The Acolyte of Spirits and Curses

Lyra finally gave up arguing and moved to the bed.

She lay down on her stomach with her arms folded beneath her head.

The soft hotel light traced the smooth line of her back, the gentle curve of her waist, and the full shape of her hips.

Her brown hair came mostly loose by now, spilling across the pillow in messy strands.

Klein sat down on the edge of the bed beside her.

He placed both hands on her upper back first, letting his palms rest on the skin between her shoulder blades.

The moment his skin met hers, he began channeling a thin, precise stream of cursed energy mixed with mana.

The energy sank into her body like cool water seeping through dry earth, seeking out the remaining stagnant points along her circuits.

Lyra’s breath hitched quietly "Mm..."

Klein’s hands moved slowly downward, spreading his fingers as he mapped the flow of her mana.

Each time he found a point of resistance, he pressed his thumbs in with controlled force and forced the mixed energy through it until the stagnation cracked and dissolved.

Her back arched slightly under his touch.

"You’re... more thorough than last time," she muttered into the pillow.

"The remaining ones are deeper," Klein replied as his hands slid lower along the sides of her spine.

He shifted his position, kneeling more fully on the bed so he could reach further.

His palms glided over the soft skin of her lower back, while his thumbs carefully dug into the tight bands of muscle on either side of her spine.

Every time a blockage dissolved, a visible shiver ran through her body.

"Nnh..." Soft, involuntary sounds kept slipping past her lips whenever he forced energy through a particularly stubborn point.

"Almost there," Klein murmured.

He moved lower and settled his hands firmly over the upper curve of her ass, using the contact to reach the circuits that ran through her hips and lower core.

The thin fabric of her underwear did little to separate his palms from the warm flesh of her ass.

He pressed in slowly, channeling another controlled surge of energy.

Lyra’s entire body tensed for a second before a shaky breath escaped her lips "Ngh... haa..."

By the time he finished the lower circuits, a light sheen of sweat had formed across her back.

After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hands.

Lyra remained face-down on the bed for several seconds as her chest rose and fell against the mattress.

Then she turned her head just enough to look at him from the corner of her eye with the strands of brown hair still sticking to her skin.

"...Is it done?"

Klein sat back slightly, looking down at her.

"For today, yeah. Your body needs time to adjust before we touch anything else."

Lyra let out a long, shaky breath and pushed herself up onto her elbows.

The movement made her breasts shift against the sheets, and she turned to sit properly on the bed.

When she looked at him again, her expression was a complicated mix of residual embarrassment and reluctant gratitude.

"...Thank you,"

Klein gave a slow nod "You’ll feel lighter for a few hours. After that, your body will start adapting. Don’t try to force your mana flow tonight."

Lyra gave a small nod, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face as she sat up properly.

"I know, you told me that last time."

She glanced at him briefly, "It’s better than before. The pressure isn’t as suffocating anymore."

For someone who spent years dealing with stagnation and discomfort, even a partial improvement was enough to matter.

Lyra shifted slightly on the bed and asked "...You’re staying tonight?"

Klein tilted his head slightly "You want me to?"

She immediately looked away, clicking her tongue under her breath.

"Don’t misunderstand. It’s just late, and I don’t feel like dealing with another flare-up if something goes wrong after you leave."

Klein looked at her for a moment. and a faint smile touched his lips "...Right."

He gave a slow nod before he pushed himself up from the edge of the bed and stretched his arms lightly.

"Get dressed. Let’s go out and eat."

Lyra, who just finished tying her hair properly, paused mid-motion "I already ate. ...Don’t tell me you actually went on a date and didn’t even have dinner."

"That’s just pathetic. What kind of date ends without dinner?"

Klein shot her an unimpressed look "I don’t want to hear that from someone who’s probably never even been on a date."

Lyra froze, and her gaze lowered for a moment.

"...Like that matters," she muttered, trying to brush it off, but there was a subtle stiffness in her voice now.

Klein noticed it.

"What?" he asked, stepping a little closer. "Did I hit a nerve? Don’t tell me... you asked someone for a date in the past and they rejected you."

She frowned "It’s not that, you bastard. It’s just... not everyone has that kind of situation."

"I am not that good-looking in the first place for someone to ask me out."

Klein blinked in genuine surprise, and for a moment he simply stared at her as if trying to figure out whether she is serious.

"...What the hell are you talking about?" he said after a moment.

Lyra frowned faintly. "What?"

"You’re attractive and more than that, you a gorgeous woman," he replied plainly, as if stating something obvious.

She was startled to hear his honest words ’...I wouldn’t be surprised if he said that to the real me.’

’But I am in disguise, and I look like... an average woman. Hell, even below that.’

’I disguised like that to blend in easily to not grab any attention.’

Her lips pressed together faintly. ’But he is telling me...’

A faint flush crept up her cheeks despite her attempt to stay composed. "Don’t joke with me, you rascal."

Klein tilted his head slightly, "What? Why would I lie about something like that?"

She stood up from the bed and walked toward the window "Yeah, yeah... just go and have your dinner."

He let out a faint chuckle, shaking his head before turning slightly toward the chair where her clothes were laid out. "Get dressed. You might’ve eaten, but I haven’t. Let’s go together."

Lyra hesitated for a second before letting out a quiet sigh, finally reaching for her blouse.

"You bastard..." she murmured, though there was no irritation in her voice, only a faint smile on her lips.

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