My Eccentric Harem

The Harem System interface glowed brightly in the dimly lit apartment. Aqua leaned forward, her chin resting on her hands, eagerly watching the spinning wheel. Aoyama, on the other hand, felt a pit forming in his stomach.

"Why do I feel like this is going to be a disaster?" he muttered.

"Oh, come on," Aqua said, smirking. "You survived me, didn't you?"

"That's not comforting," Aoyama replied.

The wheel began to slow, the names flashing by in a blur until it landed on bold black letters with a golden hue.

---

Albedo – Overlord

---

Aoyama blinked. "Albedo? Isn't she—"

Before he could finish, the room was filled with a blinding light. A tall, imposing figure stepped out of the glow, her black and white dress flowing like shadows around her. Albedo, with her elegant horns and piercing golden eyes, surveyed the room with an expression of barely restrained disdain.

Her gaze landed on Aoyama, and her lips curled into a sneer. "You. A human. Explain yourself."

Aoyama froze. "Uh… welcome?"

Albedo's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where am I? And why have I been summoned away from my beloved Ainz-Sama?"

"Okay, so…" Aoyama started, holding up his hands defensively, "this is going to sound insane, but there's this system, and it—"

"I care not for your excuses," Albedo interrupted, her voice icy. "You're a mere human. How dare you summon me?"

"Wow, she's intense," Aqua muttered from the corner, watching the exchange with obvious amusement.

Albedo turned her glare to Aqua, her expression shifting from disdain to confusion. "And what, pray tell, are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Aqua," she said with a smug grin, "a goddess. And Aoyama's girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?" Albedo repeated, her tone dripping with disbelief. Her gaze snapped back to Aoyama. "A mere human, paired with a goddess? This must be a joke."

"Look," Aoyama said quickly, "I didn't choose this! The system did!"

Albedo's golden eyes flicked to the glowing interface, her expression darkening further. "I don't care what this 'system' is. I will not lower myself to be part of some... mortal's ridiculous harem."

"Perfect," Aoyama muttered under his breath. "We're off to a great start."

---

The next morning, the system revealed Albedo's fabricated identity: Albedo Hoshikawa, a 28-year-old who worked at the local supermarket. She was introduced to the world as Aoyama's aunt, a backstory that made Aoyama groan with frustration.

"So let me get this straight," Aqua said, stifling her laughter. "She's your 'aunt,' and she's staying here? Oh, this is going to be fun."

"Not for me," Aoyama muttered. He turned to Albedo, who was busy inspecting the apartment with a look of pure disdain. "So, uh... you're supposed to live here now. I guess."

"Charming," Albedo said dryly, brushing imaginary dust from her dress. "This hovel is hardly suitable for someone of my stature."

"Look, I get it," Aoyama said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You hate this, and you hate me. But we're stuck together, so can we at least try to make this work?"

Albedo scoffed. "Make this work? You overestimate your importance, human."

Aqua snorted, clearly enjoying Aoyama's predicament. "Have fun with that one."

---

Albedo's new job at the supermarket proved to be another hurdle. Despite her beauty and grace, her utter disdain for humans made her interactions with customers... challenging.

"Thank you for shopping with us," Albedo said through gritted teeth, her golden eyes flashing dangerously as she handed a bag to a trembling customer.

"A-Albedo-san, please try to smile more," her manager whispered nervously.

"This is my smile," Albedo replied coldly, her lips curling into a sharp, menacing grin.

Watching her from the sidelines, Aoyama buried his face in his hands. "This is going to get me banned from the store, isn't it?"

---

Back at the apartment, Albedo's animosity toward humans—and her lingering devotion to Ainz—made things tense. She openly ignored Aoyama whenever possible, her affection level firmly stuck at -50.

Aqua, however, found the situation endlessly entertaining.

"So, Albedo," Aqua said one evening, smirking as she lounged on the futon. "What's it like being stuck with a 'mere human' like Aoyama?"

"Infuriating," Albedo said without hesitation, shooting a glare at Aoyama. "I can't fathom how I ended up in this absurd situation."

"I feel the same way," Aoyama muttered. "But here we are."

"You're lucky I don't incinerate you where you stand," Albedo growled.

"Try it," Aqua said cheerfully. "It'd be fun to watch."

---

Despite her hostility, Aoyama noticed cracks in Albedo's icy facade over time. She occasionally softened—just slightly—when she thought no one was looking. Like when she helped an elderly customer at the supermarket or when she quietly arranged the dishes after dinner without being asked.

One night, as Aoyama sat at the table reviewing notes, he noticed Albedo sitting by the window, gazing at the moon. She looked... lonely.

"Hey," he said hesitantly, walking over. "You okay?"

Albedo didn't look at him. "Why do you care?"

"Because we're stuck together," Aoyama said, sitting down beside her. "And because... I get it. Being in a place you don't want to be, with people you don't care about... it sucks."

Albedo finally turned to him, her golden eyes searching his face. For the first time, there was no trace of anger or disdain—just quiet curiosity. "You're a strange human."

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

For a moment, they sat in silence, the tension between them easing slightly.

"Don't get the wrong idea," Albedo said finally, her voice softer than usual. "I'm only tolerating you because I have no choice."

"Sure," Aoyama said, smirking. "Whatever you say."

---

That night, the system updated.

---

Name: Albedo

Affection Level: -45/100

---

"Five points," Aoyama murmured, staring at the screen. "It's a start."

He glanced at Albedo, who was already asleep on the couch, her expression peaceful for once. A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Maybe this won't be so impossible after all."

To Be Continued...