There Are No Humans Left in My Harem

Xie Yu continued feeding it Void Twists of slightly inferior quality.

As a basic spell, it did not consume much to begin with. As long as he did not construct a stable state and only perfected the Void Twist's form and shape, Xie Yu could bear the cost of casting it. Rather, repeatedly imagining the trajectory of his thoughts had tired his brain, leaving it with an aching weariness like muscles after a workout.

He needed to confirm whether [Permanent Growth] meant what it said.

As he fed it, [an Elegant Void Twist] slowly grew larger at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Originally, it had been slightly smaller than Xie Yu's palm. After it ate ten [Smooth Void Twists], Xie Yu compared it to his left hand and confirmed that he could no longer hold it in one hand; he needed both.

[The Elegant Void Twist felt confused:]

[Sorry, burp~]

[Huh, that's strange. Have I eaten too much? I should feel bloated after eating this much, and it should be hard to hold my shape. I should be less stable, but I'm still fine... I can even eat more, and I'm still hungry.]

Xie Yu had planned to consult his books and study what was happening and what a larger Void Twist could do. But he suddenly realized that he might not need to look elsewhere for answers.

He could ask the thing itself directly!

When encountering a problem, seeking the experience of those who came before and their summaries of the underlying principles was a useful approach, but it was clearly not as good as asking the "one involved" directly.

"You've gotten bigger," he said.

[Mm... sorry, I accidentally ate too much. I don't seem very elegant anymore. If you don't like me this big, I can slim...]

"I like you as you naturally are. That won't change because of your size. Do you like being bigger?" Xie Yu asked with a gentle smile, doing his best to put it at ease.

[The Elegant Void Twist breathed a sigh of relief and said sincerely:]

[I like being big. Big is beautiful, big is good, and big means strong!]

"Strong?"

[The void is the vessel for countless material things. A Twist of the Void can bend all matter.]

[The Elegant Void Twist saw your encouraging gaze and wanted to show you its true beauty. It floated toward the desk and slowly approached:]

[I'm very strong when I'm full. Look!]

The edge of the Void Twist touched the desktop. The wooden surface immediately let out a piercing creak and the crisp crack of wood being crushed together. Where it touched, the desktop caved in slightly, the wood within the circular patch deformed by the pressure.

[The Honest Solid-Wood Desk (Affection decreased to 0):]

[Oh, you'll have to pay the inn five gold coins for damaging me.]

"Don't break things." Xie Yu hurriedly stopped it.

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 stared intently at the Void Twist, its appetite growing (Affection: 50.5):]

[One that big is worth two... hehehe, don't you think it's beautiful (delicious)?]

Despite its words, it made no move.

In terms of temperament, the Chapter of Teleportation was indeed more stable than the Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll. It did not act on its own initiative.

[The Elegant Void Twist said guiltily:]

[Sorry, I wasn't trying to cause damage. I thought this desk would be softer and springier. I didn't expect it couldn't return to its original shape on its own.]

[I can also change the trajectory of any material object, bending its movement. You can throw that gold coin at me.]

Xie Yu looked at the gold coin he had taken from his pocket after washing up the previous night and placed on the bedside table. He picked it up gently, aimed at the Void Twist, and tossed it over.

In fact, he did not need to aim very carefully. The Void Twist moved to meet it, making small adjustments to its own orientation and position.

[If I intercept it at this angle, I can send it upward.]

The gold coin flew into the Void Twist's range.

[An Adventurous Gold Coin (Affection: 15) was spinning through the air:]

[What a thrill!... Oh, wait, I've bent.]

The gold coin's trajectory curved upward. The Void Twist adjusted it precisely, sending the coin arcing back through the air toward Xie Yu.

After reaching out and catching it, Xie Yu found that the gold coin looked as though it had been run over by a wheel. Its original round, flat shape had been bent into a curve:

"I hope this doesn't affect your value."

[Of course not. I'm a gold coin. Even if you hammered me into a lump of shit, people would still like me,] the coin said.

