Greg did not realize that Vivian was not only far from a silly girl, but quite the contrary, possessed an extremely efficient mind far beyond her peers.
She indeed had many questions.
Regarding Greg's changes, his familiarity with the dungeon, the true purpose behind his late-night invitation... every single one of these doubts piled up in her heart.
Yet she was equally aware that in this current environment and at this exact moment, relentlessly pressing for answers was not the optimal move, and might even invite unnecessary risks or friction.
Thus, she had chosen a question that seemed irrelevant on the surface but cut straight to the core: "Do you hate me?"
To her, the answer to this question was worth more than a thousand explanations and promises.
Since Greg had given a negative answer, all other questions automatically dropped in priority within Vivian's logic, temporarily losing any need to be pursued.
He doesn't hate me.
Therefore, no matter how many unstated things were woven into what he said before—even if there were a few inconsequential lies—his fundamental intent would never be to harm me.
The conclusion drawn from this judgment stood clear and firm in her mind.
More importantly, this question and Greg's unhesitating response confirmed the conjecture that had gradually taken shape in her mind.
"He has never hated me."
"Then the past distantness, the cold indifference, and even the final rejection that caused our falling out... must have had some reason or hidden truth I have yet to learn."
This realization was like a key, instantly unlocking the heavy shackles on Vivian's heart.
The long-held knot of aggrieved feelings, self-doubt, and subtle unwillingness seemed to be quietly dispelled by warm sunlight in this instant, bringing her an unprecedented sense of relief.
The boulder pressing down on the depths of her soul had been softly moved aside.
However, just as Vivian's emotions stirred slightly from this sudden enlightenment, causing a momentary lapse in her focus—
"Hiss—!!!"
From the shadows of a half-collapsed ruin off to the side, a lightning-fast gray shadow burst forth without warning!
Accompanied by a foul wind and a sharp whistling tear through the air, it lunged straight toward Vivian, who was still lost in her thoughts!
It was a Piercing Beetle with a shell glinting with metallic cold light!
It seemed to have been lurking for a long time, waiting specifically for this moment when its prey let her guard down!
The spear-sharp tips of its forelimbs gleamed with lethal cold light, aimed directly at the side of Vivian's unguarded neck!
The attack came too fast, too suddenly!
Although Vivian possessed formidable strength, with her focus scattered, her body's response was half a beat too slow.
By the time she sensed the danger, her ice-blue pupils constricted sharply, and her ice-attribute mana instinctively tried to construct a defense, the lethal spike was already right in front of her!
Too late!
The thought had barely flashed through Vivian's mind when—
"Watch out!"
A low shout detonated beside her ear!
Right after, an irresistible force burst from behind her side, firmly clamping onto her shoulder and arm, yanking her entire body violently backward!
Losing her balance, Vivian stumbled backward, missing the lethal thrust by a hair's breadth!
The sharp tip of its forelimb even sliced through a stray strand of her flying hair.
It was Greg!
In the nick of time, he had used Shadow-Step to flash behind her, pulling her back from the brink of death right in time!
But he wasn't done!
The instant he pulled Vivian back, Greg rapidly pulled out an alchemy potion bottle from his waist pouch—no larger than a thumb, sealing a violently churning orange-red liquid inside!
He hurled it toward the flying Piercing Beetle.
"Swish!"
The small potion bottle traced a precise arc, flying directly into the open mouthparts of the Piercing Beetle as it readjusted its posture after missing its attack!
The Piercing Beetle seemed to freeze for a moment, apparently failing to comprehend what sort of little snack had just landed in its mouth.
The next second—
"Boom—!!!"
A blinding orange-red glow accompanied a muffled explosion, violently erupting from the beetle's head!
A searing shockwave, mingled with carapace fragments and scorching bodily fluids, splattered in every direction!
The monster that had been so fierce just moments ago had its entire head and nearly half its thorax blasted into a bloody mess by this point-blank internal detonation. Screaming in agony, its massive body stiffened and crashed heavily backward onto the ground, its six segmented legs twitching in critical injury.
Without missing a beat, before the firelight of the explosion had even died down, Greg raised his free right hand, his fingertips tracing a concise water-element rune as he barked:
"Water Gun!"
A jet of condensed, liquid-solid azure water shot out like a bullet, accurately driving deep into the smoking wound on the beetle's head!
"Pfft!"
The water jet pierced straight through its brain, dragging out a spray of foul splatter mixed with hot fluids and brains.
The beetle gave one final twitch and ceased moving altogether.
[Killed Piercing Beetle. Gained EXP...]
[Water-attribute Basic magic spell Water Gun proficiency increased. Current level: LV4 (Reached maximum cap for Basic magic).]
The system notification flashed in Greg's mind, but he had no time or inclination to care about this huge upgrade right now.
After confirming the monster was dead, he turned around immediately, not even bothering to dust off the dirt blown onto him by the explosive airblast.
In a single stride, he stepped up to Vivian, who was slightly unsteady on her feet from the jerk and the sudden explosion.
Then, under Vivian's somewhat dazed gaze, Greg reached out both hands and gripped her slender, slightly trembling shoulders.
His grip was firm, carrying a lingering anger born of lingering fear.
"You idiot!!"
Greg's voice was pitched much higher than usual. Clear fury and a deeper anxiety burned in his amber eyes as he stared into Vivian's ice-blue eyes, which still held a trace of astonishment, practically roaring:
"This is a dungeon!! Not your Student Council office! Stay 120 percent focused and be careful!! If you got hurt, then I..."
...would be fucking hunted to the ends of the earth by your sister Lilith, who's one of the heroines!!
A chilling mental image flashed through Greg's mind. He swallowed the rest of that bellowed thought whole, leaving only a complex expression filled with lingering terror and dread on his face.
Yet this burst of anger from Greg that abruptly cut short, his tight grip on her shoulders as if afraid of losing something precious, and the unreserved concern and tension in his eyes...
All of it was like the warmest sunlight piercing through ice, shining directly into Vivian's slightly chaotic heart after coming face-to-face with death.
She looked at Greg's face, vivid with anxiety and anger, felt the warm touch on her shoulders, and heard the care virtually overflowing from his unfinished words...
Vivian stared blankly at him with her ice-blue eyes.
The lingering fear in her heart from the recent danger melted away rapidly like early snow meeting intense flame.
Taking its place was guilt, along with a quietly sprouting... warmth.
Just now... he was worried about me.
Very worried.
So worried... that he got angry.
This realization stroked the tip of Vivian's heart with unmistakable clarity, as though brushed by the softest feather.
So...
I really matter this much to you...
Rate on N.U.
