When the first rays of light began to appear on the horizon, Sigrún slowly opened her eyes, finding herself naked, embracing her beloved, who was still asleep. A warm smile couldn't help but form on Sigrún's face as she extended her hand and gently caressed her beloved's cheek with the tips of her fingers, feeling strength return to her body. The effect of the potion had worn off, and she was once again a nearly invulnerable Master-level.
Now that she had finally given her body to her beloved, she felt closer to him than ever, as if they were one in mind, heart, and body. Although losing one's virginity was something most mana users would avoid as much as possible, since it affected the effectiveness of their training—in more extreme cases even reducing it to the point of "damaging" their "natural talent"—she didn't regret it in the slightest.
While losing virginity was harmful, nothing was more damaging than losing one's entire mana system, as Erik had. Therefore, the effect of losing virginity on him was minimal, perhaps imperceptible, since a crack in fine porcelain was a disaster, but in a shattered one, it was insignificant. The benefits of losing it far outweighed the drawbacks by a wide margin.
Meanwhile, she, Eleonora, and Seraphina were powerhouses in their own right, practically at the pinnacle of power. Therefore, although losing their virginities would affect them slightly, the amount of time needed to advance from one rank to another at the Master level was so exaggerated that it would be imperceptible. A decade more or less didn't matter when it could take centuries to simply advance a single rank.
Speaking of herself, the greatest genius in history, an ordinary person might take millennia or more to jump a single rank—if they even managed to and didn't get stuck, which was relatively common from the Sage level onward. After all, from that level, bio-mystic techniques alone were not enough to evolve to the next stage.
But despite the lack of real consequences for losing her virginity, her love for Erik and the need to help him recover—using their bodies to refine mana to aid in training his mana system—were a large part of why she had decided to take that step. There was also something else she preferred to keep silent about.
Erik's injuries had been catastrophic, enough to kill an ordinary person several times over. His shattered mana system was just the tip of the iceberg. His vitality had nearly vanished, and his spirit was severely damaged, seemingly for quite some time, so his survival had been practically a miracle. But miracles rarely come without a cost.
Although Erik was now alive and healthy, his foundation had been severely compromised, leaving him only slightly stronger than an Initiate-level, and his lifespan had been reduced by at least two-thirds. Even more terrifying was that, just like his withered and dull hair, his talent might also be gravely affected.
If something like that were to happen, although lifespan wouldn't be a major concern since Erik had the Sage level assured with potions, going from an unparalleled genius to an ordinary person was a blow too hard to bear. Not just for Erik, but for her as well. Deep in her heart, she knew that no matter how much she wanted to avoid it, her desire to be with someone even more impressive than herself was too strong.
Therefore, giving herself to Erik was an insurance, an assurance for him to be certain of her love no matter what happened. But at the same time, it was insurance for herself. She would never allow herself to abandon him, especially since she bore much of the blame for what had occurred. Thus, she would be his woman until the end, no matter what happened. Fearing her future self, she decided to give herself now and seal the deal so that even she couldn't back out later.
After all, if life had taught her anything, it was that no matter how moral, fair, and steadfast one believed oneself to be, no one truly knew how they would react in different situations. The one who believed they would fight to the death in the face of danger might be the first to flee and betray just to survive. Therefore, although deep down she was completely sure her feelings wouldn't change no matter what happened, taking extra precautions didn't hurt.
…
As she reflected deeply, Sigrún noticed something strange that snapped her out of her thoughts. The Myst around her felt different, much closer and more familiar. Undoubtedly, her connection with the Myst had deepened on several levels in just one night, something normally impossible.
This fact led Sigrún to recall the strange sensation she had felt the night before and decided to set aside due to passion. A peculiar feeling of merging into one with Erik and the world itself, turning the Myst into an extension of herself. A memory that brought the beautiful blonde to a natural conclusion.
(No doubt this improvement has to do with that…)
Caught between surprise and apprehension, Sigrún began to subtly test her connection with the Myst while contemplating the consequences if something like this were discovered. No matter how she thought about it, the outcomes in every scenario she created were disastrous. After all, a powerful connection with the Myst was indispensable for increasing one's evolutionary level from the Sage level onward.
From the Sage level, each rank increase brought with it a calamity of the Myst, and the only way to reduce its danger was by having a strong connection to it. Therefore, Erik's strategic value was colossal. Setting aside the fact that nearly any woman would throw herself into her beloved's arms just for that, Legend-level beings wouldn't take it lightly either.
If any woman who slept with Erik could deepen their connection with the Myst to such an extent, then he would essentially become a factory for powerhouses. Although for an ordinary person such an improvement wouldn't be very dramatic, for someone stuck at the bottleneck between Arcane-Master and Master-Legend, it would be invaluable—something they'd be willing to kill for.
…
Watching the Myst dance for her in a rhythmic and orderly manner, Sigrún couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh and mobilize her mana to interact more deeply with the Myst to determine the exact level of improvement. But as she did, she noticed something that made her gasp in disbelief.
Her mana had been purified and increased by a small margin, comparable to a couple of months or perhaps a year of training. But that was terrifying—her few months of training could be decades or even centuries for others, making such an improvement monumental. Combined with the enhanced connection to the Myst, Erik was effectively a strategic resource that even the Director couldn't ignore.
Although there were many bio-mystic techniques to practice during sex, just as they had the night before—some being more effective than regular bio-mystic techniques of the same level—that an Ascended could help a Master-level achieve such an improvement was inconceivable. For such techniques to be mutually beneficial, the levels of the two couldn't be too different, or it would be one-sided assistance, just as they had attempted the night before.
