NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Only you would never abandon me!
The sound of the wind was gentle, but gradually muffled by the constant noise of a nearby fan. Ryan felt his body heavy, a high-pitched buzz filling his ears, and his fingers still tingling uncomfortably.
"Damn... I think someone exploded a grenade right in my face…" he muttered in a weak, hoarse voice, as though each word was an effort.
Light began to flood his eyes as he slowly opened them. At first, the brightness bothered him, making his eyes water, but he persisted until his vision adjusted. Turning his head to the side, he saw Yuno sitting a little farther away, her legs crossed, with an expression that seemed to mix irritation and impatience.
Ryan allowed a slight, mocking smile to form on his lips.
"Ah, how sweet of you… you stayed by my side until I woke up? Didn't know you were so considerate."
The comment made Yuno growl almost inaudibly.
"Incompetent idiot, scum! Do you have any idea how much time you've made us lose?!"
Uncrossing her legs firmly, she stood up and began walking toward the door, clearly trying to avoid blowing up completely.
Ryan kept his carefree tone, watching her with an arrogant look.
"You say that, but you brought me here. I don't know, seems like you like me more than you admit."
Yuno paused for a moment, clicking her tongue in disdain before opening the door and muttering with disgust,
"You're trash. That's all."
Outside, she spoke to someone matter-of-factly.
"He's awake. We're leaving."
Ryan, still getting up and fixing his hair, mocked her with a teasing smile.
"We 'leaving' already? Now you're starting to sound like my babysitter."
Before Yuno could respond, a woman entered through the door. She exuded a calm, professional aura. Her long, straight blonde hair framed a delicate face with golden, melancholic eyes. The classic nurse uniform, white and perfectly tailored to her body, featured short sleeves and front buttons. The elegant contrast came from her dark, sheer thigh-high stockings, complemented by simple shoes.
On the name tag pinned to her chest, Ryan read the name: "Takano Miyo, Nurse."
With a sideways smile, Ryan didn't miss the chance to joke.
"So, you're the one who took care of me? Now I get why I feel better."
Miyo replied with a kind, professional smile.
"I'm glad to see you're doing well. I'll inform Dr. Irie about your case when he returns."
Ryan put on his shoes, stretching his arms as he yawned.
"Dr. Irie, huh? Interesting name… but not that much." He shrugged casually and asked,
"How long did my nap actually last?"
Yuno, who was already at her limit, answered curtly,
"Nap? You made us lose almost the entire day."
Ryan looked at her with a feigned expression of surprise, but Takano intervened with a calm tone and a playful smile.
"Well, don't worry. You can make up for the lost time during the Watanagashi. Maybe with a special couple moment?"
Yuno shot Takano a blank stare, her voice as cold as ice.
"I have no kind of relationship with this creature."
Without waiting for a response, she turned her back and left with firm steps, clearly exhausted from the whole situation.
Ryan looked at Takano, shrugged casually, and asked,
"Do I need to pay for anything? Or is the hospitality part of the village's charm?"
Takano shook her head gently.
"Don't worry, no medication was necessary."
Ryan started following her, waving over his shoulder at Takano with a playful smile.
"Then perfect. Thanks a lot, cute nurse!"
His carefree and provocative tone resonated as he left, already preparing himself for Yuno's next complaint.
Once outside the hospital, Ryan felt the fresh afternoon air and looked at the orange sky of the late day.
"Yeah… it was a good nap," he commented sarcastically, stretching his arms as he walked.
Further ahead, he spotted Yuno leaning against a post, clearly impatient, while Arona waved cheerfully with a contagious smile.
"That's a lot of cuteness for one person... Obviously, I'm talking about Arona, of course," he murmured as he approached with his hands in his pockets.
When he finally got close, Yuno was direct, with the seriousness he had come to expect.
"You were lucky to find something useful, Ryan. Otherwise, I would have killed you several times until I'd gotten my rage out."
Ryan responded with a side smile, adjusting the hoodie tied around his waist.
"Ah, good to know I discovered something. Now all you need to do is tell me… what exactly did I discover?"
Before Yuno could answer, Arona jumped excitedly, extending a holographic screen toward him.
"Look! Look! Look, sensei! It's so amazing!"
He tilted his head, staring at the numbers flashing on the screen.
"Divine Fortune Index: 401.72%."
Frowning, Ryan let out a brief laugh.
"That number doesn't seem... a bit too specific, does it?"
Arona stepped forward, her excitement overflowing.
"Sensei, you're amazing! You found her so quickly!"
"Found her?" Ryan asked, confused.
Yuno, who had been leaning against the post, finally pushed herself off, speaking in a hurry.
"Furude Rika. Priestess of the shrine. That's her."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, smiling sarcastically as he stared at Yuno.
"Well, well, pinky. And you still had the audacity to call me a L0li-C0n. I think I deserve at least a 'thank you,' don't you think?"
Yuno shot back with an equally provocative smile.
"Go to hell."
Ryan shrugged, feigning indifference.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Right, Arona?"
Arona laughed, covering her mouth delicately, enchanted by the dynamic between the two. But the fun was interrupted by Yuno, who resumed her serious tone.
"Let's go after Rika and end this story already."
Ryan raised a fist theatrically.
"That's the spirit, Gasai! You already know her full name, so I guess you stalked the girl! Teleport us straight to her, and we'll grab her until we drain all her Divine Fortune!"
Yuno's gaze hardened, and she thought furiously: "I'm going to kill you... I'm going to kill you and bring my Yuuki back..."
Before Yuno could verbalize her anger, Arona intervened with her sweet, soft voice.
"We can't do that now, Yuno-sensei!"
Yuno slowly turned to Arona, her eyes filled with pure hatred.
"And why not?"
Arona kept her teacher-like tone, ignoring the tension from Yuno.
"Before we absorb the Divine Fortune, we need to resolve the time loop that Rika is trapped in. Only then will the energy be stabilized and safe for absorption. This loop has been going on for over 100 years!"
Ryan smiled slightly, putting his hands in his pockets.
"Damn, that explains the old smell all over the village."
Arona continued with academic enthusiasm.
"And with so many years accumulated, the loop generated immense energy, full of distortions. Fixing this won't be easy, you saw, Ryan-sensei. You fainted because of the instability of the energy."
Ryan, always with his provocative tone, turned to Yuno.
"Tough luck, huh, Yuno. Looks like we'll have to rent a room and wait until tomorrow. Maybe you'll take care of me again tonight?"
Yuno gave a sweet smile, almost convincing.
"Oh, you're right, Ryan. I guess I have no choice but to hold back my anxiety…"
Without warning, she disappeared.
Ryan stared at the empty space where she had been, blinking a few times.
"Arona... She didn't leave me alone in this little village and then bail, right?"
Arona smiled kindly, but with a glint of mischief in her eyes.
"Looks like you'll be on your own, sensei."
And with a cute giggle, she too disappeared.
Silence hung in the air for a few seconds before Ryan grumbled.
"Damn."
Before he could get any more annoyed, a vibration in his pocket caught his attention. He pulled out his phone and looked at the message.
"Look at that… signal in this hellhole? Now, that's a miracle."
When he unlocked the screen, he read Yuki's message:
"Helloooo, My Brotheeeeer! <3"
Ryan smiled to himself, staring at the sky as he murmured.
"Damn, Yuki... only you would never abandon me."
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