Neo sighed in relief as Mary finally left the room, the heavy door clicking shut behind her like a punctuation mark on the day's unrelenting chaos.
The weight that had pressed on his shoulders since waking in this strange new world eased just a fraction.
He reached for the damp piece of clothing she'd left behind, its fabric still carrying the warmth of her body.
As he carried it back to his room, the faint, intimate scent clinging to it stirred something deep and primal inside him, a confusing blend of comfort and a forbidden spark of curiosity that made his pulse quicken.
He collapsed onto the bed, staring at the rough wooden beams of the ceiling.
'Tomorrow is going to be a busy day,' he thought, a quiet fire kindling in his chest.
He needed to find his targets, tame them, and claim that passive Vala skill.
It wasn't only about raw power in this brutal world; it was survival.
And maybe, just maybe, about finding someone who could make him feel truly alive again after everything he'd lost in his old life.
He pushed aside the idea of taming his mother for now, she was busy at the bar, and the mere thought of rushing that line twisted his gut with guilt and a reluctant respect.
She deserved better.
Then, like a spark in dry tinder, realization hit.
The bar. That was where he could start.
A genuine smile tugged at his lips, warm and hopeful.
The excitement wasn't just for the hunt; it was for the chance to help her too.
Heart pounding with fresh purpose, he ran toward the bar his mother owned.
He arrived just as she was unlocking the heavy wooden door.
She turned, surprise flickering across her tired but strong features.
"Why have you come here, son?"
Neo met her eyes with soft earnestness.
"To help you, Mom."
She studied him for a moment, then nodded, clearly touched.
"You can help by serving the customers."
Mary opened the bar and began the morning routine of cleaning.
Neo pitched in, wiping down scarred tables, when two young women in their twenties stepped inside.
These had to be the barmaids his mother had hired, the ones she gave a better path than the streets.
His gaze lingered, a rush of genuine admiration and attraction hitting him hard.
'They're both stunning in their own ways,' he thought, feeling that very human flutter of nervousness mixed with desire.
The first was Clara: sleek black hair cascading down her back, paired with a body that turned heads and loosened purse strings.
Her huge, full breasts strained against the tight low-cut tavern dress, the fabric hugging every lush curve, while her massive ass swayed with hypnotic promise beneath a loose blouse that fluttered in the slightest breeze, teasing glimpses of plump thigh.
The way the material clung to her made Neo's throat go dry; every shift of her hips sent a jolt of heat straight through him.
The second was Ast, with golden blonde hair and a quieter, more understated beauty.
Her chest was flatter, but her rear matched Clara's in generous size, giving her a subtle, swaying allure that made him want to peel back her layers.
'She's captivating too,' he realized, drawn not just by looks but by the potential of who they might be.
Neo discreetly checked their ranks.
E-rank. Perfect targets.
His pulse quickened at the strategic thought, but more than that, he felt a real spark of connection.
These weren't just marks, they were people he wanted to know.
They greeted him warmly.
Clara's eyes lit up with recognition, and before he could react, she pulled him into a crushing hug, pressing him firmly against the pillowy softness of her enormous breasts.
"Isn't this little Neo? Look how much you've grown!"
The warm, yielding weight of her chest enveloped him, her heartbeat steady against his cheek, her sweet scent wrapping around him like a velvet trap.
Neo's face burned, blood rushing south as his body responded instinctively.
'God, she's so warm... so incredibly soft.'
He fought the urge to sink deeper into the embrace, the moment both innocently affectionate and dangerously electric.
Clara was the cheerful, outgoing type, the kind who made people love her without even trying.
Her laughter bubbled up, infectious and bright, tightening the coil of tension low in Neo's belly.
Ast, by contrast, offered only a silent nod, her quiet intensity somehow more intriguing, leaving him hungry for her next words.
As they moved to the back to prepare, Neo helped with cleaning and stocking.
His past-life knowledge let him anticipate their needs seamlessly, turning the work into a smooth, almost intimate rhythm.
Every time Clara brushed past, her huge ass grazed his hip, sending electric sparks racing across his skin.
He stole glances at the deep, inviting valley of her cleavage, imagining the heat of her skin beneath his hands.
