Aiden lay sprawled on the king-sized bed, his head resting against the cool wall behind him. The mattress beneath him was a luxury compared to the forest floor he had grown used to. He sighed, through the glowing translucent blue panels of the system window floating in front of him.
Just a hand's breadth away, Luna lay on her stomach, her black tail lazily flicking behind her. She wore a silky midnight-blue nightgown that clung gently to her curves, the neckline dipping just enough to reveal the soft swell of her cleavage. Her chin rested on her crossed arms as she gazed up at Aiden with wide, blue puppy eyes—adorable, expectant, and undeniably sulky.
Her ears drooped slightly, betraying her mood, though her tail's constant sway gave away her underlying excitement simply from being near him.
But Aiden? He was focused—too focused—on the glowing system interface.
---
[MISSION TITLE: SAVE THE GRIMCLAW KINGDOM]
[REWARD:
LEVEL 5 → 8 (If the player reach level 8 before the completion of this mission, level will increase to 11, after the completion of the mission)
NEW SKILL WILL UNLOCK
BEAST STORAGE CAPACITY: 1 → 3]
[ULTIMATE REWARD:
MARRYING GOBLIN PRINCESS LYSANDRA GRIMCLAW]
[WARNING:
Failure to complete this mission will result in severe consequences.]
[SIDE OBJECTIVE:
Increase bonded beast affection for hidden rewards.]
---
Aiden exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Marriage proposals in quests now? Seriously, System?" he mused internally.
Then he pulled up his current status.
---
[CURRENT STATUS]
[NAME: AIDEN NIGHTSHADE]
[JOB: BEAST TAMER]
[TITLE: WOLF MASTER/SLAYER]
[LEVEL: 5]
[HP: 200/200]
[MP: 70/70]
[STRENGTH: 50]
[INTELLIGENCE: 55]
[SKILL: COMBO]
[NO. OF TAMED BEAST: 1]
[BEAST STORAGE CAPACITY: 1]
[COMBO: Allows fusion of two skills into a more powerful ability.]
[SPECIAL: TRANSMUTATION]
[TRANSMUTATION: Converts a tamed beast into a humanoid form.]
[CURRENT ABILITIES:]
[Inferno's Fury – A raging fireball with explosive impact.]
[Stormsurge – A powerful wind attack that destabilizes enemies.]
[Thunderclaw: A destructive thunder attack that turn emimies into dust]
[COMBO AVAILABLE:]
[Inferno's Fury + Stormsurge → IGNIS] [Inferno's Fury + Thunderclaw → INDRA] [Stormsurge + Thunderclaw → TEMPEST]
[IGNIS: A devastating fusion of fire and wind that can vaporize enemies within a 10-meter radius.]
[INDRA: A devastating fusion of fire and thunder that can burst the targeted opponent from inside out.]
[TEMPEST: A devastating fusion of wind and thunder which can create a thunder strong within a radius of 20-meters.]
---
He groaned. "I need to level up fast if I want a chance at saving this kingdom…"
"Master..." Luna's soft voice broke the silence, sweet and laced with a hint of frustration.
Aiden closed the system panel with a wave. His gaze shifted to Luna, who lay beside him, her silver tail swishing in slow, deliberate motions. Her blur eyes sparkled with a mixture of mischief and jealousy, wide and pleading—those perfect puppy eyes—while her soft lips formed a pout.
Her cheeks were tinged pink.
"What? Still mad?" Aiden asked, raising a brow, though amusement laced his tone.
Luna's pout deepened, her small fists tightening against the sheets. "Yes! I am very, very mad!" she huffed, her tail giving an angry flick. "How could you even think about marrying that goblin princess when you already have me?"
Aiden chuckled, his chest rumbling as he reached out and gently ruffled her silky hair.
But Luna swatted his hand away, though her blush deepened. "Don't laugh at me! I'm serious!"
"You're adorable when you're mad," he teased, but this time, his hand found her head again, stroking between her soft wolf ears.
She practically melted into his touch, her earlier defiance crumbling as her ears twitched under his fingers. Her tail wagged faster now, betraying her delight, though her pout stubbornly remained.
"You're so damn cute," Aiden said softly, his fingers still combing through her hair.
"Don't dodge the question, Master!" Luna whined, though her voice was far less forceful now—she was losing the battle.
Aiden let out a sigh, his smile softening. "Luna, calm down. Think about it—what man would turn down a beautiful princess?"
Her ears drooped again, and she looked away, her voice small. "And what about me? Am I not beautiful too?"
