The evening sun bathed the Ward residence in a warm glow as Owen finally stepped through the door. His body felt incredibly heavy from accumulated fatigue, a result of both clashing with the horde of orcs and dealing with Ryan's emotional volatility. However, the weight of the object in his pocket was far heavier than his physical exhaustion.
Owen headed straight for his bedroom, and the very first thing he did was pull out the [Pendant of Asmodeus]. The blood-red artifact continued to radiate a faint, chilling aura and a sickeningly malicious intent. He securely sealed it inside a tightly locked metal box before carefully hiding it in a secret compartment beneath his bed.
'I'll have to keep it here temporarily until I have time to visit Master Tenzin. He must know how to seal or destroy this thing...' Owen whispered, his eyes turning cold.
Once the perilous threat was safely hidden away, Owen walked down to the kitchen to find something to eat. The faint, appetizing aroma of dinner drifted into his nose, accompanied by Clara's elegant figure stepping out of the kitchen. She wore a cream-colored apron over comfortable loungewear. Her beautiful, graceful face was adorned with a warm smile that instantly melted away half of Owen's tension.
"You're back, Owen. You look exhausted," Clara approached him, her eyes filled with unconcealed tenderness and concern.
Owen didn't reply with words; instead, he stepped forward and embraced her slender waist. Her warm touch and the faint, sweet scent of her body were the perfect medicine to heal his fatigue. "I'm back. And I have some good news... Tomorrow, the contractor Finley recommended will come over to inspect the basement. We can finally start building the studio we planned."
Clara pulled back slightly from the embrace, beaming with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. "Really? That's wonderful~ From now on, we'll be able to work to our fullest." She emphasized the word with a hidden meaning known only to the two of them. Hearing this, Owen couldn't help but let a smirk tug at the corner of his lips.
The two headed into the kitchen to grab a light snack for Owen. While waiting for Damian and Julian to return, they chatted happily. Even though the conversation was just about mundane, everyday things, Owen cherished these ordinary moments. He loved this simple, uncomplicated relationship where nothing flashy was needed. As long as everyone was happy sharing this time together... for him, that was more than enough.
...
Sunday morning, 10:00 AM.
The late morning sun was steadily growing warmer. Owen, dressed casually in a grey crew-neck t-shirt and shorts, was leaning back and watching TV in the living room. The sudden ring of the doorbell shattered the quiet. He pushed himself up, noting to himself that the contractor he had an appointment with was impressively punctual.
The young man walked over and opened the door with a relaxed posture. But the moment the door swung open, the sight before him caused him to freeze completely.
Standing before him was a young girl who looked as if she had stepped straight out of an idol magazine. She had soft, fluffy light-brown bobbed hair that perfectly framed her delicate, pretty face. Her large, soft light-brown eyes shimmered with a nervous vulnerability that made one want to protect her. Her body was petite and fragile, yet it possessed incredibly pronounced curves. Her pinkish-white skin glowed with health. She wore a pastel-colored crop top that revealed a flat stomach and a tiny, cinched waist, paired with tight shorts that accentuated her perfectly proportioned, plump hips and rear, presenting an undeniably feminine silhouette.
[Character Illustration: The New Finley V1]
[Character Illustration: The New Finley V2]
[Character Illustration: The New Finley V3] => Patreon
The girl lowered her head slightly, shyly avoiding Owen's gaze. The compact, perky chest beneath her crop top rose and fell gently with her breathing.
Owen's brain went into overdrive for several seconds before finally retrieving the matching identity.
"Finley?"
Owen was stunned into silence. He remembered Finley as a femboy who already had a cute, feminine face, but this time was entirely different. The soft, delicate aura and the undeniably 'plump' feminine proportions were far too realistic...
Desperately trying to find a logical explanation, Owen assumed this must be Finley's new technique—a god-tier crossdressing method. Maybe a padded bra and some silicone hip enhancers?...
'But isn't this a little too realistic? I actually fell for it for a second!' Owen thought to himself in sheer amazement, completely unaware that what he was looking at was a 100% authentic result of Iris's biological experiments.
