Seeing the male adventurer fleeing in embarrassment, Liliruca sighed in relief.
She looked up, a sweet smile replacing her terrified, wary expression.
Her tone turned sugary as she said, "Thank you so much for saving me, sir. If that adventurer had caught me, I'd have been beaten to death."
To her surprise, her act didn't seem to win Roy over.
"Cut the act," Roy scoffed, raising his free hand and flicking her forehead, knocking off her cloak's hood.
Chestnut, slightly curly hair spilled over her neck. Her small, cute face held sharp, cunning black eyes.
"???" Liliruca stared at Roy, bewildered by his response.
"Forgot you tried to pickpocket me?" Roy sneered, shaking her by the wrist, making her stumble twice.
"Sir, you misunderstand!" Liliruca forced a smile, protesting, "I'm no thief—how could I steal from you?"
"I wasn't going to stop you—your mess isn't my business. But you're bolder than I thought, trying to swipe from me while escaping," Roy said, tightening his grip.
"If my reflexes were slower, you might've succeeded."
"Sir, you're wronging me! I swear I didn't mean to steal!" Liliruca winced but kept her strained smile. "I just brushed against you by accident. I'm poor, but I wouldn't do that."
Her aggrieved, resilient look was convincing—most would fall for it.
"Just an accident?" Roy loosened his grip slightly, feigning surprise. "Is that so?"
Relieved as he eased up, Liliruca beamed. "I'm so glad you understand. I don't want my savior thinking I'm a thief."
"Hey, where are you taking me?" Her relief vanished as Roy tugged her wrist, dragging her out of the alley.
Liliruca's strength was feeble; she could only trail passively.
"To a hotel," Roy answered simply.
"A h-hotel?" Her face stiffened, but she forced a smile. "Um, Sir, what are we doing there?"
"You said you just brushed me, right?" Roy's lips curled into a wicked grin. "I know a thing or two about something. We can exchange tips, level up our skills."
"Don't worry, it'll just be brushing—no going in."
Roy dropped a cheeky line.
"Sir, what are you talking about? I don't get it," Liliruca stammered, her smile faltering.
Raised in the chaotic Soma Familia, she understood his suggestive words but played innocent.
"You'll get it when we're there," Roy grinned brightly.
"Um, Sir, can you let go first?" Liliruca tugged her wrist, trying to break free.
"No way—what if you bolt?" Roy shook his head.
Seeing his refusal, Liliruca fell silent, knowing her strength couldn't free her.
She followed quietly, head down, eyes scanning for an escape opportunity.
Roy noted her compliance with mild surprise but knew she was plotting to flee.
"You let me go! I'm not that kind of person! I won't go with you!" Liliruca suddenly thrashed, shouting loudly in a crowded area, her face showing humiliation, like a maiden coerced by a bandit.
"Is that guy forcing that Pallum girl into something bad?"
Her cries drew passersby's attention. Many glared at Roy unfavorably after seeing her distress.
"That's all?" Roy raised an eyebrow, catching the smug glint in Liliruca's eyes.
"I expected better," he sighed, as if disappointed.
"I'll never do that with you! Save me!" Liliruca wailed to the crowd.
Her cute, pitiful act—befitting a notable anime supporting character—stirred sympathy.
Though Orario had lawless areas, this street was under Guild jurisdiction, where laws applied to adventurers and civilians alike.
Her pleas drew kind-hearted onlookers eager to help.
Unfazed, Roy flicked her forehead again. "Troublesome kid."
He activated his Lust's charm ability.
He'd promised Hestia not to use it casually, but this counted as an exception in his flexible judgment.
Liliruca, mid-struggle, went limp, obediently still.
"Sorry for the disturbance. This child ran from her Familia after trouble."
"Our goddess has worried for days—I found her today, so I used some force to bring her back," Roy explained to the crowd with a smile.
His charm and Liliruca's guilty silence convinced them—she seemed to admit fault.
No one pressed Roy further.
He soon led Liliruca to a hotel and booked a room.
Once inside, he released the charm.
Freed, Liliruca jolted as if waking from a nightmare, breathing rapidly, eyes darting in panic.
The unfamiliar, confined room made her tremble.
Her mind raced, piecing together events.
The more she recalled, the stiffer her expression grew, a chill creeping down her spine.
"Liliruca Arde, Soma Familia," Roy's voice snapped her from fear. "Right?"
"You know Lili, adventurer?" Liliruca dropped her act, suppressing panic to face Roy with a strained look. "What's the point of these tricks?"
She didn't dare snap at him—she knew escape was impossible.
"Tricks?" Roy raised an eyebrow. "You provoked me first, didn't you?"
"Yes, Lili offended you," she admitted quickly. "How will you punish me? Or demand compensation?"
"What if I want you instead?" Roy chuckled.
"Interested in Lili?" A flash of sarcasm and anger crossed her eyes, swiftly hidden. "Lili's just a filthy Pallum—not worth dirtying a big shot like you."
"Nah," Roy teased playfully. "I like that disgusted, helpless look of yours."
"And Pallum? Even better. As long as you're cute, I'm not picky about size."
Liliruca cursed inwardly, scrambling for a way to deflect.
"Plus, you've got transformation magic, right? Tweak your figure a bit," Roy added.
Her composure shattered. She stared in horror. "How do you know?!"
His knowledge of her name and Familia was plausible—those weren't secrets.
But her transformation magic? Only Soma and a few Familia members knew.
It was a closely guarded secret, unknown even to most of her Familia.
Roy wasn't Soma's—how did he know?
"Questioning me?" Roy glanced at her, not about to reveal he knew from the anime.
"No, Lili's just curious. Few know my magic," Liliruca forced a smile.
"No need for me to answer," Roy chuckled. "By the way, know what happens to thieves like you in the 'book'?"
"No," Liliruca replied, sensing dread at the word 'book'—definitely bad news.
"Usually, they're locked in a basement, trained into an rbq craving only XX," Roy said with a malicious grin.
"I've always wanted a cute thief to steal from me—gives me an excuse to do this and that."
"I'm law-abiding, see? Can't just grab someone without reason—Guild rules."
"Thanks, Miss Thief, for fulfilling my wish. No regrets now."
You know it's illegal?!
Liliruca wanted to scream at the scum pervert but held back. Antagonizing him was unwise.
A beating was minor; death was the real risk.
Who knew if this pervert would kill her in a rage?
His mysterious ability terrified her—unguardable, irresistible.
"I-Is that so?" Her smile was uglier than crying. "But if the Guild finds out, you'll be in trouble. A filthy Pallum like me isn't worth your trouble."
"Thoughtful of you," Roy said, unmoved. "Guild finding out? No issue. We'll say it's mutual. If that fails, I'll play with you, then bury you in a ditch."
"Orario loses adventurers daily—one more won't matter."
Liliruca trembled at his casual threat.
"I'll cooperate," she relented, planning to escape later.
"Transform into Goddess Demeter for me," Roy ordered naturally.
Demeter, a goddess with a striking figure, outshone even Hestia.
Roy had glimpsed her in Guild's god registry—unforgettable.
"Goddess Demeter?" Liliruca's expression grew complex.
This pervert wanted to defile gods this way?
"Sorry, I can't," she shook her head. "My magic only works for sizes close to mine. Demeter's too different."
She didn't mention that, with props to amplify her magic, she could manage such a change.
Read advance chapters at:
200 Stones = 1 chapter
400 Stones = 2 chapter