“Lillian.”
“Mmh... don't...”
“Then should I leave?”
“...”
Lillian sank into the soft bedding, her cheeks flushed with a shy, unspoken crimson.
Seeing Ain turn to leave, as if terrified of losing something, her fingertips suddenly tightened, firmly grasping his right hand.
The girl looked up, her watery, shimmering eyes gazing at him without blinking. The faint trace of anticipation peeking through her shyness seemed to lure him into sinking deeper, urging him to commit an unforgivable sin.
A soft smile played on Ain's lips as he pressed her down onto the bed. Looking at the snow-white skin exposed before him, he grasped her slender ankle with one hand, and as he leaned down, his warm lips pressed deeply against her exquisite collarbone.
“You're so beautiful, Lillian.”
The girl bit her lip, panting restlessly. The unprecedented, scorching heat made her heart beat like a drum. As her rationality crumbled, only a fierce desire to lose herself completely in madness with him remained in her heart.
“Be gentler...”
“I will.”
Just as Ain was about to get his wish, the bedroom door was suddenly pushed open, and an incredibly beautiful silver-haired girl walked in.
A bathrobe was loosely draped over her, and water droplets were still dripping from her wet silver hair. Just like that, she barged into this room filled with spring radiance completely unannounced.
“Ain, my mom said...”
The girl was about to speak, but when her eyes caught the unsightly, forbidden scene on the bed, she instantly froze on the spot. The light in her eyes suddenly vanished, leaving behind only a hollow emptiness.
The two on the bed also abruptly stopped their actions, looking back in utter bewilderment.
The room fell into a dead silence.
A wave of shame almost burned Lillian through. Regret and anxiety wrapped around her heart like vines, yet amidst that suffocating throbbing, a strange sliver of excitement—one she didn't even dare admit to herself—weirdly began to sprout.
Not knowing how to respond, she could only dive into the blanket like a startled little beast, curling herself tightly into a ball.
“Wait, Erylin, I can explain! I can explain!”
Ain was in a complete panic, utterly at a loss. But the girl didn't say a word, only taking stiff steps as she approached him step by step. Her hollow eyes seemed completely drained of all emotion, leaving only a deathly silence.
“You clearly promised me just a few days ago...”
Tears welled up in the corners of Erylin's eyes.
“To you, am I just a... dispensable bonus?”
“No, no, no, Miss Erylin, you've misunderstood, you really have! Why don't you let me finish first? I can explain, okay?”
Ain wanted to explain everything, but the girl's hand grabbed him first.
“Glacio.”
Erylin didn't even use a wand.
Accompanied by a subtle chill, a layer of frost instantly condensed in their overlapping palms. Under Ain's shocked gaze, Erylin sat down on the edge of the bed. With a light flick of her finger, she let the silk bathrobe slide silently down her fair shoulders.
A large expanse of defenseless, snow-white skin was exposed to the cool air, revealing a beautiful sight. The girl tilted her head slightly in an adorable manner, like an exquisite yet broken doll. The corners of her lips pulled upward with great difficulty, barely squeezing out a heartbreaking smile.
“We can do this together, right?”
“Wait, Miss Erylin...”
“We can do this together, right?”
“Maybe we shouldn't...”
“Hey, let's do it... together, okay?”
“Eh...”
The scene shifted, and a clamor of noise rushed into his ears like a tide.
Ain was strolling down an extremely bustling long street, lined with shops on both sides, crowded with carriages and horses, and teeming with people.
Walking closely beside him was an extraordinarily beautiful girl. Her long hair, brilliant like flowing gold, swayed gently with her steps, reflecting a dazzling halo in the sunlight.
The girl's beauty stood out brilliantly in the bustling crowd, drawing frequent glances from countless passersby, who nonetheless looked away in self-deprecation, not daring to stare directly.
“I thought about it for a long time yesterday. I think I still want you to help me.”
“No, no, no, Imeve. What's so good about me? Look at my Boss! He's an Arbiter! From a great family! Peak Tier 4! Countless beautiful girls are scrambling to chase him! Besides, we only met recently...”
Imeve clasped her hands behind her back, looking at him with a slight smile.
“Is he really as good as you say?”
“Of course! Back at the academy, didn't he save you? Don't you think he's really handsome? Super handsome, right? He's got such great charisma, too!”
Imeve couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
“Are you praising yourself or him?”
Ain frowned, seemingly not understanding what she meant.
This is a golden opportunity to set Sevis up on a blind date. How could I screw it up?!
“Anyway, I still want to be with you.”
...
The scene shifted again. Inside a solemn church, a holy sword mercilessly pierced through a girl's abdomen. Ain held her tightly in his arms with an expression of intense pain, feeling the life slipping away from the person in his embrace.
“I'm sorry, Ain...”
“I'm sorry...”
“I really, really love you...”
“If only I had realized sooner...”
“I messed up. It's my fault. This is nothing more than what I deserve...”
The girl let out a faint, tragic smile, her right hand gently reaching out to touch Ain's face.
“And Lillian... the birthday banquet back then, it wasn't like that...”
“It wasn't her fault...”
“But it seems I won't be able to tell her myself anymore...”
...
Ain suddenly woke up from his deep sleep with a start, sitting up and panting heavily. His thoughts were in complete disarray, his pupils dilated from fright. He clutched his chest tightly, as if the sorrow brought by that nightmare still lingered in his chest, refusing to fade for a long time.
“Hey! You!”
Lola clutched her nose once again, looking extremely angry.
This was already the second time.
But Ain completely ignored the girl's annoyance. Supporting his body on the ground, he constantly recalled everything that had just happened.
The first scene was Lillian and me in bed, and then Erylin walked in...
What kind of melodramatic, trashy plot is this?!
And putting aside what kind of feelings Erylin might have for me in the future, why on earth would she think this kind of thing could be done together?!
Can... three people actually do it together?
The second scene was related to Imeve, the girl I rescued earlier...
My thoughts in the illusion seemed to be about avoiding contact with her. Was it because it would affect Sevis's romantic red thread?
When I saved her, I should have used Cognitive Disruption.
No, none of that is important!
Ain shook his head violently, his pupils suddenly dilating in sheer shock. He widened his eyes in disbelief, with only the third scene remaining in his mind.
That woman, there's no mistake...
The Saintess who was originally supposed to die in Act Three!
Grace!
Rate on N.U.
