As the water trailed down his skin, his scattered thoughts slowly aligned.
"It seems my earlier conjectures about her compatibility with Lust were far truer than I gave them credit for…"
That was precisely why he refused to give in.
Because if he did, he feared he would break her completely.
Just look at her. A few whispers, a light embrace, and it was as if a switch had flipped inside her.
He still remembered how she hesitated to even admit her feelings for him at first, convinced that she was betraying Alice.
And now…
It wasn't that he thought she was being insincere. No, he knew that her feelings were real. But Lust had begun to consume her, clouding her judgment, leaving little room for rational thought.
And if he gave in and granted her desires… took her the way she so desperately wanted…
He didn't even want to consider the possibilities.
Would she become a nymphomaniac, incapable of thinking about anything but pleasure?
Would she turn into a slave to her desires, blindly obeying his every command just to get another taste of him?
Would she spiral into obsession, doing anything, no matter how vile, to keep his attention?
…Or would she lose herself entirely, transforming into one of them; a corrupted creature that knew nothing but Lust?
A shiver ran down his spine.
He had seen what happened to those who succumbed to their sins. The horrifying images of twisted, inhuman entities still haunted his mind.
"No…"
Wiseman had not been exaggerating when he showed them those pictures.
"…Is this what it means to have an 80% compatibility with Lust?"
For the first time, he realized… having a high compatibility wasn't just a blessing.
It was a double-edged sword.
Like standing on the edge of a cliff, where one wrong step meant falling… Falling into something from which there was no redemption.
And then, like a slow, creeping whisper, the thought struck him.
His breath hitched.
His heart pounded.
"…Wasn't my compatibility at 97%?"
A deep, primal fear coiled around his chest.
If Seraphine, at 80%, was already losing herself to Lust's influence… then what about him?
Hadn't he always brushed it off? Dismissed it as nothing more than a meaningless number?
Now, he slowly started realising it… the invisible trap, waiting. Waiting for him to slip. Waiting to ensnare him. To devour him. To reduce him to something unrecognizable. Something that wasn't human.
And the worst part was that he had no idea what the trigger was.
No idea where the line was. Nor how to stop himself from crossing it.
His hands trembled.
Taking a slow, shuddering breath, he let the icy water wash over him, trying to chase away the fear clawing at his sanity.
"Truly…" he murmured bitterly, watching his fingers still shake.
"There's no terror quite like the kind born from the unseen…"
Because it wasn't death that terrified him.
It was the thing he might become.
The monster that might or might not be lurking beneath his skin… waiting, watching, and maybe even smiling in the dark.
"Haah…"
Clap.
Ashen slapped both cheeks, hard enough to leave them red, shaking off the last remnants of his fear as he refocused on the real problem at hand.
"Enough about me. I need to figure out how to handle that succubus-turned-angel."
The first thought that came to him was restraint.
No matter how much she begged, he had to not give in… at least, not until he was sure she could handle it.
Now that he thought about it, Seraphine would likely be fine as long as he was around. He knew when to stop her.
And it was easy to spot the clues… The vacant gaze, the slow smile, the sultry voice laid on too thick. But it was the blatant, almost desperate slutty behavior that clashed with the innocence she usually had that clued him in.
More importantly, she wasn't remotely interested in anyone else.
He had the Guarded Devotion trait to thank for that.
Still, even without it, he doubted she'd be the type to throw herself at strangers. The way she whispered those scandalous things in that sweet, loving tone… he knew she meant them only for him.
As for telling her about his conclusions regarding her Lust…
There was no need.
Despite how clueless she often seemed, Seraphine could be frighteningly perceptive when she wanted to be.
He did not doubt that she already understood her condition… maybe even better than he did. And yet, she still came to him.
Ashen could only conclude that she had somehow picked up on his understanding of what she was going through and, instead of fighting it, had decided to trust him to guide her Lust.
In her hazy state, she wouldn't know when to stop… but if she left that decision to him and let go completely, then everything would work out.
"Truly a Sera-like decision…"
He sighed, exasperated yet oddly fond of her antics.
He liked how their dynamic had evolved to the point where words were barely necessary for them to understand each other. But still, a quick heads-up wouldn't hurt, right?
At least then, he wouldn't get this flustered… and he could mentally prepare for the upcoming blue balls.
***
Sunlight filtered through the window, warming Ashen's face as he savored the rare moment of peace.
From his seat in the mission hall, he observed the steady flow of people coming and going outside.
Today was supposed to be a rest day.
It should have been something to look forward to.
But in a place where they were being prepared for war, the concept of "rest" was nothing more than an illusion.
Instead, this day was designated for the weekly mandatory mission, a mission that required them to put their lives on the line.
That was why Ashen was already geared up.
His leather armor hugged his frame, his spear rested on the table in front of him, and a backpack filled with essentials: water, light food, and medication sat by his feet. But above all, the most important item inside was the scent repellent.
He had not forgotten their first mission.
How the monsters had swarmed them, drawn to the scent of blood like starving predators to fresh meat.
"That was a rough day for sure…" he muttered absentmindedly.
Fortunately, he had stocked up on scent pouches beforehand.
He even got his hands on an improved version from his regular supplier.
The only noticeable difference was that it had a slightly sweet smell when he tested it. But if the monsters despised it as much as advertised, he didn't really care what it smelled like.
*