My gaze landed on the spade leaning against the shed wall.
Without another thought, I grabbed it and walked inside.
The earthy stench of damp hay and livestock filled the air. The herd had done its best to turn the shed into a mess, leaving scattered straw and dung across the polished stone floor. I weaved between the beasts, careful not to startle them, and got to work.
Apart from the occasional low moos, they remained docile. The cleaning itself wasn't difficult. It was just monotonous. So my body worked mechanically, letting my thoughts wander.
Yesterday still felt unreal.
I scooped a mound of dung into the drain, the wet squelch making my nose wrinkle. One more reminder that I'd survived the madness, and was still tethered to a very shitty reality.
If people ever found out I'd entered the Spiritual Plane without awakening, they'd probably assume I'd lost a few screws in the head.
The Spiritual Plane wasn't some dreamscape or cozy vacation spot. It was stitched together by emotions, memories, and raw spiritual residue. A shifting landscape that didn't obey the normal laws of space or time where fragments of past, present, and future tangled together like a drunk philosopher's fever dream.
And I had waltzed right in there like a moron.
Only Adepts dared to set foot in there. Or at least those trained to control their aura and hold their minds together. Otherwise, you might die just from glimpsing a projection of some long-dead deity. Even if you survived that, the terrain itself was treacherous, crawling with creatures and cursed anomalies, all hungry for blood or worse.
And even if someone could survive inside, they still had to find spirit realms with stable entry points like everyone else.
Exceptions were those with unique techniques or specialized gear, that allowed them to create pocket holes artificially to enter.
Like me.
My Barron of corruption technique collected Corrupted Spirit Mana by subtly opening an access point into the Spiritual Plane, invisible to the naked eye. This was bound to develop into an ability that would let me enter the spiritual plane. The fact the technique mentioned how I had to refine a 'land' in the spiritual plane at later stages only reinforced my hunch.
Still, I never expected to stumble on another way to throw the doors to the Spiritual plane wide open.
Guess I'm lucky. Not just for getting a rare gear... but for not ending up dead.
I sighed, shoveling another pile of filth into the drain.
Looking back, the fact I'd only run into a spirit creature that had yet to awaken could be counted as dumb luck. What if it had been an Evolving Minion? Or worse a greater minion with underlings at its command? I'd have been torn to pieces in seconds.
I shook my head.
No. I wasn't acting purely on impulse. I was confident only because the black book came from Granny. If there were real danger, she would've warned me. Didn't I get yanked back the moment my life was at risk?
So everything is fine.
As long as I didn't get one-shot by something overwhelmingly powerful, I should be safe. Probably.
Still, too many questions lingered.
Whose noble house had I broken into?
Why was that place drowning in spiritual malice?
Seriously, cleaning this botaur shit felt like a picnic compared to how heavy that place felt.
And most importantly... was it connected to Granny? Or to me?
Either way, I can't let such a treasure trove go to waste.
The place had untapped resources. And the answer to what I should do with them was obvious.
But that damn mutt was a problem.
I shouldn't keep charge in blind and get mauled like yesterday. Though what else could I do but keep going back, getting wrecked over and over, hoping that one day I'd finally bring it down?
And then what? Surely, it wasn't the only thing lurking there.
With another resigned sigh, I shoved more dung into the drain.
My life was officially a cycle of beatdowns. Alvin in the morning, spirit creatures by night, and Rafaella's sharp tongue to round out the day.
Huh. I really am lucky, aren't I?
The shed was nearly halfway cleaned when a familiar voice broke my spiral.
"Nero...?"
The voice caught me mid-scoop. I turned, and there she was.
Rafaella, standing at the entrance to the shed.
Her eyes locked on me, wide with disbelief.
She hadn't expected me to be here.
The expression said it all.
The stiff, uncertain posture like one wrong breath might make me vanish.
Why is he still here?
Didn't he say he was leaving? Didn't he mean it?
I could almost hear the questions rattling off in her head.
Neither of us said a word.
We just stared at each other in a suspended silence neither of us dared to break.
But I wasn't in the mood to let it linger.
I scooped up a handful of dirt from the spade, a grin curling at my lips.
"Hey, why are you standing there like you saw a ghost?" I said, stepping toward her.
She blinked, too slow to react as I reached out and smeared the dirt across her cheek.
Snickering, I flashed her a theatrical laugh, the over-the-top horror villain flair I had seen in cheap plays.
