Lust System: Conquering the World Beauties

Liam didn’t react immediately after hearing the footsteps.

Instead of jumping out of the pond or preparing to fight, he simply remained where he was, his body still submerged beneath the warm water while his sharp eyes rested on the trees ahead. Whoever it was had already made enough noise for him to know they weren’t trying very hard to hide their presence. If it had been an enemy, they would’ve approached much more carefully than this.

The leaves rustled gently.

A familiar figure stepped through them.

Just as he had guessed.

”Tatiana.”

She stood there with both hands behind her back, fully dressed, the sunlight filtering through the branches above and painting soft patches of gold across her crimson hair. Tiny droplets of water still clung to a few loose strands around her face, making it obvious she had already rinsed off beneath the waterfall.

Liam let out a small sigh of relief.

”I knew it.”

Tatiana smiled without saying anything.

Only Liam’s shoulders and head were visible above the surface of the pond while the rest of him remained hidden beneath the water.

He rested an arm casually against one of the smooth rocks surrounding the pond.

”What is it this time?”

She didn’t answer.

Instead, her emerald eyes drifted toward the neatly folded pile of clothes resting on a flat stone beside the pond.

She stared at them thoughtfully.

Then a mischievous smile slowly appeared.

”...What if I take your clothes and run away?”

Liam didn’t even blink.

”I’ll catch you before you make it five steps.”

Tatiana raised an eyebrow.

”You underestimate me?”

A quiet chuckle escaped Liam.

”I don’t underestimate your speed.”

He lazily stirred the warm water with one hand.

”But I can literally fly.”

Tatiana opened her mouth.

Closed it again.

”...Right.”

She hated when he made a good point.

Liam smiled to himself.

”So...”

He looked at her again.

”...what are you really here for?”

Tatiana hesitated for a second before slowly turning around.

Her long red hair shifted across her back as she lifted it over one shoulder.

Then she pointed behind herself.

”The ropes...”

Liam looked more carefully.

The back of her dress was secured by several leather cords tied neatly together from the middle of her shoulders down toward her waist.

”I can’t untie them by myself.”

Liam blinked.

”...You came all the way here for that?”

She nodded.

”Can you help me?”

He stared at her for a moment before looking down at the water surrounding him.

”...Tatiana.”

”Hm?”

”I’m naked.”

”...”

”You want me to come help you... now?”

Tatiana’s face instantly flushed crimson.

”I-I won’t turn around.”

She spoke so quickly the words nearly blended together.

”I promise.”

Liam rubbed his forehead.

”What kind of situation is this...”

”I really can’t reach them.”

He sighed dramatically.

”You’re troublesome.”

Liam shook his head before slowly standing.

Water streamed from his shoulders as he climbed out of the pond, careful not to splash mud onto the clothes he had folded earlier. He didn’t even bother looking toward Tatiana, trusting her promise not to turn around.

Behind him, Tatiana kept her eyes fixed stubbornly on the forest ahead.

She wasn’t lying.

She didn’t turn.

Not even once.

But that didn’t stop her imagination from running wild.

She could hear the gentle sound of water dripping onto the grass behind her.

Each quiet drop made her heartbeat seem louder.

Why am I nervous?

She swallowed.

Stop thinking about it.

You’re just asking for help.

Nothing else.

Her fingers began tapping lightly against the sides of her thighs without her even realizing it.

”C-Calm down...”

She whispered the words to herself so quietly that even she barely heard them.

A few seconds later she sensed him stop behind her.

”I’m here.”

His calm voice reached her ears.

Tatiana gave a tiny nod.

Without saying another word, Liam gently gathered the loose strands of her hair and moved them over one shoulder so they wouldn’t get caught.

The silky red strands slipped easily through his fingers.

”There.”

His attention shifted to the first knot.

”They tied these pretty tightly.”

”I know...”

One by one, he began loosening the leather cords.

Each knot came undone with a soft tug.

The tension disappeared from the dress little by little, allowing the fabric at the back to relax and open slightly.

Fresh air brushed across Tatiana’s skin.

She instinctively straightened her posture.

Neither of them spoke.

Only the quiet sounds of the nearby waterfall and birds singing in the distance filled the silence between them.

Another knot.

Then another.

Liam worked patiently, careful not to pull too hard or catch her hair in the cords.

As the final few ties loosened, more of her upper back was revealed where the dress naturally parted. Her skin caught the warm afternoon light with a soft, healthy glow, smooth and flawless.

Liam paused for just a brief moment.

”...”

