Farmboy becomes King with the Lust System

Sun's jaw tightened, the muscles twitching near his temple. He didn't speak immediately, but everyone could see the way his grip on his sword hilt flexed once before he finally exhaled through his nose.

"Enough," he said, voice clipped. "We'll camp here for the night."

The command carried no room for argument.

He led both teams back through the winding tunnels until they reached one of the caves they had cleared earlier. The stench of monster blood still clung faintly to the walls, but the corpses had been dragged out, leaving the place empty except for scattered crystal dust and the faint glow of moss on the rocks.

"This will do," Sun said, his tone sharp and businesslike.

The group moved quickly to set up a resting spot. A few of the earth mages shaped smooth stone seats out of the uneven floor, while the others gathered torn cloths to sit on. Their boots scuffed against the rock, echoing slightly, and the sound of bags being dropped and weapons being sheathed filled the silence.

"Ugh," Yuna muttered as she rubbed her arms vigorously. "Why is it so cold in here? It's like sleeping in an icebox."

Her words came with an exaggerated shiver. She sat hugging her knees, the fine silk sleeves of her tunic offering little protection against the chill of the dungeon air.

"Can someone do something about this?" she added, her tone bordering on regal impatience.

Ella, the girl with light brown hair tied back in a simple braid, rolled her eyes but didn't comment.

She lifted her hand and a ball of flame spiraled into existence above her palm. With a flick of her wrist, the fire expanded and settled neatly into a hovering sphere at the center of the cave, radiating a steady, comforting heat.

"Better?" Ella asked, a little dryly.

"Much," Yuna said, scooting closer to the warmth. She gave Ella a dazzling smile that didn't quite erase the slight pout she wore from earlier. "Thank you."

The others gathered near the fire as well, the glow painting their faces in soft orange light. Shadows stretched long against the cave walls, flickering in rhythm with the flames.

Elise settled down beside Jae, close enough that their shoulders touched. After a moment, she shifted further, resting most of her weight against his side. Her hair brushed against his arm as she tilted her head toward him, her voice low enough that it blended with the faint crackle of the fire.

"So…" she began, drawing out the word, "about that new technique I told you about."

Jae looked at her with interest, a smile tugging at his lips. "The one with the martial arts integration?

She nodded, her expression turning a little serious. "It's coming along. But gods, it's stressful. I'm basically learning two things at once, the healer's override method and martial arts itself. It's exhausting."

Jae leaned his head slightly, watching her as she spoke with a mixture of determination and frustration. "So you've added martial classes on top of everything else?

"Yes," Elise said with a small laugh.

Jae reached out and touched her chin lightly, tilting her face toward him. His expression softened. "You're working hard. I can see it."

Before she could reply, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, lingering for a heartbeat before brushing another quick kiss against her cheek.

"I'm proud of you," he said quietly.

Elise blinked rapidly, her chest tightening with a rush of warmth that had nothing to do with the fire in front of them.

Around them, the rest of the group couldn't help but notice.

"Ooooh," one of the boys from Yuna's team teased, drawing out the sound dramatically.

"Look at these two," Ryn added with a grin, nudging Jae's shoulder. "Could you at least wait until we're not sitting right here?"

Another student snickered loudly, and soon several chuckles filled the cave

Elise buried her face briefly in Jae's sleeve, her ears turning red. Jae rubbed the back of his neck but didn't pull away, his lips quirking upward despite himself.

"Alright, alright," he said with a laugh. "Focus on resting, you clowns."

The laughter died down after a moment, but two people weren't smiling.

Sun sat on a rock further away from the group, his sword resting across his knees. His expression was tight, his lips pressed into a thin line. He said nothing, but the sight of Jae fitting so easily among the others clearly grated on him.

The students were teasing Jae like he was one of them, like he belonged.

Sun's fingers drummed once against the blade before stilling.

Across from him, Yuna hugged her knees a little tighter, her gaze flicking toward Jae and Elise, still sitting pressed together. Her mouth pulled into the slightest frown.

Xxx

The camp had gone still by the time Jae glanced around. Most of the students were already asleep, soft breathing drifting from their tents. The fire near the center had burned down to faint orange coals, throwing the occasional spark into the night. The only sounds were the distant chirping of crickets.

Jae leaned slightly toward Elise, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "I've got an idea," he whispered, the hint of mischief curling around his words.

Elise tilted her head toward him, her brow furrowing in curiosity. "What kind of idea?"

He smirked. "One that involves those free caves we saw earlier."

Her lips parted slightly. She blinked, caught between intrigue and suspicion. "The caves? At this hour?"

"Yeah," Jae said, his voice light but deliberate. "They're empty. Quiet. Perfect for us."

Elise's gaze darted toward the line of trees in the distance, where the shadowed mouth of the caves waited like an unspoken invitation. The thought sparked something in her chest, excitement mixed with unease. "And what if we run into monsters?" she asked quietly, unable to mask the tension in her tone.

Jae's smirk widened, confident in a way that made her heart skip. "I'll protect you," he said simply, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "After all, I am the class champion."

The words shouldn't have mattered as much as they did, but they made her stomach flutter. Elise let out a soft, teasing sound, half scoff and half coo, but her shoulders loosened. She knew he wasn't wrong. If anyone could handle danger out there, it was him.

"All right," she murmured, standing up slowly. "Lead the way."

Neither of them noticed the faint rustle from one of the nearby tents. Yuna's eyes cracked open just enough to catch sight of them slipping off into the trees. Her breath caught in her throat, but she stayed perfectly still, listening. They didn't realize she was awake. They didn't realize she had heard every word.

The walk to the caves was silent but charged. The night air was cool, brushing against their skin with every step. The moonlight filtered weakly through the canopy, sketching pale lines across the uneven ground.

Elise stayed close to Jae's side, close enough to feel his steady warmth. Every now and then, she caught herself glancing at him, the way his stride never wavered, the way his hand occasionally brushed hers.

When they finally reached the cave, Jae paused at the entrance, scanning the shadows with a cautious glance. Satisfied, he stepped inside, tugging Elise along. The air inside was cooler, damp but not uncomfortable. The faint drip of water echoed somewhere deeper within.

"Look at this," Jae said after a moment, pointing ahead

Elise followed his gaze and spotted it, an elevated slab of rock at the far end of the cave, perfectly flat, wide enough to serve as a bed. A small pool of moonlight spilled across it from a crack in the cave ceiling, like it had been waiting for them.

"Lucky, huh?" Jae said with a grin.