[Poll] Could you accept being part of a harem?

Harem (and reverse-harem) novels are popular because readers enjoy the perspective of the being at the center of attention. But what about the reverse? Could you accept being a member of a harem instead of being at the center?

The Magical Girl of Romance and Drama transmigrates you to an isekai universe, and she curses you so that only your first love in this new world is an acceptable partner.

Your fate with any subsequent "loves" is cursed such that it will always result in a bad end. Specifically, if you spend more than 1000 hours with somebody you love (beside from your first love), the person whom you love will die through some means or another. Examples of possible ways to die include heart attack, struck by falling piano, stabbed by random murderer, impaled with a stake... regardless of the method, their death is unavoidable no matter what you do.

The cumulative death timer starts as soon as your heart develops feelings of "love" for them. Note that this includes subconscious love, so even if your brain denies being in love yet your heart is, the clock will start ticking. Only romantic love is eligible for the death curse. The death timer will pause if you no longer love somebody, but it will resume if you fall in love with them again.

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Soon after arriving in this isekai world, the first person whom you meet is a prince(ss).

For various plot reasons, you are roped into spending time with the prince(ss), and they become your companion during your adventures. The two of you end up forming the core of a party that ends up traveling to many places and doing many things (e.g. slaying a dragon, finding a holy sword, defeating the demon lord, blahblahblah). You form a lot of precious memories together and after seven years you can't help but fall in love with them, making them your first love.

Unfortunately, the prince(ss) is royalty and marrying a nameless orphan commoner (you) is absolutely out of the question. Additionally, the prince(ss) has kind of friend-zoned you, so you are in this awkward situation where you have one-sided romantic feelings for the prince(ss). However, you are their closest and most long-standing friend, and you know them better than anyone else. The prince(ss) has also told you before that you are an irreplaceable and precious existence to them.

The prince(ss) is an immensely popular individual and virtually everybody that your party encounters falls in love with them. In fact, your party collected a ton of members if only for the fact that nearly everyone has a crush on the prince(ss). Many of them are formal suitors who also wish to marry the prince(ss), and have even made elaborate confessions and proposals.

However the prince(ss) is an oblivious potato and unresponsive to all the suitors. The prince(ss) never accepts or rejects any relationship proposal, and instead always says, "Let's be friends." Consequently, the prince(ss) has a massive pseudo-harem of allies everywhere with the main common denominator that they all love the prince(ss) and are willing to do incredible favors for the prince(ss).

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One day, after completing your adventures all around the world, the prince(ss) turns to you and says.

"I think it's probably a good time for me to get married now."



Huh? So suddenly???

The prince(ss) tells you they can't decide who to marry, so they might as well marry everyone.

Of course, you think this is ridiculous but the prince(ss)'s father *okays* it. In fact, the king even changes the law of your country so that polygamy is allowed for royalty, and there is no limit on the number of wives/husbands that royalty can take.

The prince(ss) turns to you and asks: "Hey, will you marry me too?"

Obviously, it won't be an exclusive arrangement and you will not get preferential treatment. In fact, because of your low status (no family or aristocratic blood), you will technically be at the bottom of the hierarchy when all of the prince(ss)'s spouses are seated at formal events and ceremonies. The prince(ss) is a practical person and they will probably rotate important political individuals (e.g. royalty from other countries) as their official "first consort" whenever it is convenient.

However, the prince(ss) emphasizes that you're their closest friend, and you don't mean any less to them even if you wouldn't be a high-ranking spouse. They would be very happy if you agreed to marrying them.

What is your response?​

1. Would you agree to marrying the prince(ss)? Why or why not?

2. Could you accept it if your lover was married with other people and sleeping with other people?

3. Suppose that a number of the prince(ss)'s spouses are somewhat competitive and always fight each other for the prince(ss)'s attention. Would you participate in the catfight? Suppose you find out about a plot to backstab a particular spouse that you really dislike. Would you assist with the plot?

4. Suppose that the prince(ss) has a calendar and a secretary who arranges who they sleep with every day. How often would you try to get yourself onto the schedule?

