Chapter 106: The Observation Period Ends
While Flora and Leona were offering Haina guidance, Abyss and Rebecca were busy examining a tree branch.
With Rebecca’s alchemy laboratory now complete, she had been eager to start working. As soon as they returned to the guesthouse, she dragged Abyss into her Anywhere Door.
Since the familiar was powered by Abyss’s mana, they weren’t worried about being trapped inside if the door was destroyed. To destroy a familiar, one had to disrupt its master’s mana flow, preventing it from maintaining the familiar’s form. And Abyss’s mana reserves were immense. Perhaps only he, Flora, and maybe that slumbering genius Druid, possessed the power to disrupt his mana flow.
Trying to destroy Abyss’s familiar was as futile as teaching a two-headed ogre to play Gwent.
The branch, of course, came from one of the apple trees they had stolen from the Ossi Kingdom palace. Abyss didn’t dare bring out the entire tree, unsure if it was imbued with the Lord of Nightmares’ power. He was even cautious when handling the branch—he had sent Rebecca outside, then, using a soulless skeleton, retrieved the tree from his magical catfish’s belly, snapping off a branch from a safe distance.
Fortunately, the branch seemed to be free of the Outer God’s influence. As a precaution, both he and Rebecca had consumed the potion containing Flora’s borrowed Divine Grace. Nothing unusual happened after retrieving the branch, and the potion soon activated, reassuring them. Abyss allowed Rebecca, who had been eagerly waiting, to enter the laboratory and begin her research.
A small, green apple still clung to the branch. Rebecca carefully removed it, slicing off a small piece for her experiments, while Abyss sat beside her, acting as her assistant.
“Abyss, could you pass me that rack of test tubes?” Rebecca asked, glancing at him with a playful smile.
“Of course,” Abyss replied, retrieving the test tubes and handing them to her.
As she took them, Rebecca, her smile now mischievous, intentionally brushed her hand against his. Abyss felt the pleasant coolness of her touch.
“We’re alone now, in such a secluded place. Don’t you want to do something to me?” she asked, her voice soft and suggestive. Her naturally beautiful face, with its characteristic Eastern Empire charm, was now even more alluring, her eyes sparkling like stars, their gaze seductive, capable of melting any young man’s heart. She had never been in love, but as a girl who had always dreamed of romance, she had studied various seduction techniques, even seeking guidance from a dark elf.
“Do something?” Abyss glanced around. The laboratory was indeed quite cozy. He reached towards her face.
Rebecca, surprised by his boldness, blushed, her heart pounding.
Then, Abyss gently plucked a strand of hair from her cheek.
“Your black hair is the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, so dark and shiny, and incredibly soft. I’ve always wanted to keep a strand,” Abyss said, holding up the hair between his fingers. “Don’t worry, I don’t have a creepy obsession with collecting body parts. I just really like your hair. May I touch it more often?”
Rebecca burst into laughter. She should have known. Abyss wasn’t pretending to be indifferent. He was genuinely uninterested in those sorts of things. He didn’t act like a typical sixteen-year-old boy at all.
“Touch it all you want,” she said, leaning closer to him, her hair carrying a fresh, pleasant scent.
Abyss smiled, his fingers gently brushing against her soft, cool hair. “I’ve noticed you trust me more now than when we first met.”
“Didn’t I already like you when we first met?” Rebecca asked, feigning ignorance, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
“You didn’t like me. You just wanted to be in love,” Abyss said, his gaze meeting hers, his expression knowing. “I might not understand much about love, but I can see a person’s emotions in their eyes. When we first met, you were desperate to connect with someone who wasn’t affected by your poison. But you’re also cautious and guarded, aren’t you? You haven’t shared any dangerous or power-enhancing potions with anyone, and you keep your formulas secret. You don’t trust anyone except Lannis, your trusted friend. But now, it seems you’ve finally accepted us.”
“…You saw through me?” Rebecca asked, her playful expression fading, her eyes becoming more serious. “Yes, I don’t trust people easily, especially strangers.”
“Good thing I’m not the type to exploit someone’s feelings,” Abyss said, leaning back in his chair, his tone casual. “Imagine if I had taken advantage of your ‘affection’ and manipulated you into doing my bidding. How long would it have taken you to leave me?”
“Two days, maybe,” Rebecca replied, relaxing. “I have my pride. Even if you resurrected me, I would have found a way to escape your control.”
“And now?” Abyss asked, looking at her.
“Hmm… The observation period is over. Now we enter the trial period,” Rebecca said, smiling brightly. “I know now that you’re truly worthy of my loyalty. Perhaps by staying with you, I can achieve a level of freedom and accomplishment I never could have imagined before. I approve of your character. Now, if you ask me, I’m ready to be your lover. I’ll make you happy, help you achieve your goals, and I’m an excellent cook. You won’t regret it.”
“Love isn’t something I’m considering right now,” Abyss said, shrugging, neither embarrassed nor flustered by her declaration. “But since you trust me now, would you tell me about your wish? Why were you so obsessed with interdimensional travel? You even risked your life for it. There must be a reason.”
“You want to know?” Rebecca asked, her voice thoughtful. “My wish is difficult to fulfill, even for someone as powerful as you. Perhaps even more difficult than defeating the Creator God…”
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