Finley looked up at Owen through big, doe-like eyes. The profound adoration in her gaze remained completely unchanged.
"B-Brother Owen! Good morning~ As promised... I brought the contractor!"
Despite Finley trying to suppress her tone to sound like a boy, her voice came out sweeter, clearer, and more resonant than ever before. This only made the girl's image even more bizarrely charming, causing Owen's heart to skip an unexpected beat.
However, before Owen could even open his mouth to greet her, the tall, slender figure of another woman abruptly stepped in, blocking Finley like a protective guard dog. Her broad back completely shielded the petite girl from view.
She was a young woman, perhaps around twenty-eight years old, with lightly tanned skin akin to sun-kissed honey. Her short, gray hair gave her a fierce, confident look. Her tall frame was packed with lean muscle from years of hard labor. She wore a tight, slightly dust-stained white tank top, baggy cargo pants, and a heavy-duty tool belt strapped securely around her waist.
[Character Illustration: Tess V1]
[Character Illustration: Tess V2]
The woman crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes as she scanned Owen from head to toe with a critical, rather unfriendly gaze.
"You're Owen? You just look like an average guy. You don't look anywhere near as flawless and perfect as little Finley's been rambling on about..." She let out an unimpressed snort. "Whatever. I'm Tess. Finley said you wanted a high-end, soundproof studio. Stop standing there looking dumb and take me to the site so we can start measuring. I hate wasting time!"
"..." Owen could only leave his mouth hanging open, blinking at Tess. He wasn't sure what to be confused about first: being called average, or why the woman in front of him was in such a massive rush.
"Uh... that's one of the reasons she doesn't get hired often. Her personality is a bit too abrasive and blunt. I apologize on her behalf! But Brother Owen, you don't need to worry about her skills at all! She's a true professional!" Finley tried to explain for Tess with a sweet voice and a dry smile, desperately trying to prevent her friend from getting canceled on again.
With her no-nonsense style, Tess marched right into the house without waiting for an invitation. And despite telling Owen to lead the way, her actions dictated otherwise. She headed straight for the basement, leading Owen and Finley as if she had a built-in GPS—as if she owned the place and naturally knew where the basement should be.
Upon arriving at the site, she whipped out a measuring tape and a small notebook with crisp, professional efficiency. She rapidly began measuring the area, assessing the structure, and checking the ventilation and electrical systems, calculating the necessary extensions in her head.
At one point, a heavy pile of old boxes and wooden crates blocked her path. Tess didn't even utter a word to ask Owen for help. She simply walked over, hoisted the crates—which had to weigh no less than fifty kilograms—onto her shoulder with a single arm, and casually tossed them aside as if they were made of cotton.
Owen stood with his arms crossed, admiring her sheer physical strength. She was definitely stronger than the average person. But then, his gaze shifted toward Finley, who was standing nearby, blinking innocently at him.
Once he actively focused on Finley's transformation, his senses picked up on something that had changed far beyond just her physical appearance... It made his brow furrow in profound surprise for a moment. Because right now, there was a 'mana current' flowing inside Finley's body!
'Since when did Finley become an Awakened?' Owen thought to himself in confusion.
Furthermore, the mana was fresh, incredibly stable, and boasted a density far too high for an ordinary person who had just awakened their powers.
Therefore, Owen instantly ruled out the possibility of Finley awakening naturally. And when he thought back to the last place he had seen her... Iris's secret laboratory... Owen could easily piece together exactly what had happened!
Taking advantage of Tess being preoccupied with measuring the corners of the room, Owen closed the distance to Finley. The atmosphere around him shifted into something stern and oppressive. He reached out, gripping the girl's slender shoulders and pulling her slightly closer.
Finley jolted in surprise, her pretty face flushing red all the way to her ears at being pulled so close.
Owen leaned in and spoke with a commanding tone laced with deep concern. "Finley... answer me honestly. Over the past two weeks, did Iris do something strange to you? Why do you have mana in your body?"
Hearing the question filled with worry, Finley's eyes widened. She frantically shook her head in denial, waving her small hands anxiously.
