The golden rays of the morning sun filtered through the cabin window, highlighting Sumi sprawled dramatically across the bed. Her tail twitched with irritation as she faced the reality.

  "I don't want to be the responsible one today!" she moaned. "And it isn't like we have a boss who can punish us for not meeting a quota!"

  She was interrupted, though, as Lukan's voice, deep and steady, carried through the morning air. "Nora! Sumi! Come see this!"

  As they stepped onto the porch, their breath caught collectively. At the forest's edge, where nothing but undergrowth had existed yesterday, now stood a structure that seemed to have grown from the earth itself. A shrine, its smooth stones fitted together with impossible precision, rose proudly against the backdrop of ancient trees. Intricate symbols and runes swirled across its surface, each one seemingly alive as they caught the morning light. But it wasn't just the sight that captivated them—unmistakable energy radiated from the shrine, washing over them in warm waves that felt like a lover's embrace, both comforting and thrilling at once.

  "How did this get here?" Sumi excimed, her hands reaching out to touch the cool stones of the shrine in awe. "The symbols, these runes… I recognize some of them. This is 'nature'. And that's… that's 'love!'"

  Lukan, equally mesmerized by the unexpected addition to their property, shrugged. "It's kinda insulting. I've been building and pnning the houses for days already. But I have no idea how this… shrine got here. Overnight! With no effort! Not to mention we didn't find a pce to source the stone for our buildings yet."

  Nora stepped closer, reaching out to touch the shrine's smooth surface. Her fingers glided over the cool stones, and suddenly, a jolt of energy surged through her body like lightning. The sensation cascaded from her fingertips up her arm and bloomed outward, awakening something dormant within her.

  The feeling was familiar. Something simir happened during the trials.

  First came a protective warmth that enveloped her like an invisible armor—her Aura Defenses manifesting without conscious thought. The sensation rippled outward, creating a shimmering bubble that seemed to embrace Sumi and Lukan as well. And even though they couldn't see it as she did, their faces had shown that they felt it.

  Then, a wave of heightened awareness washed over her. Sumi's conflicted curiosity and excitement crashed against her consciousness like a surf on a shore. Lukan's cautious wonder followed, his emotions tinged with respect and a hint of jealousy. Her Empathic Sensing had never felt so effortless, so complete—their feelings became hers, as tangible as the stone beneath her fingers.

  The third pulse changed something in the air between them. Nora watched in amazement as both Sumi and Lukan unconsciously stepped closer to the shrine, their expressions softening as her own fascination leaked into them through her unintended Emotional Influence. Their breathing synchronized, and their postures mirrored hers.

  A tingling warmth spread through her palms next, and she recognized her Healing power stirring. The minor aches from yesterday's construction work vanished from her shoulders, and she noticed Sumi rolling her neck with sudden relief, while Lukan flexed his previously sore wrist with surprise.

  The final surge was the most startling—a deep, primal heat blossoming low in her belly. Sexual Magic, unbidden and untamed. Her cheeks flushed as she felt an answering heat radiating from Sumi, whose golden eyes had darkened with sudden desire. Even Lukan seemed affected, his breathing quickening as he averted his gaze, clearly struggling with unexpected feelings.

  Everything around Nora seemed to intensify for a heartbeat—colors brightened, sounds crified, and the air pulsed with meaning. She could perceive invisible threads of connection between them all as if the world itself was a vast, intricate web of retionships, and the shrine stood at its center, drawing them together in ways she was only beginning to understand.

  "This shrine… it's power… it feels familiar, like I have a connection with it," Nora excimed, her voice filled with awe and wonder.

  Sumi sidled up to Nora, her tail swishing against Nora's legs as she peered at the shrine. "You know, I might not get fancy System messages popping into my head like you do," she said, bumping her hip pyfully against Nora's, "but I can totally feel something... singing to me from that thing." She pced her hand over her heart, her golden eyes widening. "It's like it's calling to something inside me. Pretty jealous of your special Chosen One perks right about now!"

  Nora pressed her palm against the shrine's smooth surface and gazed at Sumi and Lukan with amazement. "It's pure magic. Can you imagine what kind of power could have created it? Do things like this happen often in this world?"

  "I cannot say for sure," replied Sumi. "We are far from the bustling cities and hubs of magic. This is a remote nd, where such mystical occurrences are rare, we usually only hear about them. And part of these stories are definitely just myths."

  "So, by now, we are pretty sure at this moment that it was your proximity that allowed us to manifest our first skills," said Lukan. "Could it be that the appearance of this shrine here also happened because of your actions? Maybe with a bit of help from the Goddess of Love?"

  He paused for a moment, his voice carrying a dramatic weight. "Last evening, this spot was bare and empty. So it should have appeared overnight. What did you do this night?"

  Nora and Sumi shared a knowing gnce, their cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink. "Oh, Lukan, a gentleman wouldn't ask!"

