Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Elise lay in her bed, the soft creak of the mattress fading into silence as she pulled the blanket tighter around her, the cool, smooth fabric doing little to ease the heavy weight pressing against her chest.

Her roommates' soft, rhythmic snores filled the darkness, a gentle hum that contrasted with the storm of thoughts swirling in her mind.

The faint, jagged cracks in the stone ceiling above seemed to taunt her, their uneven lines mirroring the doubts and fears crisscrossing her thoughts like a tangled web.

She let out a shaky sigh, her breath trembling in the quiet, as she wrestled with the crushing weight of her limitations.

Ranked number five in the class, her healing magic was nothing short of extraordinary, capable of knitting wounds closed in mere seconds, but it wasn't built for the brutal demands of combat.

In the tournament, she had struggled against classmates who were considered weaker, their relentless attacks overwhelming her despite her ability to recover quickly.

If I can't keep up, they'll pass me by soon, she thought, her heart aching with the gnawing fear of falling behind, of losing her place among the academy's elite fighters.

Her mind churned restlessly, weighing her options in the dim light of the dorm. She could give up fighting entirely, focus solely on her healing magic, and become the support role her father and brothers had always encouraged her to embrace.

They would be overjoyed, beaming with pride at the idea of her saving lives as a healer, but the thought twisted her stomach into a tight knot.

Elise loved the thrill of combat, the electric rush of the arena, the clash of mana and muscle that set her blood on fire. Fighting was her passion, her purpose, and abandoning it felt like betraying the very core of who she was.

She sighed again, the sound heavier this time, her eyes fluttering closed as exhaustion tugged at her weary body. I'll find a way, she vowed silently, her resolve flickering like a candle struggling against a gust of wind.

With that fragile promise, she let sleep pull her under, the darkness swallowing her doubts for the night, granting her a temporary reprieve from her inner turmoil.

xxx

The next day, Jae sat in a cramped, cozy study room, the air warm with the rich scent of old books and the soft flicker of mana lanterns casting dancing shadows on the walls.

He faced Princess Yuna, her blonde hair catching the golden light, her blue eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made his skin prickle as he explained a technique called sectioning.

"You move your mana flow to one side," he said, his voice steady but sharp with focus, his hands gesturing animatedly to illustrate the concept.

"It makes that side stronger, like a shield, while keeping the other side light for faster moves." He leaned forward.

But as he continued, he noticed Yuna's gaze drifting, her pupils dilated, her lips slightly parted, completely ignoring his words.

She was staring at him, not the rough diagram he'd scratched onto the table, her eyes tracing the line of his jaw and the broad set of his shoulders with an intensity that sent a warm flush creeping up his cheeks.

"Hey," Jae snapped, his tone sharp with irritation, cutting through the quiet of the room, "pay attention and stop staring at me like I'm a snack."

Yuna's face fell, her lips pursing into a playful pout, her cheeks flushing a faint pink. "How can I help it when you're so good-looking?" she teased, her voice light but sincere, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "You look so… kissable."

Jae rolled his eyes, his frustration softening at her bold charm, but he leaned back, crossing his arms firmly.

"You asked me here to study, so focus on that," he said, his tone stern but tinged with a hint of amusement. Yuna's shoulders slumped, her pout deepening dramatically, but Jae's lips twitched into a small grin.

"But," he added, his voice dropping to a softer, teasing note, "if you focus, we'll kiss a lot after."

Her eyes lit up instantly, her pout vanishing as she perked up, her smile bright and eager, her attention finally snapping to the diagram with a burst of renewed energy, her hands already reaching for a quill to take notes.

xxx

That afternoon, a wild rumor swept through the academy like a raging fire, spreading from hushed whispers in the stone corridors to loud, excited shouts across the sunlit courtyards.

The crisp autumn air buzzed with energy, the scent of fallen leaves mingling with the faint hum of mana as students gathered in tight clusters, their voices alive with eager speculation.

A monster cave had been discovered not far from the school, a dark, uncharted lair brimming with unknown dangers. Word spread that Principal Kine and the top teachers had left to investigate, their absence fueling the talk that echoed through the academy's grounds.

Jae overheard bits and pieces as he walked along the cobbled paths, students debating whether the cave held creatures like the Acid-Fanged Snake he'd faced before or something even more terrifying.

His heart raced, the memory of his last cave quest stirring in his chest, his Acid Fang weapon a silent promise in his inventory, ready for whatever challenge might come.

When Ms. Alira entered the classroom a few minutes later, her robes swishing softly against the stone floor, the students were already restless, their eyes bright with curiosity, their usual focus scattered.

She began her lecture, her voice calm but firm, trying to steer their attention to the lesson, but a bold student interrupted, raising a hand with confidence.

"Ms. Alira, what's the deal with the new cave?" he asked, his voice cutting through the room like a blade, drawing every eye to the teacher.

The class leaned forward, their focus shifting entirely, the air thick with anticipation.

Alira sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly, her eyes sweeping over the eager faces before her. "I know your minds are all on that cave," she said, her tone resigned but understanding, her hands resting on the podium as she steadied herself. "I might as well tell you what I know, or you'll be useless for this lecture."

The students murmured, some grinning with excitement, others leaning closer.