The Silver Hearth quieted slowly after midnight.
The last dice clattered, chairs scraped, mugs emptied. One by one, the voices dwindled until only the occasional creak of wood or crackle of embers disturbed the silence.
I stayed in the corner of the common room long after I'd finished my drink, pretending to be occupied with the fire. But my real attention was on Alina.
She moved between tables with practiced efficiency, gathering mugs into a tray, wiping crumbs into her apron. The other serving girls had long since retired; her father was nowhere in sight. She worked alone, the last one awake, her brow furrowed as if the simple act of cleaning carried some hidden weight.
When she thought no one was looking, her eyes lingered on me. Only for a second, then she'd lower her gaze again, cheeks warming as she hurried past.
She wanted to speak, but didn't know how.
That was the opening.
I waited until she slipped behind the counter to stack mugs. Rising from my seat, I crossed the room and leaned lightly against the polished wood.
"You work too hard," I said.
She startled, nearly dropping a cup. "I didn't see you there."
"That's because you were staring at the mugs instead of watching your surroundings."
Her lips twitched, like she wanted to smile but wasn't sure if she was allowed. "You sound like my father."
"Don't insult me."
That earned me a soft laugh, the tension in her shoulders easing.
"You should be asleep," she said. "Travelers usually collapse after their first day here."
"I sleep better when I've got company."
The words hung there, deliberate. Her cheeks colored, and she glanced toward the stairs as though the wood itself might answer for her.
We stood in silence for a moment, the kind that hums with possibility. I didn't fill it. Let her decide how to break it.
When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter. "I could bring you tea. It helps me sleep sometimes."
"I'd rather have you."
Her breath caught, but she didn't run. She didn't laugh it off. She just looked at me, eyes wide, hands nervously twisting the hem of her apron.
[System note: Target arousal triggered. Influence 22%.]
She led the way up the stairs, steps light but hurried, as if afraid the silence below might betray her. At the landing, she hesitated only once — glancing down the hall toward her father's room — before guiding me toward mine instead.
When the door closed, the quiet was different. Denser.
Alina stood near the washstand, her hands clasped before her, gaze fixed on the floorboards.
"You've done this before, haven't you?" I asked gently.
Her head shook once. "No." A pause, then softer: "Never."
I stepped closer, slow enough for her to feel safe, deliberate enough for her to feel chosen. My fingers tilted her chin up. Her eyes were wide, shimmering with nerves, but she didn't pull away.
"You want this," I said.
She swallowed, throat working. "Yes."
My lips brushed hers first, soft and tentative, like testing the warmth of a flame. Alina froze for a heartbeat, her breath hitching, but then she leaned in, her mouth parting slightly as if inviting more. The kiss deepened slowly, her hesitation melting into a quiet hunger—her tongue shyly meeting mine, tasting of ale and sweetness. "Oh... Jin," she whispered against my lips, her voice trembling as my hands slid down her sides, tracing the curve of her waist over the fabric of her dress. I activated Desire Touch gently, a subtle pulse of warmth flowing from my fingertips, making her shiver violently. "Ahh... what... what is that? It feels... so good," she gasped, her body arching into my touch, breathless and flushed. Her admissions came in whispers: "I've dreamed of this... but it feels better... hotter than I imagined." Piece by piece, her apron slipped away first, then I tugged at the laces of her bodice, exposing the swell of her breasts inch by inch. She helped with shaky hands, pulling my shirt over my head, her fingers lingering on my chest as the rest of our clothes pooled at our feet, leaving us bare and vulnerable in the dim light.
She clung to me like she'd been waiting her whole life for this moment.
Her voice trembled as she whispered against my lips, "Don't be rough… just… don't let go."
