Chapter 62 gets to the point: He may not truly love you.
From that expression and those opening remarks, Buster could guess with his toes that Madonna probably wasn't going to say anything nice.
Could it be that Reinhardt's medical examination revealed something else wrong? Or has the story changed, and they need to be careful?
Whatever it is, since it concerns Reinhardt, he has to listen.
There was no one else in the driver's cab. Buster closed the door, which he had just opened a crack in, and turned back around.
He tilted his chin up slightly, signaling Madonna to speak frankly.
Madonna took a deep breath after receiving permission and began to speak.
"What is your relationship with Reinhard now? Are you lovers? Or just bed partners?"
Madonna is a very composed woman. Although she sometimes gets together with the other two girls to gossip, she never crosses the line. Buster never expected that she would be curious about his relationship with Reinhardt.
Could it be that she has feelings for Reinhardt?
The vinegar jar's radar was precisely activated, and the Storm Leader slowly narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the person in front of him as if he were observing a competitor.
"What kind of look is that!" Madonna was taken aback by that look, both annoyed and amused. "I admit he's cute and handsome, but I don't like Reinhardt!"
She thought for a moment and explained, "It's not that I don't like him, I should say I like him, but it's just the kind of liking an older sister has for her younger brother, a friendly, familial kind of liking! Please don't see everyone as a rival in love, okay?"
The Storm Leader was quite willing to trust Madonna's character, so his furrowed brows relaxed slightly. He walked to the side, leaned against the door, and crossed his arms.
"Of course it's a partner. Why are you asking that?"
Madonna's expression was somewhat complicated. She sighed and stated her thoughts frankly: "Does he know?"
This surprised Buster.
"What's the meaning?"
Madonna said with a hint of helplessness, "I mean, does Reinhardt know that you consider him a partner? Or rather, does he know what a partner means?"
Buster frowned, somewhat impatiently: "Subtle underestimates him. Although he is indeed not very hardworking, he is not an idiot. It's impossible that he doesn't know this. Besides, this isn't the first time we've been intimate."
At this moment, Buster couldn't wait to announce to the world that he and Reinhardt had had a physical relationship. Although he hadn't gone in, he had come out several times, and there hadn't been any significant difference.
"Was he there voluntarily, Chief, Reinhardt...?"
The Storm Leader's temper was flaring. He impatiently tapped his outer arm with the fingers crossed over his chest, interrupting Madonna's speech.
"Stop, Madonna. My patience is limited. You'd better make yourself clear before I get angry."
He had already been very merciful; if the person in front of him wasn't Madonna, he wouldn't have been able to continue the conversation calmly.
“Alright.” Madonna knew her leader’s temper, so she didn’t mince words.
After gathering her thoughts for a moment, she let out a helpless sigh and began to speak formally.
“I think your relationship with Reinhardt right now is unfair. It’s not fair to him,” she said. “Although Reinhardt is an adult, he has been imprisoned for far too long and probably doesn’t have the normal adult’s ability to handle emotions. He’s like a child now, probably curious about everything, including feelings.”
“Don’t treat him like an idiot. He was already fifteen years old before he was arrested,” Buster said coldly.
“Not everyone’s fifteenth year is like yours,” Madonna said. “Some people might be crying because they’re being criticized by their teachers when they’re fifteen, let alone a little monk living in a remote mountain village, peaceful and unassuming, with only a nun for company.”
Fifteen-year-old Buster single-handedly defeated the black market boss of the underworld, already showing signs of becoming the leader of the Storm. But fifteen-year-old Reinhardt was probably more worried about whether he would have food to eat tomorrow.
The Storm Leader had little empathy, but when the image of that snowy night and Reinhardt's recounting of the past flashed through his mind, he felt a subtle, tingling sensation envelop his heart, a pain he could hardly contain.
He had also experienced hunger and even beatings, so he knew very well how painful that feeling could be.
Buster's mood grew even more agitated; he desperately wanted to go back and see Little Potato. But Madonna's words were like a sharp silver needle, slowly piercing his index finger.
He never paid much attention to such minor injuries, but this time he inexplicably felt pain.
Buster was very annoyed. He looked at Madonna and said with a displeased expression, "Get to the point."
Madonna was also concise and to the point.
“I think Reinhardt is not mature. He may not know what love is. He is just used to relying on you.”
Buster was so angry he laughed.
That sounds so familiar, like the word "Holy Father"!
His face was incredibly gloomy, but he held back his temper, though a strange smile appeared on his lips.
"So you think I'm deceiving him and taking advantage of his immaturity?" After saying this, Buster paused for a moment, slightly taken aback.
He then realized how deeply those damned fox-orc's words had impressed him, to the point that he had blurted them out now. What surprised and surprised him even more was that, judging from Madonna's words, she seemed to think the same way.
“Yes.” Madonna nodded. “You didn’t give him a choice.”
“I know you’re angry, but I feel this needs to be made clear. Chief, if you really like Reinhard, you should at least give him a fair chance.”
“He depends on you; perhaps on this ship, you are the only and most trusted person he has. But trust is not love, and Reinhardt may have confused the difference, which is why he didn't refuse your forceful intrusion. But Chief, what if he meets someone he truly loves one day? He's confused about this now, so what will he do when that day comes? Continue down this wrong path, or cut his losses quickly?”
"Of course, if you haven't considered spending your life with him and just want to enjoy the pleasure of being entwined with the body of a young and beautiful son of the gods, you can pretend I never said these words."
Buster was furious, even more furious than when he was provoked by the fox-orc; in short, he was about to explode with rage.
But he couldn't treat Madonna the way he treated the fox-orc, nor could he ignore her words. Compared to the provocative remarks of his rivals, he knew that Madonna's words as a partner were more objective and rational. She even pointed out a potential crisis that Buster had never considered, making him, a novice in matters of the heart, see his own shortcomings more directly.
However, he was not very willing to face the fact that Reinhardt's feelings for him might not actually be love.
The Storm Leader fell silent, and the raging fire of anger visibly died down. This man who could command the wind and rain actually became somewhat dejected.
He frankly admitted, "He can't even distinguish what he likes and dislikes anymore. Not resisting is already a very clear answer, isn't it?"
Madonna didn't answer, and the Storm Leader became even more frustrated.
"...What should I do?"
“Give him freedom and space,” Madonna said. “I mean, get away from him temporarily.”
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Author's Note: Madonna: Your wife might not even be your wife.
Buster [angry]: Listen to what you're saying! Are you even speaking human language?!
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The robbers getting their comeuppance is really funny, it makes me want to eat more! [shy]
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