Chapter 20: No such thing as enough money (R-18)
"I was thinking..." Max started, voice deliberately steady—just enough to sound serious, not enough to reveal what his brain was actually focused on.
"Instead of just engraving those pipes, I could do more complex markings. I’ve been researching a bit... I can probably make low-tier potions and enhancement creams too. Small investment, higher returns."
On the surface, it sounded like a perfectly reasonable business proposal.
Inside?
’Distraction technique level: professional.’
Because while he spoke, his hands didn’t stop
The problem was... he didn’t actually know what he was doing.
So he went with instinct.
His fingers moved lightly, tracing around her nipples, testing the reaction—then pressing a little, giving a small pinch here and there, like he was figuring things out step by step.
’...Okay, so that works.’
"Though the system points I’d need for that are bit more than what I’m using on these pipes," he continued, voice still smooth, like nothing unusual was happening.
Multitasking at its finest.
"So... should we switch?" he asked, as if this was purely about efficiency—
—and not the fact that he was very deliberately keeping her attention on his words while his hands quietly continued their "research."
Zerena lowered the book onto her stomach as she listened.
Outwardly, she didn’t react much—her expression stayed controlled, composed.
But inside?
Yeah... that hit hard.
Magical potions.
He said it so casually, like it was just another small upgrade. In her entire life, she had never managed that.
Not once.
Because from what she knew, potion-making wasn’t something you just decided to do. It required forming a proper magic circle—something only a small fraction of people could even achieve.
And Max? He wasn’t even fully awakened yet.
So how was he supposed to do it?
Her fingers tightened slightly over the book. ’...The system.’
The thought surfaced again, heavier this time. And with it—
that same, sharp edge of jealousy.
She had already looked into things like this before. Systems, abilities, rare awakenings... whatever name people gave them. Most of them couldn’t be shared.
Couldn’t be transferred. Couldn’t be stolen.
Which should have been reassuring.
But it wasn’t.
Because knowing that only made it worse.
Because if it could be taken—
then something like this?
This kind of advantage?
It would be worth anything.
While Zerena was lost in her thoughts—
Max took full advantage.
’Opportunity detected.’
His hands moved again, more confidently this time, lifting her breasts slightly—adjusting just enough to finally get a clear look.
’...Finally.’
For a brief second, everything else faded out. His focus locked in completely, like he’d just unlocked a hidden achievement.
He rubbed those cherry like things with his fingers, smiling wide, almost about to let drool out from how much he wanted to suck them and feel them on his tongue.
’...So this is the real thing.’
The color matched the areola, but there was a difference—slightly deeper, a faint sheen to it, and a texture he hadn’t expected. Not rough, not exactly smooth either... just different in a way that made it feel more real.
More alive.
Max’s grin widened further.
’Worth the wait.’
"I suppose we can do that... but we’d need a licence to make those," Zerena said after a few seconds, trying very hard not to sound either shocked or jealous.
"How do we get it?"
Max almost smiled at that.
’Hooked.’
While she was busy thinking, he didn’t slow down. If anything, his hands got a bit more confident—pressing both sides together slightly, shifting them just enough to change their shape, testing how they moved under his grip.
’...Yeah, definitely not something you rush.’
He couldn’t get enough of them.
Zerena continued, still focused on the topic, "I can get it for us... but I doubt you have any actual recipes."
Max smiled.
"We can get some low-ranking ones from the government site for free," he said smoothly, like this was just another calculated move.
Then added, almost casually—
"You just need to show them your mage ID."
"—you just need to show them your mage ID."
That actually got a reaction. Zerena looked... amused.
That was fine—but Max was more focused on her body’s reaction rather then a facial one. Or rather... the lack of one.
From everything he’d seen before—the kind of exaggerated stuff from those dirty animes—there was supposed to be something. A sound. A shift. Maybe her thighs pressing together, or at least some visible response.
Anything.
But—
nothing.
And what caught him even more off guard? She didn’t look down even once. Not at his hands. Not at what he was doing.
Nothing.
Like it didn’t matter. Like she barely felt it at all.
’...Did she just lose all sensitivity or what?’
The thought crossed his mind, half serious, half offended.
Zerena’s voice came again, calm—but there was something under it now.
"So... you’ve done all this research already?"
There it was. A hint of danger. Max caught it immediately.
She wasn’t just asking. She was checking.
Making sure he wasn’t planning to slip out of her control.
"Only because I wanted to earn more money..." Max replied, keeping his tone steady, though a small edge of caution slipped in.
At the same time, his hands didn’t stop.
Didn’t even slow.
If anything, his movements grew a little less practiced—less controlled—like his focus had split for a moment, fingers shifting in a rougher, more distracted rhythm.
Not intentional.
Just... lack of experience showing through.
"And you always says," he added, a faint smile forming, "there’s no such thing as enough money..."
All while his hands continued without pause.
She chuckled, completely unaware of what his fingers were doing. "I do say that—and it’s true. Even if you have all the money, there are still things that need more... hahaha..."
Max’s lips curved slightly.
’...No reaction? good..’
He had been expecting something. A slap. A glare. At least a shift.—especially since he had already used a rune on her nipple.
This time, though, he’d done it properly. Not like with Diaza. Back then, he barely understood anything. Now, after going through the books in Zerena’s collection, he’d learned how to control the flow of mana while forming runes.
He’d gotten good—good enouh to use barely a quarter of the mana he needed before, even while engraving those pipes.
