"Adonis, I have taught you everything you need to embark on your journey toward becoming a Swordmaster," Claudia said before mounting her warhorse.
Though she appeared noble and valiant to any onlooker, her eyes secretly glanced at his face with a flicker of deep affection.
"You will receive the Royal Academy's invitation once I reach the capital. So get ready. At that time, you can meet your savior there," she added smoothly.
Adonis maintained a neutral expression, though inwardly he was pleased with the news.
The Royal Academy was a place where all kinds of training facilities and resources would be at his fingertips. Most importantly, he might be able to acquire precious Ether cores there to accelerate his growth.
Furthermore, he looked forward to finally tasting the fruits of his labor with this Royal Knight. After the immense effort he had put into conquering both her heart and mind, it would be a waste to simply let her go. He had already mentally marked her as his woman; all that remained was to claim her body.
The Academy would be the perfect hunting ground for his development as a "Swordmaster".
Most importantly, he would have the chance to meet more beautiful women who might move his heart and consequently provide more Harem Force to fuel his evolution.
Outside the castle gate, Adonis bowed like a proper noble with one hand on his chest.
"Thank you for everything you did for me, Lady Hellitrix. And do not be worried. I shall head to the Royal Academy to pay off my debt to my savior."
Claudia, pleased with the response, reluctantly jumped atop her horse. However, before she could depart, Adelaide emerged from the house and presented her with a neatly packed lunchbox.
"Please take this with you, Lady Hellitrix. The journey is long, and you might find the time to eat. I prepared it with my own hands," she said respectfully.
"There was no need for this, My lady. It is only a two-day journey for me," Claudia replied, attempting to decline even as her hands were already reaching out to accept it.
The exchange felt oddly like a shy daughter-in-law receiving a gift from a kind mother-in-law.
But for Adelaide, the gesture was born purely out of gratitude.
"It is nothing compared to the care you have given my son. It is very precious to us. My son, Adonis, and I will forever remember your kindness."
Adonis stepped forward and presented a gift of his own.
It was a beautifully drawn, almost lifelike sketch of Claudia Nont Hellitrix. The drawing depicted her charging valiantly at her enemies, her greatsword raised high while atop her white warhorse.
In his past life as a game designer, Adonis had honed his skills in character and landscape illustration. Even the character of Gloria had been originally hand-drawn by him. While not all developers possessed artistic talent, drawing had always been his second greatest skill, right alongside coding.
As soon as Claudia looked at the sketch, she was mesmerized.
It felt like a reflection of her inner self: a warrior perpetually fighting against tyranny.
"It's beautiful..." she whispered, her amethyst eyes shimmering with a sudden, soft warmth.
"Do you like it, my lady?" Adonis asked.
She nodded. "Yes. It is lovely."
Afterward, she tucked the sketch close to her chest and pulled the reins of her horse.
Neigh~neigh~~
The animal galloped thunderously, quickly disappearing into a trail of dust across the rural landscape.
Adonis watched until she was out of sight. Then he turned to follow his mother back inside.
Along the way, he felt several hostile gazes from his half-siblings, but he paid them no attention.
It was obvious that a full month of exclusive "punishment" from a Royal Knight had stirred their envy. One of them was almost certainly behind the recent assassination attempt.
Adonis etched every one of their reactions into his mind. When the time was right, he would return the gesture tenfold.
--
Deep into the night, Adonis sneaked toward Millia's bedroom.
His steps were as light as feathers thanks to the grueling training he had endured over the past month. As such, no one was able to track his movements.
Upon reaching her door, he channeled a thread of invisible energy through his Sword Art: Backdoor Severance Style.
Click!
The lock flicked open effortlessly.
Inside, he saw Millia's sleeping figure wrapped in a thin blanket.
Her round, beautiful face was softly illuminated by the dim glow of a nearby lamp.
Her chest rose and fell steadily with each breath as she slept in peaceful ignorance of his arrival.
[ Affection Level: 58% (Attracted) ]
It was time to increase that number and harvest the Harem Force necessary for the next upgrade of his sword.
Adonis smiled as he reached down and gently pulled the blanket away, revealing her curvaceous figure.
Her body twitched slightly from the sudden loss of warmth, but the movement was not enough to rouse her from such a deep sleep.
He then fixed his eyes on her red tantalising lips. They were slightly parted, almost as if they were an open invitation.
Since Adonis had not yet kissed anyone in this life, the desire in his chest began to blaze.
