Chapter 32: I'll continue to love you.
Arribel stepped out of the bathroom and saw East making the bed. He stood there watching for a while, watching his supple waistline curve beautifully with each movement. He was lean but not slender. He touched the corner of his eye, thinking that no one had the right to speak as he did.
As Easter turned around, he noticed the smiling Aripelago, paused, and looked somewhat uneasy.
Arip raised an eyebrow, “Bunny, so innocent~” The tone trailed off, lazy and languid.
Easter sighed almost imperceptibly. To be honest, he was feeling a bit conflicted. Everything he had done since the coronation had been too impulsive.
Aripel sat down on the sofa naturally, his posture casual and nonchalant. "Rabbit, don't feel guilty. You just take things too seriously."
Easter sat opposite Arip, rubbing his face. "It's not a psychological burden, it's just that I feel I've acted too frivolously and haven't been respectful enough to you."
Arip was surprised to hear these words and chuckled, "It's a matter of mutual consent, so it can't be that Rabbit is eager to give me a title, right?" The last sentence was a joke. Both of them knew that, given their status and the current situation, it would be bad for both of them if their relationship were to be made public. It would be entirely detrimental.
Easter shook his head. "It's my problem."
"Sigh~ Bunny, this is really putting me in a difficult position." There was a hint of helplessness in Arip's calm blue eyes.
East, “I…”
Arip stopped Easter from speaking, "You are the last of their bloodlines. They can't do it themselves. Just focus on developing your relationship." There were unspoken words, "Don't dwell too much on our relationship. Don't feel burdened, but don't misunderstand either. It really just started by accident. To put it more romantically, it was fate." He blinked, "I like you." He was moved, he had feelings for her. Whether it was her appearance, her temperament, or something else, he was attracted to Easter from the very first sight.
For Arip, if he likes someone, then they should be together. They can stay together for as long as they like each other, and they'll deal with it if they don't like each other anymore. Even how long this continent will exist is unknown, let alone the feelings one person has for another.
East remained silent. Did he like it? He carefully examined Aripor. His handsome face, blue eyes that held countless secrets, and dazzling long curly hair, no matter how simple and plain his clothes were, could not hide his noble air.
Good-looking, whether in his past life or this one, Arip is the most outstanding and dazzling person he has ever seen. He can't deny that his heart trembles when he says he likes such a person. He likes them, but that's all.
"Are you satisfied?" Arip was always proud of his appearance, and he even had a narcissistic question: "Why did God make him so outstanding?"
“It is my honor.” East said earnestly. How could it not be his honor? This was the renowned Areper Sansette. To gain his favor was an achievement that required the utmost respect.
Arip couldn't help but laugh, and his laughter grew brighter and brighter. "Bunny, how can you be so cute? You're such a treasure." He had met old-fashioned and conservative people before, but he only found them annoying. However, he found Esther's little bit of old-fashionedness very endearing.
Easter glanced at Areper with a hint of helplessness, then got down to business, "Is Randall Green someone you know?"
Arip seemed to have thought of something, his eyes darting around for a moment, "Pretending to be serious, of course I know, we're not that close."
For someone to address someone like that, the "not familiar" part is probably a bit exaggerated.
“Oh, I see,” Arip suddenly realized. “Looks like I should find some time to thank him.” He muttered to himself, then looked up. “But…?” He was puzzled. He had accidentally let it slip when he was drunk that day, and the others had been thinking about it ever since. But looking East up and down, Mr. Rabbit didn’t seem like the kind of person who would flaunt his things in public.
This time, East's eyes darted around, and he looked extremely embarrassed and uncomfortable. Why did he have to talk about this? But it was something he had to talk about.
"Don't worry, he's tight-lipped and won't go around telling everyone," Arip said. Mr. Rabbit is cute, but isn't there a saying that goes, "Even a rabbit will bite when cornered"? There's a limit to teasing people.
Easter breathed a sigh of relief, saw Areper's eyes filled with laughter, and turned his head away shyly, letting out a soft "hmm".
Aripel moved to sit next to East, resting his head on East's shoulder. His bright golden-red hair flowed down his back, so thick that anyone would envy him. "Sweetie, your situation isn't actually that bad. The mainland is in chaos. You care about a rumor, whether it's true or not, but you don't really care that much."
