"So you're Jonathan Dayne?" A beautiful woman in her late thirties laying on her side on a couch attended by two young ladies, smoking a long pipe asked Jon who was seated across from her.
She has an elegant figure, brown hair and a matching pair of eyes. This woman is Elizabeth Zabini the owner of Black Dahlia resort and an executive of the Black Phoenix guild.
"Yes, I'm my lady! It's an honor to meet you." Jon said placing his right hand over his heart, while slightly bending forward without standing up, as a show of respect.
"However, I'm somewhat curious about you, so I specially called you for us to meet..." Elizabeth said looking over Jon. "As expected, your handsomeness is quite exceptional! It's just that you don't seem to be an eunuch as the rumors say? To not hesitate to deceive the whole guild and to protect you, has the matriarch's desire for love begun to sprout?" she asked exhaling smoke in the shape of a heart.
"Lady Zabini must be joking. I know my own limitations. Even though I'm as noble as a king and as handsome as a phoenix, I haven't been able to make the matriarch fall for me." Jon was sweating under the eyes of Elizabeth. 'As an executive she's quite remarkable. She could figure out with a single glance that little Jon is still here. She must know a lot about men. Her every move is overflowing with charm, stirring a person's heart... I've heard she practices the "Succubus Art Of Joy". Tsk, tsk. it seems that she has a much greater knack for it than Cersei.' Jon thought looking at Elizabeth.
"Indeed, you have a clear understanding of yourself. I have always been neutral within the guild, so I will not be partial to the chief executive, nor will I swing in the matriarch's way. If you want to stay in this establishment, you have to agree to one condition." Elizabeth told Jon, sitting up on her couch.
"What's your condition?" Jon asked Elizabeth. 'I seem to recall that the matriarch said that I'd be of great use for her, but she didn't go into any details. Wait a minute... She practices the "Succubus Art Of Joy ", while I, the young master, have a virtuous body and am this good-looking to boot. Could that be what she wants?' Jon was having wild imaginations in his mind.
"Wake up. Stop speculating on your own." Elizabeth shouted, bringing him back to reality. "My disciples practices a lower-level skill in the same category as the Succubus Art Of Joy and the Mantra Of Heartlessness. The way to practice this skill is to clash with men in the field of sexuality. Provided we outdo our opponent in this clash, and plant feelings in their hearts, we can rapidly improve our cultivation. Externally, you have a appearance; internally you harbor a virtuous body. You are a man among men and the best of them all! As long as any of my disciples can plant feelings in your heart, you'll be worth more than 100 men!" She explained her condition to Jon.
"~Sigh~" Jon sighed in relief. "I was wondering what the condition might be and it turned out to be only this. I accept!" Jon accepted the condition with a smile on his face.
"Are you aware what will happen if you fail in this clash, and become the person who's been planted with feelings in his heart?" Elizabeth questions Jon, standing up from the couch and walking closer towards him, not understanding why he isn't nervous at all with her condition.
"I'm well aware. The body and soul of the person who has the feelings planted in his heart will be reduced to a mere slave of the one who planted them, and will respond to his every beck and call and grant his every plea." Jon answered, with the same smile on his face.
"You already knew this? And you still accepted?" Elizabeth asked for clarification, standing very close to Jon.
"I have never lost in a clash regarding feelings with a woman before. So there is no reason to think this time would be any different." Jon justified his confidence. 'I have seen a lot of manipulative beautiful woman in both my life, I never gave my heart to any of them.' Jon thought in his mind. "What's more... lady Elizabeth, you're exceedingly beautiful; enough to cause the fall of a state, and your disciples must also be quite the beauties themselves. If one were to clash with them and lose, let alone being reduced to a love-struck fool, even death would be preferable?" Jon praised Elizabeth and got down on the ground on one knee in front of her. 'If it were an expert like you coming out personally, I might have some reservations, but if it's only your disciples… a bunch of clumsy newbies, I don't give a shit!'
