Chapter 38: Angelina’s Drunken Confession

Whether by sheer coincidence or an unseen design, a piercing feminine shriek drifted from the lakeside opposite the association building. With the entire plaza hushed, a stark contrast to its usual clamor, the faint, high-pitched scream of a girl could be heard emanating from the lakeside opposite the association building. What could be happening? Had some girl met with an accident? A strange sense of familiarity pricked at me from the sound.

“Ah——————”

I hastened towards the source of the commotion, where, indeed, a tall woman stood before a lakeside bench, bellowing at the water’s surface in solitude.

“Angelina?”

Uncertain, I crept closer, calling out her name, my gaze straining to make out her features in the faint twilight.

“Hm… who are you?”

She was in the midst of chugging from a massive wine bottle; startled by my voice, she reluctantly lowered it from her lips and turned her gaze towards me.

“Looking for me… what is it?”

It truly was her. I had scoured the city all night, fruitlessly, only to stumble upon her here by a twist of fate. A colossal weight lifted from my chest. I quickly moved to her side.

“Why did you come here to drink? Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you?”

Upon recognizing me, she instantly reverted to her nonchalant demeanor, wordlessly tilting the bottle back to her lips. It was only as I drew nearer that I realized the bottle she clutched contained an exceptionally expensive red wine. I recalled a visit to a city tavern where such colossal bottles were conspicuously arrayed on the wine cabinet, bearing the imposing name ‘Light of Asante’. Unsurprisingly, their price was equally grand, fetching a staggering 300 Shekels.

“It hasn’t been long, and you’re already squandering money again! And on such exorbitant wine, no less,”

Witnessing her relapse into old habits, it was evident she couldn’t shed her former young master’s ways, leaving me utterly helpless.

“What exactly happened? I went to the arcade to look for you, and they said you left in the afternoon. And why haven’t you even eaten dinner?”

“……”

Her silence persisted, yet I could not simply depart. Finding an empty space beside her, I settled down, and together we stared at the royal city, majestic in the lake’s center, for what felt like an eternity, neither of us speaking a word.

“I… I was rejected.”

Angelina’s first words, uttered after she finally set down the wine bottle, struck me with surprise.

“What? Rejected? Which girl did you try to woo this time?”

A trio of bewildering questions tumbled from my lips. Though she was now a woman, I utterly refused to believe she would ever confess her feelings to a man; her habitually lewd mannerisms always spoke volumes.

“Not a proposal! Just… just a normal pick-up attempt, and… and they all…”

“Pick-up attempt?”

A sudden realization dawned on me, instantly bringing to mind the girl’s words from earlier that evening—rumors of a recent female pervert had been circulating…

“Do you know… I was never rejected before…”

Angelina suddenly turned to me, pouring out her grievances, and in the depths of her eyes, I perceived a multitude of shimmering lights.

“Are you crying?”

This revelation genuinely startled me. Since we first met in high school, I had never once witnessed her shed a tear. The image of Ren Yunkong, the young master, was indelibly etched in my mind as a cynical, affluent playboy, his face perpetually graced with a carefree smile. Even after transmigrating to this world, and transforming into a woman, into Angelina, she had remained utterly unchanged. Though her vast wealth had dwindled, she remained exceptionally skilled in martial arts, and armed with a ‘bugged’ sword, she had never known defeat. In every conceivable situation, she had always presented herself with an air of unyielding dominance. Yet now, at long last, she was weeping…

“It’s okay, you’ll get used to it eventually.”

Witnessing her distress, I could only lean in and gently pat her shoulder. Truthfully, I possessed no experience whatsoever in the art of wooing or approaching women, leaving me utterly at a loss for words.

“But I’ve tried! I’ve been trying, trying to adapt…”

To my astonishment, Angelina suddenly bellowed at me, her pretty face, flushed with agitation, almost pressing against mine.

“But I just can’t get used to it!”

I subtly covered my nose, fanning away the pungent alcoholic fumes she exhaled.

“What have you been trying?”

‘Was she attempting to acclimate herself to rejection?’ Her words momentarily eluded my comprehension. Suddenly, Angelina seized my hand and pressed it firmly against her chest.

“Do you feel it?”

“What are you doing?”

Her sudden action startled me once more. In my alarm, I attempted to withdraw my hand, but she gripped it tightly, preventing any escape. Truth be told, the sensation was remarkably pleasant—soft, warm, and utterly comfortable. However, Angelina’s current state was clearly far from normal, diverting my attention from any such trivialities.

“Do you feel it?”

She reiterated her earlier question.

“F-feel what?”

Still, I failed to grasp her meaning. Was she asking me to perceive her heartbeat?

“A man in his twenties, inside a woman’s body, do you feel this disgusting sensation?”

