V4.C8 Shock, Talk under the moon

Leo's group arrived at Royal Palace in a carriage. He was too lazy to let everyone enter the portal one by one.

Sitting inside the luxurious carriage were only his party members and Eri, who was also a member now.

Apparently, Irene was already shifted to the Royal Palace and the healers were looking after her for any emergencies.

"Master…"

"Hearst? What happened?"

Hearst smiled faintly. "I gathered many monsters with skills useful for Master, there are many mana crystals too."

He nodded his head with a smile. "Thanks, I'll reward you later, okay?"

"Yes."

Hearst replied as her smile turned more cheerful.

Shea glared at him, her face pouting. "Mou~ I also collected a lot of mana crystals. I need an extra super special reward~"

Half an hour passed with them fooling around. They finally arrived at the Royal Palace of Heiligh Kingdom.

"I'll need some time alone with him."

Before he could say something, Eri pulled him inside the palace.

He flashed an apologetic look at the girls and let himself get dragged by her.

The guards saw Eri and let them enter without any question. After walking for a while in the shiny corridors of the palace, they stopped in front of a room.

"It's the room I have lived in since I was summoned."

The room was quite big and spacious with two normal-sized beds placed within a small distance. One bed had some cute plushies lined up beside pillows. While the other bed was closer to a bookshelf with some books neatly arranged in its cabinets.

'She still likes reading books.'

"Who lives here with you?"

"Hehe~ Guess it yourself."

"That midget friend of yours? Shizuku? Kaori?" he opened his eyes wide as if stricken by horror. "Don't tell me I have some rivals in love now?"

Eri stared blankly at his question. Her eyes without a trace of emotion was the only thing he feared.

"It's Irene… your fangirl."

Although she whispered the last part, he was able to hear it.

Leo wore a puzzled expression. "Irene? Since when did you become so chummy to share a room with her?"

"Stop asking stupid questions!"

She sat down on the bed, he did the same.

"Now start your story and don't hide a thing."

"Hai~ This started the day after you disappeared, I loaded up a building with explosives and blew myself up~"

He stared in her widened eyes with a smug smile as if conveying how proud he was to accomplish it.

Eri closely observed his expression before sighing. She knew his right eye would twitch whenever he lied. It was the detail Leo himself didn't realize but Maria had a long list of his habits.

"That wasn't a joke… you really did it, you asshole. Just what were you thinking?"

"It was my last option, you know... I finally avenged my parents."

Eri controlled the urge to punch the bastard in his face and asked, "What happened after that?"

"Next thing I know I was outside the forest of Heiligh Kingdom with a stupid system. Still, it helped me a lot. After that…"

He recounted his meeting with Irene and the trip inside Orcus Labyrinth. After that how he survived inside the Abyss. Eri clutched his shirt tightly, tears gathering at the corner of her eyes.

He shook his head and told her about his first meeting with Yue. How they fought hydra and finally, the truth of their summoning.

Eri wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled.

"So I was right about this, the God Ehit was just toying with us. Still, he did one good thing. He gave me power and strength."

Leo curved his lips in a large grin, a bit proud of her intellect.

At least she isn't musclebrain like Shea...

"I was thinking about conquering all labyrinths before killing Ehit and finally returning to Earth."

Her lips curved upward in an elegant smile, but her dead eyes were far from smiling.

"...Killing Ehit? I won't let you do something stupid like this. I don't want to lose you again for some stupid revenge."

"That's why I won't fight until I'm sure of my victory. Let's see."

'Analyze'

[Eri Nakamura]

Level 80

Age: 17 Female

Race: Human

Strength: 240

Vitality: 450

Defense: 350

Agility: 350

Magic: 1300

Magic Defense: 1300

Skills: [Dark Magic Affinity] [+Decreased Magic Consumption] [+Increased Efficiency] [+Increased Duration] [+Necromancy] [Language Comprehension]

"You are strong."

A bright smile appeared on Eri's face. Grinning, he took out his status card and handed it to her after activating it.

Eri's looked over the status plate and confidence crumbled. Her eyes on the other side of glasses widened in pure astonishment.

"What the hell!? It's too broken, you cheater! How can you gain so many stats? The magic stats is 37000, you can easily wipe out a country with a single magic spell and these broken skills, I don't know where to start with them..."

