A week had passed since Alex began his new life in Magnolia. The routine imposed by Erza was relentless: one day of infernal training followed by a day of rest, which she used to complete quick missions and maintain the household finances.
For Alex, the training days were exhausting, but the "rest" days were a different kind of torture. Sharing a bed with a woman who seemed to have no concept of modesty meant the young man couldn't close his eyes. Every time he turned over, he was confronted by Erza's cleavage.
With her breasts spilling out of her sleepwear, her small, cherry-like nipples were completely visible. It wasn't just that Erza exposed her chest while sleeping; she also lay in a fetal position with her back to Alex, giving him a full view of her curvaceous rear.
With Erza possessing such a voluptuous body, it was impossible for Alex to sleep at night. To make matters worse, Erza felt no shame about Alex seeing her naked. She would undress in front of him to take a bath or change her clothes; Alex saw everything when Erza removed her panties with her back to him, exposing her most private areas.
The sight frequently triggered nosebleeds for Alex. His body was reaching its limit, albeit in a very different way.
Erza noticed the dark circles under Alex's eyes. He seemed more tired lately, and every morning he desperately tried to wash his own pajamas. If it weren't for her taking them away since that was her job she wouldn't have noticed the white stains on his underwear.
She had already asked him if he felt unwell or if the training was too intense. Alex simply replied that he was fine and that the training wasn't that heavy. Feeling that he was hiding something, she sent him to the guild to rest while she claimed to have errands to run.
...
To find out what was happening, Erza went to a clothing store to ask about the stains on his boxers. The shopkeeper was surprised by Erza's question, took her hand, and led her to a secluded corner.
"Are you telling me that you live with a man your age, you sleep in the same bed, and every morning the first thing he does is run to the bathroom to wash his clothes?"
Erza nodded. The shopkeeper seemed to have a clear idea of what was going on.
"And you're saying there are certain white stains on his underwear?"
Erza nodded again. "Do you know what those stains are or why he wants to wash his clothes every morning?"
The shopkeeper smiled mischievously, thinking that young girls today were incredibly innocent. "Well, I can't tell you everything. Certain things are better asked of your female friends or relatives. But I will tell you this: to stop the young man from staining his clothes, you need to relieve his 'energy' so it stops happening."
"What energy are you talking about? He trains almost all day; he barely has the strength to walk back home."
The lady only smirked. "That is something you must find out for yourself. Good luck."
…..
Erza left the shop confused. She went to the guild to investigate this "energy." She looked around at the women: Cana was absent, Levy was on a mission, she wasn't close enough with Bisca, and Laki was a bit too eccentric.
That left only Mirajane. Seeing Alex playing cards with Gray and Loke, Erza dragged Mirajane into the kitchen and asked her the same questions. Mirajane nearly choked on her own saliva. She had noticed Alex's dark circles too, assuming they were from training. Now she realized that wasn't the cause of his insomnia.
Given Erza's ignorance, Mira couldn't blame her. Erza usually beat up anyone who tried to flirt with her Loke was living proof. Deciding to "help" her friend more explicitly, Mira led Erza to the guild library while it was empty.
Mira reached for a high shelf and pulled out a magazine. "The men of the guild usually hide this magazine in the library. They take one and leave another in its place."
The magazine contained explicit depictions of romantic relations and instructions on how to satisfy both men and women. As Erza flipped through the pages, her face turned bright red with shame. She knew the general concept, but she thought it was something reserved for marriage or brothels. She had never seen anything so graphic.
"You... you've actually seen this kind of thing? When did you become such a pervert?" Erza stammered.
Mira looked offended. "Nonsense, the magazine isn't mine! Since I clean the guild, I see the men running away whenever I enter the library. Some idiot must have dropped it. But to answer your situation with Alex—it's obviously your fault, you cow-breasted woman. If he keeps going without sleep while doing that hellish training, you're going to kill him before he even learns magic."
After a few minutes of bickering, Mira used the magazine to make a point. "Look at this page. If you want to relieve Alex's 'energy,' you don't necessarily need to go all the way. As it shows here, you can use your hands... though I doubt he'll be satisfied with just that."
Mira then touched her own lips with her fingers, making it very clear what else Erza could do. She left the library, leaving the magazine in Erza's trembling hands.
"Cursed demon pervert..." Erza muttered.
…..
Alex, still playing cards with Loke and Gray, watched Erza and Mirajane walk back from the inner area. He wondered what they were up to.
"Hey, Alex, stop staring at Erza and play!" Gray shouted, already stripping off his shirt.
"What's the matter, Alex? Can't stop looking at her even at the guild?" Loke teased. "You live together, you're always together... don't tell me you've already fallen in love in just one week?"
"It's not that," Alex sighed. "I just haven't seen those two together like that. I feel like they're up to no good."
"Relax, they can't be planning anything bad," Gray said. "By the way, why do you have such dark circles? You look like a panda. I bet she's torturing you at night too..."
Alex stared at his cards. "If only you knew."