Selena, Rico, and Kira entered the room. Their expressions were curious and eager to know what transpired between Shinon and General Ironheart. As per their plan, Selena casually opened up the conversation.
"So, Shinon, what did you and the general talk about?"
"Oh, nothing much," he replied, his tone calm. "Just so general discussions about potential collaborations and other plans. You know, the usual. Nothing you people need to be concerned about."
Selena’s eyes narrowed slightly, sensing that there was more to the conversation than Shinon was letting on. "Well, I guess we’ll find out soon enough."
Selena thought Shinon still didn’t trust her, but she was wrong. Shinon sowhat trusted her because the system had nad her an ally. However, he found it hard to believe Selena had no idea that the Phoenixes were selling his weapons to the military.
Shinon nodded, his gaze montarily shifting to the guards training outside the window. The information the general shared with him hung heavy on his mind, and he decided to ask Selena about it as she was close to the Phoenixes.
"By the way, Selena, have you noticed what the Phoenixes have been doing with the weapons I’ve crafted for them?"
Selena crossed her arms, thinking for a mont. "As far as I know, they’ve been distributing them to the guards around the settlent. Why do you ask?"
Shinon maintained a neutral expression, taking in Selena’s response. He trusted Selena as an ally, believing she wouldn’t intentionally deceive him. However, he couldn’t help but notice a change in Marcus’s behaviour.
It seed as though Marcus had beco more guarded in sharing information openly with Selena, perhaps suspecting she had been relaying important details to Shinon.
Shinon’s mind raced with possibilities. Was Marcus aware of his intentions? Did he suspect that Shinon was working against the Phoenixes from within? The thought unsettled him, as it ant he had to exercise even more caution in his actions and conversations.
Inwardly, Shinon made a ntal note to tread even more carefully in his interactions with Marcus.
He understood that his plans to undermine the Phoenixes’ authority relied on maintaining trust and camaraderie among the settlent mbers.
If Marcus suspected his true intentions, it could jeopardise Shinon’s plans and his safety within the settlent.
With a deep breath, Shinon resolved to gather more information and assess the extent of Marcus’s knowledge.
He knew he needed to be strategic in his approach, ensuring that his actions and intentions remained hidden from those who might oppose him.
Rico, who had been quietly observing the conversation, finally spoke up, his gaze focused on his legs.
"Aren’t you forgetting sothing?" he asked, his tone tinged with surprise and curiosity.
Shinon’s eyes flickered towards Rico’s legs, and he couldn’t help but let out a small, reserved smile.
"Ah, you’re out of your wheelchair. Congratulations... I guess," he replied, his voice carrying a hint of indifference.
Rico’s eyebrows furrowed, puzzled by Shinon’s lacklustre response. He expected a more enthusiastic reaction, perhaps even a word of encouragent. However, before Rico could voice his confusion, Kira suddenly yanked his ear, her grip firm and unyielding.
"You big gorilla! Can’t you see we’re in the infirmary? Or can’t you see that Shinon is injured?" Kira scolded, her voice filled with a mixture of exasperation and concern. "Why are you yelling?"
Rico winced, feeling the sharp tug on his ear, his face turning slightly red. He hadn’t realised how loud he had been speaking, his excitent getting the better of him. Kira’s reprimand struck a chord, and he imdiately regretted his outburst.
"That’s all good... but aren’t you yelling as well?" Selena interjected, her voice calm and composed.
The observation caused Kira to release her grip on Rico’s ear, a sheepish expression crossing her face.
Kira cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Right, my apologies," she mumbled, a touch of embarrassnt evident in her tone. She glanced at Rico, who rubbed his ear, offering him an apologetic look.
Shinon watched the exchange with a mix of amusent and gratitude. Despite their bickering, he knew that deep down, they genuinely cared for him. He appreciated their concern, even if his initial response hadn’t matched their expectations.
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You have been assigned a sudden quest!
[Friendships are embarrassing]
Tease Lova when you see her the next ti.
Condition for failure: Failing to get Lova flustered.
Punishnt for failure: None.
Reward for success: Recovery potion (small) x3
__
’What’s up with the weird quests you have given recently...’ Shinon sighed before quickly closing the interface.
