Growth
Even after their lovemaking had ended, Robin still hadn't returned.
So Jun and Fortuna took their time cleaning up afterward, then lay together on the bed, basking in the warm sunlight that spilled in through the window.
As they rested, Fortuna—who had flopped Jun's limp manhood up against his navel and was clutching it like a body pillow—suddenly muttered out of nowhere,
"…I need a concubine."
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Did I fry her brains with too much electricity?
Jun looked down at Fortuna, who had returned to her fairy form, with genuine concern.
"Ugh!"
At that look, Fortuna clenched her teeth in pure indignation.
She'd said it out of genuine consideration for him, and here he was treating it like nonsense. As if he had any idea what kind of feelings had driven her to say it!
Thwap! Thwap!
"Idiot! Moron! Baby!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, just stop—wait, is 'baby' even an insult? Okay, okay, I get it, I'll shut up!"
Thoroughly riled up, Fortuna took out her frustration by smacking the manhood she was hugging. Jun panicked and tried to stop her, only to make the mistake of correcting her word choice—and earned himself a few extra hits for the trouble.
It took a long stretch of coaxing and soothing before he finally managed to calm her down. He swore to himself then and there that he would never cross her while she had him by the weak point.
"So you meant it, then. You actually want me to take a concubine."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
Even pushing his superhuman thinking to its absolute limit, Jun couldn't figure out Fortuna's intent.
He possessed an enormous sense of possessiveness and exclusivity toward her. That was only natural for lovers—and Fortuna felt the exact same way about him.
No—to be honest, she had it even worse than he did. She never showed it outwardly, but whenever Jun got close to anyone other than her, jealousy always flared up in her. Sometimes the jealousy that came flooding through their soul-bond was so intense that Jun deliberately kept his distance from people.
And yet that same Fortuna was the one suggesting he take a concubine—without him even asking. What on earth had changed in her heart?
"…You wanted to keep going longer."
"…"
Fortuna hugged his slightly stiffened manhood tight and looked up at him. Faced with those glittering golden eyes that all but dared him to lie, Jun couldn't bring himself to deny it. He scratched his cheek awkwardly instead.
"I knew it."
"What do you want from me? My body's just ridiculously healthy."
Jun spat it out like an excuse. Well—technically it wasn't an excuse so much as the plain truth.
Tempered to the extreme through elixirs, aura, and relentless training, Jun's body wasn't about to tire out after a mere two hours of sex. On top of that, the Blessing of Health granted alongside the Blessing of the Social Butterfly rapidly restored any stamina spent on intercourse. He wasn't exaggerating when he said he genuinely felt like he could go all day.
"Which is exactly why I need a woman—no, women—to take care of your lust in my place. One might not be enough, so let's take exactly two."
"Fortuna."
"We can make those two serve as pillow-huggers, attend you in the bath, handle the housework since I can't do any of it, and… anyway, let's dump all of Jun's personal care on them."
"You don't have to go that far, Fort. This is all because I'm the one who's lacking."
Jun shook his head with a bitter smile.
The reason they couldn't keep going longer was entirely because he couldn't handle her. For someone like that to shamelessly bring other women into the picture—he'd have to be completely without shame. More than that, taking a concubine would wound both Fortuna, who wanted to monopolize and possess him, and the concubine herself, who would be nothing more than her stand-in.
He was a man, so of course the idea tempted him—but not enough that he wanted to satisfy his lust at the cost of hurting the women involved.
"I just need to grow stronger. If I grow more from here, I'll be more than able to satisfy both you and my own desires, Fort. Besides, for me…"
Jun reached out toward Fortuna. Having roughly guessed what he was about to say, she clung bashfully to his manhood—but then obediently slipped into his hand.
He brought her right up in front of his face and said,
"Fortuna. You're all I need."
"…Heehee. Hehe."
Fortuna flushed bright red and wriggled her whole body. That adorable display, and the pure happiness flowing from her, lifted Jun's mood right along with hers.
Yeah. When I've got a woman this cute and lovable right beside me—one I can even share emotions with—how could I ever look at anyone else?
Jun sincerely believed that.
Sensing his thoughts to some degree, Fortuna only hardened her resolve further—in the opposite direction.
Fine. I really hate it, but let's do this.
"Jun, I want you to be truly, truly happy."
"Same here."
"Quiet. Just listen to me for a second."
Fortuna covered his mouth with both hands. He had plenty he wanted to say, but her face was so deadly serious that he simply nodded without a word.
"I want to give you that happiness not as an angel, but as the woman who loves you."
"But I can't fully perform a woman's role. I can't cook, I can't do housework—I don't even have money."
"The only thing I can give you as a woman is this body of mine. And I can't even give you that properly. That makes me so sad."
