Chapter 62: Seaside Romances and Cheeky Antics

“Hahaha! The sea! I’m here!”

“Hey, stop yelling, just stop. Ugh, I’m embarrassed to even be with you.”

At the boarding gate for a massive ship by the shore, Ellis shrieked with unbridled excitement.

Larry, beside them, cast a look of utter disdain, subtly attempting to widen the distance between them.

“What the hell do you know? The sea is a man’s romance.”

Larry’s exasperated retort came swiftly. “When we were flying, you said the sky was a man’s romance.”

Ellis merely shrugged, completely unbothered. “So what? Can’t I be romantic a few more times?”

“But this isn’t your first time on a cruise ship,” Larry pondered aloud. “Why are you acting like a country bumpkin seeing the big city for the first time?”

Ellis replied with a definitive air, hands on their hips, beaming with pride. “Because it’s my first time on a cruise ship as a woman. Besides, life is more interesting when you treat all these surprising moments as if they’re happening for the very first time.”

Seeing Ellis’s self-satisfied pose, Larry couldn’t resist. He stepped forward and pinched Ellis’s cheek.

Ah, that delightful sensation.

He couldn’t help but pinch it a few more times.

When Ellis saw him reach for their head, they immediately retreated three steps, glaring. “You stop right there! Pinching my cheek is one thing, but touching my head? Do you think I’m your pet?”

It seemed only the head-patting was off-limits, not the cheek-pinching.

Why? Because familiarity had bred acceptance.

More than half a month had passed since they left the Spanlam Mountains. During that time, to guard against Larry’s generosity, Ellis had insisted on separate rooms. Although the nights were lonely, it was all to preserve their integrity before they transformed back.

Larry, however, had developed a fondness for pinching Ellis’s cheeks. In his words, it felt good and brought him pleasure.

Initially, Ellis had resisted fiercely. After a week, their resistance waned. After two weeks, cheek-touching became a compensated act. After three weeks… well, it was just touching. Anyway, once they returned to the Adventurer’s Guild, there would be no more touching. They were brothers, after all; this small perk was acceptable.

Still, Ellis felt a profound unease at how quickly they had adapted, sensing something was amiss.

Larry, catching sight of Ellis’s adorably confused face, couldn’t help but pinch it again. Seeing the lack of strong rejection, a subtle, conspiratorial smile crept onto his lips.

‘I knew it. How could Julia’s medicine not have side effects?’

“Alright, let’s go. It’s time to board.”

Ellis, still oblivious to the trap, mumbled a casual reply and strode forward.

They had finally arrived at a coastal city, ready to embark on a ship bound for the eastern Mazesli Continent.

The Mazesli Continent was merely a designation, encompassing all the safe zones deemed secure by the Adventurer’s Guild for intelligent races.

From its initial palm-sized area to its current expanse, roughly half the size of Earth in their previous world, the name had remained unchanged.

Tens of thousands of years had passed, and it now comprised two major landmasses: the East and West Continents.

The Adventurer’s Guild’s archives, containing books on its pioneering history, were overflowing, requiring a warehouse the size of a football field to store them all.

Kaikaga City, the headquarters of the Adventurer’s Guild, was located on the East Continent. The Demon King Ellis and their companions were tasked with subjugating, however, operated on the West Continent.

The West Continent had been opened up later, so the Adventurer’s Guild’s influence there was still insufficient. The scarcity of high-level adventurers meant that some audacious demons dared to emerge and cause trouble—like that particular Demon King.

That Demon King’s power had likely reached the lower tier of A-rank beasts. They could never have imagined the ill fortune of two S-rank adventurers showing up to rob them.

On the ship, Ellis was enjoying the pleasant sea breeze on the deck, while Larry lay on a deck chair, his face a sickly green.

Perhaps it was due to his constitution, but after arriving in this world, Larry had surprisingly developed seasickness.

It wasn’t the kind of severe seasickness that made him feel like dying the entire time he was on a boat, but it still required a period of adjustment.

He had been known as the ‘Little Surfing Prince’ in his previous life.

Now, he was just a dead fish washed ashore by the waves.

“Miss, are you traveling alone?”

As Ellis closed their eyes, reveling in the beauty of the sea, a voice suddenly broke through the tranquility.

Ellis reluctantly turned to see an enthusiastic young man in beach shorts. He flashed a brilliant white smile, his two emerald antennae standing slightly erect as he looked at Ellis.

This was a Tam, one of the many races on the Mazesli Continent. They bore a strong resemblance to humans, with their soft antennae being the most distinguishing feature.

Undeniably, the young man was handsome and sunny, precisely the type that women found attractive. Unfortunately for him, Ellis was not a woman.

This was the eighth time Ellis had been approached since boarding the cruise ship. It seemed that whenever they acted alone, some man would try to flirt with them.

‘Such shallow men!’

Ellis completely forgot they had once been one of them.

“I apologize, but I’m here with my fiancé.”

Ellis pointed to Larry, who was sprawled on the deck chair like a corpse.

