Chapter 22: The Mexican Standoff [Bonus]

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: The Mexican Standoff [Bonus]

Daniel stared at the notification. His heart was still pounding from the hug, but his mind was already racing ahead. The words on the screen were clear. Simple. And absolutely incredible.

[Harem Class Detected: Gunslinger (Unique)]

[Would you like to copy?]

[Yes / No]

He remembered now. The class description. The one he had read back in the desert, when he first saw his status screen. The Harem Overlord could copy the class of any bonded member. He could use their skills. Their equipment. Everything.

And Lyra had just gotten a unique class.

A slow grin spread across his face.

"What?" Lyra asked. She was watching him, her eyes still red from crying, but curious. "What is it now?"

"Nothing," Daniel said. "Just... give me a second."

He pressed Yes.

The screen flickered. New text appeared.

[Copying Class: Gunslinger (Unique)...]

[Class Acquired: Gunslinger (Unique)]

[Copying Skills...]

[Skills Acquired: Sure Shot (Rare), Mana Bullet (Rare)]

[Generating Equipment...]

[Equipment Acquired: Golden Jack Pistol (x2) - Level 1 - Damage +10]

Daniel felt a warmth spread through his body. It was different from the stat boost he had felt earlier. This was subtler. A quiet hum in his chest. A sense of something new settling into place.

He looked at his hands. They felt different. Heavier somehow. Like they were waiting for something.

Then he saw it. Hovering in front of him, visible only to his eyes, was a new icon on his status screen. A weapon icon. The Golden Jack Pistol.

He focused on it. And the gun appeared in his hand.

It was beautiful. A revolver, sleek and shiny, with a golden finish that gleamed in the candlelight. The grip was black, wrapped in leather, and fit his palm perfectly. It was heavier than he expected, but not uncomfortable. It felt right.

Lyra gasped. "What is that?"

Daniel held up the gun. "This is a pistol. A gun. Your class weapon."

Her eyes went wide. "That’s what I get? Two of those?"

"Two of those."

She stared at the weapon in his hand. Then at her own hands. "How do I... how do I get mine?"

"Just think about it. Focus on your status screen. The weapon icon. Picture it in your hand."

Lyra closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed. Then, with a soft shimmer of light, two identical pistols appeared in her hands. She opened her eyes and stared at them. Her mouth fell open.

"I have guns," she whispered. "I have actual guns."

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. You do."

He looked at his own gun. Then he had an idea. A stupid idea. A wonderful idea.

He reached down and picked up a small stick from the floor. It was thin, about the size of a toothpick. He bit off one end, then tucked the other half into the corner of his mouth.

Then he holstered his gun in his pocket and straightened up. He adjusted his posture. Puffed out his chest. Narrowed his eyes.

"Alright, partner," he drawled, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly tone. "Looks like we got ourselves an old Mexican standoff."

Lyra blinked. "A what?"

"Mexican standoff. It’s a thing. From my world."

She frowned. "What does that even mean?"

Daniel ignored her. He sauntered across the room, his steps slow and deliberate, like a cowboy in an old western movie. He stopped by the window, glanced out at the dark street, then turned back to her.

"You see," he said, still using the drawl, "in a Mexican standoff, everyone’s got a gun pointed at everyone else. Nobody moves. Nobody blinks. It’s all about who’s got the nerve."

Lyra looked at him. At the stick in his mouth. At the way he was standing, one hip cocked, his hand hovering near his pocket.

"You look ridiculous," she said.

Daniel’s drawl faltered. "I look cool."

"You look like you’re constipated."

He spat out the stick. "Okay, fine. But the point is, you should try it too. The whole cowboy thing. It’s fun."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Cowboy?"

"Uh... it’s like a... a gunslinger. Same thing. Just copy me."

She hesitated. Then she stood up from the bed, adjusting her grip on one of her pistols. She looked at Daniel. Then she tried to imitate his posture. One hip cocked. Chest puffed out. A serious expression on her face.

"How’s this?" she asked.

Daniel studied her. Then he laughed. "You look adorable."

Lyra’s face turned red. "I’m trying to be intimidating!"

