The Villainous Me Turned the Losers into Blackened Bosses-Chapter 141 - The Burning Stone

—

When Will came out of the bathroom after his shower, he found that Shuna had already tucked herself into bed.

Well, sort of—her blanket wasn’t properly covering her, and one long leg was sticking out, catching the warm sea breeze blowing in through the window.

He reached over and pulled the blanket up to cover her properly.

“Sigh… But with her physical condition, she probably wouldn’t catch a cold anyway.”

Will glanced at Shuna’s discarded clothes.

She hadn’t bothered to fold them properly—a pair of stockings, her denim shorts, her jacket, and even her undergarments were scattered on the side of her bed.

If someone else walked in and saw this scene, they’d probably think the two of them had just… done something.

“I should finish up my notes for today and then head to bed.”

Yawning, Will sat down at the desk.

“Oh, wait…”

He suddenly stopped, turning his head to look around the bed and floor.

Over the years, Will had developed a habit: every night before bed, he would carefully review his Task System, checking the current tasks, adding any updates, and noting down rewards. It was like his own personal daily quest routine.

But…

Without a doubt…

This time, he hadn’t brought the Task System with him. It had been an unexpected trip, after all.

So now…

He had nothing with him.

None of the tasks he had planned for himself or his teammates.

None of the carefully written notes in the Task System about future events.

All he had was the small desk lamp in front of him, the two beds behind him, and the sea breeze drifting in through the window.

When he traveled, he would usually hide the Task System in the ring Leah had given him. But two nights ago, after finishing his notes, he had left it on the desk without closing it—and naturally, he hadn’t brought it with him.

“Well, since it’s at home, I don’t need to worry about it. Let’s call it a day.”

“Ugh, my self-made system is so inconvenient. Why can’t I just mentally project it into my brain? So annoying.”

Will stood up from the chair.

He turned off the desk lamp and climbed into bed.

However…

What he didn’t know was…

Shuna wasn’t actually asleep. She was only pretending to be. In the darkness, her eyes were open, watching Will on the other bed.

Even though it was too dark to make out his features, she could barely see his silhouette.

But…

In the quiet of the night, Shuna was deep in thought as she watched him.

First, how could she keep him by her side for longer?

Mentioning the stone during dinner wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Shuna had been holding onto that lead for a while.

Will had shown particular interest in the stone’s origin in his letters.

Shuna herself didn’t care much about the stone’s backstory. But if using it could spark enough curiosity in Will to keep him traveling with her for a while longer…

That would be perfect.

Second, how could she get him to like her, especially when his psychological defenses were higher than she had anticipated?

When she had pushed Will onto the bed earlier, she had deliberately tested his breathing and heart rate—unsurprisingly, they had increased. Anyone would react in that situation, right?

But…

Behind his glasses, the “windows to his thoughts”—his eyes—showed no panic, let alone infatuation.

Hypothesis: Reason one, Will didn’t seem to see her as an “outsider”—or to put it more accurately, he didn’t seem to view her as “someone who could truly love him as a romantic partner.”

Reason two…

This was the possibility Shuna least wanted to be true.

He didn’t seem like someone who could easily fall in love with others. In other words, it seemed like…

Winning his heart—both emotionally and physically—would be quite challenging.

To put it simply, he wasn’t someone who could be swayed by mere physical closeness or flirtatious words. Winning his affection would require something much more meaningful.

Worse yet…

She had a strange feeling that if she pushed too hard physically, it might backfire and make him incapable of loving her at all.

Hmm…

Shuna rolled over in her bed, clutching the blanket between her legs in frustration.

It was strange.

What made Will this way?

His life seemed like that of an ordinary young master from a prominent family.

His experiences were those of a sheltered boy raised in a grand estate and then sent straight to school—a typical naive young master.

So why was he so unshakable?

Why had she fallen for someone like this?

It was like trying to hold onto a burning stone—warm and full of energy on the outside, but impossibly hard at its core. She wanted to see what was inside his heart, but any forceful attempt would shatter him.

His mindset…

It was as if he were an outsider even to the concept of “falling in love.”

It was like reading a story about a character named “Will.” No matter how much you tried to move “Will,” it was hard to affect the true observer outside the story.

Even as you pursued the character, he would constantly analyze, “Why should I fall for her?”

Of course, this was just an overly rational example. Shuna didn’t think anyone could truly be that detached.

But…

Shuna rolled over again, looking back at Will.

He seemed to be asleep now, his breathing steady and deep.

“It’s fine. Even if you want to be an outsider, I’ll find a way to pull you in.”

Shuna smiled confidently.

Now that she had a better understanding of him, she could plan her approach more effectively.

“I’ll make you understand why you fell for Shuna.”

“And as for why I want to do this…”

“One day, you’ll know.”

Shuna lay back down.

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

As she closed her eyes and drifted toward sleep, a thought popped into her mind.

“Wait…”

“What did he mean earlier about me being the one to take the lead?”

“Why does that sound like something I read in that Special Dungeon Species Mating Guide back in the library?”

—

Meanwhile, in Novice Town…

“Wow, getting ready for a trip really isn’t easy. Finally packed everything.”

Leah meticulously checked her belongings, focusing mainly on magical tools. Clothes and daily necessities were minimal.

Most of her items could fit into her storage ring, including her trusty staff.

The ring was hers, but Will had funded her generously, allowing her to pack without being frugal. She could throw anything she wanted into the ring.

Oh, right…

There was also a large supply of…

The crimson mint essential oil Will had bought for her. After two weeks, he had finished preparing it, and all she needed to do was pack it in the special box he had made.

The box was custom-designed by Will to reduce the oil’s stimulating effects on her, making it easier for her to carry—though she had grown more accustomed to it by now.

“Even though I’m late, I should still make it in time for the afternoon carriage to the next town.”

“It’ll take about four days to reach Surtes.”

Leah picked up her small leather suitcase, ready to head out.

And then…

She realized something.

Will had gone to meet a friend, and he hadn’t brought any weapons with him. At most, he might have a few items stored in the ring she had given him.

“Hmm…”

Leah tiptoed upstairs and entered Will’s room.

“If you’re going to leave without saying a word, then… don’t blame me for this.”