Ast handled the wines in focused silence, while Clara worked the floor as the lively barmaid.
Her revealing outfit naturally drew eyes, and wandering hands, but with Neo there, no one dared cross the line.
He positioned himself like a quiet shield, his protectiveness flaring hot whenever a patron leered too long.
'I hate seeing her treated like that,' he thought, the feeling grounding him, making him feel more like the man this world demanded.
The day flowed until trouble arrived in the form of an old man who nursed a single cup of wine for hours, calling Clara over constantly with leering comments and sly touches.
The harassment built until her smile grew strained, her eyes showing the toll.
She looked ready to quit on the spot.
Then she spotted Neo approaching.
Relief and gratitude flooded her face, lighting her up like dawn after a storm.
Neo moved without hesitation.
He grabbed the old man's arm in a firm, controlled grip and hauled him toward the door.
"Are you throwing out a paying customer?" the man blustered.
Neo ignored him, shoving him outside with controlled strength.
"Never come back to my mother's bar," he said, voice low and edged with steel, "or next time I'll break your bones."
The old man scrambled up from the dirt, glaring daggers.
"This isn't the last time we meet, boy."
The threat lingered in the air like smoke, adding a sharp edge of real danger to the day.
Neo returned inside, his heart still racing from the confrontation.
"Clara, take a break," he said gently.
"I'll cover your orders."
She looked at him, eyes shining, then pulled him into another hug, this one lifting him slightly off his feet as she crushed him against the massive, yielding softness of her breasts.
"Little Neo, you're going to make such a charming husband one day. I've made up my mind to groom you myself."
Her body heat radiated through the thin fabric, deliberate and warm.
Neo's cock twitched hard against her thigh, the sexual tension crackling between them like live wires.
He laughed warmly, recognizing the joke in her words, yet the husky undertone sent his mind spinning with heated possibilities.
They returned to work.
Thanks to Neo's otherworldly knowledge and his natural introverted focus, he and Ast fell into a seamless synergy.
They managed two days' worth of income in one, the quiet teamwork forging a slow-burning trust that felt surprisingly intimate.
Ast wiped her forehead at one point and spoke, her first words of the day.
"Neo. Good."
The simple praise swelled in his chest with quiet pride.
He wished for a camera to capture the moment: Ast's faint, rare smile softening her features, Clara's satisfied glow after a long shift.
'In this other world, no cameras exist,' he thought with a pang, but he savored it anyway, the warmth of real connection.
Later, Ast changed into casual clothes and slipped out with a final glance.
Clara lingered, then asked Neo to join her in the back for a private talk.
The invitation sent a thrill racing down his spine, anticipation tightening like a coil.
Ast gave them a subtle side-eye.
Neo turned to her with genuine warmth.
"Thank you, Ast, for all your hard work today. We'll be working together again tomorrow."
She offered the faintest crack of a smile, nodded silently, and left, the air between Neo and Clara growing thicker, heavier with promise.
Alone now, Neo realized she truly wanted privacy.
He gently pulled her toward the back room, his hand lingering on the soft warmth of her arm, heart hammering.
"What did you want to talk about?"
Clara spoke in a rapid rush, cheeks flushed, voice breathy, her eyes darting between his face and the obvious bulge straining in his pants.
"I didn't work the whole second half of the shift, but I still owe your mother, and you, as her son.
My family's poor, we don't have much Vala, and I wanted to do a quick favor to repay you.
It's just for you, okay? A quick sexual favor, no penetration.
I'll just... grab your dick and give you a handjob."
The words tumbled out so fast he barely had time to process, her nervousness making her even more endearing, and irresistibly alluring.
'Even though she seems so outgoing, she's secretly a huge overthinker,' Neo thought with a mix of affection and surging desire.
He knew her family's situation wasn't easy; this moment deepened his respect for her quiet strength.
Neo smiled, the heat in his gaze darkening with lust.
He nodded and sat down on the chair, watching her approach.
The air between them thickened with forbidden promise and addictive tension.
Clara's hands trembled slightly as she reached for him, the heat of her body promising an intense, unforgettable release…