As Scarlett saw Yumi and Reiza in their new outfits, her lips curled into a genuine smile. She imdiately stopped scratching Li Feng's face and raised her hand, giving a thumbs-up to both of them. "Whoa... Nice outfits, ten out of ten!" she said, clearly impressed.
Reiza's face turned beet red, and she quickly looked away, trying to hide her embarrassnt. Yumi, on the other hand, was not as amused. Her brows furrowed as she yelled, "The first thing you do after seeing us is rate our outfits?"
Scarlett didn't seem to mind Yumi's irritation. Her gaze kept darting around Reiza's body, admiring the ensemble, until her eyes landed on sothing unexpected. Reiza was holding a burning stick—no, it was actually a joint, an ancient tool that people used to smoke cannabis.
"Smoking is bad, ya know! And where did you get that cannabis?" Scarlett said casually to Reiza. Though she appeared older, Scarlett had the ntality of a teenager, shaped by her mother's teachings. She had never drunk alcohol or smoked before and didn't intend to, but she also didn't force her views on others.
Reiza looked genuinely puzzled. "Smoking is bad?" she echoed, her confusion evident. "Wife, you forget that demons have regeneration. It can't harm us in any way!"
Scarlett smacked her forehead, realizing she had just made a fool of herself. But the mont Scarlett ntioned that smoking was bad, Reiza flung the joint into the air with such force that it vanished into the sky. Everyone's eyes locked on Reiza, who stood frozen, her face once again turning bright red.
"I-I didn't throw it out because my wife said so!" she exclaid, clenching her fists hard. "Umm... I threw it because it tasted so bad!"
Scarlett burst out laughing, the absurdity of the situation getting the better of her. Li Feng, who had been quietly observing, couldn't hold back his chuckles either. Even Yumi, despite her initial irritation, found herself smirking.
"There's a new bar that just opened. Reiza got that from there," Yumi said dryly, crossing her arms. "Euryale and Stheno are working there as hostesses; that's why it beca so popular in just a few days."
Hearing the nas, Scarlett's mind imdiately drifted to thoughts of Euryale and Stheno, the two enchanting sisters and descendants of dusa. Their primary role had once been to turn wooden coins into gold, silver, and bronze. But now, with the demand for new currency having dwindled, they had taken up working as hostesses at a bar to pass the ti.
Scarlett couldn't help but picture their alluring figures adorned in hostess uniforms. A mischievous smirk played on her lips. "I think I should visit them once in a while," she thought, the idea both amusing and intriguing.
Brushing the dirt off her clothes with gentle pats, Scarlett stood up. Li Feng also rose to his feet, stretching his arms.
"Here, this is for you," Yumi suddenly threw sothing black and sleek toward Scarlett. With quick reflexes, Scarlett caught it, her eyes widening in confusion as she realized it was a pair of black heels. Her expression soured, morphing into one of annoyance and disappointnt.
"What the hell is this?" she demanded irritably.
"Can't you see? They're heels," Yumi retorted, pointing her finger for emphasis. "They're made of black forest wood and leather, so they're both very sturdy and flexible and won't break. You always go barefoot or wear n's boots. You've got a pretty figure; at least act like it!"
Scarlett didn't give a damn. With a flick of her wrist, she threw the heels back at Yumi. "I don't want them." Turning on her heel, she started walking toward her ho, her mood darkening by the second.
Before Yumi could respond, a voice rang out from behind. "Wait a minute, there's still one thing I want to do!" It was Li Feng.
Scarlett's annoyance deepened as she spun around. "Now what?" she snapped.
Li Feng's eyes glead with excitent. "I want to spar with you again!"
Scarlett sighed in boredom, internally groaning. "What the hell?" she thought, clearly not in the mood for a sparring match. However, she noticed the eager faces around her, their anticipation palpable.
Xao and Reiza stepped forward, chiming in unison, "Yeah, we also want to spar!"
"We want to test how much we've grown after all this ti!" Reiza added, her voice filled with determination.
Seeing their enthusiasm, Scarlett sighed but eventually nodded in agreent. "Fine, let's do this."
Their faces lit up with smiles, relief and excitent washing over them. "Now that settles it then," Yumi announced, stepping forward with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Since there are three opponents, I'm giving Scarlett three seconds to defeat them. If she's unable to, she'll have to wear these heels."
Scarlett's heart almost stopped at Yumi's words. What was supposed to be a friendly match had just turned into a high-stakes challenge. The thought of wearing those dreaded heels felt like a death sentence to Scarlett.
This alone was enough to ignite a fierce determination within her. Instead of feeling tense, Scarlett smiled, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Well then, I guess I'll have to go all out," she said, adopting a classic boxing stance.
Xao, Reiza, and Li Feng moved to stand in front of Scarlett, taking their own stances. Yumi took a few steps back, knowing she couldn't be entirely safe at close range. Acting as the referee, she cast a spell, summoning a yellow, semi-transparent clock that floated in the air.
"Now then, just as I say 'Start,' you'll begin fighting. After three seconds, this clock will ring, and I'll announce the results!" Yumi declared, her voice echoing with authority.
