"Your Majesty, it's time to wake up... Cough..." Lesley choked on her words.
**
As usual, when beginning her morning duties, her first task was ensuring Selene got out of bed, a mission that often proved challenging.
Outwardly, the queen was imposing, majestic, a self-assured sovereign. Inwardly, however, Selene struggled with serious sleep issues. Sometimes it was relentless nightmares; other times, insomnia or sheer laziness. All of it gave Lesley minor headaches.
But today, when she entered the queen's chambers at the usual hour, the bed was completely untouched. No blankets, sheets, or pillows had been disturbed, as if Selene had never even lain down.
Lesley frowned at the sight, but with her sharp perception, she quickly found the queen. The sound of breathing came from the area with couches and plush armchairs.
'She slept on the sofa? That's new!'
As she approached the sofa and raised her voice to wake Selene, Lesley choked again, this time at the scene before her.
Lying there, with an angelic face, relaxed body, and soft, even breaths, Selene was fast asleep like a baby... nestled in the arms of a man.
'Glenn?! He slept here?!'
Lesley's mouth fell open in shock and disbelief.
'What the hell happened here last night?'
Glenn had her wrapped in a bear hug, his bare torso pressed against Selene's back, her head using his arm as a pillow. Both were deep in peaceful, untroubled slumber.
Lesley spun toward the door, still reeling, and quickly exited the room. Outside, several servants waited to enter and fulfill their duties.
"NO!" she blurted out, flustered. "The Queen... the Queen is unavailable. Return to your tasks, you'll be summoned when needed."
The servants stared at Lesley, startled by her abrupt interruption. Nodding obediently, they dispersed.
"Phew..." She exhaled. "What the hell?!"
**
22:00
I'd been standing outside Selene's door for over ten minutes. My arms reached out to open it but stopped midway. I rolled my shoulders, trying to relax and forget everything that had happened.
"It was nothing! Totally normal! Move on, man! Courage!" I muttered, trying to convince myself.
Why was I so nervous? Well... last night, I'd let greed take over. In my mind, it was just:
'Just a little longer! Two more minutes, just one more...'
Turns out, it wasn't one, two, or even ten minutes. My training with Selene dragged on for hours, and I'd never drunk so much in my life. Every time I spat out food or drink reacting to her sharp remarks, we had to restart the scene. As a result, I think alcohol defeated me for the first time.
Honestly, I felt fine, no typical signs of drunkenness. Or maybe I thought I was fine while meditating, eyes closed, absorbing knowledge.
I don't even remember taking off my dirty clothes and snuggling up to her.
'Why the hell was I naked?!'
I guess it was because my clothes were filthy.
'At least I'm a hygienic drunk?'
When I woke up in the morning, the first thing I noticed was two crimson eyes piercing the depths of my soul. As if that wasn't enough, I was hugging her like a plush toy.
Her head rested on my arm, our legs tangled. And pressed between our stomachs was my dick, sporting a classic morning erection.
'Not my fault! It's nature! Anatomy and physiology!'
Steeling myself, heart pounding, I finally pushed open the double doors. My internal energy surged, fortifying my body for the room's oppressive atmosphere.
The moment I stepped inside, the weight crushed down, forcing me to pause.
'Even heavier than yesterday! What percentage am I resisting now?'
The golden runes in the room glowed brighter than before. Taking a deep breath, I walked further in, searching for Selene.
"Selene?"
She wasn't on the couches, at the dining table, or in her massive bed at the center of the room. Slowly, I headed toward the balcony, its doors wide open.
"Selene?" I called again. No answer.
The view was breathtaking, even more stunning than from my own room. The balcony was bathed in the light of three silver moons and a starry sky. The city's three tiers shimmered with golden lights at this hour.
A door creaked behind me. I turned toward the sound.
The bathroom door opened, and Selene stepped out wrapped in a towel that barely covered her body. Steam curled off her skin from the hot bath, and the scent of her damp hair quickly perfumed the room, hitting my nostrils.
My mouth hung open, speechless at the sight. Where Selene stood, light itself seemed to dim, as if only she could shine brightly enough. It was magical, almost unreal.
"You're late," she chided, moving indifferently toward the closet.
It took me a moment to respond.
"I've been here ten minutes. No way you didn't notice," I said boldly.
"Waving your arms outside doesn't count. Late!"
I gulped at her declaration.
'Damn, what kind of insane senses does she have?!'
"I... I..." I couldn't finish, scrambling for an excuse.
'What was I supposed to say? That I was embarrassed because I spent the night grinding my dick against the queen while drunk?'
A brief silence fell as the sounds of Selene changing echoed from the closet.
When she emerged, she stunned me again.
She wore white pajamas with red trim along the collar and cuffs. The fabric draped perfectly over her god-sculpted body, stealing my breath.
She walked past me slowly.
"Ahh..."
"Come on, stop daydreaming!" Selene said, yanking my ear.
She dragged me to the back of the room, where ornate chairs faced a small, transparent podium.
Releasing my ear, she sat in the front chair.
"Alright, have you thought about your speech for the night's main toast?"
"Thought about what?" I asked, confused.
"Yes, what we discussed yesterday. How will you approach the main toast?"
"We talked about a toast yesterday?" I asked, incredulous.
"Yes. And... seems like it was too much wine for you."
"I... don't remember that either."
"Well, no matter," she replied playfully. "Step onto the podium and declare your toast to me."
Under Selene's intense gaze and with no other choice, I positioned myself on the podium and prepared for what I assumed would be a decent toast.
Ahem. "Do I... have to clink the glass with a utensil?" I asked, clueless how to start.
Selene gave me a questioning look before smiling.
"Hehehe... looks like this'll be another long night."
"Phew..." I sighed, unsure why.
"A toast is a sign that a figure of authority is delivering important words."
Selene lifted a glass of red wine, holding it at eye level.
"The only absolute in this world is power. And the proper way to command attention is by demonstrating power!"
Mimicking her, I waited for what came next.
Selene's prana leaked from her fingers, and harmoniously, a melodious ting resonated through the room.
"LING..."
The moment I heard that sound, my body froze instantly. Deep in my flesh, I felt as if someone immensely powerful was demanding attention.
"Like this."
"What was that?"
"A simple but necessary trick all nobles must learn."
"It felt like your power was dominating me from within."
"That's the point. It's fleeting, not domination, more like... mutual respect between energies. That's how a noble commands respect."
"How do I do it?"
"You need to channel enough energy for the obsidian glass to resonate with its natural harmonic. That harmonic, like your internal energy, has a unique signature."
I frowned, not quite grasping it.
'Sounds like music theory, but with energy.'
Raising my hand, I leaked a bit of energy between my fingers.
"Tinkle!" The glass shattered in my hand, spilling wine all over my clothes.
"Hihihihi... too wild, big guy. Be more delicate."
I tried again, this time more carefully, recalling how glass chimed back on Earth.
'I'm sure it's about vibrational resonance. If each energy produces a unique sound, then it's not my energy adapting to the glass, it's the glass adapting to my energy.'
An idea formed. Using another wine glass, I restrained my energy and channeled it as I would for magic.
But before releasing it into the glass, I let it coat the entire surface, reinforcing the structure, then withdrew it, like pressing a piano key.
"TING..."
A sound both wild and delicate echoed through Selene's room. For the first time, she looked at me in utter disbelief.
I noticed the goosebumps on her arms from the sound I'd produced.
"So... what did you think?" I asked eagerly.
"Wow! That was... impressive!"