Chapter 180: Second Ordeal (3)

Chapter 180: Second Ordeal (3)

Ever since I entered Sera, all kinds of crises had been happening.

First, I fought with a Demonic Human, then the Boy King, who had completely mastered a forgotten sorcery. I even fought with an Ancient God from another dimension.

In short, I had seen all kinds of things.

But, I still didn’t know how to handle this situation.

“...”

“...”

Silence enveloped us.

“...Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Why are we in this position...?”

Somehow, I managed to bring the topic up, but it didn’t seem like Iliya, who was clutching one of my arms, had any intentions to let it go.

The burning firewood was our only source of light, so her face was protected by the shades as she was resting her head on my shoulder.

I could tell that she was wearing the cheerful smile she always wore.

“...”

But, with the lighting, that smile of hers felt much more... Um... How do I put this...?

Cunning?

[She is.]

“...”

[I thought you knew about it already?]

I... Did, yeah.

There was no way I wouldn’t know.

Everyone with a functioning pair of eyes would notice how unusual she looked right now.

She looked like a carnivore eyeing her prey right in front of her.

[By the way, she’s the third one.]

‘...Sorry?’

[I’m talking about the girls who are sticking to you to take your first time.]

‘...’

[I can’t believe that I’d see my sister on that list.]

What the hell happened when I was away?

“Hmm.”

As I broke out in cold sweat with that question in my head, Iliya made such a sound as she dawdled around.

Then, she hugged my arm even tighter.

“...You’re too close.”

I tried to point that out, but she responded with no change in her expression.

“Because it’s cold.”

“...”

“And you’re warming me up, Teach.”

Let alone letting me go, instead she said that while sticking her body even closer to mine.

After that...

“Yap.”

She shifted her body so she’d lay right in front of me, seemingly ready to dig into my arms.

The back of her head touched my chest and the fragrance coming from her orange hair tickled my nose.

“Teach.”

“Hm?”

“You already know what I’m about to do from now on, right?”

“...”

At the sentence that she suddenly dropped without any pretense, I clenched my mouth shut.

Of course, there was no way I wouldn’t know.

I could sense it in my skin, how both of us had been trying hard to read the atmosphere.

Both of us had already known what this punk was aiming for and what I was going to say as a response.

“...You’re going to say no, aren’t you?”

“...”

I looked at Iliya, who was wearing a bitter expression.

“...I do understand, Teach.”

She said with a pout.

“I know it’s dangerous. There are a lot of people around you who’d go crazy the moment you hold a girl’s hand even if it’s by accident.”

“...”

She was right.

As someone the Devils were fiercely obsessing over, crossing that fine line between a man and a woman was like taking the suicide express train—no matter who I did it with.

However...

“Yeah, but the bigger problem is you.”

I said with a sigh.

“Excuse me?”

“If we cross that line, the Devils will rush at you far more viciously than they will at me.”

“...”

Yes, I wouldn’t be the only one in danger, this punk would be too.

She wasn’t a Devil and she wasn’t me, the subject those Devils fell in love with.

If she crossed that line with me, this punk would become the sole target of rage of the seven Devils.

“...”

There was no way I could let that happen.

That was the kind of hardship that even I wasn’t confident I’d survive.

“I can't just let you die. It might be another story if you approach me like this after the whole situation is over. But not now.”

“...Sure, sure. Whatever you say. All you’re doing is putting it off again.”

Iliya pouted again.

“Will it kill you to say something along the lines of you liking me even if it's just empty words? You said I’m precious before—”

“I have no thought of lying about that.”

“...”

Iliya’s body stiffened.

Her expression froze with her lips still pouting.

Briefly, she casted her pupils down.

Then, she went silent for a while, as if thinking about what I had just said.

And then...

“...”

“...Let’s calm down for now.”

“I'm calm...!”

“...”

Nah.

You’re absolutely fucking not.

Desperation.

No, it’s not that the skill activated; it’s that this situation is actually just desperation.

‘Since it has come to this...!’

Time to exercise force against her.

With such thoughts, I tried my best to push her off me, but...

“...What’s this? Are you trying to act cute?”

“...”

The fuck, why was she so strong?

She didn’t show any indication of budging. Without Desperation, I could feel the power gap between us—it was as if she could overpower me with a finger.

I looked at her, who was shoving herself closer to me and breathing heavily with a flushed face.

“Just stay right there. Look up at the sky and count the stars or something.”

“...”

“B-Because I’ll finish it r-really q-quickly...!”

I closed my eyes tightly after I saw her pressing down on my chest with unfocused eyes.

Please.

Somebody, save me...!

Right as I was thinking this...

“...Seriously?”

A voice was heard from the sky.

And then-

“What are you two doing?”

A familiar red flame...

Blew up the Trees of Illusion around us all at once.

“...”

“...”

“...”

Silence three times more terrible than earlier filled the camp.

Only Talion, who was casually grilling the meat he had brought on the bonfire, seemed unperturbed by this.

“Senior Brother and Iliya, are you not going to eat?”

“...Forget it.”

“...Same.”

Gloomy voices echoed at that time.

Shame and awkwardness were mixed in the voices.

The voices came from Iliya, who was barely able to be restrained before she went totally out of control, and me, who was found in an embarrassing situation that I would never show to anyone.

But still, there were things I had to ask, regardless of how I felt.

“...By the way, how did you get here?”

“Miss Faenol brought me here. She said something about feeling Senior Brother’s soul returning.”

“...”

I turned to look at Faenol, who returned my stare with an expressionless gaze.

“...It’s a relief that you look so healthy.”

Though she said that with a smile...

That smile of hers was incredibly unnatural. There was zero doubt of that.

It felt like she didn’t have any intention to hide the fact that she was angry.

“...”

‘Hey.’

‘I thought you said you couldn’t feel any emotions.’

‘So, why does it feel like you’re skinning me alive with just your atmosphere...?’

“Rather than that, there’s something I want to tell you, Senior Brother.”

“...Hm?”

Talion said suddenly, so I turned to look at him. He shrugged before continuing.

“This is the information I got from the Chancellor. According to her, the difficulty of the exam is going to drastically increase starting tomorrow.”

“...”

“...”

Iliya and I smiled bitterly at the confidential information that he leaked so nonchalantly.

Seeing to how shameless they were, it actually made my mind go blank.

‘...No, wait... Actually...’

It would be stupid to not do something like this, especially considering the privileges that came with the Hero title.

Rather, it would be right to consider this as a part of the ordeal.

It felt like it was also assessing the national power of each country and which could support their Hero Candidates best behind the scenes.

“Since I’ll have to elaborate slowly, I’ll start with the conclusion...”

Talion paused as he looked around.

“...”

“...”

“...”

The heavy and devastating silence was still going on.

No one seemed to be willing to talk to each other.

Talion continued after clearing his throat.

It wasn’t like he could just stay silent after going this far.

“...I think you might need to go around with us tomorrow, so...”

“...”

“...Let’s get through the difficulties together. All four of us.”

Ah.

With these members?

With the enraged Faenol and Iliya, who was ever so diligently engaging in a battle of nerves with her?

“...”

Ah.

Should I just go fucking /genesisforsaken