Villain's Refund System: The Protagonist's Harem Is Mine

Cassius waited inside the private training hall beneath enough silver light to make every polished weapon look ceremonial.

His pale hair remained swept back above a handsome face, while the fitted black uniform showed no dust from the vault.

Verdict knocked once against Damien’s thigh when the doors sealed behind him without any servant remaining nearby.

’Private room and locked exits, damn, brotherly affection inside House Sterling requires excellent soundproofing.’

Sovereign pressure rolled from Cassius before either man spoke, settling around Damien’s injured shoulders through practiced warmth.

It did not crush like Aldous’s aura, which made the gentle weight feel considerably more dangerous.

"You look exhausted, little brother, so sit before pride worsens those injuries," Cassius said, pouring amber tonic into two glasses.

"Your last helpful suggestion told me to stand above six floor spikes," Damien replied, leaving both glasses untouched.

Cassius paused near the training table, then offered one drink using the same bright smile shown at every public ceremony.

"That chamber distorted my guidance during an unprecedented failure," he said, holding the glass where Damien could inspect it, "yet you survived brilliantly."

’He wants me comfortable before asking for Verdict, good, let him keep pouring concern until the real threat leaks out.’

Damien took the tonic, smelled nothing unusual, then placed it beside a rack of blunted family sabers.

"Well, congratulations can happen safely near an unlocked door for once," he said, turning one chair backward before sitting beyond easy reach.

"Father ordered complete privacy after those elders began inventing reckless accusations," Cassius replied, choosing the opposite seat without drinking his own tonic.

"Funny, the accusations started when your foreign command tried removing my organs," Damien said, resting both arms across the chair back.

The heir’s aura deepened until silver training ribbons lifted from nearby hooks and pointed toward the floor.

"Careless words will turn a mechanical failure into open conflict," Cassius said, keeping concern visible around both eyes, "I want to prevent that."

’He never denies the command, cocky asshole only cares which version reaches the clan first.’

Eye of Reckoning opened beneath Damien’s lowered lashes and found black residue behind the polished silver pressure.

The mark sat near Cassius’s heart through three hooked lines, pulsing whenever his aura touched Verdict’s golden tally.

"Then prevent something useful and tell me who placed the anomaly inside Mother’s chamber," Damien replied, rotating the chair one inch.

"Your mother disturbed forces beyond her understanding," Cassius said, setting his untouched glass beside Damien’s, "the vault merely preserved consequences."

Anger crossed Damien before the body’s grief could turn it into another reaction Cassius might use.

’He knows what killed her claim, breathe, you idiot, make him believe that sentence only hurt.’

"Oh, blaming a dead woman saves everyone the trouble of hearing her answer," he said, letting his grip loosen around the wood.

"Seraphine chose defiance when patience might have protected you both," Cassius replied, and the black hooks beneath his aura tightened.

The mark reacted to her name differently than Seraphine’s, pushing one thread toward the training hall’s western wall.

Damien followed it through Eye of Reckoning without moving his head, finding dark residue beneath an old dueling crest.

"You invited me here to discuss patience after moving the Bloodright guardian," he said, watching Cassius’s smile remain still.

"I invited you to offer protection before Father turns your survival into another succession weapon," Cassius answered, opening one palm.

"Protection always sounds generous when the price stays hidden," Damien replied, tapping Verdict’s sheath against his boot.

Cassius finally looked directly toward the saber, and desire sharpened his pleasant expression for half a heartbeat.

"Yield Verdict into my custody and withdraw this challenge," he said, leaning closer while pressure warmed the room, "I will secure your future personally."

’The ring was obvious at the recovery office, and this is worse, he does expect me to volunteer Mother’s blade.’

Damien lifted the tonic glass, making Cassius watch his hand instead of Eye lines spreading toward the western crest.

"Mother waited twenty years for somebody to carry it outside that vault," he said, pouring the drink across the floor, "your custody can wait longer."

The tonic hissed against silver stone despite carrying no poison, revealing a thin paralytic ward built into the training floor.

Cassius glanced downward before his smile returned, though the aura around Damien tightened into a near embrace.

"The hall uses restraint wards during emotional disputes," he explained, touching one finger against the table, "your suspicion is becoming unhealthy."

"Your floor tried holding my ankles after you offered a drink," Damien replied, standing outside the spreading amber line, "healthy suspicion keeps limbs attached."

’He wanted the ward active before I refused, damn, polite kidnapping really is his favorite family language.’