  "Very well," Lukan answered, blushing. "But we may need to delve deeper into this matter in order to gain any insights from this strange event. With all that has been happening around Nora tely, I would be surprised if this is the only occurrence." He surveyed the area with a concerned expression, wondering what other mysteries awaited them in the surrounding forest. "And now we need to adjust the construction pn…"

  "Sure, Lukan, you do that," said Sumi, grabbing Nora's hand and dragging her toward the cabin. "You do that, and I need to discuss something with Nora." She gnced at Nora, who wasn't following her, making her eyes wide. "Right? We need to talk."

  The moment the door closed behind them, Sumi whirled around, her eyes wide with a mixture of arm and excitement. "Nora!" she whispered fiercely, gripping Nora's shoulders. "Did we—" she gestured wildly between them, "—did that happen because of what we did st night?" Her voice dropped even lower. "Are we going to wake up to a new magical monument every time we... you know?"

  Nora leaned against the wall, running her fingers through her ginger hair as she tried to process it all. "That surge we felt... when we were together..." she murmured, color rising to her cheeks at the memory. "I thought it was just us, but it must have been when the shrine appeared."

  She met Sumi's gaze, a mix of wonder and trepidation in her eyes. "What if Lukan's right?" Nora said. "What if the Goddess of Love is actually... responding to us?" She stepped away from the door and touched her cheeks, which were still burning after that magical performance she just made.

  "Am I serious talking about a goddess bestowing her grace upon us?" Nora asked, turning to Sumi with disbelief. "How…?"

  Sumi replied with a sly smile, "Well, we did have quite a passionate encounter. Perhaps you are right and this was her way of blessing us."

  "That does seem like a pusible expnation," Nora agreed. "Against all logic. But then, all my logic comes from my world. And here everything's different. What if this was all just a coincidence? Maybe this shrine would have appeared here anyway, regardless of our... activities."

  "Ah, but you are the Chosen One," Sumi reminded pyfully. "It's only natural that the Goddess would make her presence known through you."

  Nora couldn't resist pulling Sumi closer for a kiss, their bodies radiating with heat and desire. "I must admit, I am curious to see if our intimate experiments will yield any further changes," she said, grinning mischievously.

  "Then let's continue our research," Sumi purred, eagerly responding to Nora's advances.

  ***

  As they sat on the grassy hill overlooking the shrine, Lukan couldn't help but feel drawn to it. He sensed a pulsing energy emanating from the ancient stones and symbols, and it calmed his nerves. But there was also a subtle sensuality that stirred within him. The two women had discussed that for them, it did even more. After a bit of experimentation, Nora could devise that several of her skills were boosted in the vicinity of the shrine. Not all of them, though. And one of these skills was shared by Sumi and Nora: Healing.

  Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he turned to his two friends and asked: "Nora, Sumi, you both mentioned interacting with the shrine before. Can you tell me more about it…?"

  He paused as if unsure if continuing was alright, but Nora smiled knowingly and gestured for him to tell more.

  "It's just... I don't think I have the same kind of connection as you do," Lukan said. "And I've never encountered anything like this before. Not that I had my magic for long. It seems that my skills are in a completely different realm. But I can't deny there is some connection I feel with the shrine."

  "If you had to describe it, how would you?" Nora prodded gently.

  Lukan struggled to find the right words. "It's like...the shrine is amplifying my happiness. But it's also urging me to spread that happiness to someone else. And I don't mean just giving a gift or something like that."

  Sumi interjected with a pyful smirk, "So basically, you mean that the Magic of Love wants you to join Nora's freshly established harem? You know that she'd probably only be happy if that happens!"

  Lukan blushed, but couldn't help but ugh at Sumi's teasing tone.

  Nora crossed her arms in a sign of hesitation. "Let's not rush into anything," she said, gncing at Lukan and Sumi. "We all agreed that he is better off staying with us as a friend in building this camp." She smiled and added, "Maybe we can promote him to a co-conspirator."

  Lukan nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Nora. I appreciate your understanding." He fiddled nervously with the frayed edge of his working shirt before continuing. "But I must say, even while I'm obviously not attuned to this Magic of Love, Sexual Magic, or whatever… Even I can feel their influence here."

  "Yes?" asked Nora. "Please continue."

  "We should be cautious," said Lukan. "It's possible that other beings will also be drawn to it. We need to keep that in mind."

  Sumi's face flushed with embarrassment as she tried to talk about their safety and made frivolous comments. "Sorry about my joke earlier," she said sheepishly. "You are right. We should have thought about it. But on the bright side, this could be a great opportunity to get to know our neighbors! We can invite some of them over and observe how they interact with the shrine. Maybe even take a day trip to visit nearby vilges? I know there are some quaint pces in the area!"

  Nora considered Sumi's suggestion carefully before responding. "I think a day trip would be beneficial for all of us," she said slowly. "But conducting experiments on people? Especially unknowing people? I don't like the sound of it."

  She looked at the shrine longingly, sensing its pull.

