Chapter 3: Meng Linna’s Pride

Na Naya was only one-meter-five, barely able to reach Meng Linna’s shoulders.

But the whip around Meng Linna’s neck was tight.

It forced her to crouch slightly so Na Naya wouldn’t have to look up.

“Scumbag Sister’s been stripped of her noble status, just a commoner now, right?”

Na Naya’s voice sounded close to her ear.

Meng Linna wanted to turn and look.

But the whip around her neck stopped her.

“In a chaotic city like Yanan, commoners disappearing is all too common, isn’t it?”

They were so close that Na Naya’s white hair brushed Meng Linna’s arm.

It tickled her.

“I don’t understand.”

Meng Linna stared carefully ahead.

“Have I done something unforgivable?”

“Are you saying you’ve forgotten what you did to me back then?”

Na Naya’s gaze turned icy.

Just recalling those final days in the convent made her grip the whip tighter.

“About what happened back then, I’m truly sorry…”

Meng Linna lowered her head weakly.

She knew her apology lacked sincerity in this situation.

“Apologizing on your own, expecting forgiveness on your own. No wonder you’re Scumbag Sister. Fine…”

Na Naya suddenly loosened the whip.

“If I killed you like this, how would I be any different from the old you?”

Freed for the moment, Meng Linna stepped forward.

She straightened and loosened the Fire Giant Whip from her neck.

“So, is there still a chance for me to earn your forgiveness?”

Despite being much taller, Meng Linna could only lower her head.

She cautiously gauged Na Naya’s attitude.

“I refuse.”

Na Naya was blunt.

“Forgive you again, only to be betrayed again, right?”

“Of course I wouldn’t!”

Meng Linna wanted to explain why she acted that way before.

But after thinking, she held back.

‘Bullying you to escape the convent? That’s the lamest excuse.’

“…”

Na Naya said nothing.

Clearly, she didn’t trust the woman before her.

“Alright.”

Meng Linna gave up.

“What do you want me to do now?”

“Eat this.”

Na Naya pulled a pill from under her skirt.

“Since you know my secret, I can’t just let you walk away.”

“What secret? I don’t know anything!”

Meng Linna tried to play dumb.

Na Naya gave her a look like she was an idiot.

“Even if you don’t know, eat it!”

“But this thing…”

Thinking of where Na Naya pulled it from, Meng Linna instinctively recoiled.

“At least explain what it is!”

“…”

Na Naya said nothing.

She just held out the pill, silently urging her.

“If you don’t explain, I’m not eating it!”

Meng Linna tried to resist.

But Na Naya raised the whip in her left hand.

Fine, she never had a choice to begin with.

Na Naya said she wouldn’t kill her, so it probably wasn’t poison, right?

Meng Linna forced herself not to think about where the pill came from.

She took it and put it in her mouth.

The moment it touched her tongue, a bitter taste hit her.

Meng Linna grimaced but swallowed without chewing.

“I’ve swallowed it now.”

She stuck out her tongue to show Na Naya.

“Can you at least tell me what it was?”

“It’s a timed bomb.”

Na Naya put away the whip.

“If you tell anyone my secret, it’ll go ‘boom’ and blow you up.”

“What! For real?”

For a moment, Meng Linna wanted to claw at her throat to spit it out.

But she knew something like that wouldn’t come up easily.

“Of course it’s fake.”

Na Naya grinned brightly.

“If you don’t believe me, Scumbag Sister can try telling someone my secret. You could even tell your enemy, take someone you hate down with you.”

“I’ll pass on trying.”

Meng Linna shrank back.

“I trust you.”

Seeing Meng Linna cower like a frightened dove, Na Naya found it amusing.

“Didn’t expect Scumbag Sister to be scared. You weren’t like this when you bullied me.”

“If I said I didn’t mean it back then, would you believe me?”

Na Naya looked at her like she was a fool.

“You think that’s possible?”

“My bad for asking…”

Meng Linna lowered her head, looking at the lavender in her hands.

“Wait a second.”

Meng Linna called out as Na Naya turned to leave.

“I know this is presumptuous, but could you accept my apology?”

She held out the lavender to Na Naya.

For a moment, Na Naya thought she was being confessed to.

“Lavender? You really are arrogant…”

Na Naya shook her head and walked away.

“With what you did to me, I won’t forgive you that easily.”

Watching Na Naya’s retreating figure, Meng Linna felt a bit dazed.

She let her go just like that?

Despite Meng Linna not only bullying her but also learning her secret…

Then again, since Peggy sought her out, Na Naya must be an adventurer too.

Maybe they’d work together someday.

Meng Linna sighed.

She was troubled by their broken relationship but didn’t know what to do.

***

At the adventurer guild, the receptionist Miao Miao Niya was idly scratching a yarn ball on the desk.

Catgirls really did have cat-like habits.

Peggy, waiting nearby, fidgeted with her drink, irritated.

“Do you think Miss Na Naya will accept Xiao Meng’s apology?”

She’d worked hard to recruit a strong teammate.

Only for her to refuse because of a past conflict with her teammate?

“It feels unlikely.”

Miao Miao Niya retracted her claws.

“After all, Miss Na Naya is known for her good temper as a battle nun. This is the first time Miao has seen her like this, meow.”

As they spoke, Meng Linna slowly returned to the guild.

Miao Miao Niya glanced at the lavender in her hands and knew the outcome.

“Rejected as expected, meow.”

The catgirl licked her paw.

“Really useless, meow.”

“Sorry for being so useless.”

Meng Linna sheepishly returned the lavender to Miao Miao Niya.

“Looks like finding a teammate isn’t happening for now.”

“That’s right.”

Miao Miao Niya pulled out the signed contract.

“You can’t recruit new members for seven days. For now, you two should take on quests as a two-person team.”

“Sorry, it’s my fault.”

Facing Meng Linna’s apology, Peggy just smiled.

She stepped forward and took her hand.

“No worries, Xiao Meng. Even with just the two of us, we can make big money, right?”