"Okay, enough hanging around me, go take care of your real business."
Rei Ao urged her on.
"You…"
Emilia flushed with anger. Clearly he was taking advantage of her, yet somehow it was making her feel like the one at fault.
"Hmph!"
She gave a cold snort, deciding to set the whole issue aside for the moment. Matters of the Holy Cross Continent were more important anyway.
Then, clutching the phone, she tried sensing Emeralda. Several minutes passed, and Emilia's lovely face became as bitter as if she'd eaten a mouthful of sour gourd.
"Heh, so now you realize it's not working, right?"
Rei Ao gazed at her in amused satisfaction.
"???"
Emilia was stumped. Indeed, she'd discovered that it wouldn't work once she tried. The key issue was Rei Ao's "of-course-it's-that-way" attitude – what was that all about?
"You're not saying you intentionally tricked me, are you?"
"Please. From what you know of me, do I need to trick you?"
Rei Ao retorted.
"…"
Emilia also felt that was unlikely. He was the type who could do all sorts of shameless things in front of anyone, and she didn't think he'd stoop to secretly fooling her. Plus, he really had mentioned Emeralda's name.
"But how do you explain what's happening now, then?"
The fact remained that she couldn't contact Emeralda.
"Is there a possibility," Rei Ao answered breezily, "that the sort of magic you know simply can't reach across worlds, even if you've got enough Holy Power?"
A straightforward explanation emerged from his laid-back demeanor.
Emilia felt her whole being slump. Moments ago, in her impatience, she'd overlooked that detail. Compared to Emeralda, her own mastery of magic was lacking. Emeralda could do things she herself might not be able to.
Realizing this depressing fact, Emilia felt her mind quake.
"So you're saying that that 'mana supplementation' we just did was a total waste of effort?!"
"Yep. A complete waste."
Rei Ao twisted the knife with a final blow. At this point, Emilia felt like murder was on the table.
"You must have known this all along, right?! You were totally messing with me!!!"
She was furious, unbelievably furious, her trembling index finger pointing straight at Rei Ao. Her first kiss, her second kiss, even her bra-less chest – all taken by him. But the "criminal" in question wore a look of perfect composure.
He gently nudged her finger aside with his right hand and smiled faintly. "Think carefully. I didn't say anything at all – you said you were short on Holy Power."
"And I just so happened to have a method to restore it for you. Weren't you the one who took the deal of your own free will?"
He spoke so rationally, so matter-of-factly.
"…"
Emilia opened her mouth but couldn't find a single point to refute. Everything he said was indeed entirely by her own choice.
"Damn it!"
She cursed her own impatience for not seeing Rei Ao's ulterior motives.
"But," he resumed.
"But what?!"
Emilia's eyes were razor-sharp, vowing she wouldn't be fooled so easily this time. She'd already been played once – her guard was higher than ever. Alas, that was only against an ordinary person. How do you guard against a shameless wolf who's not even hiding his motives?
Rei Ao spoke openly: "I do have a way to help you contact Emeralda. Are you interested in a deal?"
"…"
Emilia froze. This was different from how she'd pictured their conversation. Didn't men normally sugarcoat and coax her, then proceed to do what they wanted? Such a direct statement threw all her prepared strategies right out the window.
"If you're not interested in a deal, I'll just be going."
He made a show of turning away.
"Wait…"
Though flustered, Emilia didn't forget her primary objective. "A deal…? Fine. What sort of deal are you talking about? Let me warn you first – I absolutely refuse the kind that uses my body as a bargaining chip!"
She wasn't like those carefree, flirtatious folks in the chat group who used themselves so casually.
"Nor do I want your abilities or possessions," Rei Ao said. "Your Holy Power, your spells, your Holy Sword – none of it's of any use to me."
So he proposed: "How about a verbal agreement? Not one that goes via the chat group's channels."
"A verbal agreement?"
"Meaning, not processed through the chat group. No official contract."
"…"
"You should at least clarify what it is you want."
Emilia was extra cautious now. Rei Ao raised one finger in a "one" gesture.
"Let me kiss you once, and I'll help you contact your friend."
"Huh?! And you claim you're not a pervert!"
"Hey, calm down. I only made a suggestion. If you don't agree, forget it."
He patted her shoulder and once again acted like he was leaving.
"Damn!"
Emilia was so infuriated. But she had business to attend. She gritted her teeth, halting him by the arm.
"I'll do it!" she snapped.
"Heh." Rei Ao turned back. Seeing the sly smile on his face, she felt a twinge of dread.
"Apologies, but now that you've been so rude to me, I'm kind of unhappy. I'll need more than just a peck to make it worth my while. It must be a kiss I can enjoy to the fullest, or it doesn't count."
"You–!!"
Her eyes practically shot flames. Shaking with rage and shame, she looked ready to explode, but at the sight of him turning away again, she clenched her fists, seething.
"…Fine, fine. But no more changing the conditions!"
If he tried to raise the price any further, she'd call it off.
"Deal."
Rei Ao didn't push further. Because this was amusing enough already.
Emilia, for her part, didn't realize how serious this could become. She was fixated on Emeralda's situation.
"So how do you plan to contact Emeralda?"
"Simple." Rei Ao grabbed the phone and nonchalantly pressed the call button. Three seconds later:
[Hmm? Who are you…?]
"!!!"
A familiar voice rang out. Emilia exclaimed, "Emeralda! It's me, Emilia!"
"Emeralda, is that you?"
~~~
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