The girls led me upstairs.
The tavern inn was quieter above, the only sound the creak of old wood and the fire's distant crackle below. Their hands were already on me—tugging at the edges of my coat, brushing against bare skin. The redhead's fingers slipped beneath the hem of my shirt.
"You're burning up," she whispered.
"Been fighting all night," I murmured, voice rough. "Need to unwind."
The blonde giggled and pulled me into the room. It wasn't lavish—just a single bed, soft linens, and a full moon spilling pale light through the window. But right now, it felt more like a temple. A wicked, holy place.
I dropped my blade and shrugged off my blood-streaked coat. The moment it hit the floor, their hands returned—eager, hungry, curious.
[System Alert: Lust Bond Initiated.]
[Trio Sync: Stable. Passive Boost: Stamina Regeneration, Minor Wound Recovery.]
[Warning: You are now being observed.]
Wait, what?
I froze for half a second.
[Observation Source: Magical Thread. Weak enchantment. Scouting spell from unknown mage. Threat Level: Low.]
Of course. Nothing stays private for long in this world.
But tonight? I didn't care.
"Let them watch," I whispered.
The blonde gasped as I grabbed her waist and pulled her close. Our lips met—warm, full, and teasing. Her breath hitched when I bit gently into her lower lip.
The redhead's mouth found my neck, tongue tracing my pulse. I could feel the heat of her against my back, her fingers grazing the wound on my side.
"You're hurt," she whispered.
"Not enough to stop."
She moaned as I turned, pressing her back against the wooden wall. My mouth met hers, devouring every sound she made. Her hands roamed my chest, dragging nails lightly across my skin as the other two undressed me with practiced grace.
Clothes dropped like petals.
Shirt.
Pants.
Everything gone.
And then it was just skin on skin—soft, heated, tangled.
The brunette climbed onto the bed, eyes wide with wonder as she watched me take control. Her breath caught when I knelt beside her and kissed up her thigh, slow and torturous, until she whimpered and begged.
The redhead pulled my hand between her legs, already soaked, grinding into my touch. She gasped, arching as I worked her with my fingers—slow, firm, relentless.
The blonde wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me back to her lips. "I've never—"
"Then I'll make sure you never forget," I growled, voice low and rough with heat.
[Bond Sync: Strengthening. Passive Buff: +2 Charisma, +1 Agility.]
The System hummed in the back of my mind as their pleasure built—pulsing, electric, feeding me energy.
One after another, they fell apart in my arms—moaning, writhing, clawing.
But I didn't stop.
I took my time.
I marked them—one kiss at a time.
Their legs tangled with mine.
Their fingers gripped my hair.
Their voices rose in harmony as we moved together, rhythm synced by something older than instinct.
And when I finally spilled into the redhead, her name lost in a groan against her shoulder, the entire room trembled with aftershock.
[Bond Complete. Stat Boost Applied.]
[You have gained: +1 Strength, +3 Endurance, +1 Luck.]
[Recovery: 85%.]
I collapsed back onto the mattress, muscles trembling from the aftermath.
The brunette curled beside me, panting softly.
The redhead draped an arm across my chest, her hair wild and damp with sweat.
The blonde sighed, snuggling against my other side. "You're not normal, are you?"
I smirked. "Not even close."
Later That Night
They slept.
I didn't.
I sat at the window, a blanket wrapped loosely around my hips, staring out at the forest bathed in moonlight.
The power was real.
The world responded to everything I did.
And now?
I was no longer just surviving.
I was becoming.
[Next Objective: Return to Palace. Combat Trial in 5 days.]
[Optional Task: Investigate Magical Thread Origin. Unknown mage interest: Potential enemy or ally.]
I stood and reached for my coat, now repaired through passive regeneration. My wound was nothing more than a faint scar.
I looked back once.
At the three women tangled in my bed, breathing softly, worn out and marked by me.
"System," I said softly, "This world doesn't know who I am yet."
[Correction: They will.]
Back at the palace…
The scream echoed down the marble corridors.
"What do you mean he's missing?!"
Queen Ayame's heels clicked sharply as she stormed down the west wing, her white robe trailing behind her like a queen of frost and wrath. Her guards flanked her, silent and tense.
Inside the strategy chamber, Lord Veylor bowed his head. "Your Majesty… the prince is not in his chamber. No one saw him leave.
She turned slowly, her voice cold. "And you're telling me this now?"
"We didn't want to cause panic," another advisor stammered. "He's never left the grounds before. We assumed—"
"You assumed my son, the Crown Prince, could just wander into the wilderness like a damn peasant?!"
The room went silent.
Queen Ilyana stared at the flickering tracking crystal on the table. Raiden's aura was weak—almost flickering out.
"He's going to disgrace this entire family," she muttered. "The royal trial is in days, and instead of training, he's probably lying in a ditch somewhere."
"My Queen, shall I inform the Emperor?" Veylor asked carefully.
Her eyes snapped to him. "No. Not yet. We can't show weakness. We find him, quietly. Discreetly. If word gets out he fled the palace in the middle of the night, the nobles will have his head—and mine."
She took a breath, steadying herself.
Then her voice hardened.
"Deploy the Shadow Division. If he's dead, bring back the body. If he's alive… drag him home."
Meanwhile…
Raiden stepped outside the inn, shirt undone, neck marked, eyes gleaming.
The morning air hit him like a slap—brisk and filled with purpose.
The System buzzed again.
[Alert: Royal Tracking Spell Activated. Tracers deployed.]
He tensed.
"What?"
[Your disappearance has been noticed. You have limited time.]
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Well. About time they realized I'm gone."