The lantern flame had dwindled to a thin blue tongue, barely enough to outline the shapes in the room. My body felt foreign—limbs heavy, skin still fever-hot in places, and that deep, pulsing ache between my thighs refusing to quiet. Every small shift sent a fresh twinge through me, sharp enough to make my breath hitch.
Caelvyn hadn't pulled away yet.
He lay behind me, chest molded to my back, one arm draped possessively over my waist. His palm rested flat against my stomach, fingers splayed wide as though anchoring me to him even now. His chin tucked against the top of my head; strands of his golden hair brushed my cheek with every slow exhale. The rhythm of his breathing was calm, almost meditative—completely at odds with the storm he'd just unleashed inside me.
I tried not to move, but the soreness made it impossible to stay still. A tiny whimper slipped out when I involuntarily tensed.
His arm tightened fractionally. "Easy," he murmured, lips grazing my temple. The word was soft, almost gentle—devoid of the earlier mockery. His thumb resumed its lazy circles over my skin, tracing the edge of a forming bruise on my hip. "It fades faster if you don't fight it."
I didn't answer. Couldn't. My throat felt raw, my thoughts scattered like ash. All I could do was lie there, caught between the lingering burn and the strange, unwelcome comfort of his body wrapped around mine. His heartbeat thudded steadily against my spine—slow, arrogant, unshakable. Gradually, against my will, my own pulse began to slow to match it.
Minutes passed in that quiet cocoon. The room felt smaller, warmer, the outside world distant and unimportant.
Then he sighed—soft, almost reluctant—and the arm around me loosened.
Caelvyn rolled away carefully, the mattress shifting under his weight. The sudden loss of his heat pulled a shiver from me, goosebumps rising along my back. He sat up, then stood in one smooth motion, every line of him still radiating that effortless grace.
I watched through half-closed eyes as he dressed.
Black silk underwear first, sliding up long legs with unhurried precision. Trousers next, fastened with quick, practiced flicks of his fingers. Shirt tucked and buttoned without a single crease daring to form. The coat settled over his shoulders last, falling perfectly into place like it had been waiting for him.
When he turned back, he looked exactly as he had when he first appeared: immaculate, proud, untouched. Only the faint sheen of sweat still clinging to his temples and the slight flush high on his cheekbones gave any hint of what had just happened.
He leaned over the bed, bracing one hand beside my head. Violet eyes searched my face—taking in the tear tracks that had dried on my cheeks, the swollen lips, the way my chest still rose and fell too quickly.
"You were perfect, Renji," he said quietly. One finger brushed along my jaw, then tucked a damp strand of hair behind my ear. "Better than any of us could have hoped."
I swallowed. Nothing came out.
That familiar smirk returned—smaller, softer, almost fond.
"Rest now." He straightened, gaze lingering. "The others will wait their turn next week okay?"
He stepped back from the bed. No dramatic gesture. No walk toward the door.
The air around him simply shimmered—like heat haze rising from sun-warmed stone. His outline blurred at the edges, golden hair and black coat fraying into threads of light and shadow. His eyes met mine one last time—bright, triumphant, quietly promising.
"Until the next sin calls," he said, voice already echoing from somewhere farther away.
Then he was gone.
Not through the door. Not in smoke or flame. Just… erased. Folded back into whatever realm the Seven inhabited, leaving only the faintest ripple in the air that faded almost instantly.
The lantern flame steadied, burning a weak, steady amber once more.
Silence rushed back in—thick, complete, lonely.
I lay there alone, sheets twisted around my legs, body still thrumming with aftershocks. The ache inside pulsed faintly with each heartbeat—a slow, private reminder of golden hands, arrogant kisses, and the way my own body had eventually surrendered. His scent clung stubbornly to my skin: warm spice, clean sweat, something faintly metallic.
I curled tighter onto my side, drawing my knees up, trying to ease the soreness. No footsteps in the hall. No new shadows forming in the corners. Just me, the dying lantern, and the quiet certainty that the others would come… eventually.
But not tonight.
Tonight, I was alone.
I closed my eyes against the dim light, too exhausted to move, too raw to think any further, and let the darkness finally take me.
Morning light streamed through the small window, brushing my face with its gentle warmth.
I groaned softly, shifting on the bed. My back still ached from the events of last night.
