Chapter 325 Small Talk
"Brother what do you think? Mana here feels a lot more refreshing, doesn't it?"
Diana's voice entered my ears. Well, it was literally my ears since she was sitting on my lap with her arms wrapped around my neck.
"Yes, it does," I answered. For almost an hour, she was sitting on my lap after her confession and her heated way of expressing her feelings.
Diana's smile deepened. "Then, do you wish to meditate? You know, coming here was a little bit hard. I can't open this portal every time." She glanced at me with a playful glint in her eyes. "Even if it is you, the spiritual world will reject you since you are not in your spirit form."
Her words made sense. The fact that we were in the spiritual world, I knew from the game itself, was an occurrence that would never be possible. This place was supposed to be for those entities that were pure and belonged here. Fairies, spirits, souls…It was not a place for humans or others, no matter how pure their mana was.
"I know. But I don't think I am in the condition to meditate right now." I answered. Surely, being here and mediating one of the purest forms of mana would help, and I wanted to do it, but the girl on my lap, who was trying her best to distract me, was not helping.
As she rubbed her body on me for a little, Diana looked into my eyes with a smile.
Her fingers moved in small circles on my neck, her actions both affectionate and slightly teasing. "Are you sure? You might find it quite rejuvenating."
I chuckled softly. "I have no doubt about that, but there's a certain glutton around me who seems determined to drain me of all my mana." I motioned toward her with a mock-serious expression.
Diana's laughter rang out, a melodic sound that blended with the whispers of the spirits. "I can't help it, you know. It's addicting." Her dreamy look was evident, like an addicted person who sought drugs.
"I know. But that doesn't mean this should cloud your judgment."
"You are the one to talk. What is this small bulge over here." She said, pointing towards the small dragon who wished to soar to the heavens but was restricted by the small clothing.
"It is the natural reaction. If this guy here hadn't moved even after all those things you did, then I would probably be chased by the church by now."
"Church? Where did this come from?"
Seeing her like that now, I remembered why Diana was ostracized. When it came to things other than me, she was completely clueless and disinterested. She also probably didn't know about the doctrines of the church.
"Right….You were such a kid." I replied, making a small laugh.
"Hey, what do you mean by that brother?"
"You should learn a little more about how people of your age talks."
"Brother…You know there is no way we can be normal like others, right? This is not how we are meant to be. This is your own words."
"That's right. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't know about others. It is easy to blend in and make connections when you have something in common."
"I don't need to make connections with any random people. Being with you is enough."
"Tch….It seems you are getting more and more cheeky. Just because I didn't reject you, now you are openly flirting?"
"Brother, you should first calm yourself down if you want to say that. Your hands seemed to be moving to the places they were not supposed to be." She answered with a smile as she signaled my hands.
Looking at her like that, for some reason, I felt annoyed at her cheekiness. This girl was moving my hand now, trying to make me look like the culprit.
'Truly the younger sibling behavior. Let this big brother teach you a lesson.'
CRACKLE
As I thought, I moved my lightning mana slightly.
FLINCH
Making her squirm on my touch. An electrolyzing feeling passed through her.
"Hangg!"
And a moan left her mouth.
"Hup!"
As she covered her mouth with her hands, she looked at me with small tears in the corners of her eyes.
"W-what did you do, brother?"
She seemed embarrassed by the voice she had just made, and in a way, that was normal. She just randomly moaned at my touch for the first time.
"It seems you liked it. Should I do it again?"
"N-nonsense. Who said I liked it?"
"Your body. Here, I can see the heat coming from you." I said, raising my head to her cheeks and touching them. "See, can't you feel the coldness of my hand?"
"Isn't it because your hands are cold?"
"They are for sure cold….."
"Yes."
"Compared to your cheeks."
"!"
"You are a little bit too young to beat me in the games of words."
"I know."
Our eyes met, and the atmosphere was about to get weird. I knew since it is how things progressed most of the time with other girls. But Diana, who restrained herself, changed the subject.
