"GOT IT!"
Lyra's excited scream shook the quiet of the study room like a sudden gust of wind through still leaves.
"What!" Mikael nearly dropped his pencil, head snapping up. "Can you scream a bit louder? I think there's still one elder in the Sect who didn't hear you."
Lyra froze, blinking once before awkwardly rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry... I just got too excited."
But the apology barely lasted a second. Her eyes lit up again with the same wild spark from earlier. "Anyway, listen—this is big. I think I've got an idea that could serve as the core of the project!"
"Oh? Mikael leaned in. "Do say."
"For a while now, we've been stuck trying to figure out when to fuse the energies," she began, eyes sparkling. "We've been thinking too linearly. But what if… what if we do it during the Core Formation process?"
"The moment of Core Formation…" he murmured, gaze turning distant as he turned the thought over. "Core Formation... Yes, that could work!"
He looked up sharply, excitement flashing in his eyes. "It could act as the bridge we were missing! That precise moment might create the necessary catalyst to allow the different energies to fuse together nearly naturally."
He shook his head slowly, a faint laugh escaping him. "It's brilliant. It looks so obvious now, but damn… it really is brilliant." His eyes lingered on her with quiet admiration.
Lyra beamed, warmth blooming in her chest. 'Who wouldn't love being admired by the one they love?'
"Let me draft a rough outline of how it might work" she said quickly, not even waiting for his reply before snatching a blank sheet of paper and starting to scribble.
A few minutes later, she turned the page toward him. It was now filled with rough sketches and hastily written notes. At the center, a diagram of a forming core stood out.
"Look here," she said, pointing at it. "I wrote a rough guideline that explains how the fusion could take place during Core Formation."
Mikael studied the page in silence, taking in the structure and flow of her theory. Then he gave a small nod.
"It could work," he said. "The only issue is that we'd get just one chance."
He tapped the core diagram.
"When one of us breaks through the Core Formation Realm, that moment becomes our only window. If we use the formation of the core as a catalyst, we can synchronize and fuse our energies. But if we fail…"
"All our efforts would've been for nothing."
Lyra's expression dimmed. Some of her excitement drained away.
"You're right… I didn't think of that. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all…"
"No, no," Mikael interrupted quickly. "It's still a good idea—even with that flaw. Before this, we didn't even have a clear path forward. Now we do. We just need to refine it, polish the details until it's safe enough to attempt and succeed on the first time."
At his words, Lyra's expression brightened again. Some of her earlier excitement returned, and with it, the focused spark that had fueled their long nights of research.
The two of them dove back into their work with renewed determination.
Seeing concrete results unfold before their eyes was deeply satisfying—especially considering that aside from this breakthrough, the last month had yielded only minimal progress. Most of their attempts had either stalled or ended in inconclusive dead-ends.
After a few more hours of concentrated research, Lyra finally stood up and stretched.
Then, almost shyly, she looked over at him. "Would you mind coming with me outside for a bit? I'd like to work on… you know, my social anxiety again."
Mikael nodded without hesitation. Just like all the other times over the past month, he accepted without question.
He had only learned recently about what she'd been dealing with since they arrived in the Akashic Records Universe. And when he thought back to how long it had gone unnoticed by him… he couldn't help feeling a little angry at himself.
'How could I not have noticed something like that?'
But blaming himself was pointless. She had chosen to confide in him a month ago, and that was what mattered. Regret wouldn't help—only action.
And Mikael had made up his mind—to support her as best he could through whatever it took.
So, they went on a relatively long outing. A half-disguised 'date,' in a sense—while also helping Lyra work through her anxiety little by little.
***
By the time they returned to the cluttered study room, the atmosphere had changed.
More focused. More intimate. And thick with quiet, unspoken promises.
Lyra stepped inside first, her hand instinctively tugging at the hem of her sleeve as she glanced around. The soft lighting, the disarrayed desks and scattered notes—it all felt familiar. But different now. Warmer. Charged.
She hesitated a second too long in the center of the room, her gaze dropping before quietly lifting to meet his.
"We should… probably get back to it soon," she said, though her tone lacked any real push.
Mikael didn't reply right away. He closed the door behind them, walked up, and stopped just in front of her. His presence was steady, as always—calm but impossible to ignore.
Lyra's fingers fidgeted at her side, then stilled as his hand gently caught hers.
"We're not in a rush," he said softly.
She bit her lip lightly, and her shoulders relaxed with a small exhale. "No… not really."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. Just quiet. Close. Her hand stayed in his, and her gaze lingered, flicking once to his lips before returning to his eyes. There was a faint blush on her cheeks, but she didn't look away.