"And more than anything—more than anything… hic!"
Fortuna clutched her lower belly and began to tear up. Realizing what that gesture meant, Jun asked with a wry smile, as if he'd already seen it coming.
"It's impossible after all, isn't it? For a child to be born between us."
"Hic! I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
Fortuna could only cry and repeat her apologies. Jun had no choice but to let out a heavy sigh of frustration.
Calm down, Jun. You already expected this.
Fortuna was an angel—and not just any angel. She was the third daughter born directly from Bright, the Creator God and sole deity, after He had transformed Himself into a goddess. She was called an angel, but in truth she was practically a god herself.
Even among mortal humans, different races struggled to conceive. How could pregnancy possibly happen between him and a being whose very rank of existence was fundamentally different? Not in a thousand years. Not in ten thousand.
"Jun, if you really care about me… take one. Please?"
"…You think that'll hurt less?"
"Yeah. Even if I can't monopolize your love—as long as I can give you a child… I'll be okay. On the other hand, even if I monopolized your love completely, if I still couldn't give you a child, that would hurt so much more."
"…Haaah∼."
What am I supposed to do?
It was a contradiction—but if he truly wanted what was best for Fortuna, accepting her proposal seemed like the right call. The guilt and apology pouring off her through their bond were anything but ordinary. If he refused, she would keep feeling those emotions forever, and given enough time, they would eventually destroy her.
Jun never wanted that ending. So…
"For now… okay. I'll do it your way, Fort."
"Really?! Thank you, Jun!"
Beaming with joy, Fortuna showered his face with kisses. Jun pushed her back gently and said,
"Don't get too happy about it. I've got three conditions in exchange."
"What what? Just say them!"
As Fortuna tried to cling to him again, Jun held up three fingers and continued.
"First—no matter what happens, even if a concubine bears my child, my primary wife is you and only you, Fort."
"Of course. I have no intention of giving up the primary wife's seat either. Honestly, no one would even dare try to take it."
Well—when an actual angel was sitting in the primary wife's seat, what woman would be bold enough to eye that position? Even a dragon, the highest of all mortals, wouldn't stand a chance.
"Second—concubine candidates must be decided by the two of us in conference. If either one of us doesn't like someone, that person is immediately off the list. Got it?"
"Would that even happen? You and I have similar tastes, and thanks to the soul-bond we get the exact same impressions of people."
"Just in case. Though talking about this is kind of ridiculous—there's no guarantee any woman we pick would even accept a concubine's position."
"No. They definitely will."
Fortuna looked at Jun's face with absolute certainty. He considered pointing out that not every woman in the world shared her taste—then decided to keep his mouth shut, lest he accidentally crush her spirits.
"So what's the third and final condition?"
"For the next five years, you don't get to bring up taking a concubine. Did you forget after we slept together? I haven't even had my coming-of-age ceremony yet. I'm still a kid."
"Ugh! I didn't forget!"
"Anyway."
"…Fine. It's not like there's anyone around here I'd want as a concubine anyway. Just asking out of curiosity—were you thinking of taking Linda or Heni as concubines?"
"Not even slightly."
Jun shook his head firmly.
It wasn't because the two girls were unattractive or had some kind of flaw. Far from unattractive—they were pretty enough that boys trailed after them in droves—and aside from Heni's slightly prickly personality, neither of them had any real defects.
They simply didn't register as romantic interests in Jun's eyes, and neither of them saw him that way either. More than anything, both girls were completely head-over-heels for Leon. They'd been that way for so long that the thought of pairing up with them never even crossed his mind.
Well—except for a certain boastful, loose-lipped kid who seemed to think otherwise.
"That's a relief. Their given fortunes aren't bad, but their luck with wealth and children isn't quite up to my standards. If you'd been thinking about it, I was going to talk you out of it."
"What, you can read that kind of thing too?"
"I can only see it, nothing more. Even I can't manipulate the fortune someone is born with."
"That's already plenty."
Just being able to see it meant she could tell whether a woman was worth taking as a concubine. Any woman who looked good on the surface but should be kept at arm's length—Fortuna would filter them all out.
"That's all the conditions. Look forward to it, Jun. I'll definitely find you a first-rate bride candidate."
"Yeah. But there's one thing you should know, Fort."
"What?"
"I haven't given up yet. No—I will never give up."
At those words, spoken like a vow, Fortuna started tearing up again. Jun paid it no mind and continued, gently caressing her lower belly.
"If it's me, it's possible. If I get stronger than I am now, I'm sure it'll be possible."
Another reason to grow stronger had just been added to the list.
"Oh, by the way—what's my luck with women?"
"Why ask something so obvious?"
GREAT AUSPICIOUSNESS