Feed Me!

"Lyria," Zynos called with a grin. His tone was casual, but it still snapped her out of her trance. The maid didn't look nearly as pleased as him. Her mind was racing, trying to process the sight in front of her.

Her young master stood there, sword in hand, surrounded by the bodies of massive beasts. Not just any beasts—some were mid-stage, others peak-stage. To see him standing so calmly among them made her heart skip a beat.

"Lyria." Suddenly she heard her name, the sound of her name whispered directly in her ear sent a shiver down her spine.

"Kyaa!" She jumped, taking a step back. Without realizing it, she'd been standing frozen, and now she found herself right in front of him.

"Young master! D-don't scare me like that!" she yelped, her voice higher-pitched than she'd intended

Zynos chuckled, leaning just a bit closer . "You're even cuter when you're startled" he teased, his voice laced with amusement.

Her cheeks burned instantly. "Y-young master, don't joke about that!" she said, taking a few quick steps back.

He simply smirked and turned his attention to the pile of beasts, leaving her flustered and unable to respond properly. Normally, she wasn't this shy—but the way he stood there, sword in hand, calm and confident, made her stomach twist in ways she couldn't explain.

"Come here," he said suddenly, sitting down on a nearby stone like nothing had happened.

She hesitated for a moment before walking over. "Yes, young master?"

He rested his chin on his hand, pointing lazily toward the beasts. "I'm starving. Make me some food."

"F-food?" She blinked, surprised by the sudden demand. "But… from those?"

"Is there a problem?" He asked with a hint of teasing, his eyes half-closed as he studied her reaction.

"N-not at all!" she blurted, trying to keep herself together. "I'll prepare it right away."

Raising her hand, she muttered a spell under her breath. Flames danced in her palm before spreading outward, floating gracefully through the air. With a few precise gestures, she lifted one of the beasts into the air and began preparing it, her magic moving like it had a mind of its own.

 A knife appeared out of her ring, followed by a large stove, and soon she was fully focused on her task.

The main reason he asked her to do this chore was to see and study the next realm. Because the 'genius' of a previous owner knew shit about cultivation.

He didn't feel her presence because of his own cultivation he was able to see because the system warned him from the beginning that someone was following him.

He had kept his guard the whole night and day. But even after all this time 'it' didn't appear or attack so it didn't take a genius to guess that the person was sent by his 'protective' mother.

Zynos leaned back, watching her with a small smile. "You're pretty good at this, you know."

She glanced at him briefly, her blush evident from earlier. "I… I just do what I can, young master." 

"Yes there's no way I can face madam like this!" She thought inwardly.

"No, your serious expression was way too adorable" He said with a chuckle.

Her hands faltered for just a moment, the knife she was controlling wobbling slightly in the air before she steadied it. She refused to look at him now, focusing entirely on the food.

"Y-young master, please don't distract me," she said in a mosquito voice.

"Heh"

After a few minutes, she finished cooking and wiped her hands, glancing at him to signal she was done. Zynos leaned back slightly, his golden eyes fixed on her before he parted his lips expectantly. 

She blinked, tilting her head in confusion. 

"What is it?" she asked, unsure of what he wanted. "Feed me," he said plainly, his voice carrying a hint of mischief. Lyria's jaw dropped, and she nearly stumbled over her words. 

"W-what? Feed you?"

Zynos nodded as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Yeah, I'm exhausted after all that fighting. My arms are sore." he added, trying to sound innocent but failing to hide the amused glint in his eyes.

 Lyria's face turned red as she sputtered, her hands tightening slightly around the bowl she held. "Y-young master!" she stammered, unsure whether to scold him or give in.

She sighed and slowly picked walked towards him.

…

After a few hours of silence, Zynos suddenly spoke up. "Lyria, tell me about the realms of cultivation after Body Refining," he said, his expression serious.

Lyria looked at him and sighed softly. She'd noticed a change in him ever since he woke up. It wasn't just his fighting skills—it was his attitude. He seemed desperate to grow stronger. A part of her couldn't help but worry. That humiliation he'd faced had left a deeper mark than she realized.

"Alright," she said after a pause. 

"Young master, In simple words the mana has to enter your body strenghthen it and till it reaches maximum capacity it could hold out," Lyria explained.

"The next stage is the [Master realm]. Each realm is divided into Initial, Mid, and Peak stages. Starting from the Master rank, cultivators awaken an elemental affinity. Their abilities begin to surpass mere physical strength."

She glanced at him, gauging his reaction before continuing. "After that is the [Grandmaster realm]. At this level, one can gain overwhelming control over an element if mastered successfully. They can also awaken more than two elements. Grandmasters are usually the clan heads of medium-level clans."

Zynos nodded, his gaze fixed on her as she spoke.

"Next comes the [King Realm]," she said, hesitating slightly. "Well… they're very rare. Even I don't know much about them."

"I see." Zynos thought for a moment. The path ahead seemed incredibly difficult, but he wasn't deterred. After all, he had the system to assist him.

This system was mysterious, and he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement as he waited for the first reward.

As he was lost in thought, he noticed that Lyria seemed deep in her own thoughts. With a devilish smirk, he took a step forward and sealed her lips with his own!.

 ....

(A/N- [Body strenghthining realm]-->[Master Realm]-->[Grandmaster Realm]-->[King Realm]

In case of confusion, both body refining and strenghthening are the same :)