CHAPTER 83: YOU LOVE ME?!

Mina blinked at him, her lips parting slightly as she just...stared. The words hung in the air like something impossible, unreal.

She still couldn’t fully wrap her mind around it.

One minute to wish for anything, absolutely anything, without limit?

Even the thought of being granted one single wish was already something she could barely imagine, and here he was saying she could make as many as she wanted in that span.

Her voice came out hesitant, a half-smile tugging at her mouth as if she was waiting for the punchline.

"You’re...joking, right?"

She asked slowly, tilting her head at him.

"You’re just saying that because I’m a kid, trying to tease me or pull some kind of prank? Because that’s not even a normal kind of wish, you know, that’s the kind of thing only a god could grant."

She shook her head lightly, still smiling in disbelief.

"You’re messing with me, aren’t you?"

But to her shock, Mika simply shook his head. A calm, almost amused smile curved his lips as he said.

"You’re right, it is something divine. Not many people can grant it."

His eyes softened slightly as he went on.

"But like I told you earlier...the one who chose me, to you, would be nothing less than a god. So it makes sense I’d be able to do something like this."

Mina froze. The half-smile faded from her face, replaced by an expression of dawning realization.

He wasn’t joking. He was being completely serious. He really meant what he said about granting her wish, or wishes, no matter what they were.

But then, another thought struck her, and her eyes narrowed slightly in thought.

Her voice was softer now, almost hesitant.

"But...you said the trade should be fair. That it should maximize profits on both sides."

She looked at him with a nervous, searching gaze.

"But right now...it feels like I’m taking advantage of you. My...my own pressure might be valuable, sure, but it’s nowhere near what you’re offering me. So...why are you doing this?"

Mika didn’t even hesitate to give his answer...that probably should’ve been worded more properly.

"Well..." He said casually. "...that’s because I really like you."

Hearing this statement that came out of nowhere, her mind blanked.

For one heartbeat, she stood frozen, her entire body stiff.

Then, almost comically, her blue skin began to flush into a vivid reddish tone, steam practically seeming to rise from the top of her head.

"Y-You...you like me? You like me?!" She stammered, her voice cracking as she took a step back.

Now speaking half to herself and half to him, Mina’s words tumbled out in a rush.

"Ohhh...now it makes sense! That’s why you want to grant me so many wishes, isn’t it? It’s because you think I’m cute! You couldn’t look away from me, you completely fell for me, and now you want to win me over by giving me everything I want!"

She nodded rapidly to herself, convinced she had solved the mystery.

"Yes, yes, that explains everything!"

Mika, who had been silently watching this little scene unfold, could only frown in bemusement at her sudden wild conclusion, while Mina herself turned her eyes back to him, her blush deepening as she lowered her voice.

"But even though...even though it’s a difficult sacrifice, and I’d never see my family again..."

She paused, biting her lip shyly before looking up at him with a soft, almost trembling smile.

"I...I don’t mind. I’m willing to sacrifice myself for the rest of my family, for the village."

"...I-I don’t mind taking this deal."

And just as she was about say even more to worsen the situation with a shy look on her face like she was a young bride meeting the groom for the first time, Mika quickly butted in.

"Whoa, stop, stop, stop!" Mika cut in quickly, waving his hands in alarm. "That’s not what I meant!"

Mina blinked, her head tilting slightly in confusion.

"...It’s not?"

"No!" He said firmly, though his tone stayed gentle. "When I said I liked you, I meant I liked how brave you are. How dignified you are. How you’re willing to step forward for others, even when it’s risky for you."

"I like how smart you are for your age, like just now, when you realized the trade seemed unfair and you questioned it instead of just jumping in. That’s the kind of thinking a future superstar would have."

He smiled, nodding toward her.

"That’s why I want to help you out. You’re selfless, you’re wonderful, and I think you deserve this. That’s what I meant by saying I like you."

Mina’s eyes widened slightly, and for a moment she just stared at him. Then her blush returned, though it carried a different weight now.

"O-Oh..." She fidgeted with her hands before blurting. "S-Sorry...I misunderstood."

But instead of pure embarrassment, there was something else flickering in her expression, disappointment.

It surprised even her. Somewhere deep down, she realized she hadn’t minded the idea of him taking her away.

And now that she understood he didn’t mean it that way...she was blushing even harder than before.

Mika then let out a scoff, his lips curling in amusement.

"Wow...you really did misunderstand me, didn’t you?" He shook his head, muttering under his breath like it was the most ridiculous joke in the world. "The idea that I’d fall for a child like you? That’s absolutely absurd. Would never happen."

That stopped Mina’s embarrassment in its tracks.

Her cheeks cooled, but her pride took a sharp hit instead. Something in her chest twisted, not quite hurt, not quite anger, but she could feel irritation bubbling up like boiling water.

Before she could retort, he added lightly,

"Hey, don’t get me wrong, I’m not making fun of you or anything. You’re absolutely a cutie patootie." His hand shot out and pinched her cheek without warning. "Look at you. Adorable."

Her brows twitched dangerously.

"But..." He continued, voice turning smug. "I’m a man of...refined taste. Sophisticated taste."

He leaned back slightly, eyes glinting with mischief.

"I like older, mature, plump women."

His gaze flicked down to her scowling face, clearly savoring her frustration, before he delivered the killing blow.

"For example, your mother. I saw her earlier. Absolutely beautiful. Stunning. She’s got that graceful maturity that only older women have."

