Chapter 465: Lust
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 465: Lust
[ The Seat of Lust rejoices. ]
“Huh?”
My first thought was one of curiosity. I already knew that the man outside was wielding one of the Seats, but I never imagined its power could reach me.
“Wh-what is this, Wilson?”
I wasn’t expecting an answer. I was just curious. I, Isaac, am alive, but not in a living body. I possess a physical form, but it’s difficult to even call it that. I can eat and drink, but what sustains this body is a mass of mana. To be precise, you could call it a homunculus, but even then, this vessel is far from being a perfect human. I can feel emotions, but I never imagined a power like this could flow into me.
“The Seat of Lust? Did it just say the Seat of Lust?”
The Seat of Lust. It actually said the Seat of Lust. An explosive emotion, a type entirely different from mana, began to surge within me. Of course, I knew the identity of this feeling—it was the emotion that had festered for ten thousand years. My own sexual desire.
“.....................................”
With great power comes great responsibility. Likewise, with great sexual desire comes great responsibility. Perhaps the Seat of Lust sought me out for a similar reason.
This was a power slightly different from magic; it was a force akin to the System that structured this world. I myself had received the System’s boons before, but I never imagined I would benefit from it so directly.
But my bewilderment was brief. This wasn’t a power I couldn’t handle. In fact, for a magician like me, it was a most welcome development. No, more than that, it was utterly fascinating. The fact that the two lovers both possessed such a mysterious power—if this wasn’t fate, what was?
“First, I need to study it, Wilson. Right? I can clearly tell it’s a power that controls emotions. I also know it can draw out the emotions of others... I have a rough idea of what Blood Dagger has been doing, after all. It’s, it’s embarrassing, but in my case...”
The amount of emotion erupting from within me was overwhelming. There was no need to deliberately draw it out.
The final destination of all my desires was my own body. My face flushed red, but there was no need to be ashamed. Not only was it a natural emotion, but it was also a power that would allow my stagnant self to take a step forward.
[ The Seat of Lust rejoices. It claps its hands, saying it has never felt an emotion of this magnitude. ]
“........................”
[ The Seat of Lust tells you that you are special. ]
Still, I couldn’t help but ignore the voice that kept speaking to me.
“In my master’s case...”
He uses sorrow to customize his body and anger to create an unquenchable flame.
“If that’s the case, could I also adjust my body, Wilson? Could I become like that Half-Minotaur, Wingrin? No... th-that’s a bit too much... Or maybe it holds a clue to at least making my body grow. It must. I heard Blood Dagger’s appearance has changed a lot, too. Yes. Yes.”
“..............”
The things I could do with the power of this Seat were limitless. It wasn’t the kind of power that could destroy the world or cross dimensions, but depending on how it was used, it could achieve considerable effects. It was slightly different from the existing System, but it was a boon from the System nonetheless.
The fact that the Archmage Isaac could become an item, leaving behind a thought-form to remain as a perfect ego, was likely influenced by the System to some extent. The proof was that I had been classified as an item, and my perfectly preserved thought-form was further evidence. If this situation was similar, then I might be able to grow. I might be able to cast off this body and undergo a complete metamorphosis into a new one.
“The return of the beautiful mage, Isaac! The return of Isaac of Lust!”
There were so many things I wanted to test. The amount of emotion I could use wasn’t just sufficient; it was overflowing. Isaac immediately began to slowly examine his inner emotions. It was a process of determining whether what he wanted was possible. The first thing to consider was whether he could change his body.
[ The Seat of Lust says it is impossible. It says that for the Seat to inhabit a thought-form is a miracle in itself. It explains that if you succeed in reconstructing a physical body, the original personality you once had could be shaken. ]
“Ah... I-I see... R-right... M-maybe there’s some other way...”
That certainly made sense.
“It’s not that the mind inhabits the body... but that the m-mind constitutes the body. Th-that could definitely happen. No, it’s undoubtedly dangerous. It’s a bit disappointing, but it seems like too much of a gamble. Right, Wilson?”
“..............”
“The risk of failure is too great. B-but couldn’t I at least make my chest a little bigger?”
[ The Seat of Lust says it is impossible. ]
“......................”
“Or maybe making my body grow would be good... An immediate change is impossible, but if my mind matures... the body could grow along with it...”
No voice told me it was impossible. The problem, however, was where to set the standard for mental maturity. I had already lived for over ten thousand years. I had accumulated vast knowledge in my mind and had delved into and studied many fields, including magic, alchemy, and divine power. The same went for philosophy and the humanities.
But the issue was how to define the standard for mental maturity. I couldn’t even tell if it was something I would set myself or if this special power called a Seat would set it.