~~~
A few hours later...
As Shinon lay in his bed, recovering from his injuries, the door to his room creaked open, revealing the figure of Lova, her own injuries evident. She hobbled into the infirmary, her bandaged arm cradled against her chest.
"Hey there, tough guy," Lova greeted, trying to sound nonchalant despite her obvious pain. "Just thought I’d check in on you and ensure you’re not slacking off in your recovery."
Shinon, amused by Lova’s unexpected visit, grinned mischievously. Little did she know, he wasn’t alone in the room. Selena, who had been quietly reading a book in the corner, looked up and stifled a laugh, enjoying the impending interaction.
Lova’s eyes widened as she noticed Selena’s presence. Her usual aloofness faltered montarily as she tried to maintain her image.
"Selena... I... I didn’t realise you were here," she stamred, her cheeks reddening slightly.
Selena couldn’t resist teasing her friend. With a playful smirk, she raised an eyebrow. "Oh, Lova, are you worried about revealing your secret friendly side to us? I must say, it’s quite endearing," she teased.
Lova’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she tried to regain her composure.
"I-I’m not being friendly! I’m just... concerned, that’s all," she mumbled, attempting to mask her embarrassnt. "And what’s up with your tone? Is this how you converse with your superior?"
"Alright, I’m sorry, ma’am. Feel free to continue," Selena said as she got up to leave. "Take care, both of you!"
As the door closed, Lova’s gaze flickered nervously toward Shinon, her usual composed facade montarily faltering.
’I don’t know why the system wants to do this.. but here it goes.’
Shinon took a deep breath, not believing the cringe that was about to co out of his mouth.
"Oh, co on, Lova. No need to be so shy. We both know you’re secretly concerned about ."
Lova’s cheeks flushed even brighter, and she averted her gaze, her voice slightly faltering. "I-I... it’s not like that! I’m just making sure you’re okay because it’s my duty as a team leader."
[Blush tre: 43%]
"Of course, of course, just doing your duty," he replied, his tone lighthearted. "But you know, Lova, you can drop the tough act occasionally. It’s nice to see this side of you."
Lova’s face reddened further, a mix of embarrassnt and irritation evident in her expression. "I-I don’t have a tough act! I’m always like this," she protested, her voice slightly shaky.
[Blush tre: 78%]
Shinon’s laughter filled the room, infectious and warm. "Sure, sure, Lova. Whatever you say," he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusent.
Lova huffed, defiantly crossing her arms. "Just rember, Shinon, this never happened. You better not go spreading rumours about being concerned or anything," she warned, her voice tinged with a hint of vulnerability.
"Alright, your secret’s safe with ," he replied, enjoying their playful banter. "Both about this situation and about what happened in the car."
[Blush tre: 92%]
"Oh, you’re so dead!"
Lova playfully charged toward Shinon. However, he anticipated her move and with a flick of his wrist, a shadow wall materialised in front of him, forming a barrier between them. Lova caught off guard, stumbled and crashed face-first into the wall with a comical thud.
"Oh, Lova! I hope that doesn’t leave a mark," he teased, unable to contain his amusent at her unexpected misstep.
Lova quickly recovered from her surprise and turned around, her face flushed with embarrassnt.
"That was... unexpected," she muttered, trying to brush off the incident as if it hadn’t affected her.
"You know, Lova, charging headfirst into walls isn’t the most effective strategy. Maybe you should stick to your usual impressive combat skills," he remarked, his tone playful.
Lova’s expression shifted from embarrassnt to feigned annoyance. "I was just testing your reflexes," she retorted, her voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Clearly, your shadow wall technique is quite effective."
"Well, I have to keep you on your toes, don’t I? Can’t have you thinking you’ve got all figured out," he replied, his eyes gleaming mischievously.
Lova rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Don’t worry, Shinon. I’ll make sure to co up with sothing more creative next ti," she replied, her playful side erging.
Just then, a system notification appeared before his eyes, and Shinon finally realised what the heck the system was up to by giving him such ridiculous tasks!
__
Congratulations! Your bond with has deepened! Her affection for you has grown stronger.
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