"I am fine." She flips her right sleeve and steps away from him. Her voice is cold and distant. "You don't have to get involved in this."

He puts his hands inside his pocket awkwardly. She's a grown woman now. "I am not here to help you because I want to. I was sent by God Noras."

She scowls at him. "That nosy god!"

"You should mind that tongue of yours." Though he notices her unconsciously hiding her hand behind her waist, he pretends that he has seen nothing. "Iravan is in chaos again because you decided to seal the borders."

Kresi stares at the throne of the Dark God. "I know that everything is my fault."

Seeing the melancholy in her eyes, he lets out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't mean it like that."

"But it's my fault." Kresi takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. "And I will take responsibility for it."

"You don't have to be responsible alone." Aren furrows his brows. "There are people who want to help you."

"I don't need anyone's help." She turns her face to him. "Leave"

Asking him to leave while showing a face like that? How is he going to face himself if he leaves someone behind? Part of Kresi's scars is caused by his mother. He steps forward and grabs her right hand to see what is she trying to hide from him.

"Stop!" Kresi shouts at him.

But the sleeve is already pulled up and the secret is revealed. He widens his eyes when he sees that her hand is missing. His heart tightens. "Why?"

"I really became a cripple." She pushes him away from him. "A hand is nothing compared to veins that can feel magic again."

Aren scrutinizes her face. There's a dark smile on her vermillion lips. Her eyes have a haughty look that can only belong to her at this time. Her body might have grown up a bit, but she's still an idiot in her head. "I never wanted you to become a cripple, Fool. "

"I am not a fool." She frowns at him. "I thought that you were scared of me. Why are you here?"

Did she notice it back then? He exhales. Maybe he had shown it too much. "I am not afraid fo you anymore."

"You should be." She sits down on the steps, leaning back, lazily stretching he legs. "I have magic now."

"You still had magic back then." Forbidden one. He doesn't say the word. Kresi Mirin has surpassed his expectations. She doesn't need him or his help to save herself. Maybe that's what he likes -- Aren creases his forehead, shaking away the dangerous thought immediately. What? Like her? She's a moron who only knows how to use violence. People like her need teaching how to become human again. "If you aren't going to battle me, give me your life."

"..." She knits her brows, squinting her eyes.

"I can't wait until the Dark God comes back." He tells her nonchalantly, "I already gave you enough time. Give up your life to me."

"I am not giving up anything without a fight," She snaps at him. "I promised that I will safeguard his kingdom until his arrival."

"I can't live for eternity." He crosses his arms. "You and I are not immortal. We may have long lives because we can do magic now, but what do we know about tomorrow? I can die in the next moment. I want your life or you fight me in the underground world."

What is wrong with this royal highness? She cocks her head and observes the man before her eyes. Tips of red hair are touching his broad shoulders. His eyes are the same vivid shade of green, exuberant and soft at the same time. "I can't leave this realm until the dark god comes back."

"Then, give up your life to me." He keeps going, "Are you not going to keep your promise to me? I thought that you had some shame."

"Fine," She mutters, annoyed.

"If you don't give up your life then…" Aren stutters, "-W-What?"

"You can have my life." She leans forward, eyeing him with a faint smile. "Only if you let me protect this kingdom until that god comes back. However, you must battle with me when I can leave this castle. If I win, I will be released from your hold."

"What?" His face cracks when he hears those words. His original plan was that he would blackmail her into giving in to his demands. She wouldn't give up her life. So, he would suggest opening the borders. But he didn't expect this. "Are you sure? You are a woman. Think about it. What if I do something bad to you?"

Kresi has already guessed his intentions. There's no way that she would let other gods come inside. Mayhems of the dark realm will stay in the dark realm. "I didn't become your slave, your royal highness. You have my life, but not me. If you put a finger on my skin again, I am going to enjoy my time breaking the finger between your legs."

The finger between his legs? Aren gapes at her. What crude language! "It's not a finger."

"Thumb?" She taps her chin as her gaze lingers on his crotch. "When I was in beggar city, nobles would often come to the flower houses for entertainment. The flowers of those houses would often talk about how some nobles would always have their noses high but they couldn't get their small and boneless sticks to get high."

In his entire life, this is the first time he has heard a woman talk like that. Stick? Thumb? Boneless finger? He touches his forehead, feeling dizzy. What is this? How could a girl say things like that in front of a man? "Mine is not a thumb or a finger. It's long and thick enough."

"I didn't see it." She shrugs. "I have no interest in seeing it. So, if you…"

"It can get high, okay?" He doesn't know why he's getting so defensive. But she's his enemy from now on. A woman like her… no, she's not even a woman. He refuses to see her as a member of the fair sex. "It's not malfunctioning."

"Why?" She props her chin on her hand, looking at him curiously. "Did you test it? But you have that scent on you.."

"W-What scent?" He raises his chin and asks, afraid to hear her answer.

"When I was in beggar city, the flowers often talked about how to tell the difference between a flower that never had his nectar sucked by a --"

"Stop!" He closes his eyes and raises his hand. She might not be embarrassed about it, but he has enough shame for both of them. "I don't want to hear those flower talks."

"That would the pure flower usually say." She lets out a pronounced sigh."His royal highness never had a woman or a man. It's a little sad. Maybe he's not confident in his ability."

"If you don't shut up, I am going to kill you now," Aren bellows at her.

"I wonder if his royal highness can survive the dark realm." Kresi blinks her eyes at him. "Should I send some flowers to your chamber, your highness? Do you prefer men or women or spirit beasts? I know people who will love to teach you how to get your thumb high."

Aren grimaces at her and tells her through clenched teeth, "Why don't you come to my chamber at night? We will see whether I can get it high or not."

"No, thank you." She rolls her eyes. "How could this cripple look at his royal highness who is as bright as the stars? Besides, this cripple doesn't have such exquisite tastes."