Chapter 21: Sun Of The Sun Town (1)
It's been three days since Benjamin and Estelle became a couple.
Disappointing though it may have been, Benjamin was still sleeping alone in his room. He wouldn't think badly of Estelle wanting to have fun with him even now, but he also could see her thinking it'd be too fast a development.
As a man who had drowned in carnal desires and spent one month alone with a beautiful and innocent woman who hadn't seen the world, let alone tasted it, Benjamin held his urges back while staying loyal to his promise of giving Estelle free rein in this area because of her age and inexperience.
He still could see how fun it'd be to teach Estelle stuff about sex. In fact, he had been imagining this before starting his evening rest in which he'd read romance books.
Estelle was on the same page with him, but her head would always get so red and heated whenever she imagined herself in the place of the heroines of romance stories she had read about that she couldn't properly function.
With more time, however, her natural attraction toward Benjamin would surely draw her to his room.
Other than that, the couple stayed close.
Moon might have been a third wheel in this relationship, but the mysterious myriad of feelings within her eyes kept telling Benjamin that she was the most conscious of it and fought something really debilitating inside her.
But even at this point, he couldn't tell what it was.
Things with Moon were much better when it was time to train. Of course, both sisters required time to recuperate, but Estelle's wounds were much lighter, and she could start training in just two days.
Moon also had the protagonist's fate, and her body had been rigorously trained before, so even if she couldn't strain her muscles properly yet, she could go around and instruct her little sister.
Benjamin also needed her help with foreign techniques.
"Back in my prime, we could learn techniques by picking up a book and integrating it with the system," Benjamin explained how players learned skills and grew in strength.
That was why the players were seen as monsters in the eyes of many residents. They just picked up a skill book, learned it with one click of the system, used the skill a few times to get the feeling of it, and moved on to the next stage.
From that point, they would either practice their control or creativity with the said skills.
It went without saying that players were like overpowered machines.
"How unfair," Moon's words just solidified this assessment. "But also boring."
Benjamin smiled, "I can see where you are coming from since I paved my path and class. Still, I couldn't give up on this convenience. If everyone used it, things turned into a race, somewhat."
"Ha…ha…ha," Estelle's pants slipped into the conversation of these two. She was after a warm-up and was now running around the summoning circle to sculpt her soft curves into weapons.
Benjamin couldn't stop himself from tearing his eyes off Moon and training them on Estelle. She was so cute and hard-working, but her curves were now his property, and once she gave him permission, he would wolf them down.
No one could rebuke him for ogling his girlfriend's bobbing chest, too.
At the very least, Moon hadn't said a word.
Growing at immense speed feelings aside, Estelle hadn't tripped yet at all, even though it was now her third run. She impressed her boyfriend, who was clueless that the previous stumbles were all caused by her peeking at his face during her training.
Unfortunately, Benjamin had also failed to see that Estelle was serious about becoming stronger and matching his ambitions. While he had a possibility of them breaking up because of their paths going astray, Estelle didn't even want to think about it and focused on her shortcomings and her beloved's preferences.
First love could really mess up one's feelings.
Once Estelle distanced herself from the duo, Benjamin retracted his eyes and hovered them on Moon's face. Those irritating feelings had once again crossed her eyes, but only for a second before her training freak self took over her.
She smirked and tilted her head, "Seems like I can finally teach you the Silent Moon's basis. I'll warn you again, though. This technique is taught in The Moon Shrine, and they get pesky once they learn about outsiders using it."
Benjamin nodded, "I get it."
Because of those mysterious feelings within Moon that had been growing irritating by now, Benjamin didn't want to say that he hadn't planned to separate himself from her yet.
He also didn't see a future in which Moon would be the first one to leave their side.
He'd stay in the shrine, and so would she. It was fine to learn those silent steps, and should anyone from the shrine see him use it, her presence should be enough to keep them at bay.
"Are you aware of the three mana circuits in the foot?" Moon asked, having a hunch he was not. After Benjamin replied just like she had thought, Moon lowered herself down and touched his feet three times. Her finger was covered in mana, which triggered Benjamin's circuit in his feet.
Benjamin said while stealing glances at Moon from above—a sight better not mentioned. "Feels different from just feeling my mana coursing through me."
Still below him, as she extended her hand to touch his other foot, Moon explained, "In another continent, those are called dantians. Mana just easily swirls around those points, and once harnessed, it immensely helps with desired effects. It's possible to use one use technique without circuits, true that, but skills that last for some time had better be circulated around those points. It naturally increases their longevity, and once those circuits get used to it, you can naturally weave mana with those circuits to passively use skills without wasting any mana. If you don't get it, I can break it down into much simpler terms."
"No, I get it," Benjamin nodded.
His Investor's Keen Eye must be weaved into circuits around his eyes so that it could be a passive skill. He had received help from whatever or whoever had sent him to this world, but at this point, Benjamin had to learn more about mana, circuits, and other means to unlock more of his skills.
"That's as far as I can go with words," Moon rose to her feet and faced Benjamin. She was taller than Estelle, so it was much easier for her to look into his eyes. Her height should be at least one hundred and seventy-five centimeters.
She craned to the side and asked, "Are you fine with touching my foot?"
Benjamin smiled, "All that's human is no alien to me."
"Cool," Moon sat on the bench and stretched her leg forward, "I use Silent Moon passively, but I will trigger mana so you can feel the flow and how I weave mana. It's the latter that is the most important to learning various skills. Each skill has to be weaved differently, so think of us like tailors."
"Got it," Benjamin knelt and grasped Moon's seemingly boneless foot with his hands. The wave of mana knotted in a unique pattern shook him, and for a moment, he had taken a glimpse into Moon's flow, which seemed like a tapestry of glittering blue-silver stars.
His hands unconsciously squeezed Moons' foot, but she hadn't said anything and bit her lips.
Benjamin got himself come over by some of his carnal desires as he pressed on her foot.
The expected hindrance soon zoomed at them.
"What are you two doing?!" Estelle nearly rushed into Benjamin from dread as she had seen her boyfriend kneeling before Moon and kissing her foot.
The latter was Estelle's imagination, only because Benjamin was quite too close to Moon's leg.
Once Estelle was within his reach, she threw herself at him and entangled her arms around Benjamin's neck, pushing him onto his back while splashing herself on him.
Moon sighed and commented, "Don't get jealous…" She soon blinked and coughed, "My little fluff's getting jealous! That's so cute! What? Were you thinking I'd steal him from you?"
"Y-yes!" Estelle screamed while nudging her face against Benjamin's neck.
Benjamin raised his hand and patted her back, "It was part of the training, and I only touched her foot. Is that enough to make you jealous?"
"Y-You were not kissing her?" Estelle asked, still not sure whether to believe her imagination or Benjamin's words.
"I'd only kiss you," Benjamin faintly smiled, which was not his usual sneer. It was a smile only Estelle could draw from him now.
Compelled by that curve of his lips and the genuine feelings behind it, Estelle also reciprocated with a broad smile.
Moon chimed in, "Looks like the record is set straight. Let him at least learn the skill before he goes to save our elder sister. I'm sure you've been missing her."
Yes, it had been decided that Benjamin would use the liberation talisman on the eldest sister and help her deal with the foreign existence within her as well.
Still sitting astride on her beloved, Estelle straightened her back and looked over her shoulder at Moon, "Yes… I want all three of us to be reunited…"