[Ding! Compatible target detected. Initiate sexual bonding to complete the system link.]
[Name: Lydia Stormborn.]
[Age: 37]
[Traits: Kind, loyal, devoted…]
[Weaknesses: Neck stimulation, nipple sensitivity…]
'Wait… what?' I froze as the line of runes materialized in front of me, hovering unmistakably in my vision.
'What's this supposed to mean?' I mouthed subconsciously, rereading the words to be sure I wasn't misunderstanding them.
Sexual bonding.
Binding.
The words echoed unpleasantly in my mind, leaving a strange, conflicted expression on my face.
'I didn't expect it to be that kind of binding,' I thought dryly, unsure whether to laugh or curse my luck.
The system never explained anything unless it felt like it. It simply dropped requirements and waited, indifferent to how uncomfortable or absurd they were.
A faint pulse rippled through the runes, as if reminding me they were still there.
Still watching.
I wiped the lingering tears from Lydia's face, and after a moment, she steadied herself and bowed her head apologetically, regaining her composure as if nothing had happened.
I glanced back at the floating interface.
Her traits.
Then her weaknesses.
'She's the only compatible target I have right now,' I admitted silently. 'And if this system collapses on me… I won't survive long in this world.'
The logic was cold, but unavoidable.
I hesitated, fingers lingering against her cheek longer than necessary, before exhaling quietly.
'Well, my life's already a mess,' I resolved. 'There's no point pretending I have the luxury of morals right now.'
The real problem wasn't the decision.
It was how.
I couldn't force her. I wouldn't. Even thinking about it made my stomach tighten. Whatever this binding was, it had to be something she accepted.
A memory surfaced unexpectedly.
The day Lydia was assigned to me as a maid.
Back then, she had offered herself to my predecessor without hesitation, claiming she had been trained for that purpose alone. I had refused, unsettled by how calmly she said it.
'She said she existed to serve me…' I recalled, unease flickering through my thoughts.
My hand, which had been wiping her tears, drifted slightly lower, brushing against the soft skin of her neck.
She shivered.
"Young master," she said softly, lifting her gaze to me, waiting for instruction rather than questioning my closeness.
The system pulsed again.
[Compatibility window active.]
I stepped closer, keeping my movements slow and deliberate.
'I'm doing this to survive,' I told myself firmly, even as my body reacted far more eagerly than my reasoning would have liked.
Lydia straightened instinctively as I approached. The maid uniform hugged her curves tightly, the fabric straining around her chest in a way that was difficult to ignore. It felt almost deliberate, like a costume meant to invite certain expectations.
'I've never hated my instincts more,' I muttered internally as I leaned forward.
She didn't pull away.
Her breath hitched as my lips brushed against her neck, and the reaction was immediate. Her body trembled, knees weakening slightly as a sharp shiver ran through her.
"Young master…" she gasped, eyes fluttering shut.
It was abrupt. Too abrupt. She hadn't expected this from me.
Yet she didn't resist.
Her breathing slowed after a moment, the initial shock giving way to something warmer, heavier. I could feel it in the way her shoulders relaxed, in the way she leaned just slightly into my touch.
Her nipples hardened visibly beneath the thin fabric, brushing against my chest as I continued trailing kisses along her neck.
The system wasn't wrong.
I ignored the response for now, focusing instead on her reactions, gauging how far I could go without crossing a line she wasn't ready to step over.
Her hand lifted hesitantly, fingers brushing my hair before settling there, guiding me rather than pushing me away.
The distinction mattered.
Whatever stood between us as master and servant blurred quietly, without either of us acknowledging it aloud.
After a final kiss along her neck, I lifted my head and met her lips.
She froze for a fraction of a second before responding, clumsy but earnest, trying to mirror my movements as our tongues met. There was no confidence in her actions, only trust.
It surprised me.
She was thirty-seven, yet painfully inexperienced.
'Then what did she mean by "serving me"?' I wondered grimly.
My hands moved on instinct, cupping her breasts through the fabric, eliciting a soft, breathless moan as her thoughts clearly unraveled.
The kiss deepened, stealing her breath as much as her composure.
When we finally parted, a thin string of saliva connected us before snapping, leaving her gasping quietly as she tried to regain control.
I didn't give her much time.
The buttons of her blouse came undone easily, as though designed to surrender. I removed it carefully, then the bra beneath, freeing her breasts completely.
They swayed slightly as the fabric fell away.
I paused, taking them in, before smiling faintly.
"They're beautiful," I said simply.
Her face flushed crimson, eyes darting away as she struggled to meet my gaze.
I cupped one breast, my hand barely covering half of it, and her breath stuttered.
A flick of my finger against her nipple sent a sharp jolt through her body.
"Ah!" she cried softly, pleasure and surprise mingling in her voice.
I continued, alternating between teasing touches and firmer squeezes, drawing quiet moans from her as her body betrayed her restraint she had on herself.
"Y-young master… it feels… strange… but good…" she murmured, her voice trembling.
I flicked her nipple once more before replacing my finger with my mouth, sucking gently as my other hand continued its work.
Her reaction was immediate.
She gasped loudly, back arching slightly as her hand tightened around mine, guiding it lower.
The skirt offered no resistance.
When my fingers slipped into her panties, the warmth and slickness waiting there startled me.
She was soaked.
Her head fell back, eyes unfocused as a broken gasp escaped her lips.
Above us, unseen but unmistakable, the system pulsed again.
[Bonding threshold approaching.]
I didn't stop.