[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse":3,"chapter-esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-chapter-436":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Esper Harem in the Apocalypse",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1663926,2131,"Chapter 436 Engagement","esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-chapter-436",436,"\u003Cp>Chapter 436 Engagement\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have caught my attention, Rudy Ross.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, well, if it isn't the number one. Why are you hiding in the shadows? Too shy to show your face to everyone?\" Rudy said jokingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You want to see my face?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't that obvious? If you want to talk to me, you have to show your face. How do I know that it is really the Heim Lu Bela.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You may have a point, but I have no reason to do as you say. And you have no choice but to listen to me.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is that? Because you are number one, and I will soon take your spot?\" Rudy wondered with a calm and curious look on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I am Heim Lu Bela, the head of the Underworld Board Committee.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh… so you are the top of the top in the entire underworld?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You may assume that, yes.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It seems you little missy didn't tell you about this, hmm Maria?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maria frowned her face and said, \"You won't stay on top for long now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Oh, please, I would be more than happy if someone were to take my spot. It's too exhausting. And thanks to that, I couldn't even participate in this gambling tournament.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does that mean I won't get a chance to gamble with you?\" Rudy asked calmly.p\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You want to gamble with me, hah?! It has been years since someone even asked me to gamble with them.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Seriously? So her ranking hasn't increased for years, and she was still at the top?!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[But if you truly want to gamble with me, let's meet in the VVIP tournament, shall we? I will wait for you in the finale.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sounds good.\" Rudy nodded and said, \"But can you show your face now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[....]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SIGH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What will I get in return?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Umm…\" Rudy checked his pockets and took out something. \"I will give you this toffee.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[....]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone turned silent and thought Rudy was asking for a death wish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's tasty, you know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What flavor is it?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Strawberry?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I don't like—]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I also have others. Mango, orange, apple, pineapple, banana. You can have them all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Very well, then.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The screen suddenly turned bright, but the camera lost focus. But it was fixed a few seconds later, and a person was seen sitting on a throne next to a window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'She just folded the curtains…' Rudy glanced at Maria and looked at the screen once again. 'Yup, she looks exactly like she was in the photo.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Are you happy now, Rudy Ross?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you don't mind me asking, are you a male or a female?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[What do you think I am?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's hard to tell, but if you are female, then… my condolences,\" Rudy said while glancing at Hiem Lu Bela's chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Hah! Who do you want me to be?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm~\" Rudy hummed in wonder and said, \"Girl, perhaps.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[And why is that?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are too beautiful to be a man. And if you are, then I will lose my confidence as a man,\" Rudy scoffed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Don't say that, you are handsome enough.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am honored.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maria nudged her elbow to Rudy and shot a glare at him before saying, \"Are you seriously flirting with her in front of me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It seems your little missy is getting jealous.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She is my fiance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Oh? I didn't know you had a serious relationship with her.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am always serious about everything. My words are my commitment, so I need to work up to it,\" he said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[When exactly did you get engaged to her?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tonight… after we go home.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Then she is not your fiance currently, am I right?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Nothing. I just felt like correcting you.] She smiled slightly and said, [You see, people often tend to sigh in relief before the problem is solved. You cannot guess the side of the coin unless it stops spinning.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\" Rudy chuckled softly while nodding and said, \"I will keep that in mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the coin you speak of has only one side, so I don't need to guess anything.\" Rudy shrugged his shoulders and said, \"I already know the answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rudy unwrapped the toffee and ate it. Then, twisted the wrapper and turned it into a ring shape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He held Maria's hand in his hand and smiled gently at her before asking, \"Maria, would you like to be my wife?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[....!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, everyone in the colosseum had turned silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I…\" Maria's face flushed as she glanced around in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Before you answer, I want to tell you something.\" He moved his face close to her ears and whispered, \"I have been hiding this from you, but I had no intention to hide it. I was going to tell you once everything is settled down, but I don't want you to feel I betrayed you or I was playing with your heart.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not a regular human, and I have superpowers. I will explain all that later, but what I want to tell you is… I have a harem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"....!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You know what harem means, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maria nodded in response.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now it's up to you to decide. I won't force you to make any decisions. Even if you turn me down, we can still stay as close friends, and nothing will change. And, of course, I will try my best to convince you to join my harem.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you are unsure and need time to think about it, feel free to turn me down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rudy pretended to whisper into Maria's ears; however, he wasn't. He couldn't risk the mics catching his voice, so he used telepathy to share his voice using mind reading as he was already touching her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After pondering for a while and asking, \"Will anything change in our relationship?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rudy shook his head and said, \"Absolutely, nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maria inserted her finger in the wrapper and said, \"I would love to be with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rudy glanced at the screen with a grin on his face and asked, \"Can I sigh in relief now?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1017,"2026-06-06T12:42:09.049Z",1,"novelbin.me","2650b3581aa2f6c47d4196660c1efa1950f8b4117f8678bd069c769a2652cf9d","esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-chapter-437","esper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-chapter-435",1163,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fesper-harem-in-the-apocalypse-cover.jpg"]