The next morning, the group was already on the road.
Inside the gently rocking carriage, Albert sat with his arms tightly crossed, a dark expression on his face.
Across from him, Gwen kept glancing over with clear worry in her eyes, but she didn't dare speak first.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Albert's thoughts, however, were even heavier.
'I actually passed out…'
The memory from the previous night replayed in his mind with painful clarity.
He had been so close.
Gwen had been completely naked beneath him, eyes closed, waiting obediently.
The heat, the tension, the anticipation... everything had been perfect.
...And then his body betrayed him.
He had collapsed face-first into her chest like some useless weakling, completely unconscious.
That alone was already humiliating enough.
But the real nightmare came afterward.
When he finally woke up, he discovered that Gwen had panicked and run to ask for help.
Captain Gareth, Lance, and Luke had all rushed in… and seen everything.
His completely naked body sprawled out and unconscious.
The moment Albert remembered their faces after he woke up, his expression grew even darker.
'Blue-balled and publicly exposed in one night… What kind of cursed luck is this?'
He had wanted their first real time together to be memorable.
Instead, it had become a source of pure shame.
Even though Captain Gareth and the others man had said they were used to seeing each other naked during training and bathing at the camp, that didn't make him feel any better.
'Heck they probably have a six pack and an insane physique!'
Albert sigh then and look Gwen across from him.
Seeing her worried look, he smile slightly.
"There's no need to look so worried, It wasn't your fault."
Gwen's eyes widened slightly at his words.
Albert scratched his cheek, feeling a bit awkward, but still continued.
"If anything… it was my fault for not knowing my own limits. I got too carried away and ended up like that. You don't need to blame yourself."
Albert wasn't lying when he said he didn't know his own limits.
As he leaned back against the seat, he quietly reflected on what had happened.
It seemed this body's talent as a Gifter was quite poor… and its overall stamina was just as lacking.
Yesterday, he had spent nearly the entire day receiving Gwen's service inside the carriage.
He had ejaculated far too many times without paying attention to the consequences.
Looking back now, he had almost certainly pushed his body past its limit.
Unlike a normal man's climax, each time a Gifter released their essence, it consumed a portion of their vitality.
That was precisely why most Gifters in the game were extremely careful about who they shared their essence with.
They treated it as a limited resource rather than something to be spent freely.
Even so, the situation wasn't as dire as it first appeared.
Unlike knights, whose Aura consumption directly burned away their life force, a Gifter's body was special.
As long as they rested properly, their vitality would gradually recover.
Albert let out another quiet sigh.
'In other words… I basically drained myself dry on the first day.'
He glanced at Gwen again.
She still looked a little concerned, but at least she no longer seemed to be blaming herself.
'Next time, I'll have to control myself better… or at least make sure my body can keep up first.'
As those thoughts settled in his mind, Albert's determination only grew stronger.
He needed that special item more than ever.
Not only would it improve his talent as a Gifter, allowing him to produce higher-quality essence and last longer, but it would also increase his overall strength as a man.
Stamina, recovery, physical endurance… everything that his current body so clearly lacked.
'If I had that item already, yesterday wouldn't have ended so shamefully...'
Albert clenched his fist slightly beneath his crossed arms.
The Great Forest was still a few days away.
Once they arrived, he would find that item no matter what.
He could no longer afford to remain this weak... not if he wanted to properly enjoy this second life, and not if he wanted to stand beside the women he planned to claim without collapsing at the worst possible moment.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he stared out the carriage window.
'Just wait. Once I get that item… everything will change.'
He will make sure his night life will be nothing the world have ever seen before!
Outside, the horses continued pulling them steadily northward, the dense outline of distant trees still far beyond the horizon.
_
_
_
A few days later.
Thanks to the war horses and the relatively safe roads within Count Spina's territory, the journey progressed faster than expected.
Before long, the landscape began to change.
The open plains gradually gave way to denser vegetation, and the air grew cooler and heavier with the scent of damp earth and leaves.
Eventually, a vast expanse of towering trees came into view.
The Great Forest stretched endlessly before them, its thick canopy casting deep shadows even during the day.
The boundary between Count Spina's territory and the wild northern woods was clear... on one side, maintained roads and occasional patrol signs; on the other, an untamed wilderness that seemed to swallow light itself.
Captain Gareth raised a hand, signaling the group to slow down.
"Young Master," he called from outside the carriage, "we have arrived at the Great Forest."
Albert pulled aside the curtain and looked out.
His eyes sharpened the moment he saw the endless wall of trees.
Finally…
He could feel a faint sense of anticipation rising in his chest.
Somewhere inside that vast forest was the special item that could change everything for him.
The carriage came to a stop near the edge of the woods.
Gareth, Lance, Luke, and Gwen dismounted and gathered around as Albert stepped down from the carriage, his gaze fixed on the dark forest ahead.