"Hmmm… warm."
I woke with a light sheen of sweat, and the first thing I noticed was Luciene clinging tightly to me. Her naked body was wrapped around mine, and for some reason she felt quite hot. I do not mean hot in a sexy sense; her body temperature was simply a little higher than normal. Not uncomfortable. Most likely, spending the entire night having sex with her had warmed the bed.
The reason I had slept with her was obvious. Luciene would be extremely useful in the future, and for her to be completely loyal, I needed to make her my woman. Besides, letting that obsessive affection of hers go to waste would have been foolish. Still, I would be lying if I said loyalty was my only reason. I am a man, after all, and my recent closeness with the baroness had stirred something in me. Honestly, I think that is a good thing. It proves I am not some emotionless robot.
When I looked at Luciene, she was sleeping deeply and peacefully. Her breathing was steady, her chest rising and falling softly. There was not a trace of the arrogant, spoiled expression she had worn when I first met her. Right now, she looked calm, happy and almost defenseless. Moments like this let you see someone's true face, or at least the face you want to see.
I moved slowly, careful not to wake her. Even so, Luciene instinctively snuggled closer. I frowned slightly. This much closeness, this rapid attachment, could cause problems later.
I had no intention of being with only Luciene in this world. Since I had ended up in a place like this, there was nothing stopping me from realizing my harem fantasy. But Luciene's obsession could become an issue. I would need to train her to behave. The question was how.
Leaving another trauma in her current state would be extremely dangerous. No. I needed to be more subtle.
I took a quiet breath and stared at the ceiling. This body, this world, and this woman all had expectations of me. And I had expectations of them.
I gently moved Luciene off me. She did not react, only murmured softly and turned onto her side. The foolish smile on her face disappeared. My palm was still filled with her warmth. That warmth was not purely physical. Perhaps that was what possession felt like. I grow used to it without realizing.
I got out of bed and slipped on a simple robe. As I approached the mirror in the corner of the room, I carefully examined my expression. There was no regret in my eyes. No guilt either. Only calculation.
Luciene was a tool to me, yes. But not fragile glass. More like a blade that had to be kept sharp. Used incorrectly, it could wound its owner. Turning her into a slave did not mean chaining her up and letting her rot in the dark. On the contrary, when I claim something, I want to protect it, refine it, keep it useful and love it.. That is my sense of value.
The attention I gave her, my touch, the intimacy that lasted all night, all of it was building meaning in her mind. Chosen. Irreplaceable. If I guided that perception correctly, Luciene would not merely be loyal. She would become a fanatic.
But fanaticism, if left unchecked, was disaster.
I felt it when Luciene began to wake. Her breathing rhythm changed, her brows twitched slightly. I wanted the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes to be me. Details like that matter. The human mind turns small moments into powerful bonds.
"You're awake," I said calmly.
When her eyes focused, brief surprise crossed her face, followed by pleasure. Exactly as expected. She reached toward me, but I gently caught her hand and stopped her. Not harsh.
"Not yet," I added. "We have things to do today."
To her, this sounded less like an order and more like an invitation. I saw curiosity mixed with disappointment in her eyes. Good. Curiosity strengthens attachment.
Luciene was mine. And I did not need chains to make her feel it. What bound her to me was the belief that leaving me would mean losing something precious. And I intended to give her a great deal to lose.
I heard Luciene's footsteps a few paces behind me. She had thrown on a dress in a hurry, her hair not fully tied. I do not know why, but she looked a little different from yesterday. As if she were more alluring, more feminine. Perhaps it was true that women really do change once they become real women.
She was an eighteen-year-old young woman, and I had to admit she had always been beautiful. Wavy red hair, emerald-green eyes, and a lush, enticing body. I would be lying if I said the baroness did not have more prominent curves, but every fruit has its own beauty. Being surrounded by large-breasted women all the time eventually becomes boring, or at least ordinary.
Without taking my eyes off her, I walked toward her. When I placed a hand on her cheek, she closed her eyes like an affectionate cat and leaned into my palm.
"Does anything hurt?" I asked, deliberately turning my head toward the dried bloodstain on the bed.
Luciene opened her eyes. For a moment, she did not understand. Then her gaze followed mine to the bed. Her face flushed, she lightly bit her lip, and then shook her head.
"No," she said after a brief hesitation. "Just… a little sensitive."
She looked into my eyes, perhaps searching for comfort or approval. I gave her neither fully. Instead, I made a small, almost mechanical motion on her cheek with my thumb. That was enough for her. I felt her shoulders relax.
"That's normal. It will pass," I replied. "Today, I will get permission from the baroness for you. You do not need to attend training. Rest a little."
Luciene froze. She seemed pleased by my words, but deep in her eyes, a flicker of unease appeared. She clasped her fingers together at the hem of her dress and looked down. Clearly, what she was thinking and what she was about to say were not the same.
"I… actually wanted to attend training today as well," she said cautiously. "I do not want to disrupt the schedule the baroness set. I need to grow stronger. If I am going to stay by your side…"
She could not finish the sentence. The last words caught in her throat. She wanted to grow stronger, yes, but not just for herself. It was to keep up with me, not fall behind, and one day be a value rather than a burden in my eyes. She did not say it, but it was obvious.
I did not take my eyes off her. I had expected her to object. That was a good sign. Learning to resist first and then fall silent creates a stronger bond than blind obedience.
"You will grow stronger," I said calmly, in a tone that allowed no argument. "But not every day. Sometimes rest is also part of training."
She lifted her head. A faint spark of hope appeared in her eyes, as if she were trying to read my words as proof that I was not pushing her aside completely.
"So… this is for me?" she asked timidly.
"Yes," I said, short and clear.
That single word was the greatest reward I could give her. No long explanation. No emotional promise. Just confirmation.
Luciene stood there for a few more seconds. Then her shoulders slowly dropped. She pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze again. She did not argue. She did not raise her voice. She simply bowed her head, like a small puppy that does not understand its owner's decision but does not dare oppose it.
"I understand," she said quietly. "As you see fit."
That was it. She was not broken, but she had been redirected. The balance I wanted was right there.
I placed my hand on her head and stroked it gently to comfort her. Luciene accepted my caress with a huge smile. Then, I walked past her toward the door.
"Rest," I said as I opened the door. "I will probably call for you this night."
That sentence erased her disappointment entirely. The frustration in her eyes turned into quiet anticipation. Evening. Being called. Being remembered. She already noticed the wetness between her legs and, blushing fiercely, sat back down on the bed. The moment she did, she let out a small cry and jumped a few centimeters into the air because of the redness on her hips.
She accepted it herself now.
She really did need to rest.