Hatching (3)

Making a necklace was harder than making a ring. The Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Crafting ranked anklets and bracelets as the easiest projects, and recommended attempting a necklace only once you had some real experience under your belt.

Which probably explained why there was only a single necklace template. They'd provided multiple ring designs, yet just one for a necklace. It felt like the person who put together the beginner crafting set had deliberately set the necklace as the final boss of the introductory stage.

They'd prepared plenty of metal rods that could be hammered into rings or bracelets with a few taps — but the moment I realized I'd have to make the necklace chain myself, I was certain.

So I had to forge dozens of tiny links using nothing but primitive crafting tools. Yeah. That really got the blood pumping. I was burning with the same desperate fire as a twenty-something guy trying to finally lose his virginity.

First I selected the gemstone that would serve as the necklace's centerpiece, then checked the template.

The way you cut the gem changes depending on the necklace's purpose? For pure ornamentation, you faceted it for maximum sparkle. For an actual item, you had to cut it in a way that accepted mana cleanly.

That was a tall order for someone who still couldn't sense mana. And if I just freestyled it, the odds of it becoming a real item were on the line. Common sense said an item necklace sold for more than a regular one.

The template did list a mana-receptive cutting method, so I'd just have to follow it as best I could. Whatever I lacked, my craftsmanship talent would cover.

"Guess it's the ruby after all."

"A fine gem. Why that one?"

"If I cut it the way it says here, it might raise flame resistance."

"I see. Al-al-i. Lan-lan-i. Watch your father carefully. With the Mad Demon's skill, a fine necklace will surely emerge."

"Yeah! Yohan's got the Craftsmanship talent and everything!"

"The Craftsmanship talent, you say?"

"Yep!"

"How remarkable..."

The women all had stars in their eyes. All that expectation was starting to feel like pressure.

"Let's not get carried away."

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed? You strip naked and fight without batting an eye, but this gets you?"

"So even the Mad Demon still has a shred of human heart left. Truly astonishing."

I'd racked up way too much karmic debt. Time to just make the necklace.

I started with the chain. Grabbing metal rods meant for rings and bracelets, I hammered them to the right thickness and length, then punched holes through them — pong, pong...

Pong-pong?

"I am not Pong-pong!"

"Jesus! You were doing fine — what the hell was that?!"

"Trying to understand the Mad Demon's thoughts only gives one a headache."

I treated it as white noise and kept working on the chain. Following the guidance of my craftsmanship talent, I ended up with a line as pretty as anything you'd find in a store.

Next came the ruby. I started cutting it in the order the pamphlet laid out, but it was painfully boring. Was I really supposed to just do it like this? Even if it was the mana-receptive method, the stone's brilliance was dying right in front of me.

In the end I couldn't take it and just worked the gem however my hands wanted. I'd freestyled the ring too and still gotten an item out of it. It'd be fine. And if it didn't become an item? So what. I'd just try again next time.

Once I dropped the hesitation, my hands moved with real boldness. The finished ruby looked like a flame mid-blaze.

"Beautiful..."

With Cheonsol's soft admiration in my ears, I finished the setting that would hold the gem. Linking it to the platinum chain, the contrast of white and crimson came together so well it was almost dangerous.

Off to a good start. I appraised the necklace with a cheer.

"Well?"

Sophia asked carefully. Wanting to show off, I shared the item info — and she started bouncing on her feet.

"Two options on it?! That's our Yohan!"

"It'll sell for a good price, right?"

"Obviously! You can only wear one necklace at a time! It's got one more option than a plain Common, and Flame Control on top of that — fire-type ability users and mages will pay a premium for it without blinking."

"How much are we talking?"

"Hold on!"

Sophia pulled up the Galaxy Market, tagged Flame Resistance and Necklace, and ran a search. Pages upon pages of listings popped up.

"A Common-grade Flame Resistance necklace only goes for a hundred thousand Divinity. And there's so much stock. Why is it so cheap?"

"Guess a lot of people bought the beginner crafting set."

Minions who'd had the same idea as me, following the template to the letter. Good thing I'd changed course halfway. Without Flame Control, I wouldn't even have covered the material costs.

I searched again with Flame Control added — and only Rare-grade listings came up. Not a single Common.

"Rares start at five million."

"Wait! There's something almost identical to Yohan's necklace in the sold listings!"

Two and a half million? Half of a Rare.

"A few more of these and we'll have those martial arts manuals in no time."

"Hehe. See? Yohan really is the best!"

Hearing our goddess praise me sent a fresh surge of energy through me. Time to ride this wave and craft more items.

