186: Tense and exciting

"You rogue, how are you so experienced?" Erina gasped, her purple eyes glistening with moisture, her tone of mock reproach laced with a dependence and coy charm she hadn't even realized herself.

Lin Luo paused, his gaze locked gently upon her: "Naturally, it's because… the object of my affection is you. So, my body seems to know exactly what to do all on its own."

She lowered her eyelids, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her voice as soft as a mosquito's hum, yet carrying a hint of coy rebuke she didn't even notice: "…You only know how to say sweet things."

A brief silence permeated the swirling steam.

Erina leaned against his shoulder, her gaze unfocused as she looked at the hazy mountain silhouettes and the brilliant galaxy in the distance, then suddenly and abruptly whispered, "…Being here… is actually quite nice."

Lin Luo was slightly taken aback, then understood. He tightened his arms around her, rubbing his chin gently against the top of her head, saying nothing, just listening quietly.

"It's very free," she added, her voice as light as a sigh, yet filled with a sense of relief.

Lin Luo understood her meaning perfectly.

In this world, she was no longer the "Tōtsuki Queen" Nakiri Erina, tightly wrapped in countless gazes and expectations.

She didn't need to maintain a noble and reserved persona at all times, didn't need to bear the mountain-like pressure from her Family, society, and the culinary world, nor did she need to face all the competition and scrutiny alone in that massive academy.

It was as if this world had placed all beauty and opportunity right before her.

The sudden Transmigration hadn't brought the panic and helplessness she had expected. By some twist of fate, she had become the Personal Disciple of the national treasure of the gourmet world, Granny Setsuno, wanting for nothing, with a status and position even more noble and transcendent than it was at Tōtsuki.

She had thought she would have to face this strange and vast world alone, but Lin Luo, like an arrangement of fate, had brought the familiar aura and powerful protection she knew, forcefully bursting into her world.

The subsequent ice field adventure, the search for the century soup, the journey to Mount Melk… they seemed fraught with danger, but Lin Luo's presence was like an immovable mountain, keeping her firmly protected behind him.

Aside from feeling the cold of the ice field, she had almost never truly faced a life-or-death crisis. All the thrills seemed to have turned into a stage for him to showcase his abilities, while she was, for the most part, a witness and participant, not a weakling struggling to survive.

This world had given her unprecedented security, a sense of freedom, and… the feeling of being unconditionally cherished and protected.

"Yes, it is very nice here," Lin Luo finally spoke, his voice low and soft, filled with understanding and agreement. "There are no annoying rules, no expectations that make it hard to breathe. You can cook whatever cuisine you want, go on adventures wherever you like, and… be with whoever you want."

As his voice trailed off, Erina suddenly lifted her head from his arms, her purple eyes glaring at him, her cheeks puffed out like an angry, bristling cat.

"Now that I think about it, I feel like I've been tricked by you!" she said indignantly, with a hint of belated annoyance.

Lin Luo was taken aback by this sudden accusation and spread his hands innocently: "How did I trick you? Heaven and earth as my witness, I have always been honest with you."

At least, on the important things, he was.

"How did you not!" Erina sat up straight, her wet golden hair clinging to her shoulders, water droplets sliding down her delicate collarbone. "You acted like… I was the only special 'outsider' in this world, all alone, as if I could only rely on you!"

The more she said, the more it made sense, and she poked his solid chest with her finger: "And what happened? Akane Kubo Momo is here too! Maybe there are others! If I had known there were other 'fellow countrymen' besides me, I… I wouldn't have so easily… climbed onto your pirate ship!"

She was referring to the subtle hints Lin Luo gave when they first met, like "only I can understand you, only I can take you home," and the dependence and… special feelings that had gradually blossomed in her because of it. Now that she thought about it, this guy might have just spotted her vulnerable state as a newcomer with no one to turn to and taken advantage of it!

Lin Luo listened to her accusations, stunned at first, then couldn't help but let out a low laugh, his chest vibrating. He caught the finger she was still poking him with and held it in his palm.

"A pirate ship?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of amusement. "Young Miss, you nodded and agreed to get on this 'pirate ship' yourself. Besides, I never said anything like 'you are the only one'."

