Chapter 48: Jealous Heart
With a mechanical hiss, the capsule's door slid open, revealing a pale glow beyond.
Rani stepped out first, her boots clinking softly against an unnaturally smooth floor.
She narrowed her eyes, adjusting to the new light.
Lu Bu followed behind her in silence, the heavy thud of his armored steps a low rhythm in the sterile atmosphere.
The fourth floor was quiet—eerily so.
There was no trace of life.
No signs of the other Masters.
No sound beyond her and her Servant.
The world around her resembled a pristine white labyrinth, its walls curving organically like the inner chamber of a sacred machine.
There were no visible seams.
The architecture felt impossibly advanced and yet ancient.
Not mechanical, not magical—something in between.
Lines of luminous script ran across the surfaces, dancing with slow pulses of indigo and gold, as if responding to her presence.
She reached out, brushing her gloved fingers against one, and it flickered softly under her touch.
A voice echoed through the corridor.
Smooth.
Deep.
Familiar and yet unknowable.
"Welcome, Rani VIII. Scholar of Atlas. You may proceed."
She froze mid-step.
That voice—it wasn't from a speaker.
It spoke like it knew her.
Like it watched her.
Lu Bu took a single step forward, his body tensing as if expecting an ambush.
She raised her hand gently to still him.
"Stay close," she said. "But don't draw your weapon unless I say."
He gave a shallow grunt in response.
Ahead, the hallway stretched into a narrowing fork.
One path shimmered faintly with opulent golden light.
The other path was far more subdued.
At the end stood a small, narrow door marked with a strange red sigil—hand-sketched and uneven, unlike the elegant symbols lining the corridor.
She moved forward, slowly, her cloak brushing behind her like a shadow.
At the fork, she stopped, glancing between the two paths.
She looked at Lu Bu.
He stood still, a monolith of silence and bloodlust, his eyes flicking from corridor to corridor.
Ready.
Waiting.
But for what, even he couldn't know.
Rani placed her hand over her chest,
"You were right, Father," she murmured to herself.
"Knowledge isn't the hardest path. Deciding who deserves it is."
"Let's begin."
Lu Bu's red eyes glowed, and the hallway trembled with a soft mechanical chime.
Somewhere, a mechanism clicked into place.
The trial had seen her.
And it was ready.
Elsewhere.
The capsule's low hum was the only sound in the dimmed space.
After surviving the nightmare that was the third floor, the group had gone quiet—each lost in thought, licking their wounds, or pretending the silence didn't feel as heavy as it did.
Richard sat near the entrance, blade across his knees, gaze unfocused.
Cú Chulainn sprawled along one wall, half-snoring.
Leonidas and Fergus passed a bottle of something strong back and forth in the corner, while Robin leaned with his back against the glass, eyes closed but alert.
Beneath the covers in the narrow bedspace, Riya and Rin lay close—warm, tangled together in the aftermath of everything they'd endured.
Rin's leg hooked over his.
One of her hands was already entwined with his fingers beneath the blanket.
The other gently slid across his chest, fingers tracing the edge of a scar, then drifting lower.
Her head nuzzled into his shoulder.
"You're warm," she whispered softly, like a confession.
Riya shifted slightly, and Rin moved with him, trailing kisses along his collarbone.
But just as her hand slipped lower, brushing across the edge of his waistband, he caught it gently in his.
"Hey..." he said quietly.
"Not tonight."
Rin froze.
He didn't let go of her hand.
But his voice was serious now, and she could hear it in the way he exhaled.
"I think… tonight I'm going to try connecting with another Servant."
Silence.
Rin slowly pulled back, just enough to look at his face in the dark.
She said nothing for a moment.
Then she smiled.
A soft, tight little smile that barely reached her eyes.
"Oh. I see," she said.
"Well… good luck."
She let her hand slip out of his and turned slightly, facing away.
Her back curved against his chest, but her warmth felt a little further away now.
Riya stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds, then closed his eyes.
This is how it has to be, he told himself.
Still, he didn't feel any less hollow as sleep took him.
The transition into sleep was barely noticed—no jolt, no drop, just the slow drift from weight to weightlessness.
Riya opened his eyes to find himself standing on a floating bridge of vermillion wood, suspended in a twilight sky where stars blinked lazily and clouds shimmered like sakura petals.
The air smelled of incense and spring rain, tinged with something sweet—like caramelized sugar.
The bridge led to a grand shrine complex floating among the clouds.
Light shimmered off the curved rooftops, and golden torii gates hovered midair, forming a sacred path.
She stood at the end of the bridge, waiting for him.
Suzuka Gozen.
She wore a short, stylized shrine maiden outfit with modern accents—a tight crop top beneath her red-and-white haori, short pleated skirt swishing with every motion, black thigh-highs hugging her legs perfectly.
Her long, caramel brown hair gleamed in the moonlight, cascading like a waterfall down her back.
Twin fox ears twitched atop her head, the same shade as her hair, while a fluffy tail swayed behind her with every playful step, completing her otherworldly charm.
She tilted her head, lips curved into a smirk that was all tease and no innocence.
