Chapter 85: You are using him

Zephyr was amused by Lucien’s words. Shaking his head, he let out a quiet chuckle.

"I won’t."

The words immediately made Jake, Oreon, Eleven, and the others behind him feel extremely bitter.

Those fruits had been guarded by so many powerful Lizard monsters. They were obviously not ordinary fruits, yet Lucien was about to hoard all three of them for himself!

Eleven gritted his teeth, unable to hide his unwillingness.

"Lucien, you’re a Guide. These things are useless to you. It would be better to give them to an Esper!"

He wanted one as well, but he knew better than to ask outright. After all, Zephyr had been the one who fought those monsters and obtained the fruits. Eleven had no right to demand a share.

Besides, his attitude toward Zephyr had changed after what had happened earlier.

This blind Esper had saved his life.

For some reason, the thought left Eleven feeling strangely flustered. When his gaze fell on Zephyr’s calm, handsome face, he quickly looked away, only to realize that his heartbeat had inexplicably quickened.

Hearing Eleven, Lucien turned back and glared at him challengingly.

"So what if they are useless to me? They are mine! If you have a problem with that..."

He let out an eerie, almost villainous laugh before turning his gaze toward Zephyr.

"Then ask Zephyr. He got them, and he decided that I should have them!"

Zephyr raised a brow and immediately nodded along with his words.

Eleven, who had been on the verge of cursing Lucien, shut his mouth the moment Zephyr was brought into the matter.

He, Jake, and the others could only watch as Lucien happily carried the three fruits toward the tree and sat down beside it, already looking like he was about to start eating.

At that moment, Erick finally stepped in.

His voice was cold and firm.

"Let him have them. They’re just fruits. There’s no need for you to fight over them."

Erick cast a quick glance at Lucien before walking over to the other side of the tree and settling down. He was tired, and there was no reason to keep standing around.

Glancing at the others, he said.

"Rest for a while before we move on."

Then, he called over a Guide to help him recover. Although his mana was not heavily corrupted, it was better to be safe than sorry, especially while they were still inside such a dangerous dungeon. They needed to be prepared for any unexpected situation.

Jake clicked his tongue at Lucien. After exchanging a secret glance with Oreon, he suddenly grabbed Zephyr, who was about to join Lucien, and dragged him farther away.

Lucien’s influence on Zephyr was getting way too strong. And this guy seemed ready to obey his every word! It was safer to keep Zephyr at a distance from him so that what had just happened would not repeat itself!

Naturally, Zephyr was displeased and wanted to get rid of them, but Jake and Oreon insisted that they were only sitting farther away so they could keep an eye on their surroundings in place of Erick, who was getting guiding, and make sure no monsters suddenly attacked the others.

With that explanation, Zephyr reluctantly agreed.

Eleven, the burly Esper, and the remaining A-Rank Guide watched in confusion as the three settled down far away from them, beside a large stone.

But the sunlight was glaring, so why were they sitting out in the open instead of resting beneath the tree?

How strange.

Puzzled, Eleven and the others simply settled beneath the tree with their backs turned toward Lucien. They did not dare look in his direction. If they did, they were afraid they would only become more sour.

Suddenly, Erick leaned back against the massive, cool tree trunk and called out in a cold, indifferent, almost chilling voice.

"Lucien..."

Lucien, who had already started eating one of the Golden Might Fruits in his arms, shuddered at the sound of his voice but did not respond.

Erick let out a dark chuckle.

"You are using him. Hah."

The female Guide guiding him heard his words and immediately lowered her head, not wanting to get involved. Even Eleven, the burly Esper, and the remaining A-Rank female Guide sitting nearby heard him.

Lucien finally responded with a sneer.

"You’re just jealous. I am not using him. He’s doing what I asked willingly."

Erick’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

He questioned coldly.

"And why is that? Why is he so willing?"

Lucien looked back in confusion.

"What? Isn’t it because he trusts me? I saved his life when Nana refused to help him. Did you ever stop to think about what would have happened to Zephyr if I hadn’t guided him that day in the prison? Now, he just wants to repay that favor and be good to me. What’s so strange about that?"

He took a big bite of the juicy fruit in his hand. A refreshing surge of power spread through his body, making him feel ecstatic, and a smug smile crept across his face.

"Besides, I don’t see anything wrong with accepting a little gratitude from him."

Erick froze for a moment.

Lucien’s words struck a nerve. Deep down, Erick knew he was right. If something had happened to Zephyr that day in the prison, it would have been the biggest mistake of his life. But the moment Lucien dismissed Zephyr’s actions as nothing more than gratitude and a desire to repay a favor, something in Erick’s expression shifted.

The trace of amusement faded from his face, replaced by a dark, unreadable look.

"Gratitude? Repaying a favor?"

He licked his lips and questioned.

"You really think that’s all there is to it?"

His fingers tightened slightly against his knee as an uncomfortable feeling settled in his chest. After a moment, he spoke again, his voice quieter and gloomier than before.

"Have you never considered the possibility that he’s so good to you because he likes you?"

For a moment, everyone sitting under the tree fell silent.

No one dared to speak. The only sounds were their quiet breathing and the faint pounding of their hearts.

Even Lucien, who had been practically glowing with excitement over the Golden Might Fruits moments ago, had completely forgotten about them. His grip tightened around the half-eaten fruit in his hand.

A mocking smile tugged at the corner of Erick’s lips.

"Or is it that you already know, but simply don’t want to accept it?"

His golden eyes narrowed as he continued, his voice carrying a sharp edge.

"You’re just using him to make me notice you, aren’t you?"

He paused, his expression turning colder.

"Your pathetic little tactic this time really disgust me, Lucien O’Connell."

Lucien choked at his words.

For once, he didn’t even have the mind to curse Erick for being so narcissistic. The thought that had seized him was far more unsettling.

What if Zephyr really did like him?

His gaze instinctively drifted toward the place where Zephyr was sitting, and his heart seemed to drop into an abyss.

Zephyr was looking in his direction with an unreadable expression. He couldn’t see, yet somehow, Lucien could feel the weight of his attention. It was as though Zephyr’s entire focus was fixed on him.

Had Lucien really never noticed this before?

No.

Erick was right.

He had noticed it.

He wasn’t that oblivious.

He had simply refused to acknowledge it.

Because Lucien wasn’t from this world, he had never wanted to form any deep attachments to anyone here, least of all anything resembling affection. The thought of reciprocating Zephyr’s feelings had never even been an option.

He had always told himself that Zephyr’s trust and dependence were simply useful to him.

He needed Zephyr to change the story of this world, to survive until the end, and ultimately to find a way back home.

That was all.

At least, that was what Lucien had kept telling himself.

So whenever Zephyr showed him that quiet softness while being cold to everyone else, whenever he tried to get close to him or went out of his way to protect him, Lucien deliberately suppressed his emotions.

He ignored it.

He pretended not to notice.

Because acknowledging what those actions might actually mean would force him to face something he had been desperately avoiding.

And Lucien didn’t want to face it.

It seemed that he really was selfish.

He was using Zephyr.

Using his feelings to get what he wanted.

The thought left an uncomfortable heaviness in his chest. He lowered his eyes and quietly continued eating the fruit in his hand. The same juicy, delicious fruit that had tasted so good moments ago now seemed to have lost all its flavor.

Still, he forced himself to swallow it.

He needed to become stronger.

Strong enough to survive, even if Zephyr wasn’t around.

Because, in the end, all Lucien wanted was to return home.

Nothing else.

So what if he was being a little selfish?

It was only natural, wasn’t it?