He blinked once.

Then again.

For some reason, the simple sight caught him slightly off guard.

It wasn’t because anything dramatic had happened.

It was simply... unexpectedly graceful.

He had never really paid attention before.

For a fleeting second, he found himself appreciating just how naturally beautiful she looked, standing there beneath the forest canopy with her crimson hair gathered over one shoulder and the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Tatiana felt him stop moving.

”...Is something wrong?”

Her quiet voice broke the silence.

Liam looked down at the last remaining knot still waiting to be untied.

Even Liam swallowed unconsciously before forcing himself to answer.

”...There’s nothing.”

His voice sounded calmer than he actually felt.

He reached forward and undid the final knot with careful fingers. The last leather cord slipped free, allowing the back of her outfit to loosen completely. For just a brief second, his eyes lingered on the elegant curve of her back before he immediately looked away.

”There you go.”

Without waiting for another word, Liam turned around and walked back toward the pond. The warm water welcomed him once more as he stepped in, sinking until only his shoulders and head remained above the surface.

Only when she heard the gentle splash and saw the water settle again did Tatiana slowly turn around.

The outfit now sat much looser on her frame than before, no longer held firmly by the cords Liam had untied. She instinctively held it in place with one hand as she looked toward him.

Liam leaned comfortably against the smooth stone at the edge of the pond.

Then he noticed something.

Her expression.

She wasn’t smiling anymore.

She wasn’t embarrassed in the playful way she had been earlier either.

She looked...

Conflicted.

Like she was fighting with herself.

His brows slowly knitted together.

”Tatiana?”

She didn’t answer.

Her emerald eyes remained lowered.

”Tatiana... what is it?”

Still nothing.

The forest suddenly felt unusually quiet. Even the birds seemed distant as the silence stretched between them.

Then...

Very slowly...

She released the hand holding her clothes in place.

The fabric slipped from her grasp.

Liam’s eyes widened.

His head snapped away so quickly it almost hurt.

Both hands immediately covered his eyes.

”What are you doing?”

His voice came out somewhere between shocked and confused.

”I didn’t—”

He shut his eyes tightly.

”I didn’t see anything.”

”Tatiana?”

”What are you doing?”

There was no answer.

Instead...

Splash.

A soft ripple spread across the pond.

Liam froze.

Another gentle movement disturbed the water.

She had stepped into the pond.

He could hear the quiet sound of water moving around her as she approached.

Then her soft voice reached him.

”...It’s okay.”

He remained exactly where he was.

”You can open your eyes now.”

Liam hesitated.

”...You’re covered?”

A tiny pause.

”...Yes.”

Only then did he slowly lower his hands.

His eyes opened cautiously.

Tatiana stood only a short distance away.

The water reached high enough to conceal her beneath the surface, while only her shoulders, neck and face remained visible. Her crimson hair, now damp from the water, clung lightly to her skin as a few loose strands framed her already flushed face.

She looked so embarrassed that Liam almost laughed.

”What are you doing?”

He genuinely couldn’t understand.

She lowered her gaze for a second before answering in an unusually small voice.

”...Taking a bath.”

Liam stared at her.

”...”

”...”

”...Tatiana.”

”Hm?”

”This...”

He gestured vaguely at the pond between them.

”...is my side.”

She blinked.

”...Oh.”

Another awkward silence followed.

Liam couldn’t help rolling his eyes.

”You really are unbelievable.”

A tiny smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

”Hey! That’s your title.”

For a moment neither of them spoke.

The waterfall roared softly in the distance while sunlight danced across the rippling surface of the pond.

Then Liam noticed something else.

She was moving.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

One careful step after another through the water.

He frowned.

”Tatiana?”

She didn’t stop.

Another step.

The ripples reached him.

Another.

She kept drawing closer without saying a word.

Liam simply watched.

He didn’t move away.

He didn’t move toward her either.

He just waited, curious about whatever was going through her mind.

She finally stopped only when they were close enough that he could catch the faint scent of fresh water mixed with the natural fragrance of her hair.

His expression softened.

”Tatiana...”

She still couldn’t bring herself to look directly into his eyes.

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

Her fingers curled nervously beneath the surface of the water.

She had imagined saying these words so many times over the past month.

Every version sounded easier in her head.

Now that the moment had actually arrived...

She couldn’t breathe properly.

Her lips parted.

Closed again.

Then, gathering every ounce of courage she had, she slowly lifted her eyes until they finally met Liam’s.

Her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

”...Do you like me, Liam?”