Not just beautiful. But true to her words, to her beliefs.
Julianās smirk deepened as he returned back to stretching. He tilted his head, eyes still fixed on the spot where she had vanished.
"Challenge, huh?" He muttered to himself, lips curling with wicked intent. "She doesnāt know how well I handle challenges..."
***
The day passed on without much happening. Julian spent most of it sleeping lazily, letting his body get familiar with the mana he had just absorbed. The whole house felt unusually quiet, and it only added to the solemn atmosphere.
Tonight, the long-awaited breeder selection was to take place.
Meanwhile, his grandmother had locked herself in her room since morning. She hadnāt spoken a word to anyone, nor allowed a soul inside. Not even her own daughter, Annie, or her son-in-law, Kain, could make her open the door.
They knocked and waited, exchanging worried glances, convinced that something terrible might have happened to her.
But Julian knew better.
She wasnāt mourning.
She was still
fucking
herself with the memory of him.
That swollen belly of hers had tripled before he passed out. It was so big that she looked like she had been bred by a beast. And knowing her? She probably hadnāt stopped touching herself since.
She was in there now, moaning into her pillow, smeared in dried cum, milk still leaking from her tits.
Julian took a deep breath, dragging a hand down his stomach toward his cock. "Shit," he muttered, laughing weakly. "She nearly fucked me into a coma..."
His smile faded, just a little.
"But... since I absorbed all that mana... and my bodyās been completely revitalized..."
He flexed his muscles, feeling the energy rushing through them.
"Yeah... I think Iām ready." His grin returnedāwider, hungrier. "More than ready."
Hours slipped by as the sun dipped below the horizon and the village lanterns began to flicker on one by one.
The time had finally come.
Julian got dressed in a fresh set of village attireādark brown trousers and a brown shirt. He rolled up the sleeves halfway, revealing the toned forearms that bore faint traces of mana. After giving himself a final look in the mirror, he stepped out of his room and headed toward the main hallway.
Kain and Annie were already there, waiting for him. Kain stood tall, his arms crossed with a proud expression on his face. Annie, on the other hand, flinched ever so slightly when Julian entered. Her eyes darted away, avoiding his. She still seemed uneasy after their encounter in the garden.
Gathering herself, she took a deep breath and turned back to face him with a warm smile.
"Dear Rael," she said softly, her voice calm but slightly awkward. "The time has finally come now."
Kain nodded beside her. "Yes, Rael. Itās time for us to do our partāfor the sake of the village."
Julian gave a small nod in return.
Annieās eyes flicked toward him one last time before she turned to lead the way, her movements elegant... but guarded.
**
With that, the three left the house and stepped out into the open village paths. The sky had deepened into sunset, and as they walked, the world around them slowly drowned into darkness.
Julian walked slightly ahead, his hands in his pockets, while Kain and Annie followed close beside him. None of them spoke much. Each step toward the village center was an important step, a step towards changing their fate.
Julian glanced around occasionally, taking in the villagers who stood outside their homes or peeked through slightly opened windows, whispering about the upcoming test.
They passed the outer houses, the blacksmithās shop, and a small shrine that smelled faintly of incense. After walking for some time, they finally reached the large stone building at the heart of the village. It was older than the others, with a weathered wooden door and traditional looks.
This was where the test would be held.
The moon above shone over the village, casting a silver glow over the buildings around him. The night had fully settled in now, wrapping the village in a calm, chilling atmosphere.
Julian stopped in front of the door, his ears picking up the murmurs and gossip coming from within.
"...tonight it ends...finally."
"I still canāt believe weāll be the ones to do it," another woman whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of excitement and nerves.
"After years of waiting, the curse might finally be lifted," another added, her tone breathy with anticipation.
"Four of them," someone said, exhaling sharply. "Four strong cocks, raised on village soil, pulsing with the curse weāve waited generations to tame."
Julian arched a brow.
"How do we decide who gets who?" A younger voice joined in, breathy and eager.
"Theyāll draw lots," a woman replied with amusement. "No clawing, no begging. Just fingers crossed and thighs squeezed shut till your nameās drawn."
Laughter followed.
"And if one of them refuses?"
"They wonāt," came an older voice. "Theyāve been prepared since birth. Every one of them knows whatās expected. What theyāll do to us... what weāll do to them."
"But Rael..." the soft voice again, dreamy and hot with longing. "Thereās something in the way he looks at us, like he has seen through us already. If he even touches me, Iāll lose it. I swear, my legs turned to jelly last time I saw him."
A collective laughter followed.
"Heās the one I want. I donāt care what fate says."
"Greedy little thing," an older woman teased. "Didnāt you just fuck one of the guards last week?"
"The elder already marked him," someone reminded. "Heāll be the one to break the seal. His seed will start it. It must."
Julianās smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Seed
, huh?
"The curse has followed us for generations," the older one continued. "Every girl trained since her first menstruation. Tonight, it ends. And we will
take
whatās needed. Not gently. Not sweetly."
"Then we better be ready," the soft voice whispered. "Once the moon hits its peak... weāll kneel for them."
Another pause. Then a final murmur:
"I hope mine pins me down first."
Julian laughed and pushed open the door.