"You really are quite dashing! No wonder you choose the Enchanting Glittering Mana Art!" Elizabeth praised Jon's silver tongue.
~Clap~ ~Clap~
"Everyone come out!" Elizabeth commanded with a clap.
Dozens of beautiful ladies came into the room hearing their master's command.
"Young lord Jonathan, please show us a great time." They all said in unison.
"Misses... please... Let's have a great time." Jon was getting nervous. 'So many of them! Did they call the bitches in the resort here! But this is also good. My Enchanting Glittering Mana Art requires the energy of a lot of beautiful women and the more of them the better.' Jon thought calming his nerve.
Due to their large number all the women where divided into batches, and each batch get to spend one day every week with Jon. Thus for the next few days Jon spend his time with many of the ladies. Going on dates with them; playing musical instruments, dancing, going sight seeing around the Entertainment city, boat ride in the Jade river, etc... Jon was surrounded by beauties all day long. Contrary to Jon's expectations, under the wings of an expert like Elizabeth, her disciples didn't behave like novices at all. Instead they where like proper artists perfecting their art.
----------------break----------------
After a few days.
"Dear Jon, I'll miss you."
"I'll never forget the few days I spent with dear Jon for my entire life."
"Waaaah, I don't want to be apart from dear Jon!"
That days batch of women where weeping with tears running down their face and trembling voice saying their good byes to Jon for the week.
Once outside Jon's room after closing the doors and out of his rage of hearing their tone changed completely.
"Ha-ha, he's indeed worthy of being called a man who's practicing the Enchanting Glittering Mana Art."
"All that flirting and his heart isn't even aroused in the slightest."
"More difficult a man is to conquer, the deeper the feelings planted when they are, and the better the result."
----------------break----------------
"Tsk, tsk. These bunch of bitches have some skills." Jon told himself admiring the night sky from the balcony of his room.
'To my surprise, they even know the principle of 'not trying to win someone over with their beauty for long periods of time', and opted for the 'moving someone with affection' approach. I only fear that if I fall into their trap, the feelings will become deeply rooted and it'll be hard to get myself out of it! Too bad for them, I've learned quite a bit from the countless bitches in my previous life. I can easily tell at a glance if a girl is sincere or not. Their advances are to no avail on me. What I want is to collect the energy from these beauties; not to have some bullshit feelings planted on me.' Jon thought, thinking over the days events.
'It is clear that I've always been together with countless beauties every day. So why is the skill making such slow progress? If things keep going like this, when will I reach the introductory level?' Jon thought looking at the small amount of gold colored glitter mana formed at the tip of his middle finger and pointing finger while trying to make a mana sword with the Glittering Mana Art.
'According to the manuscript, if you want to practice the Enchanting Glittering Mana Art, being a peerless handsome man is only a stepping stone for success. Only when women wholeheartedly love the practitioner, and follow him of their own accord, can they produce the energy suitable for cultivation. These days, even though I'm in the company of beauties all day long, I'm not having a good time in the slightest. It's more like we're having a duel with concealed swords, and each of their honeyed words are like the thrust of a spear and every trace of love is a stab in the back.' Jon analyzed his problem cultivating the energy for Enchanting Glittering Mana Art.
'At this rate, who knows when I'll reach the introductory level? According to lady Elizabeth's condition, would I be forced to stay in this resort my entire life if I can't do it, will I?' Jon thought, trying to decide on weather he would be allowed to leave and find another place to practice the Enchanting Glittering Mana Art.
"If I'm not allowed to leave then I should think of another way to make this bitches fall for me, since my face alone is not enough." Jon said to himself pacing around his room trying to come up with a solution to his problem.
Then an idea struck him.
'If my face isn't enough, then I'll use my talents. All the romantic songs and poems in my previous world to be more precise.' Jon thought, formulating a plan in his mind.
----------- END OF CHAPTER -----------