Chapter 294: Cupcake
"Here. You should taste it too."
Nellie froze.
Her cheeks instantly flushed a deep, burning crimson.
Her gray-green eyes locked onto the piece of cake, specifically the spot where his mouth had been.
The realization that this would be an indirect kiss hit her hard.
Even after the intense sex session they had, this small, casual gesture made her incredibly flustered.
Her hands fidgeted nervously with the hem of her frock, twisting the fabric as she hesitated.
After a long, tense moment, she leaned forward and carefully took the piece into her mouth, her soft lips brushing against his fingers.
She chewed slowly, then nodded.
"It... it really is tasty," she whispered, her blush refusing to fade, her voice barely above a whisper.
Lor chuckled softly at how adorably embarrassed she still got over something so simple. He set the box of remaining cupcakes aside on the bedside table.
"Alright, enough sweets for now," Lor said, setting the box of cupcakes aside.
"You asked the Guiding Light for help with improving your magic spells. Let’s actually work on that."
Nellie nodded eagerly, though a hint of nervousness returned to her expression.
She sat up straighter on the bed, smoothing down her light-blue frock, which was still slightly damp from her earlier failed attempts.
"Yes, please. I really want to get better."
Lor shifted into a more focused posture, into a different personality, facing her directly. For the next two hours, he guided her with surprising patience.
He started simple.
Holding out his hand, he formed a small, perfectly stable orb of water above his palm.
It spun slowly, its surface shimmering under the afternoon light.
"The key isn’t forcing the mana," he explained calmly.
"It’s control and balance. Think of it like holding a living bubble. Too much pressure and it bursts. Too little and it disappears. You need to feel the middle ground."
Nellie took a deep breath and tried.
At first, nothing happened.
Then a tiny droplet appeared, only to immediately splash across her lap, soaking the front of her frock further and making the fabric cling transparently to her breasts.
She winced. "Sorry..."
"It’s fine," Lor said. "Try again. Focus on breathing steadily. Don’t push — guide."
She tried again.
This time a small orb formed, but it wobbled violently and exploded after three seconds, splashing water across both of them.
Nellie let out a frustrated sound, her cheeks flushed from both embarrassment and effort.
Lor remained patient.
He moved closer, placing his hand lightly over hers.
"Feel my mana flow. Copy the rhythm."
They practiced like this for a long time.
Failure after failure.
Sometimes the orb wouldn’t form at all.
Other times it formed but collapsed instantly.
Each splash made her frock wetter, the light fabric sticking to her skin and outlining her nipples more clearly.
After nearly forty minutes, something finally changed.
Nellie’s eyes widened as a small, shimmering water ball stabilized in her right palm.
It spun gently, still a little unsteady at the edges, but it held.
"I... I did it..." she whispered, awe and disbelief clear in her voice. A bright, proud smile spread across her face as she stared at the floating orb.
"Good," Lor said, genuinely pleased. "Now hold it longer. Don’t get excited and lose focus."
Nellie concentrated hard, biting her lower lip.
The orb wobbled but stayed for almost a full minute before she lost control and it splashed again. Still, it was clear progress.
Lor nodded approvingly.
"Better. Now, as compensation for how long and intense we went earlier... let’s try doing it with both hands at the same time."
Nellie’s eyes widened. "Both...?"
"Yeah. It’s harder, but if you can do it, your control will improve a lot."
This part was significantly more difficult.
Nellie’s face scrunched up in deep concentration.
Sweat formed on her forehead as she tried to maintain two orbs.
The left one kept collapsing while the right one wobbled dangerously.
She let out small, frustrated noises each time she failed, her damp frock clinging uncomfortably to her body.
Lor stayed close, guiding her.
"Relax your left side more. You’re gripping too hard again. Think of it like cradling something fragile — gentle but confident."
He placed his hands over hers multiple times, correcting her mana flow.
At one point, he even leaned in, his chest nearly touching her back as he spoke softly near her ear, helping her adjust her breathing.
After many more attempts, visible effort, sweat, and several near-successes, Nellie finally managed it.
Two small water orbs floated above her palms, spinning in sync.
They were still a little unstable, but they held.
Her face broke into a bright, proud smile, her gray-green eyes sparkling behind her glasses.
"I actually did both...!" she exclaimed softly, her voice filled with genuine happiness and disbelief. "They’re really staying!"
Lor watched her with a lazy but satisfied grin.
Seeing the shy, once-struggling girl from Class D make visible progress gave him a strange, deep sense of satisfaction.
"Not bad," he said, his hazel eyes glinting.
"Keep practicing like this and the practical test won’t be a problem."
Nellie beamed, carefully maintaining the two orbs for a little longer before letting them dissolve gently.
She looked tired but incredibly happy, the damp frock still clinging to her body as she caught her breath.
.
Lor stepped out of Nellie’s front door and into the evening air.
The sky had turned a deep orange-pink, the sun already halfway behind the rooftops, casting long golden shadows across the cobblestones.
He paused on the stone steps for a moment, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his collar.
A pleasant, comfortable emptiness settled over his body after their long, intense session. His muscles felt loose, his mind clear, and a lazy satisfaction lingered in his veins.
He started walking home at a steady pace, breathing in the cool evening breeze.
The town of Vaeloria felt different now.
He noticed it immediately.
Two city guards stood at a corner where none usually patrolled, their armor catching the last light of day as they scanned the streets with sharp, wary eyes.