5. Are you a very needy person? How much attention do you need from your lover to be happy?

 

Loophole get! Just be dead inside and never have a first love, simple

 

I would probably kill everyone

 

1. Would you agree to marrying the prince(ss)? Why or why not?
I think it depends on whether I have a new body or my current one and whether I’m able to get over my hubby. If I have my current body, I think I’ll pass.

2. Could you accept it if your lover was married with other people and sleeping with other people?
Not really. I mean, I’m fine with the concept, but I wouldn’t want that relationship for myself. But if it’s the only way I could be with someone in this world, I suppose I’d have to put up with it, unless I decided to go the loveless route. I would worry about STDs, though...

3. Suppose that a number of the prince(ss)'s spouses are somewhat competitive and always fight each other for the prince(ss)'s attention. Would you participate in the catfight? Suppose you find out about a plot to backstab a particular spouse that you really dislike. Would you assist with the plot?
No, I don’t think I would.

4. Suppose that the prince(ss) has a calendar and a secretary who arranges who they sleep with every day. How often would you try to get yourself onto the schedule?
A “fair” amount.

5. Are you a very needy person? How much attention do you need from your lover to be happy?
I’m somewhat needy, but I don’t need too much attention.

 

Loveless marriage for the win.

 

1. Err... Princess are you in love or you try gain an private free fuckable army?

2. I got no problem as long they don't change routine with me, and so on.

3. Niga... Is this harem or royal selection? Can I quit? I there is still lot woman out there, I will try find cat girl or wolf girl

4. Wait what? How many is the harem member is? And probably I will try get 2 or 3 time a week?

5. Well as former NEET I don't like attention, so minimum attention is fine...I'm fine.... No seriously I'm fine

 

1. Would you agree to marrying the prince(ss)? Why or why not?
No, marrying a person like that will only result in several future troubles
2. Could you accept it if your lover was married with other people and sleeping with other people?
I said I am not marrying them
3. Suppose that a number of the prince(ss)'s spouses are somewhat competitive and always fight each other for the prince(ss)'s attention. Would you participate in the catfight? Suppose you find out about a plot to backstab a particular spouse that you really dislike. Would you assist with the plot?
Why would I? I don't just love with my heart but with my mind too, falling for someone like that is out of the question for me and even if somehow/somewhat I fall in love with them I am confident enough to say that I can forget about such feelings quickly
4. Suppose that the prince(ss) has a calendar and a secretary who arranges who they sleep with every day. How often would you try to get yourself onto the schedule?
I said I won't marry so why would I be anywhere near them, I will probably go explore the world and get stronger, perhaps start some sort of business too, it is a world of magic and fantasy, I am sure there are lots of fun things to do and creatures to see
5. Are you a very needy person? How much attention do you need from your lover to be happy?
Needy or not, it is an isekai and I got lots of power, I should be going around exploring and make that world more suitable for me, for someone from earth that goes to an isekai, that isekai should be a free real estate with lots of benefits if one knows how to play their cards not losing their life like that marrying a moron (apology if this offends anyone)

 

What he said....

 

Well I've never loved anyone before so I can't say for sure. But my answer would depend on multiple factors.
1. Would me agreeing cause the other harem members want to kill me.
2. Would me disagreeing make her feel sad.
But regardless of my answer, I'd just leave soon after her wedding and then set off on some sort of adventure or whatever is considered fun in that world. The other guys can fight each other to the death for all I care, I'm gonna go have fun by myself, would be nice to have some friends to go on the adventure with me though, but I'm perfectly fine with traveling the world by myself.
Only reason I chose adventuring around is because it seems like the world is set in some sort of medieval setting and I can't imagine anything else that would be fun to do to past time.

 

1: Nope. Romance aint worth shit without exclusivity built into the arrangement, and if I just wanted to get laid I'd pay a professional. As for the princess I'd gotten feelings for, I'd cut her off from my social life for both our sakes. I'd probably grow resentful of her before falling out of love, so better to split up as friends.

2: Negatory. See the above.

3: Nah. The thing about conspiracies is that when they inevitably fail, the weakest link becomes the scapegoat. I'd frame the lot of them, including the target. Just out of spite, because they're treacherous bastards and I'm not being a hypocrit at all.

