The Royal Council chamber was a masterpiece of intimidation. Kaelen stood at the foot of the obsidian table, the weight of the nobles' stares like a physical pressure. He was playing a part, the role of the ruthless new lord, but inside, a storm was brewing. The power he felt after corrupting Seraphina wasn't just a feeling; it was something tangible, something coiled in his soul.
"The matter of the Oakhaven grain tax is on the floor," Seraphina announced, her voice steady, though he could feel the faint tremor in it through the choker's link.
Kaelen stepped forward. "I propose a temporary reduction."
Lord Marlowe, a man whose face looked like that of a dog, scoffed. "And who will fill the treasury's coffers, boy? Your family's ghost?"
Kaelen's eyes scanned the room. They fell on a younger lord, Fenwick, who was nervously clutching his wine goblet. As Kaelen focused, the world shifted. A translucent blue screen flickered in his vision, overlaying reality.
[ TARGET: LORD FENWICK ]
[ DISPOSITION: ANXIOUS, GUILTY ]
[ OBSERVATION: FIDGETING, AVOIDS EYE CONTACT, SWEAT ON BROW. ]
A new line of text appeared beneath it.
[ SKILL ACTIVATED: THIEVES' CANT (NOVICE) ]
[ INTERPRETATION: TARGET IS CONCEALING KNOWLEDGE OF FINANCIAL CRIME. LIKELY EMBEZZLEMENT FROM A SUPERIOR. ]
It wasn't magic; it was insight. The System was translating his observations into actionable intelligence. He had his leverage.
"Perhaps we should ask Lord Fenwick where the missing silver from the King's Road tolls has gone," Kaelen said, his voice smooth. "I hear a man can make a fortune selling cheap wine to peasants and charging the crown for the finest vintage."
Lord Fenwick paled, his goblet clattering to the floor. The room froze.
As Seraphina dispensed justice with cold authority, Kaelen felt a surge of power. It wasn't just psychological. It was... quantifiable. A new screen appeared in his mind.
[ QUEST COMPLETED: COURTLY INTRIGUE ]
[ REWARD: 500 XP, 100 GOLD ]
[ LEVEL UP! YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 3. ]
[ UNLOCKED NEW ABILITY: MANA ABSORPTION ]
[ DESCRIPTION: Through physical contact, you may siphon a trace amount of magical or spiritual energy from a target. Requires direct skin contact. ]
Mana Absorption. He looked at Seraphina, who was now concluding the meeting. He could feel a faint warmth radiating from her, a gentle, golden light he now recognized as her magic, her Spirit. The System was giving him a way to harvest it.
Later that night, he tested his theory. He didn't demand sex. Instead, he ordered her to kneel before him in his study.
"I felt something today in the council," he said, his voice low. "When I won. A surge of power. I think it came from you."
Seraphina looked up, confused. "My Lord? I have no magic to speak of, only the faint blessing of the Goddess..."
"Exactly," Kaelen said. He knelt in front of her, taking her hands in his. They were soft and cool. "Trust me."
He focused on the new skill, picturing a tiny thread connecting him to her. He felt a pull, a gentle current flowing from her, through his arms, and into his chest. It was warm, vibrant, and pure.
[ MANA ABSORPTION IN PROGRESS... ]
[ +5 MANA ABSORBED. TARGET'S SPIRIT UNAFFECTED. ]
Seraphina gasped, her eyes widening. A wave of dizziness washed over her, followed by a strange, pleasant warmth that spread from her hands throughout her body. "I... I feel strange. Empty, but... good."
Kaelen released her hands. He felt incredible. The stolen energy hummed within him, a reservoir of power he hadn't possessed before. He looked at his own status screen, which now felt like a part of him.
[ KAELEN VALERIUS - LEVEL 3 ]
[ ATTRIBUTES: STR: 12 | AGI: 11 | VIT: 13 | MND: 15 | SPI: 18 ]
[ MANA POOL: 180/180 ]
He had found a new way to feed his growth. And he knew just who his next target would be.