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The soft morning light slipped through the tall windows of the private manor on the edge of the city.
Leaving long golden stripes across the polished floor and the deep blue silk sheets of the large bed.
Reina Dalwyn sat up slowly, stretching her arms above her head.
The thin night robe she slept in had mostly slipped off during the night, leaving the soft curve of her full breast half-exposed.
Her long light-purple hair fell in loose waves down her back, a little messy from sleep.
Across her lap, the silver-white snake was coiled in a neat, warm pile.
The Empress, still only about a meter and a half long, lifted her head the moment Reina moved.
Her vertical pupils focused on the woman's face.
The same quiet intensity remained in those eyes, even after seven days of living together with her.
Reina smiled and ran one finger slowly from the top of the snake's head down the smooth scales of her neck.
"Good morning, little one," she said, voice still a bit husky from sleep. "You stayed right here all night again. So obedient."
The snake flicked her tongue out once, tasting the warm scent of Reina's skin.
The sweet perfume the woman always wore mixed with the natural smell of her body.
It made the hunger inside the snake stir, soft and constant as she continued to absorb ambient empathic energy released by Reina, although the amount was not high; as a high-level Wizard, the quality of the empathic energy she released at any moment was very high compared to ordinary humans.
As Alex continued to experience everything, he felt the days returned to being very relaxed without any sudden spikes in the Empress's emotions.
Over the past week, the magic circle Reina placed on the Empress's body stayed quiet but very firm.
The snake could move freely around the manor, but the moment she tried to leave too far or attack anyone, the invisible force tightened and held her still.
It never hurt, but it simply made resistance useless.
Reina didn't treat her like a rare pet, but let the Empress roam on her own, sometimes feeding her rich mana stones, often bathing her in warm water whenever Reina went to take a shower.
Most of the time, Reina let the snake rest against her soft body whenever she wished.
The two acolytes, the brunette and the black-haired girl, now lived in the same house.
They came into the bedroom every morning to help Reina dress and started working as maids.
Both of them always stared at the silver snake with a mix of fear and something hotter.
This morning was no different.
The brunette pushed the door open first, carrying a tray with tea and fresh fruit.
The black-haired girl followed with a folded set of clean robes.
"Master," the brunette said, bowing. Her eyes drifted to the snake coiled on Reina's lap.
"The morning report is ready. No new word from the auction house about… the incident; most people already forgot about it."
Reina waved a hand lazily. "They won't speak of it; most of them are too embarrassed to speak of it."
"And Lisa, she still can't look me in the eye without turning red." A soft laugh left her lips. "Poor woman. She really thought a spirit beast was going to ruin her in front of everyone."
The black-haired acolyte set the robes down and stepped closer. "Master… is the snake still growing stronger? Her scales look even brighter than yesterday."
Reina's fingers continued their slow stroke along the silver body. "She is. And her thoughts are becoming clearer every day; soon I'll be able to use the scroll I recently made to improve its awareness."
"After that, its own wisdom and knowledge won't be lower than any humans…"
Inside the snake's mind, Alex felt the words even more clearly than the snake.
The low awareness of the beast side still ruled the body, but the human part of him floated just beneath the surface, watching, listening, feeling everything.
Over the last few days, whenever the snake was staying near Reina while she was working or meditating, Alex secretly watched and memorized whatever he could from the surroundings.
He hasn't truly learned anything specific, but it's only been seven days… if given enough time, he thinks he could actually unlock a new Wizard Apprentice profession.
In front of his eyes, a soft blue window flickered across for a moment, the same way it had every morning.
[ Day 75 ]
[ Sync with Silver Spirit Snake: Stable… 67% ]
[ New Abilities Fully Awakened ]
[ Lust Resonance – Passive ]
[ Effect: The user's presence slowly builds and amplifies sexual desire in nearby targets. The stronger the emotional or physical contact, the faster the effect grows. Energy gained from aroused targets is increased. ]
[ Charm Gaze – Active ]
[ Effect: Direct eye contact can temporarily cloud a target's mind with strong attraction and obedience. Success chance scales with the user's current empathic energy and the target's willpower. ]
[ Mirage of Desire (Active / Passive hybrid)]
[ Description: A soft illusion field that changes how people see and feel their own bodies (or the bodies of others nearby)]
[ Effect: Targets briefly see themselves (or someone else) in a more erotic, altered body pleasing to their eyes like having fuller breasts, smoother skin, different gender traits, etc.]
[ Effect 2: The illusion also amplifies physical sensation, so a light touch feels much stronger. Duration is short (a few minutes) unless the host keeps feeding energy into it.]
The window slowly faded as Alex's consciousness returned back to observing the Empress.
The snake's tongue flicked again. She could feel the soft heat of Reina's body under her coils.
The woman's thighs were warm. The thin robe did almost nothing to hide the soft shape of her breasts or the smooth skin of her stomach.
Reina noticed the way the snake's head turned toward her chest. A small, knowing smile curved her lips.
"Still hungry?" she asked quietly. "You already ate two high-grade mana stones last night."
She shifted on the bed, letting the robe fall open a little more. The soft weight of one breast pressed gently against the silver scales.
The snake's body tightened in response. A slow wave of pleasure rolled through Reina's body from the simple contact.
The Lust Resonance skill woke up without effort. Soft waves of desire began to leak into the air around her.
Both acolytes felt it almost at once.
The brunette's cheeks turned pink. She pressed her thighs together and looked down at the floor.
The black-haired girl bit her lower lip and stared at the snake with glassy eyes.
Reina's smile widened.
"There it is," she whispered. "That new ability of yours. It is so interesting… but as much as you try, it has minimal effect on me!!"
"Unless you could match my own strength, hehehe!!" She lifted the snake higher, letting the cool silver body rest fully against the warm valley between her breasts.
The soft flesh pressed in around the scales from both sides.
The snake could feel the steady beat of Reina's heart and the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.
"You're going to stay with me for a long time," Reina said, voice soft but firm. "I already decided. A spirit beast that feeds on lust and grows stronger from it… you're far too useful to give away."
"I planned so many experiments that I need you for… with you, I might be able to cross that threshold and improve my strength further." As she muttered to herself, she leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the top of the snake's head.
The snake let out a low, almost silent hiss... Her coils tightened just a little more against Reina's skin.
Inside, Alex's human thoughts stirred for a moment.
The beast side only cared about the warm energy and the soft pressure of female flesh.
However, the human side… was starting to wonder how long this new peace would last, and what Reina truly planned to do with the Empress.