At the doorway stood Hestia, wearing simple pajamas and holding a pillow tightly against her chest.
"Hestia, what are you doing here…?"
Su Hai looked at the petite goddess in surprise.
"I heard thunder outside… so I thought…"
Hestia's voice was soft, with a hint of nervousness. Her meaning was obvious—she wanted to sleep with Su Hai that night.
Glancing outside, Su Hai noticed that it had indeed started raining at some point. Lightning streaked across the dark sky, illuminating the room for a brief moment.
"Alright, come in. But don't try anything weird, or I might not be able to resist…"
Although Su Hai found it hard to believe that a goddess who had lived for countless years could fear thunder, he still stepped aside and allowed her in.
"Knew it! Ah Hai's the best!"
Hestia's expression immediately brightened as she closed the door behind her and dashed toward the bed, jumping onto it with childlike enthusiasm.
However, a sly smile briefly crossed her lips—her "fear" had been nothing more than an excuse. After all, she had smelled the faint scent of another woman on Su Hai earlier that day, and a subtle sense of jealousy had stirred within her.
Without hesitation, she clung to Su Hai, snuggling close with a satisfied smile.
Feeling the warmth of her embrace, Su Hai couldn't help but smile, though he shook his head helplessly. Turning off the light, he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
What neither of them noticed was a faint figure standing invisibly in the room, watching them with an expression full of resentment.
The next morning, Su Hai slowly awoke, feeling a weight on his chest. Something seemed to be restricting his movement.
Still half-asleep, he instinctively reached out to free himself while opening his eyes—only to find Hestia clinging to him like a koala, her arms and legs wrapped tightly around his body.
Her soft breathing and peaceful expression made it difficult for Su Hai to pull away.
Wearing nothing but thin pajamas, her soft skin occasionally brushed against his, causing Su Hai to instinctively swallow as heat rose within him.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. Carefully removing her arms and legs, he tucked her under the blanket and quickly left the room before temptation could overwhelm him.
As much as he cared for Hestia, he was no saint—and his self-control had its limits.
By the time Su Hai stepped outside the villa, dawn had just begun to break. Remembering his promise to Ais the day before, he quickened his pace, Medusa following invisibly beside him.
Before long, they reached the eastern city wall of Orario.
Waiting there, bathed in the soft golden light of dawn, stood Ais Wallenstein. Her golden hair shimmered in the morning breeze, and her amber eyes reflected quiet determination.
Su Hai paused, slightly surprised that she had arrived so early.
But when he saw the fire of determination burning within her gaze, he immediately understood.
This was the same hunger for strength that he himself had once known—the unyielding desire to break free from one's limitations.
"Since you're already here, let's begin," Su Hai said with a smile.
"Enhancement Magic is a type of magic that strengthens its target by manipulating magical energy. It can be used to enhance physical abilities as well as weapons and other objects."
"As a general rule, the stronger the endurance of the target, the more effective the enhancement. But if you push beyond the limit, the result will be damage or collapse—so control and precision are essential."
Ais nodded, absorbing every word with unwavering focus.
Over the next two hours, Su Hai guided her through the basics of Enhancement Magic, offering both verbal instruction and hands-on demonstrations.
By the end of the session, Ais had managed to channel enough magical energy to sharpen the blade of her sword—though she had yet to successfully apply it to her own body.
Given the complexity of the technique, Su Hai knew that mastering it would take time and practice.
"Thank you."
Ais gazed at her sword, now visibly sharper, then turned toward Su Hai. Without hesitation, she knelt on the ground and gestured for him to approach.
Confused, Su Hai hesitated for a moment before stepping closer and crouching beside her.
To his surprise, Ais gently placed his head on her lap, offering him a classic "lap pillow."
"Ais, what are you—"
Su Hai's voice trailed off as he felt the softness beneath his head and the faint scent of flowers from her hair.
"This is my way of thanking you," Ais replied, her fingers running gently through his hair.
"Tiona and Tione said this was the best way to show gratitude. They also said you'd definitely like it."
Hearing that, Su Hai couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Those two… Always up to something," he thought, silently thanking the Amazon twins for their unexpected contribution.
As Ais continued stroking his hair, Su Hai allowed himself to relax, enjoying the rare moment of peace beneath the rising sun.
But all too soon, the time came to leave. With a tinge of reluctance, Su Hai sat up, offering Ais a final smile before standing.
"I need to head to the dungeon now. Thank you for the… reward," he said with a wink before turning to leave.
For a moment, Ais simply watched him go, her eyes reflecting a mixture of curiosity and something else she couldn't quite name.
Then, gripping her sword tightly, she stood and resumed her own training—determined to master Enhancement Magic as quickly as possible.
As Su Hai made his way toward the central dungeon, his mind was clear and focused.
Moments of rest were important, but he couldn't afford to lose sight of his ultimate goal: to become strong enough to control his own destiny.
Until then, there was still much work to be done.
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