Chapter 180: Is This the Life That Belonged to Me—Stolen Just Like That!?!?

Translation by: Weebsread👹

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Gifts…?

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Under the starlit sky, the distant city walls shimmered in a breathtaking array of colors.

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It wasn’t the spectacle itself that caught Iresha’s eye, but rather a fleeting, aching sense of home hidden within the scene unfolding beyond the walls.

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For once, countless refugees had gathered in this cramped space. She watched as faces, once drawn tight with worry and despair, broke into rare, genuine smiles as they received food offered to them.

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Iresha gazed quietly, memory tugging her back to childhood: to the time she’d lost control of her Mana, recklessly casting magic and nearly harming innocents—her mother had punished her by binding her in the heart of a surging lake.

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On that silent night, she’d been forced to float motionless in the frigid water, paralyzed by an unfamiliar terror that clung to her skin.

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Only at dawn did her mother come, fishing her out and carrying her to shore.

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[This fear of the unknown—that’s what your people felt not long ago.]

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[You must learn to cherish them, Iresha. Just as, one day, you must become the princess they cherish in their hearts.]

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Her mother’s gentle voice had soothed her sobs, the soft admonition lingering long after.

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But now, with her homeland in ruins, she’d lost the chance to earn her people’s love—forever.

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…Is this what it feels like?

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“Hmph~ Fine, I’ll accept it then!”

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She was no longer that little princess who’d cry at the slightest scolding and run to her mother’s arms.

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Iresha gave a proud huff, chin tilted high, her delicate, striking profile gleaming in the firelight.

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Her wine-red eyes sparkled—like rare jewels blooming in the night.

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Even slightly disheveled and bare-faced, she was still stunning.

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“Well, aren’t you gracious to accept my humble suggestion, Your Highness.”

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“Eh? You’ve got quite the silver tongue for a country bumpkin! Very well, then—as princess, I’ll reward you. How about granting you the precious privilege of dining with me? I’ve been starving since we started handing out food.”

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“You should’ve dropped the act and eaten sooner~”

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Her mock complaint only made her proud features all the more endearing, the contrast almost comical.

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Moments ago, she was the noble princess; now, in a blink, she was all girlish charm.

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A tsundere—and adorable, at that.

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Lin Wei couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

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Even a girl this beautiful and accomplished gets PUA’d? Hero Oshu, you bastard!

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If I were the party leader, I’d treat her like the treasure she is!

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“Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness.”

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“Come on, Yalis! While she’s in a good mood, let’s eat the princess out of house and home!”

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“??? I said I hate freeloaders! Want me to skin you alive, bumpkin?!”

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◇

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Within the city—

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A place accustomed to people rising early and returning late now pulsed with a newfound energy.

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Even with night blanketing every corner, the smiles of townsfolk flush with hard-earned Gold coins lit up the streets.

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The town’s spacious tavern roared with laughter and warmth, the air thick with praise for the day’s events.

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“Can you believe it? They actually paid to buy up the stolen supplies, letting us pocket a pile of Gold coins! Even that Useless Pope had the guts to pull this off!”

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“Let’s raise a glass to Great Pope Selena! And let’s celebrate the arrival of the Saintess in Argos!”

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“Thank you, Princess Iresha! By the way, where exactly is the Silver Harbor Kingdom again? Such a pity it was destroyed by demons…”

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Even before the newspapers could weave their stories, the city lord—knowing Lin Wei’s true intentions—had already spread the news through official channels.

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The word hadn’t reached the entire region yet, but here in this city, rumors were spreading like wildfire.

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“Oshu… looks exhausted lately.”

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In a corner, a hush hung over the table, out of place amid the revelry.

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A girl, hidden beneath a voluminous black robe, peered out with timid eyes and spoke in a small voice.

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Something felt… off about tonight.

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Usually, Eileen would be picking fights with Iresha, or Iresha would find an excuse to needle Eileen, prompting Oshu to play mediator, while Rein always tried to keep the peace. It was a chaotic but lively routine.

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But ever since that incident at the Cathedral, Iresha had vanished.

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Sure, there were times when only four of them were together, but never had things felt this dead.

