Steel and Mana

Chapter 20 – Progress (2)

I don't know what happened. It was probably because I died, but it seemed that my luck got reversed or something because the winter held back its arrival right until the point the inner palace was finished. I won't say it is perfect. Or furnished. It wasn't pretty… but it was finished and livable. That is when the first snow arrived, and winter officially began. I am honestly worried… I kinda believe in karma, and if this many good things are happening to me, there is no way I won't have to pay it back.

"Is it the cold?" Sasha asked, coming up to me while I stood on the balcony of my room, looking at the unfinished garden. It was not a real garden yet as nothing had been planted previously… but that didn't show because of the snow covering it.

"Hm? Why do you ask?" I turned towards her while she put a thick coat on me and pulled her own tighter around her neck.

"Your face looked troubled."

"Ah… no, I was just thinking about… stuff."

"You worry too much! Everything is going well!"

"Yeah. That's it!" I chuckled, walking back to the room and closing the door behind me.

For now, it was still barebones. We had a few rugs, a bed, and a big fireplace where, right now, orange flames were dancing. Nothing else and no real luxury to speak of. Except for the fireplace… it had a magical formation put in the bottom of it, and with a bit of experimenting, I perfected it. Right now, no matter what we put in there, it came to life with a thought from Sasha and started burning at full power.

What was even better is that it produced no smoke! I was so mesmerized by this magical fire that I even tried using snow and operating it as its new fuel source... and it worked. I watched snow catch on fire and burn, warming up our room. If someone told me this a year ago, I would have slapped him across the face for taking me for an idiot.

Sasha didn't find it weird, saying it is what magic does. But that was not an answer for me, so I started studying it and developing theories about what was happening. My final conclusion was that magical fire is different from normal fire in that no matter its source, it consumes it and transforms its pure essence into heat, right until nothing remains. And I mean nothing, as not only smoke was missing from it but the ashes too. When the fuel finally ran dry and the fire went out, the fireplace remained empty and clean.

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"Will you install something like this in others' homes too?"

She asked while putting a tray above the fire and a pot onto it to start making tea. When I first started experimenting with the flames, it very quickly turned out that she was kind of 'immune' to it. She could put her hand into the flames and feel nothing. Her clothes would catch on fire like any standard fabric… but her skin? Unharmed.

"Nope. They do have their own fireplace," I answered, "but that's it. I can't have you and Merlin go around igniting magical fires all around the city, or you will do that until the end of times! Not everyone can get everything, you see!"

"They are already grateful." She smiled, leaning against the undecorated, raw stone fireplace, watching me. "Having a home, even if they have to share with others right now, is something we never dreamed of. Not when we were in the forest! Even the villagers here… homes made out of stone? With a fireplace? That was an extreme luxury and a sign of nobility! They think you are humble about building your home from wood and theirs from stone."

"Hah! Fine by me! I like well-made wooden houses. It feels… cozy. I like cozy. If they think like that, I won't tell them my real reasons~! I won't go against a good image; it is important to lead them without issues!"

"I am curious where you will lead us…"

"What if I lead you to the bed now?"

"Hmph! Pervert!" She giggled, but we were interrupted by the teapot's whistle as she began preparing it.

As I watched, my mind started to wander again, and I got really curious, which she also noticed when she put the steaming mug in my hand.

"What did you think about now? I recognize when you have an idea brewing!"

"I do want to test something…" I whispered, sipping on the tea, "I'm just unsure if I should wait with it or go ahead and test my theory out soon. It includes Merlin, and I don't want to traumatize the kid."

"Is it dangerous?" She asked softly, a hint of worry in her voice, "I can do it if it is…"

"Kinda, but you will have to do something else. You see, I have been thinking about this… about magic. About how it seems it has multiple elements. When you concentrated, you summoned fire… and seemingly, you are impervious to any fire damage!"

