***

As dawn kissed the horizon, Yomite’s party bade farewell to Tubby and ventured forth from the teapot dimension. Lisa, rejuvenated by her rest, stretched her limbs with newfound vigor.

“Oh, I certainly needed that nap. Much better.” she declared, sipping the exquisite tea Tubby had brewed for her. Its potency had revitalized her completely.

“I’m glad you finally took a shower and I’m also glad you’ve enjoyed your rest, Teacher. Hopefully, I won’t have to carry you anymore.” Yomite poked her shoulder a few times, just to make sure she was really healed and wouldn’t fall over in no time.

They stood upon a platform near the staircases, preparing to delve deeper into the unknown.

“You’re acting as if you didn’t like having to carry me,” Lisa replied with an amused smile as she patted Yomite’s hand back. “It gave us some much-needed bonding time, don’t you think? Now I have a new appreciation for my student and you’ve officially passed your first test…and just so you know, my artifacts have a way of keeping me clean without any effort on my part. Of course, there are exceptions when I do take a shower, like yesterday, when I was particularly exhausted and needed to unwind.”

At this point in time, Lisa had completely figured Yomite out when it came to his behaviour, yet the mysteries of his past and ambitions still intrigued her.

“Imagine…being so lazy you don’t even want to take a shower and use artifacts for it…Wait, I was supposed to get some sort of reward for carrying you up here, you didn’t forget that right?”

“No…not at all.” She put a hand on his arm. “As far as rewards go, getting to spend time together is enough. Wouldn’t you say, Handsome~?”

“No, no, no…No matter how you look at it…This is a scam. This isn’t a reward but rather part of the training process…” He sighed heavily, looking slightly dejected. “A proper reward would be something else entirely, such as—”

Lisa brought her index finger close to his lips and whispered softly,

“—A kiss on the cheek, perhaps?”

He looked up sharply.

The way he stared at her made it clear what exactly he thought of this suggestion—

It was not enough.

“A kiss on the cheek? Really? What are we, in a kindergarten? There are four women in this party who would gladly do that you know…I mean, yes, there might come a time where a kiss would work as a reward…but is a kiss on the cheek really worth anything in reality? Just think, you are hella strong, so there are many things I could ask for! Give me an overpowered artifact or something like that! Something that can instakill. Teach me magic, give me some special broken weapons! Something worthy!”

Yomite went from zero to one hundred in no time flat.

Lisa was taken aback. She thought she had him all figured out when it came to this topic. His attraction to her was evident, but it seemed he yearned for something more profound than a simple kiss….apparently she’d misjudged him.

Lisa conversed with Yomite many times in the past, and she couldn’t help but notice his increasing desire for many women. The signs of his lust were unmistakable. His eyes would occasionally drift towards Lisa’s chest area when they spoke, though he was too subtle to do so openly.

She thought that a light teasing, like a simple kiss on the cheek, would satisfy his appetite. However, to her surprise, Yomite seemed fixated on more serious rewards like gaining power.

Lisa’s beauty had undoubtedly piqued his interest, and she felt that a kiss on the cheek would be the perfect way to end their conversation.

“Hmm…fine then,” Lisa said eventually. “You’ve certainly earned this.”

With a sly grin, she winked and reached into the depths of her cleavage, retrieving a small object that gleamed in the light. Yomite watched as she deftly flicked it in his direction, and he snatched it out of the air without a second thought.

As he examined the object in his hand, he felt a faint warmth emanating from its surface.

‘Right from between the breasts, huh. What a cliche.’ he thought. ‘Is this an artifact?’

The object itself was a simple piece of jewelry, a round bracelet crafted from shimmering white metal and studded with brilliant blue stones. It looked like something that might be worn at a festival, or perhaps as part of a cosplay.

But there was an undeniable aura of power emanating from it, and Yomite knew that he would have to explore its mysteries further if he hoped to uncover its secrets.

“Put it on.” She gestured with the palm of her free hand.

“What is this? An artifact to increase my power or magic? It looks like it at least contains some magicstones, but…” He examined the item closer still. “…Why is this here?” He tapped the center of the bracelet. The crystal inside flashed blue and produced a slight humming noise that sounded almost like the sounds of chains being pulled, “It looks way too suspicious! What are you up to?”

Lisa shrugged casually. “This is a reward for you, my dear student. The object in question is a magical artifact, fashioned in the mystical land of Sumeru with the assistance of select Fontaine researchers. It is built upon the principles of time-honored longevity race technology, and thusly, should perform its intended function with admirable efficacy. Certain types of people in Fontaine use it.”

“…You still didn’t tell me what it does.”

“Just put it on. Don’t you trust your gorgeous teacher?”

“…”

Yomite’s brows furrowed at her words. Despite his attempts to use his ability to decipher the mysterious item in question, he was met with a disconcerting silence. The usual green glow that accompanied his power was nowhere to be seen, leaving him feeling frustrated and perplexed.

‘She is acting suspicious as hell…and this thing is probably not even an artifact because my ability could not read it, just a common item…who does she think she’ll scam…but if it can help me get stronger…whatever.’

Despite his initial skepticism, Yomite couldn’t deny the allure of the strange, alluring bracelet in his hand. With a deep breath, he slipped it onto his wrist, feeling the cool metal and smooth stones against his skin.

“Fine, but I’m going to find out what this thing really does later. I don’t trust it one bit…”

Lisa arched an eyebrow at his words, her expression betraying a trace of amusement. “Oh, later? Why wait? You’re bound to find out soon enough.”

As the clasp of the bracelet clicked into place, a surge of chaotic energy coursed through Yomite’s veins. He crumpled to the ground, pinned by an unseen force. Panic-stricken, he struggled to move, but his body refused to obey.

“W-W-What…the hell—?!” he shouted, unable to move a single muscle.

The bracelet had been crafted to restrain its wearer, rendering them utterly immobile. Lisa’s laughter echoed through the chamber as Yomite lay trapped, a captive to the very reward he had sought, stuck to the floor.