Chapter 560: Casual Dates 2

A soft breeze brushed against my skin.

The sunlight wasn’t harsh—just warm enough to soak into the body, leaving a gentle comfort behind.

All around us the greenery stretched vibrant and alive, blossoms scattering their colors in quiet bursts across the fields and paths.

Spring really was the best season.

“How is it? Feels nice, right?”

Lavine didn’t answer immediately. Her gaze drifted around us instead, catching the eyes of people we passed by. Some stared with intrigue, others stunned, a few even spellbound.

“…It feels better than I thought it would,” she said at last, a faint smile curling at her lips. “Who would’ve thought a day would come where I could walk freely in the world without being recognized? It’s… refreshing. Though, I’ll admit, the stares are a little excessive.”

“Well, it’s not every day people see someone of your caliber,” I replied, almost teasing. “And besides—you talk as though you couldn’t leave your domain whenever you wanted.”

“Fufu. I thought you understood how my domain worked. As a fellow ascended, you should know by now that walking freely like this comes with its own… consequences.”

I held back a retort, falling into silence.

Even with the training I’d gone through—forcing myself to balance my senses, steady my physical self, and reach some degree of control—it wasn’t enough.

The sensation was strange, heavier than the first time I’d touched [Divine Will] and felt the flood of everything it carried with it.

Back then I thought I could crush the world in my grasp if I wasn’t careful.

Now, that feeling had only grown sharper.

Still, it had only been a few days since I ascended.

There was space left to grow—room to expand, to adjust.

Right now, Lavine and I had just returned to the academy after the rather unexpected turn of events inside the dungeon.

Things hadn’t exactly gone the way I planned, but since everything ended without any major disasters, I couldn’t complain.

I had mapped it all out in advance—every move, every decision—mostly to help Lucas keep up with my current pace and to give the heroines the kind of growth they needed.

It was supposed to be a balancing act. Yet, somehow, instead of narrowing the distance between us, the gap had widened even further.

Well, he’s still the protagonist of this world, after all.

A child blessed by its very fabric, loved and carried by its flow.

If anything, my little stroke of fortune probably wasn’t mine at all, but just a side effect of standing close to him.

I couldn’t help but smirk bitterly.

The “protagonist halo” really did offset everything—even the sort of bad luck my nonexistent Luck stat could never hold back from twisting my fate.

It was almost unfair, but then again, that’s exactly what made him him.

“Master, let’s go check that shop over there.”

Lavine tugged lightly at my sleeve, her voice pulling me back from my thoughts. I followed her gaze toward the corner of the street.

It was a familiar storefront—the famous dessert shop I’d often seen Alice sneaking into from time to time.

Inside, the place was already bustling, laughter and chatter spilling out through the windows along with the sweet scent of baked goods.

“There are a lot of people inside,” I muttered. “Maybe we should head somewhere else…”

“Hmm? Does that matter?”

“You know it does.”

She blinked at me, then her lips curved in a sly smile.

“Ah… oh? Who knew Master was actually sensitive about those kinds of things? I thought you were just a shameless maniac who casually cheats on his lovely fiancées, fufu~ With all the pretty girls surrounding you, I don’t think me being added to your already absurd collection of rumors would change much.”

“Adding more doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good thing.”

I sighed. In truth, I didn’t really care what people thought of me anymore.

Their whispers, their stares—it all blended into the same meaningless noise.

What mattered was the girls around me.

The last thing I wanted was for them to misunderstand something unnecessary and blow it out of proportion.

“Come on now, let’s go,” Lavine said, tugging insistently at my arm. “You promised, remember? You’ll do anything I wish for an entire day.”

“Yes,” I replied flatly, “but only the requests that are reasonable.”

“Tch, tch. Details, details. We don’t have much time before the day ends, Master. I’m going to suck you dry all day long, fufufu~”

She laced her fingers through mine as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Then I felt it—her mana tugging, pulling, siphoning from me with every touch.

My body reacted instantly, the subtle drain making it impossible to ignore.

Around us, heads turned.

Curious gazes sharpened the air, every pair of eyes clinging to the sight of us hand-in-hand, her leaning close, lips curved into that mischievous smile.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” I muttered under my breath.

“Whatever could you be talking about~?”

I frowned. “…Please remember your age.”

The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere shifted.

The playful tension evaporated into something heavier, pressing down on my skin like a storm about to break.

I turned to look at her.

Lavine was still smiling sweetly at my side, but her eyes—those void-like purple eyes—were sharp, cold, and utterly unamused.

