Chapter 46: It’s Time to Redefine Our Relationship
Berkeley’s corpse lay on the charred earth, the bowl-sized hole in his chest still emitting wisps of smoke, like a burnt-out incense stick.
The magic circle collapsed with the caster’s death, and the suffocating magic restraint in the air receded like a tide.
Cynthia felt the magic power in her body begin to flow again. She instinctively opened her palm, and a small flame bloomed in her palm, proving her power had indeed returned.
She stared blankly at the scorched trail that pierced through the forest—dozens of century-old trees had been cleanly cut through, their cross-sections showing glass-like molten states, reflecting eerie red light in the sunset.
The leaves on both sides of the scorched trail were still burning, making faint crackling sounds. The air was filled with the pungent smell of burning resin.
This wasn’t destruction achievable by ordinary magic. Even her magic would struggle to cause such clean penetrating damage.
“Is it over?”
Cynthia’s voice trembled slightly, her long boots unconsciously grinding against the crystallized soil on the ground, the sole scraping against the charred gravel with fine sounds.
She suddenly realized she was standing in the center of a fan-shaped charred pit half a meter deep, the edges of her boots stained with black ash. At the end of this trajectory, Berkeley’s carbonized organ fragments were scattering in the wind, falling on surrounding bushes like black snowflakes.
Sean slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, returning that strange weapon to a specially made hidden pouch at his waist. Metal components collided with crisp sounds.
His fingers trembled slightly, obviously also shocked by the weapon’s power. Infusing the Saint’s entire magic power into it had created such immense destructive force.
“It’s over, Lady Cynthia.”
Sean reached out to brush dust from Cynthia’s shoulder armor, where cracks from the magic arrow still remained. When his fingertip accidentally touched the wound, Cynthia softly hissed.
“Mm…”
Cynthia’s legs suddenly went weak, her knees bending uncontrollably as she fell forward into Sean’s embrace.
The excessive magic consumption created a vacuum-like hunger in her body. She could feel her magic circuits spasming, like a dried riverbed thirsting for water flow.
Her red hair moved without wind, the tips beginning to show familiar crimson coloring. Several strands seemed alive as they wound around Sean’s wrist.
She could feel Sean’s breathing becoming hot—the mental soother’s instincts were responding to her needs. His pupils dilated slightly, his Adam’s apple bobbing.
When Sean instinctively cupped her face, Cynthia suddenly became lucid for a moment. She raised her hand to press against his forehead, forcing him to stop his approaching movement.
“Before that, you should have something to explain to me, shouldn’t you?”
The Lady Saint panted, her chest rising and falling violently, an unnatural flush spreading across her cheeks. Her blood-stained fingers left his forehead to point at the hidden pouch concealing his weapon, her fingertip trembling slightly from forcibly suppressing desire.
Though her heart was now empty and desperately craving Sean’s soothing, she still forced herself to endure the burning heat and decided to first clarify her inner doubts. She had a premonition that this mental soothing would definitely be more intense than the last time in Mary’s basement. If she indulged, she might forget and likely be fooled by this guy again.
The forest suddenly became eerily quiet, even insect and bird calls disappeared, leaving only the faint sound of flames consuming leaves.
A burnt tree trunk in the distance suddenly snapped with a clear “crack,” making both of them turn alertly. But now Cynthia’s ruby pupils only reflected Sean’s flickering gaze, her other hand still tightly gripping Sean’s clothing, her knuckles white from the force.
“As you know, I grew up in a small border town with frequent beast disasters. Lacking security, I always had to learn to protect myself.”
Sean smiled bitterly as he undid the pouch’s clasp, carefully taking out the weapon to display its intricate mechanical structure. His fingers stroked the weapon’s surface patterns, those etchings gleaming with black light in the sunset.
“This was a concept I’d had for a long time. It only needs a small amount of magic power to activate.”
He deliberately used his thumb to flick the trigger, producing a crisp click. With his movement, liquid-like sounds came from inside the weapon—the magic power storage container was operating.
Cynthia’s lips pressed into a thin line, her chin lifted slightly, showing a deeply suspicious expression.
“I said I would protect you…”
She recalled her once proud promise, remembered Sean’s two near-death encounters. Her words stopped halfway through—those pretty words seemed so pale before life and death. She released her grip on Sean’s clothing to touch her own forehead, making her look rarely vulnerable.
“I… didn’t consider thoroughly.”
These words were almost squeezed from between her teeth. For Cynthia, this was the most difficult admission of fault. After saying this, her shoulders slightly sagged, as if unloading some burden she’d always carried.
“Wait.”
But the Lady Saint quickly discovered a more crucial problem.
Cynthia suddenly reached out, her thumb and forefinger pinching Sean’s chin, forcing him to meet her gaze. This action made Sean have to look directly into her eyes.
“You have no magic source. Those flame bombs and the attack that killed the werewolf—where did the magic power come from?”
Her gaze was sharp as a blade, seeming to see through Sean’s every micro-expression.
“Naturally it comes from you.”
Sean’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice somewhat distorted from his chin being restrained. He carefully raised his hand, fingertip lightly tracing a strand of Cynthia’s hair that had turned flame-colored.
“Every time during mental soothing… your hair tips seep magic power.”
His finger slid down the hair strand, lightly twisting at the end. Several tiny sparks burst from between his fingers.
“Just like now.”
