After displaying his magic to Pandora, Alaric asked the girl, "Now do you believe me? Gods are nothing more than beings who happen to be more powerful. Even mortals can reach their level."
But her reply was a sweet, radiant smile.
"You didn't need to go out of your way to show me that," she said softly. "I already believed it long ago."
"Really?" Alaric raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Didn't you just ask me what right I had to say such things?"
"Well… that's only because I didn't know it was you saying it," she admitted shyly. "If it's you, I'll believe whatever you say."
Her candid confession left Alaric feeling a little awkward.
"No need to go that far," he forced a smile. "You should have your own judgment. You know even gods aren't worth trusting, so why believe in someone unconditionally?"
"I know. Gods can't be trusted. People can't be trusted."
At the mention of gods, Pandora's expression darkened with hate, but when her gaze turned back to Alaric, her mood shifted instantly, bright and sunny again.
"But you're different.
You're the only one who truly cares about me, who wants what's best for me. So you're the only one I will believe, no matter what you say."
…And just like that, another heavy, heartfelt attachment had fallen into his lap.
He still hadn't helped Attila, Artemis was still tangled up with him, and now there was Pandora.
If the three ever met…
Alaric didn't even want to imagine it.
Still, for the girl before him, even if he welcomed her feelings, some things needed to be said.
"I'm sorry, Pandora." His voice held a hint of apology. "I'm glad you trust me, but I have to tell you, I approached you for a reason."
"It's fine," Pandora leaned into his arms, speaking intimately. "Whatever the reason, I can accept it."
"Let me finish." Even as heat surged through him, Alaric forced himself to stay calm. "The reason I sought you out… is because of your body, "
Before he could finish, Pandora interrupted eagerly.
"Oh, that's nothing to worry about. Wasn't this body created for exactly that purpose?
In fact, your honesty about your desires only makes you more attractive to me, at least you're willing to give something to me for them. All they ever gave me was betrayal."
As she spoke, her lithe form pressed against his chest like a coiling serpent, one hand gripping his sword's hilt while her delicate face drew closer and closer to his own.
Though she was a maiden, under Aphrodite's blessing she knew every art of the bedchamber.
Alaric had originally wanted to tell her she misunderstood.
But with such beauty in his arms, the words simply wouldn't come.
Fortunately, he always carried bedding with him.
And so, while floodwaters raged outside and the world teetered on the brink of destruction…
Inside the cave, spring returned to the land, and life was renewed.
Warmth and cold, separated by only a wall of stone.
In short, before carefully studying the gods' craftsmanship, Alaric made sure to experience it for himself.
His verdict? Far beyond mortal limits, her beauty rivaled the divine, but her inner allure was every bit as intoxicating.
With the supplies Alaric carried, the cave became a warm and cozy home.
For days on end, the two secluded themselves from the world.
Like a true married couple, they stayed in the cave, its walls of magical stone dividing it into several rooms, cooking together, talking, watching the flood beyond the entrance.
Alaric even began teaching her magic.
And most importantly, they fought.
Whether in the kitchen or the dining room, on the bed or on the table, they seized every opportunity.
In that cave, there was no place they couldn't battle, no trick they didn't try, no part of the body left unused.
It was, in a word, madness.
Even Alaric, with all his experience, had to admit that Pandora, the first woman, crafted by the gods and blessed by the goddess of love, was truly extraordinary.
A new player, yet within days she had reached the highest level, in skill, they were finally evenly matched.
Such exhilarating clashes left Alaric deeply satisfied.
Outside, the flood that was ending the world might as well have been happening on another planet.
With such closeness, their relationship deepened.
In the end, Alaric abandoned the idea of telling Pandora his original motive.
He had plenty of time and means to study the divine body's mysteries. There was no need to shatter the heart of a girl who treasured love above all.
He had realized something, he had entered her life when she was at her lowest, and now, he was an irreplaceable part of it.
Whether or not his love for her was real, to her, it had become the last straw keeping her alive.
If she ever believed he no longer loved her, Alaric suspected she might truly end her own life.
On the fourth day, he finally decided to teach Pandora more magic.
For one, his examination confirmed her extraordinary magical talent.
Her divine-crafted body and countless blessings gave her exceptional aptitude for anything she tried, and magic was no exception.
Alaric was confident she would soon become a capable assistant.
And besides, studying magic together made exploring her body's secrets far more convenient.
Breakfast was eggs and milk.
After eating, the girl, no, the young wife, slipped under the table with practiced ease, ready for her "second cup" as usual. But this time, Alaric stopped her.
"What's wrong, my dear?" Pandora looked up at him with innocent eyes. "Don't you want me to have another 'cup' today?"
She licked her lips in a way that was far too tempting.
Seeing that soft, pink tongue, Alaric couldn't help but recall the unique pleasures it had brought him, but he quickly tamped down his desire and kept her from going further.
"Alright, Pandora, enough." He pressed a hand to her forehead, helpless. "We have other things to do today."
"What could be more important than this?" She poked her head back up from under the table, her expression turning wounded. "Don't tell me you're tired of me already?"
Her eyes glistened, threatening tears.
That pitiful look almost made Alaric give in again.
Truly, the old saying was right, beauty can topple kingdoms and drive men to war. When beauty reaches a certain height, it's absolutely possible.
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