Chapter 112: Feeling That Shouldn’t Grow

A week had passed since the Labyrinth incident.

To say things hadn’t been going well for Reiji would have been an understatement.

"Reiji, we’re out of fish."

Aoi’s voice drifted from the kitchen as she walked into the living room, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist before casually taking it off.

She glanced around the room before her eyes settled on the round yellow cat lying lazily on the sofa.

Vel immediately raised his head.

"Meow."

A warm smile spread across Aoi’s face.

"Don’t worry. I’ll go buy some for you."

She gently rubbed Vel’s soft fur, earning a pleased purr in return.

"Meow."

"You really love fish, don’t you?"

Vel rolled onto his back without the slightest hint of shame, exposing his fluffy belly as though silently demanding more attention.

Aoi couldn’t help but giggle before scratching beneath his chin.

"You’re so spoiled."

The little cat happily closed his eyes, completely enjoying the affection.

Aoi stood up with another helpless smile.

"I won’t be long, okay? Behave yourself while I’m gone."

Vel lazily flicked his tail in response.

Aoi glanced at Reiji, who was sprawled across the couch. A small smile played on her lips before she opened the apartment door and walked out.

The moment the door closed...

Reiji slowly turned toward Vel with a stern expression.

"You shameless goblin... you’re that easily bought, huh?"

Vel slowly opened one eye.

’Forgive me, Your Grace, for I do not understand what you mean...’

"You son of a bitch."

Reiji let out a long sigh as he rubbed his temples in frustration.

"If Hina walks through that door and sees her inside this apartment..."

He swallowed.

A bone-deep chill slowly crawled up his spine.

It definitely wouldn’t end well.

’I just hope Hina understands.’

After returning home from the Labyrinth raid, Reiji had received a call from Hina later that night.

The moment he picked up, the two of them spent nearly an hour talking.

Most of it was nothing important.

Just random conversations, little topics, and the kind of meaningless chatter couples naturally fell into.

Eventually, Hina asked him about the plan he had mentioned before and whether everything was going smoothly.

Reiji confidently told her that everything was going perfectly and that she would soon hear good news about how much progress he had made.

After the call ended, Reiji took a bath, changed into his nightwear, and lay on his bed.

"What can I do to bring Hina back?"

Reiji’s mind raced through several ideas.

He thought about going to his family’s company and causing enough trouble that his mother would have no choice but to cut her vacation short.

But he immediately dismissed the thought.

The management team was extremely capable.

That was precisely why his mother had been confident enough to leave for a six-month vacation in the first place.

If he wanted a plan like that to work, he would need someone on the inside to help him.

Someone who could interfere with whatever solution the company came up with.

He thought about it for a while, but there was one problem.

He didn’t know anyone in the company.

He couldn’t even contact anyone now that he was supposedly the last man alive.

His gaze slowly drifted toward the window.

"...Aoi."

An idea suddenly formed in his mind.

’If I could get her to quit being an Adventurer and work for the company...’

The more he thought about it, the more possible it seemed.

It would only work if Aoi had excellent qualifications.

If not she could always work as a personal bodyguard.

’If she’d agree...’

Reiji sighed.

No sane person would quit their job for someone they barely knew.

Especially not just to help that person’s ridiculous plan.

’I guess I’ll have to build enough trust first.’

His thoughts immediately drifted toward Monster Cores.

If he continued giving her Monster Cores, perhaps things would gradually become easier.

But before any of that he needed her contact information.

After thinking about it for a while longer, exhaustion eventually overtook him.

Reiji slowly drifted off to sleep.

The next day went by as usual.

Daily Quest.

Breakfast.

Training.

Watching a movie.

Eating again.

Before he knew it, night had quietly descended.

The city was wrapped in darkness, gently illuminated by streetlights, glowing signboards, and the warm lights spilling from homes, shops, and office buildings.

Reiji stood up.

He took a clean hoodie, a mask, and a pair of gloves from his Inventory before putting them on.

Using Shadow Step, he quietly left the apartment.

A moment later, he appeared inside the familiar alleyway.

He looked around. Aoi wasn’t there.

He waited for several minutes. Still nothing.

"Did I come too early?"

Reiji scratched his cheek.

"It was already dark... I didn’t even bother checking the time."

After waiting a little longer, he finally made up his mind.

"I’ll just go find her."

Using Shadow Step once more, he silently entered Aoi’s house.

’I hope she doesn’t chew me out.’

He glanced around the living room.

Empty.

The kitchen was also empty.

’Her house is even more aesthetic than I thought.’

He quietly walked upstairs before carefully pushing open one of the doors.

