Akiara didn't say anything. Then she turned around with a smile and hugged her back.

"I promise I'm not going anywhere. So rest assured." Mizuki sighed relieved hugging her tightly. After she let go off her, her fingers ran through her black jet hair.

"Your hair is beautiful and soft." she kissed her. It surprised her then she accepted and kissed her back. She could taste the wine. As they let go Mizu said, "How about you also give me a mark?" she pointed her neck.

"I..... I'll try my best." She approached her neck. As she was about to kiss, her face flushed like tomato so she came back to her position. She flicked her forehead looking embarrassed, "Go to sleep idiot. We have work tomorrow."

Mizuki grabbed her wrist and pulled her closer. This made her sit on the bed. Her chin rested on her shoulder and arms wrapped on her waist.

"What's wrong Aki? Why aren't you doing as I'm saying?"

"I.... you need to sleep. I'm going." Suddenly she got kissed on the neck.

"W-what are you doing?!"

"Kissing you?"

"But?"

"I told you to do it but you didn't so I gave you."

"I.....I....." She blushed avoiding her gaze.

"Don't know?" She smirked.

"Yes. I don't know."

"Sigh, my love is so innocent when it comes to love. Then I'll teach you how to do it." She pushed her on the bed.

"W-w-what are you doing?!"

"Just teaching you how to kiss on the neck. Don't worry I won't do anything bad."

She pushed her away, "No no no you are not gonna do that. I have to go."

"Come on please? You know His Majesty said we are going on a journey right?"

"Yeah so?"

"We won't be able to cuddle each other often. So please even once I want to do it with-"

Akiara pressed a pressure point on her nape. Mizuki passed out on her chest sleeping peacefully.

She covered her eyes with her hands, "I'm..... quite exhausted." her eyelids felt heavy and she also fell asleep beside her.

____________

Akane and her followers were at the party enjoying it. They were wearing party gowns talking with other people. Akane was holding wine glass. She was twirling the red liquid.

"Akiara the humiliation I received..... I will make you suffer even more by making you enter our group."

"That's great Akane. I can't wait to see her wretched face." one of her followers replied.

She smirked in satisfaction. Just then one of Itsuki's friend came walking towards them. He asked, "Hey Akane, did you see Aniki?"

"No I didn't. In fact I didn't see him in Hagios expedition as well." Akane replied.

"I see. It's weird that he didn't return." He walked away.

Suki-san walked towards Akane's group. She asked, "Hey can I join your group?"

"Sure. By the way, did you meet Akiara?" Akane asked.

"No I didn't." Suki-san replied with questioning look.

"Good then. We were thinking of letting her enter our group. Is there a problem?"

"Of course not. I am excited to meet her." she smirked, "To see how much long you live."

_________

Next morning Mizuki woke up. Her head was suffering from migraine and hangover.

"Ugh...... my head." she noticed Akiara was sleeping beside her peacefully. She cuddled to her closely. She noticed she was stirring and opened her eyes.

"Morning love." She greeted while playing with her hair.

"Morning." She turned towards her placing her head on her chest and closed her eyes to sleep.

She kissed on top of her head, "Quite exhausted huh?"

She nodded. Then she suddenly sat and got down the bed. Mizuki also got down. She grabbed her hand but she felt dizzy which made her stumble and they crashed on the ground. She noticed Akiara was underneath looking at her with cold look. They stared at each other.

"What are you doing early in the morning? We will be late for today's job." Akiara spoke breaking the silence.

"Well you are hot to leave."

An irk formed in her forehead, "Quit your flirting even in early in the morning."

"Nope." she smiled innocently. As she was about kiss her Cordelia knocked on the door and shouted, "Hey wake up! Quit your lovey dovey stuffs we have work today!"

She groaned, "Seriously? Even early in the morning?"

Akiara used this chance and pushed her away, "We can do this later but first we have work to do."

"But we won't after we go on a journey." She hugged her tightly not letting her go.

"Come on. We are gonna be late."

Mizuki groaned not wanting to go. So she gave a quick peck on her lips and looked away. She smiled, "I'm fully recharged. Let's go." she stood up but she felt dizzy. Akiara grabbed her arms and placed it on her neck. They walked out of the room.

Akiara made a cup of black coffee and gave it to Mizuki, "Here. It is good for hangover."

"Thanks. You will make a good wife." Mizu replied with a smile. Cordelia and Arrow choked on their tea.

Arrow heard it, "What? Big sis you are going to get married?"

"No silly. Mizu is joking." She touseled his hair.

"But I wasn't joking." Mizuki mumbled with a pouted face.

After they had breakfast, they headed to guild to take a new quest. Estelle noticed them and waved her hand. They walked towards her.

"Good morning everyone!" She greeted.

"Morning." They greeted back.

Akane and her group walked towards them. She greeted them and asked, "Akiara are you the leader of your party?"

