, Gwen, Isabelle, and Isabelle's two henchwomen.

"Good morning, you two," Ryan said, looking at Amanda and Gwen, completely ignoring Isabelle, the head of the harem.

Isabelle gritted her teeth but didn't say anything, which, for any woman, was never a good sign.

"Good morning Ryan," Amanda said, her cheerful smile lightening up the room.

Gwen blushed and nodded but didn't make eye contact with Ryan.

After Ryan sat opposite Amanda and Gwen in one of the ornate chairs, Isabelle began speaking in a monotone voice.

"Today, Her Majesty Page has some business to take care of and would like us to visit a local club to welcome Ryan into our family."

"A club?" Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"We often go to Dragons on Polls for our nighttime entertainment," Amanda said, chuckling at Gwen's blush.

"They have all sorts of hotties and cater to your every need and desire."

'Ah, so the good kind of club,' Ryan grinned.

"Sounds like my type of place," Ryan said.

"But is Page okay with us, especially me going there?"

Aliza had always taught him to be careful and never trust a woman unless she was beneath him in the sheets.

'Could this be another test?'

But Amanda laughed away his worries. "I know what you're thinking, no," she said, shaking her head."

"This isn't another test. We go there all the time."

One of Isabelle's henchwomen grumbled, "You could have at least made him sweat a bit."

Ryan relaxed and was thankful that this wasn't another test and that he might be able to enjoy himself.

'Though I would prefer to get into the Dragon Empress's bedsheets than some strippers.'

Ryan hoped there would be few days in the future when he would be apart from Page, or he would have to abandon this venture before he even started.

"But before we begin, I propose we get to know our newest and lowest-ranked harem member, Rion, better."

Ryan twitched his eyebrows and then chuckled. "Sure thing Annabelle."

Amanda couldn't hold back a laugh, but a stern look from Isabelle made her turn it into a cough.

"Where exactly did you grow up?" Isabelle questioned.

"I have never heard of a noble family named Emerald."

Ryan shrugged. "I'm not a noble."

Grinning, Isabelle pointed at Ryan like she had just caught him in a lie. "I knew it!"

"I never said I was."

[What's this lizard's deal?] Yoko asked Ryan, confused as to why she was getting so riled up about something so small.

Ryan responded, [People like her, who crave power, have to hold anything they have over a person.]

[Since she was born a noble and she feels threatened by my strength, good looks, my smile, attitude, domineering swagger, my-]

[Master,] Yoko coughed, interrupting Ryan's internal ego boost.

[Since she has this one thing over me, she will make it seem like it's the only thing that matters.]

Isabelle's smile didn't leave her face at Ryan's words, though. "Then what type of family did you come from?"

"Amanda here," she said, pointing to Amanda, "came from a wealthy family of merchants that regularly gives Heavenly Credits to the Dragon Empress."

"Gwen is from an even more influential family. Her father is the ambassador to the Holy Phoenix Empire."

Ryan looked at Gwen, who, this time, met his eyes and nodded.

"That's amazing," Ryan said. 'Maybe she can give me more information on the Holy Alliance dynamic.'

"So, what's your family? And what can they contribute to the empire?"

Ryan sat back in his chair and put his feet on the table. "My family?"

"I'd say my true parents are somewhere near the middle of the Multiverse, sipping on some liquor or whatever beings of that level do."

"That's if they're still alive."

Ryan paused, then snickered. "I used to get so mad when people asked me about my family, but I didn't feel pain when you just asked."

"I felt indignant."

"Why do my parents need to do everything for me?"

"Why can't I be my own man?"

"Why can't I be the one to contribute and better the empire instead of relying on mommy and daddy."

Looking into Isabelle's eyes, he said, "Because people who only take and take from their parents are parasites that should keel over and die."