Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Flirting with Lucy and Precht Message
Nate usually finished his baths in just ten minutes.
For Lucy, with her preference for a good soak, it took at least an hour. But when the two of them bathed together, it somehow stretched to over two hours.
Nate was convinced Lucy wasn't being entirely honest. She kept saying "no" and "I don't want to bathe with you," but once they were in the bath, she seemed to enjoy it even more than he did.
So, he thought, why not keep the momentum going?
After their bath, Nate was ready to join Lucy in bed, looking forward to holding her close.
"No way! Out, now! I'm not sharing a bed with you," she insisted, wrapped in a bath towel, pushing him out of her room.
With a resounding "slam," the door shut, leaving Nate outside, slightly exasperated.
Something didn't add up. Wasn't this supposed to happen naturally? Had the moment not been right? They'd already bathed together!
Maybe she just wasn't comfortable enough with him yet. But then again, she wouldn't have agreed to the bath if she didn't like him.
Lost in thought, Nate made his way back to his apartment, where he received a message.
Gotta Earn Money: "Here's your bill!"
- Kiss: 200,000 J.
- Touching (you-know-what): 200,000 J.
- Bathing together: 500,000 J.
- Cooking, five times: 15,000 J.
- Laundry, seven items: 7,000 J.
Remaining debt: 37,797,000 J → 36,875,000 J.
Nate chuckled, a little amused and a bit at a loss.
Sigma Male: "Classic rich girl—charging me for touching you but letting you touch me for free. 😂"
Gotta Earn Money: "You're the one who said that! Hmph. 😤"
Sigma Male: "Then why kick me out? We could've just slept together."
Gotta Earn Money: "You perv! I know you'd try something. 😳"
Sigma Male: "You misunderstand. I only wanted to hold you. 🤷♂️"
Gotta Earn Money: "I don't buy it! I know exactly what you're thinking... Anyway, the answer is no!"
Sigma Male: "Thinking about what?"
Gotta Earn Money: "🤮"
Gotta Earn Money: "I'm going to sleep now. You're so annoying. 🙄"
"Yeah, right. Like you're actually sleeping," Nate thought, smiling to himself. If Lucy didn't want him over, he could always visit one of his official girlfriends.
He sent a quick message to Ultear.
Witch of Pain: "Meredy's asleep, my love. Come on over~~ 😚"
The witch really was the best! Nate prepared to teleport over, but then something dawned on him.
Maybe... maybe Lucy had been waiting for a confession. That could explain why she hadn't wanted him to stay.
Pausing, he sent her another message.
Sigma Male: "Now that you've seen all of me, I'm no longer pure. You have to take responsibility!"
Gotta Earn Money: "😱"
Gotta Earn Money: "If you say one more dumb thing, I'll smack you! 👊"
Sigma Male: "Lucy, what do you think our relationship is?"
Gotta Earn Money: "Debtor and creditor..."
Sigma Male: "I see you as my girlfriend. Do you see me as your boyfriend?"
Lucy lay on her bed, staring at the message. A joyful feeling bubbled up inside her, and she couldn't help but roll around with her pillow, nearly falling off the bed.
How should she respond?
She tried to calm herself down and started typing, her face flushed.
"I don't know. I'm going to bed!" she wrote, then deleted it.
No, that wouldn't do. He might misunderstand.
"After what you've done, you better not abandon me, or I'll tell my dad!"
No, that was too embarrassing.
"I'd like that..."
No, that sounded strange in response to his question.
She sighed, wishing Nate would just be straightforward and confess, like in her favorite romance novels.
After a while, she finally sent her answer.
Gotta Earn Money: "Yes!"
Just one word.
Nate rubbed his chin, chuckling to himself. "Guess I've ended up with another girlfriend. This is bound to backfire on me someday."
Sigma Male: "Just because you're my girlfriend doesn't mean you're off the hook for your debt. 😊"
Gotta Earn Money: "🙄"
They continued chatting a while longer until she drifted off. Then Nate, freshly changed, headed to Ultear's place for their date.
…
The Next Day
On his way to the guild, Nate received a notification.
[User "Precht" has accepted your friend request.]
Precht: "Nate, your [Magic App] is truly astonishing. I'm thoroughly impressed."
Sigma Male: "I've always admired your mastery of magic as well, Second Master."
Precht: "Haha, why not leave Fairy Tail and join my guild instead?"
Sigma Male: "But didn't I already 'steal' Ultear from your guild? What purpose would I have there now?"
Precht: "…"
Precht: "Ah, young people... makes me think of my younger days."
Sigma Male: "Actually, the Third Master told me you used to be quite the 'lone wolf' back in the day."
Precht: "Regarding Ultear, I won't pursue the matter further—consider it on your behalf."
That was an abrupt subject change, Nate thought, amused. Just then, another message popped up.
….
Precht: "You've taken Kain Hikaru's soul, haven't you? Could you consider releasing him?"
Sigma Male: "Speaking of which, I appreciate you sending him my way. His magic, 'Ushi no Koku Mairi', has been incredibly useful."
Precht: "Ah, interested in learning it, are you? Haha… Let me send you a Magic Book on the subject."
[Your friend "Precht" has sent you a Magic Net Delivery. Would you like to accept it?]
Nate clicked "Confirm," and in a flash of golden light, a magic book materialized.
"Lost Magic: Ushi no Koku Mairi!"
Nate was genuinely surprised. "Precht is surprisingly generous."
He flipped through the book briefly, finding nothing immediately suspicious. Still, Nate knew better than to let his guard down. 'With his depth of knowledge,' Nate thought, 'Precht is an incredibly skilled mage, possibly stronger than some of the Council's elite. Even Makarov couldn't contend with him.'
Not entirely sure if the book held hidden traps, he planned to let Mavis inspect it later.
Sigma Male: "Thank you, Second Master, for the Magic Book."
Sigma Male: "But I can't release him just yet—I still need his magic to develop a new feature."
Nate felt he was being fairly straightforward with Precht, not concealing his intentions.
Precht: "It wasn't easy for me to cultivate loyal followers like the Kin of Purgatory. Please consider releasing him afterward."
Sigma Male: "Of course, absolutely. Next time, for sure."
Soon, Nate arrived at the guild's tavern. With the Harvest Festival behind them, the guild members had returned to their usual routines. As he stepped into the lively, bustling atmosphere, the familiar noise hit him like a wave.
~~~
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