Unexpected Encounters and Hidden Meanings

“Domu, it’s strange. Why does this candied haw taste a little bitter?”

Soronna, her face bright with joy from Domu’s kiss, gently licked her lips, savoring the lingering warmth of it while tasting the candied haw.

“Perhaps… perhaps it’s just your imagination, Soronna…”

Domu had already put his helmet back on. Standing before her, he concealed his tear-streaked face, looking at her puzzled expression as he spoke.

“Then… Domu, stay right here. My hands are a bit sticky from earlier, so I’ll go wash them and be right back! You absolutely mustn’t sneak away, Domu!”

Soronna glanced at her hands, then spotted a restroom built alongside the road and pointed toward it as she spoke.

“Mm, I’ll wait patiently for you.”

Domu also noticed the roadside restroom. It bore some resemblance to the public restrooms from his former world, yet the ones here were exceptionally well-decorated. He had entered one once before, and to his surprise, the technology inside nearly matched that of his previous world. Even so, as a former game enthusiast, he found himself completely unable to understand how it all functioned.

Soronna waved at him, then skipped away like a child, her steps light and joyful. Domu watched her retreating figure, lost in thought.

“Hello there~~~ handsome young man~~~”

Just as Domu drifted deeper into his thoughts, a distinctly neutral voice echoed from behind him.

“Ah… madam, is there something I can help you with?”

Startled, Domu turned around. Before him stood a girl with long, azure-blue hair, dressed in remarkably revealing attire. What struck him as odd was that she could see him—Soronna had already cast a vision-obscuring spell. Despite his confusion, Domu responded politely in his deep, magnetic voice.

“Hehehe, I sensed a magical fluctuation nearby, so I came to take a look out of curiosity. I didn’t expect you to be a mage, young man! I know another mage too, but he seems far inferior to you~ Pfft, pfft, pfft.”

The girl giggled as she circled Domu repeatedly. From time to time, she reached out to tap the white armor covering his body, her face brimming with curiosity.

“It wasn’t my magic, but my companion’s. She just left. Um… madam, are you perhaps lost?”

Though the girl’s sudden appearance and peculiar behavior struck him as odd, Domu’s mind was still in disarray because of Soronna. He lacked the focus to think too deeply and simply assumed she might have lost her way.

“Oh~~~ young man, you’re too serious—no fun at all! But speaking of which, I am actually looking for a place. Do you know of a mercenary group called Poison Scythe? I’ve been searching for ages! The mage gentleman would definitely know, but he seems to have lost consciousness. He’s so useless, don’t you think so, young man!”

The azure-haired girl made a helpless expression, patting Domu’s chest armor. Then she clasped her hands behind her head and listlessly kicked at the pebbles on the ground.

Ah, that mage gentleman is truly useless; he broke so easily. My organ dolls are so cute, yet he doesn’t appreciate them at all, she thought unhappily as she nudged a stone aside.

“I apologize, but I’m not sure where the Poison Scythe’s base is. However, my companion should know. Perhaps you could wait a moment; she’ll be back soon.”

Domu pondered briefly. Poison Scythe must be the mercenary group of the green-haired youth he encountered when he first arrived in Morgan City. He had heard they were notorious troublemakers. Still, he himself knew nothing concrete—but Soronna certainly would.

“What? You don’t know either, young man? Then I won’t trouble you. I’ll go look for it myself. Bye-bye~”

Hearing his answer, the girl’s face fell for a brief moment, but she quickly brightened again. She waved cheerfully, then turned and ran off.

“Oh, that’s right, young man~ Hehe, I really like your scent. If we meet again, I definitely want to be friends with you!”

After only a couple of steps, she suddenly stopped, as if remembering something. Turning back, she smiled brightly at Domu.

“Eh? Scent?”

Domu looked at her, surprised.

“Drip, drip, drip~ Whose tears are flowing now?
Tap, tap, tap~ Whose blood is spilling now?
Thump, thump, thump~ Whose head is falling now?
Bang, bang, bang~ Another cute toy has fallen!”

