A Glimpse of Temptation.
The door squeaked open with a soft, slow complaint.
Leon, his back to the mirror, spun round, gold eyes closing in wait to see who had come in. His half-buttoned white shirt billowed slightly as he moved, revealing the chiseled lines of his chest beneath the loose-fitting fabric.
Through the partly opened door, she slipped inside—Rias Moonwalker.
Her loose, flowing crimson tresses sparkled in the faint light, trailing down her back like burning lava. Her own eyes, similarly bright crimson color, locked into Leon with a silent charge. She wore a form-fitting silk dress in moonlight blue, which cinched tightly over her plump curves as her long legs peeked out between a side slit with every movement.
Leon's eyes widened. Shit.
Before he had the chance to say a single word, the door behind Rias creaked open again and a second person stepped through—a person that almost made his jaw drop in surprise.
It was her.
A woman with long, silky purple hair pulled back in a elegant bun, and piercing violet eyes that contained a touch of cool maturity. Her pale skin glowed in the golden light, and her body—gods—her body was a work of art carved with sinful purpose. She was dressed in the traditional maid uniform of the Moonwalker house, but on her… it was anything but traditional.
The black-and-white clothing hugged her curves, defining her large breasts and broad hips. The skirt finished scandalously short above her knees, and the tight corset-style top thrust her bosom into a gentle, inviting swell. Lacy black stockings wrapped around her legs, secured by dainty garter straps barely visible beneath her skirt.
Leon's thoughts reeled. The old Leon… he got to live with this sort of beauty every day?
A low rumble echoed through his mind.
That man was really cursed. to have paradise at his disposal but no ability to reach for it.
And now? He had no disease. No disorder. And that meant he was free to live.
He gazed as Rias and the maid came in completely, the latter wheeling in a silver cart covered in dishes, opening the warm smell of herbs and freshly prepared foods.
From his inherited memories, he saw her instantly.
Aria. Head maid of House Moonwalker. Loyal. Effective. Cool as ice. And most of all—his personal assistant.
Leon's eyes darted between Rias and Aria. Thoughts—raw, feral, and mischievous—flashed across his mind like lightning in a tempest.
Across the room, Rias's scarlet eyes dwelled on Leon, following the line of his raven-black hair around his face, how the open shirt revealed his taut, defined chest. His golden eyes glittered with an air of self-assurance that seemed new… raw… powerful.
He's always handsome, she mused, nibbling her lower lip. But today… today he looks like sin incarnate.
Aria, with a completely stoic face, sneaked a peek at her young master. In her mind, anything but serenity.
"they say Lord Leon is the most handsome man in the whole Moonstone Kingdom. They lied.
He's the most handsome in the whole damn Galvia."
Leon's eyes darted between Rias and Aria, and no matter how hard he tried, his mind started to go down the wrong path. Seeing both beauties in one place awakened wild fantasies,
Damn it, not now!
A hasty cough was forced from his throat, trying to divert both himself and the women from any visible reaction.
"Rias," he replied, his tone smooth and steady. "You brought food?"
Then, both women blinked—snapped out of their inner worlds.
"Yes, Daddy!" Rias replied brightly; cheeks a little pink as she pushed her hair behind her ear.
Aria elegantly wheeled the trolley to the room's centre and bowed low. "I do hope the meal meets with your approval, my Lord."
Leon nodded courtesy. "Thank you, Aria."
The one word was sufficient to bring a glimmer of delight into her violet eyes, though she hid it speedily. Turning away, Leon's attention fell to the hypnotic sway of her hips—every step tempting, hypnotic.
Was she doing it on purpose? he asked himself, amused. Or simply the way she moved? Either way… gods, I adore it.
Just before Aria exited, Rias reached out and gently grabbed Leon's hand. He turned to her, surprised by the softness of her touch.
"Daddy, let's eat together, okay?" she smiled, eyes gleaming.
"Of course, dear."
They headed towards the bed, and sat beside each other at the corner. Rias took off the silver covers from the dishes successively, uncovering a lavish spread: Meat with spicy herbs roasted to perfection, a golden soup with green specks of mana-enhanced parsley swirling within, soft-baked bread smothered with melted butter, and a side of small violet herbs famed for their mana-restoration abilities—all neatly laid on the tray.
"I personally saw to it the cook used restorative herbs," Rias exclaimed, her tone sweet but punctuated with pride. "I instructed her to make everything light and healthy for you. You've just awakened, Daddy. I wanted to make this dish more flavorful and lighter for you."
Leon turned to her affectionately and tweaked her nose lovingly. "Thank you, darling. That's. nice of you."
Rias burst out laughing and blushed furiously, shining eyes sparkling with joy.
They sat down to eat. As he took a spoonful of soup, Rias leaned forward and put her hand over his.
"Let me, feed you" she said, her eyes with warmth.
So Rias took up a piece of meat. He arched his eyebrow, being playful, but didn't say no. She took the piece of meat up to his lips, feeding him bit by bit. The warmth of the meat dissolved on his tongue, and he was amazed. It was not bad at all. Actually, …
'Huh… this tastes better than most I've had back on Earth,' he thought, blinking. The herbs had a tingling aftertaste. Invigorating. Soothing. 'Earth had spices and methodologies, sure… but mana-infused food? Next level.'
