Jemil woke up to something soft, warm, and very much wrapped around him.
It took a full five seconds to realize it wasn't a blanket.
It was Lyra.
The fire kitsune was pressed tightly against his side, her tails curled around them both like living coils of heated silk. One of her bare legs was draped over his thigh. Her head rested on his chest. And, disturbingly, she was purring.
Jemil opened one eye and muttered, "Still not a dream, huh?"
[Good morning, Host.]
[Eros Beast System Initial Tutorial Resumes…]
[Congratulations on surviving your first night of illicit taming.]
[Bond Level: 1 → Stable]
[Intimacy Points Earned: 2]
[Quest Progress: 1/5 cuddles achieved]
[Reminder: Physical contact increases Beast Affection and Skill Sync chance by 5%.]
[New Objective: Initiate Sensory Link with Beast Companion.]
Jemil groaned and tilted his head back. "Sensory link? That sounds suspiciously suggestive."
[It is.]
"Of course it is."
Lyra stirred and stretched, her claws lightly dragging along his shirt. "Mmm… you're loud in the morning."
"You're on top of me."
"You make a good pillow."
She opened one golden eye and looked up at him with a smirk. "Also, I dreamt you were licking my tails. That wasn't real, was it?"
Jemil made a face. "Definitely not. I think you were drooling on me though."
Lyra shrugged, clearly not embarrassed. "That's just affection leaking out."
He sat up and gently peeled her off, muttering, "My affection is leaking out too, and it's mostly in the form of panic."
As he stood and dusted off his tattered cloak, the system interface blinked open again.
[Would you like to engage Sensory Link now?]
[Y/N]
[WARNING: This will synchronize low-level emotional and physical feedback between you and Lyra.]
[Side effects may include flushed skin, accelerated heartbeat, spontaneous heat surges, and strong feelings of mutual embarrassment.]
"No," Jemil said immediately.
[Input registered as: Yes.]
"WHAT?!"
Lyra sat up, stretching. "You're really bad at saying no to me."
"I'm not trying to say yes!"
A wave of strange warmth rushed through his chest. His vision flickered—and then he felt something… not his.
A soft purr. A lingering sense of hunger. A pleasant tingling in his fingers. And somewhere deep inside… an overwhelming urge to touch.
Jemil backed away. "Nope. Nope. We're turning that off right now."
[Sensory Link successfully established. Link Level: 1]
[Shared Emotions: Low]
[Shared Sensation: Minimal]
[Upgrade available at Bond Level 3]
[Enjoy the experience, Host ♥]
The interface closed with a very unnecessary heart emoji.
Lyra stood up, completely unbothered by her barely-there outfit—just a scrap of cloth wrapped around her chest and hips, barely clinging on. "You're blushing."
"That's because I'm dying of shame."
"Cute," she purred.
Jemil took several steps back, only to trip on a root and fall flat on his back.
[System Alert: Clumsiness detected. You may want to upgrade your Agility stat.]
They continued their walk through the forest after Lyra helped him up (by grabbing him inappropriately and calling it "stabilizing his core"). The wilderness was surprisingly peaceful—for now.
"Where are we even going?" Jemil asked.
Lyra pointed north. "There's a tamer outpost two days that way. But if we go there, they'll probably try to capture me."
"Yeah, that's a no. What about any ruins, villages, or dungeons nearby?"
She tilted her head. "You're oddly enthusiastic about dangerous places."
"I have a system that levels me up through cuddling," Jemil deadpanned. "At this point, I'll take a cursed bathhouse if it gives me XP."
Lyra gave him a toothy smile. "There might be one."
He paused. "You're joking."
"Nope. Enchanted spring, old forest ruins, heavy residual mana. Monsters love it."
Jemil rubbed his temples. "Of course they do."
[New Quest Unlocked: Investigate the Moonroot Springs]
[Objective: Reach the ruined hot spring in the forest]
[Bonus Objective: Bathe with your beast partner]
[Reward: +1 Bond Level, +3 Intimacy Points, Random Passive Skill]
[Note: Clothing optional. Encouraged, but optional.]
"No," Jemil muttered at the quest window. "We're not doing this again."
[You are already en route.]
"…Of course I am."
The Moonroot Springs weren't far. They arrived by mid-afternoon, following the sound of bubbling water and the scent of flowers. Jemil ducked under a curtain of vines and stepped into a glowing grove. Steam rose from crystal-blue waters. Bioluminescent petals floated across the surface. The air felt… warm. Magical.
And sensual.
Very, very sensual.
Jemil looked around. "This is absolutely the kind of place where people die by seduction."
Lyra was already undressing.
"Wait—what are you doing?!"
She raised an eyebrow. "The quest says we need to bathe."
"You're not even hesitating?"
"I'm a kitsune. We bathe in hot springs to channel fire mana. This is perfectly natural."
"You're literally pulling off your top right now."
Lyra stepped into the water and moaned softly. "Mmm… warm. You coming?"
"Nope. I'll guard from here. Fully clothed. With a stick."
[Warning: If you do not participate, your beast's Bond Level may stagnate.]
Jemil looked up at the sky. "I hate this system."
[She's pouting, Host. She might sulk if left alone. Sulking reduces Affection by 3%.]
[Also, this spring grants passive stat boosts while bathing with a bonded beast.]
"I really, really hate this system."
[Would you like to remove your clothes automatically?]
[Y/N]
[Note: Auto-strip feature is still in beta testing.]
"NO!"
Ten minutes later, Jemil sat waist-deep in the water, bright red in the face, arms crossed tightly over his chest.
Lyra was lounging nearby, floating lazily with her eyes half-lidded. Her hair flowed like flames across the surface, and her tails sizzled when they touched the water.
"This isn't so bad, is it?" she asked.
"I've had worse baths," Jemil muttered. "Like the time you tackled me in a dungeon and the system tried to make it a date."
"You enjoyed that."
"I did not."
"You're enjoying this."
"…I plead the fifth."
She drifted closer and pressed against him. "You're warm."
"You're literally made of fire."
"Doesn't mean I don't enjoy it."
He felt the heat rise again—not from the water, but from the link. Their bond pulsed softly in his chest.
[Bond Level Increased: 1 → 2]
[New Passive Unlocked: Tactile Sync]
[Description: Light physical contact now passively restores mana for both partners.]
Lyra smirked. "See? You're learning."
"You're corrupting me."
"That's part of the charm."
As the sun began to dip behind the trees, Jemil and Lyra climbed out of the spring. Jemil dried off with his cloak while Lyra simply used a flick of her tails to steam-dry herself. Show-off.
They sat near a rock, watching the sky turn pink and orange.
"I don't get it," Jemil said. "Why me? Why did the system choose me?"
Lyra shrugged. "Maybe it liked your scent."
"That's not comforting."
She leaned her head on his shoulder. "You're not like the others. You treat us like people. Not weapons."
"I also screamed when you tried to kill me."
"Still counts."
He laughed, softly. "What happens now?"
[New System Message: Weekly Beast Sync Event Approaching]
[Prepare for increasing beast bond intensity. Warning: Physical, mental, and emotional interactions will become more intense over time.]
[Side effects may include possessiveness, emotional jealousy, and high flirtation levels.]
"…This is going to get weird, isn't it?" Jemil asked.
Lyra nuzzled closer. "You have no idea."
✅ CTA:
Jemil's now Level 2 in "Harem Panic." What happens when he meets his second beast girl in the next chapter?
🌿 Drop a comment and power stone if you're ready to meet the seductive dryad in Chapter 3: "Sylfa Appears: Tied Up in More Ways Than One!" 🌿