Heartmending, Heartbroken

With Earth Shattering Gloves in addition, the party's overall power became even stronger.

During their last phase of exploration in the Shimmering Fen, Almond made sure to fill up five Spirit Syringes before exiting the area.

He didn't level up anymore, but Natalia and Alfred reached silver-level 5 while Lily stayed at silver-level 5, barely at the half bar towards silver-level 6.

Almond only jumped a level because of solo killing the Maddening Beaver, which gave him an unusual amount of high EXP.

After finally leaving the Shimmering Fen, the party moved west and arrived at a grove of Snow Almond Trees.

This grove was a small collection of beautiful Snow Almond Trees. It was called this name because its leaves were in the shape of snowflakes while having the color of almonds and vein patterns.

Almond, Lily, and Natalia lay on the grassy ground under a tree, resting after cooking steaks and eggrolls with bread from ingredients Lily and Natalia brought from outside.

Alfred sat on a relatively thick branch of the tree, keeping a lookout in all directions.

"The leaves have almost the same colors as your eyes," Lily's fingers were interlinked with Almond's, and her head leaned towards his shoulder.

"Yeah," Almond replied, his mind half resting and half thinking about Lily as he turned his head towards her.

"What are you looking at?" Lily asked, her smile like a graceful yet cheery moonlight shining on a clear pond as she looked at him, looked at his glossy almond eyes. 

Her gaze then went to his lips, and she stole a short, smoochy kiss, causing Natalia to roll her eyes as she heard the sound.

"I feel like something's filling up because of you, and it's making me feel good," Almond said, his eyes becoming unfocused as he felt various emotions.

'Is this what it feels like to get close to someone and trust them while receiving the same? I can feel her affection so purely…it feels real…'

"It must be your love pool," Lily replied with a grin. "I am filling it up with my love."

"My love pool empty…" Natalia muttered. "Anyway, Lily, what did you see in him? I mean, I can see it now. If I was a normal girl, I would've definitely felt attracted to the current Almond. Most of the girls would jump into his lap for a good future, be it short term or long term."

"But you knew nothing about him except that he was freaky with his Physical Enchantment mastery at first. I know you have some crazy thought process, but I want a clear answer, 'kay?" 

Almond felt a bit of a sting, but he was also curious. 

Lily blinked as she saw Almond's eyes and mischievously smiled, "You also seem to be curious about this, darling."

Almond dryly chuckled, "Well, I can say I am pretty good right now, but at that time…yeah, I don't understand what you saw in me."

"Do you believe in chemistry between people? The chemical reaction between people? Or like an attractive force that pulls you towards a person because of…feel, instincts, and those fleeting things?"

'Wait, wait…don't tell me my Innate Talent attracted her attention because I was thinking about her most of the time since we met?'

Almond suddenly felt kind of sad, and this made him realize that he didn't feel good that he attracted her because of that innate talent.

"To be honest, Lily…I don't believe in that, but I think it exists," Almond answered according to what he felt. "I don't believe it because I am not sure I am capable of getting myself to feel that chemistry. I think too much to accept that."

Lily smiled gently and adjusted herself, moving to lay her head on his chest, their faces inches apart. Almond's heart started pounding, and he could feel her heartbeat against him, both of their pulses quickening in sync.

"I believe in it," she whispered, her eyes closed, her peaceful smile lighting up her face. "I believe in following my instincts, in the chemistry that feels right. I decide who I want close to me because of how they make me feel. Their words mean nothing if they are lies, and I can capture that, so I believe in my instincts, my feelings," She paused, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "And when I met you, I felt it—the connection, the desire. You were guarded and distrustful, but I could see the drive in you. That, to me, was…incredible. I felt a resonance."

Almond could understand. He had seen Lily in the academy, but she was always stoic and indifferent. It felt like she had a mask ready that could be adept when interacting with people.

She appeared a professional and level-headed beauty who had an air of confidence with her smile when she was interviewed a week ago.

But she wasn't anything like that right now.

Natalia snickered, "That's why nobody knows her true self, well except for me, you, and her parents."

"True. I have a desire deep down, and that's why I focus more on training. Learning martial arts and honing my skills to become strong is necessary for that desire and it's most fun to me," Lily spoke while her eyes were closed with a peaceful smile.

Almond suddenly felt very connected to Lily. 

"When you thought about killing us, killing me, I felt that desire in you. I had figured out why you wanted to kill us already, so I also felt that conviction and desire to survive."

Lily looked at Almond, only a few inches of distance between their faces as she grinned at Almond, "That was super attractive too and it made a chemical reaction in me like no other."

"My instincts sought you, desired you, and because of that, I decided to get you for myself, even if I had to blackmail you."

"But you showed your true colors, and it made me even more happy," Lily smiled. "You made a decision to trust me. The level of distrust I saw in your eyes at first was crazy, but for your survival and desire, you decided to overcome that."

'So it wasn't because of my innate talent…'

Almond's hands wrapped around her back, his mind and heart feeling infinitely attracted to her at the moment. He could see her dreamy dark blue eyes were oozing out intense affection for him.

Lily could see the same in his and it made her even more happy, more satisfied as if her cells, her instincts got delicious food.

"Almond, my darling. I knew If I showered you with my affection and love, we would work out, but you made a step as well, and that was just amazing to me."

"That was the proof that our chemical reaction was like no other. You felt it too, but subconsciously and that's why you made that decision to trust me completely."

'That…'

Almond was amazed, his eyes turned slightly misty as his emotions whirled. He understood something at the moment that made him grateful.

He wanted to think this was fate, but his rationality told him it was really a coincidence, a good one for him. A lucky one.

"Thank you, Lily."

Almond's lips directly went to hers as he passionately kissed her and both of them got absorbed in it for a few seconds before Natalia coughed.

"Come on, you're making me jealous."

Almond and Lily stopped as they lightly chuckled and got up.

"Sorry, Natalia," Almond apologetically smiled. But seeing that her eyes were actually watering, he was taken aback, "I-I'm sorry. This was insensitive. We won't do anything like this anymore while we are here, okay?"

Lily bit her lips and sighed. "Sorry, Nat. That…was bad on us."

"Lily, let's not do this for Natalia anymore," Almond said with a serious expression. "I was lucky…truly lucky to encounter you, Lily. I am changing, no, I am developing, and evolving because you took initiative for me."

"And I know…what it feels like to have love," Almond turned to Natalia. "We won't hurt you anymore."

Natalia sniffed as she wiped away her tears. "Now you understand, huh? I guess you too, Lily."

She pouted as she spoke, but her eyes were still getting watery despite her trying to hold back. "I am heartbroken."

The two dunces who were feeling love for the first time, only now could understand Natalia who had her heart broken completely, and the fact that she would have to accept that.

"I'm sorry, my candy," Lily hugged her.

"*Sniff*…lick me."

"…"

"…"