The morning sun bled golden light through the sheer silken curtains of the inn, washing the room in a soft, warm glow. It was peaceful, quiet, deceptively serene—until Vaelion stirred.
Warm.
Too warm.
His eyes cracked open to find golden strands of hair spilling over his chest. Something soft pressed against his side. No—both sides.
"...Huh?"
He blinked. Once. Twice.
To his right, Mai lay gracefully, Flowing golden-blonde hair with a soft purple gradient at the tips cascading like moonlight over the pillow. Her breathing was gentle, lips slightly parted in a serene expression. On his left, Lunaria clung to his arm, her head resting on his shoulder, a faint blush on her cheeks even in sleep.
And atop him, straddling his waist, was Kurumi.
"Morning, darling~"
Vaelion nearly jumped out of his skin.
"K-Kurumi?! What are you—How did you all—?!"
Kurumi giggled, crimson eyes glowing with playful delight. She was dressed in her usual black gothic attire, trimmed with gold, with a crimson ribbon tied at her waist—though the effect was far more dangerous in this proximity.
"Relax. You passed out during resonance training. We were just making sure your soul thread didn't collapse. The proximity helps with stabilization~"
"I don't remember agreeing to sleep together like this!"
Mai stirred beside him. "You were unconscious. Your divine threads were fluctuating. Kurumi said it would help to link with your core via close contact."
"And I was right," Kurumi chimed in. "Your Spell Gift held steady for six hours. And I got a nice pillow out of it."
Vaelion buried his face in his hands. "This feels like I'm a harem king. "
"That's because it is," Kurumi whispered into his ear. "But now that you're awake... let's talk Resonance Exercises."
He looked up, puzzled. "Resonance what?"
Kurumi leaned back, sitting gracefully on his lap. "A method of enhancing your Divine Gifts by linking them to emotional, physical, and spiritual stimuli. Lucius and I discovered it centuries ago."
"Lucius... your husband, right?"
"Mmhm. Resonance through trust, affection... sometimes even kisses." Her smile turned wicked. "Especially kisses."
Mai sat up slowly. "Kurumi. Are you suggesting we do that kind of resonance?"
Kurumi gave a theatrical sigh. "Mai, you make it sound scandalous. It's just a kiss. For power. For synchronization."
Lunaria blinked, then glanced at Vaelion. "...I've never kissed anyone before."
He turned beet red. "M-Me neither!"
Kurumi laughed. "Then I guess I'll go first. For science."
Before he could protest, she leaned down, her lips hovering just over his.
"Ready to unlock a new layer of power, hero boy?"
And then she kissed him.
It was warm, soft—not aggressive, not rushed. But it was filled with something deep. Connection. Affection. A divine link forged through emotion.
A pulse erupted from his core. Vaelion's body arched slightly as energy surged through him, burning with light.
Kurumi broke the kiss with a smile. "Well? Feel the difference?"
Vaelion was still glowing. "...That was insane."
Mai tilted her head. "Then... I should go next. For balance."
Kurumi stretched with a satisfied hum. "Be my guest."
Vaelion stared at the ceiling, his heart racing. "I can barely keep up with one of you..."
Lunaria crawled up beside him, face inches from his. "Then you'd better get used to three. We're not letting you burn out alone."
Kurumi winked. "Welcome to the real Divine world , Darling ."
As their fingers intertwined and power threads connected, Vaelion knew one thing for certain:
This was no longer just about survival.
It was about evolving. Together.
To Be Continued...