Bound sovereign: Reincarnated with the lust system

When Selene finally reappeared, her stride carried that cold authority that bent the air itself around her. The jeers, whispers, and noble arrogance in the D-class crowd withered to silence under her gaze.

"Follow me," she ordered, no more words wasted.

They obeyed.

The walk from Grade D chambers to the Grade C training field was not long, but it felt like crossing a border into another world. The corridors widened, lanterns burning brighter, the mana in the air thickening until it pressed against their skin. For most, it was suffocating; they shifted uncomfortably, gasping as if the air itself weighed more.

Then the gates opened.

The Grade C field stretched out before them, carved with ancient runes that pulsed faintly with power. The air shimmered with concentrated mana, making the ground itself hum underfoot. But it wasn't the stones or the light that drew their eyes first, it was the people.

Nobles of Grade C were gathered, already in their training attire.

For the D-class students, it was like staring at gods made flesh. Their hair gleamed in every shade of gemstone.. sapphire blues, emerald greens, blood-gold crimson. Their eyes burned with mana, glowing faintly even in daylight. And their presence… each of them radiated strength like a blade unsheathed.

Eran noticed more.

The women here, different from the plain formality of D-class robes—wore, fitted uniforms that clung shamelessly to their curves. Tight bodices traced the outline of breasts pressed firm and high. Skirts, slit at the sides, swayed with each step, offering teasing glimpses of pale thighs hugged by silken stockings. Some had robes so long they swept the ground like priestess garments, yet tied high enough to shape their hips and reveal the outline of their legs.

He caught flashes of undergarments, lace edges beneath a skirt's sway, the faint dip of panties when one bent to stretch, the sheen of stocking seams that ran up thighs into secrets hidden beneath cloth.

And not all of them were human.

One woman, her silver hair falling like water, had slender horns curling elegantly from her temples. Another, taller than the rest, bore elongated ears, her movements fluid as a whisper of wind. Even among the crowd, their beauty struck with the weight of fantasy, bodies sculpted not just by flesh, but by mana itself, radiant and untouchable.

Around him, D-class nobles whispered like children entering a palace.

"By the Crest… their uniforms—"

"That aura… even the weakest of them feel stronger than our best."

"Look at her… her thighs "

Some flushed, some trembled. More than one noble swallowed his pride with visible difficulty, realizing how low their station truly was.

Eran, however, only smiled faintly.

To him, it wasn't intimidation, it was opportunity. His eyes drank them in slowly, deliberately, from the sway of hips to the faint perfume of mana that clung to their skin like incense. Every flicker of thigh, every curve strained against silk, every flash of arrogance in their gaze it fed his hunger.

SYSTEM NOTICE!

Hidden Encounter Potential Increased.

[Female Targets: Grade C Nobles ][Compatibility pending.]

His smirk deepened.

While the others were overwhelmed, he could almost taste the crack in the hierarchy. This wasn't just a training field, it was a garden. And every flower, no matter how high it bloomed, could be plucked.

Selene's voice cut through the thick silence, commanding and cold.

"Control yourselves. This is no spectacle.. you stand in Grade C. If you falter under mana this shallow, you are unworthy of standing beside them."

The D-class fell silent, straightening under her glare. But Eran felt the faintest brush of her eyes, lingering on him before she turned away.

And he smiled again, sharper this time.

Because in the shimmer of mana, surrounded by nobility that thought themselves untouchable, he already felt the system stirring. Opportunities waiting to be claimed.

Selene stood tall at the center of the Grade C chamber, her robes sweeping with controlled authority. Her voice carried like steel across the hall:

"Pair resonance will now begin. You will stand with your assigned partners. Mana will be released in waves, and you will adapt together. If one falters, the pair is disqualified."

The room buzzed, nobles murmuring as their gazes darted toward their chosen partners.

"And remember," Selene's eyes cut through the crowd, silencing even the faintest whispers, "failure is not shameful, resistance is. If you resist what must be, you will break."

A pause. Then, in a voice like a verdict:

"Miyu. Eran. Step forward."

The announcement rippled like a thrown stone in water. Nobles' lips curled, smirks hidden behind hands.

"The commoner? With her?"

"Unbelievable."

"She'll crush him before the first wave even lands."

Miyu's face betrayed nothing but an arched brow. She stepped forward, her long hair swaying, her robe slit high enough to catch more than one wandering eye. She didn't even look at Eran as he moved beside her, calm, steady.

Finally, she turned, her voice low, sharp enough only for him to hear:

"Don't drag me down, commoner. If you falter, I'll make sure everyone sees it. Your humiliation will be mine to enjoy."

