“You have two choices right now.” Both of his hands slipped down to the ribbon on the chest of her dress. “One- go on with your research, with the work you love doing, no matter how hard it gets, no matter what obstacles lie in your path.” He untied the ribbon holding the two sides of the upper torso of the gown together.

“Two- give up. Once you do this, everything will become much easier. The choice… is yours.” He gently pushed the shoulders of her dress off, baring her smooth and fair shoulders. Nothing was holding them tight to her body anymore.

She frowned, not from his actions but from his words. “The answer is obvious.” Her tone was confident. “But I don’t know what to do anymore.” She sighed. But her mood relaxed once again.

Nothing stood between his hands and the skin of her shoulder anymore. The already overwhelming effects of the massage amplified further.

“You just have to go out of your comfort zone.” He said. “You have been researching light magic circles for your entire life now and your very own attribute is that of light. All you have to do now is to get into the world of fire.”

“I…” She paused. “I don’t have enough time.” She sighed. But her relaxed face belied her statement. The massage was just too calming.

He sneakily moved his fingers a little low, touching the top of her breast, just at the borders of her bras.

“Ah…” A soft moan escaped her lips. Her face became even more red.

“You are worried about absorption, aren’t you?” He asked.

“Yes, you are right.” She nodded. She was still looking ahead. “I have to reach level 8 soon if I want to have any chance of reaching level 9 later on. Moreover, my husband has the priority when it comes to magic crystals allocation. And knowing his talent, I don’t think I am getting any magic crystals anytime soon.” She shook her head.

“It’s a shame that I met you and got those theories so late in my life.” Her eyes betrayed regret. “I will just go with the ‘light heavy’ version of the hybrid. I don’t have time to delve deeper into a new attribute right now.”

“What if I help you reach level 8?” He said.

The queen mother abruptly looked up and scowled. “What can you do?”

“You know that I was known more for potioneering back in the Academy, right?”

She gasped. “You don’t mean…”

“Yes.” He nodded, looking down into her blue eyes. “I have a special recipe that I want to try out. But it’s a little peculiar.”

“That’s great!” She cheered. “But what’s peculiar?” He knitted her brows.

“The mixture is not edible, it is more of a massaging oil.”

“A massage oil?” She contemplated. “That’s strange indeed.”

“And I have to be the one massaging since I have to apply the perfect amount of magical energy as well.” He looked into her eyes. “So, will you let me massage your body?”

Her face flushed as she looked ahead again. “Yes, you can go ahead. And I am asking again- are you really only nineteen? I am sure you are an expert in Potioneering as well.”

He brought his mouth close to her right ear. “What did I say?” He whispered. “I am older than you.”

“Pfft.”

*Click*

The door opened the exact moment.

“Mother, I brought your dinner.” Evelyn came in with a tray, only to find her mother laughing with a blush while Adrian’s mouth was near her ear. More importantly, his hands were on her bare shoulder and almost half of her breasts were exposed.

Adrian looked at Evelyn with a smile. “Hey.”

But fires of rage was burning in her eyes. She knew it!

The next night.

The Queen Mother of the mighty Kingdom of Nemphis, Aretha Lochtear was sitting at the edge of her bed. She was wearing an once an blue nighty and her foot were bare.

She was sitting there as is if she were thinking of something, contemplating. But she could not hide the excitement that was written all over her face.

Anyone else might have disbelieved the very notion of levelling up with the support of nothing but a potion, and called it a hoax, a scam. But she was one of the only few in all of Ervilia who knew of the young man’s genius.

He came up with such complex and intricate theories even the brightest minds in the last few centuries could not think of. Moreover, he was not even twenty years old. He was a monster!

Furthermore, she, along with everyone else of the Royals had already done of a background check on him. The reports stated that he was once in a lifetime prodigy in the field of potioneering- capable of brewing mid level potions only at his second year in the Academy.

And knowing him, if her conjectures were correct, she was sure that he was hiding his skill.

Even though she doubted the complete efficacy of that ‘peculiar’ potion, she was quite certain that she would at least have a chance at breaking through to the next level, and that was enough.

Her face suddenly flinched as she turned to the closed door.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat as she straightened her back. Aretha somewhat composed herself and made her face serious. Her senses were completely activated this whole time.

“Come in.” She said, her voice- majestic but cordial.

*Click*

The doorknob moved as the door opened. A demonically handsome youth stepped in. He was wearing a black coat, black pants and a black shirt underneath. His eyes which were a few shades blacker met her blue eyes. A smile appeared on his face.

“Good evening, your highness.” He bowed.

“Good evening.” She smiled in response. Her eyes darted to his hands; the smile got brighter.

He reached out his right hand. “Here it is.” He was holding a glass bottle by its neck. It was full with a greasy liquid, which looked as if it were tinted with gold.

“Indeed.” She raised her brows. “It looks akin to oil.”

“I came prepared.” He said. “Are you ready?”