Behind the Wall, Lust Domain's Capital City, Paradise
October 8, 2025
Chirp—Chirp—
Eyelashes fluttered open, and a cute yawn made its way from plump pink lips.
Seraphine, who used to hate early mornings, had surprisingly woken up before dawn. This wasn't a one-time event but a new routine she'd adopted so that she could attend the first prayer of the day with her fellow sisters.
As Seraphine lazily stretched after getting up from bed, took her bath, and finally started putting on the church's vestments that she never seemed to get used to, she found her mind wandering to Ashen and the conversation she'd had with the Bishopess regarding him yesterday.
But there was no gloom on her face. She had spoken with complete sincerity when she declared that Ashen wouldn't die there.
Even if she stripped away the rose-tinted lens and saw him with absolute objectivity, her mind would not waver.
Because the first thing she would recall was his relentless dedication to getting stronger during the tutorial phase. The second would be the image of him slaughtering countless beasts, toying with a Gorefiend, and saving them from certain death when they'd been left in a dead-end.
Someone with that level of willpower, focus, and raw grit could never sink low enough to become just another statistic in the endless chain of soldier deaths.
But the moment she put her love filter back on, she would not even imagine the hypothetical scenario of his death, since she knew she'd go crazy before she even finished that thought.
So in reality, all the grief and worry she felt for Ashen wasn't even for his possible death… It was simply for his suffering and pain. Who would want their loved one to be under constant torment, after all?
Clap—
"May the Eternal bless us~" Seraphine's palms met as she did a short prayer for her and the one on the other side of her bond.
She focused on the Bond as she did so. This had become a ritual of sorts to her, a way to remind herself of his presence and find strength to keep going.
"Ah—?!"
But today, something felt different.
The Bond that had always transmitted sensations that only passed a certain threshold was somehow conveying something faint. She felt it when she focused hard enough…
Seraphine closed her eyes, trying to redirect all her focus to the connection. 'This feeling of tightness… as if it was a coiled spring… ready to pounce at a moment's notice…'
Seraphine finally opened her eyes. "It's his body's instinctual reactions… I'm actually able to read them through the bond now—!"
The murmur ended in a delighted squeal as Seraphine's mind figured out a certain use for this almost immediately.
'No… No… I can't, not now. Ash is most probably in a dangerous situation if his body is reacting that way…'
Seraphine shook her head and hurriedly finished her meal, leaving in a rush to avoid missing the dawn prayer.
⛧⛧
Throughout the day, Seraphine had constantly checked on the connection, trying to feel the changes.
Sometimes she sensed a heightened state, as if the body was overflowing with adrenaline. She felt like she had infinite energy, even though it was borrowed through the bond. Seraphine instantly knew that he was fighting or in some sort of combat.
Other times, she felt a constant pressure, not enough to suffocate, but surely enough to irritate and give her the urge to lash out. After a bit of thinking, she recognized it mostly as stress.
It was either those reactions or the one from earlier that Seraphine had identified as fear, after repeatedly feeling it. Which made her all the more curious about Ashen's situation.
She would never have guessed that he was having his first meeting with one of Esperra's finest and most loved "fantasy creatures," which were unfortunately as real as they could get in Seravelle. And the fear was coming from the dread of a stray shot hitting him or his surroundings and blowing him to bits on the spot.
But while Seraphine was entertaining herself with this new upgrade to her skill, having fun guessing the meaning behind Ashen's body's instinctive reactions, the sisters' faces kept getting weirder.
At first, it started with silly giggles that came out of nowhere, then with her almost tripping over her heels multiple times. She actually tripped once and crashed into one of the nuns, who caught her with a look of helplessness.
The sisters had to put a stop to her antics when she finally almost slammed into a pillar as she walked with her eyes closed.
"Enough! Sera, what's wrong with you today? Are you alright?" One of the older sisters finally caught her and sat her down.
