[ Harem Force +100 ]
[ Harem Force +120 ]
[ Harem Force +110 ]
[ Harem Force +105 ]
....
By the end of the night, Adonis managed to harvest a total of 2500 points from the Royal Princess.
And yet, he hadnât even touched her so intimately yet. Just touching and teasing gave him so much Harem Force.
From this, it proved that she had a deep reservoir of Harem Force to harvest from.
He looked at his Harem Swordâs stats:
[ CHAOTIC HAREM SWORD (Taboo) ]
[ Current Stage: C | 4,950 / 10,000 HF ]
[ Attack Power: 101 ]
[ Defense: 105 ]
[ Special Traits: Boundless Stamina, Touch Of Lust, Chaotic Harem Body, Valkyrion ]
"Almost halfway to Stage B... Itâs just a matter of time," he muttered, smiling.
"Huh, why are you grinning so much early in the morning, Adonis?" Princess Mariana spoke after coming in from outside. She looked fresh as water still clung to her short pink hair.
"Go get freshened up. After eating, weâll head to the cave."
To Adonisâs ears, it felt as though a virtuous wife was rebuking her husband.
"Alright, since my wife said so lovingly, Iâd be a jerk not to listen," he replied in a playful tone.
Marianaâs ears and neck turned red.
"Wife? Whoâs your wife?" she pouted embarrassedly. "Youâre taking this game too seriously, Adonis."
"Oh, am I? Isnât it you, Minos, who kept clinging to me at night?"
Marianaâs cheeks also became flaming red as she stammered,
"IâI did not cling. Youâre the one who wouldnât move! The bedâs tiny, thatâs all!"
Adonis reached out with his hand and lightly flicked the tip of her nose.
"Sure. And the way you buried your face in my neck when you thought I was asleep? It was also the bedâs fault, right?"
Her eyes widened. The redness spread to the tips of her ears.
"That- that never happened!"
"Liar, I felt every little shiver. Every time your heartbeat sped up when I shifted closer. You were practically purring, Minos."
Marianaâs composure finally broke.
"Stop calling me that! And stop teasing! We have a cave to raid, you idiot!"
Adonis caught her wrists gently, holding them against his chest.
"Relax, "Iâm just playing along. You started it, remember? âBoysâ night.â âKeep each other warm.â You canât complain now that Iâm returning the favor."
Mariana glared up at him, but the effect was ruined by how pink her face still was.
"Youâre annoying."
"And youâre adorable when youâre embarrassed," he countered without missing a beat.
She yanked her wrists free and turned away, though shoulders remained tense.
"Get ready already. Iâm not waiting for you all day."
Adonis chuckled and finally stepped back, grabbing his robe from the chair.
"As my wife commands."
Mariana threw the towel at his head.
"Stop saying that!"
He caught it mid-air, still grinning.
"Make me."
She huffed, spun on her heel, and stormed toward the door only to pause with her hand on the knob.
She said in a shy voice,
"And donât be late for breakfast. I already asked the lady to make extra portions."
Adonis smiled genuinely. "Yes, dear."
He was really enjoying the time with her. It seemed she wasnât some arrogant Princess after all.
He felt like that someone like her fell for him. And he also understood that it must be her who saved him from the punishment frim the church and ordered Claudia to train him.
The queit gratitude in his heart slowly transformed inti genuine affection.
This adorable Princess was his.
Mariana, unable to listent to his heart, fled the room.
Adonis stood alone for a moment, smiling.
Vexaâs delighted voice chimed in his mind.
<Master, sheâs just one teasing nickname away from exploding. That 99.7% is climbing fast. Youâve got her wrapped around your finger and she doesnât even know you know her real identity already>
Adonis folded the towel neatly and set it aside.
"Sheâll know soon enough. When Iâm ready."
He glanced at the door Mariana had just escaped through.
One more day... One more day of playing Minos, and then Iâll peel the mask away and claim whatâs already mine.
He dressed quickly, mind already focusing to the Void Spider cave ahead.
---
Breakfast was served in the small dining area just off the kitchen. The village couple had set out two steaming bowls of thick oatmeal porridge mixed with honey and dried berries, fresh bread, a wedge of sharp cheese, and a pot of herbal tea.
As soon as Adonis and Minos sat down at the wooden table, the atmosphere became strage.
The wife kept her eyes firmly on the floor while she poured tea. Her husband stood by the stove with arms crossed, staring at them with open suspicion.
Every few seconds his gaze darted between the two young men, then back to the single narrow bed they had shared upstairs.
Adonis noticed immediately. He picked up his spoon and mixed the porridge casually.
"Good morning, kind Sir and madam. Thank you for the meal. It smells wonderful."
The wife gave a jerky nod, "Um, Youâre welcome."
Her husband cleared his throat, "Did you two slept together?"
"Pffft~" Minos (Mariana) nearly choked on her first sip of tea.
She recovered quickly, flashing the couple Minosâs trademark cocky grin.
"Yes, Sir. Like babies. The bed was very cozy."
The husbandâs face sank, and the wifeâs hand trembled as she set the teapot down.
Adonis kicked Minos lightly under the table. She shot him a glare, but the corners of her mouth twitched.
The wife finally spoke,
"We actually donât judge here. We just didnât expect that kind of closeness from Academy boys."
Minos blinked in confusion. Then she understood. Her face went scarlet beneath the disguise.
Adonis calmly took a bite of bread, then said,
"We appreciate your hospitality, and your discretion."
The husband grunted, "But you better leave by noon, boys."
They gave curt nods.
Afterward, they finished the meal in near-total silence. Every clink of spoon against bowl sounded deafening. When they finally stood to leave, the wife pressed a small cloth-wrapped bundle into Minosâs hands.
"No need to be weary. It has some supplies for the road. And good luck. With... whatever you two are."
"Thank you." Both bowed before the ladyâs kindness.
They escaped the house as quickly as dignity allowed.
The moment the door shut behind them, Minos laughed.
"Hahaha, they think weâre lovers!"
Adonis shrugged, completely unperturbed. "We did share a bed. And you did cling to me."
"I did not cling!"
"You purred."
"I did NOT purr!"
"Come on, wife. Lets continue it in the Cave."
She hissed and threw the bundle of supplies at his chest.
He caught it one-handed without breaking stride.
They left the village behind and entered the dense pine forest north of Flocky village.
The path narrowed quickly, and the sunlight pierced through thick branches like tiny golden spotlights.
Above them, Birds screeched. And somewhere in the distant, a river flowed.
Minos pulled a folded parchment from inside her jacket.
It was the map she acquired after learning Adonisâ desire for Aether silk.
Yes. Pevious, she had no knowledge on Void Spider caves. But to fulfil Adonisâ demand, she specially order her personnel to acquire necessary knowledge and a map.
"We need to keep heading north-east," she said after studying the map. "Thereâs a ravine in about two miles. The entrance is inside it, hidden behind a waterfall."
Adonis glanced at the map over her shoulder. While doing so, their heads nearly touched.
Marianaâs heart jumped again.
"You have prepared so thoroughly, Iâm impressed."
"Itâs nothing. I just like to be prepared."
Minos acted nonchalant, while inwardly she screamed at his praise.
"Are you sure you didnât do it for me?"
"Of course not. I am doing all these for the technique. Youâre jus a tconvenient beneficiary. "
"Uh-huh."
They walked in companionable silence after that.
The forest became dense. The air grew cooler and moist.
The sound of falling water reached them long before they saw the ravine.
When they finally jumped from the ridge, the cave mouth came into view.
"Weâre here!"