Vitality enhancement. That’s exactly what she needs!
Noah’s eyes widened with relief so intense it felt like a cold shower in the middle of summer. Without a moment’s hesitation, he activated the purchase.
[You have successfully purchased the item ]
The package materialized on his shelf instantly. Noah lunged for it with speed, tearing open the wrapper with his hands.
But as he turned back to Lola, another crisis became apparent. Her consciousness was flickering in and out like a dying flame. Her jaw had gone slack, and swallowing reflexes were failing.
She can’t chew. She’s too weak to process solid food.
Lola’s breathing grew shallower with each passing second. Blood continued seeping from her wounds despite the healing bread’s efforts.
With no time for alternatives. Noah made a decision that broke the barriers between him and the succubus. He bit off a piece of the beef jerky and began chewing with determination. Just like the protein bar, the effects would only take place once the item was swallowed, unlike the iced tea and energy drink, which were instantly absorbed.
I’m about to feed a succubus mouth-to-mouth.
The jerky softened under his persistent chewing until it reached a consistency that could be swallowed safely. Noah positioned himself over Lola’s barely conscious body.
Here goes everything.
He pressed his lips against hers, transferring the processed beef jerky along with whatever enhancement it contained. The contact was intimate despite its real urgency. He knew that it was only for saving her, but the contact was intimate, regardless.
Please work. Please save her.
Lola’s eyes fluttered open as the vitality enhancement hit her system like lightning. Colour began returning to her pale features as the beef jerky restored her health.
But Noah felt the transfer’s cost immediately. Energy drained from his body as Lola’s succubus nature responded to intimate contact with instinctive feeding.
She’s pulling life force. Can’t help her nature during physical contact.
The irony wasn’t lost on him—saving her life was literally costing him his own vitality. But watching colour return to her cheeks made the sacrifice feel worthwhile.
Noah immediately withdrew from the exchange. Had he not done so, the succubus might’ve sucked his life force to death.
Lola’s breathing stabilized as the beef jerky’s permanent and temporary effects took hold. Her wounds began closing at accelerated rates while enhanced vitality restored what blood loss had taken.
Twenty minutes of enhancement plus ten permanent vitality points. She’s going to survive.
"Noah..." Lola whispered, her voice carrying strength that hadn’t been there moments before.
"Don’t talk, just focus on healing," Noah replied softly.
Noah knew that he had lost the auto-maker for the item. He had not sold the item and made Lola use it without paying. This meant that he would need to purchase the item a second time to have the opportunity of getting the auto-maker.
But seeing her get better was worth it. Money could come and go, but Lola’s life couldn’t. As much as he hated to admit, he had a soft spot for the succubus, just like Alissa, Kip and the others in Esta.
She’s alive. That’s all that matters.
Outside, Prince Malphas continued his furious assault on the shop’s mystical barriers, but Noah barely noticed the noise.
Five minutes passed before Lola stirred back to consciousness, her ruby eyes snapping open with startled disbelief. The wounds that should have killed her were merely fading scars now, and strength flowed through her body where weakness had dominated moments before.
I’m alive. How am I alive?
Her enhanced senses immediately detected something that made her breath catch. Noah bore the unmistakable mark that only succubi could perceive—the subtle energy signature left behind when her kind drained life force through intimate contact.
The mark. I can see it on his lips.
"Y-you... kissed me?" Lola’s voice carried shock that transcended her usual playful confidence.
Noah’s face flushed crimson for a split second before he fought to regain his composure. "It’s not the way you think it is! I had to feed you something that was chewy and you were unconscious, so I had to transfer the food... you know, more directly."
He saved my life through mouth-to-mouth feeding. And I accidentally drained his energy in return.
Lola stared at him with growing understanding, her own cheeks coloring as the implications settled. The mark wasn’t just evidence of energy transfer—it represented something far more significant in succubus culture.
"You have to take responsibility for me now," she whispered in a tone so shy it seemed to belong to a different person entirely.
First energy drain creates a bond. He doesn’t understand what that means.
Noah paused, his enhanced intelligence processing her words with growing alarm. "Lola! It’s not the time for your teasing. The prince is trying to break in outside."
He thinks this is another one of my games.
But Lola’s playful demeanor evaporated as reality reasserted itself. Her gaze shifted toward the window, where the situation had escalated far beyond their initial confrontation.
Prince Malphas no longer stood with just his four royal guards. Dozens of armored figures surrounded the shop in formation that spoke to serious siege tactics rather than simple arrest attempts.
"This shop of yours is a treasure. Even the prince and all his guards can’t break in."
"It’s good enough. But there is still a problem, you can’t leave this place. They’re surrounding it completely." Noah responded.
Lola nodded with acceptance that carried no trace of her usual restlessness. "It’s okay. As long as I’ve got you as my company, I’m fine."
Noah rolled his eyes, thinking that she was still teasing him.
Outside, Prince Malphas’s voice carried royal authority that penetrated even the shop’s mystical barriers.
"This siege will continue until Black Visage surrenders! No one enters or leaves!"
Leo walked closer to them, the juvenile lion’s instincts recognising that immediate danger had passed. His golden fur remained slightly bristled, but curiosity was overcoming his caution.
"Papa, is the scary lady safe now?" Leo asked with innocent concern.
"She’s safe," Noah confirmed, watching Lola’s expression soften as she noticed Leo’s obvious worry.