The Dread of Damned

I left the room and returned to my own, stepping into the washroom. After hanging my clothes on the wall, I submerged myself in the bathtub, letting the warmth seep into my muscles. I leaned back and closed my eyes, allowing myself a moment of quiet.

I stayed like that for a while, lost in the stillness, before finally rising from the water. My gaze fell on the suit hanging nearby, and I couldn’t help but admire it. The white fabric gleamed like pure moonlight, its dark silver patterns swirling in intricate, shifting shapes reminiscent of the celestial body itself. The knee-length top and the streamlined pants looked like something pulled straight from a legend, woven with artistry beyond ordinary craftsmanship.

I dried myself off and slipped into the suit, feeling the fabric settle against my skin like a second layer. It was lightweight yet firm as if designed to be both armor and attire.

Curious, I channeled essence into the suit. It absorbed it readily, drinking in the energy as though it had been crafted for that very purpose. Though its density remained unchanged, the white seemed brighter, almost luminous, while the dark silver patterns shimmered, taking on an eerie, almost sentient quality as they pulsed in the shape of moons.

I decided to test its resilience. Conjuring a blade of pure essence, I pressed it against my arm, watching as the suit reacted. The white fabric shimmered but withstood the strike with ease. I increased the intensity, refining the blade, feeding it more and more essence, and pushing its purity to the limits of my control. The suit responded in kind, absorbing the essence I poured into my weapon. The more powerfully I attacked, the more it drank from me. By the time I had pushed my essence to its peak, the once-white fabric had turned almost entirely silver from the sheer intensity of energy it had consumed. Yet, even then, the blade had failed to pierce through.

I let out a slow breath, running a hand over the now-cool fabric. A useful enhancement. Not only was it an additional layer of defense, but it also ensured I wouldn’t have to worry about my clothes being torn apart in a battle.

A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Your Highness," Lucian’s voice came from the other side.

"Come in," I said, moving to sit on the sofa placed in the center of the room.

Lucian entered with his head bowed and began reporting on the tasks I had given him. I listened in silence as he detailed the progress. His tone remained measured, and disciplined. Only after the discussion was complete did he allow himself to relax, if only slightly.

"The suit looks good on you, Your Highness," he remarked.

I glanced down at myself before nodding. "The maker clearly had some talent."

"I’m glad it meets your expectations."

I met his gaze. "I also liked another gift I took."

Lucian frowned, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. "Another gift?"

"Yes," I replied, watching him closely. "I took a blowjob from Elina."

Shock. Doubt. And then, unexpectedly, acceptance.

It wasn’t that I thought he would resist—he had no choice in the matter—but I hadn’t expected him to accept it so readily.

"So, it has happened," he said, his voice carefully neutral.

"Your reaction is much calmer than I expected," I observed, leaning back against the sofa.

"It’s not as though I didn’t anticipate it," he admitted. "We live in the Grand Castle. Everything within its walls exists by the mercy of the royal family. They take what they desire."@@novelbin@@

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "In truth, I had considered asking you to fulfill her desire myself. It is something I cannot do. But I feared it would be presumptuous—disrespectful, even—to assume that someone as common as her, not even a nocturnal, would catch your interest."

I raised an eyebrow. "Something you cannot do?"

Lucian met my gaze evenly. "Every Astral Knight undergoes a procedure eventually. A process known as Desire Redirection."

I already had an idea of where this was going. "Explain."

"Desire Redirection eliminates all personal wants—no lust, no greed, no jealousy. Eventually, no personal ambition at all."

I tilted my head slightly. "And how is that accomplished? Nocturnals grow stronger by fulfilling their desires. How do Astral Knights evolve without them?"

Though I could understand why it was done, Astral knights were always present everywhere around the Royal family and the top floor, even going into their private rooms if the situation arose. so in that case, if they had any of their desires misleading them, things could get messy.

"They are not truly eliminated," he clarified. "Rather, they are condensed into a single, dominant purpose. By drinking from the Desireless Water, all personal desires are erased and replaced with one: absolute loyalty to the royal house."

Clever. A meticulously designed system.

As long as an Astral Knight obeyed the royal family, they would grow stronger. With their only remaining desire being servitude, betrayal was not just unlikely—it was impossible.

"The process itself is agonizing," he continued. "The stronger the original desire, the more painful the eradication. Some with obsessive desires have lost their minds before they lost their wants."

I smirked. "So, as long as it’s me, you don’t care what I do?"

Lucian nodded without hesitation.

"How interesting."

I studied him for a moment. "Tell me, do you even know if your desire to offer her to me was truly your own? Or was it simply the result of drinking the Desireless Water?"

"My only desire is to serve the royal family," Lucian replied without a hint of hesitation. "My brother believes you are using me, that I should resent you, even consider betrayal. But he does not understand." His gaze was steady. "Only by being useful to you can I fulfill my desire and grow stronger."

He bowed deeply. "An Astral Knight is nothing more than a tool in the hands of the royal house."

I exhaled slowly. "Very well. Return to her. I’m curious how she will feel when she realizes that the man she trusts so deeply has no reaction to her being taken forcefully."

I leaned forward, watching him carefully.

"And don’t worry—I’ll play with her if I wish. She won’t bother you about sex anymore."

Lucian bowed once more before taking his leave.

I stood up and moved to the bed, lying down as I gazed at the ceiling. Outside, the sun had begun its descent, and the moon rose in its place, casting a pale glow over the room. I closed my eyes, focusing on the refinement process. Fireflies drifted through the air, their essence swirling around me.

I noticed something peculiar—the suit actively absorbed the moonlight as if designed for it. The fabric glowed faintly, drawing in the silver light, and assisting in my refinement.

Perhaps this was an added benefit the maker had failed to mention. Or maybe she hadn’t even known.

I remained there, cross-legged, allowing the suit to drink in both the moonlight and the silver fireflies, channeling their essence into me.