GRAAB
The sound of a shoulder being grabbed rang out through the space, causing Orrelith to halt in her steps.
But it wasn’t just her—everyone in the group stopped.
’Oh... oh,’ Ryuk thought.
Standing at the front, he could clearly see Orrelith’s expression.
Her face, normally expressionless, even only slightly creasing from all that had happened before, had now turned into one of surprise as she slowly turned her head to look behind her.
Her eyes met Grozque’s, which held firm for a moment, but then she shifted her gaze downward to his hand, resting on her shoulder.
It was as if Grozque had been electrocuted as he immediately withdrew his hand.
She turned fully to him, her brows furrowed in visible annoyance.
"I... I’m sorry about that," he said awkwardly.
But all he received was her cold, blank stare.
A stare he couldn’t help but notice was colder than ever before.
"Are you planning on going through the door?" Grozque asked.
"And if I am?" Orrelith replied flatly.
"You can’t!" He shot back, leading to her raising an eyebrow.
"The Crimson Demons are an occultic race that excels in awakening rituals."
"That door behind you is where they sent the energy. Most likely... to one of the beings they want to awaken."
"I’ve heard of some of the entities the Crimson Demons have awakened in the past. Some were cosmic-level disasters!"
"If it took the blood energy of 81 Apocrypha-stage Archguards just to open the eyelid of whatever’s behind that door, then that thing isn’t something you can handle alone."
"Even if you think we stopped its true awakening, that guy behind you is a Foreigner Archguard. His blood energy might be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back."
"You’ll only get yourself hurt," he warned, voice loud, but her cold, blank stare didn’t change, and he sighed helplessly, regaining control of himself.
He inhaled slightly, reigning in his chaotic motions before he spoke once more. This time softer.
"Going through that door wasn’t part of the quest, Orrelith."
"We need to return to base, report what we found, and regroup properly before facing... whatever that is."
"The next mission will have its own rewards. Probably even better than this one. And then it’ll be worth it."
"To go blindly into such an unknown is suicide."
"Do you understand, Orrelith?"
Grozque repeated.
But the answer he got was Orrelith stepping forward, toward him, closer and closer until they were just a few inches apart.
She was so close now, he could even smell her scent, and he watched her tilt her head up to look at him and whispering,
"Are you afraid I would get hurt, Grozque?"
She said it so gently that it left him bewildered.
Orrelith had never asked questions like that, and never came so close to someone before.
But now, she was asking him—was he scared of her getting hurt?
"I... I am," he admitted with a sigh.
Then she leaned in closer, her voice low but resolute.
"I won’t turn away," she said, firm and determined—and Grozque’s heart sank.
"But... if you’re truly worried about me, then..."
"Why not come with me, to make sure I’m safe?"
"So your worried heart can rest, knowing I’m not alone."
"Venture into the unknown with me, and we’ll face whatever is in there, together."
She reached out, slowly trying to grab his hand, her gaze never leaving his.
[What kind of man refuses a call like that from his own crush?]The system notification flashed, seemingly amused.
But Ryuk’s expression was dead serious as he replied in his mind:
’Grozque!’
[Huh?]
Just a couple of inches before Orrelith’s fingers could touch Grozque’s hand, the group watched in stunned silence as Grozque pulled faintly pulled back,
GASSSPSSS
It escaped the lips of both Mason and Gus, who stood wide-eyed, mouths agape.
’He... he refused!?’
[HE REFUSED!]
Even the system screamed internally along with them, and Ryuk’s eyes dropped low.
Grozque only seemed to realize what he had done once his withdrawn hand returned to his side.
He tried to make amends, quickly reaching forward and grabbing her hand
"We’ll come back to the portal later," He said, trying to explain.
"But it’s better to let the base know and start a full-scale research into what could be hiding behind that door."
"Going in like this—risking our lives for nothing—isn’t smart."
He tried to convince her, but Orrelith yanked her hand away, turning her back on him as she resumed walking toward Ryuk, who silently stepped to the side.
Before she entered the gate, she paused, without turning her head, and spoke coldly.
"I do not fancy men who hide their cowardice behind a veil of logicality."
Her words rang out, echoing through the space and shaking the atmosphere.
"You’ve lost your only chance of earning my pleasing eyes, Grozque. And I... Orrelith Dragnar... never give second chances."
She declared bluntly, each word like a dagger through Grozque’s chest.
He staggered back, like someone who had just been shoved—his eyes wide in disbelief.
"I... I... Why?" he could barely mutter.
Then, Orrelith stretched out her hand to the side, and Ryuk watched as the golden worm reappeared, spitting out the ship it had previously swallowed.
"You all take the ship back. Return to base with Grozque."
"If you never see me again, you can split the reward amongst yourselves."
She turned and continued toward the revolving golden portal.
CRIICCKK
The sound of clenched teeth rang out from Grozque, whose eyes lit with fiery rage.
He had just been rejected, so brutally, by the one person he had always shown honor and respect.
He had court many women in his life, and not for once had he ever failed to get what he wanted, talkless of being publicly embarrassed like he had been now.
His eyes drifted to the side, and then... they locked onto the boy standing silently behind her.
"This is because of him, isn’t it?" he suddenly spat out.
Not only did Mason and Gus’s eyes widen, but even Ryuk’s expression slightly shifted in surprise, and the words were enough to make Orelith pause in her steps.
"Hey, Grozque. Let it go!" Mason said, grabbing Grozque’s shoulder to pull him back—but Grozque yanked away.
"Ever since that boy appeared, you’ve changed."
"You defended him—even when it was clear he was useless."
"You chased after him when he started running forward, and you stopped me from interfering when he was opening up that god-forsaken gate!"
"You’ve always been lusting after him!"
"Grozque, that’s enough!" Mason shouted, forcefully exerting strength and pulling Grozque back, but the man only laughed even more evilly
"Who would’ve thought?" Grozque barked, his voice bitter.
"The so-called noble Orrelith Dragnar... falling for a low-blood, feminine-looking kid who barely looks a day past puberty!"
He gave a dry, bitter laugh.
"Pathetic, you are... Orrelith."