But if Erik, who was at best at the Ascended level and in reality an Initiate now, could bring such an improvement, what would the benefits be if their levels were similar? Terrifying, absolutely terrifying—enough to make no one remain indifferent and more than enough to start wars.
…
As her brilliant blue eyes sharpened intensely, Sigrún suddenly felt Eleonora's mana stirring, so she quickly turned to look at her. Upon doing so, Sigrún found Eleonora naked, her golden eyes wide with disbelief as Myst organized itself over her hand in the shape of a small bird.
[How much did you improve?] Sigrún asked through telepathy with a solemn expression. Eleonora quickly replied, full of disbelief, trying to calm her emotions.
[At least one level in my connection with the Myst and several months of mana refinement… This is insane, Sigrún…]
[No one can know about this.] Sigrún commented in a grave tone. Eleonora nodded, and while covering her exposed breasts with the sheet, replied with a worried voice.
[Yes… This goes beyond a treasure… Even we can't protect him if this gets out…]
[Who would've thought our Erik would still be full of surprises… I didn't even notice the changes in the moment…] Sigrún commented in a soft tone as she began to delicately caress the face of the sleeping Erik. Eleonora rested her head on Erik's chest and spoke softly, her cheeks slightly flushed.
[Though I did notice something strange with the Myst, between the potion and the emotions of the moment, I pushed it to the back of my mind and didn't pay attention…]
[Seraphina must have felt it better… Let's hope she comes with breakfast so we can ask her…] Sigrún sent a telepathic message while closing her eyes and placing her hand on Erik's chest with the intention of checking the condition of his mana system.
But as she scanned Erik's entire mana system, Sigrún couldn't help but let out a small sigh of disappointment. Although Erik's mana system had strengthened significantly, stabilizing to the point where it no longer posed a problem for his daily life, it was still weak. At best, Erik's mana system was at the third or fourth rank of the Initiate level, which meant one thing.
Erik would have to strengthen his mana system little by little on his own and retrace the path he had already walked, but this time with a reduced lifespan and without the possibility of increasing it through advancements. Therefore, if his talent truly had been affected, Erik's only chance of survival after a little over a century would be potions, leaving him stuck at the Sage level.
With similar feelings, Eleonora let out a disappointed sigh laden with regret and soon hugged Erik tighter, who unconsciously embraced them even while asleep. Soon, the room was enveloped in an oppressive stillness, where only the soft sound of Erik's breathing could be heard.
But after a while, Erik's breathing began to change, prompting Eleonora and Sigrún to look at him just in time to see him slowly open his eyes. As he managed to focus his gaze, Erik looked to his sides, and, seeing his beautiful masters naked beside him, his mind began racing. Soon, memories of the previous night returned to Erik, who greeted them with a warm smile.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, darling… Did you sleep well?" Eleonora quickly greeted with a warm and affectionate voice. Meanwhile, Sigrún quickly gave Erik a kiss on the lips and spoke softly.
"Good morning… Seraphina is on her way with breakfast."
"I slept very well, and there's no need for Seraphina to come; I can go down to the dining room." Erik replied calmly. Sigrún quickly shook her head and spoke in a sweet voice.
"No way, today you're not lifting a finger. We're taking care of you."
"Exactly, we're going to pamper you a lot and give you some therapies and massages to speed up your recovery." Eleonora quickly added.
"Really, it's not necessary. I already feel much better—more rested and energetic." Erik replied, a bit amused, which made Eleonora and Sigrún hug his arms tightly.
"We've already said no. Today, our husband-disciple will be taken care of all day by us, and there's nothing you can do about it." Sigrún commented in a playful tone, at which point Eleonora added in a soft, sensual voice.
"Yes… Today we have to catch up on a lot of lessons for all the lost time… Especially some 'deep' anatomy lessons…"
"I guess it can't be helped." Erik replied, half-helpless, half-amused, which made Eleonora and Sigrún laugh.
At that moment, the bedroom door opened, and while two wolves rushed into the room with all their might, Seraphina entered wearing her elegant maid uniform, carrying several trays full of food with the help of darkness tentacles.
"Good morning, young master, mistresses. I've brought breakfast."
"Right on time, Sera! Now help us feed Erik." Sigrún commented cheerfully, though slightly blushing, to which Seraphina nodded with a professional smile.
"It will be my pleasure."
Soon, Eleonora, Sigrún, and Seraphina began feeding Erik, who could only open his mouth and chew helplessly, filling the room with joyful giggles. But beneath the romantic and playful atmosphere, a serious conversation was taking place through telepathy.
[Sera, did you also feel an improvement after last night?] Sigrún asked while bringing a piece of bread to Erik's mouth. Seraphina, methodically blowing on a spoon of soup, replied.
[Yes, the improvement was small but noticeable. Last night, when each of us became one with the young master, the Myst began entering our bodies and guided our mana to subtly alter the bio-mystic technique we were practicing. Though my mind was somewhat overwhelmed, and I couldn't fully grasp the extent of the changes.
[But even so, I could feel my mana refining during the process, and after separating, I felt the improvement in my connection with the Myst, which continued to grow for several hours afterward until it stopped. It remains to be seen if this was a one-time thing or a natural result of 'dual practice' with the young master. In any case, it's something that must be studied and kept in complete confidentiality.]
[With the 'barrier' broken, we can dedicate ourselves to studying it in 'depth' without needing the potion…] Eleonora commented as a mischievous smile formed on her face, a sentiment soon shared by Sigrún and Seraphina, who nodded subtly while Erik felt a shiver run down his spine.
***
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