"It's been a while since I've last seen you smile."
Amanda approached me after I came out of the room. Her face was unusually serious.
I turned to look at her while cocking my head.
"You think so?"
I never really noticed myself if I had to be honest...but it wasn't as though I was surprised by this development. There wasn't much to smile about.
Also, having had another attack just a couple of minutes ago, I couldn't really bring myself to smile.
"Here."
Amanda placed her hands on the edges of my lips and pulled them upwards.
"Much better."
She returned a smile herself.
Her smile was stunning. Enough to make anyone fall into a daze with just a glance. Well, anyone but me. I was pretty much used to her smiles by now. Well, for the most part. I wasn't exactly totally immune.
"Wwwamhat are you doing?"
It was hard to speak when she had her hands on my lips, pulling them up.
"Helping you smile."
"...What dwoes that have anything to do with the situation?"
"It doesn't."
Amanda let go of my lips.
"It's just that you look a lot better if you smiled a little more often."
Cocking my head even further, I eventually nodded my head.
"Well, sure, I'll try to smile more."
This wasn't too hard of a request. Not like smiling was that hard.
I smiled.
"Happy?"
"For what?"
"I'm smiling, aren't I?"
Amanda's brows furrowed.
"...No?"
"Hm?"
Amanda's reaction took me back.
"What are you talking about?"
Was she playing a prank on me? I could clearly feel myself smiling.
"Are you playing around with me?"
Amanda asked, inching closer to me.
I shook my head.
"That was what I was about to ask you."
Amanda's face hardened.
Her reaction took me aback.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"Here."
me, she took out a pocket mirror and handed
her hand and
"...No way."
it
hair, deep blue eyes...at first glance, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with
At first glance, though.
closer inspection,
am I not
My expression...
It was stiff.
smiling, I did not have a
'Just what in the...'
mirror and handed it
"Thanks."
"Ren, what's going on?"
pocket mirror back and looked at me with a worried
my hand
about. Just a little side-effect of practicing
...That was a lie.
result of the previous attack
it's better if I just play this off as something
"If you say so..."
her face still filled with doubt and concern. Obviously, she didn't buy my excuse, but as expected of her, she didn't
"You hungry?"
my stomach and
"A bit."
about we
"I wouldn't mind that."
"Great."
back a bit and gestured to Amanda
"Come, let's go eat."
"Mhm."
***
the light breeze that was blowing across the grassland, the
behind shallow footprints. They moved in such a covert manner that they left
longer do we have
breathing had become labored as she worked hard to
the fuck down! I'm going to die at the rate
Jin and Emma finally slowed down and gave
I'm about to die over
fell back on the grass and supported her body with her extended
to complain was Emma,
really blame us for going too fast. You were the one that insisted
didn't know you guys were going to run for five
herself. The two were moving at such a rapid pace that it was impossible for her to keep up with them. Despite the fact that she wasn't exactly a weak person herself—with her
finally stopping, she would've already started puking on the
never agreed to
her stomach and slumped
Following Jin and Emma seemed to be the best option, but that proved to be a grave mistake on her
and Jin, Melissa
be able to move for
fine. Not tired at all.
"Me too."
Jin responded as they exchanged glances for a moment. Melissa clenched her teeth
out of
her stomach and then lowered her head and allowed her hair to fall to the side of
sure we're going in the
"Positive."
while he
orcs, this is the direction of where the demons should be
Jin's speech halted.
was then that his eyes suddenly squinted, and his expression changed. He quickly turned around and his figure vanished from the
"Hide, quick!"
"Wha-"
"No time for that."
and followed Jin from behind.