"It still hurts…" I muttered, holding the sore muscles, my fingers brushing over the lingering stiffness. My body felt weak, tense, like I'd pushed it beyond its limits.
Slowly, I swung my legs off the bed and stood up. The floor creaked beneath my weight, a small reminder that I was finally standing on solid ground, not stone or street pavement.
I adjusted my clothes carefully, tugging at the robe, straightening the sleeves. Then I bent down and picked up my sword from the table, the metal familiar and comforting in my hands. I slid the coins into my pouch beside it, feeling the slight weight of my earned currency.
The day had just begun, but my mind was already shifting toward the forest. The air outside promised the same challenges as yesterday, but also the chance to grow stronger, to test the powers the Seven had gifted me.
Stepping outside, I took a deep breath. The morning air smelled of dew and pine, and the distant sounds of birds mixed with the faint murmur of adventurers preparing for their day.
I tightened my grip on my sword. Every step I took toward the forest was a reminder: I was no longer a helpless boy from the streets. I was Renji, an adventurer, and I had a path ahead that only I could walk.
The forest loomed before me, sunlight filtering through the branches. Even with its familiar sights, it felt different today. The air tingled faintly with magical energy, the residue of yesterday's lessons still lingering. I could almost feel Gluttony's whisper in my mind, urging me forward, "Hunt. Absorb. Grow."
With careful, deliberate steps, I entered the forest again. Each movement was measured, each sense alert. I scanned the trees, the underbrush, the shadows — ready for the first monsters I would face this morning.
The day had begun, and so had the next chapter of my journey.
As I walked deeper into the forest, the morning mist still clinging to the trees, I spotted movement ahead.
Five goblins.
They were walking lazily along the dirt path, carrying crude weapons—rusted blades and wooden clubs. Their green skin looked dull under the filtered sunlight, their sharp ears twitching as they muttered to each other.
I quickly slipped behind a thick bush, lowering my body and steadying my breathing.
Low-level monsters like slimes and goblins were no longer a real threat to me.
After absorbing their cores, my strength had clearly increased. My muscles felt tighter, my reactions sharper. Even my grip on my sword felt more natural now.
I waited.
One step.
Two steps.
They were getting closer.
When the first goblin passed directly in front of my hiding place—
I moved.
I burst out of the bush without hesitation, sword already mid-swing.
Slash—
The blade cut cleanly through the first goblin's neck.
Its head separated instantly, rolling across the dirt as the body collapsed with a dull thud.
I froze for half a second.
That was… too easy.
The other goblins screeched in alarm, their high-pitched cries echoing through the trees.
"Graaah!"
Two rushed toward me at once.
One swung its crude blade downward. I raised my sword and—
Clang!
I parried the attack cleanly. The impact barely pushed me back.
Before it could recover, I pivoted and slashed horizontally.
The blade tore across its chest, splitting leather and flesh alike. Dark blood sprayed across the forest floor.
It staggered—
I stepped forward and swung again.
This time, I aimed higher.
The second strike struck its head.
The goblin dropped instantly.
Behind me, another charged recklessly. I turned just in time to block its club with the flat of my blade. The force vibrated through my arm, but it wasn't overwhelming.
I shoved it back and delivered a heavy diagonal slash.
The cut carved deep into its chest.
It screamed and fell backward.
The remaining two goblins attacked together, one from the left and one from the right.
They were faster.
But I was faster now.
I stepped back slightly, then spun with a wide swing.
My blade cut through the air—
—and sliced across both of them.
One lost an arm.
The other stumbled as its leg was cut deeply.
Their screeches filled the forest.
I didn't hesitate.
I stepped forward and drove my sword into the first goblin's chest.
Pulled it out—
—and struck the second directly through the torso.
Both bodies collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
My chest rose and fell heavily, but not from fear.
From adrenaline.
I stared at the fallen goblins.
Five.
All defeated.
Alone.
A small, almost disbelieving smile formed on my face.
"I really am getting stronger…"
After a moment, faint glows began to emerge from their bodies.
Goblin cores.
I crouched down and picked them up one by one, wiping the blood off lightly before placing them carefully into my pouch.
The weight increased slightly.
Another successful hunt.
And this time—
I didn't feel fear.
Only progress.