Silence dominated the new manor. In that spacious royal room, adorned with golden engravings, moonlight shyly slipped through the velvet curtains, tracing silver lines over the plush white bed.
There, amidst the silky sheets, James and Filin lay side by side, the walls of the room shielding them entirely from the outside world.
James turned toward his wife, his eyes slowly wandering over the delicate details of her face and the body barely concealed by a thin nightgown.
His voice was husky and warm as he whispered words straight from his soul:"Filin… I love you."
Filin trembled at his words, turning fully to face him, her eyes glistening with tears and genuine love.
She leaned closer until their breaths mingled and spoke in a quivering voice:"I love you too, James… I love you more than you love me, more than anything else in this world."
As soon as her words reached James's ears, his heart raced like war drums—but this was a war of a different kind; a war of passion and desire.
His rough hand, accustomed to wielding swords, began to trace her velvety skin gently, sliding from her neck down to her soft chest, rising and falling with her quickened breaths.
Filin's face flushed red with shyness, yet she did not pull away; she closed her eyes, surrendering to his touch that ignited flames through her veins.
With a fluid motion full of longing, James moved his hand to lift the thin nightgown.
The silk fabric slid slowly, revealing a body sculpted to perfection, her pale skin glowing under the moonlight like a precious pearl.
Her curves and chest stood in breathtaking beauty, stealing his breath away.
Filin was a living masterpiece, her black hair spilling seductively across the white pillow, her body trembling with anticipation and yearning.
James could no longer contain himself before such striking beauty.
He positioned his strong body atop hers, trapping her under his shadow and commanding presence.
He gazed into her eyes directly, seeing a mix of shyness and fierce desire reflected within.
Filin placed her hands on his broad chest, attempting to push him back with nervousness while her cheeks burned crimson, whispering in a hoarse voice:"James… do it… now."
Her invitation was all it took to shatter the last walls of restraint within him.
James leaned toward her, captivated by her body exposed under the moonlight.
His hand rested over her soft chest, exploring the warmth of her skin and caressing her curves with daring touches, sending shivers through her body. She gazed at him, eyes melted with desire and surrender.
Patience had no place anymore. James mounted her firmly, pressing his body against hers, engulfing her with his shadow and strength.
Their eyes locked for a fleeting second before their bodies joined in a deep, intimate rhythm, plunging together into a long night of passion, leaving emotion to speak alone in the room's stillness.
Days passed, weeks flew by, and three full months elapsed—enough to shift the balance of power.
During this short period, James's strength surged, propelling him to the fourth rank of "High-Rank Knight"—an achievement that normally required years for others.
All of this happened due to his daily union with his wife and the growing reputation of his overwhelming power, which also granted him massive internal energy and points.
Each day, James chose a task from the Adventurers' Guild—not for money, for his coffers were already full, but to test the limits of his explosive power.
He completed the most complex missions within an hour, displaying terrifying might that exceeded the logic of his current rank, spreading rumors among the people and elite that James was not only a High-Rank Knight but possibly an "Earth Knight," hiding his true strength.
The power hierarchy in this world followed a strict and graded system, beginning at the bottom and reaching to the heavens:
Low-Rank Knight
Mid-Rank Knight
High-Rank Knight (elite)
Then came the legendary ranks: Earth Knight, followed by Celestial Knight. The hierarchy continued: Semi-Lord Knight, Lord Knight, and finally the pinnacle of absolute power: Semi-Imperial Knight, and ultimately the unattainable Imperial Knight.
The most challenging aspect of this system was that each rank was internally divided into nine arduous levels, making the journey from one rank to another a lifelong feat of training and battle.
News of these rumors reached Baron Lorin, striking him like a thunderbolt.
He was struck with awe and realized that having such a human "monster" in his province was a double-edged sword.
He searched his possessions for anything valuable to gift James and strengthen their bond, but he realized with dismay that gold and resources no longer tempted a man like James.
Suddenly, one idea flashed through his mind—the only way to get close to James: his only daughter, "Loran."
The Baron had no male heir, and his daughter remained unmarried.
He whispered to himself that this was the optimal and only solution to secure his family's future and tie his bloodline to this legendary warrior.
He immediately and secretly began making arrangements for this plan.
On the other hand, James was far removed from these political schemes.
He sat quietly in the courtyard of his spacious manor, sipping a hot cup of coffee, eyes wandering over the beauty of the trees and the calm of nature.
His thoughts were interrupted by Filin's sweet voice from behind, filled with unmistakable joy:"James… I have news that will make you very happy."
James slowly turned, setting his cup aside, and saw his wife glowing in a pure white dress, gently touching her belly with care and tenderness.
He smiled at her and asked playfully:"Good news… for me? Hmm, sounds interesting."
Filin stepped closer with soft steps, sitting on his lap with a playful grace, wrapping her arms around his neck, and looked directly into his eyes.
In a voice brimming with maternal warmth, she said:"I'm pregnant, James."
Time seemed to freeze in James's mind. His features froze, his eyes staring into space as if trying to grasp the weight of her words."Pregnant… a child… mine?"
The words came out in a broken, stunned tone before understanding fully hit him. His heart leapt with joy. He shouted loudly, shaking the courtyard, still staring ahead in disbelief:"I'm going to be a father… I'm going to be a father again!"
Filin hugged him tightly, resting her head on his chest while laughing with happiness, still sitting in his arms.
"Yes, my love, you're going to be a father… only a few months to go, maybe six, before we meet our new child."