CHAPTER 85: A WIN–WIN

He was surprised by how quickly their bond had risen, thanks to the help of his System. Despite the sudden, uncalled-for tension, neither Selene nor Miyu had seemed worried; they were less concerned with the situation and more surprised by how far he had come without their expectation.

Eran took a moment to savor the realization, then his eyes traced back to Miyu, who was still staring at him, waiting for his focus.

With a low chuckle under his breath, Eran added with a teasing smirk, "Well, what would a queen expect from her king? Perhaps... many qualities, I guess."

Miyu groaned playfully, her voice soft but laced with humor. "I didn’t expect that. You always catch me off guard..." Her fingers traced a small circle in the air toward him, a playful gesture. "If it isn’t the king himself."

Without a word, Eran stepped closer, lowering himself to sit beside her on the bed. The mattress dipped slightly beneath their weight, and the quiet distance between them became a single breath.

"I didn’t expect you to end the match yesterday," he began, his tone light but edged with intrigue. "You left me stunned out there in disbelief, perhaps not only me but also the crowd. You drew everyone’s attention and left them speechless, including me."

Miyu shrugged lazily, as though the matter itself barely mattered. A soft smile played at the corners of her lips as she looked at him with that same teasing calm.

"Hm. What do you expect from a queen herself... to her king?"

Their gazes locked for a moment too long. Then unexpectedly... both laughed quietly. The sound was small, almost intimate, yet it rippled through the still air like a spark that refused to fade.

Eran shook his head slightly, his smirk returning. "Now you caught me off guard. I guess we’re even—a win-win, not bad after all."

Miyu exhaled slowly, the amusement still glimmering in her eyes but fading into something softer. "Well, to be honest," she admitted, "I hadn’t planned that at all. You know we barely spoke last week about the duel. I thought removing the Nexus Core banner Evelis gave me might help—something to restrain my mana and prevent a rampage on stage with you."

Her tone grew quieter, more thoughtful. She lifted her wrist slightly, her violet eyes glinting as faint traces of light shimmered under her skin. "But it didn’t solve anything. Even at my lowest limit, my mana still flared beyond control. It grows on its own, like something inside me keeps evolving faster than I can keep up. That’s why I stopped the fight, it wasn’t fear or pride, Eran."

Her gaze lingered on him now, sharp but vulnerable. "It was the only way to stop myself from hurting you... or anyone else."

A brief silence passed between them. The warmth from her aura brushed against his like a pulse, alive, restrained, and dangerously beautiful.

Then, with a quiet laugh she added, "And besides... those buzzing flies out there praising me like some goddess were getting on my nerves. I had to end the show before I turned them to dust."

Eran’s lips curved slightly into a low smile. Amusement flickered across his face, as he watched her. Confirming the initial thoughts he’d had about Miyu’s performance. He was right... her mana hadn’t been fully restrained, despite her attempts to control herself. Even after removing the Nexus core, and even at her lowest limit, her power had surged.

The implications dawned on Eran: Miyu wasn’t just another noble. Her growth was creeping faster than normal, and her true power level already exceeded Grade D expectations. As if daring his thoughts, Eran silently activated his system:

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION!]

{Scan.}

Initializing...

Name: Miyu Valerane

Age: 18

Race: Human

Ability: Aether loom

Title: ?

Level: Rank II (Grade D)

Mana: 8,000 / 10,000

Hidden Affinity: 60%

Bound Potential Harem: 100%

Eran’s lips curved again, warm and knowing, confirming his suspicions.

Back during their training in the Grade C chambers, Miyu’s mana reserve had capped around seven thousand... and that was with the help of the Nexus Core, the sigil-banner designed to stabilize and amplify energy flow. The artifact gave a thousand-point boost at best, connecting a user’s inner core to an external mana stream.

Which meant: even without the Nexus Core, her current mana had somehow risen beyond its previous limit. Eight thousand. Raw, uncontrolled, and growing.

Eran chuckled under his breath, a note of unrestrained pride slipping out. The realization was thrilling: Miyu wasn’t just advancing; she was evolving in sync with him. The system’s bond was deepening, strengthening her as it strengthened him.

A warmth spread through his chest... not from power, but from the quiet certainty forming in his mind. This was no coincidence.

He glanced at Miyu again, her composure calm yet vibrant, eyes glimmering with the kind of quiet dominance that mirrored his own.

"Yes," he thought. "She’s not just an ally; she’s part of something greater."

A wave of profound joy washed through him. With Miyu and others—already a part of his design, he knew he was building a great empire in silence. His women were powerhouses, and he was the one pulling the strings.

With a low voice, Eran murmured, "True... I must say, you drew far more than I expected out there."

He tilted his head slightly, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips. "Perhaps not just me, even the crowd couldn’t take their eyes off you."

He winked a single brow and added, almost in a whisper, "You really are one hell of a queen."

Miyu brushed a loose strand of hair from her face slightly in a proud poise, glancing away toward the corner. "Humph. When I tell you I will do something, you now have to trust me." Pride flickered across her face, mixed with a flush of enthusiasm that she couldn’t hide even with her noble composure

Eran couldn’t help it... her sudden proud poise, that mix of elegance and pride, stirred something warm in him. A faint laugh escaped before he could stop it, deep and genuine.

The sound made Miyu’s cheeks flush deeper. She groaned softly, turning her face aside as if to hide it, though the pink blooming across her skin betrayed her.

"Stop that," she muttered under her breath, voice trembling between pride and embarrassment.

But Eran only leaned back, still smiling... the kind of smile that held amusement and quiet admiration both. "Can’t help it," he said softly. "You make pride look... beautiful."

Miyu’s blush deepened, a faint rose blooming across her cheeks as she folded her arms beneath her chest... a small, instinctive gesture of pride and defiance. Her curves pressed subtly against the folds of her robe, and even in her fluster, she managed to keep her poise.

"All is alright..." she murmured, her voice soft yet edged with pride. "Perhaps you owe me now. I don’t know if you doubted me earlier.. but still, you owe."

She tilted her chin upward slightly, eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment as if trying to contain what her heart was refusing to hide.

Eran’s gaze lingered. He watched her quietly, the way her pride shimmered just beneath the surface, the way emotion warred against her composure. For a fleeting moment, he thought how amusing it felt to have such a beautiful, willful, and prideful noble bound to him. Miyu was stubborn, and despite her clear emotions, her pride wasn’t something she could easily discard.

A soft smile curved across his lips. He leaned in slowly, his movements deliberate, and fluid... until his arm slipped gently around her waist.

Miyu stiffened, breath catching as his warmth pressed against her side. Before she could react, Eran drew her closer, his touch light yet firm, his scent faintly brushing against her skin. Her eyes widened, locking on his — an unspoken pull tightening the air between them.

With a low, teasing murmur, Eran spoke, "Hm... I could already guess what you mean by ’owe you.’"

His finger trailed upward, brushing along the line of her jaw until it found the corner of her lips. He traced them slowly, the faintest pressure teasing a shiver from her.

"I think I already know what the queen herself wants," he whispered, his tone dipping lower — intimate, calm, and certain. "And we have all the time we need."

The words lingered, soft and heavy, as if the silence itself leaned closer to listen.

Miyu drew in a slow, deep breath, her chest rising gently before she exhaled, the sound trembling faintly through her lips. "Hm... well, that settles it," she murmured, though her cheeks were still painted in soft crimson. Her eyes glimmered under the dim light, locking onto Eran’s with a warmth that carried both composure and something tender beneath it.

"You haven’t been around throughout last week," Eran murmured, tilting his head slightly in curiosity. "You told me you were summoned by the High Council, or did I forget?"