I guided her to the bed with care, laying her down gently as my hands explored her newly exposed skin. "Shh, relax, Alina. I'll take it slow," I murmured, my lips trailing kisses down her neck while my fingers teased the soft mounds of her breasts, pinching her nipples lightly until they hardened under my touch. She whimpered, "Ahh... Jin, that... that tickles, but... don't stop," her body squirming beneath me as I moved lower, my mouth capturing one nipple, sucking and flicking with my tongue. "Mmmph! Oh gods, yes... it feels so warm... so wet," she moaned, her hands threading through my hair, pulling me closer. I spread her thighs gently, my fingers dipping between her legs to find her already slick folds. "You're soaking for me already," I teased, circling her clit with deliberate slowness. Her hips bucked involuntarily. "Jin! Ahh... right there... it's too much, I-I can't... oooh!" she cried out, her voice breaking into obscene, needy whimpers as I slid one finger inside her tightness, pumping gently while my thumb rubbed her swollen nub. "Feels... so full... please, more," she begged, her face contorted in overwhelmed pleasure, tears of sensation prickling her eyes. I added a second finger, stretching her carefully, whispering encouragements: "Good girl, just like that. Let it build." Her moans grew louder, unrestrained—"Yes! Harder... ahh, Jin, I'm... I'm going to—" until she shattered, her pussy clenching around my fingers in waves, a gush of wetness coating my hand as she screamed, "Ooooh fuck! Yes, yes, ahhhh!"
Her moans were soft at first, uncertain, like she didn't know if she was allowed to make them. But when I murmured, "That's it, let me hear you," they came freer, sweeter, like a melody hidden under years of restraint.
Her hands fumbled against my chest, then gripped harder, pulling me closer as her body grew more eager.
I positioned myself between her legs, my hard cock throbbing against her entrance. "This might hurt at first, but I'll go slow. Tell me if it's too much," I said, rubbing the tip along her slick lips to tease her more. She nodded, biting her lip. "I want it... I want you inside me, Jin. Please." I pushed in gradually, her virgin tightness gripping me like a vice, eliciting a sharp gasp from her: "Ahh! It... it burns... so big..." Pain flashed across her face, but as I paused, kissing her deeply and stroking her clit to distract, it gave way to pleasure. "Mmm... keep going... oh gods, deeper," she moaned, her nails digging into my back. I thrust slowly at first, building a rhythm, her walls fluttering around me. "Fuck, you're so tight... so perfect," I groaned, and she responded with desperate cries: "Jin! Yes, harder... ahh, it feels amazing now... fill me up!" Her hips rose to meet mine, the initial discomfort forgotten in the flood of ecstasy. We moved together, sweat-slicked and frantic, her moans escalating—"Oooh! Right there... I'm cumming again... ahhhh, yes, fuck me!"—until I felt her clench hard, milking my cock as she orgasmed, her body shaking violently. I didn't stop, flipping her onto her hands and knees for a second round, pounding deeper from behind. "Like this? You love it, don't you?" I growled, slapping her ass lightly. "Yes! Spank me... harder... ahh, Jin, I'm yours... oooh god, cumming!" she wailed, surrendering completely, her pussy squirting as waves of pleasure crashed over her. Emotionally, she whispered between thrusts, "I never knew... it could feel like this... like I'm whole," tears mixing with her bliss. Finally, I pulled out and came on her back, both of us collapsing in exhausted, satisfied heaps.
Afterward, she rested against me, her head tucked into the crook of my neck. Her body still trembled faintly, but her breathing slowed, steadying as the adrenaline faded.
I stroked her hair, the strands soft against my fingers. "You did well."
Her laugh was muffled, embarrassed. "That sounds like you're praising a child."
"No. Like I'm praising someone who gave me everything."
That silenced her. She pressed her face deeper against my shoulder, and I felt the heat of her blush through my shirt.
The system's voice whispered through the quiet.
[Bond complete. Target loyalty: 100%.]
[Desire Points earned: +25. Cumulative total: 121.]
[System upgrade: Passive Attraction Radius II unlocked. Effect radius increased; emotional resonance lingers longer after interaction.]
She shifted, lifting her head just enough to meet my eyes. "Will you still be here tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"And the day after?"
"For as long as I need to be."
Her smile was small, almost fragile, but real. "Then… goodnight."
She slipped out of my bed with quiet steps, gathering her apron, her hair mussed and cheeks flushed. At the door, she hesitated, looked back once, then vanished into the hall.
I lay back in the quiet, the system's words echoing. Three bonds secured. A passive that made the air itself lean in my favor.
The capital was larger, harsher, and hungrier than the first town. But I wasn't arriving as a nobody anymore.
The city didn't know it yet.
But I was already building my foundation.