The digital clock had a tir button, ready to be pressed. Yumi raised her hand, her index finger poised over the button. The anticipation in the air was electric.
"Start!" Yumi shouted, about to press
the button.
In an instant, the sparring arena erupted into chaos. Scarlett's mind went into overdrive. Ti seed to slow down as Xao dropped to her knees and placed her hands on the ground in milliseconds, chanting, "Glaci—"
At the sa ti, Li Feng touched his katana, and Reiza was almost ready to draw her battle axe from her spatial inventory.
Bang! Bang! Boom! Boom!
It wasn't even a second, not even half a second, before utterly loud thuds resounded through the arena. The shockwaves were so intense that Yumi was forced to kneel, covering her ears from the deafening bangs.
When the dust settled, the scene was almost surreal. Scarlett stood firm and unscathed, a calm force amidst the chaos. anwhile, Li Feng's head was buried in the ground, his legs comically waving in the air. Reiza had been launched into the distance, her body now laying motionless on a tree branch. Xao lay on the ground, unconscious.
It took only a few seconds for everyone to co back to their senses. Xao groggily sat up, rubbing her head. Reiza jumped down from the tree, dusting herself off, and Li Feng struggled to pull his head out of the ground.
"I guess we have a long way to go," Xao said with a bitter smile.
"Why the hell did I get two hits?" Li Feng demanded, glaring at Scarlett.
Scarlett grinned mischievously, giving him a thumbs-up. "Because you were pissing
off, so special for you—two hits!"
As they gathered themselves, Yumi stepped forward, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Well then, I'm announcing the results!" she exclaid, confusing everyone. Even a child could see who had won; what was the point of announcing it?
Yumi's voice rang out, shaking Scarlett's whole world. "Scarlett lost the match, and Xao, Reiza, and Li Feng win," she declared with a satisfactory smile.
"How? That's cheating!" Scarlett protested, her voice rising in disbelief.
"Nope!" Yumi said, her prideful smile unwavering. "I said 'start,' but you didn't even give
ti to start the tir. That ans you acted before the tir even began, so you're disqualified."
Scarlett's face twisted in frustration. It was clearly Yumi's fault for not managing to start the tir, but it was obvious she just wanted to make Scarlett wear those dreaded heels.
Scarlett's friends couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Li Feng clapped Scarlett on the back. "Looks like you're wearing those heels after all."
"No way in hell!" Scarlett shouted, bolting toward her wooden house. Everyone chuckled at her childishness.
"I'll go after her," Yumi said with a mischievous smile, determination gleaming in her eyes.
Scarlett seed to vanish into thin air as she approached her house. Yumi wasn't ready to give up, and she began searching everywhere. After a few hours of fruitless searching, Yumi finally realized that Scarlett had been in her wooden house the entire ti. Yumi had thought staying at ho would be too obvious, but Scarlett had used reverse psychology to outwit her.
With an annoyed expression, Yumi stord into the house. Scarlett stood facing the wall, showing her back to Yumi.
Panting and out of breath, Yumi felt her anger dissipate as she addressed Scarlett, "Okay, let's forget about the heels. I wanted to talk about sothing else."
"..." Scarlett remained silent, still facing the wall.
Realizing there was no response, Yumi tried again. "Umm, Nova-san? Hello?" She waved her hands and raised her voice a little.
"Hehehe..." A small mischievous laugh escaped Scarlett's lips. She turned around, her fingers splayed across her face in a dramatic pose. "I'm not Scarlett. I AM JERUSALEM," she declared in a heavy, authoritative voice, striking a cringe-worthy pose.
Yumi's eyes narrowed in exasperation, her boredom evident. "Now where the hell did the Kingdom of Heaven co from?" she muttered. "This is not the ti for acting. Actually, I've been waiting for a mont when we could be alone. I'm here to talk about the war!"
"Go on, My royal subject! I shall grant you permission to speak," Scarlett said in her over-the-top voice, still deeply imrsed in her acting. She was clearly having fun and trying to distract Yumi from the heels.
Yumi's annoyance was evident, but her voice softened with concern. "Nova-san, about those succubi—are you sure you can win? What if you lose? It's not too late yet. We haven't made any contracts with them. We could just back off. I'll go to the kingdom and bring so advanced magic grimoires of stealth, and we'll make our village hidden until they change direction," she suggested, her worry clear. She knew the twin succubi were demon king-level existences. Although Scarlett feared nothing, Yumi couldn't shake her anxiety. She was, after all, human, and humans hadn't defeated a demon king in over ten thousand years.
"Lose? ? Hehehe... You know what, I was wrong. I'm actually Alexander the Great. I'm the one who'll never lose," Scarlett declared, still caught up in her act.
"Shut up!" Yumi's sudden loud voice echoed through the house, making Scarlett freeze. This ti, Yumi was genuinely angry. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clenched her fists. "Why? Why the hell do you always take everything as a joke?" she demanded, her voice a mix of anger and concern.
Scarlett's expression shifted to normal, the gravity of Yumi's words sinking in.