Using mental maturity as the standard for growth was...
“Dangerous... right, Wilson?”
“I might have to live like this forever. What if I don’t grow mentally at all?”
Both my body and mind would suffer. The emptiness of having lived for so long yet having a mind that remains unchanged, and the emptiness of feeling like there’s nothing inside my heart—those two voids would rush in like a tidal wave and sweep me away.
But it wasn’t entirely hopeless.
To hear such positive news after a long period of no progress or results was reason enough to celebrate. Just examining my body by circulating my mana and trying to understand the power of the Seat was already enjoyable. The tickling sensation that kept teasing my chest and lower body was incredibly hard to bear, but it couldn’t stop my mind from racing furiously in pursuit of hope.
Food always tastes better when you save the best for last. If I had to say, I’m the type to eat the strawberry on a cake last. The wait has been incredibly long, but compared to the happiness that will come, it was nothing.
The voice of Lust spoke to me once more as I continued to delve into the matter of mental and physical growth.
[ The Seat of Lust asks in return, what is lust? ]
It felt like I had been struck hard on the back of the head with a hammer.
“R-right, Wilson...”
The body wasn’t what was important.
“Eureka! The body wasn’t important! The body was never important!!!! Wilson!!!!!!”
Of course, being able to grow my body would be the best-case scenario. But if I went back to the beginning, the answer was obvious. If I asked myself what the purpose of wanting a bigger body was in the first place, the answer was clear.
“S-sex!”
It was to be loved. The body is just a shell, after all. While I can’t compare to the likes of the Half-Minotaur, this body has everything it needs. It’s more than enough to have a good time with Blood Dagger.
As long as I achieve my goal, I can leave this body as it is. What does it matter that a Half-Minotaur is a Half-Minotaur? She and I are both lonely right now.
“I don’t need to accommodate Blood Dagger, Wilson. I can make him accommodate me. Even if I spend time changing my body and becoming more attractive, how do I know if the man outside will even like it? O-of course, it’s for my own satisfaction, but... I-I’m not a very patient person. You know that, Wilson...”
A horse just needs to be able to run. It doesn’t matter if it’s a white horse or a black horse. In the end, people will choose the faster, more magnificent horse. What does the size of a dairy cow matter? In the end, the cow with the tastiest milk wins.
“What... what I desire is...”
The power to seduce. The power to seduce the opposite sex. No, to be precise, the power to seduce Blood Dagger, who has neglected me until now. It’s far easier and simpler than changing my body. There’s no need to stare into a mirror and examine my body, and no need to drink Half-Mino Milk.
“Is it possible?”
I began to picture what I wanted in my head. Blood Dagger, desiring me fervently, and myself, lying on the bed, looking down at him with a smirk.
[ The Seat of Lust says it is possible. It says it is an incredibly simple and light task. ]
“The stronger the power, the better, right?”
I narrowed the scope. It was obvious that I just wanted to share love, not live a promiscuous life. Considering Blood Dagger’s mental fortitude, I also had to keep in mind that he might be able to resist the power of the Seat.
“Designating a single target will be more effective, Wilson. It would be a bit pitiful to make everyone else unable to escape my charms... Fufu. That way seems easier to focus, too...”
In truth, that was the only way. Assuming I gathered and released the energy, the difference between targeting my surroundings and targeting a single individual was immense. Imagine an area-of-effect spell capable of blowing away an entire castle being compressed and unleashed upon a single target.
He wouldn’t even be able to resist. I was sure of it.
To give one thing is to gain another—that is the foundation of alchemy. By limiting my own ability, I would gain the firepower to pierce through his resistance. I began to adjust the ability little by little, mobilizing all my magical knowledge to configure the power that both the Seat and I desired.
A magical effect designated for a single target. The effect is charm. But it’s clearly different from the charm effects I knew.
“He won’t be mindless. He’ll find himself drawn to me without even realizing it... Hehehe... He’s bound to fall for me before he even knows what’s happening.”
Theoretically, it was impossible. In fact, it might be easier to simply bewitch his soul. But that wasn’t the kind of power I wanted. Of course, going any deeper was impossible with magical power alone. Penetrating the mind is not such a simple task.
“But this is...”
It was something that couldn’t be called magic. I had come to think of magic as merely a means to an end. This was a power like an incredibly potent pheromone.
“Fuhahahihit!”
It was only natural that I started laughing. It was something I had waited for for a long time, something I had yearned for for ten thousand years. All of it might come to fruition very soon.
“My idea of lust is... seducing Blood Dagger! I’m going to make that insolent demon so dizzy he won’t know what’s hit him!”
[ The Seat of Lust rejoices. ]