Easter ran her hand through Areber's hair; it was curly but without any tangles; fluffy yet incredibly smooth, exceptionally pleasant to touch, unlike the feel of the players' hair, unlike the feel of the system rabbit's hair, unique, like sunshine, belonging solely to Areber.
"Rumors?" Ister asked in confusion. This was one of the disadvantages of being a small power; information was always delayed.
“That’s true, Felix has been targeted too harshly,” Areber adjusted his position to make himself more comfortable before slowly saying, “Rumor has it that the emperor has an ambiguous relationship with someone, which caused Felix’s bloodline to be different. Do you understand what I mean?”
For a moment, Ister's expression turned strange. On the day he encountered the demon, the system had mentioned that he might have demon blood because of what happened to him, so... he dared not think about it, he dared not think about it at all. It was so complicated and confusing.
"Hmm?" Arip asked.
“I understand, I understand,” Ister replied. The rumors were suggestive, weren’t they? It was a guess that Felix might have divine blood flowing in his veins. And to make a bold connection, it was to become a god. Who wouldn’t be envious? Who wouldn’t be tempted? Even setting aside becoming a god, discovering some special and powerful ability would be a huge gain. For a moment, it was unclear whether the forbidden spells set by the gods were for protection or restriction. This idea was so ironic and cunning that it made one laugh.
“My summoned creatures…?” East knew the truth, but the problem was that others could only see what they wanted to see. Their conspicuous special appearance, coupled with this ghostly rumor, made East have to think more carefully.
“They are special,” Arib said thoughtfully, and seeing that East was about to speak, he said in advance, “No, that’s your secret, you don’t need to tell me.”
Easter paused slightly in stroking Areber's hair.
“I’m after you, not your summoned creature,” Areper said nonchalantly. “Don’t say anything too important out loud, or it will attract attention. Even if people notice our relationship, they’ll just think I’m after your secret, which is irrelevant.”
Easter, are you sleepy?
Arip turned his head to look at East.
“It’s getting late, let’s talk again tomorrow,” Easter said. In the end, they didn’t have much serious business to discuss, because there were too many things to talk about in detail. It was most appropriate for their relationship to remain limited to romance.
Aripelago kissed Easter on the cheek. "Rabbit, your behavior makes my heart soften and ache." She was so well-behaved and sensible, always keeping to her limits.
The soft touch on Esther's cheek was a different kind of sensation—warm and devoid of desire.
Arip, leaning against Easter, noticed the beauty mark at the corner of Easter's eye. A hint of doubt flashed across his face. Strangely, when he touched it, he felt that it was something that shouldn't exist on Easter's face.
Easter didn't dodge, but looked at Areper with a puzzled expression.
Arribel leaned over and kissed him. Easter's hand on Arribel's back tightened involuntarily. It was a strange feeling.
Arip looked up and met a pair of eyes as red as peach blossoms, both beautiful and pure, a contradictory combination; one thing was undeniable: beautiful.
“I won’t bother you anymore,” Arip said regretfully. “Get some rest.”
"Huh?" East asked, puzzled.
"After all, you've just been crowned, so they need to put on a show of respect on the surface," Arepo said meaningfully.
Easter suddenly had a toothache, and sighed softly. He had already made such a bold statement; he couldn't just abandon everything behind closed doors.
Arip found it amusing, noting its childlike cuteness, and rubbed against the person, saying, "Bunny, do you need me to provide you with some help?"
East, what was he thinking about just now? Only about love, what should I do? He seems a little tempted to cross the line, what an enticing suggestion.
“It’s enough.” It’s tempting, but I can’t agree. I understand that Arip’s suggestion is simply to help him and has no other intentions. But no, love is love. If more things are involved, it will become unpredictable.
Aripelone ruffled Easter's hair, making it a mess. "Okay, just say the word if you need anything."
Easter responded softly, knowing he shouldn't let others' kindness go to waste.
They lay down on the bed together, and Arip pulled Easter into his arms, resting his chin on Easter's shoulder. "I haven't answered your question yet. The reason is actually very simple: your specialness isn't the most special one among them."
From all perspectives, East is undoubtedly very special. He is just an ordinary person, yet he can summon strange creatures. However, there are too many geniuses and strange things appearing on this continent, especially in recent decades, when the number of geniuses has become excessive. If East did not have a special bloodline, he could have been hidden among the "ordinary".
Easter nuzzled against Arebo, asking in confusion, "Hmm?"
