First Kiss

Elion found himself gazing into the eyes of an incredibly beautiful woman. 

Her long, shimmering silver hair cascaded down her back, framing her perfect features, and her... well, her 'assets' were undeniably impressive. She flashed him a seductive smile, the kind that made his knees weak. 

"I wanna kiss you," she said in a sexy tone, her voice dripping with allure.

Elion's heart pounded in his chest as she began to move toward him, her hips swaying with every step. He could hardly believe it—was this it? 

Was today finally the day he'd lose his virginity? A day he'd been waiting for... well, far too long. In his last world, no girl had ever come close to this. Was fate finally throwing him a bone?

He gulped loudly, nearly choking on his own saliva. The woman's scent was intoxicating as she leaned in closer, her lips just inches from his. This was it. This was finally it.

And then... she started licking his face.

"Wait... what?" The licking was strange. Not sensual like he imagined, but more like... slobbery. Way too slobbery. "Why is this so wet?"

With a confused grunt, Elion jolted awake, only to find Fenrir's furry face right up against his, enthusiastically licking him like his personal salt lick.

"Mama, give me food. I'm hungry," Fenrir said, his voice filling Elion's half-asleep brain like an adorable little tyrant demanding tribute.

Elion groaned, wiping away the dog slobber from his cheek. "Damnit, that was the perfect dream! Ruined! All for breakfast? You, little furball, owe me a new fantasy!" 

Shaking his head in defeat, Elion sat up and pulled out three beast cores from his space inventory. 

Fenrir, the little food monster, perked up immediately and snatched the cores with lightning speed, chomping them down as if he'd been starved for days. 

Within seconds, the cores were gone, and the tiny furball sat down with a smug look on his face, satisfied at last.

Elion raised an eyebrow. "Whoa, Fenrir, did you grow again? How long was I out for? A month?!"

[Two days.] 

Valen's voice chimed in, his usual sarcastic tone coming through loud and clear.

[Not that long, but this little guy is growing at an amazing speed.]

He eyed Fenrir suspiciously. "You're going to turn into a monster soon at this rate. Maybe start paying rent?"

Fenrir merely blinked at him, licking his chops, completely unbothered. 

"Man, no wonder I'm so hungry. I slept for two days straight!" Elion grumbled, his stomach growling in agreement. "Let's grab some food before heading to the Blackthorn mansion. The timing should be about right."

[Don't be late. Vampires usually hate people who miss appointments.]

Elion waved him off casually. "No worries, Lucius didn't give me an exact time, and besides, it should be around lunchtime now." He rubbed his empty stomach.

Without wasting another second, he went to a nearby restaurant beside the inn where he was staying. 

As soon as he entered, the familiar smell of roasted meats, freshly baked bread, and spiced vegetables hit him like a wave. His mouth watered instantly.

The restaurant wasn't too busy, just a few locals enjoying their meals.

Elion didn't bother with subtlety. He took a seat and immediately waved down the waiter. "I'll take the chief's recommendation, bring me the best," he said, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. "And make it double. No, actually… triple."

The waiter blinked in surprise but nodded. "Right away, sir."

Soon enough, a parade of food began arriving at his table—grilled steaks, bowls of steaming stew, mountains of mashed potatoes, roasted chicken legs, and slices of thick bread slathered with butter. 

Elion didn't waste a second. He tore into the feast like a man possessed, devouring everything in sight as if it were his last meal on Alastor.

His hands moved in a blur, scooping up chunks of meat, stuffing bread into his mouth, and slurping down soup as if there was no tomorrow. He ate with the kind of ferocity you'd expect from a starving beast.

[Like mother, like son. Now I know why Fenrir is like that.]

Elion paused for a moment, chewing on a piece of chicken, and gave a half-hearted shrug. "Can't help it. Food this good deserves to be appreciated." He grabbed a loaf of bread and took a massive bite, crumbs flying everywhere.

[And what exactly are you appreciating?] 

Valen's voice dripped with sarcasm. 

[All I see is you swallowing food without even bothering to chew.]

By the time he finished, his table looked like a battlefield, littered with empty plates and bones. Elion leaned back in his chair, patting his full stomach with satisfaction. 

"Now that hit the spot."

[You should never criticize Fenrir again for eating too much.]

Elion chuckled, standing up and tossing a few coins onto the table. "I'm in a growth phase, gotta fuel the machine, right?" He patted his stomach with a grin. "Nutrients are key!"

He stretched one last time and made his way toward the Blackthorn mansion. "Time to get my reward."

Elion approached the grand gates of Blackthorn's mansion, where two imposing guards crossed their spears in front of him.

"State your business, kid," one of them barked, sizing him up.

"Hi, my name's Elion. lord Lucius should be expecting me today," Elion replied.

The guard gave him a scrutinizing look, then relaxed. "Ah, the captain mentioned you. Good job, kid. You can go in."

