Chapter 78
“Hey, what’s with you? Why are you fighting Adrian just because Lena and I didn’t fight today?”
Darren poked my side with his elbow as he said that.
Did this guy feed all his sense to our penguin or something?
I stared at Darren in disbelief and clamped my mouth shut.
This was not the time for me to be acting like this…!
Tonight, the dream demon Hypnosian was going to invade the detached palace we were staying in.
All my companions would fall asleep under his curse.
And I would be the only one left awake to chase after Hypnosian and fight him.
I even prepared a wake-up potion just to stop that…! The team can’t fall apart over something so trivial right now…
Why did I prepare this potion in the first place?
Sure, a big reason was because I hated the idea of fighting the dream demon alone…
But honestly, the bigger reason was that I hated seeing Adrian stab his own thigh with a sword.
I didn’t want him to get hurt. I didn’t want him to be in pain.
Yet here I was not only arguing with him, but hurting him with words.
…How did everything get so messed up? Seriously.
Regret washed over me, and I clutched my hair in frustration.
The sun would start setting soon.
When Hypnosian attacked, staying together would be far safer than being scattered.
“Um… I’ll go check on him.”
Leo rose from his seat carefully.
He was clearly planning on going after Adrian.
Normally, I would have been grateful for it, but not today.
If he went after Adrian now and they got caught up in a long talk?
I couldn’t afford more variables.
“A-Ah, no. I’ll go.”
This was something the person involved needed to handle.
I smoothed down my messy bangs and headed toward the garden Adrian had walked out to.
The sun was sinking low in the sky, painting the desert in orange light.
Exotic palm trees and a nearby emerald-colored pond.
Adrian stood quietly beside the water, staring at its surface.
…
What should I even say?
After we’d just raised our voices at each other, it’d be weird to call his name sweetly.
So instead, I quietly walked up beside him.
Then, picking up a small stone on the ground, I flicked it across the pond.
Plip. Plip. Plip.
Ripples danced across the water as the stone skipped.
“…Where did you learn a trick like that? You’re pretty good.”
Adrian murmured as he watched the stone disappear beneath the surface.
“My father taught me.”
It was one of the pointless things I’d learned while fishing with him.
He used to boast that he was the best at stone skipping in the neighborhood.
Said he even seduced his first love with it—half of which was probably nonsense.
As I picked out another flat stone and threw it, I made up my mind.
I needed to apologize first.
I had been out of line.
But before I could even open my mouth, Adrian spoke first.
“…I’m sorry. I… overstepped out of unnecessary worry.”
“No, I’m the one who didn’t think. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”
What could I say to someone who apologized before I even could?
I was planning to apologize first—could I really complain that he beat me to it?
That would be less reconciliation and more relationship sabotage.
If only saying sorry magically fixed everything.
But silence fell between us again.
After a brief awkward pause…
He picked up another stone and asked quietly:
“Elaine… do you trust me?”
He said this as he threw the stone.
It shot across the water far faster and cleaner than mine.
What the—he’s way better than me.
Talk about embarrassing—bragging in front of someone this good without knowing…
But that wasn’t the important part right now.
His question was.
Did I trust him?
Such a heavy question.
Until yesterday, if Adrian had asked me something like that, my answer would’ve been an easy yes.
Because of a friend’s spoiler that someone would betray me horribly, I’d spent so long doubting everyone.
I trusted no one completely. I suspected everything.
Except Adrian.
He was the one person I believed would never be the one to turn his back on me.
But now?
Can I still trust him the same way?
My once-solid trust had cracked a little.
But…
“Hm… at the very least, I believe your concern for me is real.”
I didn’t know what he was hiding.
But one thing was certain.
His feelings when he worried for me—Elaine the person, not Elaine the heroine chosen by the goddess—those were genuine.
There was no way the soft, complicated gaze he gave me was fake.
“…Isn’t that right?”
Adrian flushed, looking away shyly.
Seeing him embarrassed made me realize I’d hit the mark.
Pfft—an involuntary breathy laugh escaped me.
See? This is exactly why people should talk things out.
Being around Adrian suddenly felt much more natural.
“Should we head back? It’s getting dark.”
I dusted dirt from my hands, and Adrian nodded quietly.
I let out a hidden sigh of relief.
I was glad we settled this before it was too late.
Because soon, Hypnosian would arrive.
When we came back lighter on our feet,
Leo, Lena, and Darren let out relieved expressions.
After feeling a bit embarrassed for worrying them,
I had to spend dinner smacking Darren’s back for teasing me nonstop.
And when the sky was fully dark—
“Hey, Captain? Why do you keep checking the time? Got a date or something?”
Darren noticed my constant glancing at the clock and asked.
I awkwardly scratched my cheek and avoided his gaze.
“Huh? What are you talking about? A date? At this hour…?”
“Should we go rest soon then?” Leo said, standing up.
“No—wait…!”
I grabbed him quickly, panicking.
Hypnosian would attack any minute, and splitting up now would be disastrous.
Where is he… this damn dream demon…!
Leo stared at me as if asking why I was stopping him, and I could only give a strained laugh.
Then—
“I really think we… should go rest… Why am I so sleepy…”
Lena yawned hugely and began nodding off.
And that was the beginning.
“Yeah, suddenly I’m dead tired…”
Darren yawned so wide I could see his soul leaving.
…He’s here.
It had begun.
“Everyone, wake up…! Drink this! It’ll clear your head!”
I hurriedly took out the potions I’d safely stored and gave them to the group.
“Huh? What’s this potion?”
Darren asked sleepily as he took the cup.
“A wake-up potion. Don’t worry, just drink.”
“…Hooh, you prepared a wake-up potion? Did you know I was coming?”
A voice that was not one of ours echoed through the palace.
I whipped my head toward the sound.
A stranger stood by the window.
The one I had been waiting for.
Hypnosian, the dream demon.
“Wh-Who are you?!”
Darren jumped to his feet, swaying but ready to fight.
“Hello~ I’m Hypnosian, the dream demon.”
He wiggled his fingers in a playful wave.
“Huh… that’s weird… Why are there two Elaine-nims…?”
Leo blinked at me and at Hypnosian, confused.
“What are you talking about? You’re not fully awake yet.”
I tapped Leo’s cheek, and behind me, the dream demon chuckled.
“Hm, I see. That blond boy must like you. Because I appear to others as the person they find most attractive. Except you—you can see my true form. Isn’t it hideous?”
Hypnosian pointed at me with long, claw-like nails.
Hideous?
So everyone except someone blessed by the goddess sees him differently…
Meaning Leo just unknowingly confessed that he finds my appearance the most attractive.
His face turned crimson.
And my honest thought?
…Kid’s got good taste.
Well, my character was designed to be pretty.
I turned my gaze to Hypnosian.
Hideous, he says.
Why does a high-ranking demon have such low self-esteem?
I opened my mouth and said frankly—
“No, you’re not hideous.”
