Alice was still fighting the aftereffects of her ascension as the concentration of the Lust Concepts within her body rose exponentially.
She tried to keep the desire from spilling over, forcing herself to steady her breathing. Just as she was about to succeed, the ardor surged once more.
This time, however, she made no attempt to resist it. The source of it was none other than her dear Ashen, after all.
She looked up as he suddenly loomed over her. He had probably heard her last mutter from outside the tent with his supernatural hearing and realized she was finished.
His eyes wandered across her body, searching for any sign that something was wrong. Seeing the concern in them, she couldn't help but smile.
"Kiss me..."
With him so close, her body did what it had started doing recently. Like an animal in mating season, she slipped into heat.
The warmth only deepened as he complied, leaning down to capture her lips. His kisses were gentle; every peck and lick felt like him asking whether she was alright.
"Humm~"
A soft, involuntary moan escaped Alice's lips as she slipped her arms behind his neck and pulled him completely flush against her body.
"No more... or I won't be able to hold back..."
Ashen stopped, contenting himself with their embrace and gentle caresses as he honored her request.
"Congratulations..."
"Thank you, love."
They whispered into each other's ears, savoring each other's heat in comfortable silence before Alice finally spoke again.
"Do you want to see my new skills?"
"Hum... yes, I'm really curious."
"Alright..."
They shifted onto their sides, remaining wrapped in each other's arms atop the mattress, allowing the summoned system window to hang comfortably within both of their fields of vision.
==============================
Name/Arrival date: Alice Sinclair - 2023/02/11
Sex/Age: Female/31
Height/Weight: 175cm/65kg
Current condition: Healthy
Pathway: Step IV: Living Vessel Of Desire
Thema: Automata
Affiliation: Creation Department|Wrath Domain|Solmara
Title: The Bedchamber General
[2. Traits]
—Determinant's Eye
—Cold Process
—The Fool's Constant
[3. Physical Level]
Strength: D+ | Endurance: D+ | Agility: C
Perception: C+ | Stamina: D+ | Mana: C-
[4. Abilities]
4.1 Innate Powers:
—Nine-Tailed Fox
4.2 Path Skills:
—Spark (Masterful+)
—Fervor Compiler (Masterful-)
—Mind Repository (Masterful+)
—Fixation Mark (Zenith-)
—Carnal Directive Protocol (Basic+)
—Echo Surveillance Protocol (Skilled-)
—Pleasure Forge (Entry-)
—Carnal Circuit Tempering (Entry-)
4.3 Other skills:
—Advanced mana Circulation (Skilled+)
—Construct Forge (Masterful+)
—Construct Command (Masterful+)
—Mana Circuit (Skilled)
—Spell weaving (Skilled+)
[5. Cognitive Depth (Thoughts, Mindset, Disposition)]
— Aroused / Patterned Reason/ Disciplined Passion
==============================
Ashen's eyes drifted to the Path Skills section first, but before he could look for the new additions, his attention was stolen by the mastery of her old skills.
"Seems like my lovely girl has been working hard. You even have a skill at Zenith. Good job."
He knew how much suffering it had taken to bring Somatic Autonomy to that level, so he was genuinely impressed.
She answered with a teasing smile. "That one is actually thanks to you."
"Really? From where I'm sitting, all the credit is yours. I don't remember helping with anything besides giving you access to the dreamscape so you could train without wasting materials."
"Fixation Mark builds a profile by observing its target, and let's just say... you've been a really good one," she explained vaguely.
Only she knew how much the skill had struggled to keep up with her ever-evolving man. His constant growth had forced it to adapt time and again until, before she realized it, Fixation Mark had reached Zenith.
She had become exceptionally skilled with a spear because of it, even if she could never match Ashen. His combat style was no longer mere spearsmanship; it had become infused with concepts, giving birth to techniques such as Spear Harmony.
Not to mention, he was simply stronger than she was.
Even so, the fraction she could replicate was enough to make her a terrifying opponent.
Mana manipulation was no different. Despite seeing exactly how he moved every strand, she could never reproduce more than one percent of it, yet even that was enough to elevate her Mana Circulation Method from Basic to Advanced.
While she was daydreaming in his arms, Ashen's eyes did not rest as they located yet another bewildering change.
"Bedchamber General...? What the fuck is this title?" he asked, anger creeping into his voice.
"Pfft—!" Alice couldn't help but snicker. "I got it sometime after the rumors that I was warming your bed for authority started spreading around. What? You don't like it?"
"Am I supposed to?"
"I remember titles only manifest once enough people believe in them, so it just means everyone acknowledges that I'm a competent commander who also gets railed by you."
"...Which is true. So what's the problem~?"
Titles could also manifest when a select few with overwhelming authority and power shared the same belief, or when certain conditions were fulfilled, such as a concept acknowledging supremacy over its own domain, like the Sloth Crown that had manifested for Old Ashen.
In this case, it was probably the millions of soldiers uniting behind a single belief: that Alice was a truly capable general who had also climbed into his bed to earn her position.
Her being on the Lust Pathway certainly didn't help her case...
"It's the title itself. It sounds too wanton... what if people get the wrong idea?" he said with a resigned sigh.
"You're afraid they'll think I'm a slut?"
She immediately understood what he meant.
"They don't dare. And it's not because of harsh punishments, either."
"The very thought of coveting the Ashen Hart's woman is about as sane as believing Narkals are harmless creatures."
She snuggled closer, her gaze filled with affection.
"Everyone already knows who I belong to. No need to fret."
"Is that so..."
