[Lust blessing process successfully finished]
Alex gasped as the ordeal ended, taking a deep breath as his body trembled slightly from the strain. He could already feel several changes within him, but he pushed those thoughts aside for now. The stench of sweat clung to him like a second skin, and the first thing on his mind was a shower.
He quickly undressed and made his way back to the bathroom...for the second time.
Once he finished, Alex returned to his room, ready to inspect the changes that had occurred.
The first thing that caught his attention as he stood in front of the mirror was his height. If he had previously been a solid 1m90, he now towered over the room at roughly 2m05.
The second thing that caught his eyes was how his muscles had gained in volume and how chiseled they had become. His physique was still considered lithe, but it was more buffed up.
Alex flexed his arms to gauge his new strength, but he was left disappointed when he discovered that the increase to his strength was minimal, negligible even.
'It's like this muscle gain is purely for show,' he thought with a displeased expression.
His deduction only seemed to be confirmed when he finally gazed at himself through the mirror.
"Damn, am I not too handsome?!" he exclaimed in shock.
Alex had always been attractive, but now his appearance was on another level, almost like he had sculpted himself into the ideal version of perfection.
[You are as handsome as the wielder of Lust needs to be,] the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[As the wielder of Lust, your appearance must be highly desirable to others, especially the opposite sex.]
Hearing this, Alex's pride took a hit. The system's implication that he wasn't already desirable irritated him.
"I was already handsome before, I didn't need your help for that," he snorted.
[...]
The system didn't reply anymore, and he quickly lost interest, inspecting his body for more noticeable changes.
'Hm?' Alex's eyes widened as they landed on his crotch.
'Was it also needed to increase my crotch size to one of an elephant?' he asked in exasperation.
[As the wielder of-]
"Save it, I don't want to hear you," he cut it off.
[...]
He was probably exaggerating, but Alex felt that the increase to his penis was certainly not needed. Thankfully, the change wasn't extreme, though the same couldn't be said for the girth.
'Well, it will be my wives' problem,' he shrugged his shoulders.
Knock, knock.
Someone suddenly knocked on the door as Alex was preparing to resume his observations.
After checking out who it was and seeing that it was Freya who was knocking, Alex felt a sudden excitement.
He stopped everything he was doing and quickly dressed himself in the first pair of clothes he found in his space ring.
Taking a final glance at himself in the mirror, Alex pulled the door open, only to freeze in place. froze.
Freya stood before him, radiant and stunning. She was dressed elegantly in thick winter clothing, perfect for fending off the cold. A luxurious mantle covered her shoulders, trimmed with fur that framed her neck. The outfit balanced beauty and practicality, and it suited her perfectly.
However, it wasn't just the clothes that made Alex pause. It was how breathtakingly beautiful she looked.
Her hair was styled into two braided locks that fell gracefully on either side of her face, adding to the impression of a fierce, nordic warrior. Subtle makeup enhanced her already striking features, accentuating her natural beauty.
Alex wasn't particularly fond of makeup, but even he had to admit that Freya looked stunning with it. Not that she hadn't already been beautiful without it.
As Alex stood frozen, entranced by the sight of the woman before him, Freya found herself in a daze of her own.
However, there was a notable difference between the two. While Alex was captivated by Freya's radiant appearance, momentarily forgetting what he had intended to say, Freya was quite literally overwhelmed by what she was seeing.
Her eyes had a dreamy quality to them as she gazed at Alex, the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on. Though his facial features hadn't altered drastically, there was something different about him. It was subtle, yet profound. He looked much like he did the day before, but now, he exuded an undeniable allure. Freya found him not only more handsome but also more magnetic, more... desirable.
The emotions she had been trying to suppress surged to the surface, spilling over as she bit her lower lip. For the first time in her life, Freya felt an intense, visceral desire for a man. She wanted to make him hers, and in return, give herself fully to him.
Her body reacted almost instinctively to these thoughts. A sudden rush of heat washed over her, causing her temperature to spike as her heartbeat quickened.