He grabbed for a bread and delicately ripped off a piece, dipping it into the soup and handing it to Rias. Her eyes opened wide before her lips rolled back into a sweet smile and open her mouth take a bite.
"Feeding me too, Daddy?" she mentioned in little teasing voice, her voice as soft as silk.
"I thought, well, that's fair enough," Leon answered, attempting to remain even-toned, even though her being there was definitely getting to him. Her aroma—honey with a subtle note of flower-scented mana perfume—was dizzying.
They went on with this small dance, taking bites and feeding one another bite by bite, their fingers occasionally touching each other lips, their eyes meeting more than once. Rias's cheeks turned red with a fine blush of rose whenever their skin came into contact, but she did not draw back. Instead, she inched closer, her knee glancing off his thigh.
'She's so damn close…' Leon's mind ran, his golden eyes snapping to the soft shape of her lips, the gentle swell of her chest under her dress. 'Her heartbeat… it's fast.'
And yet, there was no hurry. No urgency. Only heat and… something gentle.
Rias's mind, though, was considerably more ruffled under her placid exterior. 'He looks so different today. Stronger. Bolder. His eyes used to be dull and tired… now they glow like gold. It's like… like he's reborn.'
She caught herself sneaking peeks while he ate—his pointed jawline, the way his collar rested open, baring the sturdy curves of his collarbone and firm strong chest build
At times, as she fed him, her fingers stayed a split second longer. When he did the same, she caught her breath for just an instant. Every second spun an unseen thread between them, tight with tension neither dared to verbalize.
Leon, for all the thoughts swirling in his brain, did not move away.
'If a man spurns the overtures of a lovely woman such as herself, is he then a man?' he joked to himself, pleased with his own logic. 'Apart from. I'd be dishonest if I said I didn't get pleasure out of it.'
Later, the dinner approached its conclusion. Leon leaned back a little, his hand resting on the bed, full—not just in belly, but in spirit.
Rias smiled, moving elegantly and started to load the dishes on the trolley. "I'll take this back to the kitchen. You rest here, Daddy."
He nodded, his golden eyes appreciating her. But before she moved away, she bent and left a soft kiss on his cheek.
He stiffened. Her lips were warm. Tenderness crept into him. It wasn't seductive. It wasn't lust. It was loving.
Leon blinked, paralyzed for a moment. His cheek still felt the presence of her mouth. It was the first kiss from a girl in his lifetime—yes, in his last lifetime. He was still a virgin, of course, body and soul. He stared at her.
She smiled, teasing but sincere. Watching her smile innocently and exit the room, a memory came to mind—of the old Leon. The memory of the old Leon came to mind. Rias frequently kissed his cheeks to express affection, and he had always interpreted it as innocent.
The door closed softly behind her.
The room grew silent.
Leon stood, creeping toward window, the curtains drawn around him like the wings of a dark angel. The bite of the night swept across his bare chest, causing the material of his open shirt to wave softly. One hand rested upon the edge of the window, golden eyes watching out into the great sky beyond.
Two moons hung like silver and sapphire sentinels in the heavens.
One was large and radiant with a pale white glow—the Serenity Moon.
The other, smaller, sparkled with a faint blue glow—the Secrets Moon.
The stars shone idly across the black velvet night sky, as though hearing his thoughts.
"This life… this body… it is mine now."
"In my last life… I just lived."
He drew a slow breath.
"But this existence? This one is mine. And I'll live it on my terms—no shackles, no regrets."
His mind grew keener, more pointed.
From the experiences of the previous Leon and the insights provided by the System, he'd started comprehending exactly how expansive the universe of Galvia really was. A big and fragmented continent conquered by four mighty Empires each dedicated to a different divinity—the Four Goddesses.
The Empire of Light, The Empire of water, The Empire of Terra, and The Empire of Blaze.
These four empires were the actual rulers of the world— governed the center of civilization, imposing law, economy, making final decisions, engaging in large-scale wars, making and breaking alliances. But among them lived small kingdom, sects and cult like jewels or thorns based on their perspective, were small kingdoms—independent but influenced by the waves of power.
Moonstone was one such kingdom.
"If I desire to ascend… to claim this world… I must start here. With Moonstone. I must claim it as my own."
But that was merely the tip.
The System had spoken of lost peoples—ancient races who dwelled apart, alone in the distant reaches of Galvia. Things less than human. Remnants of bygone times, unblemished by empire or faith.
And they were not fragile.
Their bloodlines, their powers, their truths—if wielded—could shift the balance of the world itself.
Leon's jaw tightened, eyes squinting.
"To conquer Galvia, I have to control the kingdoms, depose the empires and forge a new one… and bend the forgotten to my command."
His desires churned like storm clouds in his eyes. Power, kingdom, faith, desire. He would claim them all as his own.
But before his mind plunged further into his thoughts—
Click.
The door creaked open once more.
He spun around.
And the view stood him still.