Bran knew there was little he could do with his Lumina count so low.
He couldn’t go to investigate the Hobogoblin let alone take something from it. He would just run his storage dry and would expose himself in the worst spot. So, he would rather not take the risk.
Lying on his bed, he opened his status and examined his current stats.
Strength: 8/10
Speed: 6/10
Endurance: 10/10
Perception: 6 → 7/10
Lumina: 250 → 60/10
Fatigue: 0/10
[Credit Points: 130]
One thing immediately caught his attention. His fatigue had recovered completely, yet his Lumina remained unchanged.
’System? What do I need to do to restore it? Do I really have to sleep through an entire night?’
[That is the most efficient method, host. However, Lumina can also be replenished through two other sources.]
[The first is hunting another living being. If the target is a magical being, the amount of Lumina gained will be significantly greater. However, even non-awakened beings possess Lumina, and the amount obtained from them depends on how much vitality they possess.]
Bran hummed thoughtfully.
"So you’re saying everyone possesses this magical energy, but only those capable of manipulating it are considered magical beings?"
[Indeed, host.]
Bran nodded in understanding before asking, ’What about the third one?’
[Intimate acts.]
"...You mean sex?"
[Indeed, host. Bodily fluids are a potent carrier of Lumina. Some individuals can release more than fifty units of Lumina in a single act. And considering the host’s unique constitution, you can absorb the Lumina contained within those fluids with relative ease.]
"..."
That was certainly a strange method, but it was interesting nonetheless.
After a brief pause, Bran asked, ’But don’t unawakened people possess very little Lumina? What use would there be in cultivating from them?’
[Host, being unawakened does not necessarily mean possessing a low Lumina count. It simply means they have not developed the ability to perceive or manipulate it. That is why even a low-grade magician may possess less Lumina than an ordinary baker.]
Bran faintly chuckled at that.
That was a rather sad reality.
Then again, considering his own Lumina reserves, he was hardly in a position to judge. By the standards of the magical world, he was probably one of those weak mages himself.
Just then a knock sounded at the door.
He rose slowly from the bed and asked, "Who?"
"It’s me, dear." His mother’s soothing voice reached him from the other side.
Instinct alone told him he need never feel cautious opening the door for her.
On the threshold stood the familiar woman, dressed now in different clothes.
Her dark hair fell freely over her shoulders. Red-rimmed eyes, heavy with fatigue, regarded him with concern and tender love. She wore a light-pink nightdress that reached her knees and scarcely concealed the voluptuous lines of her body.
Perhaps she had only just left the bath; her soft cheeks were flushed a rosy pink, and she carried a fragrance that felt perilous for a young man of his age.
"Mother..." He drew a steadying breath. "Did you need something?"
She nodded. "May I come in?"
At such an hour it was dangerous for her to stand so near him, especially while he still fought to see her only as his mother.
Yet he could not refuse her. "Yeah, sure."
As he stepped aside, she slowly entered the room before closing the door behind her.
Bran couldn’t help but wonder what had prompted her to come here. But soon enough, her words made her intentions clear.
"Bran, are you really okay?"
He hummed. "Yes. But why do you ask?"
Bella lowered her gaze for a moment before whispering, "I know you hate seeing Venessa walk into the same room as your father every night."
Bran understood why she was concerned. A part of him was indeed annoyed by Venessa and what she had done to him, but it was only a fragment of his emotions. The lingering soul of the previous owner remained within him, yet it did not dictate his actions.
He had something in mind for that bitch, but for now, he felt nothing strong enough to act upon.
But was he going to tell Bella that?
"What about you?" he asked. "He is your husband, yet he chose someone else."
He deliberately redirected the question toward her.
Bella sighed.
"You know how men are. They always prefer younger women. In households where a man can afford more than one wife, he will eventually choose someone younger. So I wasn’t really surprised."
Bran pressed further. "But knowing it could happen and actually having it happen... doesn’t it hurt?"
Bella lowered her head for a moment before admitting, "It does. But not as much as it hurts me to see you go through it."
She reached for his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"I know what this must feel like for you. I’ve seen how much you adored Venessa, and she..."
Her voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought.
Bran quietly took a seat beside her.
"We were both betrayed."
Silence settled over the room after that.
Bella glanced toward him before speaking.
"If you ever need me..."
"Yes, I do."
Bran nodded without hesitation.
"I want you by my side tonight. Can you do that for me?"
Bella’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat.
"You want me to sleep with you?"
Bran nodded.
"Yes, I do. So don’t leave yet, Mother."
Bella found herself caught in an uncertain corner. She knew she should think carefully about what he was asking, yet when she looked into those innocent eyes, her resolve slowly began to falter.
"Okay."