Chapter 51: Unexpected Kiss and Early Morning Antics

Their lips met without the slightest warning.

Elara froze, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs, threatening to burst from her chest. Her earlobes instantly flushed a fiery red.

She caught the subtle, inherent fragrance of Hilvyn’s hair or skin, a scent that mingled with the cool evening breeze as it drifted into her nostrils.

Outside the window, the street abruptly fell silent.

A lingering chime of a wind bell echoed, and moonlight spilled through the window, weaving a thin veil between them.

Elara’s hands hung suspended in the air, stiff and unresponsive. She wanted to grasp something, anything, but her body wouldn’t obey. Her mind was a tangled mess, instinctively wanting to push away, yet unable to bring herself to do so.

The warmth on her lips was not scorching, yet it sent her body temperature soaring. Hilvyn’s breath caressed her face, but the tickle bloomed deep within her heart.

Neither of them had any experience, nor did they part their lips. It was simply a clumsy stacking of two sets of lips, one against the other.

After a long moment, their lips finally separated, a strand of saliva stretching between them, a silent testament to their contact.

Both of them glowed with a faint red under the moonlight, like crabs steamed to perfection.

Elara wiped her mouth, her tone indignant. “Next time, at least give a warning. Honestly…”

“Alright, I promise next time!”

Hilvyn licked her lips, clearly still savoring the moment.

Elara sensed something amiss and quickly amended, “No, I misspoke. Next time, I need to agree first.”

But Hilvyn seemed not to hear, instead beginning to hum a cheerful tune.

“Did. You. Hear. Me?”

“I heard you, okay?” Hilvyn grinned impishly.

Then, she took hold of Elara’s hands.

“Big sister, I have another wish.”

Her gaze burned with intensity as she looked at Elara.

Elara found herself utterly defenseless against such an expression.

“Quickly, tell me!”

“I want to see big sister without clothes…”

“Sleep!”

Elara decisively cut off the audacious words, pulling her hands free and turning her back to Hilvyn. ‘At such a young age, she’s already learning such things…’

Still, the lingering warmth from Hilvyn’s touch remained on her hands. ‘At least let me prepare myself…’

The next moment, two soft mounds pressed against her back.

“What are you doing…”

“Sleeping while hugging big sister.”

‘But how am I supposed to sleep when you’re hugging me like this?’ The thought remained unspoken.

With Hilvyn pressed close against her back, a strange tickle spread through Elara’s heart.

****

The next day, the sun was already high in the sky.

Elara felt a tickle on her chest and jolted awake.

“Wow!” A voice came from behind her. “Big sister, you’re awake.”

Elara’s forehead was lined with exasperation.

“Where are your hands touching?”

Hilvyn quickly pulled her hands back.

“I’m sorry, big sister…”

Though she uttered an apology, she was clearly still relishing the sensation, showing no true remorse.

She had woken naturally early that morning and, finding Elara unusually still asleep, a mischievous thought had bloomed in her mind, which she promptly put into practice.

‘First thing in the morning… well, it’s not even that early. To pull a stunt like this, honestly.’

Elara fumed inwardly. If it hadn’t been for the overly soft ‘cushions’ pressed against her last night, igniting a rush of blood that kept her awake until very late, how could she have possibly slept in so long this morning? And because she woke late, she had been taken advantage of again.

She let out a soft huff, turning her face away to appear angry.

However, this only revealed her earlobes, flushed crimson all the way to the roots, which Hilvyn observed with perfect clarity.

A mischievous grin tugged at Hilvyn’s lips as she glanced down.

“Don’t be angry, big sister. How about… I let you rub mine too? Consider it compensation.”

At these words, Elara’s arm trembled violently, and she nearly choked.

“Let’s go eat.”

In truth, she felt a tiny stir—just a tiny one. But things were progressing too quickly. She believed that relationships should unfold gradually, one step at a time.

‘The romance novels and storybooks I used to read weren’t this fast; it shouldn’t be like this!’

“Come on, big sister~” Hilvyn urged, lifting her hands.

“Pay attention to your image.”

“Even at home?”

“It’s a rule!” Elara’s tone was unwavering. “Otherwise, I’ll get angry.”

“Alright, as you command, big sister!”

“Also, only when it’s just the two of us, and we’re alone, can we do… those things.”

Elara recalled last night’s events and the recent antics, her head feeling like it was steaming with embarrassment.

“Alright…” Hilvyn was clearly a little disappointed. However, considering her unconventional relationship with Elara, and to preserve her big sister’s dignity, this occasional restraint was necessary.

The morning’s interlude thus concluded, Elara’s tone softened. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

****

At the Adventurers’ Guild.

“Morning, Serene!”

Hilvyn quickly darted into the guild, waving a greeting to Serene.

“It’s not morning anymore, Lil’ Bai Zhi,” Serene replied, processing the previous adventurer’s quest. She glanced up, observing, “You seem to be in a very good mood.”

Hilvyn had ‘mood: beautiful’ written all over her face.

“I am!”

Elara arrived a moment later, walking in behind her.

Instead of heading to the reception counter, she went directly to the quest board to accept a commission.

She then handed the quest slip to Serene.

“A-rank quest, one A-rank Corrupted Beast,” Serene repeated the quest details after taking the slip.

“Why does this quest have no location?” Elara found it strange.

Indeed, it wasn’t just this one. All the quests for Corrupted Beasts Elara had just seen lacked a specified location.

“It’s like this: Corrupted Beasts are constantly spawning and spreading out from the forest, so there’s no fixed location.”

“So, any A-rank beast will do?”

“That’s right,” Serene nodded. “And there’s something else you need to be aware of: all Corrupted Beast quests have a time limit. Exceeding it will result in a failed quest.”

Elara understood. The forest corruption incident was sudden and spreading, so every second counted.

“Furthermore, any monsters below A-rank that you encounter along the way can be dealt with, and their materials brought back to be settled as additional rewards.”

This rule was also meant to encourage adventurers to actively hunt monsters.

“Understood.”

Even without additional rewards, Elara would intervene if she could easily deal with them.

“Oh, right.” Serene bent down and pulled out a booklet. “Here’s some information on Corrupted Beasts.”

After handing it to Elara, she turned and took two green potions and two bracelets from a shelf, presenting them to both of them.

“Adventurers of B-rank and above can claim these items for their first time.”

Serene pointed to the bracelets, explaining, “These magic items are Anti-Corruption Bracelets, which can slow down the infection of corrupted wounds.”

Then she indicated the potions. “This potion is Cleansing Fluid. Applied externally, it can treat corrupted wounds to a certain extent.”

After her explanation, she added, “You can purchase more advanced bracelets at the Wind God Temple.”

Serene subtly glanced left and right, lowering her voice. “But they aren’t very effective.”

“Potions can also be bought at the Wind God Temple, and those are very useful. However, the Wind God Temple has set up a temporary station at the North City Gate where corrupted wounds can be treated for free, and potions and magic items can be purchased.”

Elara understood. Minor injuries or those that could wait, she would return to get treated. For other situations, she would use the Cleansing Fluid.

‘Time to prepare and depart…’

Elara glanced to her side. Where was Hilvyn?

Turning around, she saw Hilvyn had, at some point, wandered off to look at the quest board. She was currently being approached by a short-haired man with blonde hair.

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