Kael opened the door halfway, unsure of what he expected to see. Seren stood there with her arms crossed, cloak half-unfastened, hair slightly windblown. Not angry—just unsettled. And watching him like he was a puzzle that didn't quite fit.
"I wanted to talk," she said, voice low.
Kael stepped aside. "Come in."
She walked past him into the modest room, eyes scanning the simple bed, the half-burned candle, the lack of any real personal belongings. She didn't sit—just hovered near the table, fingers trailing the rim of a ceramic cup.
"You handled yourself well today," she said at last. "In the ruin."
"Thanks."
"But…" She hesitated. "That construct. You did something. Something weird."
Kael tried to play it cool. "Support classes are more flexible than people think."
Seren gave a little laugh—short, dismissive. "Yeah, but what you did didn't feel… supportive."
She didn't accuse. She didn't even sound sure of herself.
Just curious.
---
Kael's aura pulsed.
Not on purpose.
He hadn't meant to relax the suppression field, but it slipped—just slightly, like breath escaping a held note. The tension in the room shifted almost imperceptibly.
> [Aura Suppression Integrity: 91%]
[Ambient Emotional Pressure: Rising]
[Target: Seren Vale – Curiosity (moderate), Attraction (emerging), Guardedness (low)]
She leaned back against the table. Her posture eased without her realizing.
"You've got this calm thing about you," she said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Like... when everyone else panics, you don't."
Kael shrugged, forcing a smile. "Fake it till you make it."
"You didn't fake it. You looked like you were in control the whole time."
Her voice had softened.
So had her eyes.
She didn't move closer. But she didn't move away, either.
---
The system stirred.
> [Desire Sense: Active]
[Microresonance Detected: Voluntary engagement imminent]
Recommend passive Essence draw?
Kael said nothing. Did nothing.
And yet, when Seren took a small step forward, her shoulder brushed his arm.
She didn't flinch. Her body lingered just a second longer than necessary.
He felt the draw like static.
> Essence gained: +2
Target unaware.
Bond compatibility: Mild – Based on proximity and intrigue.
---
"I don't really know what kind of magic you're using," Seren murmured, almost to herself. "But… it doesn't feel bad."
Kael turned to her slowly. "Do you want to know?"
She looked up at him, eyes half-lidded. "I don't know."
Another pulse in the air. Not visible, not audible—just a rising warmth, like invisible pressure humming just beneath the skin.
Kael held himself in check. Barely.
> [Aura Intensity: 12%]
[Target baseline attraction: Moderate]
[Euphoric trigger threshold not met – effect subdued]
Seren blinked, shifting slightly. "Is it hot in here?"
Kael swallowed. "A little."
She took a half-step back and gave a slightly nervous laugh, brushing her hair again. "Maybe I'm just tired. Sorry, I didn't mean to barge in like this."
"No, it's fine," he said quickly. "I don't mind."
She looked at him again. Softer now. Something unspoken lingering in the air between them.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she said, already at the door. "Don't be late. Guild training's brutal if you show up sleepy."
And just like that, she was gone.
---
Kael stood alone, heart thudding.
He didn't need to check the system, but it lit up anyway.
> Essence: 17
▸ Unlock: Euphoric Touch?
▸ Unlock: Lust Threads?
▸ Continue suppression? [Y/N]
▸ Emotional Tether forming... Monitoring status.
Kael exhaled and sat down on the bed.
He hadn't seduced her.
But something inside her was listening now.
And something inside him… was starting to speak louder.