I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 844: Craving for the mana

“I was just touring the castle,” she said lightly. “This place is very huge. I must have walked farther than I intended.”

Azmed’s concern eased. He smiled in return and the familiar warmth returned to his eyes.

“It is an impressive estate,” he agreed. “I still get turned around in some of the older wings myself. The Duke has expanded it more times than I can count over the years.”

He accepted her explanation without further question. Clara felt a small, sharp twist in her chest at how easily he believed her. For a brief moment the truth rose toward her tongue. She almost told him everything: the private meeting, the demonstration, the offer, the dangerous thoughts that had followed.

panggg panggg

Then her core throbbed.

The residual pulse of improved energy moved through her meridians like a gentle reminder. The sensation was still there and with it came the memory of how close she had come to the breakthrough, and of everything Julian had implied about what further sessions could mean for Elara… and for herself.

The confession died before it reached her lips.

Clara moved farther into the room and sat on the edge of the bed, keeping her posture relaxed. She smoothed her gown again, more for something to do with her hands than from any real need.

“The gardens are especially fine,” she said, continuing the harmless story. “I can see why the Duke is proud of them.”

Azmed nodded, already reaching for his pipe again. “We should walk them together tomorrow before we leave. Elara would enjoy it as well.”

At the mention of their daughter Clara’s fingers tightened. She kept her smile in place.

“Yes,” she answered. “We should.”

She watched her husband settle back into his comfortable zone of smoke and afternoon light. He looked satisfied, unaware of the shift that had taken place only a few corridors away.

The contrast made the secret sit more heavily inside her. She had always prided herself on honesty within their marriage. But today she chose silence.

***

Meanwhile, back in his own chambers, Julian stretched his body slowly.

The conversation with Clara had stirred something restless inside him.

The brief session they had… reminded his system of the pure current it craved desperately right now. Ordinary mana absorption could not quench that thirst anymore.

Kraven’s vessel was large and the weak mana from his surrounding simply could not fill it with the same speed or power. Dual cultivation remained the only method that truly answered the demand.

His eyes glinted as his thoughts turned to Olivia.

He remembered their last private session with perfect clarity. His mother had pleasured him with her hand while speaking words no mother should ever direct at her son. The memory carried heat even now.

They had promised each other that session would be the final one and they would keep everything about this a secret.

Julian laughed quietly under his breath.

How can I let go of you… mother?

The incomplete session with Clara had only sharpened the appetite. He needed more. And the one person who could give it to him most effectively was already under the same roof.

A smile graced his face as he stood.

He changed into a simple dark robe. It was loose enough for something private yet presentable enough for a late visit to his parents’ chambers. Then he left his room and stepped into the corridor.

The hallway was mildly crowded. Knights stood at regular intervals along the main passage, their armor catching the light of the mana lamps.

No one paid the young lord particular attention beyond the expected respectful nods. Julian returned them calmly, while his thoughts remained fixed on the door at the end of the corridor.

He reached the private chambers of the Duke and Duchess.

For a moment he simply stood before the wooden door, listening. Faint movement sounded inside. He raised his hand and knocked once, then twice.

Footsteps approached almost immediately.

click

The door opened.

Duke Astran stood in the doorway, still slightly flushed from the wine he had shared with Count Azmed earlier. His outer robe hung loosely, and the scent of alcohol lingered in the air.

For mages of their level it was a simple matter to purge alcohol from the body entirely. A brief circulation of mana could burn the haze away in moments and restore perfect clarity. Yet not many chose to do so.

Most who drank did so precisely to get drunk. If one intended to clear it away the moment it arrived, there was little point in drinking at all. The Duke, it seemed, had decided to keep the pleasant remnant of the morning’s celebration a little longer.

He blinked at the sight of his son, then offered a broad, slightly delayed smile.

“Kraven. I was not expecting you. Is something wrong?”

Julian returned the smile.

“Nothing urgent, Father. I simply wished to speak with you for a moment. May I come in?”

The Duke stepped aside and gestured with his hand. “Of course, of course. Your mother is in the bathroom. We can talk here.”

Julian entered.

For a moment neither spoke. The Duke settled into his own chair with a comfortable sigh and studied his son.

“You handled yourself well this morning,” the Duke said at last. “Both in the courtyard and afterward. Azmed was impressed. More importantly, his wife seemed less hostile by the time they left the hall. That is no small thing. Clara Azmed has never been easy to please.”

Julian bowed his head slightly, accepting the praise without comment.

“I am glad the visit is going smoothly,” he said. “House Azmed’s support will matter when the larger storms arrive.”

The Duke’s expression grew a fraction more serious, though the wine still softened the edges.

“You have been thinking about the war as well, then. Good. A man who only looks at the present will not hold a duchy for long.” He reached for a nearby glass, found it empty, and set it aside again with a faint shrug.

“Your mother and I were discussing the same thing earlier. The capital’s delays, the strange movements in the south, the way certain old names have begun to surface again. Something is shifting. I can feel it.”

Julian listened with genuine attention.