As Elion walked past the gate, a neatly dressed butler was already waiting for him by the mansion's main entrance. The man offered a respectful bow.

"Good morning, Mr. Elion," the butler greeted. "Master Lucius and the young master are currently in training. Please allow me to escort you to them."

Elion nodded, feeling a little out of place amidst the grandeur. "Thanks."

The butler led the way, and Elion followed, his eyes occasionally wandering as they passed through elegant courtyards and hallways lined with finely crafted tapestries and ancient paintings.

'The mansion feels completely different without the usual guests. It's massive, almost eerily quiet with so few people around. It gives off this strange, hollow vibe, like it's too big for its own good.'

After a few minutes, the butler came to a stop in front of a door and turned to Elion. 

"Master and young master are inside." With a graceful bow, he opened the door and quietly stepped aside, leaving Elion at the entrance.

Elion's eyes immediately caught sight of Lucius and Dorian, both engaged in an intense sparring match with spears. The way they moved was mesmerizing—each strike, block, and counter was fluid, almost like a deadly dance, as if their weapons were having a silent conversation. The precision of their movements spoke of years of experience and training.

Then, Dorian suddenly broke the flow of the sparring and turned toward the door. Spotting Elion, he grinned and waved.

"Well, look who decided to show up! Elion, long time no see. Did you miss being trapped with me?" Dorian's playful tone was unmistakable.

Elion grinned back, not missing a beat. "Oh, absolutely! Who wouldn't miss being locked in a cramped cabin with a pretentious young master?" His voice dripped with mock sincerity, and a mischievous smile crept across his face.

Dorian chuckled, shaking his head. "I knew you secretly loved it."

Lucius, with the grace of a seasoned warrior, lowered his spear and began walking toward Elion, a small, approving smile playing on his lips.

"Good morning, boy. Come, let's head to the main hall. I've prepared a small reward for your efforts." He paused for a moment, glancing down at his sparring attire before adding, "Give me a couple of minutes to change into something more appropriate. Can't be handing out rewards while looking like I've just come from the battlefield."

Elion gave a nod, and Lucius turned to head inside.

A few moments later, Lucius returned, dressed in a fine black suit embroidered with silver details. His presence seemed even more regal now as if he had transformed in the short time it took him to change.

"Alright, let's not waste time. To the main hall," Lucius announced, his voice echoing through the spacious room. 

Elion and Dorian followed him down the corridors of the mansion, the path winding through grand rooms and halls that seemed to stretch endlessly. The mansion was even larger than Elion had imagined, and its opulence was a stark reminder of the Blackthorn family's status.

When they finally arrived at the main hall, Elion saw a table with a small pouch on it. He could feel the space power around it, most likely a vessel to store objects

Lucius gestured to the pouch. "For your efforts in protecting Varzinhein, and for aiding in the capture of traitors, I've arranged a modest sum for you. 1000 gold coins and 50 high-grade mana stones. A fair reward, I believe."

"Thank you, Lord Lucius," Elion said, bowing his head slightly in appreciation. "This is more than generous."

Lucius waved his hand dismissively. "Nonsense. You earned it, and this is only the beginning. I hope you will continue to serve Alastor well. We could use more like you in the battles to come."

Elion paused for a moment, contemplating his next steps before speaking. 

"Actually, I came to the north with the intention of training. Do you think I could join the northern fortress?" 

"Of course," he said with a nod. "You didn't even need to ask. Our borders always need strong warriors like you. Dorian will be heading there in a few days. Why don't you stay here as my guest until then? You can join his team and get acquainted with the fortress." 

"Thank you," Elion replied.

Dorian, who had been standing by, suddenly smirked and leaned in. "Hoho. Looks like I'm going to be your captain now," he said with a playful glint in his eyes. "You'll have to follow my orders, Elion. Not bad, huh?"

Elion glanced at Dorian's smug expression and couldn't help but laugh. "Guess I'll have to get used to it, then." 

Though they had known each other for only a short time, the battles they had fought and the dangers they had faced together had forged a bond between them. There was an unspoken understanding that, despite the teasing, Dorian was someone Elion could rely on. 

Dorian clapped Elion on the back. "Don't worry, I won't be too hard on you. Well, maybe just a little. We've got to toughen you up if you're going to survive in the north."

Elion grinned. "As long as you don't make me fetch your food or shine your boots, I think I'll manage."

Lucius chuckled at the banter between them. "It's good to see you two getting along. The northern fortress isn't an easy place, but with Dorian leading the team, I have no doubt you'll be in good hands."

Dorian puffed his chest out, clearly enjoying the compliment. "You hear that, Elion? You're in the presence of greatness. Don't forget it."

Elion rolled his eyes with a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Just make sure you don't trip over your own ego on the battlefield, captain."

And just like that, the months flew by in a blur of training, battles, and camaraderie, until the day finally came for him to return home.