Compared to purely destructive magic like fireballs and wind blades, the Twist had released no violent burst of energy and could be considered well-behaved and endearing. Yet it seemed to have expended nothing on those two actions, remaining stable all the while.

"Can you pass through walls, or a human chest or skull?" Xie Yu wondered.

[I can bend them, not pass through without a trace. I'll leave a hole.]

Only then did Xie Yu realize how dangerous a creature he had shared a room with the previous night... But on second thought, perhaps there was nothing to fear. His room also held a talisman doll that could take someone's place in death and devour people's spirits and souls, as well as a potion that claimed it could blow up the entire inn. Having a Twist sleep beside him was hardly anything.

He reached out and felt the edge of the Void Twist. As his fingers drew close, he could feel distinct pressure, his skin growing taut. A little closer, and he felt a sharp pain, as though something heavy were rolling over them.

"You really are strong. How about I call you Dali? Want a little more to eat?" Xie Yu formed a new [Smooth Void Twist] and used it to tease the little fellow, who was already not so little.

[No way, that name isn't elegant at all... But if you like it, all right.]

[The Elegant Void Twist's name has changed to Dali.]

It seemed this fellow did not need much looking after. Its Affection would not drop once it was full, so all he had to do from now on was keep feeding it.

Perhaps he could raise a very large Void Twist?

Xie Yu entertained the thought for a moment, then turned his attention to another important matter-winning over the Sealed Artifact, the Chapter of Teleportation.

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 (Affection: 55.5) watched Dali eat with relish and felt envious. It wanted to try a Smooth Void Twist too:]

[Is that thing tasty? It doesn't feel quite as perfect, but it looks about as tempting. Can I have a taste?]

[I've never actually eaten second-rate food before.]

Xie Yu rested briefly, then set one aside for the Chapter of Teleportation as well, taking the opportunity to sound it out:

"Try it. By the way, were all your previous masters Magisters?"

[Chew, chew, chew... (It found the taste all right, though there wasn't much to chew on. Affection increased to 60.5)]

[What masters? My whole life, I've been worn by different people. One person wears me for a few days, then I'm passed to someone else for a few days to protect them. I know they're using me, but as long as there's a little food, it doesn't matter who wears me... I get to eat a little of the teleportation array when we teleport out, and a little more when we teleport back. When we leave the institute, I get a little of the void displacement array, and when we leave the Sealed Artifact repository, I get a little of a very advanced void sealing array whose name I don't know... I quite like going out to play.]

[This job is easy! If I can protect someone, I do. If I can't, I just run away on my own, back to the institute, and they don't say anything to me. But I usually teleport with the person at least once, to pretend I did my best.]

Xie Yu listened to its story with interest without interrupting, forming new Twists to feed [Dali] and [Sealed Artifact 3-2152] as he did.

[I also noticed that maybe because I'm too friendly, people use me much more often than those bad-tempered fellows. They latch onto a useful Sealed Artifact and use it for all it's worth. I don't care, though. The harder they use me, the more I eat. Sooner or later I'll eat that array until it breaks. I won't lose out. (It was happy to pour its heart out. Affection increased to 65.5)]

"Do you have many other bad-tempered companions?" Xie Yu asked.

[Of course. There are dozens of Sealed Artifacts at the Mirror Lake Sealed Artifact Research Institute. But in Repository No. 1, where I live, there are only four others besides me. Humans are very careful and don't dare put all the Sealed Artifacts together. Fire can't go with water, machinery can't go with life, and so on. There are a lot of rules. I don't understand them.]

[I heard from 2-0041 that there really aren't that many things to worry about. But humans are strange. Junior researchers don't dare contradict a Sage, and many rules stay in force as long as nothing goes wrong, because they're terrified of making a mistake and being held responsible.]

Sealed Artifacts actually communicated with one another.

Xie Yu recalled that Sealed Artifacts could, to some extent, receive the prayers of human mages and cooperate with them.

