"Thank you, Sir Morning Star!!"

"Thank you, Sir Morning Star!!"

For the next ten minutes, the underground village echoed with people's chants coming directly from their hearts.

I could see all kinds of expressions among the gathered people. Some exclaimed in happiness, some broke down in tears as their past suffering hit them, while some dropped to their knees, bowing before me in gratitude.

"Strong, Night, guide the people who want to leave and provide the others with the contracts," I ordered.

"Oy, Raj! From where will we get the coin to give the people who want to leave?" Jambavan whispered.

"Night, clear his doubt," I said with a faint smile.

"There is a treasure room in the black castle that is filled with thousands of gold coins and other expensive items," Vyaghra stated before asking, "Are you intending to use those coins?"

"Of course, or where do you think I will get the money?" I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm broke as hell."

"Lady Kitsune, follow me," I ordered as I turned back, moving toward mine number 10.

---

Only our footsteps echoed through the tunnel as both of us walked in awkward silence without saying anything.

"Wh-when did you prepare that contract?" Ume asked, trying to initiate the conversation.

"When I infiltrated the castle, I gathered all the information about where the Soul stones are being sold, what the usual pay is for working in the mines, and where Victor stores all of his treasure, so I prepared the contract in advance considering those things."

She suddenly extended her hand toward me, looking downward.

"D-does she want me to hold her hand?" I thought inwardly. "She must be trying to make up."

I awkwardly grabbed her hand and walked, acting nonchalant while looking straight ahead.

"Wh-why are you... holding my hand?" she murmured, getting flustered.

"Because y-you were offering it to me?"

"I wasn't!!" she blurted. "I was giving this to you!"

In her hand she carried an old rusty key whose face was designed in the shape of a snake, and on its chain, Rank 4 was written.

She pushed the key onto me, removed her hand, and took fast steps forward.

Ding...

"Congratulations! You have completed the first act of the main quest: Secrets of the Abandoned Land.

Act I: Seize control of the Forlorn City Mines.

Status: Completed

[Claim the reward]"

"Aghhhh! Why do I keep embarrassing myself!?" I screamed inwardly.

If things kept going like this, it would become too awkward between us to talk normally. I didn't want us to keep avoiding each other.

So I took a deep breath, mustered some courage, and called, "Ume, can we talk?"

Her pace slowed down at my call, so I immediately moved forward, reached beside her, and asked, "Are you angry?"

"I don't know," she replied plainly.

Yeah, she was definitely mad.

"Ume, I'm sorry, so don't be angry, please."

"Why do you think I'm angry?"

Now that was a very difficult question.

If my answer didn't satisfy her, she would become even more furious and definitely say something like, "You're apologising when you don't even know what you did wrong."

To save myself, I used my innate ability that enabled me to find the best solution under pressure and answered,

"Because I kissed you when you weren't ready?"

"Hah? What made you think I would have let you osculate me if you had given me time to prepare?"

"You wouldn't?" I asked, leaning closer to her face.

"Why would I?" she hissed, pushing me aside. "You're apologising when you don't even know what you did wrong."

"There she goes," I sighed inwardly. "How come I knew her response for the wrong answer and still couldn't give her the answer she wanted?"

"Did you just sigh?" she snapped. "Sister Nym was right to call you a jerk."

She was about to leave again in anger, but I held her wrist from behind and blurted,

"You are right. I'm a jerk who doesn't understand how a lady feels.

Honestly, all of this—being in a romantic relationship with someone—is the first time for me. I'm inexperienced and didn't know how to convince you when you were about to burst out in anger.

I was afraid that you would also leave me, so I reflexively kissed you without your consent.

You may scold me, hit me, or slap me, but please don't avoid me."

"You still don't know why I'm angry with you," she murmured in a low tone. "You talk to me nicely, share your food with me, nag at me when I get injured, but I don't know how you truly feel about me.

It was my first kiss that you abruptly stole from me, but was it also the first for you?"

I was about to answer, but then I realised that it really wasn't my first kiss. Although I didn't remember it, my lips were wet and carried Nymeria's scent when she left that day.

"You can't answer, right? I'm aware that the customs of beast clans have nothing to do with you and you touching my ears was only an accident.

But being a goddess of all beasts, I just couldn't disobey the culture set by our ancestors. I came between you and Sister Nym to abide by those rules, but I tried to be as considerate as possible and even accepted her as my sister. However…"

Her voice turned low and began to crack as she continued,

"You only began opening up to me when Sister Nym left.

It's like you are using me to fill the gap she left behind. I'm not telling you to stop thinking about her or become solely mine, but at least look at me for who I really am and not as a second choice.

You kissed me without even giving me an engagement ring or at least promising a future with me.

Was that kiss really for me, or were you thinking about Sister Nym when you did that?"

She grabbed my collar tightly, looked straight into my eyes, and asked,

"Do you even love me?"

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