Eran chuckled softly, his head tilting as though her words were amusing. Inside, though, the system's hum filled him like a secret drumbeat.

SYSTEM ACTIVE!

Skill: Whisper of Suggestion – Ready.

He leaned closer, his voice barely more than a breath brushing her ear:

"Funny… you're already afraid of what standing next to me will do to you."

Her eyes snapped to his, a flare of indignation.

"You—"

But the system chimed.

WHISPER OF SUGGESTION APPLIED...

[ Effect: Words embed beneath the conscious. Resistance becomes desire ]

Countdown initiated [01:59...]

Miyu's lips parted, the retort catching in her throat. For a flicker of a second, her pride cracked into hesitation, her heartbeat betraying itself as color rose faintly to her cheeks. She quickly masked it, chin lifting higher, but Eran saw it. He always saw.

She hissed back through clenched teeth, "Keep dreaming."

Eran's smirk widened, the calm mask of a predator already tasting the unraveling thread.

"Dreams?" he whispered, his eyes burning steady into hers. "No. This is only the beginning of your truth."

Selene's voice boomed, pulling them both back.

"First wave begin."

A surge of mana slammed into the chamber. Nobles staggered, pairs clutching at each other, gasping under the sudden weight.

Miyu grit her teeth, mana flaring around her like a shield. She wanted distance, to shine alone but the system pulsed within Eran's mind, tugging her pride closer, binding her unwillingly. Her body, her soul, her defenses they leaned toward him despite her will.

And through it all, Eran stood effortlessly still, watching her with that faint smile.

The first wave of mana struck like a crash of thunder rolling through the chamber. Pairs buckled, robes flaring, mana shields flashing in bursts of color. Gasps and sharp cries filled the air.

Miyu stood tall or tried to. Her aura flared, shimmering like a crown of fire. She tilted her chin, eyes half-lidded in disdain as if the wave were nothing.

But Eran was close enough to see the lie.

Her cheeks had flushed, a faint crimson blooming over the pale perfection of her skin. Her lips parted slightly as if to take in more air, her throat working hard to swallow down the heat running through her veins. A faint, muffled groan slipped from her teeth before she bit it back.

SYSTEM NOTICE!!

[ Whisper of Suggestion: Effect strengthened ]

Countdown: [00:45...]

Her hands trembled faintly at her sides, but she curled them into fists, masking the twitch as mana control. She spat sideways, low enough only Eran could hear, her voice breathy despite its venom:

"You think this changes anything? I.. I won't bend to you."

Eran tilted his head, his eyes locked on her as though peeling back her very skin to watch the truth writhe beneath. He didn't move, didn't so much as flinch against the waves. Instead, his gaze locks on her calmly, because he was close enough to her, close enough to feel her mana surging like a shield

"You're already bending. Look at your face."

Her eyes widened, a spark of fury and something softer, hidden... shooting through them. She whipped her gaze forward, unwilling to meet his, but the redness in her cheeks betrayed her pride.

Another mana wave slammed into the hall, stronger. Nobles cried out, a few collapsing against their partners. The floor hummed with resonance, and the walls shimmering faintly with containment wards.

Miyu staggered this time. Her groan was louder, drawn through clenched teeth as her knees buckled just a fraction before she caught herself. She forced her aura to flare, dazzling light roaring around her as if to say she was in control.

But the way her body leaned toward Eran gave her away.

His system chimed again into his vision:

[ Effect: Pride suppression ]

Countdown: [ 00:23...]

Eran watched, silent, his smile a blade. He let her pride choke her, let her fight herself while the system slowly hollowed the cracks. He could feel the pull, like her body's mana wanted to synchronize with his.. no, not wanted. Needed.

Selene's voice cut through the storm, firm and observing:

"Hold. Breathe through it. If you falter, your partner carries you."

Eran's gaze lingered on Miyu, who was gasping softly now, her breaths uneven though she tried to veil them with arrogance.

"Careful," he whispered, his voice smooth, meant only for her. "The more you fight, the sweeter your fall will be."

Her eyes snapped to his, fury blazing but the heat in them wasn't just anger anymore. Her lips trembled, her chest rose and fell as if she couldn't quite keep pace with her own heartbeat.

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION!

[Whisper of Suggestion embedding complete ]

[Effect: Target caught between resistance and desire. Pride eroding…]

[00:00] – Success.

[Conquest progess: 50%...]

Miyu tore her eyes away, face burning hotter, groaning again under the next mana wave. She bit her lip so hard it nearly drew blood, hiding what her body betrayed.

And Eran Pride or desire, he thought, either way, you can't resist much longer.