"Don't think you can get rid of me that easily," I added. "I've decided to haunt you from now on."
I stuck out my tongue, expecting her to roll her eyes, make a disgusted face, or maybe even swat at me.
But she didn't move, didn't blink, just stood there.
Frozen.
Her lips parted like she wanted to speak, but no sound came. Her eyes soon shimmered with tears.
I blinked, my grin fading.
Wait... was she about to cry?
A jolt of panic shot through my chest.
I stepped in, quickly reaching to wipe the smear from her cheek.
But the moment my fingers touched her skin, the tears broke free, silently trailing down her face.
"It was just a joke…" I muttered, awkwardly. My voice cracked slightly, flustered seeing things getting out of hand.
Then, without warning, she moved.
She crashed into me, arms wrapping around me with desperate strength.
Before I could even react, her face was buried in my shoulder. A muffled sob soon shook through her, as if a dam had burst.
What the hell?
I froze. My mind scrambled to make sense of her sudden shift, but the way she clung to me said it all: she'd thought I was gone.
She had spent the night crying alone, bracing for my absence, convinced I would disappear without a trace once Alvin was out. That I'd slip away without a goodbye.
And now, seeing me still here must've undone every taut nerve in her body.
I felt her trembling against me.
Maybe not just from the fear of me leaving, but from everything she'd kept bottled up. The grief. The worry. The quiet ache she never let surface.
And now, with someone finally here to hold her, she was letting it pour out.
"Sheesh… don't hug me like this. I'm getting ticklish," I said, trying to inject some levity, though my voice cracked near the end.
Slowly, I lifted my arms and wrapped them around her, stiff at first, then more certain. Then gently I let one hand settle on her back, the other hesitating before moving in slow, reassuring strokes.
She didn't react and cried softly into my shirt. It was soft, barely audible, but I felt it down to my bones.
And as strange and awkward as it was, a part of me was… relieved. Maybe even grateful for the situation.
After all my shenanigans, she still trusted me enough to fall apart in my arms. She would let me see her like this. She hadn't pushed me away in this raw, unguarded moment.
That had to mean something. Maybe she'd forgiven me.
But then, beneath all that warm relief, something else stirred.
Something uglier.
Honestly, as much as I wanted to be her shoulder to cry on, the evil shit in me screamed this was too much of an opportunity to let go.
For so long, I had only dared to steal glances, admiring her from afar. I was never brave enough even to lay a finger on this beautiful, alluring woman who seemed so out of reach.
Yet now, here she was in my arms, clinging to me like I was something precious.
Her warmth bleeding through the thick fabric of her clothes, soft breasts pressing firmly against my chest, the faint scent of intoxicating lavender aroma clinging to her hair flooding my senses, and our shared body heat melting away the morning's chill.
Everything about her was intoxicating.
My throat tightened.
I felt an overwhelming urge to lean down and press my lips gently against her temple.
But I didn't move.
I couldn't.
God forbid I scare off the gentle fairy caught in my grasp.
Unfortunately, my lower half had no such reservations.
Hardened like iron, it pressed into her soft belly, throbbing insistently. I swallowed thickly, my heart pounding in my ears. With each passing second, the urge to rip away her modest clothes and savor every inch of this exquisite woman gnawed at me.
But just when I thought I was about to lose myself, she pulled away.
"I knew my Nero wouldn't leave me," she said softly. Her eyes still glistened, but this time, with a light that hadn't been there before.
"Oh, really?" I teased, doing my best to hide the disappointment of having her warmth leaving my grasp.
She knocked her knuckles against my chest affectionately. Her lips tugged into a shy smile.
"Honestly… I didn't expect it," she admitted, voice still a little shaky. "But I prayed. Praise to the goddess for not ignoring this lowly one."
She fluttered her lashes, her glistening eyes glowing under the shed's dim light.
I snorted. "Come on, don't give all the credit to the goddess. I stayed for my big sis. Don't try to steal the spotlight."
I reached out and pinched her cheek, gently tugging at the soft skin.
She paused momentarily, hearing my words. For a brief second, she just stared at me, her eyes practically glowing from how I'd called her big sis.
Then, before I could react, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips gently to my cheek.
I froze.
Her lips were soft and warm, leaving a tingling warmth where they'd touched. An electric jolt passed through my nerves and my mind went completely blank.
Before I could stop myself, my hand shot out. I tilted her chin up and gently pressed my lips to her cheek in return.
