The rumors spread faster than wildfire in a haystack.
It started with a single forum post: "Did y'all see that new guild that solo-cleared the multi-stage dungeon? Their leader's ability is literally called 'Harem King.' Not even kidding."
And that was all it took.
The name "Linked Hearts" began to circulate like a mythical beast sighting — half awe, half disbelief, entirely sensational. Guild forums buzzed. System logs were dissected. Clips of MC sneezing an ice storm, dodging attacks with bizarre acrobatics, or being squashed by a fire-breathing duck were edited into meme compilations with titles like "Harem King's Greatest Hits (and Misses)." Some guilds declared them a rising threat. Others thought they were a joke. A few wanted to recruit MC. Many more wanted to steal his party members.
The next morning, MC burst into the guild hall holding a handful of scrolls and crystal devices. "Okay, team, we've got a PR crisis."
Kaela blinked. "We have PR?"
"I mean—kind of? People think we're an OP harem simulator led by some perverted demigod who copies powers by making girls fall for him!"
Lina tilted her head. "That's... not entirely wrong."
"HEY."
Ciel folded her arms, frowning. "You forgot the part where they think you brainwash girls with your System."
MC flinched. "Do they actually believe that?"
Iris, sipping tea calmly, replied, "It's trending under #ConsentMage."
MC crumpled to the floor in despair.
"I TRIED to explain!" he wailed, pacing the hall. "I went into the public boards and wrote a long post about how the 'Harem King' system is an unfortunate mistranslation of an ancient code-based script and that it actually stands for 'Heuristic Adaptive Relationship Enhancement Matrix,' and that everything is built on mutual respect and emotional synergy!"
"Okay," said Luna, looking up from her book. "And how did that go?"
"They responded with duck emojis. Thousands of them."
Kira slapped her forehead. "You should've let Iris write it. Or better yet, not said anything."
"I panicked! Someone accused me of illegally charming Ciel into the guild!"
Ciel's expression darkened instantly. "WHAT."
"Wait, wait!" MC raised his hands. "I corrected them! I said you joined willingly and regularly insult me!"
"That doesn't help!"
Lina tried to lighten the mood. "Well, technically we are overpowered now. And people just assume the whole 'harem' thing because we're all girls."
"Exactly," Iris added, nodding. "It's a projection of societal expectations onto a non-traditional guild structure with emergent emotional mechanics."
MC looked at her. "That sounded really smart. Could you write that down and post it for me?"
She smirked. "Already did. They responded with more ducks."
The guild members groaned in unison.
Outside, a few new adventurers hesitantly approached their guild hall, whispering and peeking through the windows. Some took pictures. One waved a flag that said "Simp for the System." Another threw a letter over the gate labeled "Join my harem instead?"
Kaela picked up the letter with tongs.
Back inside, the team gathered around a whiteboard as MC desperately tried to rebrand the situation. "Okay, hear me out. What if we lean into the name? Make it ironic. Like, we act so over-the-top that people realize it's a joke."
Ciel scowled. "Or... we act normal and stop feeding the chaos."
MC looked deeply betrayed. "That's... very un-harem of you."
"Say that again and I'll fuse you with a chicken."
Luna finally offered a solution. "What if we hosted a public exhibition match? Show off our teamwork, the fusion skills, the tactical coordination. Shift the focus to our strength instead of your… unfortunate title."
The guild paused. Heads nodded.
"That's… actually a great idea," Iris said.
MC beamed. "Yes! A tournament showcase! We'll prove we're more than memes and misunderstandings!"
Lina leaned forward. "But just to be safe, let's not summon the duck again."
Everyone agreed.
As preparations began, MC stepped outside, hoping for some fresh air. A bird immediately dropped a note on his head. He unrolled it.
"To the Esteemed Lord Harem King — I challenge you to a duel for the hearts of your followers. Signed, Grandmaster Rizzblade of the Rose Knights."
He stared at it.
"...Guys?"
More giggles erupted from the windows.
And so, despite their best efforts, "Linked Hearts" remained a topic of gossip, awe, envy, and complete misunderstanding. But for MC, despite the chaos, one thing was certain:
At least no one was calling them boring.
END OF CHAPTER 83