Diana's fingers gently brushed a stray strand of hair from my forehead, her touch sending a pleasant tingle down my spine. Her fingers moved with a sense of familiarity, as if she had done this countless times before. "You know, I've always liked how you look with your hair slightly tousled like this."
I raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Is that so? I never realized you were such an expert on my appearance."
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile, and she leaned in, her lips hovering near mine. Her breath mingled with mine, creating a charged atmosphere between us. "I just refrained from saying anything."
"Heh…Are you sure it is because you don't want others to see me at my best? I am pretty confident in my aesthetic sense."
"….That's….That is probably right." She answered, her eyes flickering with something that seemed like a mix of emotions. She then placed a quick, teasing kiss on my lips and pulled back, a playful smile on her face. "Oops, was that too bold?"
I chuckled softly, feeling the warmth of her lips lingering on mine. "I think you've earned the title of 'bold' a while ago."
Our playful banter carried on, punctuated by stolen glances and fleeting touches. Each exchange seemed to deepen our connection, reinforcing the bond that had formed between us over years of shared experiences. The fairies and spirits around us seemed to sense our energy, joining in with their ethereal laughter to create a magical atmosphere.
Diana leaned in again, her voice soft and teasing, carrying an undertone of fondness. "You know, brother, you always manage to surprise me. Just when I think I've figured you out, you show a new side."
Her eyes held a mixture of curiosity and affection as if she found my unpredictability endearing. It was a look that made me realize just how intimately she knew me, even when I tried to hide certain aspects of myself.
"At first, I didn't think it was anything much. But, brother, why are you hiding your strength?" Her question was direct, cutting through the playful atmosphere with its earnestness. She had always been perceptive, able to see through my attempts to conceal certain truths.
"You can control all the elements, but you are only showing your fire affinity. Your skills with swords and your rank as a knight had already surpassed almost all the people in the academy. What is the reason you are hiding it?"
Her words hung in the air, accompanied by a heavy silence. It wasn't a topic I had planned to discuss, but it seemed that Diana's intuition had brought it to the forefront. I met her gaze, seeing the depth of her curiosity and the underlying concern in her eyes.
A sigh escaped my lips as I leaned back against the tree, my fingers idly tracing patterns on her thigh where she was sitting on my lap.
"Diana, I can not explain the whole reason to you," I answered. The reason for that was pretty much easy to describe.
The World's Will made it impossible for me to talk about my transmigration and the future actions I knew from the game.
I once tried to do it, and the results were incredibly dangerous as I felt my soul was ripping apart. It was something I was expecting, so nothing changed much.
"But there is one thing I can say. The danger is approaching."
Diana's eyes widened slightly, a mixture of curiosity and concern coloring her features. "What do you mean by danger?"
"This continent will no longer be how it used to be," I answered, my voice soft yet heavy with a somber weight. Knowing that the events of the game were already advancing at a rapid pace meant that the chaos and upheaval would ensue sooner than expected.
The carefully laid plans were being disrupted, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to predict the consequences.
This also probably meant these types of moments would be hard to find.
"So there are those watching you?" Diana asked.
"Indeed. It is not only Augustrides or your mother, but many people's eyes on me. And most of their intentions are filled with malice." I answered.
"But, you can deal with them, no? If you reveal your strength, you can easily get the backing of the Empire. I don't think you have any connections with Kingdom." Diana said as she looked at me. "After the things they did to you."
"Yes, I can, and I will, but right now is not the time."
"Why?"
"You will see soon. Very soon."
"I see. Was that why you lost to me?"
"The reason I lost to you is because I overestimated myself and thought I could win. I never thought you could master that spell at such a young age."
"Yeah….Ma-. No, that woman said the same thing."
"Indeed."
"But, brother, how can I help you then? You know I won't stay idle while letting you carry this burden alone, right?"
"I know. Right now, things are still under control, so you must focus on your training and make yourself stronger."
"I see. Then, I will do my best."
"You always do."
"Then, can you stay like this? I wish to savor this moment."
"Don't you remember? I promised you that I would listen to you until the end."
"Humm.."
As she hummed, she turned back and leaned on my chest while closing her eyes.
Just like that, we stood for a while and savored this little moment….