"Ehe~? I'm actually totally fine today! No, I'm super fine~! How'd you know that something was up, though? Did I somehow give it away~? Hehe~" Seraphine acted almost like a drunkard, which prompted the older nun to escort her back to her room.
"Ah, what a handful. Where's the usual mature and dependable Seraphine…" The nun took her by the hand and led her. "Let me get you to your room. I hope a night of sleep will cure your silliness; otherwise, I'd find you plastered on a wall before long."
Seraphine felt a pang of guilt at the genuine concern etched on the older woman's face. The nun had been nothing but kind, and here she was, worried sick over her antics.
She squeezed the sister's hand gently. "I'm sorry for worrying you. I promise I'll rest and be better tomorrow."
The nun's expression softened at the sincerity, and she offered a fond smile before leaving Seraphine at her door.
Seraphine filtered the lingering warmth of that care but remained focused on the connection, still waiting for that feeling.
"Alright, sleep well, little airhead."
And just as she heard the departing nun's mention of sleeping, she finally felt it.
The stressful feeling she was sensing through the connection gave way to a relaxed and comfortable state… a state felt only in safety. And Seraphine wasn't one to waste a chance.
"Yes!" She suddenly yelled.
"What now?" The nun looked at her warily, mentally looking out for any pranks that the clumsy blonde would come out with.
"You're right, I'll go to sleep now! Goodnight, sister~" She playfully let a little of her tongue out.
And with that, she dashed off, heels clicking frantically on the marble floor until she reached her room.
She hastily entered and firmly closed the door behind her, then didn't waste time undressing and flopping on the bed.
⛧⛧
With her back on the mattress, she pulled her legs until her heels reached her thighs, then slowly slid her fingers down until they reached between her legs.
The cool sheets beneath her bare skin created a stark contrast against the heat rapidly building in her body like a physical anchor as her mind drifted further into sensation and anticipation.
"Ahn~"
One touch was all it took for her to unravel.
The slow motions on her clitoris hastily gave way to frantic movements as she chased the high that had eluded her for months.
"Hmm~ Yess~𖹭"
Yes, Seraphine's idea was to use the Bond's new sensory detail to gauge if Ashen was in danger or not, and get herself off in the latter case.
But despite her current state, her actions were driven by something else, and it was not her enjoyment; her own pleasure was just an afterthought.
What she thought about most throughout the day was how she could bring pleasure and joy to him.
Even if she were at an indefinite distance from him, the thought of giving him just a bit of pleasure, and the peace that came with it, to dispel even a tiny portion of the suffering he constantly endured, made her almost drunk with joy.
The fact that the pleasure came from her was a very welcome bonus.
Amid the moans and movements, Seraphine was able to notice in the back of her mind the unique feeling that came with embodiment, but she was too far gone to care.
"Oh God~! Yass~𖹭𖹭"
Her thighs tightened around her fingers, but she never stopped. Her knees drew toward each other as she pulled her legs back from the thrill.
Suddenly, her torso arced instinctively, drawing a curved line, and her legs lifted, toes curling as they rose onto their tips while her knees were still bent.
"Oh my~~ Ashennn~ ── .✦"
She finally felt her mind go white as she reached ecstasy while moaning her man's name. Her lips parted, puffing hot breath into the silence.
And in that suspended moment of euphoria, she finally remembered her other identity… an identity she had neglected until now, despite it being constantly plastered on her Status for her to see.
Acolyte of Ecstasy was the title of her current step.
Her purpose was to bring Ecstasy. And in that instant, she fulfilled it.
Through the Bond, her orgasm bled across the divide, carrying pleasure, relief, and joy toward Ashen's distant soul.
Perhaps it was nothing more than a flicker against the storm he faced, a single drop in an endless sea.
Yet even that small ripple mattered. She was, after all, merely an Acolyte, and every spark of bliss she could give was still a part of her embodiment.
❖⛧❖