The moment I felt the soft warmth of her skin, she gasped and pulled back, startled.
Only when I saw her wide, shocked eyes staring back at me did the weight of my actions sink in.
Shit.
What the hell did I just do?
Her gaze bore into me, and a cold shiver ran down my spine.
My mouth went dry.
"Uh… maybe the goddess really should get the credit," I blurted out, flustered. Not even knowing what I was saying.
For a brief, heart-stopping second, she stared at me as if I'd said something completely ridiculous.
Then she burst out laughing.
I exhaled, feeling relief flooding my chest.
It felt like watching the world collapse for a second… and then miraculously piece itself back together.
My rationality told me her kiss meant nothing more than affection. She wasn't thinking about anything indecent. Her heart was pure. She was just… happy. It was the same gesture she always did when I was a boy who scraped his knee.
But part of me refused to believe it.
My heart was pounding, my mind screamed for more, and my body yearned to hold her again, to savor the warmth of her embrace.
But I held it all back
Because I couldn't afford to ruin this.
Especially not after choosing to stay here the entire year.
Eating this forbidden fruit entirely seemed impossible now, but even these little bites were enough to calm the storm in my chest.
The last thing I wanted was to blow that up with my reckless desires.
My luck had been down the drain since I stepped in here, and Rafaella had caught me in way too many compromising positions not to be guarded against me.
"Hey, don't space out now," she said, knocking lightly on my chest. "We've still got cleaning to finish. Lissy will be here soon."
I offered a sheepish smile and turned back toward the shed, then paused.
She had already grabbed the hose and was testing the water pressure.
"Whoa, whoa, don't splash them now, big sis," I called out.
She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"You'll freeze the poor beasts. And if they get cold, you'll have to hug them to warm them up," I teased with a grin.
She blinked once, then laughed.
"Idiot. You lack a good beating." She shook her head, still chuckling. "Apart from the young ones, these beasts are tougher than you. Even if it freezes over, they wouldn't even flinch."
She paused, then added with a smirk, "But since you seem so worried, I'll let them graze for a while."
Without waiting for me to respond, she guided the beast. I didn't stand by idly either and followed close behind to help.
"Honestly, I thought you'd be rushing down the mountain in the morning," she said with a smile as we led the last of the botaur out. "Where's that icy tone and stone face from yesterday?"
"Oh, you want it back?" I teased, straightening my posture and slipping back into the cold, distant tone I'd used with her just yesterday.
Her eyes widened in panic. "No, no! Go back to how you were earlier. I don't want this donkey face."
I laughed out loud unknowingly seeing her flustered face.
"Hey! What's with all the laughter?"
Lissy strolled toward us, balancing a bucket casually in one hand.
Rafaella's eyes brightened spotting her. She pointed at me with a playful grin. "Lissy, look closely. See if you notice a change in someone here."
Lissy clutched her chest in mock horror. "Oh no. Not my delicate darling who almost fainted from the smell of the herd. Don't tell me someone knocked you out and rewired your brain overnight."
The obvious teasing and sarcasm behind her usual sweet cooing voice got my face heated. To cover it up, I busied myself with scraping dung off the floor, pretending I hadn't heard her.
They laughed at my reaction, their voices ringing cheerfully through the shed.
Within fifteen minutes, I finished cleaning the shed.
As I rinsed off with the hose, Rafaella quietly came by my side.
"Nero… should I make something special for you today?" she asked softly.
I turned to her, a slow smile curling my lips. "Anything made by your hands is special, big sis. How could I ask for more?" My words came smoothly, as I met her gaze. I was determined never to miss any opportunity to fawn over this beauty.
She didn't respond, but her melodious giggle was more than enough. Her pearly white teeth flashed as she giggled, turning back toward the house.
As she walked away, I couldn't help but watch her go.
The gloom that once clung to her seemed to have vanished. Her steps now carried a certain weightlessness, like a gentle breeze drifting away.
That was all it took. Was she such a softie? And here I was cursing and berating the poor thing nonstop.
"Weren't you standing on the edge yesterday? What made you change your mind so suddenly?" Lissy's voice broke through my thoughts. She stood near the beasts, holding a bucket, her tone playful. Even though her question seemed innocent I felt there was something more in the way she asked it.
I smirked. "Weren't you the one who told me to stay for you?" I teased, letting my voice drop, rough and deliberate.
She stilled at the sound of it. Then, turning, she met my gaze with a slow, teasing smile, her honey-brown eyes glinting with mischief.