Even without the influence of his Affection ability, Sealed Artifacts possessed certain characteristics of life and intelligence.

"There's an old saying among us humans: if there's a rule, there must have been some accident in the past."

Xie Yu picked up where the Chapter of Teleportation had left off and continued the conversation.

[They must have taken the personalities of those bad-tempered fellows and blindly applied them to all Sealed Artifacts. Like with their research into us, they generally believe that "Sealed Artifacts of the void domain are mostly mild-tempered," but they have no idea why. They've also noticed that "void-element sealing arrays wear out faster where Sealed Artifacts of the void domain are stored," but they don't know why that is either.]

[The reason is simple. We're obedient because we get a good, filling meal every time we go in or out. Of course we're in a good mood, and we even like making a few extra trips. If they removed the void sealing array, I'd turn on them in a month at most. Who'd work without enough to eat?]

"Exactly. Who'd work without enough to eat?" Xie Yu said approvingly.

When he said it, Xie Yu was merely going along with the other party and had not really thought about what it meant.

Only after the words left his mouth did he realize something was amiss.

He had more than one Sealed Artifact on him.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 could not help speaking up:]

[Master, I'm hungry too.]

"You're not allowed to eat. Didn't you just eat Wig Brown? You're hungry again?" Xie Yu had nearly forgotten about this fellow.

He could not provide the spiritual and soul food it wanted.

[All right, Master. You don't need to worry about me.]

[Unlike it, I can work even when I'm hungry. Rest assured.]

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 was deeply shocked to hear 3-0771's words (Affection: 65.5):]

[Scab! How dare you take a jab at me?]

[How can there be a Sealed Artifact like you?!]

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 laughed:]

[Not at all. I merely serve Master with all my heart, offering nothing but sincere and pure devotion.]

[Unlike you, who has to eat your fill before you'll work, always demanding this and that and setting conditions. You put in a little effort for a bite to eat, but what if you aren't fed? You might even turn around and bite back, forgetting all the food you were given before once it's in your stomach. Isn't that what a Sealed Artifact like you does?]

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 grew angry:]

[What's wrong with you? Just you wait, let's have it out!]

Seeing that they were about to quarrel, Xie Yu did not know how to interject.

He had been careless. He had grown used to communicating with objects one-on-one and had paid little attention to their relationships with one another.

He had only just learned that Sealed Artifacts communicated with one another, yet he had brought two of them together. It really was a bit of a mistake.

However, it seemed Xie Yu did not need to take any action himself.

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 sulkily stopped eating the Void Twists you offered it (Affection increased to 75.5) and said to you earnestly:]

[I don't have to eat your food to protect you, and you never need to worry about me turning on you. I've already eaten so much. I promise.]

"I'm not worried about that. I trust you. The Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll means no harm. It's just a little upset with me because I won't let it eat people's spirits and souls."

Xie Yu chose his words carefully, taking the responsibility upon himself.

Letting the two of them engage in harem intrigue might make them compete for favor, but it also risked a fierce conflict. It was not worth the cost.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 said resentfully:]

[Master, when have I ever been upset with you? I will only faithfully carry out your orders and protect you from the threat of certain ill-intentioned Sealed Artifacts. I know you're interested in Sealed Artifacts, Master, and that you're kindhearted, but that might make Sealed Artifacts think you're easy to bully.]

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 (Affection: 75.5) was very unhappy, but out of consideration for your feelings, it made no move and merely argued to win:]

[What do you know about Sealed Artifacts? How many has a wild thing like you ever seen? I've seen plenty of Sealed Artifacts like you, who've never been contained by a proper research institute. You think you're so impressive and knowledgeable.]

[I've seen the most powerful Sealed Artifact in the entire Northern Plains Province. Have you?]

[In my life, I've seen two Saints and one Sage. Have you?]

[I've been worn by countless Magisters. What about you? Don't tell me you tremble in terror whenever you meet one?]

The Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll did not argue or quarrel. It simply began to chant:

"Spiritual waves surge, I hear their echo, glimpse the formless, and thus know the soul's light."

