Ethan's rock-hard boner mocked him like a nemesis. The first idea to pop into his mind was to rush into the washroom, think about naked elves, and relieve himself. This was because he was a slave to habit. Without a girlfriend or wife on Earth, self-pleasuring was the only solution to morning wood.
However, the boy was no longer a pathetic masturbation addict from Earth. He was Ethan Cromwell, the heir to Cromwell Castle, who had a rather unmolested penis that had seen no abuse.
Moreover, his cursed situation, desirable gender, and rare fertility gave him social sanction to sleep with females. Not to mention, jerking off would mean surefire death.
Ethan finished his chores quickly. He had only three hours before the curse's effects kicked in. During this period, his erection naturally vanished. That didn't affect the urgency, of course, since the clock was already ticking.
The general rule was—that once the boy got a boner, an ejaculation had to be carried out within three hours.
Within fifteen minutes of waking up, Ethan was on his way to the Countess' Office to meet his mother. Velma had exclusive rights to his sexual activities for at least three months. Without her explicit permission, he couldn't touch a female legally.
Ethan put the thought out of his mind. It was a matter of life or death, and his mother would not refuse under any circumstances. Therefore, seeking permission was a matter of formality.
On the way to Velma's office, Ethan watched maids, scullions, and guards pass by. All of them were women of different age brackets. Some were actually adorably cute, and others were tauntingly sexy.
The boy wished he could randomly pick someone and make love in public. Wouldn't that be exceptional? However, he had to control himself and act normal since he was the heir to Cromwell Castle.
"How are you doing, Janine?" Ethan asked a sixteen-year-old maid as he crossed paths with her. She was a novice maid and had joined the castle staff the previous month.
Janine, a black-haired girl, blushed red on hearing the Young Count's words. She lowered her eyes, mumbled an inaudible greeting, and scurried towards the kitchen.
"Haven't seen you in a while, Serena!" Ethan quipped at a tight young scullion who scrubbed his floors daily. She usually carried out room service when he was in the bathroom, so the boy never got to see her work.
It would be a treat to watch Serena bent over, muscles tense, striking stretchy poses. Thanks to his imagination, Ethan felt a tinge in his crotchal area. The boy bit down on his lower lip to ward off lewd thoughts. The last thing he needed was a boner while walking the corridors.
Ethan reached the Countess' Office, but two guards blocked his path. "Lady Velma is in an important meeting, Young Count," one of them said apologetically.
"So what? I'm the heir and the future Count of Cromwell Castle. I can go anywhere I please."
"We are sorry. The Countess categorically asked us not to let you in. Our hands are tied."
Ethan ground his teeth in frustration. Was her son's well-being less important than mundane work? "Could you pass on a message to my mother? I need her help with an urgent problem."
"Of course…"
"Tell her I got an er-"
Ethan cut himself short, weighing the implications of seeking permission from Velma. If he did, she would again send him to a random elf girl or command a submissive maid to relieve his stress. That was no fun at all.
Ethan, despite being cursed, had the right to pursue his fetishes. Otherwise, in a world of fantasy women, he would quickly lose interest, and everything would suddenly be gray and dull.
"You know what…" he told the guards. "I think I'll handle this problem by myself."
Ethan turned about and headed straight to the castle library.
***
"Ah, Young Count!" the Head Librarian exclaimed upon seeing him arrive. "Back for more learning and quizzes? Did you arrange for a teacher yet?"
The boy shook his head. "Not yet. But Mom said I will be allotted a few tutors in the afternoon."
Hayden nodded with interest and crossed her arms. Today, she wore a tighter sweater, showcasing her saggy breast outlines much better.
Ethan stole a few glances, quickly concluding that the Head Librarian's bosom was not so pendulous after all. However, the only way he could confirm his theories was to have Hayden remove her clothes.
'Perhaps I'll complete this side quest later,' the boy thought with amusement, making a mental note.
"Well, we will have to wait until the afternoon, I reckon," the Head Librarian said, turning her attention back to the register.
