CHAPTER 115: THE WITCH HUNTER... DANGER IMPENDING?

"It hurts a lot, Mel..."

"Haha..." Mel let out a chuckle. "Shall I kiss the pain away in return?"

Hand in hand, Mel and Lila walked in step through the forest.

The grass beneath their feet gradually thinned, and the trees grew sparser as they neared the forest’s exit.

Lila’s eyes glazed over in a daze, but she nodded to Mel’s request with a faint blush.

Smiling softly, Mel cupped Lila’s cheek and pressed a gentle kiss to her reddened skin.

"More..." Lila whimpered out.

"Of course."

With a loving whisper, Mel leaned in and pressed her lips to Lila’s, stopping them in their tracks.

Her tongue slipped into Lila’s mouth with unrestrained passion, exploring deeply before pulling away, leaving a thin string of saliva between them.

Lila leaned in to lick away the string, her tongue then brushing against Mel’s cheek as if tasting honey from her skin.

"So... aggressive nowadays, Lila..." Mel mumbled, the tickly senses sipping in as her hand tugged into Lila’s hair. "Want me to carry you as you lick me?"

Lila paused her licking, then pulled back, casting an embarrassed glance over Mel’s shoulder.

Behind them stood the long-forgotten Rosana, with a mocking smirk on her lips.

The two Knights shuffled awkwardly, their helmets turned aside as if trying not to witness the scene.

"Ah-ah..."

Her lips pursed with a furious blush, recalling the bold moments earlier when she bit Mel’s neck in front of Rosana as well.

Then, her hands clentched the skirt with a newfound firmness before simply nodding to Mel’s request.

The logic from Envy was simple: Shame her once? She shall be shamed for the entire day!

Besides, Lila had been under stress since Embervale; the revelations about Mel’s target status and the Erdtree demanded to be vented.

And who better to take it out on than Mel herself?

"Aw, Lila..."

Spurred on by Lila’s hazy state, Mel’s own desire flared as she knelt, arms outstretched.

Mel wrapped her arms around Lila’s waist, scooping her up and pressing their bodies together in a tight embrace.

Lila moaned at the soft contact, her mouth watering as it parted for Mel’s cheek.

As Mel walked forward, each step was accompanied by the wet sounds of Lila’s licking.

Between the sounds of panting, Mel’s fingers threaded through Lila’s hair, adjusting her head for a better angle.

"Mel..."

As Lila breathed out her name, Mel felt only joy and pride in every syllable.

Lila’s passivity was no longer a concern, and Mel predicted she could advance even further with Lila after tonight.

Best of all, she could claim that Lila desired her as much as she desired Lila, and that claim would no longer fall flat with hesitation.

"I love you, Lila."

"Mm... me too..."

Even hearing the Knights’ groans and Rosana’s muffled laugh, Mel only sighed at how she couldn’t take Lila tonight.

Ah... she could only feel herself more pent up...

Clasping her thighs further, Mel sighed in utter frustration.

A short while after they were escorted out of the forest, they soon found themselves back in the open field where the students had gathered.

With Lila still in her arms, Mel glanced down, amused at how Lila hid her face in her shoulder, clearly nearing her limit meter for embarrassment.

So cute. The sight only made Mel desire her more.

Spotting Selaria in the distance, Mel and the others walked steadily toward the Princess.

"Ah. Mel..." Selaria’s voice trailed off as she raised her brows in concern. "Something wrong with Lila? Is she injured?"

"Hm... just leave her be for now," Mel said, soothing Lila’s back in gentle circles.

"Anything happened while I was gone?"

"Nothing much. A few Enchanted Monsters came by, and..."

Selaria frowned, a flicker of disgust crossing her face. "Two Traitors from the Royal Knights were escorted here by the elf."

Lila jolted a little, her expression hidden as she kept her face buried in Mel’s shoulder.

Noticing how Lila’s trembling, Mel watched as the Princess bowed.

"Sorry." The Third Princess bowed deeply to them and to Rosana. "It was my decision to assign those spies. I put all of you in danger."

"Don’t mind it." Mel’s hold for Lila remained firm as she shook her head. "We all are unharmed, so it’s fine for us."

"Really..." Selaria’s palm clutched itself to a fist, her waist still bent.

"I should rather thank you instead." Rosana’s elegant voice boomed in the awkward silence. "Gives me a chance to clear up the shame of the North; it was rather... fulfilling in a sense."

"For once, I agree with you."

Lila murmured something into Mel’s shoulder before peeking at Rosana’s relaxed form.

Smiling, Mel gently set Lila back down.

Envy’s emerald eyes swept over Selaria, a flicker of hesitation in her gaze.

"Please raise your head," Lila said, pausing her lips before continuing. "It’s those spies’ faults that attempted to hurt Mel, not yours."

From the moment Mel first confessed to Lila about her past till now, Lila had sworn to grow stronger for her sake.

Now, Envy could only blame herself for not realizing sooner, for not figuring out the spies’ identites to protect Mel earlier.

Blaming others would only deflect her insecurity, and she could only find shame in doing so.

"Thanks, everyone." Selaria finally lifted her chin, her lips curling to a slight smile of relief.

"Ah. But... there was one weird thing that happened."

Mel blinked. "What is it?"

"Hm..." Selaria’s brows knitted together, then looked towards the side.

Mel looked over to see Calina sitting, her finger idly tracing the hilt of her Witchhunter blade.

A blade she had yet to draw in battle.

"Oh, if you’re wondering, Calina would only use her blade instead of borrowing others when she sees it’s time."

Mel grinned. "So don’t mind it if-"

"No, I don’t. It’s... rather the opposite that happened."

Hm?

Mel’s smile wavered as she steadied her voice. "Don’t tell me..."

"Well, yes." Selaria nodded. "She suddenly drew her blade, then just... zoned out."