"They are a demon-king level existence for a reason.You never take anything seriously. I know all the villagers are important to you, but important things are always so fragile. Everyone here thinks of you as so kind of god. What about their faith?" Yumi's voice cracked with emotion.
"My dad died when I was just fourteen. I know how it feels to lose soone close to you. You also got reincarnated, transmigrated, whatever happened, and ended up here, right?" She lifted her face, her eyes eting Scarlett's with intensity. "I know you can understand this pain of seperating from your family too. If you keep acting like this, not taking anything seriously, you'll surely regret it," she said, her voice trembling but resolute.
"Nope! I killed my parents already!" Scarlett said casually. Although she was telling the truth, who would believe soone who confessed to killing their own father so nonchalantly? Yumi laughed bitterly, "Still joking! You made
the Minister of Finance, but you can't even trust ? Or did you never trust
in the first place?" She questioned, tears dropping from her eyes as she looked at Scarlett.
Scarlett's expression softened, and she sighed heavily. "And what if I say, I really... really trust you?" she said with a genuine smile. Her smile seed to ease Yumi's worries, if only a little. Scarlett had chosen Yumi because she knew her loyalty and personality. She trusted Yumi deeply, even if it wasn't always obvious.
Scarlett moved closer, leaning in until she was re inches from Yumi. "Don't worry. I really won't lose. And as for regretting my decisions, I never regret them," she said with a confident smile. "Although I do regret that my mother died because I killed my father, I think it was actually good that she died. After years of tornt, she finally found peace," she thought to herself.
Raising her hand, Scarlett gently wiped away Yumi's tears. Yumi's eyes remained locked on Scarlett's as she leaned in even closer, their faces just inches apart. "Your whole face is red. How about I give you so consolation?" Scarlett said, her fingers trailing under Yumi's skirt, her lips almost touching Yumi's.
But before Scarlett could go any further, Yumi caught her hand. "Sniff... Okay... okay... I'm letting you go this ti, but that doesn't an my anger is gone. Don't you dare lose... sniff," Yumi said, brushing her nose and trying to regain her composure.
Scarlett took a step back, chuckling mischievously. "Hmm, okay, but if you cry like this next ti, I'll definitely eat you up whole," she teased, heading towards the door.
Just as she began to walk away, her usual confident stride more akin to a boy's than a girl's, Yumi's eyes widened with realization. "Wait... I forgot about the heels!" she exclaid, bolting forward and grabbing Scarlett by the back of her shirt.
"Who the hell walks like that? Now you have to learn the catwalk too! Co with !" Yumi commanded, her voice filled with determination.
"I said I don't want to!" Scarlett struggled, trying to free herself from Yumi's grip, but this ti Yumi wasn't letting go. Scarlett twisted and turned, attempting to break free, but Yumi's resolve was unshakable.
As the commotion grew louder, others also arrived, drawn by the noise. They watched the spectacle unfold, a mixture of amusent and exasperation on their faces.
"You need to at least try them on," Xao chid in, trying to stifle a laugh.
"You look like you're marching to war, not walking. It's hilarious!" Li Feng added, chuckling.
"I wanna see my wife in heels!" Reiza exclaid, Her eyes shining like a start.
Hearing her words, Scarlett glared at Reiza, her resistance slowly waning under the collective pressure. "Fine! But I still think this is ridiculous," she muttered.
With everyone pitching in their opinions and giving Scarlett a hard ti, she eventually gave in. Yumi triumphantly produced the heels, a gleam of victory in her eyes.
Scarlett reluctantly took the shoes, slipping them on with a grumble. The unfamiliar sensation of the heels made her feel off-balance. She stood awkwardly, wobbling slightly as she tried to get used to them.
"See, not so bad," Yumi said, a smug smile on her face.
Scarlett shot her a look. "I feel like a giraffe on stilts."
"Now, let's see you do the catwalk," Yumi insisted, pointing to a makeshift runway they had quickly cleared in the middle of the room.
"I fear no n, But these things, It scares ." Scarlett sighed deeply but complieda s she thought. She took a few tentative steps, trying to mimic the graceful walk Yumi demonstrated. watched, so stifling giggles, others openly laughing, Reiza couldn't help but blush at Scarlett's every reaction.
Scarlett's first few attempts were shaky, and she stumbled a couple of tis, much to the amusent of everyone around her. But slowly, she began to find a rhythm, her steps becoming more confident.
"See, you're getting the hang of it," Yumi encouraged.
"Yeah, yeah, don't get used to this," Scarlett retorted, a bitter small smile tugged at her lips.
After a few more rounds of practice and plenty of laughter, Scarlett finally managed to walk sowhat gracefully in the heels. The ordeal had been humiliating, but it also brought a sense of camaraderie.
As the practice session ended, Scarlett kicked off the heels with relief. "That was torture. Never again."
Yumi laughed, patting her on the back. "You did well, though. Maybe there's hope for you yet."
Scarlett rolled her eyes but couldn't help but feel a bit proud of herself. "Just don't expect
to wear these things in battle."
"You definitely will!" Yumi laughed to hearts contain to the point that, She fell asleep without even noticing.
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