"Say that again. But this time look me in the eyes." Her voice was low, with a challenge wrapped in a whisper.
The sultry tone and the magnetic honey-brown eyes of the mature woman peering deeply were too much for me to handle.
Soon I felt the heat flushing my face.
"L-let me bring the milk churn," I stammered quickly, making my escape before she could corner me further.
As I neared the house, I noticed the covered wagon was missing. So was the Taurus that should've been hitched to it.
Alvin had left.
In the kitchen, Rafaella was busy scrubbing glass bottles, her movements quick and meticulous.
"I put this off yesterday when Lissy called suddenly, and this morning, I got caught up sending off Alvin," she said without looking up, her hands moving with practiced efficiency.
I stepped forward. "Need a hand?"
She shook her head. "I'm fine. You help Lissy. I'll be done by the time you load the milk churn." She said with a quick smile, before turning back to work.
I nodded, grabbing the cleaned milk churn from the pantry. But just as I was about to step out, I stopped midway and turned toward her.
"Big sis, your hands still aren't fully healed, right? Don't load these into the carts alone. Call me when you're done."
I didn't wait for her response and hurried toward the shed. But the sight that greeted me inside the shed made me take a sharp breath.
Lissy was crouched down, milking the beast. Her back was to me, but her legs were spread just enough for the view to be deliberate. Her pale yellow skirt had hiked up, exposing a scandalous stretch of milky white thighs.
I swallowed hard, setting the milk churn down a little louder than necessary. I did it intentionally to see her reaction. I wondered whether she would fix her skirt, knowing my presence.
But she did nothing.
This! The vixen was doing this on purpose. She was clearly exposing herself to stir me up. And sure enough, someone was already up inside my pants.
Steeling myself, I walked toward her, making sure my footsteps were audible. But she didn't shift, didn't adjust, just kept working in that slow, rhythmic motion.
And damn, was she a sight. Those shapely thighs… thick, smooth, begging to be touched. And right above them, her full breasts pressed against her arms, straining against her blouse with every movement.
I swallowed again, throat dry.
"What?… Do you wanna milk them, Nero?" Her voice was laced with teasing as she finally glanced up at me, fingers still working the teats of the beast in an unbroken rhythm.
Her words had a double meaning, obvious even through the haze muddling my thoughts. But with her sultry smile and those piercing honey-brown eyes, my brain failed to process anything beyond how devastatingly alluring she looked.
"I—, c-can I sit next to you?" I asked, my voice betraying me with a slight tremor.
She paused, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"
"To see." The words left me as if pulled from my lips by some unseen force.
"To see?" She let out a husky laugh. "What exactly do you want to see, Nero?"
Looking into her magnetic eyes, which felt like swirling me in deep, I felt my nerves bubbling over. Her laid-back, confident demeanor, which jumped between being simply playful and sultry vixen, made me question if I was overthinking things. Maybe I was imagining it all.
"Come on, say it," sensing my reluctance she urged, her voice dipping into something closer to a purr. "What do you want to see?"
I knew the answer. I wanted to see her thighs. I wanted to keep looking, drinking every inch of that creamy skin. But my tongue refused to cooperate.
"N-nothing… I—I'm going to bathe," I blurted, panic overriding desire. The words were ridiculous, but my body was already moving, ready to flee before I did something I couldn't take back.
But before I could, Lissy's hand caught my wrist.
"Stop right there~." Her laughter rang out, coy and knowing. "Are you really going to bathe in this cold?"
Flustered and not knowing how to answer, I let out an embarrassed smile.
Lissy tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Didn't you say you wanted to see something? Come closer, then."
It was an invitation. On the surface, to watch her milk the beast, but we both knew what she was really offering.
And yet… I couldn't bring myself to do it.
I hated myself in that moment for acting like some shy virgin who'd never seen a woman's skin before.
Lissy must have realized I was at my limit. With a little sigh, she handed me the bucket of fresh milk. "Aye, pour this in the churn."
Grateful for the distraction, I took it, carefully pouring it before returning it.
Lissy didn't stop there. As she moved on to the next beasts, her postures became subtle but more suggestive. Her every shift, every stretch, every glance sent a pulse of heat through me. And those eyes, those honey-brown eyes never left me, locking me in a place like a predator watching its prey.
Neither of us uttered a word after that.
But we both understood the intense desire we held for each other.
####
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