I Am Really The Best Anti Hero In Another World!-System Of Anti Hero! Chapter 69 -

Monts earlier, just after Noah vanished into thin air, the phoenix lifted one wing behind the serpent’s head and struck her sharply.

— Are you stupid?!

— I told you to stop hitting ! And why are you saying this now?!

— Why didn’t you accept the deal the first ti? What would you have done if he’d walked away?

— What are you talking about...? He’d never do that. He needs our permission to—

The phoenix cut her off with another sharp smack.

— You... idiot. He doesn’t need our permission for anything. We live inside his body. We’re the ones who need his approval. He controls everything in here—even us. I thought you figured that out when you tried to attack him. So what would you have done if he’d walked away?

Next ti, don’t try to impose terms on sothing you don’t even control.

—

As they walked through the forest, Noah glanced at Ting with a grin and asked in a teasing tone:

— So, how does it feel to be abandoned by your uncle?

— He didn’t abandon . He just went off to research sothing...

— I see...

He stopped, turning back to look at her. She was following a few paces behind.

— But why are you trailing so far back, girl? Or should I say... princess? You do know there are beasts out here, right?

Startled, Ting stopped. After a mont of thought, she replied:

— ...I don’t want to upset you. Because, like you said, if I do, you’ll leave behind...

— I get it. But honestly, what you’re doing is worse.

— Worse? Why?

He resud walking.

— Because walking like that makes feel like I’m being followed. And I hate that feeling. So...

— Okay, okay, I’ll walk closer. Stop whining already...

Despite her hesitation, she edged closer and began walking beside him.

— Do you even know where you’re going?

— Not exactly. I’ve never been here before.

— Then shouldn’t we head back? What if a beast shows up?

— No need to worry. The beasts haven’t returned to this area yet—and even if they had, they wouldn’t co near. At least... not near .

Noah chuckled and continued moving through the underbrush, scanning for herbs. After a while, he managed to find a few, though not nearly enough to craft more than a couple of pills—let alone reach the fifth level in alchemy.

— This is harder than I thought... — he muttered, picking a faintly glowing green flower.

A tongue-click echoed behind him.

— Why are you even picking that stuff...? dicinal herbs are only useful to alchemists! — Ting rushed up, stopping in front of him, eyes shining. — Wait—are you an alchemist?!

— No. — Noah stepped past her. — Not yet.

— Yet? So you have a teacher, right?

— A teacher...? — Noah paused. — Yeah... I guess you could say that. "She" taught everything I needed to know.

Ting followed behind in an exaggerated strut, swinging her hips and lifting her knees like a child putting on a show. Noah recognized the act—he’d seen tantrums like that before.

He sighed.

— What is it now...? What do you want?

— Nothing...

— ...Speak.

She kept up the routine a bit longer, swaying playfully, before finally edging closer. Sensing Noah was losing interest, she spoke.

— Fine, since you insist...!

She smiled, brushing her arm lightly against his. Her fear seed to have faded.

— Will you teach alchemy?

— Afraid not.

— But I’m your fiancée!

Noah stopped and looked at her. Ting wasn’t joking—she was dead serious.

With a sigh, he explained:

— To be an alchemist, you need to control fire, so...

He felt a sudden heat and turned his head. Ting stood there, smiling, a fla spinning between her fingers.

— Like this? — she asked proudly.

— ...But it has to be the fla of a demonic beast.

— It is! From a firebird, actually...

He noticed the change in her expression at the ntion of the creature—but more importantly, he realized he might have misread the inscription on the vase in her room.

— Don’t cry, — he said gently.

— Haha, don’t worry... I’m not going to cry.

She sniffled and wiped her eyes discreetly, then smiled.

— But thanks for caring.

Noah looked away. Sothing stirred in his chest—soft, unfamiliar warmth. Until now, only Sophia had made him feel that way. Apparently, being around soone who genuinely cared could bring change. He just hadn’t expected it to co so fast.

— So? Will you teach ? — Ting pressed, moving even closer.

Noah felt the warmth of her arm, but he spotted a violet-glowing herb just ahead. Pushing the thought aside, he walked toward it.

— I thought you were afraid of . Why ask that now?

— So you noticed...

She laughed softly.

— But I wasn’t afraid of you. I was afraid of the thing that killed the assassin chasing . That thing... wasn’t you, was it?

Noah stayed silent, searching through the plants. She smiled and continued:

— It took a while to tell that thing apart from you. But now I can. I know the difference.

— Oh yeah? And what difference is that?

She pulled his arm tighter, pressing it to her chest. His body reacted instantly—at least, his heart did. Ting smiled.

— This one. No matter how well you pretend... you feel everything I do to you. And you’re obviously attracted to how I look. And the most important part...!

She jumped, and Noah instinctively caught her in his arms. Ting bead at him, eyes shining.

— You care enough to carry when I say I’m tired. Like you did earlier.

— ...Maybe you should go back to being afraid of . You’re getting way too confident.

— Oh, stop being such a grump...

She looped her arms around his neck.

— We are going to get married soday.

— ...You really want that?

Sothing dripped onto his back—it wasn’t rain. Ting took a mont to respond. She sniffled and said softly:

— I don’t know... I just think it’d be better than spending my life alone, being hunted by my own family. Don’t you?

— Yeah. And with that, we’ll be hunted together. What a lovely proposal you’re making.

— Haha! Which is exactly why you need to get stronger—fast. So you can protect us both.

She fell quiet after that. It made it hard for Noah to concentrate—he even left behind a few herbs, the less useful ones.

Tightening her embrace, she whispered in his ear:

— Just a little longer, okay...? Let stay like this... just a little longer...