"Took you long enough, Riyan-kun," she purred, resting one hand on her hip while the other traced lazy circles in the air.
"I was starting to think you'd skip our first date."
Riya took a step forward, and the bridge beneath him rippled with light.
she raised a brow. "You sound breathless already. We haven't even started."
With a laugh like wind chimes and devilment, she sauntered toward him, her steps unnaturally graceful.
Every movement seemed calculated to draw the eye—her hips swaying just so, her chest rising with each breath, her gaze locked on him like a fox with its prey.
She stopped inches away, leaning close—close enough for him to feel the warmth of her breath on his lips.
"You know," she whispered, "when a man sleeps and dreams of a woman like me, it usually means he's already mine."
Her fingers brushed his cheek, then drifted down, trailing along the line of his collar.
"But you're special, aren't you? You've danced with queens, kissed killers, and still have room for a lonely little princess like me."
She leaned closer—her lips grazing his ear.
"So… will you claim me? Or are you just here to stare like a good boy?"
He moved without thinking—his hand rising to her waist, pulling her flush against him.
Her breath hitched, and for the briefest moment, the cocky mask slipped—replaced by something softer.
But she recovered fast.
"Mmm, yes~ That's it," she said, voice melting into a husky whisper.
"Touch me like I'm real."
"Like you want me."
The dream shifted—the shrine dissolving into a starlit platform ringed by shimmering mirrors, reflecting their bodies from every angle.
Gravity didn't matter here.
The space itself pulsed in rhythm with their desire.
Suzuka slid her hands beneath his shirt, nails grazing skin, drawing sharp little gasps from him.
Her lips found his neck, planting kisses that sent heat rushing through his veins.
"You're so tense," she whispered.
"Was your last girl too serious? Let me guess… dark hair, sharp tongue, bit of a tsundere?"
His fingers gripped her thigh, lifting it against his hip.
"Something like that."
"Tch. Figures," she pouted, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing their foreheads together.
"You boys always want the tsuns until someone like me shows up."
Her smile turned smug again.
"But I'm generous. I share."
She leaned in fully this time—and kissed him.
It was a slow, sinful kiss, tasting of honey and fire, as if the very dream burned around them.
Riya deepened it, one hand sliding up her back, the other gripping her leg.
She moaned softly into his mouth, her body arching into his.
"Yes," she whispered when they broke apart, breathless.
"That's what I want."
Their lips met again—hungrier this time, charged with more than just teasing flirtation.
Suzuka clung to him like a lover long denied, her breath hot and shaky as his hands explored the curves of her waist and lower back, pulling her tighter until no space remained between them.
"Riyan-kun…" she whispered, eyes half-lidded with longing.
"Don't hold back. I want all of you."
He lifted her effortlessly, and her legs wrapped around his hips, their bodies drawn together like magnets.
She bit her lip as he positioned himself at her entrance—dream or not, this was real in every way that mattered.
Their eyes locked.
"I'm ready," she breathed. "Claim me."
And with one steady motion, he entered her.
Suzuka gasped—head falling back, hair cascading like silver flame as she arched into him.
The sudden heat between them bloomed, deep and consuming.
Her nails dug into his shoulders as she moaned, the sound soft at first, then rising in rhythm with each thrust, each movement that pushed them closer together—mind, body, and soul.
"Y-Yes, like that… ah, Riya—"
The starlit world around them pulsed with light, like it too was overwhelmed by the act.
Each motion felt endless and electric, their silhouettes reflected infinitely in the mirrorlike void.
Her inner walls tightened around him as their rhythm intensified, her voice becoming breathless music in his ear.
She pressed her forehead to his, eyes glassy and wide.
"Can you feel it? Our connection… deeper than anything…"
He thrust deeper—harder—and she cried out, her body shuddering as pleasure surged through her.
In that instant, as they reached the height of their passion together, a radiant burst of golden light exploded around them like a star being born.
Their bodies trembled, locked in climax.
The dream itself shivered.
Suzuka gasped his name one final time, arms tightening around him as the last waves of heat rippled through her.
He held her close as their breath slowed together, heartbeats still racing in tandem.
But then—her body shimmered in his arms, glowing softly.
Riya blinked in confusion as warmth spread from her core outward.
Suzuka pulled back, smirking, her voice honeyed and teasing.
"That was fun… but I did say I could change how I look, right?"
Before he could answer, the dreamscape pulsed, and Suzuka's form dissolved into motes of light… then reformed.
Her skin darkened into a warm, sun-kissed tan, gleaming with a slight sheen as if kissed by the ocean breeze.
Her long caramel-brown hair now whipped behind her in wild waves, untamed and striking.
Her fox ears flicked playfully, now tipped in gold, and her tail swayed with a heavier, fuller motion—like a living temptation.
Her "assets" had grown noticeably, her breasts now bouncing freely within the confines of a minimal, shimmering violet bikini top, barely clinging to her curves.
Her hips flared wider, her toned thighs framing an equally revealing bottom piece, a string barely hiding anything.
She struck a teasing pose, hand on her hip, cocking her head with a wink.