Without waiting any longer, he leaned forward, moving his face dangerously close to hers until he could feel the warmth of her steady breathing against his own skin.
The closeness was intoxicating, and his self-control finally snapped.
His lips, smaller than hers, finally pressed against her sweet ones.
Smooch~
Adonis's lips met Millia's.
The first contact sent a jolt of electricity through him. Her natural scent, faint lavender soap mixed with the clean warmth of sleep, flooded his nostrils.
For a moment he didn't move a muscle from that position.
He simply breathed her in, savoring the forbidden softness he had craved for weeks.
Then, finally, he deepened the kiss.
His small mouth moved against hers with careful hunger, molding to the shape of her lips.
Schlk~ Schlk
He sucked gently on her lower lip, coaxing it between his own, tasting the faint sweetness that lingered from whatever she had eaten before bed.
As he tilted his head, a quiet, needy sound escaped his throat, fitting them together more perfectly.
At last, Millia moved.
Her eyelashes fluttered.
At first, she was confused by the oddity of the situation.
But when she woke fully, she registered the weight of Adonis above her and the press of warm lips sealing hers, her eyes snapped open instantly.
"Mmmph—?!" Then a muffled protest rose in her throat.
Next, her hands flew up instinctively, palms flattening against Adonis's narrow chest to push him away.
.
She then turned her head slightly, trying to break the contact.
"Young, mmph, lord!"
But Adonis didn't retreat.
He followed her movement, chasing her lips with patient insistence.
Then, one hand slid to the nape of her neck to keep her close. The other braced beside her pillow, caging her without trapping her.
His kisses remained soft, coaxing rather than demanding. Slow pecks along the corner of her mouth, the bow of her upper lip, and the sensitive dip beneath it.
Each one whispered, "Stay, please stay."
Millia's resistance faltered almost immediately.
Her pushing hands slowed, then resistance crumbled completely. Her palms flattened against his chest, not to shove now, but to feel the rapid thud of his heart mirroring her own.
Her lips, still parted in shock, trembled under his.
Adonis took the opening.
He tilted his head again and slipped his tongue past her lips.
This time it was soft at first, just the tip brushing hers in an exploratory sweep.
"Nngh~"
Millia stiffened once more, and a tiny whimper echoed from her throat.
But she didn't pull away.
Instead, her tongue hesitantly met his.
The moment two tongues touched, something inside her gave way.
Her fingers gripped the front of his nightshirt, and her mouth opened wider beneath his, accepting and then actively returning the kiss.
"Slurp~ Slurp~"
Their tongues slid together in a slow mucus glide. First cautious, then bolder.
Adonis groaned softly into her mouth as she timidly stroked along the length of his tongue with hers, tasting him back.
As they intensified the kiss, saliva trickled down their jaws.
Yet, he continued sucking on her tongue gently, drawing her sweet saliva into his own mouth.
Millia let out a muffled moan that vibrated straight down his spine.
"Ahhnn!"
She chased the sensation, pushing her tongue deeper, tangling with his in messy strokes.
Once again, saliva spilled.
But neither of them cared.
[ Harem Force +7 ]
The kiss turned filthy and desperate in seconds.
[ Harem Force +9 ]
Adonis angled his head further, sealing their mouths so tightly there was no space for air, only the wet slide of tongues and the soft, obscene sounds of their saliva swapping back and forth.
He swallowed every little noise she made, every whimper, every shaky breath, and gave them back to her in low, hungry groans of his own.
Millia's hands slid up to clutch at his shoulders, nails digging in as she arched slightly beneath him, pressing her chest to his.
They kissed like they were starving.
Tongues intertwining, lips swollen and slick, saliva dripping in messy strings whenever they parted for half a second only to crash back together again.
Millia's initial hesitation had burned away completely. Now she kissed him with the same fervor he showed her.
Her tongue plunged deep, seeking more, more, more.
Huff, hufff~
When they finally broke apart, a thin line of saliva connected their lips for a second before snapping.
Millia's eyes were glassy, pupils blown wide, and cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Her chest rose. She stared up at him, dazed. Her lips were bright red and wet, still parted as though waiting for him to claim them again.
Adonis looked down at her with his dark, hungry eyes, while his breathing remained ragged.
"Millia! Can I—keep going?"
She didn't answer with words.
Instead, she raised her head and sealed their mouths together once more.
Her tongue was already accepting his greedy invitation.
[ Affection Level (Millia): +18% → 76% (Deeply Aroused, Fully Accepting, Falling Hard) ]
[ Harem Force: 2,625 / 2,500 ]