Arip's lips brushed lightly against Ister's earlobe as he slowly recounted the story, "In the last fifty years, many exceptionally talented individuals have emerged from various races. On the human side, there's someone you should be familiar with, Randall Green, a mage who is not yet thirty years old, has crossed two major levels, and has mastered certain spatial laws. He is a relatively harmless wood-type mage."
"A black magician who calls himself a bard, whose strength is unfathomable, at least a mage. He always likes to appear in the 'most bustling' places on the continent. Behind his back, people call him 'Black Crow' or 'Death Wish.' He's a liar who never tells the truth, but he can be said to be the most learned and knowledgeable person on the entire continent. As for his name, no one knows it, and no one knows his life story. However, someone has used magic to measure his bone age, which is twenty-six years old. He's a mysterious guy."
"A mysterious swordsman adventurer, thirty years old, the Sword Emperor. He gets along well with all races. The most famous rumor is that he has dragon blood. I can tell you that this rumor is true. He has a good personality, but he has too strong a sense of justice. His name is Caius, but his surname is unknown. He has never said it."
"Philwin Krasper, an alchemy master who aspires to be a chef, is an exception among her family members who are mostly water and light magic, except for her who has an extremely high affinity for fire magic elements."
"The four of them are the most famous."
Easter adjusted his position, gently kissed Areber's forehead, and smiled, "Of course you're here too, right?"
Arip has heard countless compliments, all of which are incredibly tiresome. But Rabbit's simple words are so delightful, ultimately because people hold different weight in their hearts.
"There are other races as well, such as Xavier, the elf favored by the Elf Mother Tree; Pearl, the merman born with the favor of the sea; Grimm, the youngest alchemist in the history of the dwarves; and even the dragons, the famous long-lived race, have produced an extraordinary gem in their new generation."
"Rabbit, do you know that whenever there is a great change on the continent, such a prosperous era will appear? You are in it, and people will say that it is not surprising. The only thing worth mentioning is your bloodline, but compared with the lifespan of humans, a thousand years is a very long time."
Easter pressed his lips to Areper's. "Thank you." Whether it was the information Areper provided or the comfort he offered, this thank you was essential.
Arip patted Easter on the back, "Go to sleep, don't rush."
Easter nestled in Areper's arms, feeling an unprecedented sense of security, and sleepiness began to creep in.
————
【Host, have you forgotten me?】The system's voice carried a chilling undertone.
Easter was jolted awake. Wasn't the system usually very sensible? Why is it suddenly acting strangely?
[Host, didn't you refuse to go see him before?] The system was referring to what happened on their first day in that small village.
“Yeah, I didn’t go looking for him.” East was innocent. It was true, he didn’t go looking for him, the man just came to him.
system,【……】
【Host, aren't you afraid he has ill intentions?】The system was very worried.
Easter hugged Arip tightly. "Do you remember what you once said? 'It's good to be alive, and it doesn't matter if you die.' I can't deny that kind of attitude towards life."
East felt the warmth emanating from the other person, as comfortably as being bathed in the afternoon sun. "System, do you know? The reason I long to go back to Earth is simply because I lived there for twenty-five years. It gave me a sense of belonging, and what I cherish is that sense of belonging."
"Host, we do have a chance to go back," the system said sullenly after hearing this.
“System,” East said with a sigh, “since that incident happened, it was destined that even if I had the chance to go back, I would not be able to leave.”
"Aren't you wondering why I value that piece of silk? My relationship with it is like that of a kite and its string. The kite string is very thin, but it can hold the kite in place, preventing it from becoming completely untethered."
“System, I may not like him that much, but he is indispensable. You should know that I have no sense of belonging to this world until I met him again. Actually, this surprised me quite a bit. It took me twenty-five years to feel a slight sense of belonging to Blue Star, but this world, just because of him, gives me an unparalleled sense of belonging, as if this world is my world.”
East didn't understand why he would tell the system so much. It seemed... it seemed like the system was very familiar with him, and he didn't need to hide anything from the system.
[Host, he is not good enough for you.]
After the system said that, East couldn't think any further, and was left speechless. "System, put your hand on your heart and tell me, are you sure you didn't say the opposite?" He thought the system had grown up, but he didn't expect it to say such shameless things.
[Host, the system has no conscience.]
Easter, “…Should I praise you again?”
"I have a lot to do tomorrow, so don't keep me talking. I know what I'm doing with Arriber."
System, [Good night.]
Easter replied with "Goodnight" as well.
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