CHAPTER 72: A CALM PRELUDE TO ENVY’S DEBUT

Mel hid behind the Shield Bug as the avalanche fell from Lila’s orb, her arm shielding against the frosty breeze.

"Partner, tell me Lila hasn’t awakened yet?"

[ She would have done a lot more if she were already awakened! ]

"Wow. Nice!"

[ Hehe. Ah, but this spell definitely shows she’s stronger than usual. I’ll try to map her Awakening process! ]

With a trembling, excited voice, Mel scanned her surroundings, eyes narrowed against the icy haze incurred by Lila’s spell.

Frosty mist enveloped the arena, spreading slowly across the wooden floor like a creeping frost. Faint hues of blues scattered around the dim light, sparks that hummed with residual magic.

Mel sighed in relief as the frost cleared, revealing a frostbitten ground, a glaring Lila - the smirking Heiress with her axe’s tip aiming at her neck.

"Quite a spell you have here."

The Heiress shivered as she exhaled a cold breath, her red eyes piercing through Lila’s gaze. "Shame. You almost caught onto my second life."

Rosana withdrew her axe and wiped the ice and snow clinging to her torn dress. After activating Dragon Ascendance, her second life, she was willing to surrender with honour like with Mel’s duel.

With a grunt, Lila desummoned her stave and huffed. "Willing to underestimate me this much?"

Rosana shrugged as she chanted her Creation Magic.

Silk began to form along the torn edges of her dress, as they began to weave themselves anew.

Mel’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as the Heiress fixed her dress in the blink of an eye, before grinning at Lila.

"I never underestimated you."

In a flat tone, she examined her sleeves, now tailored perfectly without a scratch. "But unfortunately, your focus waned at the very end of the spell."

Then, a grin curled on her lips as she gazed at Mel. "Is that her first time using this spell?"

Glancing at Lila, who subtly shook her head, Mel merely cast a prideful grin that mirrored the Heiress’s. "Yep. First time!"

"Mel-Mel!"

Even as Lila shouted into the silence, Rosana and Mel chuckled together - one in amusement, the other in delight.

Rosana then glanced around the frozen arena, her lungs still burning with cold as she spoke. "Quite a success for your first time."

She stretched her arms against the biting cold. "However, chanting the spell using Tragedies from the tome wasn’t nearly enough, even less effective than the several smaller chants you’ve been practicing."

Annoyed, Lila scowled at the Heiress with reluctance. "Any suggestion?"

Despite her dislike of Rosana, the Witch of Envy needed more advice other than more practice to advance her spell.

"Hm..." Rosana tapped her chin. "It is pretty simple."

As if demonstrating, the Heiress summoned a dagger, before her palm smoothed over the steel.

"When I was five, in the Northern Territory. I’ve decided to master Creation Magic in every way possible."

She let out a scoffing chortle before continuing. "I held every weapon to understand its weight, watched the blacksmith hammer metal into shape, and even touched the materials with my tongue."

The Heiress glanced over at Mel, her hand beckoning her to come closer.

A sense of foreboding stirred in Mel’s mind, yet her feet treaded carefully at the frosty ground toward Rosana.

Lila gave Mel an apologetic glance, to which Mel responded with a softened smile.

"Magic was believed to be an innate talent granted to each individual, but since I wasn’t born with an aptitude for Creation Magic, I humbly learned it from scratch through tomes and lessons from my mother."

The Witch of Lust met Rosana’s sly gaze, the red draconic eyes sparking with mischief.

In Lila’s shocked glare, Rosana scooped up Mel’s hand from the side.

"Yet the principle for mastering it remained the same for me as much as the others."

Rosana hummed softly, her fingers lightly playing with Mel’s.

"Proximity. The closer you feel towards your own chant, the stronger the connection becomes. In other words..."

Rosana separated Mel’s thumb and index finger, admiring the webbing in between.

