QT: I hijacked a harem system and now I'm ruining every plot(GL) Chapter 229: Ended it

Chapter 229

Nima

School feels... wrong. Off-balance.

Without the constant shadow of a panther trailing , the air feels thinner, sharper. This—this is what my life was before her. Quiet. Invisible. Nothing more than a pair of twitching ears and a surna no one respects.

And yet, I don’t want it anymore. I thought I did. Gods, I thought I wanted normalcy. I was wrong.

I’m halfway to botany class, cradling the clay pot that holds my assignnt, when soone slams into on purpose. The pot slips. The plant tumbles. Soil scatters across the stone floor.

My stomach drops.

I drop to my knees instantly, scrambling to scoop the poor thing up. If I’m careful, I can re-pot it before class. Maybe save my grade.

"Oops," a voice drawls above .

"Didn’t see you there."

I ignore it, brushing soil back into the pot with shaking fingers. Not worth it. If I keep my head down, they’ll get bored. They always do.

A sharp kick sprays soil across my skirt.

My throat tightens, but I keep my head bowed, jaw clenched. Don’t react. Don’t give them what they want.

"Thought there was sothing special about her," the voice sneers.

"Panther must’ve been bored. She’s just like every other Longear."

Snickers. Footsteps retreating.

I sit frozen for a heartbeat longer, clutching the broken remnants of my project, ears burning hot with humiliation.

Then I stand. I refuse to cry. I hold my ruined little plant like it’s still whole and walk toward the greenhouse, ignoring the mix of pity and curiosity following down the hall.

***

Lani Moonfox

I sigh, long and loud.

Assignnts. Notes. Labs. I have my own life outside of Felix Leonhart. And yet here we are, once again, circling around whatever drama he’s gotten himself into. It’s exhausting.

"Seriously, he won’t elaborate, but I know sothing happened with the Longear. And that snake. And Felix." Lira’s voice is hushed but intense, her ears twitching like she’s solving the kingdom’s greatest mystery.

I bite back the urge to roll my eyes.

My twin—older by a handful of minutes—adores him. Worships him. Which ans, by extension, I’m forced into this endless soap opera. Because if she cares, I have to care. That’s how it’s always been.

"Yeah, I noticed too," I say flatly. And I did. Long before she did. I just didn’t care enough to obsess over it.

Lira runs her fingers through her tail, the anxious tic she always falls back on. anwhile, I snap my textbook shut.

Unlike her, I don’t glide through life. She’s naturally radiant—perfect skin, perfect body, perfect grades. I have to claw my way up just to stand beside her. My skin breaks out if I so much as sleep on the wrong pillows, I have to asure every al to watch my weight, and studying isn’t optional—it’s survival.

I will not live in her shadow. Not again. Either she stands beside in the sa spotlight, or I’ll outshine her. Those are the only acceptable outcos.

So, if Felix drama is what’s eating her focus, let’s cut it at the root.

"Why are we sitting here gossiping?" I snap, standing up. "Let’s go to the source."

She blinks. "The source?"

"Yes. The Longear."

Lira hesitates, then rises too. "Right."

***

Lira Moonfox

We ask around, and it doesn’t take long to find her.

The Longear.

She’s in the library, of all places, stacking books like so diligent little scholar. Her long ears twitch at every whisper and scrape of paper, so absurdly sensitive it’s almost laughable.

I stare from between the shelves, and my chest tightens—though I refuse to admit why.

I know why, a voice hisses inside .

Impossible. I shove the thought away.

There’s no way she matters more than . A Longear? Felix cares for her more? No. I won’t stand for it.

I can’t even get the man I love to look at properly, and anwhile she—she’s enough to shake him? Distract him, even when he’s with ?

No. I’ll tear that illusion apart with my own claws if I have to.

The Longear turns, finally spotting us. She exhales, sets one last book on the stack, then walks our way like she summoned us instead of the other way around.

She’s nothing impressive. Average, even for her kind. Compared to the other Longear—the one often dangling off the Panther’s arm—she’s hardly remarkable. At least that one has curves and a sort of pretty face.

What is it with these plain rabbits that makes people in power lose their minds?

"Follow ," she says flatly.

I want to snap at her, but Lani moves first, silent and watchful, so I grit my teeth and trail after.

We’re led behind the stacks to a forgotten room. Dust coats everything, even the spines of the old tos. She opens one, sending a puff of dust into the air.

"Well, we can talk here," she says, not even glancing at us. "But I still have to work. So—why are you here?"

The audacity.

"Despite the fact we’re all at Felaris, don’t forget we’re not the sa," I say coldly, folding my arms.

Her ears twitch. Then, with mock grace, she dips into the barest curtsy.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, myladies?" she says, before reaching for another book.

"What happened with his highness and you?" Lani asks, always too blunt, too quick. For once, I don’t mind.

The Longear flips another page, her face infuriatingly calm. "Oh, you don’t know?"

"Don’t know what?" I snap.

"His Highness and I are no longer anything to each other," she says simply.

The words slam into .

"What? Why?" I demand.

She shrugs, shelving another book. "Let’s just say I accepted reality. I had no business being with a prince. Unlike the rest of you, I have neither looks nor background. Just common sense."

But she doesn’t look broken. She doesn’t look sad.

"That must be why he’s been in such a mood," Lani mutters. "You ended it, didn’t you?"

"Of course not, how could she—" I start, but at the sa ti the Longear calmly says,

"I did. But His Highness refuses to accept it."

No.

No, that’s impossible.

I clench my fists so tight my claws pierce skin. Warm blood beads in my palm.

She gathers three more books and turns back to us.

"Do a favor and pass this along to Lady Snowfrost too. I really am trying to separate myself from the prince’s life, and it won’t help if people see more of his won coming here." She dips in another shallow curtsy.

"I wish you all the best."

She even adds, "Oh, and—I can’t leave non-staff in here. So..."

I don’t wait for her to finish. My fury is too loud, too hot. I turn on my heel and storm out, Lani’s footsteps at my side.