Chapter 23 Courtney After A Month (2)

    "Nathan."

    My focus shifted from the pages of the book to the sound of my name being called, prompting me to raise my gaze and take in the sight before me. Standing there was Courtney, her chestnut hair pulled back into a tidy ponytail, framing her features with a certain elegance.

    She was unmistakably beautiful, dressed in her training outfit, a clear indication that she was here to summon me for our scheduled session in the forest. It seemed that our classmates had been making significant progress, spurred on by the newfound abilities bestowed upon them through the awakening of heroes. I couldn''t help but feel a sense of admiration for the advantages this awakening offered.

    "Courtney, how are you?" I greeted her with a warm smile, extending my hand in a gesture of camaraderie.

    A faint blush tinted Courtney''s cheeks as she accepted my hand, her reaction not lost on me. With a gentle grasp, I pulled her closer, guiding her to settle onto my lap.

    "Hya!" As the days turned into weeks since my threat to Courtney, I found myself contemplating the consequences of my actions. Despite my initial threats, I refrained from crossing certain boundaries, never once seeking to coerce her into compromising situations or exploit her vulnerabilities for my own gain.

    In short, I didn''t take her virginity or make her do anything like I did with Khione.

    Instead, I settled for a simple yet significant gesture: a daily kiss, a symbolic token of my authority over her. It was a subtle reminder of my presence in her life, a silent assertion of my dominance.

    Courtney''s reaction to my restraint was palpable. She seemed genuinely taken aback by my reluctance to escalate the situation, expecting perhaps a more aggressive pursuit of my desires. Yet, contrary to her fears, I refrained from succumbing to base impulses, choosing instead to exert my influence with restraint.

    However, make no mistake – my desires for Courtney were far from altruistic. I coveted her, yes, but I understood the delicate balance between desire and destruction. Unlike Khione, whose centuries of experience had molded her into a strong woman with a strong mind, Courtney was much younger with little experience.

    I did not want to break her. She wasn''t Khione, with her incredible mental resistance. With her or the other girls in my class I''m aiming for, I''ll have to play it cool.

    "How are you?" I murmured, my arms enveloping Courtney''s waist from behind as I nestled my head against her shoulder, inhaling the sweet fragrance that enveloped her.

    "F...Fine," she replied, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension.

    "It''s been a month, and as promised, I don''t lie," I declared, swiftly deleting the footage before her eyes and revealing the absence of any other incriminating evidence.

    "Well, it was good while it lasted, but now you''re free to do whatever you want. You mentioned you couldn''t find good excuses for Jason, right? Then it should be over today," I stated, purposefully letting disappointment seep into my expression.

    Uum... yes..." Courtney replied, her face betraying a flurry of emotions. Confusion danced across her features, masking any sense of happiness she should have felt at being released from our arrangement.

    Despite our brief month of closeness, the intimate talks and shared moments, Courtney couldn''t remain indifferent. Her emotions were too entangled to simply shrug off our connection.

    "Ha.." With a surprising kiss, I interrupted her thoughts, catching her off guard once again.

    "The agreement is over, but I wanted one last kiss, my apologies, Courtney," I said, a bittersweet smile playing at my lips.

    "I..." Courtney began, her words trailing off as she struggled to find a response.

    "Anyway, you''re here to call me for training, right? Let''s go," I interjected, brushing off her confusion as I made my way out, a satisfied smirk hidden beneath the surface.

    I may have deleted the footage, but I wasn''t naive. Despite releasing Courtney from our arrangement, I knew there was little chance she would return to Jason. In just a month, our interactions had shifted the landscape of her emotions entirely.

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