He leaned in close, their nose tips almost touching, their breaths mingling: "I only said that I would find you, help you adapt, accompany you on adventures, and then… go home together. Does that have anything to do with whether I found anyone else?"

"Of course it does!" Erina tried to pull her hand back, but he held it even tighter, so she could only argue with a flushed face, "The feeling is different! If you had told me earlier that there were others, I would have felt… felt that it didn't have to be you!"

"Oh?" Lin Luo drew out his tone, his eyes becoming somewhat dangerous, yet teasing. "It didn't have to be me? Then, does Lady Erina think anyone else could be like me, protecting you all the way from the ice field to the abyss, saving the best ingredients for you, helping you resolve your inner knots, and…" He paused, his gaze sweeping over her swollen lips, implying something, "providing such 'thorough'… physical and mental service?"

"You, you shut up!" Erina was so embarrassed by his explicit words that she wanted to bury herself in the water again, but he held her waist firmly in place.

"Alright, alright, I'll shut up." Lin Luo complied readily, but his smile didn't fade. "But Erina, you got one thing wrong."

He put away his playful expression and looked into her eyes seriously: "Whether or not there are other 'fellow countrymen' has no impact on our relationship. I found you, approached you, and protected you, not because you are the 'only outsider,' but because you are 'Erina'."

"Because it is you, that is why I want to do this. It has nothing to do with anyone else." He gently rubbed her fingers, his tone gentle and firm. "Even if I had told you then that there were ten or a hundred people here, the result would not have changed. You would still be my partner, and I… would still fall for you."

"This 'pirate ship' set sail the moment you agreed to be my partner. And," he leaned into her ear, whispering in a breathy voice with unquestionable dominance, "it's a one-way ticket that never docks. Young Miss, if you want to back out now, it's too late."

Erina's heart hammered like a drum at his straightforward and overbearing confession, and the flush on her face spread all the way to her ears.

She lowered her eyelids, avoiding his scorching gaze, and muttered softly, "…Sophistry. Overbearing."

But her tone had already softened, carrying a sweetness she couldn't hide.

Lin Luo knew the alert had been lifted again, and this time the effect was even better. He smiled and pulled her back into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"Yeah, I am overbearing. Only overbearing to you." He admitted it with righteous confidence. "So, stay obediently on the 'pirate ship.' The Captain guarantees that the scenery ahead will only get better and better."

Erina leaned in his arms, listening to his steady heartbeat, feeling the warmth of the hot spring, and the corners of her mouth curled up secretly.

Fine, even if it is a "pirate ship"… this ship seems pretty good too.

At least, the Captain is the person she likes.

As the night deepened, two light, gentle footsteps came from the direction of the stone house in the distance, approaching the hot spring.

The two people in the water froze at the same time, exchanging a glance with great tacit understanding.

Without a word, Lin Luo put his arm around Erina's waist, and Erina tacitly held her breath. The two quickly slid into the innermost corner of the hot spring, hidden by shadows, leaving only their eyes, noses, and mouths slightly exposed above the water.

"…It's so cold." Akane Kubo Momo's sleepy, slightly shivering voice sounded first, getting closer and closer.

Immediately following was the faint sound of the Second Generation rustling to take off her outer clothes, accompanied by a lazy yawn.

She seemed to have undone some kind of binding; a very light, relieved sound of fabric loosening came through the air, followed by the slight, vibrant movement of some highly elastic object gaining its freedom.

Under the water, Erina's body instantly tensed up. Almost at the same time, a slightly cool but firm hand covered Lin Luo's eyes. She leaned into her ear, whispering a fierce, word-for-word warning in a breathy voice:

"From, now, on, keep, your, eyes, closed! If you dare to see anything you shouldn't… you can just wait, to, die!"

The warm breath sprayed against his ear, full of threat.

Lin Luo was very sensible, immediately closing his eyes tightly and nodding repeatedly to indicate that he would absolutely obey the order.

Although his vision was deprived, his other senses became exceptionally sharp, driven by tension and… some subtle curiosity. He could hear the soft splashing sounds of Akane Kubo Momo and the Second Generation stepping into the water, hear their comfortable, relaxed sighs, and hear the subtle ripples of the water swaying with their movements.

And his Divine Sense… quietly swept over, uncontrolled.

Hmm, the Second Generation's figure was indeed tall and outstanding, her muscle lines smooth and full of strength, a physique forged by years of forging and grinding.