My mind erupted in a sudden boom. I had never imagined she was enduring such immense pressure due to this very predicament. In truth, when I first transmigrated, I too grappled with this vexation. Indeed, it was precisely this predicament that led Angelina to trick me into bed, leaving an indelible stain on my conscience that I still bitterly regret. However, once I later discovered she had undergone a similar transformation, this particular worry swiftly diminished. Perhaps it was the equilibrium found in having someone to share this burden, or perhaps seeing Angelina remain as formidable as ever, that gradually led me to believe it was no longer such a monumental issue. Furthermore, becoming an angel had bestowed numerous advantages: the ability to forgo a meal, thus saving more money; a robust physique; boundless energy throughout the day, and many more. Yet now, paradoxically, it was she who was struggling.

“I see you’re quite enjoying it, though…”

Angelina suddenly fixed me with a mocking gaze, her golden eyes seemingly piercing through all pretense, as a cold sneer curved her lips.

“Have you started liking men already?”

“You… what did you say!”

That was an absolute slander! Even if I had come to terms with being a woman, it hardly implied I was obligated to fancy men. I can assure you, I harbor not even a speck of interest in men. I would sooner starve to death, perish outdoors, or plunge into this very lake than harbor affection for any man! ‘In truth, I had not disclosed to her that, deep within my heart, an indelible, graceful silhouette still resided, one I could never truly forget.’ Yet, my fervent declaration met with no discernible reaction; her face remained etched with a sarcastic smirk. Then, with an abrupt motion, she pinched my chin, her voice dropping to an alluring whisper as she posed her next question.

“What about now? Facing this great beauty before you, are you tempted? Do you like me?”

“Th-this…”

I gently dislodged her hand from my chin, wary of inadvertently provoking her further. It was clear she was thoroughly inebriated and behaving erratically.

“Didn’t you just say you were a man…”

I could only offer a few dry, hollow laughs.

“Then why do my pick-up attempts always get rejected! Why can’t I get a date with a single girl!”

Angelina had now plunged into a frenzy, her heart-wrenching screams echoing sharply across the entire lakeside. I feared someone might pass by and overhear, leading to a troublesome misunderstanding.

“Alright, alright, you’re a girl, a beautiful girl…”

It was evident that rational communication was no longer possible. I could only attempt to stabilize her emotions for the time being, humoring her words.

“No! I am a man, I am a man! Even if I’ve been rejected eight times, even if I can’t even summon interest in a balloon doll anymore, I’m still a damned man!”

“Wuwuwu…”

Angelina’s sobs gradually diminished, eventually fading into silence, suggesting she had finally drifted into sleep.

“Sigh.”

I gazed at her with a profound sense of helplessness, finding myself only capable of a soft sigh. However, the true headache lay ahead: I needed to take her home. I couldn’t possibly leave her to sleep by the lakeside when she had a residence. Thankfully, it was nearing midnight, and only a handful of pedestrians remained on the streets. Spreading my wings, I circled Angelina’s waist from behind, testing if I could lift her. As expected, Angelina, in her angelic form, felt remarkably light—perhaps a testament to my own considerable strength. She felt akin to a paper doll as I effortlessly lifted her into my arms. My gaze then fell upon the discarded wine bottle on the ground, now utterly empty.

****

The bookstore had long since closed for the night. Carrying Angelina, I flew directly to the second-floor entrance, unlocked the room, and gently laid her upon the bed.

“Ugh, blech…”

No sooner had I turned from closing the door than she retched, drenching the bed linens in the pungent stench of alcohol. Mercifully, she hadn’t eaten, or the mess would have been far worse. I shook my head, marveling somewhat that even an angel could succumb to such profound intoxication. Yet, there was no alternative. I yawned, forcing my heavy eyelids open, then gently nudged her to the other side before dampening a towel with water to clean the bedsheets. It appeared sleeping on the bed was out of the question for tonight. What a lucky break for her. Once I had finished, I found myself without a place to sleep; there weren’t even extra blankets for a makeshift bed on the floor. I could only make do by propping a relatively clean pillow against the bed and settling down on the floor beside it. The following morning, upon awakening, Angelina had vanished once more.

“This is utterly outrageous!” I couldn’t help but exclaim, staring at the empty bed.

“Drunk all night, brought home, and then she runs off first thing in the morning.”

‘Did she have any idea how tirelessly I had searched for her last night!’ As I rose, however, I discovered a jacket draped over my back, evidently placed there by her. Approaching the dining table, I was surprised to find that last night’s leftovers had been consumed, and the dishes meticulously washed. A note lay beside them:

[I lost all my arcade points, so I’m off to do quests.]

Well, as anticipated, she had indeed lost everything. I had suspected as much. Still, she had shown a modicum of conscience by washing the dishes, a chore I despised above all others. I stretched languidly, extending my limbs, then surveyed the room. Deciding a change of bedsheets was in order. After completing my chores, I departed as usual. As I passed the arcade entrance, the landlord greeted me with a smiling wave.

“Crooked establishment!”

Assessment complete, I marched directly towards the Adventurers’ Guild, without a backward glance.