Desires & Heresy

The hall slowly emptied, footsteps echoing against the stone as the gathered clergy dispersed. Some whispered among themselves, others shook their heads, but no one spared Aldric a second glance.

He remained where he was—kneeling, unmoving.

Then, a shadow loomed over him.

Zane crouched slightly, lowering his voice so only Aldric could hear. Not in mockery—but in amusement.

"I thought I'd have to use this." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "But it seems… it wasn't even necessary."

Aldric's eyes flickered up—confused, wary.

Zane let the silence stretch. Let him stew in uncertainty.

Then, softly—"You lost your love once. Then your child."

Aldric's breath caught in his throat.

"…And now Celeste."

A sharp, strangled inhale. His eyes widened in pure disbelief.

Zane smiled. Not cruelly, but as if he were merely stating a fact.

Aldric's mind reeled. How? How did he know?

He had only suspected Zane had been too close to Beatrice, but he never knew what she had revealed. This trial was never about Beatrice. It was never about righteousness.

It was always about Celeste.

Zane exhaled softly, almost as if in gratitude. "You pushed her right to me."

He let the words sink in.

Then—his final blow.

"I'll be savoring her taste tonight."

Something in Aldric snapped.

With a roar of rage, he lunged, fury twisting his features. He didn't care about dignity anymore.

He just wanted to kill.

Before his hands could reach Zane's throat, the knights-in-training guarding the hall reacted instantly. Steel-clad hands seized Aldric, yanking him back.

Aldric struggled, snarling, his face contorted with rage.

"You—You filth! Heretic! Corruptor!"

Zane dusted off his sleeve calmly, as if Aldric's outburst was beneath him.

Then, in the same smooth voice—"Ah, but corruption only takes root where faith is already weak."

Aldric froze, the words cutting deeper than any blade.

"…You're a hypocrite," he spat, breathing hard. "You wear the robes of the holy, but your soul is steeped in sin."

Zane chuckled. "Hypocrite?" He tilted his head. "I simply told the truth."

Aldric's veins burned as he was dragged away, his body restrained but his fury unchained.

Zane stood there, watching.

[Mission: Remove Aldric as a Threat (Complete)]

[Reward for completion: Ecstasy's Embrace] – Prolonged skin contact sends escalating waves of pleasure, leaving the target lost in bliss and craving more.

As Zane walked through the hall, Celeste watched him.

Wanting to call him.

But she hesitated.

Zane saw.

He walked toward her—close enough that she shivered when he leaned in.

His lips barely brushed her ear.

"I'll be waiting in my room."

He stepped away, leaving her breathless.

The door creaked open.

Celeste stood there, bathed in candlelight.

Her silver braid had come undone, strands spilling over her flushed face, sticking slightly to her damp skin. Her lips were parted, swollen from where she had bitten them, her breaths uneven and shallow. The soft fabric of her nightgown clung to her, shifting with every tremble of her body.

Zane leaned against the desk, watching her. Waiting.

"I…" She swallowed hard, her fingers clutching the fabric of her nightgown. "This is wrong."

Yet, she had come.

Zane extended his hand. "Then turn around and go."

Celeste didn't move.

She was trembling—not just from hesitation, but from something deeper.

Her thighs pressed together, a futile attempt to ease the heat pooling between them. The rise and fall of her chest was quick, unsteady, her nipples pressing against the thin fabric of her gown, betraying her.

Zane smiled.

He stepped forward, lifting his hand to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered, trailing down the delicate curve of her jaw.

[Insight (Activated)]

A pulse of emotion.

Guilt.

Longing.

A quiet, aching need.

She was already his.

Zane leaned in, his voice dipping lower. "You came here for something, Celeste."

Her lashes fluttered, her breath catching. "I—"

He pressed his thumb to her lips, silencing her.

[Gentle Persuasion (Activated)] - Lowers resistance through gentle touch.

Celeste shivered. The tension in her body broke all at once.

Her fingers clutched at his robes, gripping them desperately as she fell against him.

"Please," she whispered, her voice barely a breath. "I—I don't understand what's happening to me."

Zane caught her chin, tilting her face up. Her lips parted instinctively, a silent plea for something she still couldn't name.

"Then let me show you."

The bed was soft beneath her, the candlelight flickering against the walls as Zane hovered over her.

Celeste lay beneath him, her nightgown slipping from her shoulders, pooling at her waist.

She wasn't running anymore.

She wasn't resisting.

His fingers traced her exposed skin—slow, teasing.

Her body was a vision of untouched purity—smooth, pale skin unmarred by sin, the delicate slope of her collarbone leading to the soft, heaving swell of her breasts. Her nipples were already taut, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath.

Then, he pressed his palm flat against her thigh.

[Ecstasy's Embrace (Activated)]

Celeste gasped.

A sharp inhale. Then—her body arched.

Heat unfurled from his touch, a slow, intoxicating wave that coursed through her veins. Her thighs trembled, instinctively parting, seeking more of what she didn't yet understand.

Her back arched further, pressing her chest against him. Her breath hitched, a soft whimper slipping past her lips as the warmth deepened, throbbing between her legs.

She clutched at him, desperation bleeding into every breath, every trembling moan.

Zane exhaled against her ear, his lips brushing the shell of it. "You feel it, don't you?"

Celeste whimpered. "Y-Yes…"

His mouth trailed lower, down the curve of her throat, his tongue flicking against her pulse. It pounded beneath his lips, quick and erratic.

Her fingers dug into his back, nails sinking in as another wave of heat pulsed through her.

Zane watched her—watched as she broke apart beneath his hands, surrendering completely.

Then, when she was trembling, breathless, utterly lost in pleasure—

He took her.

Celeste lay sprawled against the sheets, her bare body still trembling in the aftermath.

Her hair was a tangled mess against the pillows, silver strands sticking to her damp skin. Her chest rose and fell in uneven gasps, her nipples still peaked, her thighs slick and quivering from where they had wrapped around him so tightly.

She was panting softly, her lips swollen, her body spent and ruined in the most beautiful way.

Zane traced a finger along her collarbone, savoring the sight of her completely undone.

She had been a woman of faith. Pure. Devoted. Untouched.

Now—

She was his.

[Celeste Corruption: 100%]

The screen flickered before his eyes.

[Tutorial Complete]

> The Host Has Executed Corruption With Precision. 

> Due to exceptional performance, the reward 'Silver Tongue' has been upgraded to 'Divine Authority (Holy Blessings).'

Zane exhaled, rolling onto his back, staring at the ceiling.

Then—

A new notification appeared.

[Evaluation Complete]

> Host has demonstrated exceptional potential.

> Higher corruption targets unlocked.

> Host may now transmigrate into a new body with a new identity.

However—

> All skills except Divine Authority will be lost.

> Future targets will be more difficult.

A choice.

Stay here, keep his power, settle into this world.

Or—

Start again. Go higher. Corrupt even greater figures.

The system's final message appeared.

[The system will disappear in seven days. Choose wisely.]

[Stay and embrace the comfort of an ordinary life… or surrender to your desires and ascend to something far greater.]

Zane smirked.

He already knew his answer.

This was only the beginning.