The words were spoken like those of a human mage, sounds that truly existed in the world... an incantation the entire world could respond to.

Its spiritual and soul probe, along with spiritual power shining with tangible white light, penetrated Xie Yu's coat and illuminated the Chapter of Teleportation.

It struggled to learn other kinds of magic, but the realm of spirits and souls was its old specialty and its comfort zone. Its years with Wig Brown had not been wasted.

[Are you spying on me?] the Chapter of Teleportation said in disbelief. [That's not your ability, and it's not an Abnormal State. Is that magic?]

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 said haughtily:]

[Hmph, I can sense that you're reasonably sincere. There are no signs you're lying, and you have no ulterior, wicked motives for approaching Master. Master, it probably harbors no evil intentions. I've confirmed that for you.]

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 no longer cared about the fellow's punchable tone and pressed:]

[How can you possibly use a power outside your own Abnormal State?]

The Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll answered sincerely, [Serve Master wholeheartedly, and naturally you can.]

The Chapter of Teleportation did not believe it. [Nonsense. I've helped so many people, so why haven't I gotten that benefit? Can you tell me the truth?]

Xie Yu observed in silence. He had not expected the effect of [Permanent Animation] to make another Sealed Artifact envious. After all, he was not a Sealed Artifact himself, so it was difficult for him to truly understand how the Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll had felt before.

But judging by the Chapter of Teleportation's reaction, this seemed to be a shortcut to winning over Sealed Artifacts.

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 instructed it:]

[First, you aren't sincere; you're greedy and love eating. Second, the one you serve isn't Master, isn't Xie Yu.

[My master, Xie Yu, is my god. I am absolutely loyal to him and submit to him completely. Come and try it too!]

The Chapter of Teleportation evidently felt that this fellow had gone mad and was speechless for a moment.

Apart from being a little "in tune with objects," that ordinary-looking boy was no different from other human mages. He had two hands, two feet, and one head.

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 thought it over and felt the other party had a point. No human had ever communicated with it so deeply before, and it actually began to reflect:]

[Am I greedy? All right, maybe a tiny bit. Then how can I be sincere?]

[Sealed Artifact 3-0771 made a demand:]

[First call him Master, then I'll teach you.]

That's too embarrassing... The Chapter of Teleportation fell silent.

But it also seemed like a very simple, harmless thing to try. Perhaps this Sealed Artifact was playing a trick on it, but even if it was, it would lose nothing.

Just call him that once and see. It had nothing to lose.

Once the thought appeared, it began to take root and push through the soil like a seed.

[Sealed Artifact 3-2152 said to you timidly:]

[Master... (Affection increased to 85.5)]

[The word seemed to have magic in it, loosening all the shackles of its previous understanding. It made the artifact feel how lonely and adrift it had been, how it had spent all its previous time floating through the world so aimlessly, never having found a true home.]

[And now, that sense of belonging seemed to be faintly emerging. (Affection increased to 90.5)]

The people at the Education Bureau were discussing Xie Yu.

Fry asked, "Lord Yize, how should we present a genius in the field of Sealed Artifacts? There are no established examples to follow in this area. Perhaps we could start with his magical knowledge... I could approach a few newspapers I know and see if I can arrange an exclusive interview under controlled conditions."

Yize wore a strange expression and shook his head. "There's no need to rush. Let's wait and see how he gets along with the Sealed Artifact, the Chapter of Teleportation. Don't forget, it took less than a day for Wig Brown's Sealed Artifact to rebel against its original master."

Under Yize's gaze, the hotel's walls and doors might as well not have existed, and the concealment effect of the Sealed Artifact, the Fate-Substitution Talisman Doll, no longer caused his gaze to drift away.

Yize glanced into Xie Yu's room from time to time, but saw no secret to his genius. He only felt that the boy Xie Yu seemed a little crazy.

"Why do you like calling me Master too?" Xie Yu asked, raising an eyebrow.