The room had gradually returned to silence.
Damon lay comfortably against the headboard, with Melissa resting beside him. The earlier tension surrounding Sara and Alice had long disappeared, replaced by the warmth of their shared affection.
Melissa eventually lifted her head and glanced at him.
"You seem unusually satisfied with yourself."
Damon chuckled. "Am I not allowed to enjoy spending time with you?"
"Of course you are. But don't forget that I still have responsibilities."
He looked at her with an amused expression.
"Must you remind me?"
"Someone has to. I'm your personal maid, remember?"
Damon smiled, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.
"Then I suppose I shouldn't keep you away from your duties any longer."
Melissa sat up and began arranging her clothes. Damon watched her with a relaxed expression as she restored her usual appearance.
Once she was ready, she approached him and adjusted the collar of his shirt.
"Get some rest. You've been pushing yourself quite hard with your training."
"I will."
"And don't skip your meals."
"Anything else?"
She pretended to consider his question.
"Try not to get into trouble before I return."
Damon laughed.
"I'll make no promises."
Melissa shook her head before giving him a final affectionate look.
"I'll see you later, Young Master."
With that, she left the room, returning to her responsibilities as his personal maid.
Damon watched the door close before leaning back.
It was then that a familiar notification sounded inside his mind.
[DING!]
[Universal Desire System Notification.]
[Intimacy conditions fulfilled.]
[Multiple Desire Resonance interactions detected.]
[Rewards are being calculated...]
Damon raised an eyebrow.
He had almost forgotten about the system.
[Reward Granted!]
[All Attributes +5.]
Damon's eyes widened slightly.
"Five points to every attribute?"
[Confirmed.]
[Attribute Enhancement Complete.]
He immediately opened his status window.
Name: Damon Jubo
System: Universal Desire System
System Level: 2
Attributes:
Strength: 15
Agility: 11
Constitution: 13
Intelligence: 13
Perception: 12
Spirit: 15
Unallocated Stat Points: 0
System Points: 20
Desire Points: 200
Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Basic Mana Stabilization Technique, Desire Perception, Discerning Eye.
Mana Condition: Unlocked — Unstable.
Physical Condition: Enhanced.
Damon examined his attributes with satisfaction.
The improvement was substantial. His physical abilities had increased, and even his intelligence, perception and spirit had received considerable boosts.
However, something else caught his attention.
His mana condition.
Previously, the system had consistently described his mana as obstructed. Now, it had changed to unlocked but unstable.
Before he could investigate further, a strange sensation spread throughout his body.
His muscles tightened.
A wave of energy surged through his abdomen, spreading towards his limbs. His breathing became heavier as the energy gathered around his body.
Damon immediately sat upright.
"What is happening?"
[Warning!]
[Host's Knight cultivation is approaching a breakthrough.]
His expression changed.
A breakthrough?
He quickly closed his eyes and concentrated.
The energy circulating through his body became increasingly noticeable. His muscles, bones and internal channels seemed to undergo another transformation.
Then—
BOOM!
A powerful sensation erupted within him.
For a brief moment, Damon felt as though something restricting his body had finally shattered.
[Congratulations, Host!]
[Knight Cultivation Breakthrough Successful.]
[You have entered the next realm of Knight cultivation.]
Damon opened his eyes.
He could feel the difference immediately.
His body was stronger, his movements lighter, and his senses sharper.
But that wasn't what excited him most.
Something unfamiliar stirred deep within his body.
Mana.
He could finally feel it. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
For the first time since arriving in this world, Damon could sense the magical energy that had remained inaccessible to him.
His excitement grew as he attempted to guide the energy through his body.
A faint blue glow appeared around his fingertips.
His eyes widened.
"I can actually use mana!"
He tried to maintain the flow, but within seconds, the energy became unstable. His concentration wavered, and the glow disappeared.
Damon frowned.
"That was short."
[System Analysis.]
[Host's mana obstruction has been partially overcome following the Knight cultivation breakthrough.]
[Mana Access: Unlocked.]
[Mana Control: Severely Deficient.]
[Mana Stability: Unstable.]
[Current Limitation: Host can only maintain mana circulation for a short period.]
Damon stared at the notification.
So his obstruction hadn't disappeared completely.
Nevertheless, this was a tremendous improvement.
He could now access mana, even if he couldn't control it properly.
For someone who had once been told that his magical future was uncertain, this development was worth celebrating.
He clenched his fists.
His physical condition was improving, his Knight cultivation had advanced, and the possibility of becoming a genuine magic user was no longer out of reach.
Perhaps his father would be pleased when he eventually discovered the development.
But Damon decided against announcing it immediately.
He wanted to understand his new abilities first.
He closed the status window and stood up.
Walking towards the nearby window, he looked beyond the mansion grounds.
The Jubo Clan Mansion was enormous. It contained training grounds, private residences, gardens, administrative buildings and several other facilities.
Yet, despite spending so much time within its walls, Damon realised how little he actually knew about the world outside.
He had spent his days recovering, training and dealing with the consequences of his failed awakening.
There was an entire world waiting beyond the mansion.
Cities, merchant districts, magical establishments, adventurers and countless unfamiliar faces.
He wanted to see them.
More importantly, he wanted to understand the world he was now living in.
His upcoming admission to the Arcane Magical Academy was still several months away. He couldn't spend all that time confined within the family estate.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"It might be time to take a look outside."
He turned away from the window and began considering his next move.
He would need permission to leave the mansion grounds, and he would certainly require an escort. Despite his recent improvements, he wasn't foolish enough to underestimate the dangers beyond the clan's protection.
Still, he was no longer the helpless young heir who had struggled to recover from his failed awakening.
He was Damon Jubo.
And his journey was only beginning.
For the first time, the world beyond the Jubo Clan Mansion seemed within his reach.