My Eccentric Harem

It had been a quiet day for Albedo at the supermarket. The store was unusually slow, and her manager had sent her home early, claiming she needed rest. Normally, she would have scoffed at the suggestion, but something about the calm day had left her feeling unusually reflective.

As she approached the apartment, she could hear faint laughter from inside. It was Aqua's unmistakable voice, teasing and lively, followed by Aoyama's deeper chuckle. Albedo hesitated at the door, her golden eyes narrowing slightly.

What are they doing? she wondered, pushing the door open.

The sight that greeted her froze her in place. Aoyama and Aqua were sitting on the couch, their faces inches apart. Before Albedo could process what she was seeing, Aqua leaned in, capturing Aoyama's lips in a quick, playful kiss.

Albedo's chest tightened, a strange heat rising in her as she watched. For a moment, she stood there, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. But then, she straightened, her usual composure sliding back into place like a mask.

"Ahem," she said, stepping into the room.

Aoyama and Aqua sprang apart, both of them blushing furiously.

"Albedo!" Aoyama stammered, standing up so quickly he nearly knocked over the coffee table. "You're home early."

"I finished my shift earlier than expected," Albedo said coolly, her gaze sharp but unreadable. "I see the two of you have been... entertaining yourselves."

"It's not what it looks like!" Aoyama blurted, his face red.

"Oh, it's exactly what it looks like," Aqua said, grinning mischievously as she leaned back against the couch. "Don't mind us, Albedo."

Albedo's eyes flicked to Aqua, narrowing slightly. "Your confidence is... amusing, goddess."

"Thanks," Aqua said, unbothered by the tension. "I try."

Albedo turned her gaze to Aoyama, who looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. "Perhaps I should leave the two of you alone," she said, her voice cold but controlled. "Clearly, I'm interrupting something."

"No, wait—" Aoyama started, but Albedo had already turned and walked to her room, the door shutting with a decisive click behind her.

---

Inside her room, Albedo leaned against the door, her calm facade cracking. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she struggled to process the swirl of emotions coursing through her.

Why does this bother me? she thought, her golden eyes blazing. Aqua is nothing more than a foolish, arrogant goddess. And Aoyama... he's a human. A mere mortal. I have no reason to feel... this.

She shook her head, taking a deep breath to steady herself. It's nothing. I am loyal to Lord Ainz. This... jealousy is meaningless.

Still, she couldn't stop the image of Aoyama and Aqua from replaying in her mind, and with it, the unfamiliar ache in her chest.

---

Meanwhile, Aoyama sat at the kitchen table, his head in his hands.

"Well, that was awkward," Aqua said, sitting across from him and smirking. "She's jealous, you know."

"She's not jealous," Aoyama muttered. "She's just mad because she thinks we're messing around while she's working."

"Oh, she's jealous," Aqua said confidently, resting her chin on her hand. "You saw the way she looked at us."

"She doesn't care about me like that," Aoyama said, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Aqua or himself.

Aqua raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. But don't be surprised if she starts acting weird."

---

The next morning, Albedo's demeanor was as cold and composed as ever, but Aoyama couldn't help noticing the way her gaze lingered on him a fraction longer than usual—or the sharpness in her tone when she spoke to Aqua.

"Good morning," Aqua said cheerfully, clearly enjoying the tension.

"Morning," Albedo replied curtly, not even looking at her.

Aoyama sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Albedo, about last night—"

"There is nothing to discuss," Albedo said sharply, cutting him off. "Your actions are of no concern to me."

Her words stung more than Aoyama expected. "Look, I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable."

"You misunderstand," Albedo said, her golden eyes meeting his. "I am not... uncomfortable. I simply find it unprofessional for members of this household to engage in frivolous behavior."

"Frivolous, huh?" Aqua said, smirking. "You're really bad at hiding your feelings."

Albedo's eyes narrowed. "And you are insufferable."

"Enough, both of you," Aoyama said, standing between them. "Can we just... move on?"

"Fine by me," Aqua said, shrugging. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

---

Over the next few days, Albedo threw herself into her work and her painting, avoiding Aoyama and Aqua as much as possible. But no matter how hard she tried to push her feelings aside, they kept creeping back in—especially when Aoyama went out of his way to help her with small tasks or offer her kind words.

One evening, as she sat on the balcony with her latest painting, Aoyama joined her, carrying two cups of tea.

"You've been quiet lately," he said, setting one of the cups in front of her.

"I've been busy," Albedo replied, her voice clipped.

"Busy avoiding me," Aoyama said softly.

Albedo stiffened, her golden eyes flicking to his. "Why would I avoid you? You are... insignificant."

"Am I?" Aoyama asked, his gaze steady. "Because it doesn't feel that way."

Albedo's lips parted as if to respond, but no words came out. She looked away, her hands tightening around her teacup.

"Albedo," Aoyama said gently, "if there's something on your mind, you can tell me. I'll listen."

For a moment, she remained silent, her expression unreadable. Then she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"You are... an enigma," she said quietly. "You should mean nothing to me. And yet..."

"And yet?" Aoyama prompted, his heart pounding.

Albedo shook her head, her composure returning. "It doesn't matter. I am loyal to Lord Ainz. My feelings, whatever they may be, are irrelevant."

Aoyama hesitated, then nodded. "If that's what you believe, I won't push. But... I'm here if you ever change your mind."

Albedo glanced at him, her expression softening ever so slightly. "You are... infuriatingly persistent."

"Yeah," Aoyama said with a small smile. "I get that a lot."

---

That night, the system updated again.

---

Name: Albedo

Affection Level: 70/100

---

"Seventy," Aoyama murmured, staring at the screen. "We're getting closer."

He glanced toward Albedo's room, a faint smile tugging at his lips. Whatever her feelings were, he knew one thing for sure: they were moving forward, even if it wasn't easy.

To Be Continued...