Velas stood shirtless at the foot of the cellar stairs, breathing in the scent of the morning.
He felt stronger—alive in a way no man should feel after surviving a near-death beating and days in hiding. His muscles were firm beneath his skin, his vision sharper, his steps lighter. Mara's presence still lingered on him—her scent, her warmth, her mark.
---
[Incubus King's Legacy – Integration: 4%]
Lust Energy: 22% (Regenerating)
Partner Claimed: 1/10
New Skill Unlocked: Touch of Desire (Lv. 1)
Status: Stable | Recovery Accelerated
---
Touch of Desire. The system hadn't explained much, but Velas didn't need a tutorial to understand what it did. A single touch from him now had the power to stir hidden urges, heighten emotions, make women more… suggestible.
Dangerous.
He needed to test it.
But not on Mara. Not yet. She'd done enough.
He tied the string on the rough tunic she brought him and moved toward the steps.
Mara stirred in the straw behind him. "Where are you going?"
Velas paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Out."
"You're not ready."
"I'm more than ready."
She sat up, holding the blanket to her chest. "If they see you—if the guards—"
"I won't be seen." His voice was calm. Assured. "And even if I am… they won't recognize me."
He meant it.
The bruises were gone. His posture different. The golden glow in his eyes now burned softly beneath his lashes, not flaring. He could feel the changes—like a predator adjusting to his claws.
He wasn't the same man they left bleeding in that alley.
He was something new.
And it was time to test how far that something could go.
---
Velas left the cellar and emerged into the back alleys of the merchant quarter.
The morning crowds bustled toward the central plaza—servants, street hawkers, apprentices, noblemen's guards. He kept his head low but his senses sharp.
The system pulsed softly in the back of his mind, and for the first time, he could sense the lust energy around him—thin, muted trails leaking from people like scent from ripened fruit.
And then he felt her.
A beacon.
Warm. Electric. Rich.
He followed it.
---
She was stepping out of a black carriage trimmed in silver. Velvet skirts brushed the stone as she moved. She was tall, graceful, and wrapped in power the way a blade was sheathed in silk.
Blonde hair. Crimson lips. Emerald eyes, sharp and practiced.
Every man she passed turned to look.
None dared speak.
The Noblewoman.
---
[Target Identified: Seraphina Velcroft – House Velcroft Heiress]
Affinity: 17% (Neutral) | Lust Potential: High | Resistance: High
Quest Available: Conquer the Noblewoman
Difficulty: Hard
Reward: Gold + Seduction Upgrade + Influence Access
---
Velas felt a grin tug at his lips. Now we're talking.
She entered a marble-columned building flanked by two guards. An auction house, if he remembered correctly—one where noble ladies bid on rare imports, enchanted items, and social prestige.
He didn't hesitate.
Velas strolled across the square, eyes locked on the entrance.
The guards crossed their spears.
"No street rats," one said flatly.
Velas met his eyes—and activated Touch of Desire.
---
[Touch of Desire – Activated]
Target: Guard A | Mental Resistance: Low
Effect: Confusion + Compliance (Temporary)
---
The man blinked, confused. His brow furrowed. His grip on the spear relaxed.
"He's… with Lady Velcroft," Velas said calmly.
The second guard looked puzzled. "Since when?"
"Since now," Velas murmured, brushing past them both.
Neither moved.
---
Inside, the auction house gleamed with polished tile and hanging crystal lanterns. Wealth radiated from every corner—gilded chairs, expensive perfume, and the hushed tones of political wives pretending to be modest.
Seraphina stood at the center of it all.
Commanding.
Untouchable.
Velas watched from the shadows of a marble pillar. He didn't rush in. He let the moment breathe.
Let the Legacy work.
---
[Touch of Desire – Passive Aura Active (Radius: 2 meters)]
Lust Stirred: Lady Seraphina Velcroft (Affinity increased to 21%)
Effect: Heightened Attention | Curiosity Sparked
---
She turned.
Her eyes found him across the chamber like a dagger drawn in silence.
She looked him over once—head to toe—and arched a perfect eyebrow.
"Who let you in?" she asked, voice like wine and steel.
Velas stepped forward, confident, deliberate.
"No one," he said. "I walked in."
That answer—bold, audacious—was enough to spark gasps from two of the attending noblewomen.
Seraphina, however, didn't look angry.
She looked amused.
"You're brave," she said, circling him like a lioness. "Or stupid. Which is it?"
"Both," he replied with a grin.
She stopped in front of him, close enough to smell his scent—still faintly tinged with Mara's.
"And what is it you want, exactly?"
Velas didn't blink.
"You."
---
[Affinity Increased: 28%]
Status: Interested
Resistance: Active – Requires Higher Charisma or Status Leverage]
---
Seraphina tilted her head, smiling.
"Then impress me."
She snapped her fingers, and a servant came running with a scroll.
"Tonight. My estate. If you're still standing after sundown, I might let you inside."
Her gaze turned razor-sharp.
"But if you disappoint me... you'll beg to be thrown back into the gutter."
Velas leaned forward just enough to whisper.
"Then I'll just have to keep you very, very satisfied."
She laughed—and turned away, cloak swirling behind her like a banner.
---
[Quest Updated: Enter the Noblewoman's Estate – 0/1]
Timer: 6 Hours Until Sunset
Side Reward: Access to House Velcroft's Relic Vault
---
Velas stepped back out into the sunlight.
His heart was racing—not from fear, but from thrill.
This wasn't survival anymore.
It was seduction. Power. Strategy.
And it was only just beginning.
---
To be continued…