My eyes snap open, my body tense as I search for what woke me. I relax as I meet a pink gaze.

“Good morning, my summoner,” Geneva says.

I grunt in response, resting my head on my wife’s bare shoulder. Kierra doesn’t stir, her deep breaths a clue to her heavy sleep. The room brightens as my succubus goes around opening curtains, tail swishing as she tidies the room. I watch her with narrowed eyes.

The conquering of my wife is going smoothly. She’s next on the list, but I’m at a lost. I know her weaknesses, her bottomless hunger for power and her pride. Exploiting them is an entirely different matter. I wouldn’t be as far along with Kierra if not for her help. Besides, she knows everything I’m thinking right now, doesn’t she? Should I have her stay out of my head? Ah, but that is limiting so much of what she can do.

“I suppose you’ll be spending the day in bed. I’d suggest at least having breakfast before you continue indulging. Your new body is quite strong but it still requires fuel.”

“No.” My victory here is no excuse to get complacent. The exact opposite. Kierra will no doubt quickly devise a strategy against my new form. I have to become stronger to keep her on her toes. One upping my wife might be one of the most ridiculous reasons for becoming stronger but there it is. “We’ll resume our usual lessons. Just give me a minute.” I pull my wife closer.

“How admirable. I have many theories about your elemental form that I would like to test. Breakfast?”

“Give me…half an hour.”

I close my eyes as she leaves the room, enjoying the quiet and taking a moment to think. While shapeshifting is a great boon, my greatest potential lies in my seven affinities. My prime form makes me one of the strongest beings, physically, on the continent. It’s time to focus on my magic.

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The question is, do I want to reveal my other affinities?

From the moment I returned home, exposure has been one of my greatest fears. Showing off another affinity is one of the easiest ways to do that. To my knowledge, it should be impossible. People will flock to me to learn my secret, hoping to become stronger. They’ll shower me with favor, hoping to lure me to their sides. And when I refuse them, they’ll turn belligerent. They’ll do whatever it takes to learn my secrets and steal my power for themselves. Forget royals. Everyone who is anyone will have their eyes on me. It’s the kind of thing to wake sleeping dragons.

Being a low-born noble taught to avoid conflict with the powers of the continent, that was enough to make me incredibly cautious. To go above and beyond to hide my abilities.

The whole debacle with the prince forced me to confront one of my greatest fears. I realized that they might be a tad exaggerated. When seriously considering the threat he is, and truly accepting my new identity, there is very little I need to fear. Again, an entire army marching against us would be a problem. Maybe. But why would they do that?

Suppose someone sees me doing something I shouldn’t. Sure, they’ll be shocked but no one’s going to track me down and spirt me away in the middle of the night. Diplomacy comes before armed conflict. Who knows, I might even make some interesting new allies. Kierra certainly wouldn’t have taken the interest in me that she did if not for my abilities. They also helped me hook one of the most power succubi ever documented.

As for my eventual enemies, they’ll underestimate me. How could they not? Gaining an affinity is one thing but they couldn’t they possibly understand the extent of the devastation I’m capable of. I’m sure someone’s considered the threat of Kierra and made plans to counter her but no one knows about my succubi. Not to mention all the succubi contracted to the Grimoire family.

It’s hard to admit but I think I might’ve been holding myself back. Geneva can teach me spellcasting but there are countless other opportunities in the Hall that I can’t take advantage of if I’m expending all my energy trying to hide.

It may be a brief boost to my ego triggered from a night of topping my wife but I feel ready to take on the world. Not literally, saints save me, but I’m definitely ready to show the world the new me. And maybe spread a little of that chaos I promised Cosmo, hehe.