Chapter 77 – Hidden danger

"Now I've seen everything." Said Tessa with a strange look on her face while peering at Noah, making him smile with embarrassment on his face.

"Yeah…That kind of went not the way I thought.

/Alright, system. What's going on here?/ Asked Noah inside his head looking at the metallic human that was squatting on the floor trying to scratch its head with its leg.

*It…looks like we underestimated the skill a bit.* Answered the system.

/What does it mean?/ Questioned Noah.

*Skill Stronger Companion has a very worrying meaning to it seems. Stronger than you at all times. This is a dangerous condition. Imagine yourself at maximum level, or imagine yourself ascending and being a God-like being. What would be the way for it to overcome you and complete the condition to become more potent than maximum power?*

/Hmm…Can't really imagine./

*Intelligence.* Said System. *It would have to beat you in intelligence or be more enlightened than you. So skill gave you a companion that would be with you in different shapes and bodies, studying the world with you and becoming strong in many aspects and a plethora of views upon the world. Which brings us to a nice question. Is it possible that it breaks free from your rule and overthrows you in the end? For example, it could one day ally with The Nightmares and bring you down, to gain freedom.*  Reasoned system.

*Gulp. Noah reflexively swallowed from nervousness, with a feeling of premonition and a hidden danger coming from it. Wolf…or Puppet sitting on the floor stared at him with a blank face turning his head as if wondering why Noah stared at it.

*My suggestion, we start treating it as a worthy friend than a slave. It might not understand this kind of thing yet. But it is bound to have feelings of its own later on if it is a sentient being. In other words, it is the best time to gain its loyalty while it is still in its childlike state.*

Tessa carefully watched Noah reading his expressions and then looked at the puppet with a thoughtful face while rubbing her chin.

Noah walked to the puppet and softly took it by the hand pulling it to stand up. Puppet carefully stood up shaking on its legs and trying to hold balance while looking at its legs and then at its hands as if studying them.

"It is like a blank slate." Said Tessa watching them. "Is it sentient?"

"Yes and No. As we understand it." Said Noah.

"I see. It is developing…wait, it has wolf memory. Does that mean it was your wolf companion that died in Greenville town?"

"Yes. It looks like it." Said Noah trying to help the puppet to make a step forward while carefully holding it.

"Hold on, does that mean you are not actually a tamer?"

"Yeah. It was just for pretense." Said Noah.

"So you are not TAMING monsters right?" Asked Tessa carefully.

"Huh? Wait, did you think I might have tamed you or something?" Asked Noah peering at her over his shoulder with a strange look.

Tessa's eyes were fleeting from side to side.

"Well I did have a bit of a doubt there…you know…look at it from my point of view. A tamer comes inside a monster's house and… infatuates me so much that I feel like I am kind of in love….Wouldn't that put doubts somewhere in you? I am not saying that I don't like this! I am happy meeting you and this day was wonderful…or more  like fantastic….but it was too fantastic like…. and I was like thing is it even possible….and…"

"Tessa." Said Noah interrupting her fluster.

"I am blabbering, right? I think I'll go have a bit of a breath outside, while you are busy with your friend there." Said Tessa quickly fleeting out of the room.

Noah turned to his companion and then continued to teach it walking without dropping to all fours like it was used to.

*****

Noah found Tessa in the hall with the fireplace they were chatting at night. She was sitting on the armchair with both her legs put on the armchair hugging her knees.

Noah smiles slightly and came over to her sitting down on the armrest of her armchair.

"So then." He said softly. "I think I heard a confession of a kind back there."

"That. I am sorry. We just met. I feel so stupid, blabbering something like that. I fucked up right? Listen, it's just my solitude. I just forgot how to speak with people. I don't want you to think I am strange or pesky. Just...Can you forget it?"

"In fact, I can. I have the skill to erase memory. I can erase what happened there from my memory. I can erase the whole day of my memory. Everything up to the moment of me coming out of the shed this night." Said Noah.

Tessa looked at him with a half-open mouth, then grabbed his hand as if scared he would disappear.

"No that's…"

"It might be even better." He said interrupting her

"Ever since I saw you as a woman I could not help but be infatuated with you so much I feel like I am falling with you at a breakneck speed and it scares me shitless. Puts thoughts into my head as well. What magic does she have? Could she be using skills?"

"I am no…" Started to say Tessa, but was silenced by Noah's finger.

