Ruth swallowed again. The nun's habit stopped wriggling, leaving only a face full of regret. "Alright."
Seeing Hattie's slightly stern expression, she added, "Truthfully, I don't know how to get money quickly. You know me, Hattie. I have no interest in money. So, I never paid much attention to memories about ways to earn it."
But then, after a pause, her tone suddenly shifted. "However, if you're truly in urgent need right now, I can lend you some."
As she spoke, she pulled out a deep green, translucent gem from a nearby pocket.
It was a flawless alexandrite—worth at least five hundred gold on the market!
Hattie's eyes instantly lit up, and Ruth smiled softly. "Is this enough? If not, I have more..."
She then produced a pristine black pearl, pressing it into Hattie's hand. "While draining people's memories in the past, I'd occasionally discover where they'd hidden their treasures. Since they'd never need them again, I... graciously accepted them on their behalf."
"If you need them, take them, dear Hattie. Sell them for a good price. Don't hold back."
Hattie's face brightened with joy. She rushed forward, arms outstretched, and hugged Ruth tightly. "Ah, my dear sister! You're absolutely wonderful!"
Yet, beneath the nun's habit, her arms rapidly elongated. Her fingers twisted into ink-green tentacles, slithering into Ruth's clothes to entwine with hers.
After living together in the monastery for so long, she knew exactly how to bring Ruth pleasure.
Ruth maintained her gentle smile, returning the embrace as her eyes half-lidded. "Ah, my good sister, it's nothing at all."
"As long as you help me after the next Night of the Witches... I'll be more than satisfied."
...
In the room, Charles carefully studied the table of contents in Quandrix Primer.
The book was divided into two main sections. The first covered the foundational mathematics and arcane knowledge required for initiates of the College of Quandrix. The second, however, held the true value of this expensive magical item.
The latter half contained esoteric text, sigils, diagrams, and color-blocked magic arrays—so complex they made Charles's head spin. These enabled the book to accumulate one charge of magical power daily. Its wielder could then consume this charge to cast the 1st-level spell Thunderwave by uttering a command word, with no prior study or training required.
Once the charge was expended, a spellcaster—even one who hadn't learned the spell—could recite another command phrase, channeling their own magic into the book to cast it.
The cryptic magic circles baffled Charles, but the instructions were clear. He itched to test the spell's might.
But alas, Thunderwave produced a thunderous boom audible for hundreds of meters—certain to draw the witches' attention. Forced to stifle his excitement, he redirected his focus to the book.
And so, an hour slipped away unnoticed.
"Whew…"
Sitting on the bed, Charles—his head throbbing—slumped as he set the hefty tome aside with a sigh. He closed his eyes, pressing his fingertips against his temples in slow circles.
Too abstract. What the hell kind of teaching material is this? Even worse than university textbooks in my previous life…
Damn it, is this thing actually meant to educate? Did they write it like this on purpose to keep students from learning?!
Resentment festered in his chest.
Truthfully, the mathematical content wasn't incomprehensible to him—not after over a decade as a small-town exam grinder.
But the sections on structuring spell models in the mind, akin to mathematical frameworks, were written as if…
I don't get it. I genuinely don't get a single word!
"First, visualize a regular icosahedron in your mind, connect each pair of geometric vertices, color every edge red or blue, then calculate all permutations…"
How?! How am I supposed to imagine something I've never seen—something this abstract?!
Agony. It was obvious that, with enough trial and error, he'd eventually grope his way toward understanding and master the examples provided.
But gods, the inefficiency!
And the sheer torment of the process!
After massaging his temples—granting his weary brain a brief reprieve—Charles reopened his eyes, resolve crystallizing.
I must find a way to improve my magic-learning efficiency.
Without a teacher to guide him, self-study yielded meager results. Fortunately, he already had a method to accelerate progress at his fingertips.
He summoned the system, navigating to the Construction tab. His gaze locked onto the Scriptorium blueprint as he scanned its details.
The system's description matched his memory of the game: this structure boosted occupants' learning speed for anything—magic, history, theology, natural philosophy…
And this was just a Tier 1 Scriptorium. As the monastery leveled up, it could evolve into an Archive or even a Grand Library, accommodating multiple learners simultaneously.
It was also the prerequisite for the troop-training structure Chamber of Contemplation—without it, players couldn't train recruited nuns into formidable Knowledge Domain pastors.
In short, a must-build. Charles yearned to construct it immediately, but doing so would force him to confront one glaring issue…
"Hattie?" he whispered softly to the space beyond, "are you still there?"
Whoosh—
A sudden breeze swept through the open window, and then, from the doorway, came Hattie's voice: "I'm here."
Creak—
The door swung open as she stepped inside, her tone lively, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unrestrained desire. "Is Master tired from studying? Would Hattie help you… relax?"
Her words alone sent a surge of heat straight to Charles' groin. His cock stiffened instantly, straining against his robes as her gaze lingered on the growing bulge. He fought to steady his breath, his voice tight with barely restrained need. "N-no, I—I actually wanted to ask… does the monastery have a scriptorium?"
Hattie's lips curled into a knowing smile as she closed the distance between them, her fingers trailing along the edge of his desk. "Mmm, it does," she murmured, her other hand already drifting toward his thigh. "But surely Master has more pressing needs first…"
Before he could protest, her delicate fingers found the hard length of his cock through the fabric, squeezing gently. Charles groaned, his resolve crumbling as she sank to her knees before him. With practiced ease, she freed his throbbing erection, her hot breath teasing the swollen head before her tongue flicked out, lapping at the bead of precum already glistening there.
"H-Hattie—!" he choked out, but she ignored him, taking him deep into her mouth with a hungry moan. Her lips stretched around his girth as she bobbed her head, her tongue swirling along his shaft with every sinful pull. Wet, lewd sounds filled the room as she sucked him ruthlessly, her fingers kneading his balls, coaxing him closer to the edge.
When he could take no more, Charles gripped her hair, pulling her off with a gasp. "Enough—I need to fuck you. Now."
Hattie's answering grin was wicked as she rose, hiking up her skirts to reveal her glistening cunt, already dripping for him. "Then take what's yours, Master."
With a growl, he bent her over the desk, her ass pressed against his hips as he guided his cock to her soaked entrance. One sharp thrust buried him to the hilt, her tight walls clamping around him with a velvety heat that made his vision blur. He set a brutal pace immediately, fucking into her with deep, relentless strokes, each one drawing a wanton cry from her lips.
"Y-yes! Harder—ah! Use me, Master!" Hattie begged, her back arching as he pounded into her, the desk creaking beneath them.
Charles could feel his release building, his balls tightening as her cunt squeezed him like a vice. With a final, savage thrust, he came hard, his cock pulsing as he emptied himself inside her, her name a ragged groan on his lips.
Hattie shuddered beneath him, milking every last drop until he was spent. As he pulled out, his cum spilled from her well-used pussy, dripping onto the floor between them. She turned, licking her lips as she admired the mess. "Mmm… Master's taste is divine."
Charles exhaled shakily, his body still thrumming with satisfaction. "You're… insatiable."
Her laughter was light, even as her fingers dipped between her thighs, gathering his seed to bring to her mouth. "Only for you."