Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 43: Foundations of a Harem

Richard's P.O.V

"Richard! Watch this!" Donna, a young noble girl whom Richard had saved from being forced into an arranged marriage, called out for his attention as she attacked one of the training dummies with a new fire spell.

"Can't you see that he's busy?" Hannah, the daughter of one of the academy's employees replied as she grabbed his arm protectively. While she wasn't technically a student at the academy, Richard had still saved her when she was harassed by one of the rude nobles that had attended, though the guy was expelled afterwards due to trying to pressure her with his family name.

"He doesn't look that busy to me, though I can see that you're holding him back when you're not even a student here." Nem, Richard's very first friend on Elnor, challenged from beside Donna.

"Even if I'm not a student, I'm still better at using magic than all of you are!" Hannah shouted angrily. "I'm even higher level that you guys are."

"Then why don't we have a contest to see who's actually better?" Donna joined in. "I'm not going to lose!"

"You're on!" Hannah replied, letting go of Richard's arm before running off to where the others were lined up. "The winner get's to have Richard to themselves this afternoon!"

"W-Who would want that?!" Nem asked, her face completely red from blushing.

Smiling as he watched Hannah leave, Richard couldn't help but feel thankful as his new life was going exactly as he'd hoped. He was strong, he was on the path to becoming a powerful adventurer, and while he hadn't done it intentionally, he'd managed to be surrounded by beautiful girls that were all in love with him. Though despite his happiness, there he still knew that something was missing.

"Ah, and here's the object of every man's jealousy." Mark Hilden, the first friend that Richard made in the Adventurers Academy sighed as he sat down beside him. "Surrounded by three beauties... You should just see the hateful glares that you're getting from the guys in the academy, myself included."

"All of the hatred is worth it." Richard laughed. "I have the tsundere redhead Nem, the dandere black-haired Hannah and Donna the white-haired deredere. Life could hardly get better at the moment."

"There you go saying stuff that nobody understands again." Mark sighed. "But you don't sound to enthusiastic about it. Isn't three girls enough for you? Don't tell me the hero is your next target..."

"I thought about it for the first week at the academy and she'd definitely got the looks, but she's always been so distant from everyone that I couldn't get close." Richard grumbled. "Besides, whatever it is she was sent here by the gods to do, it might be more trouble than it's worth later down the road."

"You're a real peice of work, you know that?" Mark said in a disgusted manner. "So? What is it that you're looking for then?"

"Absolute innocence!" Richard said determinedly while making his hand into a fist in front of him for added effect. "Purity in it's ultimate form! The desire of all true men!"

"What is it?" Mark asked again, already used to outbursts like this from Richard.

"A loli!" Richard replied.