"This is my Rider form. I thought you deserved a reward for making me feel that good."
Riya stared—speechless, stunned, aroused all over again.
She stepped closer, her hips rolling with each sultry step.
"So, Master…" Her voice dripped with lust.
"Ready to ride again?"
He didn't answer with words.
Their bodies crashed together once more, hotter than before.
His hands roamed freely, cupping her enlarged curves, squeezing her generous breasts as she moaned into his mouth, her fox tail curling around his leg possessively.
He pulled back slightly, positioning himself between her thighs once more, feeling her warmth draw him in as she looked up at him with hooded, hungry eyes.
He entered her again—slowly, deliberately—his every movement filled with aching intention.
Suzuka's breath caught in her throat, her eyes fluttering half-shut as the sensation rippled through her.
She clung to him, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist, her nails grazing down his back in a shiver of pleasure.
The dreamscape shimmered around them, stars pulsing like a heartbeat in time with their rhythm.
The warmth between them built gradually, delicious and unrelenting, until every touch sent sparks cascading across the sky above.
Her tanned skin glowed under the starlight, sweat forming along her collarbone and the curves of her hips.
His hands explored every inch of her, slow and reverent, like he was memorizing the shape of her in this surreal, sacred moment.
She moaned softly—"R-Riya…"—the sound trembling from her lips, half a plea and half a demand.
Each motion brought them closer, the friction, the heat, the mounting waves of tension keeping them right on the edge.
Suzuka's tail curled around his thigh as she arched into him, her voice a breathless whisper against his ear.
"Deeper… don't hold back…"
And he didn't.
He moved with more purpose now, their bodies locked in rhythm, passion spilling out in gasps and whimpers.
Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pulled him closer, seeking more—needing all of him.
The pace picked up, both of them frantic in their need.
Faster.
Harder.
The friction was intoxicating, every movement stoking the fire building inside them.
Her moans grew louder, desperate, as their bodies slid together in a frantic, rhythm-driven dance.
Suzuka's back arched as she gasped his name again, the urgency now undeniable. She dug her nails into his shoulders, pulling him deeper, urging him faster.
And finally, with a sharp cry that echoed through the dream, the burst came.
It was overwhelming—an explosion of heat and light, flooding them both in its intensity.
The world around them blurred as they reached the peak of their passion, their bodies shaking in unison, suspended in the euphoria.
As their breath slowed, Suzuka collapsed onto him, her skin slick and her pulse racing.
"…You're dangerous, Master," she whispered with a sultry smile, her lips brushing against his ear.
"And I like it."
In that afterglow, she lay against him, flushed and glowing, her voice soft.
"Now I'm truly yours…"
Riya could feel it—the power settling into his core.
The bond forged in lust.
He brushed her cheek.
"Thank you, Suzuka."
She smiled faintly, eyelids fluttering.
"Mhm. Sweet dreams, lover."
She smirked into his skin, and the dream began to fade.
Elsewhere.
The soft hum of the capsule's ambient systems filled the silence, punctuated only by the slow, even sound of Riya's breathing.
Rin hadn't fallen asleep.
She lay there beside him, still curled under the covers, her back half-turned to him as if asleep—eyes open, staring into the dark ceiling of the pod.
Her fingers clutched at the thin blanket beneath her, knuckles white.
She could feel his warmth next to her.
Feel the slight shifts in his body as he moved in his sleep.
But more than anything… she could see the look on his face.
His expression—peaceful, flushed, lips parted ever so slightly—was radiant.
Blissful.
Happy.
But not because of her.
Her chest tightened.
"He said he was going to connect with someone tonight…"
That had already stung.
She'd smiled, told him good luck, pretended it didn't matter.
But the part of her curled up under the blanket now was trembling with the quiet, ugly ache of jealousy.
"It's fine. This is how his power works. This is the mission. I knew what I was signing up for."
But knowing didn't stop the hurt.
Her gaze flicked to him again, and she saw a small, involuntary smile curve across his sleeping lips.
His brow relaxed, his fingers twitching slightly like he was touching something—or someone—in his dream.
That was when Rin's heart cracked just a little more.
She turned away fully now, blinking fast as her throat tightened.
She hated how her mind kept whispering things she didn't want to hear.
"Was I not enough? Did he enjoy that dream more than being with me?"
She clutched the edge of the pillow, pressing her face into it, hiding the silent tears that threatened to fall.
"Don't be stupid, Rin. He cares about you. This is just… part of the job. A price for his power."
She repeated that in her mind like a mantra.
Still, her heart refused to calm.
Because no matter how much she tried to reason it out, it didn't change what she saw:
The man she had given herself to… was smiling for someone else in his dreams.
And that truth hurt more than she was ready to admit.
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RIYA RIOT STATS:
Suzuka Gozen:
Skills:
Magic Resistance:(A)
Riding:(A)
Divinity:(A)
Mystic Eyes:(B+)
Divine Power:(B)
Noble Phantasms:
Demonic Sun-Shower:(B++)
Blessing of Wisdom:(C)
Trichiliocosm:(EX)
Midsummer Paradise - Halo Garden:(A+)
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