Harem Quest: From Trash to King

Ryan sat hunched over on the floor of his small, dimly lit room, his back pressed against the peeling wallpaper.

The afternoon sunlight filtered weakly through the curtains, casting dull stripes across his trembling hands.

He stared at the transfer letter in front of him. The paper felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.

His breath hitched.

'I… I actually got transferred.'

He wasn't smiling. His heart wasn't racing with joy. Instead, there was only a growing pit in his stomach.

He clutched his head in both hands, fingers digging into his messy hair as the weight of it all pressed down.

"What the hell am I supposed to tell Mom?"

His voice cracked, barely above a whisper.

'She works double shifts at the convenience store just so I can attend this average-ass school… and now this?'

He swallowed a dry lump in his throat.

'She'll ask questions. She'll think I got expelled. That I messed up. Again.'

His thoughts spiraled. Fear, guilt, shame — all of them crashing in like a tidal wave.

'I can't… I can't let her down again.'

He squeezed his eyes shut, gripping the letter like it might dissolve into something easier.

Then—

[DING!]

[Host, calm down.]

[You may use this to your advantage.]

[Say you were transferred due to high academic performance. That your grades made you eligible for a specialized program.]

There was a pause in Ryan's mind. Then, slowly... a flicker of light broke through the stormclouds.

'Say it's because of my grades?'

He looked down at the letter again. No detailed reason was listed. Just a generic form.

A shaky smile curled his lips, even though sweat was still running down his temple.

"Yeah… yeah, that might actually work."

He scrambled to his feet, patting down his worn school uniform and reaching into the chest pocket.

His fingers wrapped around the beat-up old phone.

'Please pick up, please pick up…' he begged silently as it rang.

Click.

"Hello?" his mom's voice answered, a bit hoarse from fatigue but still gentle. Comforting.

Ryan inhaled sharply.

"Hey, Mom. Uh… just wanted to tell you— I got transferred."

"Transferred?" she repeated, a little alarmed. "To where? Why?"

He forced out a laugh. "Because of my grades! They're moving a few students with top scores to a new school. Better resources and all that."

There was silence for a second. Then her voice came, bright with pride.

"Oh my god, Ryan! You're serious? That's amazing! I knew my son was smart! You're making me so proud, baby."

He turned away from the window, eyes glistening.

"Yeah… I'll keep working hard, Mom. I promise."

"You always do. Don't forget to pack your lunch, okay? Text me the new address too."

"I will."

He hung up and stared at the screen for a while, his hands still trembling slightly.

'That worked. She… she actually bought it.'

The guilt didn't disappear. But it quieted down — just enough.

'Maybe this transfer really is a new start.'

The Next Morning

[DING!]

[Host. Wake up.]

[A new school. A new start. A new challenge.]

Ryan groaned and rolled over on his thin mattress, the system's voice ringing in his head like an alarm clock from hell.

'You never shut up, do you?'

He sat up and stretched, bones creaking as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His body still ached from the fight. Bruises covered his arms and torso like badges from a war he'd barely survived.

But beneath the soreness… he felt different.

Lighter. Sharper. Ready.

He stood, moving over to the small cracked mirror beside his closet. His face looked more angular now, the puffiness slowly fading. His eyes sharper. Shoulders straighter.

'Yeah… I can get used to this.'

After a quick shower and the smallest breakfast he could scavenge from their near-empty kitchen, he slipped into his new uniform — a slightly oversized navy blazer with a new emblem stitched into the pocket. It smelled like fresh packaging and the future.

The city buzzed outside, full of honks and chatter and engine roars, but Ryan tuned it all out. His mind was focused.

As he walked toward the school gate, a sudden pop up of system materialized in front of his eyes.

[DING!]

[New Quest Generated.]

[Quest: Communicate and make friends with classmates.]

[Reward: Minor growth in Endurance and Stamina stats.]

Ryan blinked, slowing his steps.

'Make friends? Really?'

He chuckled softly, a bitter edge in his breath.

'Never thought that would be a quest in my life.'

He glanced up at the towering gates of his new school, polished and pristine, a far cry from his old battlefield.

'Alright then.'

He stepped forward.

'Let's see what this place is made of.'