"N-No! Please don't be mad at Miss Iris, Brother Owen! All of this... it was my own choice!"
The girl looked up to meet Owen's eyes. Her gaze was bright, sparkling with pride and excitement, much like a child showing off an A-grade report card to a parent. "You know I don't want to just be an ordinary person who constantly needs your help! I want to get stronger! And now, I'm an Awakened too! From now on... I can be useful and help you out a lot more, Brother Owen!"
Owen looked at that pure smile and those eyes filled with absolute, wholehearted devotion, rendering him completely speechless...
Instead of feeling pleased by Finley's desire to 'be useful,' the young man sank into silence. His golden eyes flashed with complex and heavy emotions. He knew exactly how cruel and perilous the world of the Awakened truly was. Furthermore... Iris was the Parasite Queen, a morally grey researcher who wouldn't hesitate to use humans as lab rats, completely disregarding any ethical boundaries.
To be absolutely sure, Owen decided to shift his hands from her shoulders, directly grasping Finley's small, delicate palms instead. He heightened his senses and channeled his own mana into her to thoroughly inspect her internal energy circuits.
However... the very moment their palms touched and Owen's mana flowed into her body, Finley's reaction was far more violent than he had anticipated!
"Ah... B-Brother Owen~"
Finley gasped sharply. Her already flushed, pretty face turned bright red, the color spreading rapidly down her neck. Her breathing abruptly became ragged and scorching hot. Her large eyes grew hazy, brimming with tears of overwhelming pleasure. Her legs instinctually pressed tightly together. Her fragile body trembled and grew so weak she would have collapsed if Owen hadn't been holding her hands.
Iris's modifications hadn't just altered Finley's physical structure; they had embedded an intense, instinctual 'craving' for Owen deep into her primal urges. Just holding his hand and feeling a slight touch of his mana was enough to trigger such a euphoric rush that the girl's consciousness began to melt away.
Owen's eyes widened as he sensed this profound abnormality. But what made him frown even harder was what he discovered within her mana circuits... It was "too perfect."
The mana inside Finley flowed flawlessly, completely devoid of the blockages or fluctuations typically found in newly awakened individuals. Even a genius like Ryan had struggled with controlling his circulation in the beginning, but Finley's mana spun with immaculate order and at a speed several times higher than normal.
This wasn't just a standard awakening; it was an "advanced biological modification"—something far superior and vastly more complex than the forced awakening he had previously received from Iris. A deep concern about long-term side effects began to gnaw at Owen's heart.
"Ahem!!"
But before Owen could interrogate her about the side effects, an exaggerated, intentional cough abruptly interrupted them.
Tess had looked up from measuring a corner to see Owen holding Finley's hands and staring deeply into her eyes for an extended period. To make matters worse, the young boy (in her eyes) was blushing furiously, panting heavily, and squirming suspiciously. The tanned contractor shot a deadly, venomous glare straight at Owen.
"Hey, Mr. Homeowner. If you don't mind... could you please step away from my 'little brother'?" Tess scolded sharply, stepping in to act as a barrier between the two, her hands planted firmly on her hips. She looked exactly like an older sister protecting her sweet-faced younger brother from a dangerous predator.
Owen blinked, quickly releasing Finley's hands and obediently taking a step back. He was far too lazy to try and explain such a convoluted situation.
Seeing Owen back off, Tess immediately dragged the conversation back to business to cut through the annoyance. "Alright, let's get straight to it... The basement has a solid structure, but if you want this studio finished in seven days like little Finley said, traditional manual labor isn't going to cut it. I work alone."
Tess crossed her arms, continuing with professional authority. "Aside from pre-ordering premium-grade materials and equipment, for a structural renovation that needs to be this fast and flawless, I'm going to need to rent a '3D Construction Printer' to pour the walls and rapidly erect the space frame... And the daily rental fee for that machine is exorbitant. Can you handle the price?"
Tap... tap... tap...
At that exact moment, light footsteps echoed from the stairs. Clara descended into the basement. In her hands, she held a wooden tray filled with refreshing glasses of cold water and freshly baked, sweet-smelling cookies to welcome the contractor like a proper, polite host.