  "Also, we need to follow Lukan's advice and be cautious about who we invite and what they know about us and the shrine," Nora continued. "We still have much to learn about the bance of powers before we can share our secrets with others."

  ***

  The Shrine—and they all silently agreed it deserved the capital 'S'—continued to pulse with gentle energy as the day wore on. Still, life in their fledgling settlement couldn't pause for magical mysteries. Axes still needed to swing, logs still needed to be stripped, and stomachs still needed to be filled.

  As the evening fire crackled and dinner simmered in the pot, Nora spread out a rough map on the ground between them. "We need supplies, and after today's discovery, I think we need information even more," she said, tracing a finger along a winding path through the forest. "Sumi, what's the closest vilge where we might find both?"

  Sumi leaned forward eagerly, her tail swishing behind her. "Whispering Pines," she said without hesitation. "It's about half a day's walk from here. Small enough to be discrete, big enough to have what we need."

  The decision made, they agreed to start at first light. The journey would require a few hours of brisk walking, but the prospect of answers and supplies was worth the effort.

  With their pns settled, the conversation drifted to other matters. Nora couldn't help but share a recent experience with her companions as they rexed around the fire.

  "Remember earlier today when we were cutting down those trees for the new palisade? Well, one particurly rge and dry tree started falling unexpectedly. I tried to catch it out of reflex but quickly realized how foolish that was."

  Lukan chuckled in response. "With your newfound strength stats, I don't think a falling tree could do much harm to you now. But yes, not too long ago that would have been quite dangerous. Now I have to catch up with you!"

  "Haha, I'm sure you will," Nora said. "But in all seriousness, what happened next is what really surprised me. I checked and found out that my Enhanced Physical Strength skill had broken through the 10% level during that moment!"

  "Was anything special about that moment?" Sumi asked. "How can you be sure?"

  "It wasn't just strength," Nora said, her eyes distant with the memory. "It was like something inside me... unlocked." She pressed a hand to her chest. "This warmth started here, then flowed through every inch of me—like liquid fire, but pleasant. Time seemed to slow, and the falling tree..." She ughed softly. "It felt as light as a feather in my hands. Well… Maybe not a feather. But definitely not like that huge trunk should feel!"

  Her eyes sparkled as she looked between Sumi and Lukan. "For a moment, I felt invincible. Like I could uproot the entire forest if I wanted to." She shook her head, still amazed. "And that feeling was so simir to what I experienced when I touched the Shrine this morning. Like something greater than me was... awakening."

  Sumi's eyes lit up as she suddenly jumped to her feet, her voice brimming with excitement. "I've been through the same thing after our mating ceremony," she excimed.

  Lukan, who had been whispering to Nora, quickly straightened up and asked with a hint of concern, "I hope it isn't anything too graphic or personal."

  "I can hear that!" said Sumi, rolling her eyes. "Are you just messing with me because of my earlier joke?"

  "Since when are you against some friendly banter?"

  "What I meant to say," said Sumi, "we can support each other and discover our new abilities together! And with Nora's extended access to information, we can gain a deeper understanding of what's happening!" She couldn't contain her joy, bouncing on her toes as she spoke. "This is amazing!"

  "And how exactly do you pn to do that?" said Nora impatiently. "Just spit it out already!"

  "I'm trying!" excimed Sumi exasperatedly. "I think it's all connected. As you both recall, Nora told us that all of her stats increased by about two percent after that day. When we mated, you know. I also felt some changes, though it was hard to pinpoint exactly what was happening with all the overwhelming emotions."

  She paused and softly brushed her tail over Nora's arm.

  "In that moment, it was as if I could feel the gde around us with heightened senses," Sumi continued, smiling at Nora. "The gentle brush of every bde of grass underfoot, the delicate hum of every bee searching for nectar, the warmth of the sun filtering through the leaves. It was an otherworldly experience, like my mind had been granted a temporary gift of superhuman perception."

  Nora nodded in understanding, "It's possible that was your 10% threshold as well." Her voice was almost reverent as she spoke. "You've got through even earlier than me!"

  "But we can't confirm it for sure," Sumi added cautiously, as if afraid to disturb the magic of the moment. "We need to experiment more. And I hope for some group action!" she purred, looking at Nora.

  "What about you, Lukan?" asked Nora, resisting the temptation to react to Sumi's suggestive comments. "Were there any moments when you felt like you are finally skilled enough to start building a stone house for me and Sumi?"

  Lukan's deep, rumbling ughter filled the space between them. "Stone houses? With what stones?" He gestured at the forest around them with mock exasperation. His ears fttened slightly as he added, "No magical surges for me yet. Trust me, I'd know if something that intense happened." He reached over to pyfully bump Nora's shoulder, his voice taking on a determined edge despite his casual shrug. "Seems I've got some catching up to do. Perhaps I should start taking notes on whatever you two are doing to progress so quickly."

  Sumi giggled.

  "Not that!" growled Lukan.