Cassius remained seated while every blunted saber lifted from surrounding racks under his mana.

"You have grown powerful enough to attract enemies who will exploit your confusion," he said, directing each weapon toward the ceiling.

"One enemy even sabotaged a sealed family gate," Damien replied, placing his thumb against Verdict’s guard, "terrible luck around here."

The black mark pulsed when Cassius’s smile widened, showing a brief image through Eye of Reckoning.

Damien saw the gala balcony beneath red ward light, with his brother’s marked hand resting against the hidden killing sequence.

Another pulse showed Hallow’s construct kneeling before the same hook while black residue entered its broken chest.

’Gala and Hallow, fuck, Cassius either ordered both attacks or opened the door for whatever wears that mark.’

He closed the Eye before the Benefactor’s residue could notice scrutiny moving along its threads.

"The Bloodright final ward uses the Argent Behemoth," Cassius said, rising as every floating saber turned toward Damien, "its level exceeds your measure fivefold."

"No, the eastern guardian was replaced this morning after its left core failed inspection," Damien replied, drawing Verdict halfway.

The heir’s smile tightened before he could hide recognition from the answer.

"You could not access that roster from inside the sealed vault," he said, letting one suspended blade lower toward Damien’s throat.

"Your staff discuss disasters near unlocked service vents," Damien replied, lying without rushing, "the replacement is the Ivory Regent."

Cassius’s aura snapped hard enough to crush both tonic glasses while every silver ribbon tore from its hook.

’Got you, the original novel named that guardian next month, so only somebody moving the schedule knows I am right.’

"Foreknowledge without power becomes another route toward an early grave," Cassius said, stepping around the spilled tonic.

"Then stop warning me and let your missing guardian handle it," Damien replied, pushing Verdict back into its sheath.

Neither brother moved while the residue beneath the western crest spread toward Cassius’s polished boot.

The heir noticed Damien watching the floor, then placed his heel over the darkest line before releasing every floating saber.

Weapons returned to their racks around the hall, each landing softly enough to preserve the appearance of calm.

"Keep the blade until the formal trial," Cassius said, courtesy thinning around the words, "afterward, ownership will cease troubling either of us."

"That sounds closer to honesty, though your concern still needs considerable practice," Damien replied, walking toward the locked doors.

Cassius opened them through one gesture before Verdict reached the silver seal.

"Brother, the house will remember who forced bloodshed into this succession," he said, projecting his voice toward servants beyond the hall.

"Witnesses arrived exactly when your polished kindness needed public applause," Damien replied, stepping into the corridor before pressure could follow.

’Do not expose the mark yet, let him believe I only guessed about the guardian, then follow whatever panicked adjustment comes next.’

Mina waited behind the second arch with Bram while two guards pretended they had not listened through the sealed door.

"Your pulse rose twice and the floor discharged one restraint ward," she said, checking a brass receiver against his cuff, "did he touch you?"

"That sounded nearly concerned before your equipment report started properly," Damien replied, raising both hands when her expression worsened.

"Answer clearly before I test Verdict’s conductance through your damaged kneecap," Mina said, pulling him beyond the guards and checking his pupils.

"He offered safety in exchange for Mother’s weapon, then became less charming when I refused," Damien replied, letting her inspect his wrist.

Bram stared toward the private hall while Cassius spoke warmly with servants inside.

"The Bloodright office just advanced your trial by seven days," he said, turning his tablet around, "somebody filed an emergency succession motion."

[Bloodright final trial rescheduled]

[New time: Tomorrow, 09:00]

[Registered final guardian: None]

Mina read the blank line twice before her mouth flattened around an unfinished insult.

"The guardian cannot disappear after challenge confirmation," she said, opening three registry mirrors, "even Sterling corruption needs an assigned body."

"Cassius mentioned the Argent Behemoth before I named its replacement," Damien replied, watching black residue creep beneath the closed hall door.

"You named a replacement that does not appear anywhere inside this registry," Bram said, pinching the tablet wider until every roster entry remained empty.

’He moved the trial and removed the guardian after I proved I knew it, good, fear is making him show his hands.’

The blank roster flickered once, then a black hook appeared where the guardian’s name should have remained.

Damien covered it with his palm before Mina’s receiver could send another identifying pulse toward the mark.

"We leave now and prepare for an opponent the family cannot name," he said, guiding both companions away from Cassius’s door.

Behind them, every light inside the private training hall turned black at once.