"No. Mizuki is." Akiara replied pointing her finger at Mizuki.

"Oh I see. How about you guys join our group? We are heading to Ubiria kingdom to slay dark swordmaster." Akane asked.

"Not interested." She turned her face away.

Akane grabbed her wrist tightly and spoke in her ear, "It's alright if you don't join. I won't bully you. Instead I will bully your friends. Like poison them out use them as baits for monsters. After all this place is not Japan anymore."

Estelle clenched her fist hearing her. Mizuki noticed her expression wondering what they are even talking about. Suki-san heard everything from the crowd. Her eyes were filled with bloodlust threatening that she will snap Akane's head off her neck.

"..... are you perhaps blackmailing me?" She asked looking at her in cold gaze.

Estelle and Suki-san changed their expression quickly. They looked quite confused. Akane and her group flinched seeing her expression. She loosened her grip.

Her face coming closer to her as she backs off, "Bully them? Poison them or use them as baits?" She smirked, "You did not even see them how they fight. But I'm worried you might end up becoming the victim of bullying."

Akane bit her lower lip. Then she grabbed her chin glaring at her, "Watch what you say."

Akiara slapped her hand, "Who are you again?"

"You?!"

"This place is not Japan anymore. I kill you and toss you to become fodder for monsters." she came closer to her ear, "It will be amusing to see how you get gobbled up by those creatures."

Akiara smirked sending them chills their spines, "We will join your group."

Estelle smiled with her eyes closed, "Akiara changed. I am glad to see it."

Suki-san also came running towards them, "Sorry guys for being late." She noticed Akiara and hugged her, "Aki-chan! It is you! I'm so glad to see you!"

She smiled and turned around, "Let's go."

They were walking in the middle of the forest. Mizuki whispered to Estelle, "What did they talk about?"

Estelle whispered back, "You don't need to worry about anything. Akiara handled everything." She looked forward, "She is not the same Akiara I used to know. I'm proud of her."

"I see. So you are trying to say that she stood up against them?"

"Yes." she glanced at Akiara. Arrow and Suki-san were clinging on her arms on both sides.

"Stay away from big sis! She is mine!" Arrow growled.

"Aki-chan is mine not yours!" Suki-san growled back. Both were sticking out tongues at each other. Akiara's facial expression clearly showed that she is irritated.

She glances at Suki-san, "Her aura surrounding is quite dangerous whenever she is around Aki."

After walking for hours, they decided to rest. They started setting up camp. After seeing camp, they started bonfire and Akane's group took out food supplies whereas Arrow hunted a deer.

Akane notices Akiara was cutting deer's meat. She rolled her eyes, "Sheesh who eats deer meat?"

"How about I make you taste it?" Akiara smirked at her. She placed meat pieces near fire grilling it. As slowly the meat was getting cooked, beautiful scent started to tingle noses at Akane's group. They resisted and kept on eating whereas Suki-san was eagerly waiting to taste Akiara's dish.

When it was cooked, they took a piece and tasted it, "It's delicious!" Everyone commented making Akiara smile even brightly.

Estelle, Mizuki, Suki-san and Arrow smiled back. They mumbled, "Such a beautiful smile. I can die without any worries."

Akiara bought the plate towards the other group, "Do you guys want to try?"

"We don't need it." Akane replied sternly while resisting.

"Sigh it will go to waste. Hey Arrow do you want more?" Akiara started walking towards Arrow.

"Yes big sis!" Arrow raised his hand.

"F-fine we can taste it." Akane took the plate looking embarrassed. Arrow glared at them as he couldn't eat it. They took a bite. Their eyes grew wide and faces lit up. They complimented how it tasted. Akiara smiled at them.

"She is still the same innocent girl." Estelle commented seeing Akiara's attitudes towards her former classmates.

"But it worries me that she will be taken advantage by them again." Suki-san replied.

"I don't think so." Estelle replied back. Then both glanced at each other and started quarreling about how Akiara is good at things and her cuteness level. Arrow, Mizuki and Cordelia glanced at each other and shrugged.

Later that night, as everyone were asleep Akiara was in charge of night shift to keep out of monsters. She leaned on the tree trunk. She felt sleepy and her eyes closed. Suddenly she shot open her eyes sensing danger. Her eyes glowed following the aura even though it was concealed. She took out her sword and jumped towards it. It turned out it was a giant SS-level crystal serpent. Its ruby eyes were glowing at dark, scales from head to tail were crystal. As the moonlight fell on its scales, it glimmered like glitters. Suddenly it sensed her and evaded her attack using tail. She stabbed the ground to stand firmly. She prepared again and ran towards it. They clashed for a while. She managed to injure the serpent. She climbed a nearby tree and jumped towards it again. But this time instead of evading it, it wrapped its tail around her neck strangling her. She couldn't breathe and struggled to loosen its grip. She slowly loses her consciousness mumbles, "Help...."

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