Debauchery of a Soul-Eating Wraith

Chapter 203: Promotion

***

Evian had slept in the entanglement of feminine limbs. When he and Zayda returned to her quarters through the same means they had left it, he found both Carleine and Ember peacefully asleep but somewhere around dawn, they awoke, glared at Zayda who was monopolizing his body, and made their way there as well.

It was serene— Comfortable but soon, they all awoke, cleaned up, wore clothes, and opened the door of Zayda's quarters to join their fellow Knights.

Speaking of which,

The merriment in the Western Fort's hall eventually came to an end at dawn and even before then, it was already waning.

Lieutenants and their Commander had left long before that already preparing for their departures.

When the sun was high in the sky to signal noon, many Knights began to receive assignments or orders to return to their bases and give a report on events. The 'orders' were lenient given the Ordeal they were believed to have undergone.

That was not the case for the Arcanists who were strictly ordered to return to their Churches at once or risk excommunication.

Because of how closely they guarded the secrets of the Arcane Path, the Arcane Church always strived to retain a strong hold on any member of their 'Faith'.

They controlled the dissemination of information regarding the Arcane Path and although this meant they only chose 'gifted' candidates to learn those secrets which vastly reduced their numbers compared to the Martial Temple, it also allowed them to retain a mystifying air around the Arcane Path. Pushing the ideology of intense Spirituality.

Evian watched the Arcanists scramble around with his lips pursed and a look in his eyes that neither Zayda, Carleine, or Ember could quite understand.

It was reserved with a bit of longing but longing for what? For the Arcane path or maybe… For someone who belonged to it?

"So where to now Commander?" Gillert asked which brought his presence to Evian's attention even though he still did not look away from the Arcanists.

"Ah, yes," Zayda said with a small smile in the realization that, with the war at an end, she had returned to her role as Squad Commander,

"I'm not sure, to be honest. We'll get posted somewhere else soon although we could take a break. The Martial Temple will understand needing a rest after a task of this scale."

"Rest, huh?" Gryon mumbled with a scoff. He was itching for combat. To feel useful again and a mission tailor-made for their Squad might do just that.

"I could do with a rest," Ember said and before anyone could make another input, a Knight approached their idle group with eyes on Zayda,

"Dame Zayda," he announced, "The Commander has asked for you. You and Evian Stygian."

Evian and Zayda shared a look before she looked at the Knight and gestured with her head,

"Lead the way."

Neither Evian nor Zayda was confused that Astrid would want to speak to them. It would have been strange if she was going to act as if the night before didn't happen. The path they were led through was familiar.

The Knight stopped at the door to Astrid's quarters, and promptly announced that he had brought Zayda and Evian, and in half a minute, both Evian and Zayda were faced with Astrid's smiling face.

"Welcome," she said in that silky tone of hers. A tone that never failed to be alluring.

She was dressed differently from the day before. She had on a silk gown that clung to her body and tried its hardest to hold up her large tits and succeeded well enough. The gown seemed like nightwear, much too casual to wear outside and address the Knights and Arcanists under her command.

As though like an afterthought to still look modest, she wore a large robe over the nightwear but had not cared enough to pull it close which was how Evian got himself an eyeful.

A weaker man would not have been able to hold back a gulp or a physiological reaction down below at the sight of Astrid Renan. It took all Evian had to keep those reactions away and should his concentration slip, his arousal would be clear for all to see.

'How is she doing it?' Evian asked himself.

The last time he had to work this hard to resist a woman's allure was as a Virgin back on Earth. When he arrived in this world, he found himself more in control of his body, but this woman, this blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty made that self-control obsolete.

Not even Astrid's mother, Frida, with all her Mature grace, had evoked this reaction.

'Is it her ability to pull attention to herself— Is that why I almost can't help myself?' Evian wondered and he must have spaced out for a few seconds because Zayda nudged him with her elbow.

"What?" he asked her looking confused.

"Are you with us?" Astrid asked in that wonderful voice of hers, calling Evian's attention back to her sexy self.

There was a look in her eyes. Evian recognized that look. It was the look he gave women when he knew of their attraction to him— A look that made them feel like they were an open book. Like every thought going through their mind was open to him.

He felt a bit uncomfortable and with a crack of his neck, he managed a smile,

"Sorry, I was distracted," he said while maintaining a gaze on Astrid's face and flicking down for a second suggesting the cause of his distraction.

Astrid appeared to get the message because she rolled her eyes even if she did not adjust her robe. She leaned forward with her arms on her table, pressing her breasts together to form an even or attractive cleavage,

"Zayda, you took charge as well as I would have expected," she started and Zayda scoffed,

"You mean I sucked?" she asked.

Astrid looked taken aback,

"What? No. I mean you did well. Very well. I'll make sure that information reaches the Martial Temple so you get the Merit points you deserve."

Zayda's eyes narrowed as though she found that hard to believe,

"You will?"

"Of course. Perform more meritorious deeds and you just might become a Templar in a hundred years. Long after I have already made the position mine.

After all, I was the one who had the foresight to hand you the Seal. A good Commander knows their subordinates well and diversifies tasks with brilliance."

"So for every point I gain, you gain more?" Zayda asked incredulously.

"Precisely," Astrid said with a quick snap of her fingers, " I mean it's only fair."

Evian looked between Astrid and Zayda. If ever he thought the competition Zayda always alluded to having with Astrid was one-sided, he now had to sing a different tune. Astrid was in on it but just kept it better hidden because she was confident victory was already hers.

Evian almost expected Zayda to react with anger but she didn't. She just looked at Astrid like the Golden Child had done exactly what she expected.

Also, it was just as Astrid had said; 'It's only fair'. There was a reason Zayda chose to become a Squad Commander and it was because, no matter what her Squad did and how much involvement she had, she would still receive more Merit Points in case of Success as the one who led them.

Besides, following this battle, the one who would be most praised was Astrid Renan, as not only the Commander but the one who single-handedly defeated the enemy Commander while putting herself at risk to potentially reduce the losses to the Combined Forces.

With all this, Zayda felt it would be silly of her to act or look pissed when she was still making a gain.

"You're right. It's only fair," Zayda eventually said.

"I am touched by your understanding," Astrid said and she seemed to almost mean it.

Then her eyes went to Evian,

"As for you."

"What about me?" Evian asked with a shrug and his smile retained.

"You had an interesting idea and I will make sure you are rewarded accordingly," Astrid said.

"Oh there's no need," Evian said.

If she went into detail about what his idea was and HOW it was even feasible, it would only open up questions he would rather not have asked. He even preferred his involvement in getting Astrid out of the Western Fort not getting brought up at all during the night's celebration because a Lucid Arcanist might have found it iffy and seen fit to probe around.

No, Evian didn't care enough about Merit Points and Promotions within the Martial Temple to put himself in such a tight spot.

"Relax, will you?" Astrid said with a chuckle, "I'll keep your Wraithic secret and still get you your rewards. Mother seems much too smitten with you and I'd rather not hurt her.

But if you do hurt her…"

"I know you'll report me," Evian said with a smile and a roll of his eyes.

"Report you?" Astrid asked and then laughed darkly. In a way that caused every hair on Evian's body to stand on end,

"Why would I do something as foolish as that? No, I'll hunt you myself, and believe me, you can't escape me."

Evian believed her but he refused to look shaken as he said,

"Noted."

Astrid smiled brightly then believing she had gotten her message across,

"Well then, Congratulations are in order, Evian Stygian— The Martial Temple's newest 6th Rank Knight."