Walking back to camp took longer than it should have, Rem deliberately choosing a roundabout path through the white ash trees while trying to compose herself enough to face the others without immediately revealing what had just happened. Her hands trembled while checking her clothes for obvious evidence—her shirt was tucked in properly, pants sitting normally despite the soaked underwear beneath, hair-combed into something resembling order rather than the fucked-out mess Marcus had left it.
She could still feel him between her legs though, the phantom sensation of his fingers pressing through fabric in ways that had made her cum so hard her knees had literally given out. The wetness coating her inner thighs was uncomfortable, sticky, a constant reminder of how thoroughly he'd dominated her against that tree while whispering filthy things that made her want to die of embarrassment just remembering them.
The quest notification glowed cheerfully in her peripheral vision like Aria herself was personally mocking her humiliation:
[Objective 1: 1/3 Complete]
[Excellent start! Only two more orgasms to go~]
"Fuck my life," Rem muttered while approaching the distant firelight filtering through bone-white trunks. "Fuck Aria, fuck this system, fuck everything about this situation."
But even as she cursed, her body betrayed her with warmth pooling low in her belly and her chest at the memory of Marcus's voice—"Cum for me like a good girl."—combined with the knowledge that she'd obeyed without hesitation, had shattered for him with nothing but his fingers through her clothes.
Marcus was obviously not the same as she had written, had Aria changed him to be specifically like this? to torment her, fuck her brain out? well she was not going to let that happen, he had caught her in a desperate state but not further than this, she had her own dignity for gods sake.
The clearing came into view far too quickly, firelight illuminating three figures sitting around flames that had died down to glowing coals during her absence. Marcus looked up first when her footsteps crunched on ash, that smirk spreading across his features in ways that made her stomach flip with equal parts arousal and mortification. His eyes traveled over her deliberately, taking in the flushed face and obviously mussed appearance with satisfaction that suggested he was mentally replaying every moment of what he'd done to her. Fuck him
Kaisen glanced over next with concern evident in his expression, genuine worry coloring his voice when he spoke. "Everything okay? You were gone a while."
"Fine," Rem managed while avoiding eye contact with absolutely everyone. "Just needed air, wanted to scout the perimeter properly."
"Right." Marcus's quiet chuckle made her face burn hotter. "The perimeter. Very thorough of you."
Elise watched the entire interaction with amusement dancing in her eyes, taking in Rem's flustered state before her gaze slid to Marcus's smug expression. Recognition dawned visibly across her features—she'd put the pieces together in seconds, had figured out exactly what had happened between them in the forest. That small knowing smile spread across her lips in ways that made Rem want to disappear into the ash-covered ground.
"Find what you were looking for out there?" Elise asked with false innocence that fooled absolutely no one.
Rem's face went impossibly redder. "I'm going to sleep. Long day tomorrow."
She fled toward the wagon before anyone could comment further, hearing Marcus's low laugh following her retreat. The bastard was enjoying this far too much, he was clearly planning to torture her more in the future, over her dead body!.
Elise stood gracefully while Rem reached the wagon, moving to follow with that same amused expression firmly in place. "Me as well. We should rest before the next leg of the journey."
Behind them, Marcus settled in by the fire while Kaisen took up a watchful position facing the forest. At least he was oblivious to the situation.
The wagon's interior felt cramped with two people inside, canvas walls creating intimate space lit by the small lamp Elise had already ignited. The warm glow illuminated their makeshift bedrolls arranged side by side with barely inches separating them, closer quarters than Rem had anticipated when agreeing to share sleeping arrangements.
"Let me change first," Elise said while already pulling her traveling clothes off without apparent self-consciousness, revealing pale skin that seemed to glow in lamplight. She was beautiful in ways that made Rem's breath catch despite every reason she should look away—curves in all the right places, grace in every movement, and her boobs..... at least Rem beat her on that.
She turned her back quickly, focusing on her own bedroll while changing into another pair of simple sleep clothes, since her current ones were ruined by someone, obviously she was careful to quickly hide the wet panties in the inventory, it was fine..