“Your fiancé, huh?”

The young man looked at Larry awkwardly, a sheepish smile on his face. Yet, he seemed unwilling to give up entirely.

Ellis offered a small smile, then slowly walked over to Larry.

Larry was currently battling the churning sensation in his stomach, completely oblivious to what was happening with Ellis.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over his vision. He looked up at Ellis in confusion, opening his mouth to ask, “What are you— mmph!”

Before he could finish, Ellis leaped directly into his arms.

“Hiss!”

This wasn’t an anime, and Larry wasn’t an anime protagonist. Ellis, however, had truly jumped like an anime heroine.

The sheer jolt of it sent a wave of nausea through Larry, making his stomach churn even more violently. His face turned a ghastly shade of green.

Larry was about to lose control of his… stomach.

Just then, an inconspicuous soft light enveloped Larry, easing his discomfort.

Ellis whispered into Larry’s ear. “Cooperate with me to get rid of these annoying flies.”

Catching his breath, Larry’s gaze flickered to the Tam youth, who now sported a bitter expression. Understanding dawned, and he immediately wrapped his arms around Ellis’s waist, burying his head in their fragrant hair, luxuriating in the softness and scent of their embrace.

His discomfort immediately lessened significantly.

Ellis’s body stiffened slightly. Just as they were about to struggle free, Larry’s voice murmured in their ear. “Don’t move. Be professional.”

Suppressing the unease in their heart, Ellis remained nestled in Larry’s embrace. Suddenly, they felt Larry’s hand gently tracing their back.

‘Good heavens!’ They were on a warm, humid sea, and while Ellis wasn’t wearing an overly revealing swimsuit, their attire was thin. The light gauze top, while breathable, made the touch of Larry’s hand exceptionally distinct.

Ellis hissed in a low voice. “What are you doing?!”

Larry, watching the gradually retreating Tam youth, lied through his teeth. “That guy is still watching. Don’t move. I’m just trying to provoke him.”

‘Is that guy really that persistent?’

Ellis was bewildered. ‘Have I attracted a persistent nuisance?’

They had no idea they were being teased by Larry.

Ellis fought to control the turmoil within, enduring another three minutes in that position. Then, they finally realized something was truly amiss.

Twisting around in Larry’s arms, they looked at where the young man had been standing moments before. But there was no one there!

“Hmph!”

Ellis let out a long breath, flames igniting in their eyes. They could feel the body beneath them trembling incessantly, like a startled mouse.

They lifted their star-like pupils, staring coldly into Larry’s timid gaze.

“I need an explanation.”

“Uh, well, that, that person actually just left. I was just about to tell you…”

Larry’s stammering explanation clearly failed to satisfy Ellis.

But then, their expression softened, and a delicate hand gently caressed Larry’s cheek. In a soft voice, Ellis said, “I’ll give you one chance. Think carefully before you speak. Are you lusting after my body?”

Larry shook his head wildly, stating emphatically, “What are you saying? You’re my brother! Do you know what a brother is? How could I possibly lust after your body? Just kidding, haha. We grew up together, running around naked; don’t you know me? When have I ever lusted after your body?”

Ellis’s face registered disappointment. “Is that so? What a pity. I was originally thinking, since we’re brothers, I might give you some perks. If I was in a good mood, I might even let you have some fun, after all, I find it quite novel. But since you’re unwilling…”

“Don’t be like that, Ellis.”

Larry grabbed Ellis’s hands. “Hehe, while I’m not exactly lusting after your body, I can’t just waste the benefits a brother offers, can I? Since you’ve already said so, I won’t stand on ceremony.”

With that, before Ellis could react, Larry’s hand, which had been resting on their back, moved directly down to Ellis’s backside, and then… he squeezed.

Ellis immediately delivered a sharp knee-kick. Larry’s vital spot took a heavy blow, and he nearly shrieked, but Ellis clamped a hand over his mouth, stifling the sound.

‘Well, well, straight to it, no chance for me to react at all.’

Ellis’s eyes were devoid of light, and they whispered into Larry’s ear like a ghost. “Alright, kid. It seems you’re determined to become my sister. Don’t worry, once we’re besties, you can touch all you want!”

Larry’s pupils dilated. He flipped Ellis onto the lounge chair, then promptly made his escape.

Ellis gritted their teeth, glaring in the direction Larry had fled. “Oh, running, are we? I refuse to believe you can run far out here on the open sea!”

The duo’s playful chase continued from day into night.

After dinner, they ventured out onto the deck together, finding two empty lounge chairs in a secluded corner.

Yawning, Ellis remarked, “If you like touching so much, go find a girlfriend. Constantly bothering me like this, even a childhood friend who’s been through everything with you can’t stand it.”

“Sigh, finding a girlfriend isn’t that simple.”

Larry gazed up at the myriad stars, sighing, then looked at Ellis. “I just want to find a lifelong companion who truly suits me.”

Ellis then noticed Larry turning to look at them.

‘You’re talking about your girlfriend, why are you looking at me?!’

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