"I've missed this," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.
Mikael's thumb traced the back of her hand. "Then stay like this a little longer."
She nodded, eyes steady. It was a small gesture, but it carried weight.
He stepped closer, slowly lifting his free hand to brush a lock of her hair aside. His fingers paused against her cheek, and her breath hitched ever so slightly—but she didn't pull away.
Her voice trembled faintly. "It's been a while, hasn't it…"
"Too long," he murmured.
And then he leaned in—slowly, deliberately—his lips pressing against hers in a kiss that was firm yet tender, deepening with each heartbeat. She answered instinctively, a soft, breathy moan escaping her lips as she leaned into him, her hands rising to press gently against his chest, fingers curling into the fabric.
The world fell away.
No more hesitation. No more interruptions. Just the two of them—caught in a moment too real to be ignored.
Their lips parted, barely. A breath's width of space remained as they hovered there, eyes locked. The look they exchanged said everything—desire, warmth, and a simmering hunger that needed no words.
Their mouths met again—this time slower, deeper, more desperate. A kiss that devoured, that lingered.
"Mmh…"
Mikael's teeth grazed her lower lip before giving it a soft, teasing bite. Her lips parted in surprise, a shiver running down her spine.
He didn't hesitate.
His tongue slipped in, assertive and skilled, exploring her mouth and claiming it with slow, relentless dominance. She faltered at first, overwhelmed, but then something flared inside her.
'I'm not the same naive and inexperienced girl I once was,' she thought, her resolve igniting.
Her tongue pushed back—tentative at first, then more confident—as if daring his to retreat. But Mikael didn't yield. Their kiss turned into a slow, heated battle, one that neither of them was eager to win.
As their lips clashed again and again, his hands roamed—fingertips tracing the outline of her waist, her back, her hips—every touch purposeful, every movement intensifying the pull between them. She was too caught up in him to notice the slow retreat of her steps. One after another, until—
"Thud."
Her back met the edge of the desk.
Mikael didn't stop. He kissed her again, deep and unhurried, then gently broke away just enough to meet her gaze—his breath brushing her lips, his hands resting firmly on her waist.
With a faint pressure, he guided her backward.
Her breath caught as he leaned in, towering over her, his presence overwhelming yet grounding all at once. Lyra felt her knees bend instinctively, balance slipping away.
With a subtle flick of his fingers, a wave of magic passed over the surface of the desk—papers, scrolls, and odd tools shimmered briefly before vanishing into his storage ring, leaving nothing but space for what was to come.
Then, with deliberate slowness, he pushed her back.
Her hips slid onto the cleared surface, her thighs parting slightly to make room for him. Mikael stepped in between them, both hands now on her bare thighs as he leaned forward—close enough for her breath to hitch from the heat rolling off his skin.
Their mouths met again, harder this time—less teasing, more hunger. His tongue claimed her once more, while his hands moved with intent, gliding up her legs, under the hem of her robes.
Lyra moaned softly, her hands moving instinctively to tug at his clothes, pulling him closer, needing more. There was no hesitation in her now—no doubt, no holding back. Only the need, the heat, and the man standing between her legs, setting her alight with every kiss, every touch.
Under Mikael experienced hands it didn't take long before Lyra taoist robes fell to the ground, exposing her lithe and sexy body only protected with purple underwear.
Normally Lyra would have felt shy to be exposed before her beloved but the throes of passion already ensnared her, coupled with the fact that it's been a while since she had been with her beloved she didn't mind her current clothing state.
Her delicate hands wandered over his firm chest as she disrobed him. The upper half of his Taoist robes, though still loosely connected as a single piece, slipped down from his shoulders, baring his torso to her gaze.
"Gulp"
Lyra gulped as her eyes stayed fixed on Mikael's chest that was even more defined and toned than usual. The benefits of the Ninefold Physique Method already showing in unexpected ways…
Seizing the moment where Lyra was fully mesmerized by the sight before her. He slid one of his hand from her thin waist to her buttocks and squeezed the appetizing heavenly peach.
"Ahm!"
A small moan escaped Lyra's mouth as she felt Mikael's strong hand possessively holding her. The next moment she felt an electric shock pass through her as Mikael's right hand which was on her meaty thigh slowly began to rise.
Mikael took his time to enjoy the soft but firm sensation of her ass as his right hand slowly caressed her thigh while making his way toward her flower garden.
Author Note:
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