"...If she had said something like what you just said? I wouldn’t have minded at all. I would’ve taken her away right then and there."

The moment the words left his mouth, Mina snapped. All the irritation she’d been holding back burst free.

"You bad guy! How dare you set your eyes on my mother!"

She exclaimed in a rage before lunging forward and ramming her forehead against him, rubbing it side to side like a stubborn little bull. She wasn’t actually trying to hurt him, it was almost comically cute, but her intent to vent her fury was very real.

Mika burst out laughing, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright! I’m joking! I’m joking!"

"You better be!" She shot back hotly, still pressing against him. "You can’t take my mother away! You can’t touch her! She’s already married!"

"I really won’t take your mother! Relax! Even though your horns don’t hurt, their ticklish!" He assured, grinning.

Hearing this, she finally pulled back and glared at him, pointing an accusing finger.

"Earlier, I thought you were a really nice person. I was holding back because I felt like I was taking advantage of your kindness. But now..." Her eyes narrowed. "Now I see what you really are, a devious pervert who’s been eyeing up my own mother!"

Mika chuckled under his breath, but she went on firmly.

"So I won’t have any mercy on you anymore. I’m completely willing to take the trade for my artifact!"

Hearing this, he smirked and his tone turning haughty.

"That’s nice and all, Mina...but even if you think you’ve got plenty of time, you might get crushed under the pressure. You might not even be able to name a single wish. There’s a real chance you could lose it all."

She shook her head, her expression sharpening with determination.

"Not a chance. My entire mind is set on making you regret saying that promise. I’ll carry it out all the way to the end."

Her fire made him grin and he extended his hand toward her, the corners of his lips curling upward.

"Then, why don’t we test that out back in the village?...See if you really have what it takes."

This time, it was obvious, he wasn’t asking for a handshake.

He was asking her to give him her hand so he could hold it as they walked back.

It was childish and she was already irritated with him. But...she still reached out, gripping his hand while still glaring at him as if to say, I’m still mad at you.

His smile deepened. And just like that, the two of them started walking back toward her village, with Mika casually asking questions about her.

She answered reluctantly at first, but somehow, his questions kept drawing more and more out of her until she was speaking without realizing it.

They talked all the way until Mina suddenly froze mid-sentence. Her nose twitched.

"Wait...what’s that smell?"

She frowned in confusion. Until—

Right in front of her, in the middle of the village, there was a massive feast laid out, long tables covered in steaming dishes.

Children sat all around, happily devouring the food with blissful smiles Mina had never seen on their faces before. They weren’t even speaking, just eating with wholehearted joy.

The adults and elders also stood nearby, not eating, just watching with soft, warm expressions as the young ones feasted.

The sight made Mina blink several times, trying to take it all in. She glanced at Mika, then back at the children happily chewing with their cheeks puffed out.

"What...What is all this?" She finally asked, her voice low, as though afraid speaking too loudly would shatter the scene.

Mika tilted his head toward her, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Well, they all looked hungry. That’s why I set up some food."

Then his brow furrowed, and he looked back at the crowd.

"But...I didn’t do this just for the children. I set this up so everyone could eat. Now that I’m looking at it..."

His eyes swept over the edges of the gathering where the older folk stood.

"It seems like only the kids are eating, and the adults are...looking away."

As if on cue, the village head walked over, a bright smile on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but Mika cut in immediately.

"Why exactly are you not eating? And why are all of you simply standing behind the children, watching them instead of joining in?"

The chief’s smile faltered, replaced by a hesitant, almost guilty look. He shifted on his feet, clearly struggling to answer.

"We...ah...we wanted to make sure the children ate their fill first." He admitted at last. "We want to see them full before we touch anything ourselves. That’s why we’re watching over them."

Mika let out a long sigh, running a hand down his face.

"You’re still going this far..."

And then without another word, he waved his hand.

And to everyone’s astonishment, more tables suddenly appeared around them, so many that they seemed to stretch further than the eye could follow, laden with dishes the villagers had never seen in such abundance.

The air filled with the rich scents of freshly cooked food, meat glistening with juices, warm bread steaming in the cool air, bowls brimming with fruit and vegetables of vibrant colors.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Some of the children froze mid-bite, staring at the sudden bounty. Mina herself felt her mouth go dry in shock, she had never seen so much food in one place before.

"Now..." Mika said, smiling faintly. "...there should be enough food for everyone." His tone then shifted, his eyes narrowing at the chief. "And don’t tell me all of this is going to be eaten by the children alone."

The village head immediately shook his head like a man who had just been caught doing something terrible.

"N-No, of course not!" He quickly turned back to the group, waving his hands and calling out. "Everyone! Eat your fill! If you don’t, the Chosen One will be angry!"

That was all it took. The adults hesitated for only a heartbeat before stepping forward, taking plates and filling them with trembling hands.

Soon, they were eating alongside the children, their faces lighting up in pure joy. Laughter and the clatter of plates filled the air.

Mina watched it all, unable to tear her eyes away. She then glanced at Mika again, this time with something new in her gaze, pure awe.

Lady Elna, the goddess they had prayed to all their lives, had never done anything like this. She had accepted their offerings, their rituals, their faith...and given nothing in return, not even in their most desperate times.

But him...he was different.

He gave so freely, so casually, as if performing miracles for them was nothing more than passing bread across a table.

And in that moment, she realized she no longer looked to Lady Elna as her god.

Instead, she found herself looking at Mika, truly looking at him, as a saviour.

Someone who was meant to save them...