Fallen leaves drifted down. Cold wind howled.

Even though it was clearly a lush greenhouse all around, for some reason the atmosphere had become exceptionally bleak.

As if there were a negative-energy generator running at full power, making outstanding contributions nonstop toward solving global warming.

"Waaah... damn it... why, why would Heaven do this to me?"

At this very moment, the negative-energy generator itself was still pounding the ground with her pink little fists, grief-stricken beyond belief.

Ariel couldn’t understand it.

She really, really couldn’t understand it.

Life gave her hardship and forced her to eat black bread—she could endure that, because since childhood she’d long been used to that kind of hardship.

Cultivation gave her pain and made her go through trials and crises—she could endure that too, because that was the necessary path to becoming stronger. Anything that blocked her would only make her stronger.

Her inborn physique made her broad-chested, and made her suffer the side-eyes and humiliation of those lewd, slutty big-titted cows—she actually didn’t care that much either, because she firmly believed that even the smallest bud would have the day it bloomed and bore fruit.

But...

But...

Why was it that when it came to feelings—when it came to fighting for the crystal palace she’d dreamed of—she always met with failure?

Fine. Failure was fine. Multiple failures were fine. She wasn’t the kind of person who got knocked down and couldn’t get back up.

But why was it that the one who made her fail was always the same person?

That time with Liya, yes.

That time with Celicia, also yes.

And even... even the Muse Miss she’d been thinking about day and night, the one she’d believed was fated...

Failure was one thing, but she’d actually turned straight into that person?!

Did it have to be this twisted and bizarre?

"Heaven... are you punishing me?"

Ariel subconsciously took out the voice-transmission stone with trembling hands. Inside this stone was recorded the frequency she already knew by heart.

On so many nights after bloody battles, she’d had the urge to call that frequency countless times, but she’d been afraid of disturbing the beauty on the other end.

But in the end... in the end there was no beauty at all.

None!

Only that damn yellow-hair!

"Damn it... is my luck really that bad? Why do I always run into this kind of thing?"

No, that wasn’t right.

Her luck was obviously very good.

Otherwise, up to now, she wouldn’t have obtained so many blessings and abilities.

You could even say that in anything with a probability greater than fifty percent, she’d never actually lost a bet...

Huh?

Seems like she really had lost before. And the reason she lost was also because—

"AAAAAH! Damn it, damn it, damn it! I can’t take it! I’m going to kill this bastard!"

After thinking it over and over, she actually realized that every bit of suffering she’d endured up to now had something to do with this bastard. Even if Ariel’s heart were rock, she couldn’t endure this humiliation. She sprang up in one jump and drew the Skyfire Greatsword.

That’s right. Chop him to death!

After chopping him to death, everything would be smooth!

Ariel walked back to Muen.

Her face was cold as iron, killing intent sharp. Every movement fully displayed her resolve to cut Muen Campbell to death.

Only...

The other side didn’t feel fear because of her killing intent. He didn’t even react.

Because—

"Huh?"

Muen’s eyes were shut tight. His face was pale. At some point, he’d already completely passed out.

Forcibly driving the black flame, using his own body to refine medicine, and then just now losing that much blood—no matter how tough his body was, of course he couldn’t bear that kind of depletion.

Or rather, being able to hold on until now already proved how strong his will was. If it were a normal person, they probably would’ve collapsed and died under that double torment of mind and body long ago.

"Don’t think acting pathetic will keep me from chopping you!"

Ariel ground her teeth, not planning to let him off.

She’d already made up her mind. After suffering that humiliation, chopping this bastard to death was only natural. Even a Goddess as merciful as hers couldn’t blame her for it!

"Die, Muen Camp—"

Ariel raised the Skyfire Greatsword, about to bring it down—

Humm...

The Skyfire Greatsword trembled slightly, letting out a humming buzz.

Ariel’s movement paused.

"You..."

She glared at Skyfire, silver teeth grinding audibly.

"Bastard—he only used you once. What are you resisting? Don’t tell me you’re getting stolen by him too?"

"Humm humm..."

"I know he saved me, and he did it at the cost of his life, but didn’t I save him too? What does that have to do with me chopping him to death?"

"Humm humm humm humm..."

"Who—who are you saying can’t bring themself to do it?! Right now I want to chop him into little pieces and eat him raw, don’t you know that?!"

"Humm..."

"..."

