Chapter 21: A Very Useful Discovery (R-18)
Now, the rune he used had a name—Reflex Arc Rune.
Yeah... not exactly beginner-friendly.
It was one of those annoyingly complicated runes mostly used in medical applications. The kind that people spent years trying to "feel" and understand, while pretending they totally got it.
What it actually did?
Simple.
Stimulated the nerves beneath a specific area and forced the muscles there to react.
In other words—
It made whatever spot it was drawn on way more sensitive.
And considering that area already had a ridiculous number of nerve endings? Nipples.
Yeah... the effect stacked.
A lot.
Max had come across it while messing around with rune research back in the hospital. At the time, he didn’t even have a proper use for it—he’d just learned it because, well...
’Why not?’
Knowledge was knowledge.
And now?
’Yeah... turns out, past me was cooking something useful.’
He hadn’t gone overboard either.
Just three inscriptions on each side.
Enough to make the effect last longer without wasting mana.
Because once the nerves were already stimulated?
Keeping them active was easy.
Way easier than starting from scratch.
Enough of the technical stuff.
The real point was simple—
Max would finally know whether Zerena wasn’t reacting because she couldn’t feel anything... or because she was just choosing to ignore him like he was background noise.
’...which, honestly, would be a little insulting.’
Well, he wouldn’t have to wait long to find out.
A few minutes at most.
Right then, she spoke, sounding mildly amused, like none of this was even remotely strange.
"Have you also thought about which potions or creams you’re going to make first?"
Max shifted slightly, pulling his hands away from her nipples for a moment—not retreating, just... repositioning.
’Can’t make it too obvious.’ Instead, he squeezed from the middle, pressing her breasts together just enough—
—and there it was.
Pop.
Yeah, predictable.
His thumbs moved in again, flicking lightly before pressing them back together, repeating the motion like he’d just discovered a very entertaining button.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Honestly? For anyone watching, it would’ve looked repetitive.
Almost boring. But for Max? ’Yeah... no.’
This wasn’t boring. Not even close.
He could probably sit here doing just this for hours. Days, even.
’Minimum.’
And that was just basic handling. Nothing advanced. Nothing creative.
If he actually had permission to go further? Max suppressed a grin. ’Yeah... boredom wouldn’t be the problem.’
At that point, it’d be a lifetime project.
A very... dedicated one.
His hands continued their rhythm, controlled on the surface, but with just enough intent behind it to keep things exactly where he wanted them.
’Simple actions... best results.’
"The potions... I couldn’t really find many with ingredients that are easy to get around here," Max said, keeping his tone casual, like he wasn’t multitasking two completely different priorities at once. "There are a few basic ones though—minor healing, stuff like that. And some daily-use ones that can slowly increase mana capacity..."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"As for creams, those are way easier to make. With what’s available, I can probably handle anything—from healing balms to skin-tightening ones. And without the usual side effects people complain about..."
He was about to keep going—
—but then he felt it.
A shift.
Subtle.
But very real.
Zerena’s body, which had been relaxed up until now, suddenly tensed.
Max’s thoughts paused for half a second.
’...Oh?’
His eyes flicked up slightly.
She was looking down.
At his hands.
At what he was doing.
Max didn’t stop.
If anything, his movements stayed just as steady—almost casually so—as he continued squeezing her large breasts, even more focused now than before. His fingers moved deliberately, his thumbs brushing over her nipples right in her line of sight.
And this time—
There was a difference, a clear one. He could feel it.
They weren’t the same as before. Slightly rougher, Firmer, More responsive.
’...Yeah.’
For a second, Max almost smirked—
—but then—
His hands froze.
Not by choice.
His gaze snapped upward, past her shoulder, locking onto the space above her head.
Something had appeared.
Floating.
Words.
And a bar—just like something straight out of a game interface.
Max stared.
’...No way.’
[Zerena Falkner]
Her name.
And right above it—
A bar.
Mostly empty... but not completely, a thin line of red had already started filling it.
Max’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’...Oh?’ Then more text appeared.