4: Never, because she's not worth sleeping with.

5: Surprisingly little, considering my answers here. I'm the type to spoil the other, not the one being spoiled. Would still demand attention either through teasing or banter, depending on if the girl falls more in the deadpan snarker or the genki girl category.

More specifically (and perhaps contrarily), I'm the responsive side when it comes to attention, not the initiator untill its taken too long. Which could be anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on circumstances.

 

I wouldn't go on an adventure in the first place as I'm a lazy parasite but no, I'd be sulking

 

I believe none will answer YES in this poll since the setting you choose made it like the harem members are likely hating eachother and your life will be most of the time hanging on a thread.

 

Hell no! First thing, even if some time I get to love him, it would surely wither after seeing all those women around him being ambiguous and he not showing no desire for me and others...... Actually I might even think that he is gay and should be pressed down by our fellow knight, I would cheer for his happiness.
But coming with some shit like " I don't really like anyone but everyone loves me so I might as well marry them all"?!
I would give him a beating and give a great sermon as to how he is being too crazy and senseless!
The king should just choose his child's fiance since he doesn't really care instead letting him make an harem since it could lead to a major chaos (internal and external political chaos), be it because the fierce harem fighting or the children fighting.
And that guy! If he doesn't really like anyone but just simply want to marry, why don't he just do a draw of those suitable (high standing)? Better than all.
And the hell with that "being very happy to stay with me" just because I'm his best friend? His closest person? Go to hell!!! So disgusting!!!! If he cared even a bit about me he would battle his family to marry me or cheer for me to find someone to spend the rest of my life with, even helping me lift the curse or make a way to curve the curse.
I'd rather go risk it all and try to beat f#cker who cursed me, going in the path of deity and battling against the heavens than join an harem.

 

1. No, i would not. Its hard to explain why. Ig the best i can put it would be that if i didnt marry him, i would only love him and watch as hes happy. But if i did marry him, i would also be happy when im with him, but then when hes with others, i wouldnt. I would feel jealous. So id rather just watch him be happy and be happy for him. Plus, this is more of an ancient setting. Id rather not go through the backstabbing.

2.) no.

3.) no.

4.) not marrying

5.) just being a close friend, rather than a spouse would be enough.

 

Nah. Too much hassle. Why willingly put yourself in a losing war involving royals and nobles. The princess sounds like a typical JP harem mc, which is pretty shitty. As if everything will go the way she wants because its convenient. Not surprised if she got assasinated by one of her lovers one day.
The upper middle way is the true way of living.
No matter how desperate i am in finding love, screwing yourself into eternal doom is hardly an option.

 

That is way too much drama for me.

 

If i'm pretty much to be with her in any case, then it's either that or finding some other reason which is valid.

If you can't, you can always remove the problems, right ? Either by yourself , or helping them remove their competitors.

Unless she wants to watch them compete for her attention, then I would either stir up trouble between them or even things out so they're all weakened by eachother, but I wouldn't actively participate unless as a formality

Every major holiday to begin with, and then strive to get longer periods with her rather than random days

Unknown, it's very hard to know before you've experienced too little or too much.

 

Why is this world not extinct yet? Loopholes or whatnot, i have multiple questions as to how the gods that live here not questions how many bodies would die because of this stupid rule. First love forever? I think a world of yanderes have more survival chances of living than this world if you ask me.

 

So my thoughts:

The prince has already literally admitted that while they think of me as their best friend, they have no romantic feelings for me. Basically the only reason they want to marry me is because they want me to never leave their side (i.e. possessiveness). Furthermore, freedom is one of my number one values, and being married to a ruler in any form will categorically limit that.

In fact, the biggest issue is that whenever you spend any time in one place with the same groups of people you're liable to develop feelings for them. So even if you were married to your first love, you'll start killing people left and right whenever you start having any feelings for anyone.

Basically the only solution here is to isolate yourself and travel the world in a solitary lifestyle. Because that's the only way to stop yourself from killing everyone you ever care about.

That's a really awful curse right there.