Starting with the necklace, I made several more accessories. Midway through I ran low on materials and switched to rings, but even then I burned through every last gemstone.

"Lady Sophia."

"Mmmnh..."

I'd thought she'd gone quiet — turns out she'd fallen asleep. It was getting late, to be fair.

"She's out."

"Even a goddess will wreck her body sleeping on a hard floor. Better wake her."

I reached out to shake Sophia awake — and temptation hit me hard. Go for the orthodox shoulder grab? Or give those massive tits a good jiggle?

If she'd been braless I might've risked a handful, but she was wearing one, so I hesitated. Getting an earful without even being able to pinch a nipple sounded like a one-way ticket to insanity.

Behave. Shake the shoulder.

"Lady Sophia. Lady Sophia."

"Nnnh?"

"Go inside and sleep."

"Mmm..."

Sophia rubbing her eyes as she got up was so cute it was criminal. I wanted to grab her and plant a kiss right then and there, but I held back.

There was one more woman still in the room. A woman so obedient she'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watched my long crafting session without dozing off once, diligently stroking Al-al-i and Lan-lan-i the whole time.

"She's gone."

"Cheonsol."

I dropped my voice low, and Cheonsol looked up at me. A faint thread of anticipation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠glimmered in her eyes.

"You should let Al-al-i and Lan-lan-i sleep too."

"What nonsense. Children who are still mere eggs can hardly feel the need for sleep."

"You know exactly what I mean."

I murmured it low and caught Cheonsol's wrist. The flesh in my grip trembled faintly.

"Wait a moment..."

She'd been looking forward to this too, huh. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠woman who'd climaxed multiple times losing her virginity wasn't about to turn down sex.

The second Cheonsol set the eggs down, I pinned her against the wall and kissed her hard. Our vampire didn't resist — she took my tongue willingly.

This was nothing like the impregnation-driven rape from before. My lower half was already swelling, but I forced myself not to rush. This wasn't a kiss for venting lust. This was a training kiss — for locking in future sex opportunities.

I pulled cool, embraceable Cheonsol tight against me and pushed my tongue deeper. Her eyes, stretched wide to their limit, slowly fluttered shut.

"Mmmnh..."

A warm breath huffed from Cheonsol's nose and washed over my face. We used the same shampoo and body wash — so why did she smell different?

Different species, maybe. Even her mouth carried that same sweet, body-scent flavor. Wanting more of it, I brushed against her fangs — and her tongue darted out to block me.

I tried to push past it, but she clung on stubbornly. Why so desperate?

"What's wrong?"

"Leave this lady's fangs alone..."

"Don't tell me you're embarrassed?"

Cheonsol couldn't answer — she just ducked her head. God damn. Why was she this cute? I'd been planning to ease off and start undressing her, but now the whole game had changed.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

To temporarily disable her, I groped her chest.

"Hah!"

Even through her underwear, it was more than enough stimulation for a lewd vampire. The sweet moan that slipped out left her tongue unguarded — and I went to town on her fangs.

"Nnh. Mmmnh..."

Working those sharp points the way I'd suck on a nipple, Cheonsol's strength began to drain. The body that had held firm through the kiss collapsed toward me.

They weren't as massive as Sophia's, but the solid weight of them made my hands furious with want. The hard thing jabbing into her must have felt strange — Cheonsol's hips pulled back — but the moment I gently licked her fangs again, she pressed right back in.

"..."

Her tightly shut eyelids lifted, revealing moist eyes. She was so beautiful. Those pupils, black as obsidian and clear as mirrors, held my reflection.

"Mmmnh..."

Cheonsol gave my shoulder little taps, as if telling me to take it easy. As if I'd stop when she was this adorable. I wrapped my arms fully around her neck, and she gave up, looping her arms over my shoulders instead.

Then she stretched her tongue out long and tried a counterattack. Let's see what you've got. She carefully tapped at my front teeth, and when I didn't react, she mustered the courage to give my canines a tentative lick.

I pushed her tongue back just to test her — and she shook her head hard, eyes wide. She was so pretty I could die. I luxuriated in that dense fang-play a while longer, then, when it felt right, coiled my tongue around hers.

Chup. Slurp.

The wet sounds of tongue on tongue filled the workshop. I couldn't hold back anymore. I scooped Cheonsol up to carry her to the bed, and she mumbled shyly:

"Your hard thing is poking this lady's backside."

"Want me to poke somewhere other than your ass?"

"...I do."

God, she was pretty when she was honest. I kissed her again.