For once, Ashen thought his reputation was good for something besides embarrassing him.
"That's good. It saves me from going on a killing spree in my own camp."
"Oh, you~"
Alice tapped his chest coquettishly, secretly thinking he probably would have done exactly that if her honor had truly been smeared.
There had already been a few examples, with the offenders dying by either his hand or hers. Such incidents were inevitable in a race whose power system was governed by Sin.
"Alright, let's see your new skills. They look powerful just from their names."
"Okay."
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Path Skill: Pleasure Forge
The Host gains the knowledge to conduct lust-centered rituals performed through intimate union that transforms shared pleasure into dense, vitality-rich mana. Pleasure from both partners also generates conceptual lust essence, which is forged into usable Lust Mana through union.
Traits:
Conceptual Lust Essence: Every act that stirs lust gives birth to an unseen force under the dominion of the Lust Concept. Though ordinarily beyond mortal perception or control, rituals grant you the means to invoke, shape, and command it.
Essence Harvest Ritual: Peaks of physical and emotional pleasure generate harnessable lust essence. The deeper the emotional bond between the host and their devoted partner, the greater the yield, producing significantly stronger results.
Lust Mana Creation Ritual: Lust Essence can be transformed into mana that is thick with life force.
Power Distribution Ritual: Mana can be directed to increase the capacity of the host or the partner. The ritual's effects are stronger and longer-lasting when applied to a thrall or bound partner.
Lust Core Reservoir Ritual: Excess Lust Mana can be safely stored and contained due to its conceptual nature.
❖⛧❖
Path Skill: Carnal Circuit Tempering
Refine the existing magic circuits of yourself and a single devoted partner through Lust Essence. Strengthen, widen, and harmonize these circuits for superior mana flow while gradually reshaping their physical forms.
Traits:
Circuit Improvement: During prolonged or repeated intimate contact, the host can direct Lust Essence into their own or their partner's magic circuits, gradually tempering and expanding them. With sufficient refinement, these circuits can naturally channel mana up to three levels above the host's current maximum level.
Mutual Body Tempering: Both partners' bodies become more resilient, flexible, and enduring, optimized for prolonged physical union and pleasure. Stamina, recovery, and sensory harmony improve markedly.
Allure Forging: Infused Lust Essence slowly perfects the outward appearance of both participants into a potent weapon. Charm will build over time until a single look from the host can ignite overwhelming lust in others, making it far easier to attract and bind new thralls
Exclusivity Lock: The tempering process remains stable and effective only with the first established partner. Extending it to multiple partners turns the Lust Essence murky and corrosive, which would damage magic circuits and drain vitality instead of enhancing them.
Thrall Synergy: When applied to an existing thrall, Carnal Circuit Tempering operates at double efficiency. In addition, it synchronizes with Pleasure Forge, causing it to mirror the same enhanced effect.
❖⛧❖
"Damn, baby... you've hit the jackpot," he whistled, genuinely impressed.
Alice nodded as she read along. "I've finally got a skill that can properly enhance my physical abilities... and the other can even strengthen circuits."
"But I'm not the only one who hit the jackpot, dear." She smiled as she reached the part describing how its benefits could be shared.
"True… your skills don't just take care of you, but your slaves as well... how thoughtful," he replied with a wry smile.
"Well, that's only natural," she explained. "My slaves are a large part of my strength. Whenever they grow stronger, so do I."
"Spoken like a true slave owner," he deadpanned.
"Heh. Don't act like you dislike it. I'd like to see you say the same when my skills are forcing me onto my knees to suck your cock for hours, hm?"
"Well… that's slave welfare! Am I not allowed to enjoy it?" he defended himself.
"...Spoken like a true slave," she shot back without missing a beat, making him roll his eyes.
"Either way, aside from the obvious benefits, this Lust Essence is intriguing. Is there perhaps also a Sloth Essence that I'm missing out on?"
"Maybe." She was almost certain there was. It wouldn't make much sense for one to exist without the other. "One thing's for sure: I'm probably going to see a huge increase in how much mana I can store with this."
"Though I'll have to find the right balance between converting Lust Essence into mana and preserving it. The essence itself is what strengthens our bodies, so converting all of it would be wasteful."
"Uh-huh... we'll understand the finer details once we test it." Ashen's gaze drifted lower until it reached the Extra Skills section. "Oh? You have two skills at Masterful here. How did you integrate concepts into them? As far as I know, that's the only way for Extra Skills to advance beyond Skilled."
"That's because of Mithril. Apparently, the metal itself is infused with concepts—I don't know which ones—but simply using it to create constructs and command them was enough to raise both skills' mastery."
"That's interesting... it also explains the metal's absurd properties."
"Alright now..." He gently pushed Alice onto her back, practically climbing over her.
"What?" she asked, tilting her head and feigning complete innocence.
"Let's put your new skills to the test." A devious grin spread across his face as his hands wandered over her body.
"Okay..."
"Also, let those fluffy tails out. It's been a while since I played with them."
"Sure."
Nine tails blossomed from behind her, lifting her waist from the makeshift bed.
He admired them for a moment, noticing that only one had turned golden while the remaining eight still retained their snowy white hue.
"If your new skills are as powerful as we suspect, it probably won't be long before all nine tails are infused with mana."
"I don't know about that… you'll have to help me verify it." Her lips curled into a playful smile. "So… are you only going to use your hands~?"
"No... I'll do much more than that."
For the rest of the day, the Marshal neglected his duties, while the Bedchamber General diligently attended to hers, brilliantly living up to her title.
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Alice Image (NSFW)