"TING..."
A wild, melodious sound coursed through Selene's core, kissing her skin, seeping into her body, and swirling through her energy channels until it collided with her nucleus. In response, it resonated with tender indulgence—like a mother praising her child, a master honoring their disciple, or a thirsty lover yearning for their beloved.
Selene's body shivered outwardly, but inside, the reaction was far more intense. Her blood boiled, her inner energy surged wildly through her meridians, and her nucleus glowed. In her inner world, everything trembled as if tectonic plates were triggering the mightiest of earthquakes.
Yet, none of this was visible from the outside. The gap in power between Glenn and Selene was like heaven and earth. Even if Glenn focused all his senses, he'd notice nothing more than a faint shiver on her arms.
"Wow!" Selene said, referring to the sensation inside her body. "That was impressive," she added, regarding Glenn's harmonic.
"Can you do it again?"
"I think so."
Glenn concentrated for a few seconds before the sound resonated once more.
"TING..."
"Thump-thump."
"Again!"
"TING!!"—even louder this time.
"Thump-Thump!"
"Again!"
"TING!!!"
"THUMP-Thump"
"A-again!"
"TING!!!!!"
"THUMP-THump"—two uneven beats.
This time, the harmonic reached the highest intensity Glenn could muster.
"THUMP-THUMP." Selene lightly bit her lower lip.
"That's... perfect!" she said, slightly breathless.
Glenn grinned from ear to ear, accomplishing in ten minutes what Selene had expected to take hours.
"Now, the speech."
Glenn adjusted himself at the podium again, raised his glass, sounded his harmonic, and began his toast.
"Ladies and gentlemen, today is a day... no, a night... a special night, because... because we're all here, and... and there's food!"
"Stop! That's not a toast, that's stating the obvious. Again."
"Dear guests, it's an honor to be here today... or rather, tonight... to celebrate... the existence of all of us!"
"Existence? That sounds like a poorly written religious sermon. Try again."
"Ladies and gentlemen, raise your glasses to... to... the chef, because the food is amazing!"
"Glenn, that's a compliment to the cook, not a toast. Focus!"
"It is with great pride that I... that I... forgot what I was going to say. Oh, right! Cheers to everyone!"
"You can't just say 'cheers' and call it a day. Again."
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we celebrate... the duels! Because I shone in them and...!"
"Self-centered and dreadful."
Glenn finally realized an area where he was utterly terrible: public speaking. On Earth, he'd never been in situations that required addressing a crowd. He'd never attended school like a normal human, nor learned the art of religious rhetoric.
That explained his pitiful performance with each attempt. But with Selene's sharp, wise, and precise critiques, he gradually found his footing.
A full hour passed before he delivered a decent toast.
"Dear guests,
tonight is a reflection of what we can achieve when we work together. Every raised glass symbolizes not just the success of the present, but the promise of the future. May this moment be the first of many, and may the prosperity we celebrate tonight continue to grow like the roots of a mighty tree. May the future hold even greater triumphs for us. Cheers!"
"Good use of metaphors. Keep it up. But you missed the main point of the banquet—revealing yourself to the world as a genius of the new generation."
"Ladies and gentlemen,
tonight, we gather not just to celebrate this magnificent evening, but to honor the talents of a new generation rising like the blazing sun.
Each of you represents pillars that will, in some way, uphold the future. May this toast serve as gratitude for the dedication, sweat, and blood each of us has shed to achieve our goals. May we continue building together a future as bright as the stars illuminating this night. Cheers to all!"
"Much better. Now you're starting to grasp the purpose of a toast. But remember—we are demons, and this is our territory. You are Elian's disciple and my consort. It needs a touch of grandeur, arrogance, and power, grounded in the deeds you've already accomplished."
The attempts continued with hits and misses, the pieces finally falling into place sometime that night.
01:55
"Ladies and gentlemen, warriors of heart and soul, tonight is not just a celebration—it is a declaration of what we are capable of when we devote ourselves with fervor. We, who refuse to bow to fate; we, who choose to carve reality with our own hands.
I bring to this night not just words, but proof of what we can achieve when we pour our hearts into our craft. Every battle is a block we add to the ladder we call strength. They are also the lines of our history, which, in the present and future, will speak of an indomitable will.
May this toast be a symbol of the new generation's rise. Every sip is a reminder that we are the masters of our destiny, our hands ever outstretched, seeking a worthy battle—one to be remembered through the ages. Cheers to us all, and may our triumphs echo across the world!"
Glenn finished with perfect posture, exuding confidence, his expression radiant with the certainty that his words would pierce the ceiling and linger in everyone's memory.
But to his disappointment, he received no evaluation.
Frowning, he looked ahead and found Selene curled up in her chair, head tilted to the side, eyes closed, breathing steady, her chest rising and falling in peaceful slumber.
'She fell asleep? It's almost two in the morning.'
Glenn stepped down from the podium and approached Selene.
Her dress, which had once covered her legs, now rode up slightly, revealing her seductive curves—toned legs, silky skin, firm thighs, and a figure that would drive anyone mad if they stared too long.
Glenn swallowed hard, stepping even closer.
'What do I do? I can't just leave her here!'
Taking a deep breath and suppressing his primal urge to pounce on her, tear off her clothes, and indulge in his wildest desires, he carefully scooped her into his arms, lifting her from the chair.
Selene's head lolled against his chest as he carried her like a princess.
'Actually, she's a queen, not a princess!'
Treading softly toward the bed to avoid waking her, Glenn controlled his breathing and muffled his footsteps.
Reaching the bedside, he gently laid her down, nestling her among the plush pillows.
With trembling hands, he withdrew from her legs, then carefully guided her resting arm onto a pillow.
'Phew...' he sighed internally, frozen in place just inches from Selene's face.
'She's breathtakingly beautiful.'
Glenn began inching away to leave. His body retreated centimeter by centimeter, but tonight, a bitter taste lingered in his throat.
'It's like...'
His movement was interrupted.
"Hm...?" Glenn stammered, slightly startled.
A hand clutched his shirt collar. He looked back at Selene's face—still peaceful, eyes closed as if asleep.
"Selene?" he whispered.
A drowsy voice answered: "Stay."
Glenn's body locked up. His heartbeat raced, his blood burned in his veins, and the bitter knot in his throat began to dissolve.
'I... I wanted this?'
"Stay!" he heard again.
This time, Selene's voice struck him like a hammer to his conscience.
One second, he remembered standing there, placing her on the bed; the next, he was lying beside her, arms wrapped around her, her head resting on his chest.
His heart pounded so loudly even a non-Awakened could hear it.
Glenn stared at Selene's face, and the last thing he saw before falling into deep sleep was her nuzzling against him like a lazy cat on a cushion.