"You are. Very intimidating. The most intimidating adorable person I’ve ever seen."

She scowled at him. But there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She was trying not to laugh.

"Okay, okay," Daniel said, still chuckling. "Let’s try something else. Picture a scene. You’re in a tavern. Me, I’m the bad guy. You’re the hero. We’re facing off. What do you say?"

Lyra thought for a moment. Then her expression shifted. She straightened up, her grip on the pistol steady, and looked him dead in the eye.

"Draw," she said.

Daniel’s eyes widened. "Whoa. That was actually good."

"I know."

"Do it again. But with more... intensity."

Lyra took a breath. She narrowed her eyes. Then, in a low, steady voice: "Draw, partner. Or are you too yellow-bellied?"

Daniel stared at her. Then he burst out laughing.

"Yellow-bellied?" he wheezed. "Where did you learn that?"

Lyra shrugged, a smug smile on her face. "I’ve heard stories. Adventurers talk. I listen."

Daniel shook his head, still laughing. "You’re a natural."

They spent the next few minutes practicing. Daniel taught her a few phrases he remembered from old westerns. "This town ain’t big enough for the both of us." "You feeling lucky, punk?" "Reach for the sky." Lyra repeated them all, her voice growing more confident with each attempt. By the end, she was grinning, her pistols twirling in her hands.

"You know," she said, "this is actually fun."

"Told you."

She looked at him. At his stupid grin. At the way he was standing there, one hand in his pocket, looking proud of himself. Then she laughed. A real, genuine laugh that filled the small room.

"Thank you," she said.

Daniel tilted his head. "For what?"

"For this. For everything." She gestured at the room, at the pistols in her hands, at the world outside the window. "I was blind this morning. I was being sent to a town to die alone. And now... now I have a class. Skills. Weapons. I can see. I can read." She paused. "You made me smile. Even when I wasn’t happy. Even when I was scared. You made me laugh."

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. "I mean... I just did what anyone would do."

"No," Lyra said. "Not anyone. You." She looked at him, her eyes steady. "I don’t know much about you. I don’t know where you really come from, or what your world is like. But I know this. You saved me. You defended me. You gave me a future." She took a step forward. Then she bowed. A deep, formal bow, her head lowered, her pistols held at her sides.

"I, Lyra of the Prick family, pledge myself to you. I will follow you. I will fight for you. I will never betray you." She straightened up, her eyes meeting his. "For as long as I live."

Daniel stared at her. His mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again.

"Uh," he said. "That’s... that’s a lot."

Lyra smiled. "I know."

"I mean, you don’t have to... you know... pledge yourself. We can just be friends. Or partners. Or..."

"I want to."

Daniel blinked. "You want to?"

"Yes." She nodded firmly. "You’re strange. You’re reckless. You talk too much. But you’re also kind. And brave. And you make me laugh." She shrugged. "That’s enough for me."

Daniel didn’t know what to say. So he just stood there, looking at her. At her determined expression. At the pistols in her hands. At the way she was standing, tall and proud, a girl who had been blind her whole life but was now seeing the world for the first time.

"Okay," he said finally. "I... okay."

Lyra laughed. "That’s all you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say? You just pledged your life to me. That’s a lot of pressure."

She shook her head, still smiling. "You’re impossible."

"I know."

They stood there for a moment, the silence comfortable and warm. Then Lyra looked at her pistols.

"So," she said. "What now?"

Daniel thought about it. "Now? Now we get some sleep. Tomorrow, we figure out our next move." He paused. "And maybe we find a library. I made you a promise."

Lyra’s face lit up. "The novel."

"The novel."

She nodded, tucking her pistols into her belt. "Then I’ll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Lyra."

"Goodnight, Daniel."

She climbed back onto the bed, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Daniel settled onto the floor, his back against the wall, his gun resting beside him. He closed his eyes.

It had been a long day. A crazy day. But for the first time since he woke up in that desert, he felt like things were going to be okay.

He had a harem. He had a gun. He had a partner.

And tomorrow, he was going to read her a novel.

He smiled and drifted off to sleep.

[I made this Chapter extra long... other Chapter’s has been short but from now on expect longer Chapters]