Except everything felt awkward now, she was hyperaware of every sound Elise made behind her, every rustle of fabric suggesting exposed skin, every soft breath that seemed unnecessarily sensual. Rem gulped hard trying hard not to look like she was gauking.
"You move differently lately," Elise observed from behind, voice thoughtful rather than judgmental. "More graceful, like you're dancing even when you're just walking."
It was the seduction Basics skill affecting her movements without conscious thought, making every gesture unconsciously alluring in ways that attracted attention. "Just trying not to trip on ash constantly," Rem deflected while finishing changing.
She turned to find Elise already settled in her bedroll, propped up on one elbow while watching Rem with those sharp eyes that missed nothing. The noblewoman wore simple nightclothes similar to Rem's own, but somehow made them look elegant rather than plain through sheer force of presence.
Rem climbed into her own bedroll quickly, lying on her back while staring at the canvas ceiling mere feet above. The small lamp cast dancing shadows that made everything feel more intimate than it should, the close quarters forcing proximity that felt dangerous given her current state.
"So." Elise's voice broke the silence after several minutes. "Marcus followed you into the forest."
Rem's heart pound harder, she didn't respond, couldn't figure out what to say that wouldn't be either obvious lie or humiliating confession.
"I saw him leave maybe thirty seconds after you did," Elise continued conversationally, like discussing weather rather than whatever she suspected had occurred. "He came back looking quite satisfied with himself while you took significantly longer returning. Looking rather... disheveled."
"Nothing happened," Rem tried weakly.
Elise's laugh was soft, musical, completely unconvinced. "Liar." She rolled onto her side to face Rem directly, close enough now that Rem could feel body heat radiating between them. "I saw the way he looked at you when you came back. The way YOU looked—flushed, breathing hard, unable to meet anyone's eyes, it was as if i was looking at a mirror"
Heat flooded Rem's face while she continued staring at the ceiling, refusing to confirm what Elise had already figured out. Admitting it would make it real, force her to acknowledge that she'd let Marcus finger her against a tree.
"Did you enjoy it?" Elise's voice dropped lower, taking on sultry quality that made Rem's breath catch. "Did he touch you the way you needed?"
"I don't know what you mean...." Rem whispered while her body disagreed with trembling that made her ache in need.
"You're still flushed." Elise moved closer, barely inches separating them now in the cramped space. "I think your still aroused even after whatever he did to you out there. I can see your pulse racing, see how your thighs keep pressing together like you're trying to relieve an ache he didn't quite satisfy."
Rem's breathing grew ragged while Elise's observations painted too-accurate picture of her current state. she was ready again despite having just orgasmed, body primed for more stimulation through corruption she couldn't control.
"You're beautiful when you're desperate," Elise murmured while reaching out to trace fingers along Rem's flushed cheek. The touch was light, teasing, making Rem shiver despite the warmth inside the wagon. "All that carefully controlled composure cracking to reveal what you really want underneath, i respect that, im no different either you know"
"Elise—" Rem started, not sure if she was protesting or pleading.
"Shh." The noblewoman's hand cupped her face properly now, thumb brushing across Rem's bottom lip in gesture that felt far too intimate. "I'm not judging. I'm just... curious. About what makes you react like this."
Their faces were inches apart now, close enough that Rem could feel Elise's breath against her lips. The noble's eyes searched hers in lamplight, reading her response to the slow and soft touch, her quivering.
"I wonder," Elise whispered while her gaze dropped to Rem's mouth, "if you taste as sweet as you look right now."
Then she closed the distance, pressing her lips against Rem's in kiss that was soft, curious, but nothing aggressive or demanding about it. It was a testing of Rem's reaction, seeing if she'd pull away or lean into the contact.
Rem froze completely though, her brain short-circuiting while trying to process that Elise was kissing her, that this was happening after everything else tonight had already thrown her world into chaos. The noblewoman's lips were softer than Marcus's had been against her ear, they carried different energy entirely—but they were equally as good, if not better.
