Chapter 20 – Escalation: No Turning Back
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System Alert: Pleasure Parameters Adjusted
Seraphina's vision swam as the flickering lantern light mixed with the dizzying haze of pleasure. The wooden table beneath her felt distant, as though she were floating between reality and something else—something deeper.
A chime echoed in her mind.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: Caius's Affection +15]
[New Interaction Pathway Unlocked]
She barely had time to process the flashing blue text before she felt his hands shift, gripping her thighs and pulling her away from the table. The movement left her disoriented—one moment she was lying on her stomach, the next she was on her hands and knees, the cold air a stark contrast to the heat rolling through her body.
"Caius—" she started, but the words barely left her lips before she felt him press close, his presence looming behind her.
"I'm not done with you yet." His voice was rough, thick with hunger.
Another system chime.
[Warning: This route is entering deeper levels of interaction. Continue?]
▶ YES
◻ NO
Seraphina's fingers twitched against the wooden surface, her pulse thundering. The game was reacting to her, shaping itself around her decisions—but she wasn't just following the route. She was leading it.
She swallowed hard and selected YES.
[Affinity Level Boost: Caius +10]
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as his fingers dug into her hips, steadying her as he teased along the insides of her thighs, drawing out every bit of anticipation. The numbers on the system window flickered again, adjusting dynamically to every touch, every shift in her pleasure.
[New Skill Unlocked: Submission Bonus – Effect: Temporary Increase in Partner Affection]
Her breath hitched. That was new.
Caius didn't give her time to dwell on it. His hand slid up her spine, fingers splaying possessively between her shoulder blades, pushing her further into position. "You're shaking," he murmured, almost amused. "You wanted this, didn't you?"
She couldn't answer. Not when every nerve in her body was already burning.
A final chime rang through her mind.
[Caius Affection: 75/100 – Relationship Stage Unlocked: Irrevocable Desire]
Her world blurred, but one thing remained clear—she had chosen this path. And now, there was no turning back.
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The tent's lanterns flickered, casting wild shadows on the fabric walls, the air thick with heat and tension. Seraphina trembled beneath Caius's grasp, her breath uneven as the game's system continued to track every shift in their encounter.
Another chime rang through her mind.
[System Alert: Increased Stimulation Detected – Partner Dominance Bonus Activated]
She barely had time to read before he pressed closer, his breath hot against her ear. "His voice was husky, edged with amusement. "Can't even focus?"
Her fingers curled into the table, a helpless noise slipping past her lips as he trailed rough kisses along her spine, his hands spreading heat wherever they touched. The system's blue window flickered in her peripheral vision, tracking every moment, every shift in pleasure.
[Caius Affection: +5]
[New Title Earned: Knight's Captive]
Seraphina barely processed the words before she felt him move again, his grip tightening as he forced her hips higher, keeping her in place. "You're taking this well," he murmured, his amber eyes burning with something raw, something possessive. "But I'm not done testing you yet."
A deeper thrill ran through her, one she couldn't ignore. The system responded immediately.
[New Effect: Overwhelmed – Cognition Delay Imminent]
Her pulse thundered in her ears as Caius dragged his lips along her neck, his grip unrelenting, his body a furnace against hers. The world blurred between reality and sensation, the system responding in kind—numbers shifting, alerts ringing, tracking every gasp, every cry.
And then—
[Warning: Partner's Affection is Approaching Maximum. Next Stage Initiating.]
She barely had time to react before he pushed her over the edge, her vision going white, her body giving in to him completely.
[Caius Affection: 90/100 – Irrevocable Desire Strengthened]
The game had changed. And she had changed with it.
---
Seraphina's body still thrummed with aftershocks as she lay curled against Caius's chest, the aftermath of their feverish encounter settling between them. His arms wrapped around her possessively, his breath slow and even against her temple.
She blinked as the system window flickered back into view.
[System Alert: Caius's Affection Progress Has Significantly Increased]
[Warning: Partner May Exhibit Possessive Tendencies]
Her stomach tightened. She had expected this—knew how the system worked. But knowing it and experiencing it were entirely different things.
Caius shifted beneath her, his grip tightening slightly as though he could sense her thoughts drifting. "You're quiet," he murmured, his voice still thick with lingering satisfaction. "Regretting it already?"
She tilted her head up, meeting his gaze. His amber eyes were sharp, searching her face as if trying to read beyond her silence.
"Not at all," she murmured, reaching up to trace his jaw with her fingertips. "I just didn't expect you to be so… determined."
A low chuckle rumbled through his chest. "I told you, Princess. Once I get my hands on something, I don't let go."
The system chimed again.
[New Trait Unlocked: The Knight's Devotion – Caius Will Protect You at Any Cost]
Seraphina's breath hitched. That was new.
She swallowed, pressing closer to him, already thinking of the next steps. The game was progressing faster than she had anticipated. And with each encounter, the stakes were rising.
One thing was clear—Caius wasn't just another route. He was a force of nature.
And she was in deeper than she had ever planned.
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