"All right, let's go meet Rachel!"
Gale stood up with excitement. After his experience with Mira, he was expectant to meet with Rachel. He'd lie if he said he didn't like the action. Undoubtedly, the fact that Mira's face often contorted from joy and pleasure encouraged him greatly.
"Chill, you're going to have almost 2 weeks with her."
"Do I really need to ruin her connection? I'm already an Advanced Magician, so I only need to get her affinity with the earth, I don't need to absorb her connection with mana."
"You're right, but according to your experience with Mira, your affinity grew the more you spent time with her. I believe your affinity grows on a scale, and not as a one-time thing."
"Hmm, you're right. Does it mean that if I get an affinity from an expert magician I'll have to also absorb one from a True Mage, Advanced Mage, and an Expert Mage?"
"I don't think so. Within phases, your affinity remains the same unless you consume a special natural treasure or a potion. However, the former is rare, and the latter is both expensive and has only a marginal effect. It's also impossible to stack the effects of many potions as you'd develop immunity quickly."
"Then…?"
"Then it means you'll have to absorb affinities from Mages later, but once you absorb a True Mage's affinity, you're all set for the Mage phase. Do note that more talented mages have better affinities than others and different mages sometimes have a different type of affinity with the same element.
For example, my affinity with fire is more leaning toward explosion and burning, so I'm not good at concocting potions, which requires affinity with warmth, development, and utilizing materials. Besides, Potion brewers often have an affinity with both water and fire."
After Lena finished explaining affinities to Gale, they marched together in the jail's direction. As always, Lena led him to the door and unlocked it. For his first meeting with Rachel, she went in with him to make sure everything goes smoothly.
--------------
3 days earlier:
Lena decided to meet with Rachel and instruct her on what answers to give to Gale in advance, to prevent a situation like the first time Mira and Gale met each other, in which Mira didn't know what parts of the truth she should hide.
At the end of the day, Rachel might not be as smart as Mira and get the hint just by seeing Lena narrowing her eyes, which might result in her giving answers she shouldn't and affect Gale's willingness to take advantage of her situation.
"Hello Rachel, remember our deal? The time has come, and you'll be meeting with the man I told you about in a few days."
"I remember, Lady Lena. I will hold up my end of the deal, I just hope you will heal my father as promised."
Rachel was a cute looking short girl. She was 40 years old, yet with the longer life span of an Expert Magician she looked more like a version of herself at the age of 20. But what made it even more special was her petite build; she was short, 150 cm only, with big round brown eyes that resembled those of a kid's.
Her black hair reached her upper back, and if not for the clear mana's acknowledgment of her, one might think she was 13-14 years old. Her petite body included small breasts, which Lena estimated as B cup, and a cute, little rear end. Overall, she would be the choice of men who were into younger girls but wanted to keep it legal.
"The man's name is Gale. As you already know, you will lose your connection to mana forever after he sleeps with you for a couple of weeks. However, he is slightly gullible and has a soft heart, making it difficult for him to hurt others. When you meet him for the first time, he will ask you whether you're aware of the risk of losing the connection to mana, and why you're doing it anyway.
I expect you to answer that you're aware, but you have your own goals you want to pursue, however, you will miss your chance to achieve your goals forever if you don't get out soon. Luckily, those goals don't require you to have a connection to mana in order to achieve them. Understood?"
"Yes, Lady Lena."
The teen-like woman nodded with understanding after taking a second or two to process Lena's words. Lena's guts told her that something was suspicious about the lack of questions and the woman's countenance, yet she quickly dismissed that feeling when she saw Rachel's innocent look.
"Remember, if you try backing out of the deal after agreeing, both you and your sick father are doomed."
With a last warning, she turned back and left Rachel's cell.
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Back to the present:
Opening the door, Gale and Lena came into Rachel's house. While she didn't follow Mira's example of avoiding wearing the prison uniform, she wore only the top. However, as short as she was, the shirt was long enough to cover her until the thighs, and Gale could only applaud her for succeeding in making a prison shirt look cute.
"Hello, are you Lord Gale?"
Rachel looked at him with her big eyes and curtsied.
"Uhm, yes, hello Rachel."
Gale lost his cool for a moment. Although Lena has told him in advance that Rachel is petite, he just hadn't expected a woman above 40 to look so young.
"I'm glad you look so gentle and handsome. When Lady Lena told me of the deal, I was worried it was someone scary."
Rachel said with excitement and happiness in her voice. She was taking good advantage of her strongest point – being cute. Gale couldn't help but feel the urge to assure this woman the process won't hurt.
"I promise it won't hurt at all. But why are you still agreeing to lose your connection to mana only to be released a few years earlier?"
Lena looked intently at Rachel and waited for her answer. She didn't like her behavior so far at all, it felt like she was trying to manipulate Gale to take pity on her and develop a desire to protect her.
"I have other goals to pursue, and I will miss the best time to achieve them if I wait any longer in jail. My connection to mana isn't important to me, it won't even damage my life expectancy."
Lena heaved a sigh of relief; she wasn't sure the woman will act by the rules she imposed on her. "I guess her father gets to live", she murmured to herself.
"I see, do you want my help pursuing those goals when you're out of jail?"
"Thank you, Lord Gale. You're as kind as I was told you were. However, some things can only be achieved by oneself without using external help."
"All right, let me thank you in advance. Although it's a trade and you also gain what you want, I still benefit from your loss."
"It's okay, it's my honor to be of any use to you, Lord Gale."
She lowered her head in respect.
"Ok, I will leave the two of you and be outside."
Lena left the room and Gale stayed alone with Rachel. He approached her and sat in bed. He didn't know how he should take the first step with such a young looking woman. Mira always took the lead at first, and only later when he felt comfortable around her, did he have no problem just walking to her and trying anything he wanted. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with Rachel yet.
"Come, have a seat by my side."
He invited Rachel, who still stood by the bed waiting for him to act first, to sit.
"Yes, Lord Gale."
"You don't have to address me as a lord, we are going to be intimate soon. Just say my name."
"Ok, Gale. Do you want to… touch me?"
She sat right next to him, her thigh touching his, and asked shyly. Gale felt his heart racing, he never felt this type of stimulation. He reached out with his hand to her face and held her cheek.
"I do. You're so pretty, I want to kiss your lips."
He said and leaned down to her lips and started kissing her. She kissed him back, using her lips only. Unlike Mira, she gave an inexperienced feeling, as if it was the first kiss of a shy teenager.
"Relax, enjoy the feeling."
Gale wanted her to enjoy kissing him and be more cooperative. Without him even noticing, his green eyes flashed with a mellow light. Rachel immediately sent out her tongue to his mouth. Their tongues met, and touched each other for a moment, seemingly checking each other. A moment later they started coiling around each other like they met their lifelong partner, mixing their saliva to the point they could taste one another.
"AH!"
Rachel quickly backed away from the kiss, panic flashing through her eyes. Gale was confused, the kiss started feeling so good, so why did she suddenly stop? He suddenly saw her reluctant expression and felt worried.
"What happened? Did you change your mind about the deal? Did I do something you disliked?"