The kiss lasted maybe five seconds before Elise pulled back with a small satisfied smile, clearly having gotten whatever answer she'd been seeking. "Interesting," she murmured while releasing Rem's face and rolling over to face away, settling into her bedroll like nothing unusual had occurred. "Goodnight, Rem. Sweet dreams~"
Rem lay frozen in her bedroll, staring at canvas ceiling while her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might escape her chest. Elise had kissed her. Just... casually kissed her to see what would happen, then rolled over to sleep like it was no big deal.
But it WAS a big deal because Rem's body was responding in ways she didn't want to examine, arousal spiking despite having come less than an hour ago. Elise's unexpected kiss was too much stimulation for her, it was new, everything, and she just felt them amplify into desperate need.
She lay there for what felt like hours but was probably closer to twenty minutes, listening to Elise's breathing even out into sleep patterns while her own body refused to calm down. The ache between her legs that had been temporarily satisfied was back for vengeance, throbbing in time with her heartbeat while memories of both encounters replayed on endless loop.
Marcus's fingers through her pants, the way he'd called her "good girl" when she obeyed his command to cum. Elise's soft lips against hers, that knowing smile suggesting she'd enjoyed Rem's flustered reaction. Both of them affecting her in different ways that combined into overwhelming need she couldn't ignore.
"Fuck this...." Rem whispered while carefully extracting herself from the bedroll, moving as quietly as possible to avoid waking Elise. She grabbed her cloak for modesty over her body, needing to get outside where she could breathe without feeling trapped by memories that wouldn't stop overwhelming her.
The wagon's back opening parted silently under her careful handling, the cool night air hitting her flushed face like a blessing while she climbed out into darkness beyond the dying firelight. Marcus's bedroll showed an occupied form breathing evenly—actually asleep rather than keeping watch as planned. Kaisen sat alone by coals, his sword across his lap while he surveyed the forest for threats. why didn't the guy just keep it in her inventory? she didn't know.
He looked up when her boots crunched on ash, surprise evident in his expression at seeing her emerge from the wagon. "Couldn't sleep?"
Rem shook her head while moving to sit by the fire, pulling her cloak tighter around herself like armor against everything she was feeling. "Too warm in there."
Not entirely a lie—the wagon had felt stifling with Elise's proximity and the memories flooding through her mind making her body temperature spike uncomfortably. Out here in night air she could at least pretend to calm down, could focus on something other than the desperate ache that wouldn't stop demanding attention.
Kaisen gestured to spot beside him without comment, accepting her presence just like that. She sat maybe three feet away, close enough for conversation but maintaining distance that felt safer than proximity would be given her current state.
The fire had died down to just glowing coals that provided minimal heat, just enough light to see each other's faces without illuminating much beyond their immediate circle. Forest sounds surrounded them—wind through white trees, distant calls of nocturnal creatures, ash shifting when breeze picked up enough to disturb the ground cover.
Silence stretched comfortably at first, neither feeling a need to fill it with unnecessary words. Rem focused on her breathing, trying to calm the racing pulse and aches that refused to return to normal despite her best efforts. The quest objectives burned in her vision as constant reminder of what she still needed to accomplish:
[Objective 1: 1/3 Complete]
[Objective 2: Make someone aroused through proximity alone - NOT STARTED]
[Objective 3: Sleep within 5 feet of Kaisen - NOT STARTED]
Sitting beside him like this technically counted for Objective 3 if she stayed long enough, but the quest seemed to want long proximity rather than brief contact. She'd have to remain near him for extended period to satisfy that requirement.
"You've seemed different today," Kaisen finally said, his voice quiet to avoid waking the others. "Since dinner, since you went to check the perimeter earlier. Did something happen out there?"
Here we go with that question again. "Why does everyone keep asking that?"
"Because you came back looking..." he trailed off, searching for appropriate words. "Shaken. But not scared. Something else I can't quite identify."
"I'm fine," she insisted while knowing it sounded defensive.
"Okay." He accepted her deflection without pushing further, though doubt colored his tone. "Just... if something's wrong, you can tell me. We're supposed to watch each other's backs on this journey, i.... i dont want anything to happen to you."
The genuine concern in his voice made guilt twist in her stomach—he was worried about her wellbeing while she was sitting here desperately trying to suppress her lust, she still wanted more despite every rational reason, she should be satisfied. Rem didn't know how a woman's body works, how just one orgasm was nothing unlike a man's, she could cum much more times if she wished so.