"Is Gwen around, lurking in the reading rooms?" Ethan asked hopefully. She was the very reason he came to the library.
Hayden nodded without looking up. Now that there was no intellectual discussion on the table, she lost interest in the Cromwell heir. He might as well be a standing lamp blinking by itself for attention.
"Yes," she replied dismissively. "Your sister appears to have developed a strange fascination with reading room three. I wonder if she has the soul of a grandmother."
Ethan chuckled lightly. He had no idea whether Gwen had the soul of a grandma. But she undoubtedly had the body of a-
***
The boy found Gwen in RR3, perched on a stool. She was fingering voluminous books on the higher shelves. Ethan was tempted to scare his sister like yesterday, but his gaming and fiction knowledge of Earth dissuaded him.
Repetitive actions had repetitive consequences. Don't fall into a loop.
Ethan stood at a safe distance, peeking at the young brunette. He decided right there that Gwen would be his stress relief today. The boy had only a couple of hours to earn her trust and somehow use her to ward off the curse's effects. But how?
Gwen was looking for magical remedies to grow her juvenile breasts. Apparently, she wanted them to be as big as the wholesome melons of models in the DAMSEL WEEKLY magazine.
The only place that would store a relevant book was the Restriction Section of the library. However, the door was locked with powerful magic and could not be accessed without sanction from the Countess herself.
Suddenly, a digital panel opened up in Ethan's vision. It said INVENTORY. There was a long column, but only one row was occupied.
It said: [Golden library key x 1]
The boy raised an eyebrow, and his gaze shifted to the description text.
[A master key that opens doors to all hidden or prohibited areas of libraries—aerial, terrestrial, or underground—throughout Promiscua]
Ethan raised his brows. How the hell did he forget he received the reward for completing a system challenge? A master key to open the RS door!
The boy wasted no time. He immediately headed towards the forbidden door of the restricted section. On approaching the general area, a panel popped up before him.
Ethan stopped in his tracks to read the system prompt.
[Approach restricted section? Requirement: Stealth Lvl 1]
He realized he could open his SKILLS section simply by thinking about it. It was like the INVENTORY section, with many rows and columns. However, only one was filled up.
[Stealth Lvl 1]
[50% Chance of escaping the attention of 1-2 humans. Ineffective on elves.]
Ethan figured his stats were up to the mark for the action. Now, it was all about making it happen.
[Approach restricted section? Requirement: Stealth Lvl 1]
[Successful!]
[Open magical lock of the forbidden door? Requirement: Sanction key/ Master key]
Ethan selected the golden library key from his inventory. It immediately manifested in his hand. He inserted the head into the lock and turned.
Click! Instead of opening like a regular one, the door vanished from sight. It revealed a very cramped and poorly lit room. One could even confuse it for a dungeon cell if not for a singular shelf of books resting on a brick platform.
Ethan walked inside, confused by the bizarre surroundings. Was the restricted section a single shelf? That, too, contained only two books!
He picked them up one by one to read the titles. The first book was a voluminous one titled 'GRIMORIUM LUSTRA' by CASSANDRA. It looked ancient and moldy.
The second book was brand new, and the words 'GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS!' were emblazoned in bright colors on a rather upbeat cover. The subheading said, 'A guide to self-discovery for humans, elves, and adventurous orcs.'
Could the answers to his desires be present in the two literature volumes? Did the restricted section provide the key owner with the specific books he sought? The theory was plausible since Promiscua was a magical world.
Rumble! The walls of the restricted section quaked. Ethan was utterly perplexed by the book titles and their potential relevance. But the tremor brought him back to his senses. It was as if the cramped cell was about to collapse.
The boy instinctively grabbed the two books and turned around. A moment later he found himself back in reading room three.
Ethan sighed in relief and dusted his shirt. He raised his gaze, still reeling from the restriction section's bizarre experience. However, the scene of the usually desolate RR3 had changed a bit.
The Head Librarian, Miss Hayden, stood before him with an accusatory expression. "Explain yourself!" she demanded with her hands on her chubby hips.