Chapter 127: Skin Hunger

Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Skin Hunger

Lance held the basket and smiled as he watched her leave.

Nia turned and walked toward the Guild with a light, brisk pace.

Only after she rounded a corner, absolutely certain Lance could no longer see her...

...did her once-brisk pace instantly slow.

The young woman covered her burning cheeks with both hands, leaning against a brick wall and gasping for breath.

She felt like she was going to explode from shame.

’That last part—"Don’t you dare share this with anyone else"—was just so blatant.’

’I sounded like I was guarding my food.’

As she wallowed in her regret...

The peculiar mark on her left wrist suddenly grew warm.

Immediately after, Judith’s lazy, mature voice, laced with an obvious, delighted chuckle, sounded directly in Nia’s mind.

"My, my, you should have seen the sour look on your face just now."

"I could smell that sourness from blocks away~"

"I did not!"

Nia shot back in her mind, mortified.

’Friends can be possessive, right? I just don’t want anyone else eating something I worked so hard to make!’

A peal of wild, unrestrained laughter immediately echoed in her mind.

"Alright, alright. ’Possessiveness between friends,’ then."

When Judith had finished laughing, her tone suddenly turned cryptic.

"But you know... perhaps because I hadn’t fully recovered these past few days, my Perception was a bit dull."

"But this morning, being so close, I sensed it loud and clear."

"That ’good friend’ of yours... he’s an exceptionally rare Dragon Descendant, you know~"

Nia froze instantly, pushing off the brick wall.

’Dragon Descendant? What nonsense are you spouting! Don’t I know Lance? He’s just an Ordinary human!’

A thoroughly amused chuckle echoed in her mind once more.

"Who knows?"

"Bloodline awakenings are hardly a rare occurrence on this continent."

A hint of malicious glee entered Judith’s tone.

"But, little Nia... as your partner, I feel obligated to give you a kind little reminder."

"According to Legend, those who possess the blood of a Giant Dragon—no matter how gentle they may appear—are notorious for their intense and brutal desires and possessiveness~"

Judith said, deliberately drawing out her words.

"Look at how fragile you are now. If you don’t find a way to choose a class and become stronger soon..."

"If his bloodline ever fully awakens and he decides to do something... untoward... to you,"

"...he’d break that fragile little body of yours to pieces~"

At this blatant teasing...

Nia’s face instantly flushed red all the way to her neck, and she was so embarrassed she couldn’t even lift her head.

’What kind of crazy nonsense are you spouting?!’

She screamed inwardly, on the verge of a breakdown.

The only response was Judith’s wild, unrestrained laughter echoing in her mind.

"HAHAHAHAHA..."

...

Cecilia felt that something was truly wrong with her today.

Something was very wrong.

Gray Rock Town’s market was bustling and loud.

Lance stood before a stall, a roll of windproof rope in hand, haggling earnestly with the vendor.

Meanwhile, Cecilia, who stood behind him, wasn’t looking at the dazzling array of goods at all.

Her eyes were glued to his large hands.

’Even though I don’t blush so dramatically anymore when he touches my skin...’

’...my mind is still uncontrollably flooded with all sorts of strange thoughts.’

’What would it feel like if that hand gently touched the top of my head?’

’Or if he squeezed the nape of my neck, just a little forcefully... what would that feel like?’

It wasn’t until Lance stuffed the loose Copper Coins into his pouch and turned to tell her they were heading to the next shop that Cecilia finally snapped out of her daze.

She gave her head a hard shake.

She was trying, through sheer physical force, to fling all the chaotic and shameful thoughts from her mind.

’As one of the academy’s top students, my focus during meditation is usually absolute.’

’But yesterday, while adventuring in the forest with him, I was horrified to discover this strange, intermittent impulse to be touched—roughly.’

In the forest, however, the need for constant vigilance kept these thoughts from surfacing too often.

But the moment they returned to the absolute safety of the town—especially when she was alone with him...

...these shameful thoughts sprouted like wild spring weeds, impossible to suppress no matter how hard she tried.

They were so numerous that it felt like countless tiny voices were fighting in her head, making so much noise she couldn’t think straight.

This market was the busiest part of town, surrounded by mercenaries and vendors coming and going.

Cecilia swallowed and, mustering her courage, took a small step forward.

"Senior, there are a few too many people here."

She said, her head bowed and her voice barely a whisper.

"I’m afraid we’ll get separated. Can I... hold onto your clothes?"

Hearing this, Lance stopped and turned.

He immediately noticed her flushed cheek, half-hidden in the shadow of her cloak.

Lance’s brow furrowed slightly.

’Something was off about both of the girls today.’

’Nia’s reaction this morning was strange, and now Cecilia was acting abnormally too.’

But he didn’t voice his suspicions.

He just nodded.

"It is a bit crowded. Hold on tight, and be careful not to get jostled."

Hearing Lance’s agreement, Cecilia happily reached out and firmly gripped the back of Lance’s clothes.

The moment her hands closed on the fabric of his clothes...

She felt the burning, crawling craving in her heart to be touched finally subside, just a little.

Only then did she let out a long sigh of relief, her scattered focus returning to her surroundings.

They hadn’t gone far before they arrived at a shop with a giant bear skull hanging from its sign.

The general store, named "Veteran Hunter," was spacious. Its wooden shelves were lined with all sorts of durable-looking Wilderness Survival gear.

The stubble-faced owner behind the counter smelled of gunpowder and looked like an incredibly experienced retired Adventurer.

"Have a look around, see if there’s anything you like or need."

Lance said to Cecilia, who was tailing him closely.

"I’m going to talk to the owner about camping gear."

"Mm, okay."

Cecilia obediently let go of his clothes and turned to browse the items on the nearby shelves.