Movement caught her attention as Kaisen shifted position to face her more directly, close enough now that she could feel his warmth radiating from his body despite the cooling night air. His hand settled on her shoulder in gesture clearly meant as comfort, an innocent touch between companions rather than anything sexual.
Except the moment his skin made contact through her shirt, that invisible warmth flooded the clearing in waves she recognized immediately with sinking dread.
His lust aura. The passive ability she'd written into his character activating because simple proximity to her was making him hard, it must be the seduction basics affecting him the same way it affected everyone else who spent time near her lately.
"Oh no," Rem breathed while her body responded instantly to the aura's influence, thighs pressing together with more agony as heat bloomed between her legs and her chest with devastating speed. "Not again..."
She'd just escaped this in the wagon, had fled Elise's knowing smiles and unexpected kiss specifically to avoid more stimulation her system couldn't handle. Now Kaisen's aura was pushing against her already-sensitive body, LST 15 amplifying the effect until every nerve ending felt like it was on fire.
[Objective 3: Sleep within 5 feet of Kaisen - PROGRESS STARTING]
[Current proximity: 2.5 feet]
[Maintain for extended period to complete]
The notification mocked her with that requirements she was accidentally fulfilling just by sitting here trying to calm down. Three feet away was well within the five-foot requirement, close enough that his aura affected her with full strength while her Seduction Basics worked on him in a way neither of them understood.
"Rem?" His voice held concern as he noticed her sudden tension, the way her breathing had gotten shallow and how her face flushed darker even in minimal firelight. "You okay? You're shaking."
"I'm fine..." she lied badly while her trembling increased. His hand was still on her shoulder, a touch that felt electric through the thin fabric of her shirt, making her hyperaware of every point of contact between them.
"You're not cold though." His brow furrowed in confusion as realization dawned. "You're—"
He cut himself off before finishing the thought, but understanding showed clearly in his expression as he put the pieces together. The flushed face, rapid breathing, trembling that had nothing to do with temperature—he recognized arousal when he saw it, she was similar to Elise when she was aroused.
"I should go back!!" Rem managed while starting to stand, she needed distance before this got worse.
"Wait." His hand tightened on her shoulder, not restraining but requesting she stay. "You don't have to run away. I'm not going to judge you for... whatever you're feeling right now."
The kindness in his voice was somehow worse than judgment would have been, it made guilt and desire war inside her chest while his abilities continued pushing against her defenses. She should leave, should retreat to the wagon before this escalated into something she couldn't control.
But the quest demanded it, it required her to stay within five feet of him, and she was not gonna do this again any time soon. Running away would reset her progress.
"Come here," Kaisen said gently while pulling her back down to sit beside him, arm sliding around her shoulders in gesture clearly meant as comfort. "You're freezing."
She definitely wasn't freezing—she was just so so horny—but she didn't correct him while letting herself be pulled against his side. He was warm, solid, smelling like leather and steel with something uniquely him that made her stomach flip with want she shouldn't feel.
"Your heart's racing," Kaisen murmured, his hand still resting on her shoulder where he could feel her pulse thundering beneath her skin that felt too hot despite the cooling night air. "What's wrong?"
Everything. Absolutely everything was wrong. Rem was sitting here desperately horny after being fingered by another man less than two hours ago, then being kissed by Elise maybe thirty minutes ago, now trapped beside Kaisen while he pushed against her already-overwhelmed senses and made her body scream for release she shouldn't need again so soon.
But she couldn't explain any of that, not without either sounding like a whore or a bitch in heat.... she did not want kaisen to think of her like that.
"I'm fine," she whispered while her body called her a liar with the trembling that intensified when he shifted closer.
His eyes searched her face in the dim firelight, taking in the flushed cheeks and rapid breathing, the way her pupils had dilated until almost no color remained visible. Recognition dawned slowly across his features—he was putting pieces together, figuring out exactly what state she was in even if he didn't understand why.
"You're not cold," he said quietly, voice dropping an octave that made her stomach clench. "You're turned on!"