The days that followed were slow, but not wasted.
Velas remained in the cellar, recovering steadily. The food Mara brought was simple but enough—thin soup, crusty bread, and the occasional fruit when she could steal it from the kitchen. The bruises on his body faded. The fog in his mind cleared. The weakness in his limbs became bearable.
But more importantly, the System was beginning to stir.
Each time Mara sat beside him a little longer…
Each time she looked at his lips and quickly looked away…
Each time her fingers brushed his when handing him food…
The panel glowed faintly in the back of his mind.
---
[Lust Energy: 16%]
Progress to Unlock: 0.16/1 Sexual Conquest
Trait Unlocked: Persuasion (Lv. 1) – Charm increases slightly in conversation with low-will targets.
---
It wasn't much, but it was growing. Like a spark gathering heat.
And sparks were all he needed.
Tonight, Mara brought him a clean tunic and a basin of warm water. She avoided his gaze as she set them down.
"You're starting to look less like death," she said softly.
Velas leaned back against the cellar wall, shirtless. The wounds across his chest had mostly healed, leaving thin white scars that caught the light. "That's because you keep feeding me," he said, voice low.
"I—I shouldn't be doing this," she muttered. "If anyone finds out…"
"They won't," Velas replied. "Because you're careful. And you want to."
She stiffened. "I only—"
"You only what?" he asked, tilting his head. "Want to be kind? Want to feel needed? Want to be seen?"
She didn't answer.
Velas stood slowly. The cold stone floor was rough under his bare feet, but he no longer stumbled. He walked to her, unbothered by his exposed chest.
Mara backed against the wall. Her breath caught. He could feel it—her heart racing.
"You keep coming back," he said. "Why?"
"I… I don't know."
"I do," Velas whispered.
He cupped her cheek gently. She didn't pull away.
"You're not invisible to me."
---
[Lust Energy: 25%]
System Alert: Emotional Bond Detected – Potential First Conquest Available
Unlock Progress: 0.25/1
---
She trembled under his touch.
"Tell me to stop," he said, voice a whisper.
She opened her mouth.
But the words didn't come.
He leaned in—his lips a breath away from hers. His fingers brushed her neck, slow and warm. She shivered.
But just before contact, the trapdoor above creaked open.
"Shit," Mara whispered, jumping away. "That's the head maid!"
Velas calmly picked up the basin and turned away, as if nothing happened.
"Hide behind the crates," she hissed. "Please!"
He obeyed, slipping behind the stacked crates just as an older, sharp-eyed woman descended the stairs.
"Mara?" the woman barked. "What are you doing down here again?"
"I—I was cleaning up," Mara said quickly. "There was a rat infestation last week, and—"
"You think I don't know what's going on?" the maid snapped. "You've been sneaking food down here for days. You're lucky I haven't reported you."
"I wasn't doing anything wrong," Mara said, biting her lip.
The maid's gaze swept the room. "The bastard's corpse is probably rotting somewhere in the woods. Good riddance. Lord Veylor should've ended him years ago."
Velas's eyes narrowed in the shadows.
Veylor.
So that was the name of the noble who owned this estate. The man who had ordered his death.
That name would be remembered.
"Don't let me catch you down here again," the maid warned. "Or you'll share his fate."
She left with heavy footsteps, slamming the trapdoor behind her.
Silence.
Mara stood frozen, her eyes wide with fear. Velas stepped out from the shadows, calm and composed.
"She's dangerous," Mara whispered. "She won't just talk. She'll act."
Velas placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Then don't get caught."
She looked at him, torn between fear and something deeper.
"I should go," she said again, but this time, her voice lacked conviction.
Velas didn't stop her.
When she left, he sat back on the stone floor and stared up at the cracked ceiling.
---
[Lust Energy: 25%]
Progress to Unlock: 0.25/1
New Quest Available: The Forbidden Flame
Objective: Seduce and claim your first partner. Unlock core Incubus abilities.
Reward: Incubus Form (Partial), System Panel Access, Charm +1, Skill: Touch of Desire (Lv. 1)
---
Velas smiled.
He wasn't just recovering.
He was beginning.
And if Mara was the first flame he kindled… she would not be the last.
His legend, his legacy—it started here, in the shadows of a cellar.
But it would end in fire and thrones.