NOVEL WEB Chapter 105: Used To The Stuff By Now
Raegar watched his mother relax just as Isabella stepped into the room, only to stop short when seeing him sitting there, eating his stew and bread like it was his last meal. Her red eyes narrowed. ''What happened to you, brother?''
''A Devil Lord attacked me during a dungeon run, mutilated my face just as I defeated it,'' he revealed while chewing on a piece of bread, finishing it with a big smile. ''As you can see, I'm still here and fine.''
Isabella didn't answer and stared at him with a steely gaze, but the aura around her changed, prompting their mother to jump up. ''It's not his fault, Bel. He was a part of a strike squad that helped the Nytheria Kingdom,'' she revealed.
The young woman stepped closer, halting in front of Raegar as her aura bored down. In that fleeting moment, he caught her expression shift, worry flickering across her face like a shadow.
She quickly masked it and spoke firmly but with a slither of care. ''Be careful out there, little brother. The empire's crawling with dangerous monsters nowadays. Some of my classmates were ambushed by High Orcs.''
Once Isabella finished speaking, she turned around and headed toward the bedroom, leaving them baffled. He looked at his mother, asking. ''Is Bel okay? The last time I saw her, she was icy with me, and I don't even remember the last time she called me brother.''
''Don't worry about it darling,'' she answered. ''She's a busy young woman with loads of friends and stress thanks to being the top student in the Dawnfire Magic Academy.''
Following that, his mother suddenly stood up and informed him with a sigh as the sounds of a carriage echoed out from the entrance. ''I have to go talk to Cassian and Vanessa. Make sure you get some rest.''
Raegar nodded, his eyes trailing after her as she slipped out of the room. Taking out a bottle of sake, he poured himself a drink and began sipping, the warmth spreading through him until, some time later, a pleasant tipsiness settled in.
Just then, arms wrapped around his shoulders from behind, startling him into a brief panic until his sister's familiar voice cut through. ''I'm so happy that you're okay, baby brother,'' Lyra cheerfully murmured.
''Hello, sister, yes I'm okay,'' he replied with a smile when hearing that. ''Would you like to join me? I have some sake from the east?''
The blue-haired woman tilted her head with narrowed eyes and questioned with narrowed red eyes. ''When did you start drinking?''
Raegar drank some and poured some into another cup, sliding it toward Lyra as he answered. ''When you're hunted by Nightwalkers or some other horror of the night, this stuff helps you sleep.''
When his sister heard this, she grimaced as she took the offered drink and tried it, which burnt her throat. The young woman shivered, which made him chuckle, but she asked. ''Was it that bad out there? I wonder why the Vaelthornes do it?''
''To grow stronger, sis,'' he responded, downing more of the rice wine. ''I was innocent when stepping foot inside that place, but it forced me to change, and that's what I had to do to survive against the monsters that dwell there.''
The siblings carried on their conversation, with Lyra pressing him for answers as they drank deeply into the night. Eventually, the siblings were thoroughly drunk. He steadied her with a supportive arm, guiding the young woman to her room to rest and recover from the alcohol.
After she was settled, Raeger attempted to navigate to his room but found himself confused and lost. Drawn by a familiar aura he felt, he stumbled into Yuki's room, struggling to keep his balance.
The cat woman turned to him with a playful smile, her eyes narrowing as she purred. ''Young master, are you drunk?''
''No, my beautiful lady,'' he mumbled, his words slurring as he lurched forward. ''I want to feel you hugging me, so here I am.''
Yuki let out a soft giggle, slipping out of bed with feline grace. She sauntered toward him with a knowing expression, her grin widening as she teased. ''Are you sure you're not lying to me, young master?''
Raegar grumbled before admitting with an apologetic voice. ''Yes, I am. I'm sorry.''
The young woman beamed and quickly grabbed his hand. ''Come get in bed. I wanted you to join me anyway.''
Following that, Yuki dragged him under the sheets while playing with his hair, causing Raegar to fall asleep as he was extremely comfortable and felt at peace. This made her smile as he held her tight.
With an affection-filled smile, she thought to herself, 'Silly young master, I'm already yours, there's no need to ask when you can simply act.'
Soon after, she drifted off to sleep, cradled in his warm embrace. The following morning, Raegar woke up with a thumping headache as he sat up. ''Ahh, my head hurts,'' he thought while rubbing his temple.
A short while later, he caught sight of Yuki reclining nearby, her sparkling eyes fixed on him as she spoke. ''You look hungover, young master. I'm surprised you could even walk or talk; that stuff is potent.''
''Of course I'd be, my body is used to the stuff by now,'' he replied with a light chuckle. ''But you're right, it'd knock anyone flat. Just look at Lyra; she could barely string a sentence together, and yet here I am, still standing with you.''
The cat woman sat up and stretched languidly, her movement causing her big boobs to jiggle in a way that drew his gaze. A flush of heat crept over him, stirring an unfamiliar restlessness.
When she saw his reaction, her lips curved into a knowing smile, teasing him. ''I can see you're growing up. You never used to look at me like that.''
Raegar's cheeks flushed with warmth, but he gave a small nod. ''I know, I've always thought you were beautiful, but something's shifted since I came back from the Bloodfang Forest,'' he admitted.
The young woman's lips curved into a sweet smile. ''I'll let you puzzle it out, young master,'' she said playfully. ''But promise me this: if you meet a girl at the academy, you'll tell me, won't you?''
''Why do you keep pushing this?'' he questioned with a curious expression. ''I have no interest in any other girl. You should know this?''
She burst into laughter, then gently cupped his cheeks and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, replying. ''Because once those academy girls get to know you the way I do, they'll see what I see, and I don't want to lose my place.''
Raegar's eyes narrowed playfully as he gave the cat woman a light tap on the head. ''No one's ever taking your spot,'' he shot back. ''She could be a princess or a legendary warrior, it wouldn't matter. You'll always be the first.''
At his words, Yuki's heart quickened, a rush of warmth flooding through her as his confession sank in. Feeling lighter, she flashed a coy smile and murmured, ''Then you'll get your surprise now, young master.''
Yuki's coy smile flickered as she moved closer, her sparkling blue eyes glinting with something unreadable, something that made Raegar's stomach twist in anticipation as he didn't know what she had planned.
'What is she going to do?' he thought.
The room seemed to still as she tilted her head, studying him with an unknown gaze. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words died in his throat as her hand darted out, fingers curling around the collar of his shirt.
''Young master,'' she breathed, her voice low and edged with a tremor he'd never heard. ''Stop talking for once.''
In an instant, she yanked him forward, her lips slamming into his with a raw, desperate force that hit him like a thunderclap. The kiss was wildfire, consuming and utterly unexpected, sending a jolt through his entire body.
Raegar's eyes widened in shock, his heart slamming against his ribs as her mouth moved against his, all heat and hunger, stealing the air from his lungs. Her hands slid up to grip his face, nails grazing his skin just enough to make his pulse race faster.
Then, instinct took over, and he stumbled into the kiss, hands finding her waist as he tried to match her. She pressed herself closer, her pink tail swaying behind her, and the taste of her sweet lips overwhelmed him.
When Yuki finally broke away, she smirked at the dazed look on his face, which she loved seeing. Raegar blinked, chest heaving, his mind scrambling to catch up as his heart pounded like a war drum, utterly blindsided by the cat woman who'd just turned his world upside down.
''I hope that will motivate you to do well in the academy, young master,'' she commented with a love-filled smile. ''I want to see my future husband reach heights that the Vaelthornes can only dream of.''