“Yes, it is different,” Chen Mian said with a nod and a smile. “But they already consider you a friend.”
“What about you, human?” Velyan blinked and looked up. “Do you and I count as friends?”
“Of course. Although I didn't intend to keep you when I first picked you up,” Chen Mian said after a moment's thought, “getting to know you has made me realize you're a pretty interesting silly dragon.”
“I'm not silly!” she said, looking up defiantly.
“If you aren't silly, would you actively crawl over to the Evil God's clone out of curiosity?” Chen Mian said, amused. “If you hadn't happened to fall into the Forest of Death, you wouldn't even be able to eat grilled fish anymore.”
Velyan instinctively touched her chest. The gruesome puncture wound was gone, leaving not even a scar. “I didn't know it was that powerful. There aren't many in this world who can defeat me.”
“Do you know now?”
“I know,” Velyan nodded, her golden eyes filled with seriousness. “So I won't wander around randomly anymore. Unless Irena comes with me.”
“In the future, if you see something like that, let me know first,” Chen Mian said, looking at her earnestly. “If you run in on your own, I can't guarantee I'll be able to rescue you again.”
Velyan lowered her head and remained quiet for a few seconds. Her golden tail slowly swayed behind her. After a moment, she looked up again, her expression even more serious than before. “I'll remember. In the future, when I see strange things, I'll come to you first. You'll accompany me to look at them.”
“Alright.”
She nodded, then immediately returned to her usual lighthearted tone. “Then, human, can I write you into my survival guide as well?”
“Why write about me?”
Velyan's tail perked up slightly, and her speaking pace quickened a bit. “Before, I thought human lives were very short and weak, and there was no need to communicate with them. But you're different. You're stronger than me, you saved me, and you give me delicious food, so I think you should be written in.”
Chen Mian looked at her serious yet slightly embarrassed expression, his lips curving upward. “Then how do you want to write it?”
Velyan tilted her head in thought, counting on her fingers. “Chen Mian, a human stronger than me, my good friend, doesn't want my treasures, and gives me grilled fish to eat.”
After saying this, she lowered her head as if feeling a bit self-conscious, the tip of her tail drooping slightly. She added, “Is it okay to write it like this?”
“It's fine. But change the grilled fish part to 'Flora will make grilled fish for me.'”
“Why?”
“Because Flora is the one who makes the grilled fish.”
“Flora is already written in.”
“Alright, write it down then,” Chen Mian said with a smile and a nod, drawing his gaze back.
But Velyan still sat on the floor in front of him.
“Is there anything else?”
“Human, can you play games with me?”
Chen Mian looked into her expectant golden eyes and pointed at Loviki and Louise. “You can ask the two of them to play with you.”
Velyan shook her head and said, “We already played together. Louise is too good at games, and Loviki is too bad.”
Just as Velyan finished speaking, Loviki's hand tidying the bookshelf paused. She then turned her head to look at her, a dangerous smile playing on her lips. “Velyan, say that again?”
“I said Louise is very good at games, and you play... decently,” Velyan said, her voice dropping halfway through.
“'Decently' means not good.” Loviki put down the book in her hand and walked over. “Come on, let's start a new game. I'll show you what 'decently' really means.”
“Loviki, if you get crushed in a bit, I'll allow you to come to me for comfort,” Chen Mian said, looking up at her with a smile.
“Who... who's going to get crushed!” Loviki retorted, her face flushing. “And... comfort? I don't need that at all!”
“Then I'll go bring the game console down!” With that, Velyan ran upstairs excitedly. Before long, she carried down a game console that was much larger than herself, her steps light and breezy.
She set the game console down next to the coffee table, then skillfully plugged in the power cord and looked up at Loviki. “I'm ready!”
Loviki's gaze moved back and forth between the game console and Velyan. She fell silent for a moment. “...Aren't you moving a bit too fast?”
Loviki sat down next to her, reached out to grab the joystick, and stared at the screen with her ruby-like eyes. “Who are you picking?”
“I'm picking this one in red. He looks stronger.”
“Then I'll pick this one in white.” Loviki selected her character, then turned her head to glance at Velyan. “Don't cry if you lose.”
“I won't lose!” Velyan shook her head, speaking with absolute confidence.
“Hmph! That's not guaranteed!” Loviki said, pursing her lips.
Not even a few minutes after she finished speaking, she stared at the screen in silence.
The character in red on the screen was striking a victory pose.
“Another round,” Loviki's voice sounded remarkably calm.
And then she lost again.
The third round, fourth round, fifth round... The interval between the end of each round grew shorter and shorter, and Velyan's expression gradually shifted from happy to confused.
By the end of the sixth round, Velyan rested her hands on her knees and turned to look at Loviki earnestly. “Loviki, do you want to change characters? This one in white has so few moves, he only punches. He really doesn't seem very strong.”
“No!” Loviki stared at the screen, a stubborn edge in her voice. “Again.”
Velyan nodded, grabbing the joystick again. “Then I'll pick the one in white too.”
After another moment, Velyan turned her head and asked in confusion, “Loviki, his moves are actually quite varied. Why don't you use them?”
“B-Because I don't like how the other moves look,” Loviki replied with difficulty, though her expression made her look as if she were about to shatter.
“Still playing, Loviki?” Velyan asked, turning her head.
“Not playing anymore. Let Luolin play for a bit.” With that, Loviki let go of the joystick, walked over to the side, and lay down on the cool floor. Staring at the ceiling, she muttered softly, “There's something wrong with this game.”
“Then, Luolin, play with me for a bit.”
“Okay!”
Meanwhile, Loviki remained lying on the floor, looking up at the ceiling with a face completely devoid of hope.
As she stared blankly at the ceiling, a hand reached over and rested on her head, gently rubbing it.
“Who lies on the floor just because they can't win a game?” Chen Mian's voice drifted over from nearby.
Loviki was startled. Only after a moment did she turn her head to look at him, her face flushing. “I-I'm just too hot.”
“And here I thought someone got discouraged.”
“I already knew I would lose.” She sounded casual when she said this, but she turned her face to the other side, her ears reddening slightly.
“If you knew, why did you still play with Velyan?”
“Because Velyan said I was her good friend, and you said before that the outcome might not be that important.”
“Then why did you look like you were about to shatter?”
“Knowing is one thing...” Loviki murmured, her voice growing softer, “...but it's still a bit disheartening.”
“Then do you need me to comfort you a bit?” Chen Mian sat down beside her with a smile.
Loviki pursed her lips. Her gaze drifted from the ceiling to his face, then darted away quickly as she whispered, “N-No need...”
“Then get up. The floor is cold.”
“I don't want to. It feels nice lying here.”
“You're a noble lady after all, at least mind your image.”
“No~ I don't like those rigid rules, and no one else is watching anyway... You're not allowed to look either.” As she spoke, she reached out to block his gaze, but because she was lying down and couldn't reach, her arms just waved fruitlessly in the air twice.
Rate on N.U.