She tugged her hairlock behind her ear, then leaned down towards it.

"You must feel like you own your spell to work properly."

Mel giggled as a small, ticklish bite clamped down on the webbing.

With a twinkling, playful gaze, she watched Rosana gently nibble her skin, the saliva coating the tender flesh before trickling down.

How gentle, for a greedy Heiress with the Dragon Blood.

Despite Lila’s loud growl beside her, Mel absentmindedly stroked Rosana’s hand, nearly leaning in to kiss the soft skin beneath her touch.

Drawing a breath while still holding Mel’s wetted hand, Rosana’s eyes flickered over to the furious Lila, her expression oozing a straight killing intent.

She smirked. "Just like the way you feel your anger burning now, I feel myself drawing closer to my prey."

Rosana’s thumb swept over the webbing, appreciating the red mark she left on her possession.

[ Greed appreciated the little treat and the little entertainment in her minor rivalry with Envy! ]

[ Greed Favourability: 45 - 48 ]

"Well then, do your best next time."

With lingering regret, the Heiress let go of Mel’s hand before exiting the hall. "I’ll take this as a prize for your defeat. See you in the Sportsground."

The Sportsground? Mel’s brows rose in interest, but Lila’s footsteps stormed toward her before she could ask more.

The Witch of Lust chuckled, meeting Lila’s judgmental emerald eyes. "Sorry, Lila. Seems occupying Rosana’s time isn’t without a cost."

Lila groaned, glaring daggers at Rosana’s back as she nonchalantly descended the stairs.

Redirecting her grudge toward Mel, Lila produced a towel from her Storage Ring.

Hurriedly grabbing her Mel’s hand, she wiped Rosana’s mark from the webbing. "It’s fine."

Hm? No favourability drop?

She eyed the System panel, which reported diligently.

[ Remember your little punishment game, Partner? ]

Oh. The not-accepting-my-advances-thing?

Mel’s lips curled to a foxy smile, pleased that her punishment game fueled Lila’s jealousy further than she expected.

She watched Lila’s contemplative look, brows knitting together in a conflicted frustration.

[ Well, Host, no time to waste! Rosana and the others will be waiting in the field. And my surprise is outside too! ]

The arrangement you made yesterday? I’ve full expectation, my Saintess.

[ Hehe. Looking forward to meeting you there, too, Mel. ]

Eh? Meet?

Blinking at the System’s teasing response, a reflective ’hmm’ escaped Mel’s tongue before she raised her hand and petted Lila.

The Witch of Envy, however, only proceeded to wipe harder at the webbing, the strength comprising her 2 days’ worth of hatred towards the blonde.

Studying how Lila’s cheek threatened to bloat into a pout again, Mel poked it with a slight grin, eliciting a low ’mmm’ from her.

------------------

After 10 minutes of playing with Lila’s cheek, they descended the floor to greet an unexpected sight.

"Um... Mel?"

Mel’s eyes, however, lit up with wonder as she stared at the sky with disbelief.

Massive and majestic, a team of white whales glided through the sky as she flapped her enormous fins, slicing through clouds like wings.

A gentle rumble echoed across the dormitory into Mel’s ear, her protective instinct for cuteness soaring as she met the comparably tiny eyes of the whales.

They were like black pearls she found on the beach when she was young, like treasures nurtured by nature.

[ Ta-da, Mel! ]

The System narrated excitedly, yet Mel’s gaze remained on the flying whales.

Yep. Saintess.

Mel gulped down her excitement, a blissful joy swelling within her chest.

You deserve more than a panty.

Yet as a breath hitched in her throat, Lila’s eyes narrowed in a slight sentiment.

As the whales stirred the breeze, her memories drifted away with the wind.

Towards the basket of fruits from the villager.

Towards Rosana’s advice.

Towards Mel.

[ Envy Awakening Progression: Unlocked! ]

[ Envy Awakening Progression: 0 - 34% ]