After that exchange, Ariel was like an enraged little heifer, panting hard with eyes red.

Like she’d been poked right in her sore spot.

But in the end she still violently swung the Skyfire Greatsword away, stomped her foot, and cursed,

"Damn it, damn it, damn it... damn you, Muen Campbell!"

"I’ll remember this grudge! After I pay back what I owe you and get out of here, I’ll definitely chop you to death! I’m only sparing your dog life for now!"

Ariel snorted, tossed her head, and was about to walk away.

But after taking only two steps, she suddenly turned back.

Deep color flashed through her eyes again.

Delusion-Breaking Eye.

This time, though, it wasn’t to confirm that hateful stinking face, but rather to...

"Hmph. Looks like even without me doing anything, you won’t live much longer." Ariel put her hands on her hips and sneered.

Mental power exhausted, too much blood loss, chaotic inner aura.

To be honest, Muen Campbell’s state right now was basically like hers earlier—pretty much on the verge of kicking the bucket.

Without outside help, it was hard to say whether he could survive on his own.

Serves him right for making her drink so much stinky blood! Serves him right!

He should just die in that ridiculous way—then I’d also...

"Tsk."

Ariel clicked her tongue, wiping the remaining bloodstains from the corners of her mouth.

Even if she said that, thinking carefully, if she couldn’t personally chop this bastard to death, it really would be too hard to vent the anger in her heart. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

That’s right.

It wasn’t that she wanted to save him. It was just so that after saving him, she could conveniently chop him to death with her own hands later.

Saving him and wanting to chop him to death didn’t conflict.

Ariel raised her hand and waved it.

In an instant, surging flames filled the entire greenhouse.

After drinking so much blood full of medicinal power, her stamina had recovered to about twenty or thirty percent. It didn’t sound like much, but it was already enough to support her using Divine Favor on a large scale.

"Come."

Ariel’s gaze flickered.

In this greenhouse full of all kinds of ancient vegetation, she quickly distinguished some useful medicinal herbs, and as the flames swept around, they floated beside her.

Then—

"Refine."

Ariel clasped her hands together. The flowing flames instantly gave off a suitable high temperature, beginning to refine those herbs with exquisite control.

Muen Campbell couldn’t refine medicine—but she could.

And in terms of potioncraft, after so many years of Teacher’s patient instruction, standing in an ancient greenhouse full of treasure like this, there was no way she’d let someone die right in front of her like this.

"Consider yourself lucky, you yellow-haired bastard."

...

...

"I’m... not dead?"

Muen opened his eyes and saw pure white brightness.

It wasn’t the sun, and it wasn’t the moon, but the soft radiance emitted by a massive magic stone—bright, but not glaring.

"Right, I..."

As if he remembered something, Muen suddenly sat up and started feeling around on himself with both hands.

Yep. His hands were still there.

His legs were still there too.

Eyes, nose, ears—all there.

Even his most precious son was still there.

"Haa... scared me °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° to death. I almost thought—"

"Thought I’d take advantage of you fainting and tear you apart with five horses?"

A faint, ghostly voice sounded, startling Muen so badly he jolted.

He stiffly turned his head and found Ariel hugging her knees, sitting not far away on a patch of bare ground.

That vicious expression looked like she was staring at a skinned little lamb, ready to pounce at any moment and feast to relieve the hatred in her heart.

"H-ha... haha, good morning." Muen forced out an awkward yet polite smile. "Looks like the beautiful Miss Ariel has recovered pretty well?"

The tougher he’d been earlier, the guiltier he was now.

Back then it was urgent, but now that the crisis was over, he finally understood that what he’d done was basically dancing wildly on Ariel’s grave.

If Ariel had even one breath left, she would’ve burst out of the dirt and strangled him.

"Looks like you know exactly what kind of outrageous thing you did."

"Haha... well, uh, didn’t I say it already? This was all an accident. An accident..."

As he spoke, Muen felt bitterness in his mouth, and he froze reflexively.

This was... medicine?

In an instant, he understood everything. Muen stared at Ariel in shock.

"You refined medicine and saved me?"

No wonder the greenhouse looked much brighter. He hadn’t expected that even at this point, Ariel would still save him.

Is this the protagonist’s broad-mindedness? Love it, love it.

"Don’t misunderstand. I’m just paying back what I owe you so I can chop you to death with a clear conscience later!"

Ariel gave a cold sneer. That smile made Muen shiver again.

