It was evening.
As always, the girls gathered to enjoy dinner. Although there was no rule against talking, the conversation tonight made Lycoris blush.
Surprisingly, the entire topic revolved around Regulus—who hadn't left his room since noon—and Princess Capella.
To be honest, Lycoris was concerned.
So much time had passed. She wasn't worried about Regulus; judging from the sounds (and the screaming), he clearly had the advantage.
What she worried about was the Princess.
'Is she really okay? She shouldn't break, right...?'
If the Princess of Lugunica died in their guest room, Lycoris wouldn't be able to explain it to the Royal Family.
"After I finish eating, I should go check on the situation," she decided, quickening her pace.
However, just as she was about to finish...
A figure appeared at the hall door.
With one hand supporting herself against the wall and the other clutching her lower abdomen, face streaked with tears... it was Capella.
The girls froze. Capella saw them, her eyes wild.
Lycoris stood up. But before she could utter a word, her eyes widened in shock.
Capella was... changing.
Her appearance and figure shifted like melting wax. One moment she transformed into a girl Lycoris had never seen. Then her limbs lengthened, twisting until she became a tall, voluptuous woman. The next moment, her body shrank rapidly, turning her into an adorable little girl.
Even her facial expressions cycled chaotically—innocence, allure, eroticism, rage.
The scene stunned everyone.
It wasn't until Capella's face settled into an expression of malicious, twisted disgust that the spell broke.
"You... you are just like that bastard," she hissed, her voice vibrating with unnatural power. "Your minds are full of filth and depravity."
She glared at the women.
"Just looking at you makes me want to vomit. You're all just flies and maggots, writhing in foul-smelling flesh..."
It was a malicious curse. But just as she prepared to unleash something worse, a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Mmph!"
Her curse turned into a muffled whimper.
Regulus appeared behind her, grabbing her face.
"What do you want to do, Capella?"
I narrowed my eyes at the creature in my hand. Her flesh was still shifting under my grip, eventually taking the shape of... Lycoris.
She had awakened.
The moment she lost her purity (or perhaps because of the intense emotional trauma I inflicted), she successfully awakened the Authority of Lust. She was now a Sin Archbishop.
However, she couldn't control it perfectly yet. Her form was unstable. Especially since she was physically and mentally exhausted from our... "negotiations."
That was precisely why I had let her go. I didn't expect her to run straight here to vent her anger on my wives.
"Mmph!"
Capella's eyes showed no sign of compromise. Instead, she grabbed my arm with both hands and forcefully broke free, disregarding the pain in her jaw.
She leaped back, creating distance.
"Ptooey!" She spat out blood.
She gave me and the girls a fierce look—a look of pure, unadulterated hatred.
"You! And your wives! Those filthy pieces of meat! Every single one of you... I will absolutely, absolutely kill you!"
With that declaration, Capella turned and fled, her body shifting into a blur of shapes as she ran.
I felt somewhat annoyed.
"What about cooperation? Don't you want to be Queen anymore?"
To be honest, now that she had become a Sin Archbishop, she probably didn't need my help anymore. She had the power to take what she wanted.
Still... getting impatient after playing for a while was so lame.
That's right. Capella turned out this way because she got angry. She was bullied to the point of breaking.
I watched her leave without giving chase.
She was indeed a threat. Dealing with her sooner rather than later would be smart. But killing her now would bring trouble. She was still a Princess, and her disappearance here would be investigated. Killing her was a losing proposition.
Besides, I knew I could suppress her.
Earlier, when she awakened, she tried to fight back. But I had Lion's Heart.
Whether it was because Thearesia had returned to range, or because Capella herself now counted as a "wife" (after our transaction), I was able to activate my invincibility. I suppressed her until she realized resistance was futile.
Only then did the real "game" begin.
Although I could have used the Authority of Greed to cheat, I didn't. I relied entirely on my enhanced physique to bully the newborn Bishop of Lust until she cried.
But that came with a cost.
Gurgle.
My stomach roared again.
Regulus couldn't help but clutch his stomach. You can have a blast, but the energy expenditure is enormous. I needed water and protein immediately.
"Lycoris! Food! Has anyone prepared any for me?"
"Hey! Ah... if you're really hungry, there's some left here. Would you like to eat this?"
"You're a lifesaver."
I rushed over, sat down next to Lycoris, and began devouring the leftovers without hesitation.
While I ate, something strange happened.
Poof.
A black book appeared on the table in front of me.
Startled, Lycoris stared at it.
"Is this spatial magic?" she asked, puzzled. As a mage, she sensed no mana fluctuations.
"It's not magic. This book is special. You can think of it as an inherent ability," I mumbled through a mouthful of food.
It was the Gospel. It seemed to have bound itself to me. It appeared whenever I wanted it, and even if I threw it away, it returned.
I opened it.
On the next page, new text appeared.
[Unlock Conditions Met.]
[New Ability Gained: Contract.]
[Lustful Predatory Ability: Vitality Absorb.]
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