"Watch out—danger!"
Boom!
A powerful explosion erupted, shattering the steps beneath rlin and Luna.
Thick black smoke filled the air, forming a dense haze that blocked their vision.
Luna shut her eyes in terror. But when she realized she felt no pain, she slowly opened them—only to find herself in rlin's arms.
"T-This…" Her body stiffened as her heart began to race.
rlin gently released her. His face was pale, and his breathing was heavy.
Noticing that, Luna quickly grabbed his arm. "Are you hurt?"
The explosion had been so strong that she hadn't even had ti to react. If rlin hadn't shielded her, she would've been dead by now.
"I'm fine," rlin said calmly, though the faint hiss of pain slipping through his teeth betrayed him.
Of course, he was lying. The blast had struck his back—the very part he'd used to protect Luna.
His back was badly burned. He couldn't see it, but the pain was searing, and he could feel the blood running down.
Luna's eyes widened in disbelief. She shifted slightly and saw the terrible burns on his back.
"You… you're injured!" She cried, covering her mouth with both hands.
The back of his robe was ripped, revealing his charred, reddish-black back. Blood seeped from the burns, streaming down like a dark waterfall.
The sight was so dreadful that Luna's knees nearly gave out.
"It's okay," rlin muttered, taking a deep breath as he reached into his pocket for an A-level potion.
"It's okay, you say? That wound is serious! We need to go back imdiately! I'll get Tina to treat you!" Luna exclaid anxiously, gripping his arm tightly.
She still couldn't believe rlin had risked himself to protect her from the explosion.
Didn't he hate her? Wasn't he opposed to being engaged to her?
Then why was he doing this? What was his purpose? Were the masked boy's words true—that helping soone doesn't always need a reason?
Questions swirled in her mind, making her temples throb violently.
"No need. I brought a healing potion," rlin said.
He opened the bottle and took a sip.
Instantly, a cold sensation spread through his body, including his back.
The excruciating pain began to fade, and the burned skin slowly started to heal.
Luna let out a relieved sigh, pressing a hand to her chest. If rlin had died, she truly wouldn't have known what to do.
The rescue he had carried out was both a gift and a debt she would have to repay.
"That…" Luna started to say, but rlin interrupted her before she could finish.
"I know what you want to ask. Don't get wrong—I'm not helping you because I love you or like you. Stop your narcissistic thoughts."
His words cut through Luna like a knife. She had actually thought so, yet rlin was shockingly blunt.
Before her annoyance could fade, rlin continued in a softer tone, "Besides, your father and mother entrusted with your safety. I cannot betray their trust. And despite our argunts over this engagent, we are still a couple on paper, aren't we?"
rlin gave her a faint, playful smile.
Badump!
Luna's heart skipped a beat. Her normally cold face flushed bright red.
"You…" She wanted to scold him but couldn't. What rlin said was undeniably true.
On paper, they were indeed a couple, and that fact could not be denied.
Flustered and lacking a proper retort, Luna looked away, feigning annoyance.
rlin felt a twinge of guilt and muttered under his breath, 'Am I overdoing it?'
He and Luna didn't get along well, and his teasing had been a bit inappropriate—especially given his usually cold deanor since arriving at the mansion.
Just then, the system notification panel chid unexpectedly.
"[Ding! The affection of heroine Luna Tharot has increased by 13 points! Current affection: 55 points (30)]"
The corners of rlin's lips twitched. The rapid increase in her affection left him unsure how to react.
"[Tsk! Don't pretend, Master. I'm starting to suspect you were lying yesterday. You're actually targeting Luna Tharot, aren't you? Co on, be honest. Relax, I won't mock you.]"
The system's playful voice echoed in his head. rlin rolled his eyes. 'What are you saying, system? Don't talk nonsense. I'll keep my promise!'
Well, he did want to be kinder to Luna, but only to that extent. At the very least, they could be friends.
That would benefit both of them in the future.
The smoke from the explosion gradually cleared, finally revealing the Golden Grail up close.
"rlin, let's go check it out!" Luna exclaid, her eyes shining with excitent.
She was eager to see if it was real. If it was, she could already imagine how delighted her parents would be.
"Wait!" rlin hurriedly stepped in front of her. "That explosion shows this place is full of traps. Let make sure it's safe first."
He picked up a palm-sized stone from the ground and threw it forward.
Buzz!
A magic circle appeared above, and a fireball shot out, slamming into the floor with force.
Luna swallowed nervously. She had been careless not to notice sothing so simple.
Her gaze lingered on rlin, filled with curiosity and a hint of admiration.
He didn't stop there. rlin picked up the other five stones and tossed them toward spots he suspected of hiding traps.
Buzz!
Magic circles flared, detonating powerfully around the area.
After about five minutes, rlin deed it safe.
"Co on, let's get closer," he said.
"Um!" Luna nodded eagerly.
To ensure her safety, rlin led the way while Luna followed closely behind.
When they reached the Grail, Luna gazed at it with sparkling eyes and gently touched it.
"This is the real one!" she cried, overjoyed.
It was said that the Grail of Ti had a special bond with the descendants of the Tharot family. Simply touching it allowed those with Tharot blood to sense its presence.
And it was true—she could feel it clearly.
rlin, however, showed no surprise. From the beginning, he had known it was genuine.
"rlin, let's go tell Father! I'll write him a letter!"
The verification was done, and now it was ti to inform her father.
But rlin shook his head, glancing at the ruined stairs.
"How can we go back if the exit is blocked?"
Luna froze. In her excitent, she had completely forgotten about that.
"Then…" She bit her lower lip. "What should we do?"
rlin smiled faintly. "Luna, I have an idea."
"Idea?" Luna raised her eyebrows. "What is it?"
rlin paused for a mont before replying, "What if I told you… I can actually activate it?"
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