"I brought some cold water and snacks. O...wen...?"
Clara's sweet voice halted mid-sentence when her eyes landed on the guests... specifically, the petite figure standing next to Tess. A young girl in a tight crop top, with pinkish-white skin, a compact chest heaving from ragged breaths, and a level of weaponized cuteness so off the charts that even another woman couldn't help but be stunned.
Clink...
The glasses on the tray rattled slightly. Clara snapped her gaze to Owen, her eyes filled with profound suspicion. A faint, murderous aura of jealousy began to seep out, causing the temperature in the basement to plummet instantly. Her glare practically grabbed the man by the throat, demanding an answer:
'Did you seriously sneak another beautiful, incredibly cute girl into the house the moment my back was turned!?... You already have so many women clinging to you, is it still not enough, you greedy man!'
Owen sensed the impending doom. The warning alarms in his head blared. He broke into a cold sweat and frantically waved his hands in denial. "Uh... calm down, Clara! Don't you recognize him? It's Finley! The kid who delivered the cosplay costumes for you and Rosy last time!"
"Finley?" Clara's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped as she blinked rapidly, scanning the petite figure from head to toe, then looking back at Owen for confirmation.
Finley fidgeted under the intense scrutiny, squirming shyly before giving a small bow. She greeted Clara with a sweet, clear voice that she unsuccessfully tried to deepen. "H-Hello, Miss Clara. It's been a while..."
Once the truth became clear and she was certain this was indeed Finley (despite the confusion as to why he looked one hundred percent like a girl), Clara immediately placed the tray of drinks on a nearby wooden crate. She rushed over to Finley with absolute excitement, grabbing the girl's slender shoulders and turning her left and right to inspect her figure in sheer amazement.
"Oh my god! It really is Finley! Why did you get... so unbelievably cute!"
The jealousy from a moment ago vanished without a trace, entirely replaced by overwhelming adoration. Clara stroked Finley's hair and gently pinched her cheeks, treating her like a new doll or a precious little sister. The tense atmosphere regarding Iris's modifications completely dissolved. Finley blushed furiously but politely allowed Clara to play with her out of respect.
Seeing that the coast was clear, Owen secretly wiped his sweat and seized the opportunity to steer everyone back to business. He officially introduced Tess to Clara and relayed the seven-day time constraint Tess had just mentioned, which would likely require a hefty payment.
"If it guarantees top-tier work and finishes on time, money isn't an issue at all~ I'm dying to get my new studio!" Clara, who was still happily hugging Finley, turned and smiled confidently.
Clara's response made Tess raise an eyebrow in genuine admiration.
Meanwhile, Owen suddenly remembered something. "Oh right... I just recalled that my friend 'Jace' mentioned he could help us set up the LAN cables and high-speed internet. Plus, I'm almost certain he has a 3D Construction Printer we can borrow. That should cut our costs down significantly."
When Tess heard they had access to a 3D Construction Printer without the exorbitant rental fees, her eyes widened in amazement. "So an average guy like you actually has some decent connections! If we cut out the equipment rental, I can recalculate the estimate right now..."
The contractor pulled out her notebook and frantically scribbled down some numbers before looking up. "Total cost, including my labor and all the premium materials for the entire studio... we're looking at around $80,000 to $100,000. I guarantee the quality will be absolutely high-end, no cut corners!"
Owen and Clara exchanged a brief glance. No words were needed. Owen turned back and gave a firm nod, agreeing to the deal without haggling a single cent. He didn't want to compromise on the specs whatsoever, as this was a long-term investment that would drastically elevate their future earnings.
"It's a deal. Let's get to work," Owen finalized the agreement.
As Tess grinned broadly at her lucrative new project, Owen secretly smirked in his mind. It was incredibly fortunate that he had just instructed Jessica to register the establishment of CMG (Creator Management Group).
This massive expense of nearly a hundred thousand dollars for the studio construction... it could be beautifully and flawlessly written off as a corporate expense for tax deduction!
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