He flashed a smug smile at her. "Even Shea, Yue and Hearst are bugged like me. All of them can directly manipulate mana and use magic without any magic circle. I'm telling this because I don't want you to feel any inferiority complex or something. I'll create the best artifacts to help you."

Knock

Interrupted by the knock, he walked over and opened the door. Liliana stood outside dressed in an elegant black dress, giving off the aura of a graceful young lady.

Her face formed a beautiful smile increasing her charm further.

"Evans-san, dinner will start in half an hour, I wanted to inform you so that you will be ready by the time."

'Shea, come to the dining room in 30 minutes.'

'L-Leo-san, I'll do it. Hey, give me that!'

'What are you girls doing there?'

'N-Nothing Leo-san, we are just *Oi that one is mine* I'll see you in the dining hall~"

She hurriedly cut the connection of telepathy, leaving him confused.

"Sob, I was never ignored this way. Even though I'm supposed to be a princess."

He ignored the somewhat hurt look on Liliana's face and answered, "We'll be there shortly."

Slam! and shut the door on her face.

Liliana's cheeks twitched visibly before she sighed in defeat and walked away.

"Leo, I'll meet you in the dining hall."

Just like that, he was also kicked out of the room. Cursing Karma is a bitch, he wandered around the hallway. The dim moonlight through the windows illuminated the hallway, creating a surreal sight.

Damn, even after having three lovers. I'm touring this palace alone.

Actually, the maids here offered to help him but he declined politely. The hungry eyes of some of the maids gave him goosebumps.

He shook his head and thought about the SP he will get from today's harvest. He gulped his dry saliva at the thought.

A somewhat spacious balcony appeared at the end of the hallway. He slowly walked toward it.

I have nothing to do, might as well chat with Jen…

(You finally remember me? You are such an annoying guy.)

'Hey Jen, how are you doing nowadays? Any good news?'

(No good news, I have a bad one though.)

'What is that?'

(I'll tell you later. Enjoy your time with your lovers.)

'I'm getting an ominous vibe from your words.'

He noticed a girl standing alone out on the balcony. Her hands cupped her face while resting on the railings. The long hair tied in a ponytail gently swayed in the wind.

He completely hid his presence and aura and leaned his back against the railing and quietly gazed into her red eyes looking to be in a daze.

Shizuku, who was too lost in thoughts, was unable to notice a guy observing her. Looking at the beautiful moon, a distressed sigh left her mouth.

"Why am I acting like this?"

She grumbled to herself, not noticing a certain someone standing right beside her.

"You look troubled."

"AAAH!!!"

She shrieked and jumped back at the sudden voice.

"L-Leo… Evans-san, why are scaring me like this?"

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help it. You can call me Leo, I'm already calling you Shizuku. Wanna hear my thoughts on this?"

Leo mistook all her actions as troubles in her love life and decided to help her for the kind man he was.

Shizuku contemplated for a moment before nodding her head.

He moved his gaze to the moon looking like the moon he used to see on Earth.

"You should listen to what your heart says and act on it, even if the result is painful and tragic. Suppressing your emotion like this will only cause them to build up and explode later."

Like I did on Earth...

"What my heart says…"

She muttered under her breath as her eyes turned sharp.

"L-Leo-kun, I… I… wanted to say… Please take this sword back!"

She hurriedly removed the sword attached to the belt on her waist and shoved it in his hands. Her poor acting skill made him realize something as his mouth widened in utter shock.

Crap! Was she about to confess? What for? I don't think I did anything praiseworthy other than saving her life?

He admitted he was handsome, but he wasn't narcissistic to think every girl would fall for his looks.

Adopting a poker face, he replied, "Okay, I'll take this sword. It means a lot to me. But I'll make another one for you, I was thinking of creating some weapons for all your classmates. It's the least I can do after taking away one of the best mages from the party..."

A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. "Besides, I could use them as cannon fodders sometime in future~"

Shizuku smiled calmly, a far cry from her attitude a moment before.

"Thanks for that."

(Go or you'll be late for the banquet.)

"Yeah, it's time for the banquet. Let's go together, I don't know where it's supposed to be."

Though I have a map...

"Okay."

Shizuku led the way. He inwardly praised her dignified posture. With nothing to talk about, he started to ask for her preference of weapon while ignoring the way she snuck glances at him with a slight blush on her face.