The azure-haired girl said nothing more. She simply flashed him a strange smile, then hummed her eerie tune as she disappeared into the distance.

Domu frowned slightly, listening to the peculiar song while watching her figure vanish. He felt utterly perplexed—what a strange girl, and her words were even stranger. He couldn’t make sense of her at all.

But… a scent?

Domu glanced left and right, confirming no one was watching. Then he raised his arm to his face, trying to detect whatever scent she had mentioned. He had just bathed—there shouldn’t be anything unusual. After sniffing for a long while, he found nothing at all, which only deepened his confusion.

“Domu, what are you sniffing? Do you miss me?”

Just then, Soronna came running back, her face glowing with happiness.

“Soronna, sniff me. Do I have any strange scent?”

Seeing her return, Domu quickly dropped his awkward behavior and spoke.

“Mm-hmm… Mm-hmm…”

At his request, Soronna pressed her cheek against him, closing her eyes as she earnestly sniffed left and right.

“So… Soronna?”

Even through his armor, her closeness—and the faint fragrance she carried—made Domu’s heart start racing again.

“Mm-hmm… Mm-hmm…”

She showed no intention of stopping, clinging to him as she continued sniffing.

“Eh? Soronna… what’s wrong?”

Concerned she might notice his pounding heartbeat, Domu gently pushed her away, speaking with slight embarrassment.

“It’s only because… Domu, your scent is just too good… Let me smell it again…”

Her eyes were slightly unfocused as she reached out, grasping his armor, trying to pull herself closer again.

“Soronna, we need to hurry to the charity event. And… you still haven’t answered why you refused to sign for that shop owner.”

Domu lightly flicked her forehead. Even with such a small motion, the gauntlet left a faint red mark.

“Ouch!”

Soronna clutched her forehead, tears welling faintly in her eyes.

“We’re in the middle of the street right now, Soronna. You can’t do… do strange things.”

Domu straightened himself, maintaining a stern tone despite the tenderness he felt.

“It’s all because Domu seduced me…”

Soronna mumbled under her breath.

“Hm?”

Domu didn’t quite catch it.

“Hmph… I forgive you then! Let me explain it to Domu!”

She hugged his arm again, speaking with an air of magnanimity.

“Domu, don’t sign things casually in the future—you might accidentally sign a strange contract! The candied haw owner earlier probably didn’t have such intentions, and given his status, he likely wouldn’t even know about such things… but it’s still best to be cautious. You must be careful, Domu! Besides, that owner was so stingy—only one skewer for two people!”

She spoke with a very serious expression.

“Uh… I hadn’t thought about that. But if Soronna is by my side, I won’t have to worry about those things, right?”

Domu didn’t fully grasp the implications, but Soronna clearly knew far more than he did. He felt genuinely fortunate to have met her.

I really hope… we can all stay together forever…

“Do… Domu… you’re so cunning, saying something that makes my heart pound like this…”

Soronna’s cheeks flushed as she lowered her head shyly.

“Soronna, we should get going now.”

Domu gently stroked her hair.

“Mm!”

She smiled brightly, enjoying the touch.

After dispelling her barrier, Soronna clung tightly to Domu’s arm like a koala, her face glowing with happiness.

“Huh… Isn’t that Lord Domu and Lady Soronna? How did they suddenly appear here? There was nothing there just a moment ago!”

A voice suddenly called out nearby just as they were about to leave.

“You idiot, Phil! I told you there was a faint magical fluctuation—it must’ve been Lady Soronna’s spell!”

A small girl sternly reprimanded him.

Not far away stood the very same golden pig-drawn carriage that had once caused Domu immense embarrassment. The driver was the familiar young man—Phil. After a moment’s recall, Domu remembered the sister’s name too: Philly.

Which meant the person inside the carriage was undoubtedly Mr. Tule, president of the Bellan Merchant Guild and co-host of the charity event—the very man who had helped elevate Domu’s reputation.