The lecture left Cassian feeling energized; now he knew the path to becoming a circle warrior and how to complete the system's quest. It had been over three months since the system activated, and while his sword skills had improved significantly, they were just enough to make decent progress.
With the newfound knowledge of mana gathering techniques, he realized he could do much more. Though he'd only heard bits about them, they seemed essential for warriors like him. He wasn't sure how to get his hands on one of these techniques yet, but perhaps Julius or one of his acquaintances could point him in the right direction.
For now, as the late evening settled in and his shift ended, Cassian, smiling with excitement, boarded the carriage heading toward the center of the city, already thinking about his day off tomorrow with Katherine.
"Enormous..." Cassian muttered as he arrived at the center where the ultra-large structure loomed before him. Standing at its base, he felt impossibly small. The structure stretched wide, with its sides visible, but as he tilted his head back—almost a full 180 degrees—he still couldn't see the top. He didn't need to; he'd already seen its towering height from the ship.
Yet, being here in person made it a completely different experience.
Mages and scholars flowed in and out of the beacon of knowledge, most exuding an air of intellect and wisdom. Despite this, Cassian didn't feel out of place. Among them were people like him, carrying their masters' belongings or handling various tasks, giving the scene a mix of both scholars and laborers moving within the colossal structure.
Cassian hurried towards the checkpoints, excitement bubbling in his chest. He couldn't wait another second to be with Katherine, or to massage her soft thighs. For the past three days, his mind had been consumed by thoughts of her, regretting how he had cut their last session short.
He replayed the memory over and over, wishing he had done more—especially when he'd touched her thighs and her perfect butt.
Hoping today would bring him the chance he craved, he quickly passed through the checkpoints. The token Katherine had given him made it easy, and one of the workers even escorted him to her room, which was located a few floors up. Cassian knew this because the strange machine, called a lift, carried him from the lower floor. As it ascended, he marveled at the interior of the tower.
Though it gleamed white on the outside, the inside offered clear views of the world beyond, a sight that momentarily distracted him.
Cassian enjoyed the view as the lift rose higher and higher, watching the people below shrink until they looked like tiny ants. When the lift finally stopped, the worker led him down a hallway lined with many doors, eventually stopping in front of one. "Here you go."
"Thanks," Cassian said, nodding to the diligent worker before knocking on the door. Almost immediately, it opened, and he heard Katherine's familiar voice say, "Come in..."
She sat there, as usual, with a book in hand, which she now closed with a smile as her gaze landed on Cassian.
"My lady," Cassian beamed, grinning ear to ear as he bowed before stepping inside. The door quietly shut behind him. Katherine, noticing his wide smile, couldn't help but comment, "You seem excited."
Cassian, trying to tone down his grin so as not to look like a complete pervert, replied, "I can't help it. The last three days were so boring at work—I'm just excited to finally have a day off."
"Is that so?" Katherine placed her book aside and, with a mock pout, added, "And here I was thinking you were excited because you were seeing me again after all this time."
Cassian was momentarily baffled by her mock sad expression and blurted out, "No, my lady, I'm excited to see you too!"
Katherine smirked, her eyes glinting with playful teasing. "Really?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Cassian quickly nodded, which only encouraged her more. "Oh? And why's that?"
This put Cassian in a bit of a dilemma. His face flushed slightly as he fumbled for the right words, unable to come up with an answer that didn't sound awkward. Seeing her teasing smile, he shook his head, walking over with an embarrassed grin. "Stop teasing me, my lady," he muttered.
Katherine's teasing smile softened as she leaned forward slightly. "I wasn't teasing, Cassian," she said in a quieter, more sincere tone. "I really do want to know—why are you excited to see me?" Her eyes followed him as he walked over and took a seat on the edge of the bed.
Cassian, still a bit flustered, shifted slightly before looking up at her. "Why wouldn't I be excited to see a beautiful lady like you, my lady?" he replied, his voice earnest now, though there was still a hint of shyness.
Katherine's teasing softened into a warm smile. "I'm flattered you find me that beautiful," she said, her tone gentle now. As she watched Cassian's cheeks flush deeper, nearly matching his fiery red hair, she chuckled. "You look really cute when you blush, you know."
Cassian, even more flustered, managed to reply, "Thank you for the praise, my lady."
With a playful nod, Katherine lifted her feet and placed them in his lap. "Well, this cutie didn't forget to practice his massage skills while he was away, right?" she asked with a sly smile.
Cassian gently grabbed her feet, his blush fading as he smiled. "I didn't get time to practice, but I my skills are still sharp, my lady."
"Good, because I'd be sad if you did," Katherine said, lifting her skirt to reveal her legs and part of her thighs.
"I'd die before letting that happen," Cassian smirked, his eyes catching the sight of her soft thighs, ready to be kneaded by his hands.
Katherine chuckled, leaning back. "Well, don't die, either. That would also make me quite sad."
Cassian's hands froze as he looked up at Katherine in surprise. "You would? My lady....be sad," he asked, his eyes wide. Katherine simply smiled in response.