The Price Of Debauchery

Ethan did not respond immediately and let dramatic silence hang in the air. How desperate were the two young women, really? Were they open to mental corruption?

"Young Count… All I ask of you is to give us a chance to prove ourselves," Beatrix concluded her final pitch. "You can dismiss us anytime later."

The little witch put on a forced smile. "I forgot to mention—please also consider the fact that I am the cutest witch in the world," the little witch quickly added. "That means something, right?"

Beatrix and Athena snickered nervously, attempting to lighten the Cromwell heir's tense mood. It was a hit and a miss.

Ethan stayed mute for an extended period before turning around. Beatrix casually said she was the cutest witch in the world. Naturally, it was a joke from her viewpoint but not from his.

The boy gave the witch a scrutinizing glance. Even though he had yet to survey the rest of the beautiful witches in Promiscua, he could confidently draw an inference.

Beatrix could definitely give them a run for their money. With her ash-colored hair, silver eyes, red lipstick, and gothic attire, she was an exotic sight to behold. An air of magical beauty hung around her that Ethan wanted to study closely.

"I'm still reluctant to put my faith in you, sorry," Ethan finally replied. His words disappointed the women and caused them to slump their shoulders.

"However, I shall sleep on it," the Cromwell heir added. "You can stay in the castle's guest rooms tonight and feast at our dining halls. I will communicate my decision through a messenger tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Thank you," Beatrix said, relieved. She attempted a courtesy bow, and Athena mimicked her motion awkwardly.

After Ethan left, the female warrior breathed a massive sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, Bea! I almost ruined our only chance of making gold."

Beatrix shrugged. "Just be happy we won't go hungry tonight. Dinner is on the Cromwell dime!"

"I am famishing!" Athena growled, trying to remove and reset her armor. "It is sweltering on the inside, Bea! Your auto-equip magic left no gaps for ventilation."

"I saved your maidenhood from being ogled by a boy. Be grateful-"

"Hey, this is weird!" the female warrior cut her off. She was adjusting the padded breeches over her hip.

"What?"

"One of my three anti-rape spells was used up! When did that happen?"

Beatrix raised an eyebrow with concern. She had placed powerful anti-rape hexes on their bodies in case they were knocked out during a battle and abused.

The duo spent a lot of time in forests where horny creatures ran amok. Caution and protection against sexual assault were a must. No woman would enjoy being ripped into two by the massive dicks of sex-crazed orcs or lecherous werepeople.

The anti-rape magical protection was the last line of defense. Even after Beatrix and Athena were stripped entirely, any attempt at penetration between their legs would give the offender the shock of his life.

"It was probably triggered by a random fish when you were swimming in the garden pond," the witch replied. However, a tinge of suspicion lingered on her face.

"Hmm… That's possible," Athena said with a clinky shrug. "I bet that fish is fried to the core by now."

***

As soon as Ethan exited the garden and entered the castle walls, he rushed to the nearest washroom. Heading to the basin, he vomited blood.

The effect of Beatrix's anti-rape spell arrived late, twisting his innards and burning his lungs. It was like he had consumed a bucketful of poison!

The boy leaned over the basin, looking into his horrified eyes in the mirror. "Am I going to die that easily?"

Ethan thought there must be a spell in Grimorium Lustra to heal him. He opened the system interface immediately.

[Processing…]

"Processing what? I didn't issue any commands! Give me access to the inventory!"

A minute passed by, but the prompt was still there. It was as if the system was stuck. "Fuck! Not right now!"

With a heave, the boy vomited more blood and then wiped his lips, realizing he looked like a corpse. In the mirror, shadows danced around him. The light in his vision dimmed as hallucinations filled the room.

Ethan vigorously shook his head to snap out of the trance. He had to rush to the medic bay to survive. Goldie would definitely have a remedy.

If Beatrix and Athena came to know about his symptoms, they would discover the boy's hidden sex crime. However, at this point, only survival mattered.

Ethan turned towards the washroom door to leave. Ding! His mind exploded with bright prompts.

[Congratulations!]

[The condition has been met: Survive Nemesis attack]

[User Level up! 0~1]

[Restoring user's body to full physical health and optimum mental health]

Ethan's eyes widened as his poisoning symptoms disappeared. The corpse-like appearance, the scary hallucinations, and the blood-barfing dissipated as if they never arrived.

[LEVELING section is unlocked]

[PHYSICAL: Strength—1/10, Beauty—3/10, Agility—1/10, Libido—2/10, xlockedx, xlocked]

[MAGICAL: Soul—1/10, xlockedx, xlockedx]

[CHARACTER: Intelligence—4/10, Perversion—3/10, Faith—0/10, xlockedx, xlockedx]

[DESTINY: Luck—1/10, xlockedx, xlockedx]

[Alloted points: 16/900]

[Unallotted points: 3]

[System advice: User can earn attributes by completing tasks, challenges, and objectives. Locked slots can be unlocked through leveling up. Maxed attributes will lead to evolution]

"Now that's a real system!" Ethan celebrated. "Boy, I had to take a near-fatal ride to unlock it! Some of the attributes are locked, though."

