Chapter 35
Another minute passed.
I poked Lian Qi. She was still hugging me.
“…Eh!? Listening to you actually saved us?”
She looked around, her tone one of utter disbelief.
The dense, falling numbers had disappeared. The Mana Furnace had returned to calm. The world was still the same world. We survived.
“Ngh… you’re hugging me really tight,” I reminded her softly.
“Ah. Sorry.”
She finally reacted and let me go.
“Did I make it hard for you to breathe?” she asked, smiling a little apologetically.
“It’s fine, it just… pressed a little hard,” I said with a weak laugh.
I saw her apologetic smile vanish in an instant, transforming into an expression of barely-restrained annoyance.
“…You’re complaining that I’m flat, aren’t you?”
“Eh? No, no! Uwaah…”
She pinched my cheek and pulled. It hurt! Tears welled up.
She crossed her arms, huffing, and glanced at my chest. I couldn’t help but feel… penetrated by her gaze. It was a little embarrassing. Thank goodness she never stares at my skirt like that, or as a boy, I’d definitely lose it.
“You have the nerve to complain about me? I haven’t even complained about you.”
”…” I wanted to say something, but stopped.
I’m flat because I’m a boy.
“…But I’m really not complaining about you,” I explained, on the verge of tears.
“Forget it. We barely survived, and we’re talking about this…”
“Exactly,” I said with a weak laugh. “Um… can you untie me…?”
However, Lian Qi pretended not to hear. Eh? Eh? Eh? She’s really not in a hurry to untie me?
“Listening to you and cutting the white wire actually saved us. It’s incredible,” she said.
“Because I felt it wouldn’t be that simple with Professor Einstein. Thinking back, he said… ‘you cannot win against me.’ Maybe he meant both wires were decoys? That cutting either one would cause an explosion. Actually, it’s thanks to you dropping your phone that I managed to spot the white wire on my leg by chance,” I said with a smile.
“Eek. I feel like you just guessed, right?” she looked at me, unconvinced.
“You’re the one who asked my lucky color. It’s white! Hmph! If you thought I was guessing, then why did you listen to me and cut the white wire!?”
“Can’t I just trust you at the critical moment?” she said, unconvinced.
”…”
I froze for a moment.
Lian Qi… she…
She just said something that really touched me.
“I’m sorry…”
Suddenly, I just wanted to apologize to her. Since she trusted me so much, I felt… ashamed.
“I shouldn’t have hidden this and gone to find Professor Einstein alone. The truth is, I… I was just so afraid of the Demon King finding out about you. You know… I don’t want you to be in danger.”
Now that we were both out of danger, it should be her turn to scold me, right? I was already mentally prepared to be harshly reprimanded.
However, Lian Qi said nothing. This, instead, left me at a loss.
As I watched, she just silently picked up the phone from the floor.
“So… the phone isn’t broken?” I asked.
“It’s fine, just chipped a bit on the edge. I was worried it was broken, too.”
“Is it because… it’s the only thing you brought from your original world?” I said, understanding.
“No. It’s because it has a lot of your shameful photos stored on it.”
“Eh???”
I felt like the mood had abruptly shifted.
“Here, look at the camera.”
She aimed the phone at me.
“No, no, no…!”
I shook my head frantically, full of shame, my messy white hair flying everywhere.
“Don’t take a picture of me tied up!”
My helpless voice echoed in the empty room.
“I’m not taking a picture. I’m recording a video.”
“Eh?” I froze. “What?”
“I’ll get the evidence first, then I’ll untie you. Didn’t you just say that after we get home, you’d let me do whatever I want?”
My face flushed red. I stammered out a defense: “I-I only said that… because I was praying we’d make it home safe…”
“Since you said it, you can’t go back on your word. Come on, say what you said again for the camera.”
“…You can’t bully me like this!” I was both ashamed and embarrassed. Because I was tied up and couldn’t move, I could only let her film me. I have no idea what kind of bashful expression I’m making for the camera…
“Who’s bullying you? You’re the one who made the mistake first, you know.”
I was speechless. I had to resign myself to my fate, repeating what I said for the camera: “Fine… after I get home… I’ll let you… do whatever you… want.”
“Hmph, hmph. I have evidence now, so don’t you dare go back on your word.” Lian Qi winked playfully, waving the phone in her hand.
I looked at her, my face burning with shame.
“…Can you untie me now…?”
…
I told you, I don’t have masochistic tendencies. Being tied up doesn’t make me feel excited! It just feels shameful. Especially in front of Lian Qi, it’s even more embarrassing.
After being untied, I dusted off my clothes with a red face. It’s not that they were dirty… it was a symbolic dusting-off of the deep humiliation…
What happened tonight can be recorded in my personal annals as dark history… I really don’t want anyone other than Lian Qi to know.
“Where’s Qifeng?” I asked.
“She’s a bit anemic and wasn’t feeling well. I came out to find you alone, and as a result…”
The glare she’s giving me is so fierce. Okay, okay, I really know I was wrong.
“Let’s get out of here first, and then discuss what to do next,” Lian Qi said.
“Next, of course, we’re going to Professor Einstein’s base—Nature’s Home—to settle the score!” I said.
Lian Qi coughed lightly to remind me: “If you say it here, won’t he hear our plan?”
…
“Even if he hears, it doesn’t matter. Based on his words, he can probably guess what we’ll do next, anyway.”
I pointed to where Professor Einstein’s image had disappeared. Maybe he’s still there, secretly monitoring our every move. I don’t care if he can hear me or not. I declared in a resolute tone—
“Just bring it on! I don’t care if you come one by one or as a team, I’m not afraid of you!”
I threw down those words and left, swinging my arms. Lian Qi silently followed me, and couldn’t help but say, “Hey, you’re pretty domineering today.”
“Ah? Am I?”
Does Lian Qi think it doesn’t match my appearance?
I said to her, “Let’s go. You beat Einstein’s Timed Collapse Magic Array, so he still owes you the truth. Let’s go get it back now.”
“That’s true… but more than that, he used you as hostage. I want to get him back for that even more.”
Lian Qi is right. I also want to vent my anger. I don’t know if it’s my pride… but as a boy… that humiliation… Lian Qi will never understand.