Chapter 45 - Love?

While Sheila was watching Ria hunting the slime one by one, she was also eating a snack with a cold fruit juice on top of the table as she sat on a comfy chair. The chair and the table set was the one she borrowed from her bedroom. She didn't take it somewhere else, or she would be found out by her mother and get lectured by her which would ended up exposing the 'leveling system';Basically all sorts of problem. She will definitely put it back to their right place later. 

Ria's luck is very frightening as she never met a slime more than one. If she had ever came across a group of slimes, then she would have been beaten by them. Whenever she was a distance away from more than one slime, she would unconsciously choose the other path as if being redirect by her luck. If Sheila hadn't been watching it via the system, then she wouldn't have thought that luck attribute could be so sick. 

And just like that, Ria managed to complete the quest within 5 hours, including break time. It would have taken much longer or possibly impossible if Sheila hadn't supply food and drink to Ria's inventory. That one fail prank is already enough and this time would really risk the life of Ria if she didn't take care of Ria by watching her closely. But it doesn't seem she need to since the Luck protects Ria from harm instead. 

It feels surreal seeing how Ria keep changing path whenever she came across a faraway group of slimes. The girl herself probably didn't know about it and could put the blame on her instinct instead. Luck attribute is pretty crucial since it could influence all other traits, which could also result in saving a dead man. What she saw on the screen floating in the air in front of her was exactly that. 

Once Ria completed the quest, She put back the table set and leftover snack into the inventory before proceed to teleport somewhere close to Ria. She didn't even wait for Ria to react before bowing down to her in full power. She ignored any sort of embarrassing feeling swelling up to her face and keeps on bowing her head to Ria. This time she wasn't joking around and was sincerely apologize by bowing down her head. 

While Sheila was bowing her head down, neither of them was saying anything which caused silence to spread to the surrounding. Because Ria has completed the quest, the slime has long disappeared, and the place has turned into safe zone. Ria looked at the familiar figure in front of her while unsure of what to do. But she could tell that even without Sheila explaining; it was Sheila's fault all this entire time. Otherwise, she won't be bowing down at this exact moment.

Initially, she was angry at the person who sent the falling sword from the sky, which almost took her life there and then. She didn't care if it was an incident or on purpose because all she wanted in the end was to give the culprit a good slap on the face. But after fighting the slimes so far, the boiling feeling inside of her has slowly dispersed, and none remain behind. She might or might not have been putting all her anger onto the poor slime. 

She had realised one thing while taking a break from killing the slime that the person who sent the sword from the sky and a bottle of cold mineral water into the inventory was watching her the whole time she was here. It was too obvious that she ended up considering if it was a trap all along, but when nothing happened, she just shrugged it off the mind. And now that she saw Sheila suddenly bowing down to her out of nowhere, the dot connected in her mind.

It was the fault of the idiot in front of her for everything she had experienced so far. It makes sense since she was also the one who gives her the key, after all. A sigh of frustrated was release out of her mouth. 

"Explanation?"

"Y-Yes!"

Sheila flinched when she heard one word from Ria and quickly explain everything from A to Z of her experience till now. It was the same as what she said from before in the bedroom, but there was more explanation regarding the key and this place. 

"At that time, I was so excited that such an incident happen. It was my fault, and I didn't mind at all if you beat me up black and blues since you almost lost your life."

Sheila said as she continues bowing her head down to Ria. To be honest, she is scared of what sort of respond Ria would do. If someone asks her, do you have anyone important other than her family? She doesn't need to take her time to answer as she did, in fact, have such a person. It's Cilia. 

Ria had taken care of Sheila ever since the day that that she fell from the tree incident. Both parents were relying on her to take care of Sheila and her overexcitement. When Ria was told something like that by both parents when she was young, she didn't know anything and simply nod her head like a good child she is. The only thing that she understood was she had to make sure that Sheila won't get in trouble again and if she is unsure, do give them a call. 

Basically, she was entrusted with taking care of Sheila. And as she grows up, she eventually becomes a figure like a big sister taking care of her naughty younger sister(Sheila). To Ria, it was tiring since Sheila is the type that wanted to try everything, didn't matter if it's dangerous or not. It's like taking care of a child. Yes, that's precisely it. Being entrusted with Sheila's matter was like a Mother(Ria) taking care of her daughter(Sheila). No matter how tiring it is, she still could handle it. 

If it were someone else, they would have given up on Sheila. Ria didn't; she didn't know why, but she feels like she had to be the one who did it. It was a very strange feeling, but among all the tiredness, there was also happiness within which she thought is enough. 

Is this how it feels when a mother taking care of their child? 

Ria walks toward Sheila as she bent down and pick her up by the arm for her to stand. When Ria got close to her, Sheila was trembling in fear, and if someone else were here to see this, they would have thought a child(Sheila) was scared of getting scold from her mother(Ria) for bad behaviour. Sheila was so scared that she didn't notice what Ria did to her while shutting her eyes shut. She only responds when Ria give a flick to her forehead.

"Ouch!"

Sheila m.o.a.n.e.d in pain as she slowly opens her eyes. In her front sight, she saw Ria looking at her with helpless expression spread on her face. Ria withdraws her hand after giving a flick to Sheila's forehead. Sheila could only rub her forehead while giving a confused look at Ria.

"I forgive you."

"But..I-I.."

"When you send the sword to me, did you have any murder intention?"

"Of course not!"

"Then isn't it fine?"

"But—you almost lose your life!"

"It's fine. You have caused all sort of trouble even before this and yet, I am still here right in front of you."

"B—" "Stop. I know, this and that are different, but to me, nothing is different. It was just you simply getting yourself done in by overexcitement."

Ria softly muttered to Sheila as she puts her hand on her cheeks. The warm gaze coming from Ria's eyes makes Sheila look down instantly, and she could feel a blush working its way up her neck. If Ria were a man whispering to her with such word and gesture, by now, Sheila would have been struck in love.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind, and a warm feeling spread to her whole body before Sheila immediately shut it deep inside her. She couldn't believe that she had that kind of emotion in her when she thought of the person in front of her. How can I— 

It was the emotion of love.