---
Inside the house was… cozier than I expected. Mismatched furniture, a half-eaten sandwich on the table, and maps on the walls. A curtain divided the main space from what I assumed was a bedroom.
She dropped her satchel and flopped onto the couch.
"Alright, mystery man," she said. "Talk."
I sat down across from her, still unsure how much to reveal. "Name's Jin. I woke up in this world yesterday."
She gave a short laugh. "That explains the lost puppy look."
"There was a… goddess. A curse. I think I'm stuck here."
She arched a brow, then shook her head with a snort. "Seriously? You expect me to buy that?"
"It's the truth."
"Sure it is. And I'm a royal heir in disguise," she said dryly, tipping her mug back. "Listen, I've heard every kind of sob story from mercs and smugglers. But divine curses and goddesses? That's bedtime story nonsense."
I blinked. "I'm not lying."
She narrowed her eyes, scanning my face for signs of a joke. "You're serious?"
I nodded.
She leaned back, arms crossing. "Well, either you hit your head real hard… or you're the world's worst con artist."
"There was a bright light. A hotel room. Then this world."
She rolled her eyes. "Right. And I suppose you got magical powers too?"
I stiffened.
She didn't notice—or pretended not to. "Let me guess. Some chosen one nonsense? Yeah, I don't do fairy tales, Jin. That's how you end up in graves."
"…You don't believe in goddesses?"
"I believe in steel, coin, and people lying to your face." She gestured around the tavern. "This is Lysereth. Everyone's got a tale. Yours just happens to be shinier than most."
Despite the sarcasm, there was a glimmer of interest in her eyes. Like she was waiting to see if I'd crack. Or prove her wrong.
I didn't.
She studied me again, this time quieter. "You don't smell like a Gateborn."
"…What do they smell like?"
"Desperation and destiny."
She snorted, then stood and stretched.
I looked away too late.
That stretch pulled her top just high enough to expose smooth skin above her waistband—and the twin hilts of her daggers.
"You really are new," she said, walking toward the curtain. "This world's going to chew you up."
"I've been chewed already," I muttered. "Cursed, thrown, groped—"
"You groped me, remember?"
"You landed on me!"
She pulled the curtain aside and glanced over her shoulder. "You still thinking about that?"
I didn't answer.
She stepped behind the curtain.
And her top hit the floor.
My breath caught.
I wasn't sure if she meant for me to see—but she didn't close the curtain.
Moments later, she stepped back out in just a thin slip of nightwear that clung to her like a second skin.
And now she was definitely looking at me.
No more teasing.
Just something slow, dangerous, and hungry in her eyes.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice suddenly hoarse.
She walked to me, hips swaying, her knees brushing mine as she straddled my lap.
"I like you," she whispered, her fingers resting on my shoulders. "You're weird. And kind of hot when you look lost and confused."
"I didn't come here for—"
Her lips brushed mine. "You followed me. Through alleys. Into my den."
I swallowed.
"And now," she said, leaning closer, "you're going to act like you don't want this?"
"I…"
She didn't wait.
Her mouth captured mine—soft and demanding. Her body pressed down, and I stopped thinking.
The kiss deepened, her fingers sliding into my hair, her thighs tightening around my hips. My hands found her waist. Then her back.
Then her skin.
[System Notification – Intimacy Level: 18%]
[Ability Fragment Identified – Pending Sync Completion]
The text glowed behind my eyes, but I ignored it.
Because she moaned softly into my mouth, her hands tugging my shirt up.
Clothes vanished.
Breath quickened.
Bodies tangled.
And by the time she finally whispered something against my neck, I knew there was no turning back.
---
[Intimacy Level: 41%]
[Ability Unlocked – Shadow Veil I: Environmental Awareness Enhanced in Darkness]
[Bond Type: Chaotic – Semi-Stable]
---
She lay curled beside me later, the room dim but warm. I stared at the ceiling, the system text lingering like an afterimage.
I didn't know if this was part of the curse or something real.
But one thing was clear:
I wasn't in control.
Not of the system.
Not of this world.
And definitely not of the girls it kept throwing at me.
She shifted in her sleep, her leg tangling with mine.
I sighed.
"Day three," I muttered. "And I've already lost the plot."
---
She shifted again, mumbling something incoherent, her hand resting on my chest now.
I glanced at her—soft expression, loose strands of hair brushing her cheek.
"…Hey," I whispered, brushing the hair aside gently. "You never told me your name."
Her eyes cracked open, just a sliver. "Didn't I?"
"You told me I was lucky. That's about it."
A sleepy grin tugged at her lips. "Ravyn."
I smiled faintly. "Figures."
She closed her eyes again. "Don't fall in love."
"No promises."
A beat of silence passed.
Then—
📣 SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
🔓 [Passive Trait Unlocked – Reflex Boost I]
🌀 [Synchronized: Reflex Boost I + Speed Boost I]
✅ Status: Permanently Accessible
🧠 Your body now reacts as fast as your thoughts.
My eyes widened.
"Okay… now we're getting somewhere."
For once, the system wasn't dragging me forward.
I was finally running beside it.
---