Standing outside in the corridor was a tall young woman.
She appeared to be around twenty-two years old. Her chestnut hair was casually tied behind her head, and she wore a dark grey Hunter jacket over a pair of black combat trousers that accentuated her long legs. A short sword hung from her waist alongside several unused mana potions. Her naturally beautiful face now carried a trace of exhaustion from going too long without rest.
She was Irene, Lina’s former student.
At the same time, she was one of the very few people in this dormitory who had willingly continued to care about the previous Asher.
A paper bag filled with food hung from one of Irene’s hands, while the other remained raised in the act of knocking. She clearly had not expected the door to open so suddenly, and after their eyes met, she stood there in obvious surprise for several seconds.
"Asher?"
Irene called uncertainly.
"It’s me."
Asher replied calmly.
Instead of speaking immediately, Irene carefully looked him over from head to toe. A trace of confusion gradually appeared in her light green eyes.
They had only been apart for a few hours.
Yet the young man before her seemed to have undergone a change she could not quite describe.
His appearance was still the same.
His physique had not become noticeably stronger either.
But whether it was those overly calm black eyes or the subtle aura surrounding him, everything about him felt completely different from the Asher she remembered.
The old Asher had always been handsome, yet painfully withdrawn. Especially after Lina’s condition worsened, he had practically rejected everyone’s attempts to approach him, as though keeping others at arm’s length would spare him from ever being hurt again.
But the Asher standing before her now remained quiet, while the gloom that had once seeped into his very bones had disappeared. In its place was a composure utterly unsuited to his age, along with an indescribable charm that instinctively made others want to draw closer.
Even stranger, the moment the door opened, a faint but unusual fragrance drifted out of the room.
It was an incredibly subtle scent.
It was neither perfume nor an ordinary body fragrance.
But after Irene unconsciously took a single breath, much of the exhaustion caused by her continuous missions vanished, and even the mana that had lain dormant within her stirred ever so slightly.
For no apparent reason, her heartbeat quickened.
"Were you wearing perfume?"
she asked before she could stop herself.
"No."
Asher shook his head.
Almost the instant he spoke, a system notification quietly appeared before his eyes.
[The target has entered the influence range of the Divine Aphrodisiac Body.]
[Current influence level: 3%.]
[The target’s heart rate is increasing.]
[Suggestion: Invite the target into the room to further complete the mission.]
[Time remaining until midnight: 40 minutes.]
Asher glanced at the notification before quietly taking half a step backward, deliberately widening the distance between them.
"What did you come here for?"
Seeing that he was obviously trying to keep her outside the room, Irene immediately frowned and raised the paper bag in her hand.
"I brought you something to eat."
"You didn’t eat anything yesterday, and you never replied to my messages today. I thought something had happened to you."
She paused briefly.
"And Professor Lina’s funeral..."
"You didn’t come."
Asher interrupted her.
He was not accusing Irene.
As the previous owner’s memories became increasingly complete, he had learned that Irene had always been very close to Lina. Even after Lina lost her Hunter licence, Irene had continued visiting her in secret from time to time.
Yet she had never appeared at yesterday’s funeral.
Hearing those words, Irene’s fingers tightened slightly around the paper bag, and guilt appeared on her face.
"I entered a D-Rank Spatial Gate three days ago. It was supposed to be an ordinary cleansing mission, but a monster riot suddenly broke out inside. Our communication devices completely failed as well. By the time we managed to leave the Gate, it was already this afternoon."
She looked directly at Asher.
"After I saw your message, I went to find you immediately, but by then you’d already left the cemetery."
"I’m sorry."
Asher remained silent for a moment before stepping aside and opening the door.
"Come in."
Irene nodded gently and carried the paper bag inside.
The door closed once more.
The previously spacious corridor was shut out, and with both of them now inside the small room, the unique aura emanating from Asher became far clearer.
Irene placed the food on the table.
However, the moment she turned around, she realised that Asher was still standing beside the door without any intention of coming closer.
"Why are you standing so far away?"
"The room’s a little warm."
Asher casually made up an excuse.
Irene glanced out of the window.
The cool night breeze was continuously blowing into the room through the open window. No matter how she looked at it, the room hardly seemed warm.
The confusion in her eyes deepened.
"Asher... are you hiding something from me?"
"No."
"When you lie, you always avoid looking people in the eyes."
Asher slowly raised his gaze to meet hers.
Their eyes met once again.
Irene’s breathing paused ever so slightly.
[Target influence level has increased to 5%.]
[Target affection has increased.]
[Current affection: 63.]
[Notice: Prolonged eye contact also strengthens the influence of the Divine Aphrodisiac Body.]
Looking at the continuous stream of notifications, Asher finally realised something.
Even if he deliberately avoided approaching her, the influence of this body would not completely stop.
He had absolutely no control over it.
As long as an adult woman came close, his physique would instinctively release that strange aura, gradually influencing both her body and her judgment.
"System, disable the physique."
Asher spoke inwardly.
[The Host has not yet obtained Basic Control Authority.]
[Complete the beginner mission to unlock it.]
"Reduce the influence."
[Unable to execute.]
"So you’re forcing me to complete the mission."
[The System is only helping the Host survive.]
A trace of displeasure flashed across Asher’s face.
Irene immediately noticed the change.
"Your expression doesn’t look right."
She quickly walked over and instinctively reached out to touch his forehead.