Chapter 31

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Is This... Real Mana Injection?

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Sunlight poured down like it was stabbing right into the crown of my head.

Even in autumn, the sun blazed with the same unrelenting brightness, announcing its presence.

With nowhere to hide from it hanging high in the sky, it made clear that it was broad daylight.

*Slurrrp! Smooch smooch! Lick lick... Bleeeh...*

Inside the imperial palace of the Luminaria Empire, a sound so irreverent it was impossible to ignore echoed through.

The source was ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠none other than the First Prince's residence.

This was the home of the terrifying First Prince, who had built his influence from a young age, purged heretics both within and without, and even seized surveillance rights from the Church and the imperial family.

Unyielding to nobles' malicious rumors, he symbolized fear and power, slicing off their heads without a second thought.

Common gossip claimed things like, "It's because he takes after his father so much," or "He's had mania since childhood and needs blood to calm down," but he paid them no mind.

After all, those who dared spread such tales had been made examples of—no one was foolish enough to whisper them in his presence.

Yet in this fearsome prince's chambers, a man and woman were making noises so embarrassing they couldn't be overheard by anyone.

A tall, sturdy man with bright, mystical white hair and golden eyes shining like gold lay beneath.

Straddling his knees, a captivating young lady with lightly wavy, sweet pink hair and alluring red eyes pressed her ample breasts against his chest, wrapped her arms around his neck, and swayed her hips seductively.

"Hah... Slurrrrp... Leeeep... Mmmph..."

The woman devoured his lips with all sorts of vulgar slurps.

"Mmgh... Jenia, that's enough now."

The man flushed red, trying to stop her.

She cracked her eyes open slightly.

Her lust-glazed gaze fixed on him before her eyes curved sweetly again, ignoring his words as she pressed her face back to his.

"Hah... Mmmph... Lick... It's mana injection..."

*Slurp slurp glug glug*

The lewd woman's legs parted slightly, clamping tightly around his thighs from both sides, refusing to let go.

She swayed her hips languidly, twitching now and then, ignoring how her rear rubbed against his thighs.

The woman's name was Jenia.

The First Prince's fiancée, admired by many young ladies for her family, business acumen, social prowess, and martial strength—but her most famous trait was her beauty, enough to make even the manic prince fall at first sight.

Now, she had become one of the twin peaks of high society alongside the First Princess, the object of countless young ladies' envy.

And the man pinned beneath her was me.

The world called me everything from Heretic Thresher, Nobles' Guillotine, Manic Prince, Magic Prodigy, Heretic Allergic...

"Lick lick lick... Mmph... Smooch! Pwah... Liam... Just a little more..."

So how did we end up like this...?

Rewind to four years ago.

Jenia had come to me with a sulky face, pouring out her troubles.

"Sigh... Your Highness... It's really hard to gather mana on my own... Could you maybe do that thing you did before, just once more?"

She blushed and peeked at me shyly.

"Not a big deal. Come here."

"Yes!"

Jenia bounded over excitedly.

Her ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cuteness made me chuckle a bit.

"Don't laugh."

"I didn't. Now, feel it slowly. Tell me when you get the hang of it."

The next week.

"Your Highness... I've advanced a bit, so just once more..."

"Come here!"

Another week later.

"Your Highness!"

Six days later.

"That thing..."

Five days later.

"Your Highness, give me your hand!"

One day ‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠later.

"Hey, Jenia?"

I spoke as I watched her naturally grab my hand and beam at me.

"Yes?"

"Is it still hard to get the feel...?"

Her face fell, eyebrows drooping into a pitiful expression.

"Sorry... Was I a bother? Actually... I got the method, but the amount of mana gathering is so small... I just wanted to get stronger fast, so I..."

Watching her go from bright smiles to teary eyes made me fidget uncomfortably.

"No, not a bother at all! Come anytime you want."

Her eyes dried instantly as she grinned and squeezed my hand tight.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

"Uh? Uh-huh..."

And so time flowed on...

"Your Highness, I heard somewhere that you can transmit mana through parts other than hands!"

"Yeah? Usually it's hands since that's how mana is released... Might depend on the mana controller's skill?"

"Ah! So Your Highness can inject mana anywhere?"

"Yep, my mana control is at a level even Grandpa marvels at."

"Wow! Amazing!"

Praised by Jenia, my ego swelled; shoulders squared.

"Then can you transmit from one non-hand part to another?"

Feeling cocky, I showed off some tricks.

"Heh, Jenia, check this out."

I closed my eyes, then released mana from them.

My golden eyes glowed as mana flowed out.

Jenia clapped and praised me.

"Then could you grab my shoulder and send mana through?"

"Shoulder?"

"I-I thought about it—shoulder shortens the path more than arm!"

"True."

"Try it this way, Your Highness!"

"Sure."

Not hard, so I gripped her shoulder and sent mana.

Facing her, her beaming face came into view.

Her cheeks flushed warmly from the mana, eyes cracking open slightly.

Injection done, she beamed brighter.

"See? This way's better!"

"Yeah? I'll do it like this from now on if you like."

"Yes!"

Her bright smile was nice to see.

'Not hard anyway...'

I didn't notice then—the face she made after I turned away post-injection.

*Slurp*

Time flowed again...

"Your Highness can thin out mana released from your whole body and send it? Amazing... I wish I could handle aura like that..."

"You're getting strong at a scary pace already, Jenia. Don't rush."

"But..."

Envious Jenia suddenly lit up.

"Your Highness! What if we hug for injection? Saves time, more mana!"

"I'm fine, but you okay with that?"

"Of course! Practice skinship publicly too! Win-win!"

"Ahem! Well then..."

I opened my arms; she darted in, hugging my waist, face buried in my chest.

"Uh... Jenia?"

She looked up, beaming.

"Yes? What?"

"N-Nothing."

Mana flowed; I heard her breathing.

"Sniiiif- Haaa- Sniiiif- Haaa-"

'Is breathing method supposed to be like that?'

Odd, but frail mages don't know swordsmen's world well.

Injection done...

"Hueeng?"

I peeled off the cutely whining Jenia.

She stared blankly, eyes half-lidded, mouth agape.

Worried, I called.

"Jenia?"

"Ah... Your Highness! This way's way, way better."

She emanated mana, unrecognizably stronger than at first.

'Well... We've hunted lots of heretics and crushed slave traders...'

Recalling bloody memories...

Time flowed yet again.

"Your Highness, sit today? Training was extra tough."

I agreed; we trained physically together.

"Yeah, today was brutal. Maxim's ramping up on us... Ugh!"

I shivered, sitting.

Arms out; Jenia hopped onto my lap quick.

Side-saddle, head nuzzled into my neck.

"Jenia?"

"Ah... Kinda tired today..."

"Makes sense. Get comfy."

"Sniiiif- Nyaaa."

Time flowed more.

"Your Highness, back lean okay today?"

"? Sure."

More flow.

"Your Highness, face-to-face today!"

"?? Uh? Y-Yeah..."

Even more.

‍‍‌‌⁠⁠‌‍‍‌⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠‌‌‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Thinking... direct to mana core might be best!"

"What?"

She leaned back against me, grabbed my hands, placed on her belly.

"Heeeh..."

Hips bouncing lightly; rubbing a bit.

"Jeni..."

"Ah! Enlightenment coming! Quick, Your Highness!"

"Uh? Uh! R-Right!"

That's when hip-swaying started.

More flow.