the ground, Melissa felt a slight fluctuation in the air. His sudden actions aroused her curiosity as
just as she was about to say something, she noticed something in the far distance. Her mouth instantly shut and her expression mimicked that
T1I1m3OT1tcAYXPnv9WpHdzYUIQiaYYtmuQK4qHdfP3OkLONrT7vnkVcR70KAkyvYGA358EeSKjYdcY42PcQq0XCSWR7gB+5WaeP6mxSnyc6ImLFN4uCdBylJJygbrOlrajWYEJuRBWcK9vZRU//9shRU/ZQgMBueShgxMBjdA8uTPk0AjKTdOFEj+Kh2pnGs2QcnZmHHngmg1mIn8VaWIcWwF2YqSWulyBsGs1zdEHyYQF2iGg7TM6o1Km6qovTER8VGNyrWvqppWglIg45hejIJg198ykiqvY39E/ngE9Hw2+v2p1FeNRBRsJFyhWQKtf+xY/u46zWhn1zHialoriOP0zPTzAZDsRMB4+AofMRmMjU19Y6hAlaObk4wfjkkqjIMD6cBieqzjmvA3b2036KIW4uW+qaseS5xIw0NsDqfj+1wSPoRZ38M6SwTM8w2UMM9FQBMmNcipZW3EmTEnSFGXpBU0cYgGZ2kYVgorXUe5EdCjj6KliDzMubv6QrOgoQsKT3WBTqEvtddTebpDS7ODz+NhhYgLrrf2vu+LZ/R86leErdJIBf3a9IswWrI5zlFb4oJl/1XX3ecLftJ2whQR7doXAan0IKaAzPwT7/3tcydLuoTscqTr68kvDnlu0dCv1xmNUMwUgThG0AHsJB3yNDa5ya/1c0shbwMRTX/Uxt7FbX+o/watfOD9F3nJO8MLFhgzp4gvE4vPPjKgJO4/bAN5U2VmttGGmFfQs9COXj4AVDhwvEIFUzDqpazfuqG37+b/ws23yzPSDwlIk3TLzkTsG2M0WKj9Ti2JwLlYM5hyzPBLS2ohTljZEVhN5vYzA+Uoy59Su4JljM7rQOd3oluVln49lLH2qfGQgW3Wpc2nKMC6ncUANHL4ekLl4j9Svm8sPCbMIGICLDnEsj7hkDZz8BifhGvVD2ZJeNkPv1RZTHv5U6/qq2AN2RJNuqt6balhghAQGu188BYWbwxx8PPg/FtrgXdEJItk0u4HPNbPBvu8eurGM71DXvTXRnC1t5QEr96gBnDLMAE7Z+hG2NiaWqv0g2unVadQlekppZqkFjsvZRy/gKDzcjrz5loS/CSInERT1tz1tj30tg0nTIis2SeYP5fskgeih+AiuUUJ1jlFe4ggyP61tWj1/rgrfycXiiqOrKcJen6Uglzei0h0RKfUuo6M/Jb+Xz/G3Cx5bQma8EaAFPz7f+gbCZAjiXcmHWsiymE277ai+BGkFCiQEXa213sujM44+08Z66u+u02NfmZJIZj1U8jRDLg6Sl0LAZZTQAJ91A5+FWiZLDHGG+6DjYPefw70V7eVWD9w0Pnwq+CaPqP7zanwpYZqMPyeVIbmmJRM5BI2ubvnkYSBVSn49xIgWlsZrtwzItnezP6KlL4VVgRsefUN6a3gG4Yk7VSOeZ5EgrlhaVnSyMn95Mr5o/Tm058OmRI+ZAg5Uhiemg1VB5swnOXn5LcARSrNdXpVO6B8pFpSBNU3TAyPvNODfGAgJuWQruKdqcNpKfkN7RdMEvrt3wivKsTz36usiE4Ol24DrPohSMXSWngftFzMOfKMRvUIb0hiGHfIFf3rpBqVCEGEN9VIJaUNuMF3aeduIBX8FYq13BYLtr7bzX/zmauKdk2F0ixdPDftWNXQDNaf3kVlIj552VQzqouJMc2MlktW2sCNp/RqPhFIF6t/RXIu+rhdKKHRBH39V79kg/Vx9U/fjNtS+GAx4FhK5A8l0xT6afpkOkkh+eMhE2uT+2kEuZeNszRkELJNdiNGl8UDErdWmyT3rH64Gm90laCfJZnym8HVPzUcHgggwdv6JV7Qvi/NKP2rzry9iOJ+M18Ig66+vqN0UDFyzDrgFf5wekwgpw4pwTB5mdKvN/37+HCX+3GG6JNukR9kXqfLp4stPwbCMrssc/Wnmd8+kTTNM8WQCboM5sLAh17jGCwwB/mn91lfww6RD30j1YPa0kaKTS0uatiTrhjsztXxXSNq48iS/IyKZ5w244CElVnq6r73EqlIcNnTxsP07OFcU52J34pV/eqVINM8h3hZOMxYb/hoFHnNtfsIPjiRQ+i0JIYlQc9DJw8WNMmzN3edlgr8UqOcZQIbCQTztO5K0GFC/rQLyrF31G5IQMvdKvCvn5LatWS5kwWVLzR4jm+kPoXWvrxckoRAfTeqDRELL2LB/7OBV/gJOo53/IyndjBBp3VPAwOE2wLQ8ESkw1GZWleOOLGn7K4JGPAjBMIKZLG80/LpwsG9Ajd74kRSFJJzxPZ71rQAU6FyXRXzjEvNOOvgMixEzSfZM/HDXJfngVXs5TGQNq74vCLLpTpwDytmm+sfyB3XB0NFicvCyDR1IQR0egZ+/c72W4kFlgXCUDt3Q+h5yTxjedSlT8RDTyrc+6pm5FV88Dtt1bCpPIBSdX/VdMbeYDUpB+WritjJrRHV5pv/KsufVFgzhu3gO8jasgYkHU9Q24Bg0W0Yx0zbt3aF79Rmf3eVHBp5hRi7et4GaHxJcTzXZFmUEk64p9ukMKE5uwTb7lSPOf+QfyC6WHb8xPtXcZ57NYf247duCY1fC6RLJgbRDXcV8gbxvFH/GIHeTK3N/ND5gqshlfahKFvnkX80od2St5pUINIRKvI1mYkfHcvjcpi0abXVXMhlu45AivmoxSrBJnDC2v0ePRiEpNQ+EDue1zt1sYiUo/ttdchattsygZoqpPLoLtng51wmjkIeULmfdJnpdcFmrF1+NiGuHv3P1q5HLzb/MdbVe8cVsmM0WAp2kLbs1nHC0TwTohT7uq0p+YkdAumoXJIdtv9zsuPSsSf39KsqYqNsvJhZQUumaMJLczVZXhiN8pFU3gNrDshnqG/SSo1KH0cpEIsLxLvsgIgtw92TbsEuAr05fi7afrYW/5vbOxUIcqLxDMgyCL0nBLJpaqYuPZioVY4qcDR02P8RyT9jLylhkt6RGnz0FkYxu4Fh94ILIu4JIyqUxT0V+Kituthjusa8HSwzh132SkAOOoXhp9OnpreSeE23Thuzw1W6CrWIkpnK/UEt+OznEQw3WtOOdfqEMbh6yExGbHoUPeEjkD6Dsu3Og7fgIdW5o87OXb+1km+P8SWcmdC+emkadC2W7U+/Iyv60lhJaGCtJmpPsRbRjuJl0/fWWC6jnZyqVsT5gPSqkQ3dMz4TalliW9ni1dYzebJi7Pa/B9Px/2U36ZW1RQ9dsB7rwzOE1YJA1IPuR1PKLMX0qMOW7dB3r/sz5okp3ih7rPWf8tTV1fcpMqwqqRFY6aQOVO4oynBMZHANCkhKB+tqVyEykGyuBz9QfC7onCnuTDWIX5mC7IPXvcIsgJVmQ7N4z4l26Ma5Kt2SjcKYEn3oSAfZyUSMW8ZQ8F8DgR50nVDFvX/fn5KeIoQn22VGyxQxpJDXx4oZt8daLHY+A97/I4Fx2ZBFkzzzVNuyJpbaG9wVC1NUGLlNTmsxA4l/hr/9hm9LW9uOzisjP0jJPrBJw2eYvtdmkOmHL/9whjM1jKEDI84vqdZRvucuNaYda5jiWd7VtGyiA8mNenEIFD2k7QZbyRYUY1Xt9HlYGtOwzeZKD4WeT121l2CvchogkPfnk4/MWRJHZ+iTmLW0r3tyMwErHQLJPN/+aBXObT+skUjJeqztZfFY41S7gRHGsIrFP0zUhpGpNIZGzAutCM6TJfuGv0kmqQ8Uy7MbQ1xTzdaebOIVVdFo+J8I9JdMeY+mUYFyVKwe2Xcl0A8aOYPydS4mdEc5AYfxgII8YbW6PkYtMZzGM6NMqkxXMAdtcmBN25kbCj3QnffvOCCqjlev+j9+/hIVdjLrUZ+ecmx7Lk8LXkr70Mqx//Nn/x0+IPowMFueiGBk5J0syJEiYuiuzpNp6JABfbxa+zbJvJLcFNFu7YUNB1knx65yoZydMu3HaU9a8a89ua7cybnuMyB1qiV3eKAJqBQdk1cTTwYM9J3PKwe/LlStMSUL1rzjPZZiYA/NDUoznYST5qyK9JHklu6kX2jvaC8eWAoP1H7zcVo0bICQZo77MamvyHI6HnpFopCxZFVF6sLwq5DZdx4KlOtbF0IJyxmKN2Lh5pUJqAGD4ky6k+yFvQp3FbLS0lGPynu9XZ+qzRA0upF7YITlHUKEktDjVkGzpzlCarLqxF8y6Z35MFo2WDDeueakkO936rBptZwJn2CEqpU/B3mkq+2/L1g/GR4SOUbfkgXWAq4Ab2EyauybMCt/w0o8H5+NmEVucqMTXZlbyO1VzEhEktWg978ZSblKi02+rU5nSwYJeKvriR+W9aLA8riBDiRMdMDNJE7wsAwWN1J8aoNLbbFcHvI8BqOMaxrL88XNTDbqGR+Vsi39KtDBPZO4YulwKM0uAWh8R4z2m5xS6EqKqj+rvM+5tiAwehbCxRkMBXZNvP0BswJ/kBrC/1jxEZIZE2KFbFd9WIKLgM3nVTxLsSxFvvd9WEtWROt4FGPFqTL0DyIen86mdDXS6j2T8PEypcR2Zmwizq2C9ZZ+KTG0H81ZMPtU55RhqiEm9pOu0ze5Y/WP7rIY58WJPjsz+p/o0IUJd/N+uk2t9OnLC6Kj+YKeBU1VaKcgwt/s0NbqUqw9O36rGBFcl/fKNp7J3q52A38XgWhY0ycIyQWQ3owrXB19eu+EfkGTxubatzQTo6vrO+EEuLleqT51e6bcjb759jL8HygTty7Ru8ls7xTrfq164Wy/GkgZJzj9CR7t3HfNGxxs87E4++xQf8eFYC0SFdDCz+2o3UKUoLJQZWqxqrAXoDQQu50I2nWw+Vv7GzCgjMAaPqWvwN23ylhJTXdkclGuEyYlmt3q+JsrLgV+QX7ACNG1SpYaFBaTuwc04GI7GDJUXJcZfjOXSJ3gyfiAue/JppaRj68ansfADTPVEBtkkh/fFLM9xMlLBjG2JEa/hsSWSantroR2HnSwjE8cacQvXi0ydGkDChpUX+NI7KoEJfOnAYrJodFyfKAjc58k0jCAX2RsO3vZ7bH/O331rP0+3ERwPvY1SdK8+6u1zsDxD5tj7RWmHjfA9+AEtoip+WpspJMT4B5thFzVl9yLY7M7VvZpuR5qcqKMbF//KWUiW9AwZN7DzcUKBw6MpIYV3zAMbPx9sMuMWSaX2oEe0YuBPj3iOv3seVkPSPncoAJmuPRgyVGbvY68+djmBv7DwwQDdHsDD+JJAO4LoGES1rjfF9/7on7g8RJ9WbFmhnHdGJ/d7iEBrnie9hlAjZRIPqMGHcSQL9t7uZHPi1lz/bPjZvNsOGDbFyKtEbv5xvHJwCZbJpRosjk2X7O7JBT87Lc9b/0Z9t9M80TJ6mmrAliFEYo7UzfkkDnoWme8TQMHBHGw+uC7zgxXY436XTJ2ApZ+DZGo6+6fJp2kmSyC7H75g+BdlIfFMNsGtL6BljxZTqbQzsEckjpMk9ExuMCFkqpolb/jPLzlJRY6ELyr+R/CjI7iliBLHuMVoJtYO9WkPPxd9AfmHe+nFakNS6R6yfCZF2a1Bc5yirqWmHkwNYIxeI5/iWa9osDAT7cWyCFJO/xC2YxXCx8KPNPleqf5UFbuadPuwp8b36XgOUc2IMg6zYOncpPwYtNrJt7I4TW31mQgAHoNbkTHIQ72MstGCBxE5G4S0tOonQ+WtmhbjlhTttNpaWNtn3wl2nzZypBvRno6DhLdsXP7aDYWO2eHNZ7E9DzQuw4ivpddbpYC3RmnSsyTnDD/kie9TaojMv0lJ/c4wTRUsTaRxX7FGQ4SgQA5HjM/xfkWpei2xpTA//iROxhhO+NRY+Nn2fUxnX7f48k2S/7Qplx/FuA86bNIBvJwMXFjcFXMk1TgWJepo3ivDvATcANrjOsVUqUcFGQrfN9UDHGt0U6G1Eo2nK1fAaMceUidi0IC49/VugLSci0pDd4Gxal7ZdKOaT2VvPm9EI3Z2HHFVN1qKXdvvuZV+yFIzWyjH5c9rHfJJDXdBzN8GI8vW34SAwQpSzYuduYlU2bFJGnicua9I=
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!