The room was dark and only the soft moonlight pouring through the window illuminated part of it.

Aoi was lying peacefully on the bed, dressed in a silky nightgown.

Her long blonde hair cascaded over her neck, partially covering her face.

One side of the gown had slipped slightly from her shoulder, revealing a small portion of her smooth skin.

Reiji unconsciously swallowed.

His face immediately became warm as he hurriedly turned away.

’...This might’ve been a bad idea.’

At that exact moment...

Aoi’s eyes slowly fluttered open.

Her sleepy gaze landed on the dark silhouette standing inside her room.

"Who’s there...?"

"It’s me, sorry for coming into your house unannounced."

Aoi sat up still sleepy and straightened her gown.

"I was going to call but I remember I don’t have your contact info." Reiji said.

"Okay."

"So aren’t you coming with me?"

"Hmm hmmm" Aoi softly shook her head.

"Why?"

"I... want to sleep." She covered her mouth as another yawn escaped her lips.

Reiji scratched the back of his head helplessly.

"Ok. I came for another reason..."

"Hmm?"

"Your contact information."

Aoi slowly blinked. "My contact information?"

"Yeah. If we’re going to keep raiding together, it’ll be easier if we can contact each other."

Aoi quietly stared at him for a few seconds. Then the corners of her lips slowly curled upward.

"So you want my contact?"

"...Yes."

She pulled the blanket up to her chin before looking at him with half-lidded sleepy eyes.

"Unless..."

Reiji raised an eyebrow. "Unless what?"

"You give me another several Monster Core."

Silence.

Reiji simply stared at her.

"...Seriously?"

Aoi nodded as though it was the most reasonable thing in the world. "Mhm."

"My contact information isn’t free."

Reiji was completely dumbfounded. "You’ve already started putting a price on your contact information?"

Aoi giggled softly. "Business is business."

"You..." Reiji pointed at her speechlessly. "I take back what I said before."

"Hm?"

"You’re definitely blackmailing me."

Aoi buried half her face beneath the blanket, but the smile in her eyes only became brighter.

"I learned from the best."

"I never taught you that."

"You did."

"When?"

"When you refused to give me the Dungeon Core."

Reiji opened his mouth to refute her. Nothing came out.

Aoi let out another sleepy yawn before rubbing one eye.

"So... Monster Cores first. Phone number later."

Reiji sighed. "You really are impossible."

"Mhm."

"And stubborn."

"Mhm."

"And shameless."

Aoi smiled innocently. "I learned from you."

"I definitely didn’t teach you that."

She simply smiled without answering.

Within moments, her eyelids began growing heavier.

The room became quiet once again.

Reiji looked at her for a long moment before shaking his head.

"So you’re really putting a price on it?"

Receiving no response, he realized she had already fallen asleep.

"...She actually went back to sleep."

He couldn’t help letting out a helpless sigh.

’I guess I’ll have to go raid.’

Shadow gathered beneath his feet.

[Shadow Step.]

His figure quietly disappeared into the

darkness.

The room fell silent once more.

Several seconds later...

Aoi slowly opened one eye.

"...He left."

A tiny smile gradually spread across her face.

"It actually worked..."

She hugged the blanket tightly before burying her burning face inside it.

Truthfully, she hadn’t expected any of that.

Yes, she had intentionally exhausted herself throughout the day so she would fall asleep quickly.

Part of her had hoped Reiji would come looking for her.

She didn’t know why.

Maybe she simply wanted to see whether he would worry about her.

Maybe she just wanted an excuse to spend a little more time with him.

Even she couldn’t answer that question.

Still she never imagined he would quietly walk into her room.

Nor had she expected him to immediately turn away after seeing her.

Just remembering his flustered expression made the corners of her lips lift slightly.

"...dummy."

She hugged the blanket tighter before burying her burning face inside it.

"I’ve become so shameless..."

She already knew Reiji had a girlfriend.

She knew she shouldn’t be feeling this way.

Yet ever since seeing his face beneath the moonlight...

It refused to leave her mind.

Every time she closed her eyes, that image appeared again.

The calm look in his eyes.

The smile that somehow made people feel at ease.

The way he had repeatedly risked his life inside the Labyrinth to protect her.

Without realizing it the feelings she had been trying to suppress had quietly begun to grow.

Neither of them knew that something else was also at work.

Deep within Reiji’s body, the Twin Nine Tailed Fox Bloodline had already begun to awaken.

Its influence was faint. Almost imperceptible. It couldn’t create feelings where none existed.

But when affection had already taken root it gently nurtured it, making it bloom just a little faster.