I groaned in my bed. Shifting around as i fought through the crippling exhaustion that weighed down on me.
The monring was a wonderful one, really. The gentle zephyr that carried through open windows, the golden rays of sunshine that poured in. And most importantly—the beautiful woman laying next to me in bed...
wait a minute...
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
-Tutorial has been completed.
-System Intergration complete.
-[Kim Soo-Yung] You have been initiated into the breeding system!
My eyes snapped open.
Nope. Nope, no, absolutely not. That was a bad combination of words.
How did it even get to know my name...
The System was glowing in my peripheral vision, obnoxiously pleased with itself. Gold font. Little sparkles.
I hated it.
I turned my head slightly.
Nyssa lay beside me, still asleep, her breath slow and even, her brow relaxed in the early morning light. One bare shoulder poked out from beneath the blanket. My blanket. Our blanket?
I blinked. Hard.
Oh.
Yeah.
We did that.
My stomach turned in place—half thrilled, half panicked. Mostly terrified.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE – CORE STATUS UPDATED]
-Partner Assigned: [Nyssa Valeborne]
-Sync Level: 42%
-Bond Tier: Intimate
-Compatibility Rating: High
-System Functions: Unlocked
[Congratulations, Host. You have officially begun your Journey.]
I slapped the message away, physically waving my hand like that would dismiss it any faster.
"Shhh! She's right there!" I hissed under my breath—even though there was no way she could've seen, or heard the damned thing.
Nyssa stirred beside me, frowning faintly in her sleep. I froze, barely breathing.
Not now. Please, gods, not now.
The System—because of course it had no shame—pinged again.
[Daily Suggestion: Reinforce emotional trust through morning-after intimacy or acts of service.]
I stared at the suggestion like it owed me money.
"No," I muttered. "Absolutely not. Shut up. Go away."
But part of me was already remembering the way Nyssa had looked last night—flushed cheeks, mussed hair, mouth slightly parted as she said my name like it meant something. Like I meant something.
And gods help me, I wanted to mean something to her.
I exhaled slowly and sat up, careful not to jostle the bed too hard. My legs felt like rubber. My everything ached—in a good way, but still...
I spotted my pants in a sad heap near the foot of the cot and reached for them.
A hand caught my wrist.
I froze.
Nyssa's voice was quiet, still half-asleep. "Where're you going?"
"To, uh, maybe find breakfast?" I offered, with all the confidence of a man being held hostage by a goddess in bedsheets.
Her eyes cracked open. Bleary. Soft.
She blinked once. Twice.
And then groaned, dragging the blanket higher to cover her face. "I hate you."
"Morning to you too."
"…You snore."
"I absolutely do not."
"You do. Like a dying beast."
I grinned. "Well, I'll go snore over some stew then. You rest. I'll bring you something."
There was a pause.
Then—just as I moved to rise again—she muttered, "Don't forget tea. Strong. Bitter."
"…So just like you."
She didn't even flinch. "Keep talking and you'll never walk again."
I stood, tugged on my pants, and shook out my shirt. It smelled like sin and sweat. Probably fair.
Still, there was something light in my chest as I made for the door. Something warm that hadn't been there yesterday.