A few monts ago,
Ryuk and Es walked side by side up the grand staircase leading to the main palace.
The atmosphere was thick with the weight of unspoken words.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they ascended the stairs, Es's gaze occasionally flicking toward Ryuk, who remained silent.
"Why don't you ever call by my na?" Ryuk broke the silence, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.
Es raised an eyebrow but didn't respond imdiately; instead, growing slightly flustered, she increased her pace, walking a few steps ahead.
But before she could get too far, Ryuk's hand shot out, gently grabbing her wrist and pulling her to a halt.
"At least call sothing," he said, his voice low and playful, "or else, what will you do if soday you need to find ? If you can't even call my na or tell anyone about ?"
Es stopped in her tracks, turning to face him, her golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you planning to vanish sowhere?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.
Ryuk, tilting his head, let out a soft chuckle.
His golden pupils shifted, slowly darkening to an amber hue as he used his ability, nullifying her illusion that had been subtly influencing his eye color to be golden.
"Of course I would," he said, his voice teasing. "If I don't get a call, so title... by you, that is."
Es bit her lip, the weight of his words sinking in. Given her own strength, which wasn't physically strong, it was possible for him to escape sowhere without her.
Given that their relationship had not progressed toward intimacy or any kind of stability from her side, it was possible that without sothing to hold on to, he could disappear from her world entirely.
She sighed, her voice softening. "Fine, but don't think this changes anything."
Ryuk smirked, his grip on her wrist loosening. "So...?"
Es hesitated, feeling her cheeks warm. "H-husband," she mumbled, quickly looking away, her embarrassnt evident.
Ryuk's smirk grew wider, clearly enjoying her discomfort, about to add, "How about hubby or honey, instead?"
"Wh-what?" Es flustered, hearing him ntion those words so boldly though she was completely controlled, but it was too much for her given they were just a mist preparing to fight, prompting her to just mutter under her breath, "H-honey."
Ding!
[ Searching for more suggestions..... ]
[ Host, tell her to call you all this, it will provide variety: Sweetheart, darling, love, dear, babe, lovebug, Daddy, sugar, pumpkin, heartthrob, significant other, partner, soulmate, handso, teddy bear, my knight, prince, hero, darling husband, sweetie pie.....see more ]
'....' Ryuk was just trying to calm his mind, given that he was trying to control his anger due to knowing that he would soon see Jenny once again, making all the mories definitely not sothing good.
This prompted him to intentionally lighten the mood by teasing Es, but this stupid system just ruined it.
Ryuk wanted to suppress his killing intent, which he definitely had control over, given that it was not the first ti in this life that he was going to see Jenny.
The issue was that in his past life, he had seen Jenny's adult version as a betrayer.
This was why he had felt less anger toward her small child's body when he arranged her massage from Carlien.
But today, he was going to see her adult self—an adult self that was a spitting image of the person who dared to backstab him and who remained stubborn until the end.
So, he was just trying to lighten the mood. Of course, he could still control it, but he really felt that no matter which story he read in his past life, he had never seen such a terrible system like this.
By the ti Es collected herself, she changed the subject, hoping to escape the teasing. "By the way, what are we here for? To fight again?"
Ryuk's mind was pulled out of his thoughts as he glanced towards Es, stretching his hand as he looked at the wide range of mountains, with the fog nearby appearing as if they were in the sky, creating a beautiful landscape for sightseeing. He added, "I told you once—there were people who betrayed ."
Es's mind flashed back to that day in Titanora when Ryuk had briefly ntioned betrayal. It had been vague, but she rembered enough. That day, he had killed a flag bearer who had disturbed them in a very good way.
"I rember," she murmured, her golden pupils narrowing. She had never pried into that story, knowing the weight it carried. But given that she felt this was the reason why he always seed close yet distant from her, she felt anger towards those people.
"Yes," Ryuk said, his voice colder now. "One of those betrayers is inside that main palace." His words, even though calm, caused Es's eyes to turn cold, her hand clenched, as if more than Ryuk, she was determined to get back at those who dared to harm him.
"I see." Her mind was set—whoever had betrayed Ryuk would pay the price.
But curiosity tugged at her, prompting her to ask, "Who is it?"
Ryuk's smirk returned, this ti more cryptic. "You'll recognize her at first sight, for the clue is, who makes the worst horrified face would be her."
Back in the present,
Es's hand rested on Jenny's head, trapping the girl in her illusion while rembering how this young woman was the only one who saw horror etched on her face.
Though she heard from Ryuk that he was betrayed by this woman, seeing her horrified face made it appear that she was traumatized by him, not him by her.
Forgetting about all those things, she shook her head and tried to focus, but the mory of him forcing her to call him husband was still lingering.
Suddenly, her thoughts were shattered by a sharp sound—WHOOSH—a faint whistle as a blade sliced through the air.
Es's golden eyes snapped open, her senses instantly heightened.
In the blink of an eye, a sword's blade surged toward her heart, its speed so incredible that the sound of its cutting swish followed the blade's arrival.
Even more disorienting was the delayed yelling that reached Es's ears: "Leave my granddaughter alone!"
She barely had ti to process it, her gaze darting to the source of the threat.
There stood the matriarch, suspended mid-air, her fierce expression and inhuman speed radiating danger as her sword ca down with lethal precision, aid directly at Es's chest.
But before the blade could penetrate, it t tal with a resounding.
CLANK
The sound reverberated through the air.
Ryuk's sword had materialized between them, effortlessly deflecting the matriarch's attack. His amber eyes blazed with cold intensity as he held her gaze, his entire form enveloped in an orange aura.
"Stay away from her," he commanded.
With a fluid motion, Ryuk spun around, delivering a powerful kick that sent the matriarch stumbling backward.
"Kughh!?"
Screeech!
"Haa..." The matriarch gasped, her grip tightening around her sword as she skidded to a halt, glaring at Ryuk with a barely contained fury.
In stark contrast, Ryuk remained calm, almost indifferent, lowering his sword while keeping his eyes locked on her.
He had entrusted Es to handle Jenny, confident that she could manage her, all the while considering the plot armour that often surrounded heroines.
His composure was reassuring, especially with Regina now entering the fray.
With a deliberate movent, Ryuk pointed his sword, which began to shimr with an orange glow, while his hand emanated an athyst aura.
His gaze remained fixed on the matriarch, and as he prepared to dash toward her, he declared, "How cute. It seems you've forgotten to ntion how my eyes have beco my saving grace today."
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