Alistair felt as if his skull had been split open. Agonizing pain and vertigo flooded his mind.
Damn! Uncle Takai was right! A counter-build enemy is a death sentence!
With that final thought, Alistair clutched his head and collapsed.
Clang~
A nearby gate opened. A stiff-faced man stepped out and stood to the side.
Step, step, step...
"Finally done. It took 30% of my mana to put you down, but it proves you're the ultimate material."
A girl with long brown hair walked out, her eyes fixed on Alistair with hungry curiosity.
"This body should be able to hold far more spells. Those three trash heaps couldn't even handle strong magical imprints. Waste of mana. This... this is quality material."
Sonaya walked to Alistair's side and stroked his cheek. Suddenly, her expression shifted.
"Wait... the 'Chosen One'? Is that prophecy actually real?!"
She pinched Alistair's face disbelievingly.
"He doesn't look special. High talent, sure, but there are plenty of geniuses. Why would he have the 'King's Aptitude'? My mana is going to waste!"
Despite her frustration, she didn't kill him. The prophecy came from the Great Priestess; it was the key to their future. Alistair was a chance to restore their nation.
"No, this is too big a loss. I can't leave empty-handed."
Sonaya paced around, then knelt beside Alistair.
"I hope your mana is enough."
She cupped his face, leaned down, and pressed her lips against his.
The taste isn't bad... and his mana quality is decent.
Alistair's mana, converted from Lust, was compatible with hers. She drained him until she had recouped the 30% she had spent.
Mwah~
Slurp.
"So that's what a kiss feels like? Not bad. No wonder those older sisters with men always brag about it. Though they're still too weak to be my true sisters. I wonder where they are... probably still sleeping. Hehe."
Sonaya stood up, licking her lips. She let her hand wander over Alistair's body for a moment.
"Hm? What's this?" She felt a hard, circular object in his inner pocket.
"A Mana Crystal? Wait, this pattern... Eldest Sister's seal? He's met her? Well, I'll take this."
She pocketed the crystal. Her power wasn't direct combat, but her potential was unmatched.
"I hope you don't disappoint me." She touched her crescent-moon earring and gave Alistair one last peck on the lips before heading inside.
"Oh, almost forgot the trash." She waved a hand. The three 'puppets' dissolved into black mist and were sucked into her earring.
...
"Ugh... ahhh..."
Alistair opened his eyes, his brain still foggy.
A strange ceiling. Did I reincarnate again? No way... did those goons actually kill me?
"You're awake? How do you feel?"
A familiar female voice reached his ears. Alistair turned his head, but he couldn't see her face. The woman had leaned over the bed to inspect him. Because of the angle, two massive "darknesses" dominated his field of vision.
According to the laws of Universal Gravitation: the greater the mass, the greater the pull. It took Alistair a good ten seconds to tear his gaze away and look at her face.
"...Mrs. Fujito?"
Alistair blinked, recognizing his teacher, Akari Fujito.
"I found you lying on the side of the road while I was out for a run," she said, placing a glass of water on the nightstand. "What happened, Alistair? Why were you unconscious?"
"I... don't remember. I think I got jumped," Alistair muttered. It wasn't a lie.
Wait, something's wrong.
"Mrs. Fujito, was I the only one there?"
"Yes. Just you. I didn't see any injuries, so I just brought you home."
Alistair processed this. The enemy knew his exact route. They had likely tampered with Uncle Nakamura's mind or the car itself. But why leave him alive and let Nakamura drive away? Was it just a warning?
Alistair licked his lips and frowned. He tasted a faint, sweet scent.
Lipstick. Lemon flavored.
"Did you remember something?" Akari asked.
"No, nothing. Wait... my clothes..." Alistair realized he was wearing something far too baggy.