The tunnel was pitch-black. As the only one who could use magic, I lit the way with a flickering little fireball in my hand. My shadow stretched long on the ground. Only two sets of footsteps echoed in the empty tunnel. Cold gusts blew through, filling the air with an eerie chill.
At least the ventilation was good—no risk of suffocation.
How was the Princess? She should be fine.
Honestly, it surprised me that this Hero could understand what I left behind. Magic arrays—some are tough. Without inherited knowledge, even the Dark Lord’s arrays might take a lifetime to master. But with a vivid imagination and basic knowledge, you could grasp large arrays’ functions.
It’s like a circuit diagram: easy to understand its purpose, but incredibly hard to draw a complex one well.
“You blockhead,” I broke the weird silence. “How did you suddenly get it? Even something as brain-twisting as a magic array?”
“It’s not like I came to save you just because I read your notes, hmph!” Lott’s next words stunned me. I took a moment to recover.
What was he doing? Was he… just acting tsundere? A grown man holding me and acting tsundere…
Creepy…
“It’s not tsundere at all! Scaring me like that! I thought you were possessed! Are you some yuri-loving girl who reversed cosmic gender-bending rules—only for guys to turn into girls—and ultra gender-swapped into a rugged guy to chase girls?!” I felt like exploding.
“Impossible!” He flicked his bangs. “I’m the sunny and handsome Hero.”
“I think you’re a bottom at heart, gay.”
“Look at your state—who’s the bottom here?” He held me tighter. “This soft little body… let me hold it longer. Maybe I’ll awaken a rare lolicon trait!—Ah-aaaah! Hot hot hot!” I pressed the fireball against his face (don’t try this; burning others’ faces is fine, but protect your hand~). He screamed like a slaughtered pig.
Burnt protein smell rose with black smoke. If I hadn’t worried he’d drop me in the dark, I’d have held it longer.
“If you’re not gay, why cling to me?”
“Aren’t you a girl… stop burning me! My eyebrows are gone… my handsome eyebrows… hiss~” No need to worry—Lott would look handsome even without eyebrows. The Hero was sturdy, right? His bangs—a perm! Curly hair looks great.
Girls dislike it? No problem; leave girl-chasing to me! Better to waste guys’ resources than give them away. Yuri is supreme! Ahem… not that I mean it. Being transformed forever is always a dilemma—either way, you’re bent.
Anyway, start with the girl here. Like that unlucky thief we rescued. Even dirty and disheveled, her natural grace shone through.
“Hey, you—what’s your name?” I blurted awkwardly.
She frowned, her tone laced with displeasure. “Don’t you know names aren’t spoken lightly in our line?”
“Our line? Thieves? Probably not that simple.”
No pursuers in sight, so we slowed to match the sealed thief’s pace.
“Hunters,” she explained. “Offer a good price, and we take any job. Dirty work, assassinations—you make endless enemies.”
“So you hide your identity to avoid being traced?”
“Mm.” She nodded.
“You must have a codename,” I pressed. “What is it?”
“R.E. Jing…”
“Can I call you Rui Jing?”
“Whatever.” She didn’t care; it was just a codename.
Her coldness piqued my curiosity. “May I ask—what did the Dark Cult offer to make you risk stealing the Imperial Seal?”
“Why tell you?” She eyed me warily, doubting my identity.
I touched my head. The feather headdress hid my horns, keeping me incognito. As long as horns stayed hidden, my hair color might seem odd but wouldn’t expose me.
Hehe~ I had a great idea.
“Your mission failed—you almost died~”
“What do you mean?” Anger colored her pretty face.
“Don’t be mad. I’m not mocking you. Stealing the Imperial Seal isn’t for ordinary people. I admire you~” I paused, slightly curling the right corner of my mouth. “I’ll make a deal. Satisfy my curiosity, and I’ll give you something.”
“What deal?”
She was interested! And believed me. My character wouldn’t harm someone who saved me—especially such a cute girl! My suppressed male heart almost awakened again.
“I can let you meet the Dark Lord. You can even make a request. Whether he agrees—I don’t know. One question for this offer. Tempting, right?”
She fell silent, weighing pros and cons. She wouldn’t trust this win-win deal easily. But for me, it was zero cost for a secret—perfect.
Lott said nothing, but his face spelled “You’re so evil.”
“Hehe.” I chuckled smugly.
“Are you saying the Dark Lord isn’t in the palace?” Shock flashed on her face.
Oops, slipped. She might not know his face but knew he was captured. Bluff time: “He was there earlier. Just escaped—probably contacting the Dark Cult soon.”
“Why believe you?” She eyed me suspiciously.
“I swear on the Hero’s name she can do it,” Lott declared dramatically. “Something happened in the palace—can’t tell you.”
“Stop showing off or you’ll die!” I punched his chest.
“Fine—I’ll tell you.” She took a deep breath, as if deciding.
