Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Jae pulled the Shadow Cloak from his inventory, the dark fabric spilling over his hands like liquid night, cool and impossibly light. The academy's courtyard was quiet, the air crisp with the scent of damp grass and distant pine, a faint chill brushing against his sweat-soaked skin.

He was still a mess from the Lust System's latest mission, thirty spiders down, his uniform sticky with monster slime he hoped Elise wouldn't notice.

Standing in front of her, her dark eyes wide with curiosity under the flickering torchlight, he felt a nervous buzz in his chest.

"This thing's pretty awesome," he said, holding up the cloak, his voice low to keep from drawing attention. "It hides you completely, nobody can see, hear, or even pick you up with magic. Perfect for sneaking into the dorms."

Elise's mouth fell open, her fingers reaching out to brush the cloak, like she couldn't believe it was real. "No way, Jae," she said, her voice soft but full of wonder. "How'd you even get something like that?"

Her question hit him like a dodgeball, and Jae's mind scrambled for a cover story. He couldn't spill about the system or the cave missions, not to her, not yet.

His throat tightened, but he forced a casual shrug. "My dad won it at some fancy event a while back," he said, the lie slipping out smoother than he expected. "Left it for me before he… passed away."

The words felt heavy, like he was betraying something, and a pang of guilt twisted in his gut.

He hated lying, especially to Elise, whose shy smiles and quick pecks on his cheek were starting to mean more than he wanted to admit.

Elise's face softened, her hand resting on his arm, warm and gentle. "I'm so sorry, Jae," she said, her voice thick with sympathy, her eyes searching his like she wanted to take his pain away.

Jae's chest ached, but he waved it off, not wanting to linger on the fake story. "It's fine," he said, handing her the cloak. "Try it on."

She draped it over her shoulders, and in a blink, she was gone, completely vanished, not even a shadow or a rustle to show where she stood.

Jae's jaw dropped, his eyes darting around the empty space. "Whoa," he muttered, waving a hand where she'd been, feeling nothing but air. The cloak was no joke; he couldn't sense her at all, not a hint of her presence, magical or otherwise. It was like she'd never existed.

"Okay, that's wild," he said, a grin creeping onto his face despite the nervous flutter in his stomach.

"Hey, Elise, you still there?" he asked, feeling a bit dumb talking to nothing. "Just follow me, alright?" He spoke to the empty space in front of him, hoping she'd stick close, and started walking toward the dorms, his boots crunching softly on the gravel path.

The academy was dead quiet at this hour, the stone buildings looming like silent giants, the air cool against his damp skin. Every step felt like a gamble, his ears straining for the clank of a guard's armor or the shuffle of a teacher's footsteps.

Sneaking a girl into his room was against every rule, and getting caught would be a disaster, but the rewards were too great to pass on.

He glanced back now and then, half-expecting to see her outline, but the cloak was perfect, too perfect, maybe. It was a little creepy not knowing exactly where she was.

They made it to his dorm block without a hitch, the hallway dark and smelling faintly of wax and old wood. Jae fished his key from his pocket, his fingers slick with sweat, and was about to unlock his door when a familiar voice cut through the silence.

"Jae, man, what're you doing out this late?" Jae's heart nearly stopped, his head whipping around to see Byun leaning against a wall, his blond hair a mess, his grin all trouble.

Of course it's Byun, Jae thought, his stomach sinking. Why did this guy always show up at the worst possible times? It was like he had a radar for catching Jae in sketchy situations.

"Just, uh, went to train a bit," Jae said, forcing a smile, his voice a little too tight. He kept his body angled to block the door, praying Elise stayed still under the cloak.

Byun raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, and pushed off the wall. "Cool, cool. Wanna let me crash in your room? We could chill," he said, stepping closer, his eyes glinting like he sensed something was up.

Jae's pulse spiked, but he shook his head fast. "Nah, I have to crash. I'm beat," he said, fumbling with the key. He turned to the door, opening it wide, wider than normal, hoping Elise would slip through while he kept Byun distracted.

The hinges creaked softly, and Jae stood there, holding it open, his heart hammering.

Byun frowned, tilting his head. "Dude, why're you leaving the door open like that? You airing it out or something?" His tone was half-joking, half-suspicious, and Jae's mind blanked.

"Uh, just… habit," Jae mumbled, waving a quick goodbye. "Catch you later, man." He stepped inside, shutting the door fast and locking it with a click, his shoulders sagging as he let out a tired sigh.

That was way too close. He turned, expecting to see an empty room, but was met with a sudden hug, Elise's arms wrapping around him tight.

"Whoa!" he yelped, his hands hovering awkwardly as her warmth pressed against him. "Elise, I'm all gross and sweaty," he protested, his voice cracking a bit, the monster slime on his clothes making him cringe.

She didn't care. Before he could say more, she leaned up and kissed him, her lips soft and warm, cutting off his words.

Jae's brain short-circuited, his heart pounding as the kiss lingered, sweet and bold.

Then she pulled back, her face bright red, and darted to his bed, plopping down like she needed to hide.

Jae stood there, stunned, his lips tingling, his cheeks warm. "How're you so bold one second and shy the next?" he asked, a grin spreading across his face, his voice light with amusement.

Elise giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear, her blush deepening. "I don't even know," she said, her voice soft but happy, her eyes flicking up to meet his. "It just… happens with you."

Jae's chest did a weird flip, and he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Okay, fair," he said. "Just… hang out here, relax. I need to shower real quick. I'm a mess." He grabbed a towel, heading to the small bathroom attached to his room.

He came back a few minutes later, steam trailing him, his hair damp and his clean clothes, simple academy sweats, feeling like heaven after the grime of the mission.

Elise was still on the bed, her legs crossed, looking more at ease now. Jae sat beside her, the mattress dipping under his weight, and grinned, the night's chaos finally settling into something warm and quiet.