Chapter 111: Incentive

Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Incentive

Xavier had been patiently waiting for Milfias’s reply, but he hadn’t heard from her in a long time. Seeing her standing in front of him now, he could not hold back.

"Your eyes were asking for it," he said, not letting go of her ass. The heavy, yielding flesh filled his palms with warm softness. "Have you decided what you want to do about our relationship?"

Milfias diverted her gaze from his. "Oh, honey... I’ve been extremely busy and didn’t really get the time to think about our situation."

"Don’t make me wait too long. There is a limit to my patience." Xavier tightened his grip on her ass. In his heart he already knew she would accept him; she was simply hesitating because of her past. If he wanted a clear answer, he had to push a little harder.

"Just give me some more time. I’ll think about it seriously. I promise," Milfias said, trying to assure him of her resolve. A faint flush colored her cheeks.

Leaving Grushka’s quarters, Xavier made his way to the Emberfell Gardens to practice his sword forms. The clearing at the end of the gardens had become something like his personal training ground; Rosalie did not allow other students to wander there without purpose. The air carried a mild scent of blooming flowers and damp earth.

Since the next subject on his exam schedule was advanced swordsmanship, he spent the following days practicing Imperial sword forms, occasionally relaxing and having tea with Rosalie. With regular classes suspended during the exam period, he even spent several nights at her place, drilling her hole with his cock and fucking her until sunrise. The wet sounds of their bodies and her soft moans filled the quiet hours.

Xavier woke on Rosalie’s bed to a warm sensation on his mouth. He opened his eyes to find her plump, lush lips kissing and sucking on his tongue. Her breath tasted faintly sweet.

"Good morning, Daddy. Are you all ready for your exam today?" Rosalie asked, breaking the kiss.

"Of course I am," Xavier answered with confidence.

"Is Daddy sure he’s not exhausted from filling my pussy up with his cum all night?" she teased. A residual slickness still clung between her thighs.

"I would do it all over again right now if I didn’t have to appear for the swordsmanship exam," he said, smacking her thick ass. The full curve of her round cheeks rippled in waves from the impact before settling with a soft jiggle.

"Let me give Daddy a good-luck charm for today." Rosalie started sucking and licking his lips again, seizing any excuse to kiss him. Xavier had told her many times how much he loved her soft, plump lips, and she intended to give him as much of that pleasure as she could. He was her Daddy, after all.

After thoroughly enjoying her kisses a while longer, he finally got up and headed to the training grounds where the advanced swordsmanship exam was to be held. A crowd of students already filled the seats around the arena, gathered to watch the proceedings. This world had no dedicated entertainment industry, so most people relied on duels, sports, fights, and other competitive displays for amusement. The low buzz of voices drifted across the open space.

One after another the examinees entered the arena. Xavier smiled when the person he had been waiting for finally appeared and immediately pulled him into a tight hug. Her body pressed warm against his.

"Did you miss me?"

"How is that even a question?" Arabella’s tail swayed slowly as she pressed her face into his neck, taking deep breaths of his pheromones.

Xavier preferred to avoid intimacy in public. He still had five years ahead of him at the academy and liked to keep his relationships private, but he would not push Arabella away for that reason—especially when he knew how much she loved his scent. He could tell how hard she was holding herself back from kissing him right there. To everyone watching, it looked like nothing more than a friendly hug. They had no idea that trickles of love juices were already starting to drip down Arabella’s inner thighs, warm and slick.

"All right, students, gather up!" Professor Alhound’s voice rang sharp across the arena. The students assembled into multiple straight lines in front of him.

"As you have all been informed, you will be scored on three criteria: precision, teamwork, and aura strength. We will begin with the first—precision."

At the professor’s words the students settled into formation, unsheathed their swords, and took their initial stances. Metal whispered against scabbards.

"Advanced Imperial Swordsmanship, Form One!"

Every student moved in perfect sync, performing the first form without a single flaw.

"Form Two!"

Blades swept in unison with a soft rush of air. The students shifted stances, stepped right and left, and advanced without interfering with one another or clashing blades.

The test continued through every form up to the ninth. Some students began to miss steps during the transitions starting at the eighth form. Almost no one completed the ninth form without mistakes—except for two. Xavier and Arabella finished the entire sequence perfectly, without a single error in stroke, stance, or transition.

"Good job. You all performed very well. Don’t worry about the ninth form; you still have time to perfect it before the year-end exams. Now we move on to the second stage."

Professor Alhound divided the students into groups of six and paired the groups against each other.

"Remember, this is not a competition. You will be scored on how tightly you keep formation, how cleanly you execute both defensive and offensive stances, and how well you stay in sync with your teammates without giving the opponents any openings."

"What’s even the point of putting me against you?" Arabella muttered as the professor placed her group opposite Xavier’s. "It’s clear you’re going to win." She was competitive by nature, but the intimacy she felt toward Xavier had softened that edge. After multiple lessons she had already accepted that he was the better swordsman.

"Feeling discouraged? That’s not like you. How about I give you an incentive to lift your spirits?"

"What kind of incentive?" she asked, her cow ears giving a small flick.

"If your blade can even slightly scratch my armor, I’ll give you a reward."

"All right, let’s get started. Groups One and Two, come forth!" Professor Alhound called before Arabella could press for details.

Xavier and Arabella stepped forward with the other ten students—five from each group—and faced each other with swords already in hand. Sunlight glinted off the polished steel.

Cheers erupted from the spectators filling the arena seats. This was the part they had come to see: students clashing against one another in real combat.

"Begin!"

Both teams dashed forward at once, blades meeting in clean, synchronized exchanges as they tried to push the other side back. The sharp ring of metal on metal echoed across the arena. Xavier took the front and handled multiple opponents at once, constantly forcing them backward. His own teammates were a little weaker, which placed more pressure on his shoulders, and the fact that Arabella was an exceptional swordswoman did not make things easier. She left him no room to relax. Her movements carried a focused intensity he could feel with every clash.

Xavier’s team was not useless, but the overall compatibility of Arabella’s group far exceeded his. He made up the difference with pure skill alone.