Lucius eased into his seat as Vanessa drove toward the place she had rented out for today.
He tried to relax, but the tension in the air was thick, suffocating even.
The source sat right next to him.
Rita.
Lucius shifted slightly, stealing a quick glance, and immediately regretted it.
Rita sat with one leg draped over the other, her dress sliding high enough that the soft pink of her panties teased his eyes.
She knew exactly what she was doing — there was no way she didn’t.
Her lips curved into a faint smirk, violet eyes glittering like a predator watching her prey.
He swallowed, looking away instantly, only for her voice to slide into his ear like velvet.
"So..." she began, leaning closer, her perfume a sweet, intoxicating trap, "I remember sending you a chat request."
Her tone was playful, but her hand had already brushed against his arm. "And you ghosted me."
Lucius coughed, staring hard at the passing scenery outside the car window.
"Well... I had other plans in mind."
His voice came out strained, betraying the unease he tried so desperately to mask.
He admitted, inwardly, that he might have overreacted when he saw the message from her.
But what else could he do?
This woman was far more dangerous than anyone gave her credit for.
Rita was a Saintess, yes.
A shining figure to the world.
But to Lucius and other men, she was the embodiment of temptation gone wrong — perverted, sadistic, masochistic, obsessive.
How all those traits fit into one person was a mystery he didn’t want to solve.
She wasn’t harmless fun.
She was the kind of person who saw a boundary, laughed at it, and then demolished it without hesitation.
And the worst part of it all was despite all these teasing, she was still a virgin and an inexperienced one at that, the Author confirmed it.
She was just a perverted woman from childhood.
He remembered the original story all too well.
Even Elliot — the so-called protagonist had avoided her.
She wasn’t in his harem.
Instead, she’d gone as far as stealing his clothes to pleasure herself and even attempted to kidnap him once, crazed with obsession.
Lucius clenched his jaw.
That was why he didn’t want her interested in him.
Unfortunately, fate didn’t care about what he wanted.
"You know..." Rita whispered, inching closer until he could feel the heat of her breath on his ear, "I could give you anything you want."
Her lips curled, and her hand slid daringly close to his thigh.
"Money. Influence." Her eyes flicked down his body in a slow, shameless sweep. "...Women."
Lucius jerked away, glaring. "Rita—"
"Rita, you’re not getting any space items from him," Vanessa cut in from the driver’s seat, her voice firm though she didn’t turn her head.
"Oh, come on!" Rita groaned dramatically, pulling her hand back only to drape it lazily on Lucius’s shoulder. "I wasn’t just talking about that. Can’t a woman appreciate a fine man sitting beside her?"
Lucius stiffened as her nails grazed his shirt collar.
She leaned in, and for one terrifying second, he thought she might actually lick him.
He exhaled sharply and shoved her hand off.
Rita only laughed, delighted. "You’re so cute when you get flustered. Mmm... I could just eat you up."
Lucius stared ahead, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
She stretched in her seat, deliberately arching her back so that the neckline of her dress dipped low, revealing pale skin and the curve of cleavage.
"Vanessa, you didn’t tell me he was this handsome. If I’d known, I would have claimed him sooner."
Vanessa gripped the wheel tighter, her knuckles white. "He’s not yours to claim, Rita."
"Ohhh?" Rita’s smile widened into something wicked. "Is that jealousy I hear, dear Vanessa? Don’t tell me you’ve already taken a bite out of him."
Lucius wanted to melt into the seat.
This was hell.
And yet... the worst part was that Rita seemed to be enjoying every second of his discomfort.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the car pulled into a wide stone driveway.
The Northcrest Resort towered before them, sprawling and grand.
"We’re here," Vanessa announced, parking the car. "I wanted to go out before, but Rita suggested we rent the whole resort."
Lucius scowled inwardly.
’Of course she had.’
Even in the novel, Rita never did anything in moderation.
He got out of the car with a sigh, rubbing at his temple.
The moment his feet touched the ground, uniformed valets rushed forward, bowing and greeting them with polished smiles before driving the car away.
Resorts on this world weren’t like the ones back on Earth.
They were vast playgrounds built for Awakeners, with luxury and indulgence pushed to the extreme.
That someone like Rita could rent one out at a whim... it was both impressive and terrifying.
As they approached the grand entrance, the doors swung open and a row of staff bowed deeply.
"You’ll be in our care today! We welcome you to the Northcrest Resort!"
Vanessa smiled politely and thanked them for their enthusiasm.
Lucius, on the other hand, felt the stares.
The maids, dressed in form-fitting uniforms, kept glancing his way, whispering and giggling amongst themselves.
A few were bold enough to wink.
’I know I’m handsome,’ he thought dryly, ’but sheesh... do they have to make it so obvious?’
He didn’t get the chance to dwell on it. A warm hand slipped suddenly into his.
"Eh—?" He turned, eyes widening.
Rita was smiling at him, her fingers interlacing with his like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"Come on," she chirped sweetly, her grip firm. "Let’s get a massage."
Before he could protest, she grabbed Vanessa’s hand too, linking them all together as if they were some strange trio.
Lucius tried to pull back, but her grip was deceptively strong.
’As expected from one of the strongest.’
Rita leaned close, her lips brushing against his ear.
"You’ve never been touched by a Saintess, have you?" she whispered, her voice dripping with heat. "I wonder... would you moan louder under my hands, or under my tongue?"
Lucius almost tripped.
His face burned red.
Yes he was 30 mentally, but this was a woman literally his age saying shameless stuff in public.
"W-what the hell is wrong with you?!"
Vanessa yanked her hand free, face flushed with irritation. "Rita!"
"What?" Rita asked innocently, though her smirk betrayed her. "I’m just curious. He looks like the type who’d break quickly. Don’t you think?"
Lucius’s mouth opened, but no words came out.
Rita laughed, a low, wicked sound, and tugged him into a lavish chamber filled with the soothing aroma of oils, the soft trickle of indoor fountains, and padded tables lined neatly for relaxation.
"This," Rita said, spreading her arms as if presenting a throne room, "is where you’ll get the best back massage in the whole city."
Lucius exhaled in relief, finally pulling his hand free — only for Rita to immediately hook her arm around his waist, pressing her body against his side.
"But..." she whispered, her lips grazing the edge of his jaw before he shoved her away, "...if I had my way, you wouldn’t leave this room walking straight."
Lucius froze, mortified.