ESMLT 68🔐

Chapter 68

Then, he twirled my hair, which had fallen below my chest, around his fingers.

“Hmm, should I cut my tongue? If you want, I could cut my fingers too.”

“…Do you always have to be so extreme?”

“You don’t like that? I actually prefer it that way.”

Sometimes, he really had no middle ground, none at all.

“I believe you, I’ll trust you.”

Finally, when I reluctantly replied with a sour expression, Xien broke into a bright smile. It was as if a flower bud had bloomed.

“Good. I was going to cut my tongue if you said you couldn’t trust me.”

Then, as if it were nothing, he said that chilling thing and started playing with my hair with a cheerful expression.

Watching him, I started to worry about his mental state.

‘…Is he really okay?’

He was never exactly normal, but it seemed especially extreme toward me.

Moreover, from the time in the bunker until now, he still acted as if he had some attachment to me.

Being kind, promising not to do things I disliked, putting flowers in his hair to look cute…

Of course, it didn’t feel awkward like it did in the past.

But now that the connection to his adoptive father was completely severed, I felt that his psychological instability was showing as an attachment to someone physically close—me.

Thinking that far, I felt both afraid of and sympathetic toward him.

I absentmindedly sniffed.

‘The kid… must be lonely now that even his connection to his adoptive father is gone.’

I pondered how I could give him psychological stability. Then, I remembered hearing that hugs could provide that sense of security.

But a hug… how was I supposed to handle the awkward atmosphere afterward?

I wasn’t confident.

Ugh, instead, I playfully wrapped my arms around Xien’s neck. Pulling him in tightly so he wouldn’t feel lonely, I rubbed my cheek against his half-tied hair.

Just like he had done for me when he carried me.

It was my way of expressing affection, after becoming somewhat closer over the past few days.

Then Xien swallowed sharply and tensed up.

‘Why is he doing that?’

I glanced down at him.

“…….”

With one cheek pressed, Xien’s eyes were wide open.

‘Is he surprised?’

I slowly relaxed my arms.

Then, he blankly pulled his face out of my embrace and buried it in his hands, his face slightly red.

“Ria… that’s too much……”

“…?”

Did it hurt that much?

I tried the previous position again, remembering the strength, and tested my arms.

Sure enough, Xien’s neck was smooth like a deer’s, but still very narrow.

‘What a pointless embarrassment…’

I awkwardly scratched my neck and tried to change the subject to lighten the mood.

“But you didn’t ask why I hide my… powers.”

Xien lowered his hands and peeked at me.

“If it’s you, Ria, it’s probably to avoid troublesome situations, and I don’t like the temple either.”

…He really knows me well now.

I scratched my cheek, feeling a strange ticklish sensation.

It’s a peculiar feeling when someone knows you so well, especially someone you haven’t known long.

Thinking back, in my previous life, people often said they couldn’t read my thoughts because my expressions rarely changed—but here, I could lose my temper, get irritable, argue, and even smash a table in a fit of anger—hmm, all of it was anger.

It seemed like the same in my previous life too.

Anyway, even though the time with the male leads was short, it felt like a whole year.

I walked along the rope fence and said,

“Shall we head out then?”

“Yes.”

We walked toward the shelter for a while, gathering information along the way.

Creeeeek!

We confirmed through experiments that zombies wouldn’t notice humans if the distance exceeded 100 meters.

We tied zombies to trees and measured the distance to verify.

After walking for some time, I stopped abruptly when the shelter was just within reach.

A sudden cold breeze brushed across my nose, sending chills down my spine.

I swallowed slowly, feeling flustered.

Haven’t you ever realized too late that you had missed something?

That’s what had happened to me now.

There was one variable I hadn’t accounted for when dealing with the effects of sexual energy.

Zenta’s asymptomatic condition.

If sexual energy affected the people around him…

Then without me, Zenta might now be in danger…

I drew a deep breath, my chest swelling.

‘Zenta’s in danger.’

“Ria?”

I shook off Xien, who was approaching, and ran like someone being chased.

Bushes and trees blurred past my vision.

I swear, I had never run with such desperation in my life.

“Ria!”

Ignoring Xien’s call behind me, I traced the map with trembling hands, running to find the way.

When my breath became unbearable, I would stop briefly, panting as if scratching at prayers, wipe the sweat obstructing my vision, and sprint again.

I prayed earnestly that misfortune would avoid him.

That my prediction would be wrong.

As I prayed fervently, my back soaked with sweat, I finally saw the west fence back door, which I had cleared of bushes before.

With trembling hands, I took out the key I had taken from Aporta, only to drop it.

Bending down to pick it up, I felt a sharpened awareness from all the crises I had faced in life.

‘No, it’ll be fine.’

Ignoring my uneasy premonition, I picked up the key and opened the fence door.

The courtyard came into view.

Turning left, I saw the warehouse.

And in front of it, the male leads were watching inside with grave expressions.

A chilling atmosphere of death hung as if the Grim Reaper had passed through.

My heart pounded in my ears.

I exhaled slowly and headed toward them.

“Milady?”

“Miss.”

“…….”

The three men, sensing my presence, turned in surprise.

I didn’t look at them, instead turning toward the slightly open warehouse door.

“Milady.”

The Crown Prince grabbed my wrist as I passed, shaking his head, signaling it was better if I didn’t go in.

But I pushed it away with my other hand.

I needed to check on Zenta inside.

Creeeeak—.

I finally opened the door.

“Ha.”

And I gasped at the scene that unfolded before me.