Chapter 1233 I’m Sorry

Michael froze.

"…Ah."

That was what this was about. A small trace of panic entered his expression.

"No, wait. That's not exactly what happened."

Arianne raised an eyebrow.

Michael quickly continued.

"I told you before I left that I might not be around for a while, remember?"

She said nothing.

"And I had Jester send you a message three days ago saying I'd be back soon, no?"

Arianne's expression remained unchanged.

Michael felt slightly more confident.

Exactly. I communicated with her after returning from Aurora. I didn't simply vanish without saying anything.

Amidst his thoughts, Arianne asked calmly, "Were you really so busy that you couldn't come and tell me yourself?"

"…"

Michael's mouth opened. Then closed.

Arianne stared at him.

Michael looked away for half a second.

For someone capable of processing countless thoughts simultaneously, he suddenly found himself without a single useful response that wouldn't sound like a lame excuse.

Technically…

He could have. Finding a few minutes wouldn't have been impossible. Jester had simply been more convenient to pass a message for him before he entered the Netherworld.

However, saying that aloud seemed like a terrible idea.

Michael looked back at Arianne. She was still sitting comfortably across his lap despite supposedly being angry with him.

Michael thought for several seconds. Then he gave up trying to find an excuse.

His shoulders relaxed.

"…I'm really sorry. I could have done better."

Michael lowered his head slightly.

"I should have come myself. It's not a lie that I was indeed occupied, but it's true I could have come to see you at least."

There was silence.

Michael didn't try to explain further. He had genuinely been busy. There had been the Netherworld, the resurrection ritual, Lunara, Aurora, the assassins, the Origin Battlefield reopening, and far too many other things competing for his attention.

But none of that really changed her point.

So he remained quiet.

A few seconds passed.

Then Michael felt a touch beneath his chin.

Arianne gently raised his face.

Before he could say anything, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Michael's eyes widened.

Arianne kissed him with the same boldness she seemed to approach almost everything involving their relationship after her resurrection. Arianne was strangely aggressive whenever it came to affection.

Even now, he wasn't completely used to this side of her.

Not that he disliked it, though. Quite the opposite.

Michael remained frozen for the first second, caught completely off guard by how quickly her anger had transformed into this. Then he slowly relaxed. His arm tightened naturally around her waist.

Arianne eventually pulled back just enough for their faces to separate.

Michael stared at her.

"…You were angry just a while ago."

"I still am."

Michael almost laughed.

Perhaps noticing that he was still being a little too passive, Arianne frowned faintly. Then, without warning, she caught his wrist.

"What are you…"

She pulled his hand toward herself and placed it against her chest.

Michael froze again. His eyes immediately returned to her face.

Arianne stared back at him, the faint redness appearing around her ears completely ruining the confident expression she was trying to maintain.

Michael's mind briefly went blank. For someone who had faced Demigods and commanded thousands of undead while ruling over millions of people, he suddenly had absolutely no idea what he was supposed to say.

Arianne narrowed her eyes.

"Are you always going to make me do everything?"

"…"

Michael finally understood.

A slow smile appeared on his face.

"Probably not."

This time, when he leaned toward her, Arianne didn't need to take the initiative. Michael closed the remaining distance between them.

This time, the kiss was slower.

Arianne's earlier aggression softened as Michael finally began matching her properly, one arm remaining securely around her waist while the other rested against her back.

Arianne's fingers slipped into his long hair, pulling him slightly closer.

Michael smiled against her lips.

Minutes passed quietly.

Eventually, however, Arianne's movements slowed. Her expression changed.

Michael noticed.

"What is it?"

Arianne didn't answer immediately. She shifted slightly on his lap then froze.

"…"

Her face gradually became red.

Michael followed her gaze downward and immediately understood.

Ah.

Arianne stood up almost instantly.

Michael blinked as the warmth disappeared from his lap.

She straightened her clothes before turning toward him with a glare.

Michael raised both hands innocently.

"What?"

Arianne's eyes narrowed even further.

"You know exactly what."

Michael's expression became awkward.

"That's not exactly something I consciously control."

Arianne stared at him for another second before turning away, though the redness on her ears made the entire attempt at looking angry considerably less convincing.

Under Michael's amused gaze, Arianne remained standing for only a few seconds before turning around to sit back down on his lap.

Arianne ignored the look on her partner's face and settled comfortably against him, though she made a very deliberate effort to sit slightly differently this time.

Michael almost laughed but wisely kept that to himself.

Arianne leaned back against his chest.

"How long are you staying this time?"

Michael's expression softened slightly. He rested one arm around her waist and thought about it honestly.

"I can't promise anything."

Arianne turned her head enough to look at him.

Michael continued before she could complain.

"But unless something drastic happens again, I should be around much more."

There were still too many things demanding his attention. The Origin Battlefield had reopened. Aurora remained unstable. Lucky and several other undead were evolving. His Rank Advancement Quest was finally showing real progress.

Promising Arianne that he wouldn't disappear again would simply be dishonest.

"But I'll do better about actually telling you when I need to leave."

Arianne studied his face for several seconds.

"Personally?"

Michael smiled helplessly.

"Personally."

That seemed to satisfy her.

"Good."

She relaxed properly against him.

For a short while, neither of them spoke.

Then Arianne's eyes wandered toward the enormous table. More specifically, the map covering almost its entire surface.

She tilted her head.

"Why do you have the capital's regional map open?"

Michael followed her gaze. His attention, which had completely abandoned the reason he'd been sitting here in the first place, finally returned to the marked territory beneath the sunlight.