Chapter 447: The Gap
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 447: The Gap
It was night.
Warm light spilled across the bedsheets draped over the edge of the mattress, filtering through the gaps to cast soft, orange-red shadows around Muen’s lusterless eyes.
The girls' chirping conversation and light laughter rang out like silver bells, as beautiful as the first warbler's cry of spring.
Every so often, a fair, tender leg would dangle naturally from the edge of the bed, swaying rhythmically and drawing the eye, forcing one to appreciate the sheer allure of the scene.
Three distinct feminine fragrances swirled above, drifting with the air currents into Muen’s nose and intoxicating his brain. It felt as if the entire world had been shrouded in a beautiful pink haze through this triple intoxication of sound, sight, and smell.
But Muen was not happy at all.
The world outside was indeed beautiful, but that beauty belonged to the "outside."
Currently, he could only curl his body up in the dark, oppressive space beneath the bed, staring with lifeless, dead-fish eyes as he struggled to suppress his breathing and heartbeat.
He hadn't learned any specific martial techniques or methods for this, so he had to rely on the powerful physical control he had honed over a long period to forcibly suppress his vital signs to a state of near-death.
This act of forcibly suppressing the flesh was undoubtedly painful.
But he had no choice.
As for the reason... it was all because Ariel had excitedly exclaimed just before the game started: "Since we're playing poker, we have to do it on the bed to get the right atmosphere!"
The Senior had agreed, and as the host, Liya couldn't very well object without inviting suspicion.
And so, the three of them had scrambled onto the bed—the very same large bed that had hosted several "campaigns"—to play poker.
Now, they were separated from him by nothing more than a wooden bedframe.
Furthermore, Muen had to guard against more than just the Senior; he had to worry about Ariel as well.
Though he didn't know how sharp her five senses were without using her perception... as a Soaring Phoenix powerhouse who could slash her way from one end of a street to the other without blinking, she certainly wasn't weak.
Muen had to retract every bit of his presence to prevent being detected.
If Ariel found out the truth and blew a fuse, unleashing a Heavenly Fire Greatsword right here in the Emiel Cathedral—and in the Saintess's bedroom, no less—the situation would become a disaster of epic proportions.
Thus, he could only hide and pray to the Goddess that he would survive the night.
In this moment, Muen finally empathized with Ariel’s previous urge to pound the ground and weep.
...Damn that Ariel!
I’ll remember this grudge. Later, I’ll... I’ll... I’ll go and ruthlessly bully your beloved childhood sweetheart! I'll make her walk with a stagger!
...
"Let's start, let's start!"
Atop the soft, comfortable bed, Ariel was already rubbing her hands together, unable to wait.
She glanced at Liya, who was still frowning as she familiarized herself with the rules, and then at Senior Anna, who seemed distracted, her gaze constantly flitting around the room. Ariel’s confidence instantly surged.
She didn't know Senior Anna that well, but she heard she was a top student, so she probably didn't play casual games like poker often.
As for Liya... her skills were even worse!
Therefore, this game of Truth or Dare poker was practically tailor-made for—
"Huh?"
Ariel stared blankly at her hand.
"I... I lost?"
"I'll take that win," Anna said with a smile, tossing down her last card to declare her victory.
On the other side, Liya let out a secret sigh of relief. She hadn't won, but she hadn't lost either. According to the rules, the rewards and punishments of this round had nothing to do with her.
"It seems my luck is a bit better than Ariel's."
"Fine."
Ariel curled her lip but quickly brushed it off. She wasn't the type to get discouraged over such a small thing.
"Go ahead, what do you want me to do?"
"Let me think..."
Anna seemed to have finally finished admiring the room. She withdrew her gaze, and it landed once more on the edge of the bed.
Faintly, that little-devil-like smile reappeared at the corners of her mouth.
"For the first time, let's not make it too hard. A handstand. Hold a handstand for five minutes."
"Yeah, that is pretty simple."
Ariel nodded. For a martial artist of her level, let alone five minutes, she could hold a handstand all night with ease. Treating it as a warm-up for the game, she scrambled up, preparing to do the handstand right there on the bed.
"Wait."
Anna stopped her, pointing to a spot a short distance from the bed.
"Do it over there, facing us."
Liya and Muen, who was under the bed, froze simultaneously.
"There?"
Ariel was a bit confused, but since it was the winner's command, she took it as a "deliberate challenge" and didn't mind. She rolled off the bed.
After walking a few paces to the spot Anna indicated, Ariel didn't hesitate. She braced her hands on the floor and kicked up into a handstand, facing Liya and Anna on the bed...
Consequently, her line of sight naturally traveled from the top of the bed... to underneath it.
Muen...
Liya called out to him in her heart, filled with worry.
Please let him be okay...
Looking at the inverted room, Ariel suddenly noticed that Liya seemed to have a worried expression.
Is she worried about me because I'm being punished? Honestly, Liya is such a worrying little dummy. How could a simple thing like this possibly trouble me?
To show off her strength, Ariel didn't just hold the handstand; she began doing rapid handstand push-ups, bending her elbows.
Huff.
Huff.
Huff.
The inverted room rose and fell in Ariel's eyes, and she got more into it the more she did.
Look, Liya! See how amazing I am!
...She had no idea that with every movement, the worry in Liya's eyes deepened, her fingers instinctively clutching the soft duvet beside her.
Muen...
Hang in there.
...
