The Herta's stockings, night, passion

A delicate silence spread through the living room.

Cipher's alert cat ears caught the sound of the bedroom door closing.

It was the sound of Lin Hai locking the door from inside.

The crisp click was like an invisible barrier, shutting her out and formally drawing back the curtain on the space beyond the door.

The light in the bedroom was soft, and the atmosphere suddenly turned intimate.

The Herta took a deep breath and steadied herself.

In truth, her own thoughts were somewhat muddled.

The fingers she usually used to unravel the truths of the universe undid the exquisite belt around her robe.

The faint rustle of fabric sounded unusually clear in the quiet room.

The Herta said nothing, but her eyes shone with more than curiosity about the unknown. There was a more primal emotion in them as well.

Lin Hai stepped closer to her, and the air seemed to grow warm.

Their first kiss was like the beginning of a ceremony.

Their lips touched.

The Herta's body gradually softened, as though freed from the restraints of every bone, and she nestled completely into Lin Hai's embrace like a pool of flowing moonlight.

A panel quietly appeared in Lin Hai's mind, then vanished.

[Herta's affection: 89]

[Affection above 80 means she depends on you and has fallen for you]

[Affection above 90 means she cannot bear to be without you]

[Affection above 95 means she is willing to risk everything, even her life, to protect you and the relationship between you!]

Without realizing it, The Herta had long since fallen for him.

Lin Hai suddenly remembered something.

Consummating a marriage.

He might as well take this opportunity to share a cup of cross-cupped wine.

It would make the occasion more ceremonial and touch their hearts more deeply!

Lin Hai drew back a little, his voice low with passion.

"I just remembered... where I come from, there's a ritual. Before a husband and wife truly become husband and wife, they drink cross-cupped wine together."

The Herta's eyes were hazy.

"...I've heard of it. All right, let's try it."

Lin Hai got up, leaving that intoxicating tenderness behind for the moment, and walked over to the cabinet in the living room.

He picked out two wineglasses and a bottle of richly colored fine wine.

The sound of the clear wine pouring into the glasses was especially pleasing to the ear at that moment.

Cipher sat dumbly on the living room sofa, utterly unsure what to do.

She simply picked up the cushion beside her and put it over her face, pretending she couldn't see anything.

Lin Hai returned to the bedroom with the glasses.

The Herta took one of them.

They linked arms, forming a tightly joined circle, their eyes meeting at close range, their breathing audible.

They drank the wine in their glasses together. As it slipped down their throats, it brought more than warmth. It was like the sealing of a pact, making the intimate atmosphere all the more intoxicating.

Afterward, Lin Hai's movements grew gentler and more assured.

The Lucky Star on the cabinet suddenly erupted with an intensely powerful light.

It was dazzling.

The panel appeared in Lin Hai's mind again.

[Contract Lucky Star · The Herta]

[Current affection: 90]

[New stage reached. Hidden mission reward obtained: Concentric Knot]

A warm, brilliant red radiance emerged in the bedroom air.

Drawn by an invisible force, the points of light swiftly gathered in the space between them, weaving together...

Finally, they formed an intricate and exquisite red Concentric Knot.

It hung silently in the air, turning slowly and giving off a soft halo full of vitality.

Countless fine, crystalline threads of energy streamed out from the Concentric Knot.

They connected with perfect precision to both their hearts and the spots between their brows.

There was no pain, only a warm sense of connection.

At that moment, Lin Hai and The Herta both shuddered slightly.

An unprecedented sense of their hearts and minds being in tune surged over them!

Without words, or even a meeting of their eyes, their thoughts and emotions flowed naturally together like streams joining the same river.

It was a sensation beyond language and logic.

A resonance between their souls.

The Concentric Knot's light reached its peak, then gradually faded, but the mysterious connection formed by the countless threads did not disappear. It merely became invisible.

Along with it came a brand-new power bestowed by the Contract Lucky Star.

New information appeared in Lin Hai's mind.

[Super Burst]

[For ten minutes, you can wield all of The Herta's power.]

Lin Hai was overwhelmed with elation.

Ten minutes.

Though the time was short, it was an unimaginably enormous gift!

After all, The Herta's individual combat strength ranked among the strongest in the entire Star Rail universe.

At the same time, a trace of shock flashed through The Herta's eyes.

She could feel that the upper limit of her strength, dormant for so long, had actually begun to shift!

An entirely new path of growth, full of possibilities, opened before her.

[Receive affection to unlock your power's upper limit!]

By maintaining her connection with Lin Hai, her power would be able to break through its inherent limits and advance into uncharted territory!

They looked at each other in silence, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

Lin Hai was stunned that he could briefly wield the immense power to shake the stars.

The Herta, a being who had long stood at the pinnacle of wisdom and power, was stirred by the prospect of her future progress.

How strong could I become?

The Herta asked, "What did you get?"

"The ability to wield power equal to yours for a short time."

"How short?"

"Ten minutes."

The Herta nodded. "My power is very strong. During those ten minutes, very few people will be your match. In most situations, you can act as you please."

Lin Hai turned the question on her. "What about you?"

"The upper limit of my power has been unlocked. I can pursue even greater power. In other words, there's a way to break through the bottleneck I had before."

"What way?" Lin Hai pressed.

"Affection."

"Affection?" A puzzled look appeared on Lin Hai's face. "What kind of affection?"

"Receiving your affection!"

"What? My affection?"

The Herta nodded firmly. "You heard me right. It's exactly what you're thinking."

With a light tug of The Herta's fingertips, her finely textured black stockings slid slowly down her legs and pooled soundlessly on the floor at her feet.

The faint light filtering in through the window seemed especially kind to her, softly outlining the graceful curves of her body.

In the dimness, her skin displayed a delicate, ivory-like sheen.

Lin Hai's gaze passed over the stockings she had casually discarded. Without a word, he simply bent down and gently picked them up.

His movements were careful and focused, as though he were handling a work of art worth treasuring.

Then he carefully folded them and placed them securely in a corner of the nightstand.

"Why did you put them away so carefully?" The Herta lay on her side, propping her chin on one hand, lazy curiosity in her eyes.

Lin Hai looked back at her. "I want to keep them safe."

Hearing that, The Herta's lips curved into a knowing smile tinged with fond indulgence.

"So you like these? If you want them, I can give them to you anytime. There's no need to be so careful."

"All right." Lin Hai gazed at her. "Then I'll keep all your stockings from now on."

Before the words had fully left his mouth, The Herta smiled and reached out, looping her arms around his neck and pulling him toward her.

A kiss followed, sealing away everything left unsaid and dispelling the last chill of the night.

The night grew deeper.