The sanctuary was still warm with divine magic, but peace never lasted long in the South.
Not when bonds formed in shadows.
Not when Kaela was watching.
The Rumor Reaches the Blades
Kaela stood on the edge of the training grounds, arms folded, crimson armor gleaming beneath the rising sun.
She didn't speak as Ryon approached—just tossed a spear at his feet.
"Is it true?" she asked coldly.
He didn't pretend to misunderstand.
"Yes."
"You sealed a pact with the priestess."
"I did."
Her jaw clenched. "You made her yours."
"No," Ryon said, "I earned her trust."
Kaela's eyes sparked like flint on steel. "Then earn mine—again."
> System Alert: Loyalty Clash Detected
Target: Kaela
Emotion Spike: Possessiveness / Unresolved Desire
Bond Integrity: At Risk
Suggested Action: Reaffirm Position Through Combat or Intimacy
Bonus Quest Unlocked: "Win the Warrior's Heart"
Optional Outcome: Trigger Emotional Breakthrough
The Challenge
Kaela led him to a closed-duel arena—a silent pit lit by enchanted braziers.
"Strip to your soul," she said.
He raised a brow. "Excuse me?"
"Not your clothes. Your intentions."
Ryon removed his upper tunic and stepped barefoot into the pit. Kaela did the same, her long braid lashing like a whip in the wind.
"No weapons," she said.
"No mercy," he replied.
And then they moved.
The Duel
It wasn't just a fight.
It was a conversation in movement—fists, kicks, counters, breath against breath.
Kaela was faster, stronger, more experienced.
But Ryon was unpredictable. Focused. Fighting not to dominate, but to connect.
She struck—he caught her wrist.
She twisted—he countered with a slip and pin.
They rolled—grappling, breathless, flushed.
Until Kaela froze beneath him, chest heaving.
"You should have lost," she whispered.
"I wasn't fighting to win," he replied.
Her fingers curled into his arm.
"I hate how you look at the others."
"Then let me look at you like that too."
The Break in Her Walls
She stared at him—eyes filled with rage, heat, and something else.
Then she kissed him.
Hard.
Desperate.
And when she pulled back, it wasn't with weakness—but choice.
"You're not mine," she said. "But I want to be yours. If you earn me—earn all of me—I'll follow you through hell."
"I already did," Ryon murmured, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "I found you there."
> System Update:
Kaela Bond Progress: 19% → 26%
Emotion Stabilized: Jealousy → Loyalty
New Trait Unlocked: Warrior's Devotion – Ally gains bonus protection when nearby
Harem Path Update: Kaela flagged as Main Wife Candidate
Time Remaining: 4 Days, 22 Hours
Soul Threads: 6 / 30
After the Storm
That night, Kaela stood guard outside his room.
She didn't speak.
She didn't need to.
Ryon lay awake, heart pounding.
One general was his.
And yet the Matriarch watched.
And others… were still waiting in the dark.