Muen was very busy right now, with no time to respond to Liya’s internal calls.
The moment he heard the word "handstand" from Anna’s mouth, he knew things were bad.
He was under the bed. If Ariel did a handstand a short distance away, wouldn't she be able to see clearly into the space beneath the bed as soon as her body flipped?
Fortunately... while Ariel’s position did allow her to see under the bed, it wasn't a complete view.
The bedsheet, which was changed every day, draped down a certain length from the edge. Combined with the fact that the bed was quite high, this created a small blind spot for Muen.
But it was only a small one. If he stayed lying there, he would definitely be exposed.
Furthermore, he couldn't make any large movements, as any slight vibration under the bed would be clearly felt by those on top of it.
Thus, the moment before Ariel kicked up, Muen let out a silent shout in his heart. He hooked two fingers onto the bed's crossbeams and slowly applied force.
Keeping his body parallel to the bed frame and perfectly still, he used only the strength of those two fingers to pull his entire body up in a slow, smooth motion until he was pressed tight against the underside of the bed. He successfully tucked himself into the blind spot, evading Ariel’s gaze.
But this was not pleasant. Normally, a feat of this difficulty would be nothing to Muen, but right now, to evade the sharp senses of Anna and Ariel, he had lowered his vital signs to their absolute minimum.
Consequently, what should have been a simple movement felt as heavy as if a mountain were pressing down on him. His body screamed for relief, and even though he was technically free to breathe, he felt an intense sensation of suffocation.
Muen could only grit his teeth and force himself to endure. Those brief five minutes felt agonizingly long.
...
"Done!"
Once the five minutes were up, Ariel bounded up from the spotless floor and returned to the bed.
"How do you feel?" Anna asked with a smile.
"How do I feel?" Ariel tilted her head. "It was easy."
Strange. It was just a handstand, so why did both Liya and Senior Anna act like it was such a big deal?
"Is... that so?"
Anna scrutinized Ariel’s expression. Confirming that the girl hadn't seen anything she shouldn't have, Anna rested her chin on her hand, falling into slight contemplation.
Did I guess wrong?
"Never mind. Let's continue."
"Okay, let's continue."
Liya, letting out a sigh of relief, nodded and refocused her mind on the game.
After another round of cards.
"Ah, I didn't win again?"
Ariel buried her head in the duvet with extreme flexibility, wailing in agony.
Is it because I'm not wearing my Victory Underwear tonight? Is my luck just a step behind?
"It looks like I won."
Liya looked up, a relaxed smile on her face.
She truly was relieved.
"Oh my, it's been too long since I played; I'm a bit rusty. I lost. Liya, how are you going to punish me?"
Anna’s tone was pitiful, but her expression didn't look the least bit sorry. In fact, she looked rather intrigued, as if she were looking forward to Liya’s punishment.
Liya pondered for a moment...
Winning first was indeed a good thing, but it also meant she didn't yet know her opponent's tactics.
It would be best to take the initiative now and turn the tables from defense to offense.
And...
Liya puffed out her cheeks, remembering how Anna had just subtly mocked her for being a "Green Tea" girl. She was a little annoyed.
In that case...
Liya steadied her nerves, faced Anna, and asked seriously:
"Question: Senior Anna, what color is your underwear tonight?"
"Eh?"
Anna blinked, seemingly caught off guard by Liya’s question.
"Wow, Liya’s first question is that bold?"
Ariel hadn't expected it either, covering her face and shaking her head in excitement.
Hmph.
Liya let out a long breath through her cute nose and straightened her back.
Senior Anna, I admit you have the first-mover advantage, but the current Liya is no longer the girl who knew nothing, whose heart would race and whose mind would go blank just by looking at you!
I've grown!
The things you did before, I dare to do them too!
And so...
Liya looked at Anna with a hint of triumph, wanting to enjoy the sight of Anna’s shy and flustered expression.
But... there was none.
Anna’s expression did change, but it only... became strange.
It was as if she had been preparing for a life-and-death struggle with a beast of her own caliber, only for the opponent to suddenly let out a "meow" and overwhelm her with cuteness before the fight even began.
"It's deep purple," Anna answered with a giggle, without a hint of hesitation.
"To be more specific, it's a deep purple cut-out style with black lace trim."
"Eh?"
"Don't believe me?"
Anna suddenly shifted her black-stockinged legs toward Liya. Her fingers slowly traced the hem of her skirt, tugging it upward.
"If you don't believe me, I can show you..."
"Eeeek—"
Ariel’s face, which she was still covering, turned bright red. She hadn't expected this Senior to be so daring.
Never mind the purple—a color representing maturity and sexiness—but to actually offer to...
Liya was completely stunned.
"Pfft."
But just as the mysterious garment was about to be revealed, Anna suddenly let go, allowing her skirt to fall back into place. She burst into a charming, flirtatious laugh, her waist and chest swaying with her mirth.
"Just teasing. I'm not showing you. I wore this today specifically for the person I want to show it to.
You—aren't—there—yet."
"..."
The flickering lamplight cast a shadow of Liya sitting frozen in place.
In that moment, she couldn't help but fall into silence.
She suddenly understood why she felt so inexplicably flustered when facing Anna.
It wasn't just because of what happened before, or because she was the "latecomer" and subconsciously felt inferior. It was because she had understood from the very beginning...
Between her and this little devil Senior, there was a direct gap in their "level" that had existed from the very start.