The Cromwell heir put all his unallotted points into the strength attribute. He was done being a weakling in the woman's world.

[Attributes updated!]

Ethan raised his eyes to the mirror. To his surprise, there was more musculature on his body than before. "No way! It looks like I am an inch taller now! My MP bar has gone up to twenty from ten!"

[New skill: Poison Resistance Lvl 1]

[Skill: Ghost hands level up!: 1~2]

[Ghost hands Lvl 2] [Enhanced durability]

[MP cost: 8] [Effect: 30 seconds] [No Cooldown]

It was already past sunset by the time Ethan finished exploring the unlocked system interface and skill. He returned to the castle's mainhold quite exhausted. The boy went straight to Velma's office to discuss security measures. Not to mention, there was the controversial matter of his tutors.

"The Countess left the castle an hour back for one of Fondel County's villages," the guard posted outside her office informed him. "There was some urgent business which needed her attention."

Even though Ethan was pissed that Velma skipped their meeting, he decided to talk to her on her return. The boy was weary from the day's events, anyway.

Next, he went to check on his sister at the medic bay. "Lady Gwen has already checked out of her suite," the sentry told him.

The Cromwell heir returned to the royal quarters and asked after Gwen outside her room. "She isn't in her room, Young Count," a maid informed him. "Perhaps she is spending time with her elder sister."

Ethan was mildly annoyed there was nobody to spend time with in the evening. It was just like his time on Earth—alone and yearning for companionship. The boy shook his head, telling himself it would be different this time.

Ethan found Hilda in her office, having a meeting with Isabella and her other subordinates. She dismissed them and vacated the room on his arrival. "Are you interested in using me again, Count Cromwell…" she almost pleaded.

"Not right now. But can you tell me where my mother went?"

"Oh… Umm… The Countess left for Gulchtown in the Southern Hills. Why do you ask?"

"Never mind why. Was it a serious matter? Does she need my help? When will she be back?"

Hilda's heart melted at Ethan's words. The boy she had known for years mostly played in the gardens and pranked his sisters. He didn't really have any political ambition or humanitarian goals as expected from the heir.

The new Ethan Cromwell was different. He was visibly interested in the County's affairs and wanted to help the Countess with her troubles.

Hilda also wondered if the boy had gotten taller and more athletic since she last saw him. It was probably her imagination playing tricks. Perhaps the fact that the two already had a sexual experience made him more attractive.

"Lady Velma did not share the details with me," the Constable replied. "But there's nothing to be worried about. Fondel is a rather uneventful county, and Gulchtown is only a night's travel away. I expect your mother will send a message in the morning."

Ethan nodded. He realized he knew nothing about the County's political, physical, demographic, or economic geography. How did the boy expect to shoulder the responsibility as an ignoramus?

The Cromwell heir picked a pen from Hilda's table and jotted down a few things. "Alright. Could you send these documents to the library tomorrow? I will collect them from Hayden."

Hilda raised her brows, recognizing the academic material Ethan was asking for and nodding at the entries individually. "I will see to it that they are delivered timely."

She was about to say something endearing to the boy when he spun sharply and left her office. The Constable was left behind yearning for him.

***

Early in the morning, Ethan found himself in the castle library. He took the government documents from a surprised Hayden and made camp in Reading Room Three.

The boy was flipping through the materials, deciding in what order to read them. Suddenly, the RR3 room door was slammed open.

A young, athletic woman stormed into the room as if she owned it. She was dressed in masculine clothes—a tight leather tunic and pants.

As soon as the beauty entered, she glared at the other seated people with fury. "All of you get out! I need the room!"

Ethan had never seen library-goers react so quickly. They jumped to their feet and filed out of RR3 as if their life depended on it.

And why wouldn't the people be obedient? The hottie ordering them around with an authoritative voice was none other than the second daughter of the Cromwell family, Ethan's elder sister—Ivy.

The beauty walked over to her brother and glowered at him with disdain.

"What is the matter with you?" Ethan asked, visibly annoyed. "Why are you disrupting the library's peace with your antics? Tell me or else—"

The boy's eyes suddenly caught sight of someone standing by the entrance. Gwen clung to the door frame as if her life depended on it. Like most others in the castle, she was scared to death of Ivy Cromwell.

Ethan's instincts told him something troublesome was about to happen. Why would his angry young sister cancel her daily activities to barge into the library with Gwen?

'Oh, no…' the sinking realization came to him finally. 'Gwen told her what happened in the morning…'

"Ethan! Are you a freak?" Ivy snarled, banging a flat hand on his desk. "How dare you do such disgusting things to your own sister!"