Chapter 140（Power stones）
After Goddess Xue Tong left, Lorze dove back into the chaotic routine of his daily life.
He was actually working himself to the bone now.
Every morning, he had to travel between different villas, working hard to satisfy his hungry harem members.
He was also racing to claim every female homeowner in the gated community to finalize his "Kingdom of Women."
In the afternoon, it was time for the school team's collective training—mostly focused on Mawile's "Jet Battle Maid" drills.
At night, he played with his primary "Queens" in the main villa.
No matter how many wives he had, his mother's needs had to be met every single day.
He also didn't forget the Xue family pair; every two days, he'd spend a night at the Xue mansion, letting Auntie Xue release her pent-up lust to her heart's content.
Beyond all that, he carved out two hours from his busy schedule for "relaxation"—which meant going to the study to play games with Pheromosa.
As he predicted, Pheromosa was now a total shut-in.
But that wasn't enough. Addiction made her stay in the house, but it didn't guarantee she was 100% "his."
If he ignored her, she'd eventually forget he existed and only focus on the screen.
So, to deepen their bond, Lorze spent every day gaming by her side.
The results were impressive.
Previously, Pheromosa was indifferent to everyone. Aside from reminding people to refill her Pokéblocks, she never left the study.
Now, she had memorized the sound of Lorze's footsteps.
The second he returned from training, she'd rush to the door before he could start an orgy, signaling him to come and "open a lobby."
It seemed that once she got used to playing in a duo, solo-queueing felt hollow and boring.
Lorze, who usually wanted to pounce on his mother the second he got home, could only sigh and follow her inside.
"Pheromosa, you don't have to wait for me every day. There are plenty of people here; you can duo with anyone."
Lorze entered the study and sat on the sofa, pulling Pheromosa into his lap.
He didn't just put an arm around her; he had her sit between his legs while he hugged her entire frame from behind.
In the beginning, Pheromosa only allowed him to support her arm. Occasionally a waist-hold was okay, but she never would have allowed a "servant" to hold her like this.
But after weeks of gaming and binge-watching series together, the word "servant" rarely crossed her mind.
Being held by him while lounging on the sofa had become a natural, comfortable habit...
"Phero. (The others are trash.)" Pheromosa shrugged.
She had actually tried playing with the other women in the house.
Specifically, Lorze's younger sister, Ruo, was hyper-curious and constantly snuck into the study to see the "Alien Beauty."
Initially, Pheromosa found the interruption annoying, but she eventually tolerated it.
Mostly because Ruo was the one who usually delivered the fresh Pokéblocks.
You can't kick out the person holding the snacks, right?
Over time, Ruo became the second human she felt comfortable with, and they gamed together.
But what kind of mechanical skill do you expect from a middle schooler?
"Gaming is about fun. If you carry her now, she might become a great rank-climbing partner in the future," Lorze said.
"Phero. (Maybe later. I already opened the lobby. Hurry up and ready up.)"
"Wait, what are you doing? Why did you ban my Gardevoir?!"
"Phero. (If I don't ban her, you play her every single game.)"
"I have a high win-rate with her!"
"Phero. (I'm bored of looking at her.)"
"I'm the one playing her, and I'm not bored."
"Phero. (Of course you aren't!)"
Pheromosa shot him a glare. Everyone knew his Kirlia would eventually evolve into a Gardevoir.
You show off your affection with Kirlia all day, and even when you're with me, you're staring at her avatar? Do you think I'm a third wheel?
"Uh... are you... jealous?" Lorze asked with a knowing smirk.
"Phero. (Say one more word and I'll ban her every day for the rest of my life!)" Pheromosa's face darkened.
"Fine, fine. I'll pick Mawile inst—why the fuck did you ban Mawile too!" Lorze's face turned black.
"PHERO! (Hmph!)" Pheromosa let out a cold snort. She refused to let him play with his "other women."
Ultimately, Lorze was forced to pick Espeon, a character recently added to the game after Snowhide sold the rights—they were certainly good at farming the hype.
And so, Lorze and Pheromosa spent their daily two hours together.
After two hours, he prepared to leave for dinner, but Pheromosa clung to him so tightly he couldn't move.
Was it his imagination, or was there a spark of loneliness in her eyes?
"Let's play two more rounds then," Lorze whispered into her ear, hugging her gently.
Pheromosa didn't speak. She just nodded and silently started the next match.
In the second round, she actually left Gardevoir unbanned for him, as if using the character to entice him to stay longer.
Lorze didn't call her out; he pretended to fall for the bait and stayed for a few more rounds.
Only after the extra games did he stroke her cheek and explain that he really had to go see the rest of the family.
Pheromosa looked displeased, but she finally let him go.
Lorze scratched his head, wondering what exactly was going on in her mind.
Why was the 'haughty Queen-type' Pheromosa easier to read than this 'gamer-girl' version?
Whatever. His mother was waiting for him. He had to settle the "Primary Wives" first.
By the time he finished with them, it was past midnight.
Normally, he'd sleep with his mother and Roxanne, or engage in an all-nighter with them.
But tonight, Lorze couldn't stop thinking about Pheromosa. He only satisfied his mother once before heading back to the study.
The room was different tonight. Usually, the lights were on 24/7, but tonight the study was dark.
Only the computer screen was glowing. Pheromosa sat in the chair, knees hugged to her chest, looking like she was watching anime—or maybe just staring into space.
Hearing Lorze's footsteps, her antennae twitched, and she looked up.
"Phero? (Why are you here instead of sleeping?)" She asked, clearly knowing the answer.
"I'm here to sleep, obviously~. I got a bit bored of the usual routine; I wanted to taste what a 'Queen' feels like tonight. Any problems?" Lorze shrugged.
"Phero? (Oh? You want to sleep with me?)" Pheromosa narrowed her eyes. Who gave you the balls?
"Let me rephrase: Does the Queen require a servant to attend her in bed tonight~?" Lorze asked with a look of pure "sincerity."
"Phero. (Keep dreaming. No one is sleeping tonight. Get over here and help me climb the rankings!)"
"Yes, yes. Your Majesty's wish is my command~."
Lorze walked over and sat on the sofa. Pheromosa turned off the PC and immediately crawled into his lap.
They huddled together, snuggling close as they began their late-night grind to the top of the leaderboards.
As expected, Lorze pulled an all-nighter.
Not that it affected him. His body was nourished by True Qi, and his spirit was linked to Kirlia's.
As long as one of them had mental energy to spare, they could feed the other indefinitely.
As long as Kirlia rested, Lorze could technically stay awake forever.
But as a human, sleeping was a hard-coded habit; he still enjoyed a good nap.
However, to capture Pheromosa's heart, he was willing to game with her every single night!