"Well… it does feel hot! The longer I keep my hand in it, the hotter it gets, and… it gets painful! I think after ten or so minutes, I would start showing damage… I can try if-"

"Nope!" I shook my head at once, "You can test yourself, but don't go and injure or burn your body, you hear? I am fine knowing you can withstand flames for a certain period of time! That is enough. I don't trust our current medical knowledge to heal you…"

"That is why many think you are someone extraordinary. So many people get sick in the winter… In the forest, I saw it many times… getting a fever and dying. It was frequent." She whispered, her eyes growing distant as she remembered it. "Um… but now it is different!" Watching her, I saw her shaking away the thoughts and returning to the topic, "So what do you want to do with Merlin?"

"I want to see if he is resistant to fire or is it your… well… your unique element or not! Of course, I won't throw the kid into the fire, but I would want him to try and get close to it. If he can't bear it, we will know. For me, just standing close to the magical fire makes me sweat! The heat coming off it is way stronger than any regular one!"

"I see… if he can't stand it… what will you do?"

"I will have to look for what he specializes in! When yours surfaced, you left behind a formation! I want the same to happen with him! This is the only way I can study magic. I can't travel to the capital city and start asking questions now, can I? It is not feasible without me ending up on a cross or something!"

"I heard they do that… I don't want that to happen to you!"

"Wait… there are crucifixions in place?" I asked as I just jokingly mentioned it, but seeing her nod… I had to accept it. Thinking a little, it shouldn't be that weird. Torture is universal, and of course, people will come up with it here, too.

"I heard that there are even worse things done to traitors…"

"I bet. Well, that is why we are doing things… here. Where nobody really comes and looks because it is a backwater place with muscles for brains as leaders!"

"You are not like that!" She chuckled, hugging me while I hugged her back, rubbing her head.

"I was talking about my father. Especially in the winter, all the blood from his brain wandered down to his crotch, banging my mom day in and day out. Well… there was really nothing else to do when beasts weren't attacking."

"They… they did… it… all the time?" She stiffened up but still remained hugging me.

"Yep. Right next to my crib!"

"Wait… you remember it?!"

"Err…" Whoopsie. That… slipped out. "Don't tell anyone, okay? I do remember my baby years, but I never told this to anyone… not even my parents!"

"I won't, I won't!" She replied with shining eyes. The fact that she learned a secret of mine seemed to completely excite her, and well… her shining, innocent look excited me.

Soon, my lips sealed hers, and I pushed her down on the bed a moment later. She didn't resist, even opening her legs, welcoming me. It didn't take long to throw off our clothes and continue immersing ourselves in a passionate, long exchange of saliva. When our lips parted, it was connected with a long, thin bridge that only broke apart when she sheepishly looked down where I was poking against her slippery slit.

“I… want it…”

"You are not the only one…" I answered, and after a bit of fidgeting, I pushed on.

There was little resistance to finding my way in, and her body was so excited the sheet under us was already soaked down to the bedframe. When I felt pushing against the soft resistance inside, I leaned ahead, kissing her and thrusting forward, going in deep with one move. Sasha loudly moaned when it happened, wrapping her legs around my waist as I lay on her naked figure. I don't know if it is because I am reborn in a new body or because she is a witch… but she was extremely hot. Literally, I mean.

"Can I… move?" I whispered, not wanting to hurt her, and she nodded almost immediately.

"It stings a little… but that's it! It isn't bad… it is… very… great… ah!" She stuttered, gasping for air every time my body moved and twitched, and I was the same. She was taking my breath away...

I never felt anything similar before. Okay… I didn't have that much experience to boast about, but… I wasn't a virgin. But Sasha here…? She was like an angel. I had never felt something so soft, hot, and yet tight. I don't know how many times I could move my hips while continuing to kiss her neck and body before I shot my load into her womb... but I was trying my best to not be a quick shot. In the end, I wasn't thinking about pulling it out, not even for a minute. If she gets pregnant? I would be happy, and the way she was holding me and moaning in pleasure when feeling how her body got washed with my seed told me she was just as satisfied. None of us said anything and just lay there, still connected for the upcoming half an hour.

"You are still… stiff." She chuckled, and it seemed something did awaken in her as I found myself lying on my back and she sitting atop me, slowly moving her hips, grinding against mine.

"What did you expect? You are too wonderful to calm down!"

"Well… if that is true… we can do it through the winter… there is really nothing else… to do!" She smiled seductively, and at that moment, I knew… I hit the jackpot with her.