But surprisingly, Ariel didn’t dwell on it for long. She used the tip of her foot to grind at the wild grass on the ground and asked with her head lowered,

"Talk. You, the dignified son of a duke—why are you on demon territory? The empire and the demons are at war right now, so don’t tell me you took a liking to some demon woman and came here to play dirty, huh?"

"Well... that’s actually not far off." Muen thought for a moment and answered.

"Hm?"

Ariel lifted her head in shock. "You’ve gotten desperate to that extent? Even those ugly demon things are good enough for you? Your favorite native fantasy types, we have them all—"

"Don’t say it that disgustingly, okay?"

Muen gave a bitter smile. "What I mean is, even though my original purpose was different, right now I’m actually here to save someone."

"Who?"

"An."

"Miss An?"

Shock flashed through Ariel’s eyes again. She was stunned for a moment, then once more showed a disappointed expression.

"Is that so... so even Miss An is..."

Ugh... damn yellow-hair!

Why is he so charming, one girl after another gathering around him, while I—

No. Can’t think about it anymore.

My heart hurts.

If I think any more, my heart’s going to crack!

"You know An too?" Muen asked, puzzled.

"Ran into her on the way. The reason I got involved in this in the first place was to help Miss An too, I just didn’t expect—" Ariel cut herself off.

Damn it.

The more she thought, the angrier she got.

Maybe I should just chop this guy to death right now!

"So that’s how it is..."

Watching Ariel absentmindedly toy with the greatsword again, Muen’s mouth twitched too, and he silently scooted his body a little farther back.

He’d originally thought Ariel got involved only because she had that protagonist storm-eye trait, but he hadn’t expected there was such an undercurrent to it.

What do I do? I feel even more guilty toward Ariel.

Feels like even if he really got chopped to death by her, he wouldn’t have any right to complain.

"Then... what are you going to do next, Ariel?" Muen thought for a moment and asked.

"What am I going to do?"

Ariel asked back, confused. "What else? Rest up, then find a way to leave this hellhole, then find a chance to chop you to death."

"C-can we not mention chopping me to death for now?"

I’m weak right now, I really can’t handle being scared like that.

After some internal complaining, Muen continued,

"We’ve come this far—aren’t you going with me?"

"Together?"

Ariel immediately made a disgusted face. "You want me to get stunk to death by you halfway? Please. Right now I don’t have the mood to get involved in this anymore."

"But An—"

"What happens to Miss An has nothing to do with me at all!" Ariel’s tone suddenly shot up.

That’s right—what happened to Miss An had nothing to do with her.

They’d only met by chance. Sure, she’d had the idea of bringing her into her crystal palace before, but that kind of idea was impossible now.

If this yellow-hair was willing to risk his life to come save her, then Miss An must be important to him. So what was the point of her sticking her nose into it?

Like...

No, no. Can’t bring that up again!

Even if there was any reason to keep getting involved, it would only be the beautiful-girl captives still waiting for her rescue.

She could handle it alone.

"Go by yourself. Isn’t that your girl?"

"That’s true..."

Muen rubbed his chin, secretly studying Ariel’s face.

That expression... didn’t look like someone who didn’t want to go.

And besides—

"Oh right. Since you don’t have anything to do next, and I happen to need a helper for now, how about I hire you?"

Muen gestured around them.

"In an unfamiliar environment like this, two people supporting each other is better than one person acting alone. Not to mention we’re both still injured, and you also need to rely on me to find a way out, don’t you?"

"Hire me?"

Ariel laughed in anger.

"You really think with just your stinking money, you can—"

"Ten million." Muen held up a number.

"Heh. Ridiculous."

Ariel became even more disdainful.

She wasn’t the kind of person who’d be swayed by a mere ten million—

"Twenty million."

"Hmph."

So what if it was twenty million? She’d harvested quite a bit in the Abyss. As long as she went back to the empire and found a channel to sell that stuff, she’d become a multimillionaire in minutes.

She wasn’t that poor bastard anymore who’d wail over two weeks’ worth of food money!

"Thirty million?"

"Shut up! I’m not that kind of person!"

Ariel scolded him righteously.

Even if thirty million wasn’t a small sum even for her, now that she was a multimillionaire, how could she possibly accept employment from the person she hated most?

This guy was looking down on Ariel Bugaard too much!

"Give up. I absolutely won’t—"

"One hundred million."

"Deal."