Chapter 22– New Quest

Seraphina tapped her fingers against the wooden table, her gaze shifting between Caius and the map before them.

"The entity is dangerous," she admitted, "but I don't think it attacked us at full force. It was... observing."

Caius leaned back against his chair, arms crossed. "Which means it'll come back when it wants to finish the job." His amber eyes flickered. "You know something, don't you?"

Seraphina hesitated. "Not enough." The system had refused to give her a full analysis—yet that wasn't what troubled her most.

It was the ore.

The entire reason she had come to the battlefield in the first place.

She reached into her satchel, pulling out a small shard of deep obsidian-like mineral, edges glowing faintly with violet hues. Even holding it sent a pulse of warmth through her fingers, a raw power humming within.

Caius frowned. "Where did you get that?"

She met his gaze. "I found traces of this ore when we were retreating."

His expression darkened. "You were searching for some damn rock while that thing nearly tore you apart?"

Seraphina sighed. "This 'rock' might be the only way we win against whatever that thing is."

Caius was quiet for a long moment. Then, with a heavy exhale, he grabbed a dagger from the table and twirled it between his fingers.

"You're telling me this ore is important," he said. "Fine. Then we find more of it."

Seraphina nodded. "We need to return to the mining site, but we have to be prepared."

Caius smirked. "Good. I was getting restless."

She shook her head. "You're impossible."

His smirk widened. "And yet, you're still here."

---

The war meeting concluded, but the tension between them remained.

Seraphina knew she should go back to her own tent, but instead, she lingered—watching as Caius stripped off his armor, revealing scars crisscrossing his toned torso, remnants of battles long past.

Caius caught her staring and raised an eyebrow. "Like what you see, princess?"

Seraphina rolled her eyes, but warmth coiled in her stomach. "You don't need to be so smug about it."

He smirked, stepping closer. "Can't help it."

She should have stepped back. Should have left the tent.

Instead, she felt herself drawn in—because Caius had risked himself for her. Because he was raw, unyielding, and yet—so incredibly steady.

His fingers brushed against her waist. "You're staying," he murmured.

Seraphina's breath hitched. "I should go."

Caius smirked. "You won't."

And he was right.

---------------

The warmth of Caius's fingers against her waist sent a shiver down Seraphina's spine. She told herself it was exhaustion, the lingering rush of battle—but deep down, she knew better.

Caius was fire—raw, untamed, and dangerously intoxicating.

He pulled her closer, his breath hot against her ear. "You trust me on the battlefield, don't you?"

Seraphina swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Then trust me now."

His lips found the curve of her neck, hot, open-mouthed kisses against her skin. She barely had a chance to react before he spun her around, pressing her against the edge of the table, his hands gripping her hips.

Seraphina gasped as Caius's teeth scraped against her pulse point.

"You're always in control, aren't you?" he murmured, his voice low and teasing. "But tonight, I want to see you come undone."

Her fingers dug into the wooden surface as his calloused hands slid down her sides, tracing the curves of her waist before slipping beneath the fabric of her tunic.

She barely had time to catch her breath before he flipped her forward, pressing her stomach against the table.

Her heartbeat thundered as he ran his hands down her back, spreading her legs slightly with his knee.

"Perfect," he muttered, his voice rough with hunger.

Seraphina moaned as Caius's mouth trailed lower, his tongue tracing a path down her spine, before settling at her hips. He hooked his fingers beneath the fabric, slowly tugging it down, exposing more of her to the cool air of the tent.

Then, without warning, his mouth was on her—hot, wet, and devastatingly skilled.

Her arms trembled as she tried to steady herself, but pleasure hit her in waves, her body arching against the table.

Caius growled against her, his grip tightening around her thighs as he devoured her without mercy.

Seraphina gasped, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. She had never felt anything like this—so completely at the mercy of someone else's touch.

And yet, she never wanted it to stop.

---

As the night deepened, the air inside the tent was thick with warmth and the scent of shared desire. Caius's powerful frame pressed against Seraphina's, his grip possessive yet unwavering, his amber eyes dark with unspoken emotion. He moved with unrelenting force, his every motion a declaration of his need for her. The rhythm between them grew more fevered, his breath hot against her skin as he buried his face in the curve of her neck.

Seraphina gasped, her body arching instinctively to meet him. She was drowning in the overwhelming sensations, her fingers clawing at his back, trying to ground herself as he claimed every inch of her with fierce intensity. The world outside the tent faded, replaced only by the rush of heat, the press of their bodies, and the soft, unguarded sounds escaping her lips.

Caius groaned, his pace quickening as his grip on her waist tightened. He turned them, rolling onto his side without breaking their connection, pulling her leg over his hip to deepen the angle. Seraphina trembled, her breath catching as pleasure surged through her in waves. His hands roamed over her, rough but reverent, tracing the lines of her back, the curve of her waist, before settling possessively on her hips.

As the intensity built between them, Seraphina's mind wavered between the present and the looming reality beyond this moment. She had come to the battlefield seeking the ore, a crucial resource for the kingdom's survival. Yet, she had underestimated the entity guarding it—an unknown force that not even Caius, with all his strength, could defeat alone.

A thought struck her, clear even through the haze of pleasure. She needed magic. The entity wasn't something brute force could destroy. If she wanted to retrieve the ore and ensure the kingdom's safety, she would need the help of Valen Astraeus, the Arcane Prodigy.

Her fingers tightened against Caius's back as realization settled in. This night, this moment, would mark the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. When dawn arrived, she would have to leave, seeking out Valen and unlocking the next piece of the puzzle.

But for now, she let herself surrender—to Caius, to the heat between them, to the fleeting moment of solace before the weight of her mission came crashing back down.

---

[System Notification]

Commander Caius Draven's Affection: +15

Current Affection Level: 85/100

Achievement Unlocked: "The Crimson General's Surrender"

[System Update]

New Route Unlocked: The Arcane Prodigy – Valen Astraeus

New Quest Received: "The Mage's Assistance"

Objective: Retrieve the Ore with the Help of Valen Astraeus. Reward: ???

Seraphina exhaled deeply, her eyes flickering open as she watched the golden notification fade from her vision. She had made progress, but the game was far from over. Tomorrow, she would step into a new challenge.