“Master…” Her voice was velvet, but laced with a thread of steel. “Do you want me to ruin your love life?”

The threat was real. The weight of it pressed down harder than any aura could. I swallowed once, forcing out a quick, “Sorry.”

Her smile returned, softening back into that teasing curve. “Fufu~ A word of advice, Master: never mention age when it comes to girls, okay?”

I gave a stiff nod, accepting my defeat.

“Good. Then let’s go.”

She tugged me along again, fingers still entwined with mine, her mana still drinking steadily as though nothing had happened.

I didn’t really have anything more to say at this point.

Ideally, I would’ve returned quietly, slipped back into the academy, and surprised the girls with a calm reunion.

But that wasn’t going to happen now.

Not with Lavine clinging to me so openly, and not in a city where rumors spread faster than wildfire through dry grass.

Snow would probably hear about it before the day was even over.

Trying to explain Lavine to them was going to be complicated.

Rose would understand immediately—since she has a short connection with Lavine—and Alice, despite her outward stubbornness, would put the pieces together too.

Eventually, I had planned to tell them everything. Just… not like this.

But for now, a promise was a promise. If indulging this millennia-old familiar of mine was the price she demanded, then so be it. She’d earned it.

“You just thought something rude, didn’t you?” Lavine’s voice slid in, sharp and amused. Her eyes gleamed faintly, catching mine in a knowing look.

“Of course not.”

She narrowed her gaze slightly, lips curving as if to say liar. Sharp as ever. But after a beat, she let it slide, arching her brow before shifting the topic.

“By the way, Master… I died in that fight, didn’t I? How did you bring me back immediately? I’m certain I didn’t use any of my celestial astral mirrors this time around.”

“I just lied,”

“Hm?”

We stepped into the shop before I could elaborate.

The heavy sweetness in the air immediately pressed down on us, the scent of sugar, cream, and roasted nuts clinging to every breath. It was warm, crowded, alive with chatter.

“Pick whatever you want,” I said, waving her off casually. “I’ll indulge you today, all your cravings.”

Lavine’s gaze lingered on me, her annoyance obvious.

I knew what she wanted wasn’t sweets, not really—what she wanted was an answer.

But she let it go with a quiet hum, walking ahead, her presence drawing stares just as it always did.

She might have been my familiar, tied to me at the soul, and she might have been ascended just like me—but I had a gnawing feeling.

The moment I explained too much about myself, about what I really did, something dangerous would be set into motion.

And for now, silence was safer.

“I’ll find us a seat first.”

“Okay~”

The sweet shop had staff ready to take orders at the tables, but from what I’d seen, things moved faster if you ordered directly at the counter.

I’d never really come here before, though I’d passed by often enough.

The vibe reminded me a little of Panda Café—warm lighting, quiet chatter, and that constant hum of life just under the surface.

I made a mental note.

I should bring the girls here sometime.

They’d probably enjoy it.

The place was crowded, though.

Finding an empty seat wasn’t easy, with couples leaning close, groups of students laughing too loud, and the occasional loner tucked away with their sweets.

I weaved my way through the press of bodies until finally, in the far corner, I spotted it—a small table with just a single chair.

Not ideal. But better than nothing.

I turned toward the nearest table, intending to ask if I could borrow a seat.

“Excuse me, is this seat—”

The words caught in my throat. My body froze.

“…Riley?”

“…Riley.”

Two voices overlapped, too familiar to mistake.

I turned slowly, my gaze locking onto them. Rose. And Seo.

My supposed best friend stared back at me with wide eyes, and for a moment, I barely recognized her. Her look—different from before—was enough to make my breath hitch.

Why are they here?

No—better question.

How did I not notice them until now?

“Master~ I’m back,” Lavine’s lilting voice cut in. She appeared at my side, hands lightly brushing my sleeve, tone far too casual for the storm that had just descended on the room. “Oh, but there’s only one seat… are you borrowing from these two kind, beautiful ladies, perhaps? Uhm, excuse me—this seat isn’t taken, is it?”

Her smile was effortless, disarming. Too disarming.

That’s when I felt it.

A faint tug against my skin.

My eyes flicked down—there it was, a thin thread of mana, so fine it was nearly invisible, binding her hand to mine.

It wasn’t just draining me—it was tethering me.

Warping, distorting the natural pulse of my senses, making me blind to the presences around me.

T-This old g-granny…

“Master…?”

Rose’s voice cut the air, cold and sharp enough to bite.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep