Genichi sheathed his blade, his gaze sweeping over the wreckage on the ground.
Magic stones.
Magic stones everywhere.
The monsters he'd slain were slowly turning to ash and dispersing, leaving only faintly glowing magic stones scattered across the floor.
He turned his head and looked toward her, where she was scanning the surroundings in the distance.
Alise was lazily looking this way and that. Feeling his eyes on her, she turned and met his gaze.
"What are you looking at?"
Genichi spoke, his voice calm.
"Why aren't you picking up the magic stones?"
Alise froze for a moment.
"Huh?"
"Huh what? Pick up the magic stones."
Genichi's tone was completely matter-of-fact.
"You don't have to fight monsters, but you need to take responsibility as a supporter, you get it?"
Alise opened her mouth to retort, only to find she had no way to argue.
A supporter…
She was an elite of the Astraea Familia, a Level 4 adventurer, and now she was being made to play supporter and pick up "useless" magic stones?
"If you can do it, do it. If you can't…" Genichi paused.
"There are plenty of people who want to."
Alise: "…"
Damn it.
She really wanted to beat this scumbag to death.
But—
Right now, she couldn't take it back.
Alise simmered with resentment, but her body was honest as she bent down and started picking up the magic stones on the ground.
One, two, three…
As she picked them up, she silently cursed Genichi in her heart.
May he choke when he drinks water, trip when he walks, get food stuck in his throat—
Even though she knew those curses were useless.
At least they made her feel a little better.
Genichi watched her, so unwilling and yet still obediently working, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly into the faintest smile.
But he didn't say anything.
He just turned around and continued forward.
Alise followed behind him, hugging a pile of magic stones, muttering under her breath things like "scumbag," "pervert," and "inhuman."
Genichi pretended he didn't hear.
Suddenly—
Genichi's footsteps stopped sharply.
He raised a hand, signaling Alise to stop.
Alise blinked. Before she could ask what was going on, Genichi grabbed her and dragged her into the shadows beside them.
They pressed tightly together, holding their breath, not moving an inch.
Genichi's sudden action left Alise completely baffled, but she understood why almost immediately.
Footsteps.
Coming from the other end of the corridor.
More than one person—three.
At the front was a woman with short pink hair and a cold, severe expression.
The instant Alise saw her, her pupils contracted.
Valletta Grede.
A key operative of the Dark Faction, a Level 5 adventurer.
Her alias: Emperor Slayer.
Alise's body started to tremble.
A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth.
Genichi's hand.
His palm covered her mouth tightly, blocking any sound she was about to make.
At the same time, his other arm wrapped around her waist, pinning her firmly against him.
Alise struggled once, but Genichi's strength was far greater than she'd expected. She couldn't break free at all.
Valletta Grede passed by the shadow where they were hiding, her subordinates in tow.
One step, two steps, three—
Each step felt like it was crushing down on Alise's heart.
She stared at that figure, deep blue eyes burning with blazing fury.
But she couldn't do anything.
Because Genichi's hand was over her mouth.
And because—
She knew she couldn't win.
Valletta Grede, Level 5.
And she was only a summoned existence with Level 4 strength.
If she rushed out now, there would be only one outcome—
Death.
And she would drag Genichi down with her.
Alise drew in a slow breath, forcing herself to calm down.
The anger in her emerald-green eyes still burned, but it was no longer out of control.
Valletta Grede's group gradually moved farther away and finally vanished into the end of the corridor.
Genichi waited a little longer. Only after he was sure they were truly gone did he slowly release the hand covering Alise's mouth.
However—
The moment he let go, he suddenly realized something.
His other hand seemed to have—
Grabbed somewhere it shouldn't.
The sensation in his palm made Genichi realize he'd grabbed a place he shouldn't have. Even through the thin leather armor, it was still unmistakably clear.
Genichi lowered his head and looked at his hand.
That hand was pressed against Alise's chest.
The position—
Perfectly placed.
Alise felt it too.
Her body instantly stiffened, the anger on her face turning into shock, and shock turning into—
Something complicated, impossible to describe.
Genichi fell silent for a second.
Then, reflexively—
He gave it a squeeze.
"Mmph—!"
A muffled whimper escaped Alise's lips. She jerked back like she'd been electrocuted.
Clutching her chest, she glared at Genichi, deep blue eyes filled with disbelief.
"Pervert!"
"Creep!"
"H!"
She fired off three words in a row, her voice trembling slightly.
Genichi stood there with no expression on his face.
But the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth gave away his embarrassment.
"An accident," he explained evenly.
"…"
"An accident? That squeeze was an accident too?"
Alise's questions came like a barrage.
Genichi went silent.
He really couldn't explain that squeeze.
It really had been—an instinctive reaction.
"I didn't feel anything," he finally said.
Alise froze.
Then her cheeks flushed bright red.
"Y-You…!"
She pointed at Genichi, wanting to say something, but finding she couldn't get any words out.
Didn't feel anything?
What was that supposed to mean?
Was he saying she was too small?
Or—
She glanced down at her chest, then remembered the sensation of that hand, and the blush on her face deepened.
Genichi didn't bother with her flustered anger.
He turned and kept walking.
"Let's go."
His voice was calm as ever, as if nothing had happened.
"The magic stones aren't all picked up yet."
Alise stood there, staring at his indifferent back, fury welling up in her chest.
This scumbag!
And yet, even as she cursed him in her head, she still trudged after him.
Kept picking up magic stones.
Kept being the supporter.
Kept—
Getting bullied.
But for some reason, her heart didn't feel as angry as it should have.
Instead, there was a—
Hard-to-name feeling.
She shook her head, throwing those messy thoughts out of her mind.
Then she bent down again.
(End of Chapter)
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