Can I fight against you?

Noncho village; it was the same as before. A collective of houses with no occupants other than that one person who was forced to spend her life there.

Liling had it bad. The entire life, people forced her to do one thing or the other. And now, even I forced her to stay there for my own personal reasons. Hell, there wasn't even any reason to do so other than personal satisfaction. And I forced this person just like everyone else did. That's why I was kinda relieved when I saw no one in the village.

"Hmm, seems like she already left. Understandable. Like, waiting for a random stranger is not the thing that people want to do once they gain freedom. So, yea." I sighed.

I wanted to see her one more time, just for old time's sake. However, this is good as well. If she left this place, she wouldn't have to face whatever that made her learn the healing skill back then. But she wouldn't meet Zhangsun Shan as well. Hmm, maybe it's for the better.

"Who told you I left?" The voice came from my back.

I turned around and saw Liling pouting. She looked cute doing so. Ha, I'm thankful that almost all characters are beautiful in this game, except mine—that is, until I learned the healing skill. Fu~fu! Now, I'm beautiful as well—maybe I shouldn't act out like this.

Anyhow, it's sad that Liling can't appreciate my beauty right now. However, even with the mask on, I was emitting a different radiance from before. At least, I know Liling noticed that since I saw her slightly blush.

[Yea, you DEFINITELY aren't getting carried away.]

{Shut up! I know I'm being an arse about it. But, let me enjoy it now, will ya? This is the most beautiful I've been if you combined my two lives. So, let me be.}

[Fine, it's not like I got a say in this. I just wanted to point it out.]

{Ah, thank you. Now that you've done that, scram!}

I kinda forgot what she asked me just a moment ago because of all the stuff that happened in between that.

And it looked like she was furious about that. Her entire face was red in anger.

[No matter how I look at it, she's red because of embarrassment since you didn't answer her question. Like, she expected a fast-paced conversation, but you did quite the opposite.]

{Is that so? I see. I didn't know that.}

[As if! You're lying in your monologue! You clearly knew about it! I don't understand. Who are you trying to fool by lying in your freaking monologue?]

{Eh, what are you saying? Wait, never mind this pointless conversation, what did she say just before our conversation?}

[Well, she said something in the lines of 'You idiot who doesn't have even a tiniest bit of a brain cell, who in the hell said that I was gonna leave this place?']

{Hmm, I feel like this isn't exactly a lie, but altered in some way, shape or form.}

[Meh, it's your choice if you wanna believe my words.]

{Well, then. I trust you, master!}

I got back to my acting face—well, no matter what expressions I put in my face, it's not like the one before me is gonna notice that.

"Ah, you're still here?" I added a tinge of excitement and disappointment in my tone.

This was to show that I'm excited to see her there, but disappointed that she hasn't left yet since I forced her to stay back.

"Yea! But it's not like I wanted to stay back or something!" She said in a haughty voice.

Her tsundere was coming out hard. I thought of teasing it a bit as well.

"I see. It's my fault then. I bound you to this place just like the others did. Then, what's the difference between them and me." I sighed.

I could see it happen in her face. My words replaced the initial feistiness with a slight concern. She was trying to think of a way to salvage the conversation ruined by her tsundere side.

"Ah, it's not like I stayed here for you or something! I'm here on my volition." She proclaimed.

In the end, she stuck with her tsundere routine. Maybe I should stop forcing her tsundere self out.

"Is that so? Then it's fine. By the way, remember what I told you before I headed out?" I asked.

"You—you learned the healing skill, didn't you? No wonder why you looked a bit different to me." She said.

She hasn't even seen my face, and yet she said that she sensed a difference in me. Now, is she talking in a beauty point of view or a strength point of view?

[This girl! I get it! You look beautiful now, but don't just pull that card out in every single conversation. She definitely isn't talking about your beauty. You know that, right?]

Yea, I knew it. It's just that I wanted to get a bit praised for my new look that I worked hard for.

"I guess I changed a bit." I laughed it off.

"A bit? Like, even if I hadn't seen your face, I can sense that you have grown more beautiful than before!" She spoke.

[... Seems like I was wrong. My bad.]

"Hmm, thank you for the compliment." I smiled back at her. Then I remembered that I had my mask on, so I waved my hand or something. It looked really weird.

"By the way, I got one request for you." Liling spoke.

It was weird. This was the first time for me. She never asked for something from me. So, I was ready to give whatever she wanted.

"Hmm, what is it?" I asked.

"Well, can I fight against you?" She asked.

"With tournament rules on?" I asked to which she nodded her head. "Very well, let's do it, since this is your first time requesting it from me and all." I spoke.

"Thank you!" She smiled.

It looked like we both were right about her assessment. She meant both when she said that I changed.

"No problem. However, there's something I gotta request from you as well." I said, giving out a smile.

I mean, if I'm doing something for her, I should get something too, right?

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