"G-Good morning, Lady Freya," Alex finally managed to utter after what felt like an eternity. He worried she might think him odd for standing there silently, just staring at her, but his fears were dispelled when his voice seemed to snap her out of her reverie.
Freya blinked several times, as if shaking off a spell, and a blush crept across her cheeks. "Ah, y-yes, good morning," she stammered.
Flustered and caught off guard, she fumbled over her words. Realizing this, she quickly decided to stop speaking, embarrassed by her own reaction.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Alex asked, noticing that Freya had yet to fully regain her composure.
"D-Don't you remember? We're supposed to test the efficiency of your healing potion today," Freya replied, finally finding her voice.
"Ah, right. I almost forgot," Alex nodded, recalling their previous arrangement. After a brief pause, he added, "If you're ready, we can head out right now."
"Yes, that's exactly why I came," Freya nodded eagerly.
"Perfect," Alex said, exhaling a deep breath. He allowed the familiar purple smoke to seep out of his body, shaping it into a mask that concealed his identity. "Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand toward her.
Freya sighed inwardly, feeling a pang of disappointment as Alex's beautiful face disappeared behind the mask. She hesitated for a moment before accepting his hand.
"Let's go then," Alex said with a smile hidden behind his mask, as Freya intertwined her arm with his. As they began walking, Alex asked, "By the way, where are we going?"
"Not far," Freya replied, her usual composure returning as she calmed her racing heart. "There are some soldiers who were injured while hunting mountain wolves a few days ago. We'll be testing your healing smoke on them and comparing the results with traditional healing potions," she explained.
"Got it," Alex nodded, understanding the plan.
Freya seemed to hesitate, as if she wanted to say something else, but in the end, she chose to remain silent.
"Is something wrong?" Alex inquired, sensing her hesitation.
"No, it's just..." Freya glanced at him again before asking, "Did you... grow taller overnight?"
"Oh," Alex stammered, caught off guard by the question. Of course, it made sense that people who knew him would notice the significant change in his height. He had grown more than a head taller, after all.
"Y-Yeah, something like that," Alex said with a sheepish laugh, trying to brush off the topic.
Sensing that he wasn't eager to elaborate, Freya decided to swiftly change the subject. "So, how long do you plan on staying in Drisidd?"
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure yet," Alex admitted. "I'll see how things unfold."
"I see," Freya nodded thoughtfully. "In any case, you're welcome to stay as long as you'd like."
"Thanks," Alex replied, a warm smile spreading behind his mask. "By the way, you look absolutely stunning today," he complimented as they exited the mansion.
Freya smiled sweetly at his words, a smile so rare that it shocked the guards nearby. They had never seen their matriarch smile like that with anyone other than her daughter.
"You're very h-handsome too," Freya whispered, her voice so soft that only Alex could hear her. However, the blush on her face didn't go unnoticed by the guards.
"Stunning and lovely, what a perfect combination," Alex grinned, pleased by her reaction.
Freya's blush deepened, and she quickly turned her head to hide her embarrassment, a gesture that Alex found irresistibly cute.
By the time they stepped outside, a carriage was already waiting for them in front of the mansion. Without wasting any time, they headed toward it.
"Ladies first," Alex said, offering his hand to help Freya into the carriage.
"Oh, what a gentleman," Freya giggled softly as she accepted his assistance.
At this point, the guards were openly exchanging baffled glances, unable to comprehend what was happening. It wasn't like their usually composed and reserved matriarch to act so differently, especially not in front of others.
Alex smirked, sensing the weight of several gazes falling on him as he followed Freya into the carriage, closing the door behind him with a satisfying click.
Once inside and settled across from Freya, the smoke mask he wore gradually dissolved, parting to reveal his face. Though the wisps of purple smoke still hovered around his head, blurring his outline and giving him an ethereal, almost otherworldly appearance, Freya had an unobstructed view of his striking features.
A few moments later, Freya leaned out slightly, giving the coachman instructions on their destination and very soon, the carriage set off.