Kafka fell into rare silence. Blade's remark of "old hag" nearly shattered her composure. Having been a Stellaron Hunter and roaming the cosmos for years, this was the first time someone had called her an old hag. She was still an untouched maiden—how dare Blade slander her like this? Did he think Kafka couldn't wield a blade anymore?
"Heh, still pretending to be young? Your age is—"
Seeing that Blade was about to expose more of her secrets, Kafka—who had initially planned to use her Spirit Whisper to take him back—decided there was no point holding back. She raised her still-sheathed longsword and struck the back of his neck hard with the hilt.
Thud!
With a dull impact, Blade felt a sharp pain in his neck as his consciousness began to blur. Struggling to stay awake, he shot Dan Heng one last resentful glance before finally lowering his head and passing out.
"Such a handful." Kafka massaged her temples, her fingers twitching as threads wrapped tightly around Blade, lifting him up.
"Well then, 'Dan Feng,' I'll be taking Blade back now. I assume you have no objections?" Kafka's eyes glimmered, her tone laced with subtle threat.
"Do as you please. Also, Dan Feng is dead. My name is Dan Heng."
"Heh, I know. The vidyadhara's molting rebirth..." Kafka chuckled lightly, a mysterious glint flashing in her violet eyes.
"Then, Dan Heng, we'll meet again if fate allows."
——————————
Belobog's Underworld...
Yun Fan gazed silently at the two unconscious women lying on the bed. Beside him, Sampo stood trembling, cold sweat dripping down his back. His mind raced with panic—had he messed up? When this exalted Aeon ordered him to kidnap a high-ranking executive of the Interastral Peace Corporation, was it really not about lust?
Tch— Of course not! How could a noble Aeon, a being beyond mortals, harbor such base desires?
Seconds ticked by in agonizing silence until Yun Fan finally spoke. Yet his first words left Sampo utterly baffled.
"Fascinating. Is this the world's way of correcting itself? Or is it just a mere coincidence?" Yun Fan shook his head before addressing the nervously waiting Sampo. "You've done well. You may leave now."
Sampo nearly wept with relief. After bowing hastily, he bolted out of Goethe Hotel at sprinting speed—though not before remembering to close the door behind him.
Watching Sampo's frantic escape, Yun Fan's face darkened. Was I really that terrifying?
"...Sigh." He exhaled, shifting his attention back to the two women on the bed—well, more accurately, one woman, one girl, and a little warp trotter named Numby.
"Come to think of it, warp trotters look like pigs... so can you eat them? And if you can, how do they taste?" Lifting Numby by the scruff, Yun Fan couldn't help but entertain the thought. Once it took root, it was hard to shake off.
"Hmm... I'll leave Bronya for March 7th and the others to handle. They've already got little Lynx, so one more won't hurt. Besides, those two know each other—being together might give them some sense of security..."
Time passed slowly...
"Ugh... I feel awful... What happened...?" After what felt like an eternity, the beautiful short-haired girl finally stirred awake with a soft groan.
However, thanks to the lingering effects of Sampo's knockout drug, even though Topaz had regained consciousness, her mind remained foggy. For a moment, the usually sharp-witted strategist couldn't make sense of her surroundings.
Noticing this, Yun Fan raised a brow and flicked a strand of energy into Topaz's body, dispelling the grogginess.
"Huh? My head... doesn't hurt anymore? Wait, where am I...?" Topaz blinked in confusion as she took in the room.
From the looks of it, she was in some ancient, run-down hotel. Compared to the environments she was used to, this place could only be described as "post-apocalyptic." Aside from a few chairs and a necessary vanity, the only notable furnishing was the bed she was lying on.
Tch, this place is a dump... Wait—hotel? Bed?!
In an instant, realization struck. Topaz's face paled as she frantically threw off the covers, inspecting herself from top to bottom.
Only after confirming she was still untouched did she finally exhale in relief.
Unbeknownst to her...
"Thank you for your generosity, Miss Topaz. It was quite the feast for the eyes." A teasing voice suddenly rang in her ear, making the already tense girl freeze all over again.
Topaz whipped her head around—only to see a black-haired young man lounging on a nearby couch, legs crossed, watching her with amusement.
"When did you—" She cut herself off. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't checked behind her earlier. Damn it, how careless of me...
But...
Stealing a glance at the man's annoyingly handsome face, Topaz's cheeks flushed. If he was behind me the whole time... then he saw everything when I checked myself?!
Though Topaz carried herself as a strong, independent woman in her career, when it came to romance, she was still a pure maiden with zero experience. Now, a complete stranger—albeit a good-looking one—had seen her naked. But still!
"Miss Topaz? Miss Topaz?" Noticing her dazed expression, Yun Fan waved a hand in front of her face, concerned. Did the shock fry her brain?
"Ah! Ahem, I'm fine. May I ask your name, sir?" Snapping back to reality, Topaz coughed and straightened up, putting on her most professional demeanor.
"Just call me Yun Fan. No need for 'sir.'" He shook his head and sat down beside the bed.
"Yun Fan..." Topaz murmured before bowing slightly. "Thank you for saving me. I won't forget this kindness."
Even if he'd seen her bare, the fact remained that he'd rescued her from her kidnappers. And she was certain he wasn't the one who'd kidnapped her.
"Ah, no need to thank me." Yun Fan waved it off.
His nonchalance only raised Topaz's opinion of him. A man who doesn't chase fame, doesn't exploit favors, and doesn't take advantage of others... Truly a good man.
Then Yun Fan's next words made her question reality itself.
"Because I was the one who sent them to kidnap you."
Topaz: "???!!!"