“Move your hands away, let me see—let’s see how well Yuli-chan is developing.”
Her fists clenched.
She really wanted to punch her in the head, but unfortunately, the Ilyse in front of her was just a projection. She couldn’t do anything to her.
“Come on, move your hands. Let me see, let me see~”
As she spoke, the Little Evil God lazily circled around, sticking close to her body.
“tsk tsk…this skin, these curves, these lines…”
While sizing up Yuli’s body, Ilyse clicked her tongue in awe from time to time.
In her eyes, Yuli’s body was just perfect.
She had flesh where she should, slender where it counted, with just the right curves. The only pity was, Yuli was shielding her upper body right now, so she couldn’t see the most important part of her development.
“Hey~ There’s only this last part left. Quickly, let go and let me have a look.”
“In your dreams!”
“Yuli-chan’s tone is so fierce.”
She said that, but her voice was full of teasing.
She knew Yuli couldn’t do anything to her, so she was being this brazen.
Damn it…
Unable to do anything about her and unwilling to keep entangling with her, Yuli could only continue to shield herself and prepare to slip into the water to hide.
Just as she took a step, Ilyse blocked her path.
“Really, letting me see won’t take a chunk off you~ But Yuli-chan, you only just turned into a girl today, so how did you awaken your sense of shame so quickly?”
“I did not.”
“Your mouth is pretty stubborn, but that flushed little face can’t lie.
Yare yare, I really wonder which lucky soul will benefit from pure and cute Yuli-chan in the end.”
As her words fell, it was as if a massive stone had been thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up endless waves and completely igniting Yuli’s emotions.
“No one will!”
Continuing to tangle with her would only leave herself even more passive and embarrassed.
Without the slightest hesitation, Yuli walked straight through Ilyse standing in her way and dove headfirst into the river before her.
Normally, she should have let her body adjust to the water temperature first, but right now, Yuli couldn’t care about that.
She just wanted to get as far away from Ilyse as possible.
A huge splash broke the silence of the moonlit night.
The nighttime river was colder than she expected. After steadying herself in the water, Yuli quickly surfaced. The water in the center was deeper than she’d thought, so she moved closer to the riverbank until her feet could touch the riverbed. Once she confirmed the water could reach above her chest, Yuli finally stopped.
The icy river water swiftly washed away the heat in her body, and the blush on her face faded as well.
The river was cold, but it calmed her heart quite a bit.
At least, it would have, if not for the sight of Ilyse floating leisurely above the bank.
“Yuli-chan~ Your mouth is still as stubborn as ever.”
Hearing the voice from the bank, Yuli decided it was best to ignore what she couldn’t see. She shut her eyes.
But the thought that she might have to be with that person for a long time to come made her frown immediately.
Was there any way to drive that soul out of her body?
Taking a deep breath, she subconsciously ignored the noise on the bank and tentatively began washing herself.
A girl’s body was even more delicate than she’d imagined. Plus, this was her first time touching a girl’s body, so in an instant, a blush quickly crept up her little face.
She could only turn her body away to hide the embarrassment on her face.
This is bad… It’s her own body, she’s just cleaning herself, so why was her heart pounding, her breathing quickening, and her face burning?
Ugh… Somehow, the river didn’t seem so cold anymore.
Yuli didn’t dare dwell on the reasons. She hurried through washing herself and climbed ashore.
The chilly night breeze swept past her. While in the water, she hadn’t felt it as strongly, but once she stepped out, the damp skin was instantly covered in goosebumps.
So cold.
She picked up her clothes from the ground and headed to the campfire. The dancing flames immediately chased away the chill around her.
After turning into a girl, she was even more sensitive to cold than she’d thought.
Of course, maybe it was also because she’d soaked in the water for longer than usual tonight. Either way, she’d never shivered so much after a hot bath before.
From a cloth bag at the side, she took out a clean set of clothes. Once the water droplets on her skin had dried, Yuli put on her clothes and felt much warmer.
But the trouble was only beginning.
Her wet, black hair was even more of a hassle than she’d thought. The water on her body dried quickly, but her long hair was nowhere near done. Droplets ran down the strands, landing beside her bare little feet and splashing tiny patterns.
Yuli could only gather a strand in her hand, sit by the fire, and wait for it to dry before switching to the next.
She had to be careful about the time and distance from the flames. If she wasn’t careful, she might end up setting her hair on fire.
Just then, a petite white figure appeared beside her—what was this Little Evil God planning now?
“At a time like this, using magic is so much easier.”
“If I knew how, I wouldn’t have to fight Abyssal Beasts in close combat.”
“That’s easy.”
The Little Evil God’s eyes sparkled, as if she’d been waiting for that reply.
“I can teach you, you know! I’m really good at magic. If you get my instruction, that’s…”
“No need.”
Ilyse’s smile instantly froze on her face.
“Huh?”
“No need.”
Yuli turned her gaze away and kept drying another strand by the fire.
There was no way Ilyse brought this up with good intentions.
She claimed it was magic lessons, but who knew what she’d really teach.
Besides, Yuli couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t slip something in during those ‘lessons.’ For all she knew, it was just another step toward taking over her body.
“Besides, I have no talent for magic, so don’t bother.”
When she was little, Yuli had gone through a magic power test. Her magic aptitude was pitifully low.
According to the results, she’d basically never have anything to do with magic in this life.
But even without magic, she was still skilled in close combat. With her body even stronger now, that was good enough.
“That was then, this is now. Just because you didn’t have it before doesn’t mean you don’t have it now. Don’t forget who’s living inside your body.”
Ilyse blinked. “You’re not thinking that your current level is enough, are you?”
Yuli didn’t answer, so Ilyse’s tone turned more seductive.
“You’re far from there. What you met today were just a few weaklings. The real threats haven’t even shown up yet.
If you wait until then to start learning, it’ll be too late.”
Yuli still didn’t respond. Once her hair was dry and felt soft and fluffy to the touch, she tidied up the space by the fire. She used leaves she’d prepared beforehand to make a simple bed, then laid her old clothes down as a blanket. With her body curled sideways toward the fire, she lay down.
For her, this kind of rough outdoor life was already routine.
“I’m going to sleep. Good night.”
She closed her eyes, and before long, Yuli’s breathing grew slow and even.
Ilyse sat beside her, opened her mouth, but in the end, said nothing. She just gazed at the peaceful, defenseless face before her.
After a while, Ilyse averted her eyes and looked up at the brilliant starry sky.
“Such strong vigilance…Yuli-chan.”