"I know you are not. And this scares me even more. What if this was just a play for you to kill time in solitude or something? What would become of me once you are done with me? What if at the end of my breakneck fall for you there is a brick floor that awaits me? But it would be too late to erase it from my memory by then. Maybe I should break the fall and stop it all the hard way before it's too late for me."

"No! Noah that's not…"

"I am scared, Tessa. Scared I am not the right man for you, not the mate you look for. Scared that you are a wise woman that has seen the world and will soon tire of a stupid boy that was quite fun in the beginning but later got boring. You said I was interesting. So is what you feel just that, interest? But when I heard your true feeling I felt better. I felt hopeful. So tell me, Theresa Threadweaver, would you like me to erase the words you said to me or you meant what you said?"

Tessa grabbed the collar of his robes and pulled him toward herself kissing him hard on the lips.

"I am not tiring of you Noah. Ever! I am falling for you at the same breakneck speed. It's quick, yes. And scares me shitless. But if it's mutual, fuck time, fuck speed I want to fall with you even faster. I want your love, Noah. Because what I feel is not just some interest you bastard, don't you fucking dare pull the stop and leave me." She said holding his collar.

"I won't. I mean every word I said." Said Noah while she peered into his eyes searching through them and then kissed him again. More passionately this time.

"Well,.at least not until you feed me with that so much-praised lunch you promised me." Said Noah getting a hard smack on the chest and making them both smile.

"If it's not magic, then I feel that I am kind of in love too, Tessa" Whispered Noah to her ear suddenly, making her go red at her cheeks.

"You really should look forward to this lunch!" Said Tessa jumping up from the armchair. "I am the best cook you ever met. I will show the power of centuries-long experience!"

"I am already salivating, My Lady." Said Noah smiling at her from the armchair.

Tessa ran away to the kitchen so fast he almost saw her as a blur. He stood up from the armchair and summoned a puppet from his homework folder, making it sit in the armchair.

"Ok try to walk around here. You can hold onto these armchairs to not fall. I will come back and see how you are doing a bit later. Then he walked in the direction of the kitchen as well.

When he walked by the door he glanced to the side and noticed a small spider just in passing. /Hello there, little friend/ He thought in his head.

*Hello my liege* Sounded someone's voice in his head.

"Huh? System? Did you hear that?" Asked Noah surprised.

*Hear what?"

"The voice."

*What voice? Did you hear Nightmares speaking again? Do we need to reseal them?* Asked the system voice with worry.

/No. Sorry. It's nothing. I must have been mistaken./ Said Noah, looking at how the little spider quickly skittered away from his view.

When Tessa flashed into the kitchen she leaned on the wall with her hands on her chest while her face flushed red. Her heart was beating crazy.

How can it be like that? God. Does he really feel this way too? Is this a dream? She put her hand on her cheek, feeling the heat of her coming from them and trying to calm down while breathing hard.

Damn, why am I feeling like a teenager whenever I am in front of him? Is it because of mate bite? But it did not feel that way in the past. But yet again I never… Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of steps coming over. She quickly skittered to the stove pretending she was busy.

Noah came into the kitchen seeing how Tessa was back to her regal state, moving around with elegance and grace in whatever she did. True mistress of a high noble house. No trace of the insecure girl he just saw near the fireplace. He just sat there in silence watching her walk around making lunch for them.

"I can feel you staring." Said Tessa in a calm nonchalant voice.

"You are too magnificent for me to look away." He said and heard a clatter of something she held in front of her, that he did not see as she stood with her back to him.

The next moment she continued to move as if nothing happened. However Noah felt something different. Some additional sensuality to her moves, and sex appeal. The way she bent as if looking for something, the way she turned to the side as if nonchalantly showing off her leg peeking from the robe.

"Maybe I should go check on my friend in the hall" Said Noah but did not stand up from his seat.

"Umm" Said Tessa.

"He must be needing some of my attention."

"Umm"

"I am hard from looking at you though"

"Umm"

"Ok, I am going then." Said Noah standing up and turning to walk, but could not make a step. Suddenly his body started to turn back toward her and he saw Tessa standing there naked with her robe on the floor.

"Don't you fucking dare to walk away after using your lust skill, leaving me so wet. Did you think I would not notice?" She said spreading her legs to show her glistering from wetness lips. "You wanted lunch bastard. Well, I have here just the lunch you need." She smiled while Noah step by step came over to her and then bent his knees smacking his face between her legs.