Those curves that were usually tightly wrapped in neutral clothing and chest binders were now, under the hazy outline of the water and moonlight, revealing surprising fullness and… hmm, elasticity.

Lin Luo sighed objectively and without any impure thoughts in his heart, and by the way, felt a hint of… hmm, pity for those two "little white rabbits" that were clearly usually bound and suppressed, but were finally able to breathe freely at this moment.

"What sound was that?" The Second Generation's slightly puzzled, still clear but relaxed voice came; she seemed to have noticed the slight, abnormal ripples they had caused when they dived into the water just now.

"Just the sound of water, maybe?" Akane Kubo Momo was already soaking in the warm spring water, her voice becoming lazy. "Hurry up and get in, it's really cold. I'm going in first." As she said this, she seemed to shrink into the water, causing a splash.

"Mm." The Second Generation responded, didn't ask any more, and also stepped into the pool.

The hot spring pool was neither big nor small.

Although the corner where Lin Luo and Erina were hiding was secluded, it was not particularly far from the two newcomers.

Water is fluid and transmits sound and vibration, which meant they had to remain absolutely still and quiet, even their breathing had to be kept to the lightest possible level.

Erina nervously held her breath, her body rigid. One hand was still tightly covering Lin Luo's eyes, while the other was gripping his arm so hard her nails were almost digging in. She could clearly hear her own heart beating like a drum, terrified of being discovered by the two people on the other side of the pool.

Although Lin Luo had his eyes closed, he could feel Erina's tension and… a hint of extreme, embarrassed annoyance.

Time passed slowly in tension and awkwardness. The hot spring water was still warm, but for the two in the corner, it felt like a sweet torture.

Erina dared not move, feeling both shy and anxious, just hoping those two would finish soaking and leave quickly.

Lin Luo, on the other hand, was relatively "calm." With his eyes closed, feeling the delicate touch in his palm, listening to the faint breathing of Erina right beside him, and the intermittent idle chatter in the distance, he actually felt a sense of absurdity and excitement.

He didn't know how long it had been, maybe ten minutes, maybe shorter.

The Second Generation's voice suddenly had a bit of inexplicable emotional fluctuation: "It's, it's about time; soaking too long isn't good. Let's head back, we have to get up early tomorrow to continue grinding."

Akane Kubo Momo seemed a bit sleepy, her voice heavy with drowsiness: "Mmm… so comfortable, I don't want to move…"

The Second Generation urged: "You'll catch a cold if you fall asleep here, hurry up and get out."

"Mm…" Akane Kubo Momo responded reluctantly.

Then came the sound of water rising as they stood up, the rustling of wiping their bodies and putting on clothes, and the gradually fading, light footsteps of the two.

Not until the footsteps completely disappeared down the mountain path, and they waited for a while longer to confirm there was no more movement around, did Erina suddenly let out a breath of relief. Her body went limp, and her hand covering Lin Luo's eyes loosened.

"Scared, scared me to death…" She patted her chest, lingering fear on her face, which was a mix of red and pale—half from holding her breath, half from embarrassment.

Lin Luo slowly opened his eyes, adjusted to the light, and looked at the Young Miss before him, who was still shaken, her long hair wet and clinging to her cheeks, looking exceptionally pitiful and beautiful. He couldn't help but let out a low laugh.

"You're still laughing!" Erina said, furious from embarrassment, reaching out to hit him.

Lin Luo easily caught her wrist and pulled her closer, his eyes full of laughter and lingering teasing: "See, nothing happened. Besides, didn't we just… 'go through thick and thin' together?"

"Who wants to go through this kind of trouble with you!" Erina was choked with anger, but looking at his smiling face right in front of her, remembering the tense moment when they were pressed closely together, holding their breath, her heart skipped a beat uncontrollably.

"Alright, alright, no more joking." Lin Luo stopped while he was ahead and said seriously, "They've gone back, we should hurry and slip away too. If they left something behind and come back, it would be impossible to explain."

Erina nodded immediately upon hearing this, no longer caring about being shy, just wanting to leave this "place of trouble" as quickly as possible.

The two stood up quickly and silently, dried their bodies, put on their clothes, and like thieves, scurried back to the stone house along the path.