Chapter 139: Pro...gress? (1)

"But, you know."

"Yes?"

"Isn't it too early? I mean, we don't even know what the Lord is thinking yet, and, well, isn't it too soon to be doing this or that?"

As Merilda began babbling nonsensically, not knowing what she was saying, Ryu looked at her with a slightly cold expression and sighed deeply before speaking.

"Boss, do you want to back out now after coming this far?"

"No, I mean, I'm not avoiding it, but being a bit more cautious-"

"Cautious or not, there's no other way if not now. Look, the Master of the Blue Tower is away, and the Tienus Merchant Group won't be coming back. Right? Am I wrong?"

"No, that's correct, but-"

"All we need to do now is deal with the blue-haired hero beside the Lord. Sure, there's also a blacksmith, but we don't need to worry about her."

"That's true, but-"

"And Giral is working hard to stop the disciple of the Absolute Ruler of Darkness. Honestly, we might never get a better opportunity than this."

Merilda fell silent at Ryu's words.

She had nothing to say. To be honest, Ryu was right.

Despite clearly understanding that fact, Merilda was still anxious because she had no idea how Kim Hyunwoo would react.

Merilda had always wanted to share affection with Kim Hyunwoo and develop a deeper relationship, but she had never even gotten close to it.

Moreover, it wasn't as if Merilda hadn't tried to court Kim Hyunwoo 10 years ago.

Back then, she had constantly courted Kim Hyunwoo, but he never genuinely accepted her advances.

...In reality, he was afraid that using magic wrongly might ruin the territory, so he couldn't accept her advances.

Anyway, unaware of that fact, Merilda hesitated, worried that Kim Hyunwoo might despise her because of what happened.

"Boss."

"...Yeah."

"Boss, remember this if nothing else. You can't keep circling around in fear. We've been doing this for almost a year, and nothing has progressed."

"That's true..."

"Of course, the others are also afraid of how their relationships might change, just like you. But eventually, someone has to make the first move."

"......"

"If the Lord dislikes it, then that's one thing. But if someone else makes the first move and succeeds, you'll definitely regret it. Truly."

Ryu looked directly at Merilda as she spoke.

"Boss, make up your mind. Whether you remain like this or take a risk and get hated, it's the same."

"...It's not really the same."

"No, if you keep circling around forever, it is the same."

At Ryu's firm words, Merilda licked her dry lips a few times and then nodded as if she agreed.

"...You're right."

With a look of determination she looked at the walls of Lartania.

"Yes! That's it."

Seeing Merilda like that, Ryu gave a bright smile and struck a fighting pose.

And then.

'...It's basically forcing her, but seeing her fighting like that feels strange.'

Watching quietly, Gerta, one of the Four Kings of Red Eyes, observed the two with a peculiar expression.

And after some time had passed and it turned to dusk.

"Sigh..."

Giral, who sighed deeply, arrived at the usual spot on the hill where he watched the Lord's castle and let out a light sigh.

In the end, he accepted the Spring Water Ryu gave him to help the Boss, but honestly, Giral had no intention of using it.

It's a lie to say that Giral had no human feelings for Loriel, but he knew very well that they weren't close enough to use something like this recklessly.

Of course, this kind of thing is hard to use recklessly in any relationship.

...Anyway, that's why Giral headed to the hill, thinking to persuade (?) Loriel to look away for a moment.

"...!"

"It's been a while."

Soon, Giral could see Loriel standing in her usual spot.

No,

"...What's wrong?"

"No, no...I was just thinking about something else for a moment."

He could see that Loriel looked very suspicious.

Seeing Giral, Loriel's very nervous and flustered appearance was enough to bring back Giral's cool rationality, even as he was thinking of how to persuade her.

Just as Giral was about to speak.

"Wait a moment...!"

"...!?"

Loriel grabbed Giral's hand and started dragging him down the hill.

Giral was very confused by the sudden situation.

Wondering why she was doing this, he couldn't help but think that things were unexpectedly going well, as he followed her down the hill.

"...?"

Once they were down the hill, Giral could see it.

A small pink vial was visible inside her pocket.

"Huh?"

Seeing the vial, Giral couldn't help but make a questioning sound.

That was because, anyone could see that the vial in her pocket was filled with Shayu's Spring Water.

Half-empty, the vial of Spring Water sloshed as Giral, staring blankly at it, raised his eyes to look at Loriel's face.

'It's normal.'

Her face was normal.

A face that couldn't possibly appear if she had drunk even a little bit of Shayu's Spring Water.

If she had already used it, he thought, it was unlikely.

Shayu's Spring Water made by the Beastfolk vaporizes completely within three days of opening.

Therefore, if there's still Spring Water left in the vial, it means someone used it recently, thought Giral, who had a questioning expression.

'The very nervous expression when she first saw me, the urgent reason for pulling me down the hill, and the half-empty vial of Spring Water...!'

Soon, he reached the truth.

"Damn-!"

Thinking he'd been tricked, he frowned and tried to shake her hand off.

Pop-!

"Mm!?"

The next moment, Giral realized that the vial was in his mouth.

It was the Shayu's Spring Water that had been in Loriel's possession.

Gulp-!

Instinctively swallowing the Spring Water that quickly filled his mouth, Giral felt a sudden chill and looked at her.

"...It seems you will have to play with me a little."

Loriel looked at Giral with a resolute gaze.

At the moment Giral fell victim to Loriel...

After the lights went out in Kim Hyunwoo's room, Merilda let out a deep sigh and realized one thing as she was about to enter Lartania.

It was that the window of Kim Hyunwoo's place was covered in something black.

Realizing that, she instinctively thought she was too late, widened her eyes, and dashed out.

At that moment.

"...Hmm?"

Now that it was fully winter, Kim Hyunwoo, who had fallen asleep wrapped in a thick blanket, felt a strange heaviness on his stomach and woke up.

"...Huh?"

Soon, Kim Hyunwoo saw Rin, quite unexpectedly.

Rin, looking at him with moist eyes and a lovely expression.

Kim Hyunwoo blinked several times, unable to process the situation, as he looked up at her with a blank expression.

"Are you awake?"

"...I'm awake, but why are you here all of a sudden?"

"Of course. I came because I wanted to see you."

"Because you wanted to see me...?"

"That's right."

With the continuous conversation and Rin's actions, pressing her body close to his, Kim Hyunwoo realized this wasn't a dream.

"Huh...?"

Realizing that, Kim Hyunwoo stared blankly at Rin, feeling confused.

As he felt a sweet fragrance emanating from her body, causing his head to spin, he looked at Rin with a slightly confused expression.

But Rin, already clinging to Kim Hyunwoo, gently stroked his cheek with her right hand.

Like handling something precious, she teased his cheek several times before slowly lowering her face towards him and closing her eyes.

"...!?"

She immediately leaned in and pressed her lips on his.

And then.

"Mm!?"

A small, delicate tongue began to enter Kim Hyunwoo's mouth.