There was a vulnerability in her words that tugged at Aiden's chest.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he let the silence stretch for a moment before speaking, his voice gentle, sincere. "Luna... you're more than beautiful."
Her head snapped toward him, golden eyes wide in surprise. "R-Really?"
He nodded, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Of course. You're not just beautiful—you're precious to me. My very first companion in this world. We have been together for a month already. That's something no one else can replace."
For a moment, Luna simply stared, stunned. Then her face lit up, her pout vanishing as pure happiness took its place. Her tail wagged furiously now.
"Master..." she whispered, her cheeks glowing.
Aiden chuckled, sliding lower into the bed until his head rested on the plush pillow. "Finally, a real bed," he mumbled, sinking into the softness as his body relaxed.
His eyelids grew heavy, sleep threatening to pull him under.
----
It wasn't long before he stirred again, an odd sensation pulling him from the edge of dreams.
Something—or rather someone—was on top of him.
He felt it—soft warmth pressing against his chest, delicate fingers gripping his tunic.
His eyes fluttered open.
Luna.
She sat astride him, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, her flushed face hovering just above his. Her soft lips pressed hesitantly against his, her eyes squeezed shut, her hands gripping his tunic tightly. Her body trembled ever so slightly, as if she was terrified he'd push her away.
But he didn't.
Instead, Aiden's hands instinctively wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. He kissed her back—this time with purpose.
Luna gasped softly against his lips, her blue eyes snapping open for a split second before fluttering shut again, melting into the kiss. Her heart raced in her chest, her entire body heating as his hands traveled up her back, pulling her tighter against him.
It was clumsy at first—sweet, innocent—but quickly grew deeper, more desperate. Her tail curled high in the air, flicking with excitement as she lost herself in the moment.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathless.
Luna's face was a deep shade of red, her eyes glassy with emotion. Her fingers still clung to his tunic as if afraid he'd disappear.
"Master..." she whispered, her voice barely more than a tremble, "C-Can you... marry me too? I love you. I don't care if you have to marry that princess, but... please, don't leave me. I don't want to be alone."
Aiden stared at her, the raw honesty in her voice hitting him like a punch to the gut. She looked so fragile in that moment—so scared of losing him.
He smiled.
"You could've just said that from the start, silly," he replied, brushing a thumb over her flushed cheek.
Luna's eyes widened, hope flickering to life. "S-So, you mean...?"
"Yeah," Aiden confirmed with a grin. "I'll marry you too."
For a heartbeat, Luna didn't react. Then, with a choked sob of happiness, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly, her soft body pressing into his.
"Master! I love you! I love you so much!" she cried, her voice filled with pure joy.
Aiden held her close, feeling the rapid thump of her heart against his chest.
After a moment, he tilted his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Hey, Luna..."
She hummed against his chest, still unwilling to let go.
"Where'd you even learn how to kiss like that?"
Luna stiffened. Slowly, she pulled back, her face redder than ever. "I-I don't know! When you... used Transmutation and I became a beastkin... it just—this knowledge—just came with it!"
Aiden blinked. The System again, huh?
Ding!
----
[SYSTEM MESSAGE:]
"All transmuted beasts receive cultural knowledge for better emotional bonding. Including romantic instincts."
----
He facepalmed. "Of course it did."
Luna peeked up at him, worry creeping into her eyes. "Master... am I weird?"
Aiden cupped her face gently, his thumb brushing over her soft cheek. "No, Luna. You're perfect just the way you are."
Her ears perked up, her tail wagging again. "Thank you, Master," she whispered, snuggling into his chest once more.
----
Few minutes later.
Luna was already asleep beside Aiden, snuggling to him.
----
[SIDE OBJECTIVE COMPLETE!]
[REWARD UNLOCKED: MYSTIC MAP]
----
The air around Aiden shimmered with a soft, ethereal glow as a radiant scroll materialized before him, hovering in midair. Arcane symbols danced along its surface, glowing faintly in hues of blue and gold. With a gentle flicker, the scroll unfurled on its own, revealing intricate pathways and hidden terrains marked in ink that seemed to shift and move like flowing rivers.
----
[MYSTIC MAP ACQUIRED!]
— This enchanted map reveals the location of your next potential beast companion. Only those chosen by the Ultimate Bond System can decipher its ever-changing paths. Follow its guidance to strengthen your bond and uncover new secrets.
----
The map pulsed once, a single golden trail illuminating the path ahead before folding itself into a compact scroll, then vanishing into Aiden's inventory with a soft chime.
Aiden smirked, feeling the weight of destiny pulling him forward. "Looks like we're not done yet."
----
END OF CHAPTER : 6 : LUNA!