[Zerena Falkner is in a state of arousal. The Arousal Meter increases as arousal deepens. Upon reaching maximum, the target will achieve orgasm.]
Max blinked once.
Then again.
And just when he thought that was already ridiculous enough—
Another line dropped.
[Each orgasm grants the user 20 FP. Reward is doubled if the target have close relationship with host.]
There was a pause.
A very brief one.
Then—
A slow, wide grin spread across Max’s face.
;...You’re kidding me.’
His shoulders relaxed slightly, his fingers resuming their movement like nothing had happened—but inside?
Yeah, inside he was already gone.
’And I thought it couldn’t get any better than this...’
The Lust Meter.
Yeah... that little feature the system just casually dropped?
It didn’t just help, It expanded things.
A lot.
Max’s entire "plan"—if you could even call it that—suddenly got an upgrade.
Because now?
He didn’t have to guess anymore—whether someone was actually aroused or just pretending.
No more relying on reactions, subtle cues, or blind trial-and-error like some clueless amateur.
He could see it.
Track it in real time.
Control the pace.
Basically control over the pleasure itself.
And if you controlled that?
Well...
’You controlled the person.’
The moment it clicked—
Max almost lost it, Like, genuinely.
Full-on villain laughter, echoing through the room, "I’ve broken the system" kind of energy.
’...This is insane.’
He wanted to laugh.
Loudly.
Proudly.
Unhinged.
But—
Reality stepped in.
Specifically, the very real, very distracting softness currently sitting in his hands.
Yeah.
That helped.
A lot.
So instead, all that chaos stayed locked inside as his shoulders shook ever so slightly, his expression barely held together.
’...hahahahhahah...’
Internal laughter only.
Max forced himself to stay composed, keeping his hands steady, movements controlled—like nothing had changed.
Like he hadn’t just unlocked what was basically a walking FP generator.
’Stay normal. Stay normal. Stay—’
Zerena was still watching his hands.
Closely.
’...Right. Suspicion. Bad.’
Max cleared his throat slightly, dialing himself back into something resembling a sane human being.
"Should we do it?" he asked, tone casual—too casual, if anything.
Like this was just another step in a completely normal, perfectly reasonable process.
Definitely not a man internally celebrating like he’d just hit the jackpot.
Not at all.
’Yeah... play it cool.’
"Huh?"
Now that reaction?
Exactly what he wanted.
That slight confusion. That moment of her not fully keeping up.
Max’s lips twitched into a faint smirk.
She frowned slightly, then nodded after a second.
"Yeah... why not?" she said. "Just let me finish a few things first—and wait for Analisa to head back to work..."
She adjusted herself slightly, still sounding way too practical for what was actually happening.
"...then we’ll have more time for whatever... perverted tasks your system decides to throw at us next."
Max almost snorted.
She’s really scheduling this like it’s housework...
"I’m sorry you have to be involved in this, aunt..." he said, voice properly apologetic—honest even.
At least on the surface.
Because his hands?
Yeah, they were telling a completely different story.
A light pinch.
A small reaction.
"—ngh..."
Max ignored it like a professional.
’Focus. Maintain character.’
Zerena exhaled softly, her tone shifting just a bit.
"I’ll be benefiting from it too, so it’s fine..." she muttered, trying to sound composed.
Then, after a brief pause—
"...just—can you be a bit gentle?"
Max immediately pulled his hands back, expression shifting almost instantly.
"I’m sorry—I didn’t know..." he said, sounding genuinely startled, like he’d just made some serious mistake.
On the outside?
Perfect.
On the inside?
’...Noted.’
Zerena looked at him for a second—
Then chuckled.
The kind of chuckle you give when a dog gets caught stealing food and suddenly remembers it has manners.
"It’s fine," she said, shaking her head slightly. "Just don’t be rough around the nipples... they’re more sensitive than the rest."
Max nodded quickly.
’Sensitive... yeah, I figured that part out already.’
His hands hovered for a second before moving back in—this time slower, more controlled.
’Gentle mode... activated.’
At least, that’s what he called it.
Whether he’d actually stick to it?
...That was a different question.