Cynthia’s ear tips instantly flushed red, even her neck taking on a pink hue.
She abruptly released her restraint on Sean, instead grabbing that disobedient strand of hair, roughly tucking it behind her ear. Thinking of those moments of passionate confusion, she indeed would unconsciously release magic power. This cunning guy actually…
But what made Cynthia even more alarmed was the weapon’s demonstrated potential—if mass-produced, it could overturn the power structure of the magic world. Her gaze involuntarily drifted to the distant destroyed forest, where flames still hadn’t completely died out.
“I’ll regularly give you pure magic power from now on, but—”
Cynthia suddenly grabbed Sean’s collar, pulling him close until their noses almost touched. She could feel Sean’s breathing becoming rapid, warm breath brushing her lips.
“During mental soothing, I want your one hundred percent focus to serve and satisfy me.”
Her voice was low and husky, carrying an irrefusable commanding tone, yet mixed with a barely detectable expectation. This sentence was both command and some kind of ambiguous permission. After speaking, her tongue unconsciously licked across her dry lips.
“I understand.”
Sean, overwhelmed by Cynthia’s presence, obediently nodded.
“One more thing—you can’t use your weapon casually. The destructive power is truly too shocking, and those old fogeys at the Light Temple will definitely see you as a threat. Understand? This is for your own good.”
Cynthia seemed to remember something else and added.
“Yes, Lady Cynthia.”
Sean also understood the seriousness of the problem. Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t use this trump card. That this Lady Saint hadn’t confiscated his weapon was already a kind of mercy.
Of course, Cynthia had other considerations. This way, Sean would have considerable combat ability. Berkeley’s witch catalysis and that magic-sealing array called Sloth Prison made her vaguely uneasy. She might encounter more dangers in the future, and Sean could become her ally—provided this guy was completely loyal to her.
Since that was the case, she’d throw out new rewards to increase loyalty.
“Sean, you saved my life twice. It’s time to redefine our relationship.”
Cynthia released his collar, instead using her fingertip to lightly trace his cheek. This intimate gesture clearly stunned Sean.
“In private from now on… you can call me by name.”
This privilege hadn’t even been granted to her closest deputy. The implication was that their status was infinitely approaching equality.
Sean also understood the Lady Saint’s meaning. Through these days of effort, he’d finally reached equal footing with Cynthia. Next would be completely making this Crimson Saint his own—though achieving this goal still depended on whether Heralith delivered on her end.
After the misunderstanding was cleared and all concerns clarified, Cynthia could no longer suppress the surging desire in her heart.
She suddenly clasped Sean’s nape, pulling him toward her, her red lips covering his without question.
This kiss carried flame-like passion, her tongue tip forcefully prying open Sean’s teeth, greedily claiming every inch of sweetness.
“Mm…”
Cynthia’s throat released satisfied sighs, her other hand already skillfully undoing the top three silver buttons of her uniform.
“Look… it’s all your fault. I’m so hot I can’t stand it… quickly satisfy me.”
Her fingertip slid down her exposed collarbone, lingering at the barely visible cleavage at her chest, gazing at Sean with misty eyes.
Sean’s breathing clearly became heavy, but he still timely pressed down Cynthia’s hand that continued exploring downward.
“Wait… a battle just happened here. People will come to investigate soon.”
His voice was hoarse beyond recognition, his thumb unconsciously caressing the inside of her delicate wrist.
“Time is tight. Lady Cynthia… uh, Cynthia, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy yourself fully either, right? So let’s endure until we get home.”
“Hmph.”
Cynthia huffed in dissatisfaction, vengefully biting his lower lip. She pressed her entire body against him, her scorching body temperature perceptible even through clothing.
“So what? Let them watch…”
She deliberately rubbed his inner thigh with her knee.
“Besides… you want it too, don’t you?”
“You forgot—last time in the basement, we almost got discovered by Lady Heralith.”
Sean drew a sharp breath, surprised this Lady Saint could say such things, yet still firmly gripped her shoulders to create distance.
This comment made Cynthia’s movements pause. She calmed down slightly, allowing Sean to help button her disheveled clothing, though each time his fingers inadvertently brushed her skin caused a fine tremor.
“Then when we return… you must compensate me double.”
Just as Sean helped her stand, Cynthia suddenly leaned to his ear, her moist lips almost touching his earlobe. She deliberately blew into his ear, watching with satisfaction as the youth’s ear tips instantly flushed.
“I want you to… use your body to properly prove… your loyalty to me.”
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
Sean glanced toward Cynthia’s back with his peripheral vision, seeing Heralith’s figure flickering in the light. She leaned against a charred tree trunk, raising three fingers toward Sean with a meaningful smile that made Sean instantly tense—she was clearly saying: Three o’clock tonight, don’t let the Lady Saint discover it.
“What’s wrong?”
Cynthia keenly sensed Sean’s stiffness. She followed his gaze back, but only saw swaying tree shadows.
“No-nothing.”
Sean quickly adjusted his expression, reaching out to brush ash from her hair. He deliberately lowered his voice, his fingers seeming to brush past her sensitive neck.
“Just thinking… where to start when we get back.”
“Hmph, you’ve learned to be naughty.”
Cynthia’s pupils dilated slightly, a flush spreading from her cheeks to her collarbone. Her voice carried dangerous sweetness, yet couldn’t hide anticipatory trembling.
“But… I’m very much looking forward to it.”