The bucket of warm water that sat nearby with steam curling into the air was going to be wasted if left like that, so before putting on his clothes, Keane had stripped fully, rinsing himself with it.
'This body's a weapon,' he thought, noting his sculpted muscles and… other enhancements. 'No wonder she couldn't resist.' He thought to himself with a smirk.
That aside, thinking of all the possibilities of how he could get more EXP to level up, Keane was pleased. He wasn't sure of quests yet, but if that was also a function that was accessible, it would be more than great!
Keane's grin widened especially at the thought of gaining EXP through sexual encounters. Such an unexpected but delightful discovery, a system that rewarded carnal pleasure with power. His mind raced with possibilities as he dressed himself, the cool night air barely prickling his skin.
"This world keeps getting better," he muttered, fastening his trousers.
Across the camp, Elara watched Sylvi's return. The girl's usually composed face held an almost unnoticeable flush that told Elara everything she needed to know… though it was hard to say if she deduced it from that, as there was barely enough lighting. She sipped from her cup thoughtfully, calculating this new development with the precision of a merchant weighing gold.
"Did our silent friend enjoy her errand?" Elara asked as Sylvi passed by, her voice deliberately light.
Sylvi's gray eyes flickered momentarily before resuming their customary detachment. She nodded once, a barely perceptible movement, and then continued toward her bedroll without further acknowledgment.
Watching her reaction, Elara smiled into her cup, leaving Sylvi to herself. Sylvi's sudden interest in their mysterious savior was unexpected but potentially useful. Attachments created vulnerabilities, and vulnerabilities could be exploited. Not that she intended any harm to either, though.
After Keane was done dressing, he joined the others for food, accepting a bowl of soup as his presence brought a sense of ease.
The stew was bland, but filling after he ate the whole plate. Finding himself to still be hungry, he didn't try to be modest when he was dished an extra plate.
Following the meal, they all discussed light topics before going to sleep with plans of departing early.
The next morning, the caravan rolled out at dawn, the forest giving way to rolling hills. Elara beckoned Keane to her wagon as he had been riding with the others, her golden hair catching the sunrise, her robe hugging her juicy bosom.
'Still a magnet,' Keane thought, as something stirred within him, perhaps an effect of the unfinished business with Sylvi.
Inside Elara's wagon, Mara arranged a cushion for Keane to seat, while Sylvi sat perfectly still, her gray eyes locked onto Keane, not even avoiding his gaze, unashamed, yet distant… The previous night's encounter lingered between them like an invisible thread, invisible to all but them, but their interaction remained as it was when they first met.
"I trust you slept well?" Elara asked, her voice honeyed with courteous interest as she studied Keane's face for any hint of fatigue.
"Better than expected," Keane replied, his voice carrying just enough suggestion to make Sylvi's fingers tighten imperceptibly around the fabric of her robe, though it seemed no one noticed.
Even though it seemed that way, Elara caught the subtle reaction, filing it away in her mental ledger of useful observations. The dynamic between Keane and her silent companion was evolving rapidly, more than she had anticipated.
Such attachments could be useful or dangerous, depending on how they were managed. In the end it was a good card.
"We should reach Valewind by nightfall," Elara continued, gesturing toward the horizon where distant spires could just barely be seen. "The city gates close at sunset, but they'll make an exception for merchants of my standing." She said.
Her tone carried the subtle arrogance of someone accustomed to preferential treatment, though she delivered it with practiced diplomacy. Keane noted the confidence in her voice, as it didn't sound like mere boasting but the certainty of someone who had cultivated real influence.
'Is she trying to lay out her standing… perhaps authority?' Keane thought to himself. This was something one would lay as ground work with intention of attracting a subordinate or something similar. 'Interesting.'
"Convenient," Keane replied, his mind already calculating the opportunities that awaited in a proper city. Information, resources, potential allies, and enemies. The political landscape Elara had described sounded ripe for exploitation, and for some reason, he had been more excited like a child ever since he got to this world and discovered his system.
As the wagon swayed gently with the road's rhythm, Mara busied herself organizing small things, occasionally stealing glances at Keane when she thought no one was looking… everyone was…
Her attraction was obvious, written in the way her breath caught when their eyes met and the careful attention she paid to his comfort. Unlike Sylvi's bold hunger from the previous night, Mara's desire was wrapped in layers of propriety and hesitation, innocent and almost childlike in its transparency.
Sylvi, meanwhile, maintained her stoic facade, but beneath the surface, known only to her, her thoughts churned with memories of the previous evening. The taste of him still lingered on her tongue, and the warmth between her thighs served as a constant reminder of their unfinised business. The contrast was steep.
It was either her mind against her body, or her outward self against her inner thoughts…
…
As evening fell, Valewind's outer walls loomed, gray stone towers piercing the dusk.
'Finally,' Keane thought, his pulse quickening. The only other time he had truly seen such old styled walls, or any city wall at all, was when playing games or during game design through his college. It looked amazing up close.
The caravan approached the gates, torches flaring on both sides of the entrance.
Guards in chainmail, swords at their hips, waved them forward. Just then, one of them lifted a brow "Lady Elara's caravan," he called, recognizing the silk-draped wagons. They screened the group swiftly, checking crates and other things, more for formality than any other thing before letting them pass.
'She wasn't exaggerating, her name carries weight,' Keane thought, just then noting Elara's nod to the guards. 'She's no small player indeed.'
Inside the outer city, as he heard it called by Elara, cobbled streets bustled with carts and hawkers, even at twilight. Stone buildings, some three stories, lined the roads, just like Keane would have imagined from video games. 'Commerce hub, alright,' Keane thought.
The caravan went straight to the merchant guild, a squat building with carved oak doors.
She dismounted, her robe swaying as she walked into the building with Mara while Sylvi stayed back.
A few minutes later, Elara returned, holding a parchment. "Permit secured," she said, her blue eyes meeting Keane's as she stepped into her wagon.