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“And the food’s awful…”

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They’d slacked off during the Adventurer’s guide through the Labyrinth, skipping the cheap ingredients.

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With Iresha gone, no one covered the bill. Even tonight, scraping together enough for a tableful of food was a miracle.

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“Maybe the last few days in the Labyrinth were too much.”

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“It’s fine. A day’s rest and we’ll be back to normal.”

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Oshu’s reply was muffled as he swallowed his food.

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He glanced at Eileen, only to meet her ambiguous, unreadable smile.

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“I… see…”

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“Haha, well, Oshu was the main force in the Labyrinth, after all. Even so, we barely made it to the third floor… No wonder it’s called one of the three great super-labyrinths of the Northern Countries!”

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“Even reaching the third floor, the pressure was insane. I can’t imagine who could conquer the lower levels!”

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Rein, ever the optimist, kept up his boisterous chatter, trying to lighten the mood.

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The Selm Labyrinth—one of the three legendary dungeons of the Northern Countries.

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It didn’t have shifting walls or changing routes, but its sheer size and endless underground passages made it a world unto itself.

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Rumor had it that a mysterious device at the Labyrinth’s heart could grant dominion over the entire dungeon—making the one who claimed it king of the underworld. Adventurers had thrown themselves at it for a thousand years, and none had ever reached the depths.

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Perhaps it truly was more a subterranean world than a mere dungeon.

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“We might still have a shot…”

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Oshu’s flat response killed the conversation, leaving even Rein scratching his head in awkward silence.

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There was no doubt—fighting with Iresha had wrecked the party’s mood.

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But there was nothing for it; you couldn’t control another’s feelings. The feud between Eileen and Iresha had been simmering for ages, and there was no easy fix.

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All Rein could do was pray for a smooth journey and hope Iresha would endure for the team’s sake.

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Still… Iresha might have clashed with Eileen before, but she’d never been this unreasonable.

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Today, she’d simply abandoned them. That was going too far.

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“Maybe Oshu was right all along.”

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“All of this… does it really come down to that Lin Wei bastard?”

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Oshu shifted uncomfortably, but Rein didn’t notice—instead, his gaze caught a familiar figure entering from outside.

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A striking red-haired girl in a matching Mage’s robe, her proud features impossible to miss.

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She swept her gaze over the room with her usual haughty air, muttering something like “Not much to look at, is it?” under her breath.

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“Iresha, over here!”

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“Pffft—cough!”

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Rein, never one for subtlety, waved and called out the moment he spotted her.

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Oshu, on the other hand, went pale, his chair scraping back violently as if he’d seen a ghost—sending food spilling across his lap.

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“Huh? What’s the matter, Oshu?”

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Eileen smirked, her eyes full of sly amusement.

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But before Oshu could stammer a reply, his gaze locked on a scene that froze him in place.

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Iresha hadn’t come alone.

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That damn Lin Wei—and the Holy See’s Saintess—were right behind her.

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And as if that weren’t enough, Lin Wei was lightly knocking Iresha on the head, scolding her with a teasing familiarity.

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“Were you this mouthy when you were in Aurens Town?”

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“Apologize to the hardworking staff, you little brat!”

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“Ugh, fine, I’m sorry! Stop hitting me!”

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They were so close, so natural, it was as if they’d known each other for years. Iresha’s playful, spoiled reaction—he’d never seen her act like that with anyone in the party.

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Th-this guy!!!

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If Oshu had been listless before, seeing this scene was like a spark to dry tinder—his blood boiled with sudden fury.

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Damn it!

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Damn you, Lin Wei!

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What the hell was going on between him and Iresha? Why were they like this?

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He was the Hero. He was supposed to be surrounded by Iresha, Eileen, hell, even the Saintess! That was supposed to be his life!

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Now it was happening right in front of him, as if someone had stolen everything that should have belonged to him.

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He didn’t even wipe the spilled food from his lap—he just glared, eyes burning with rage.

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“Are you all right, sir?”

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A passing waitress stopped, concern in her voice.

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Meanwhile, Iresha, who’d just been looking for a seat, noticed the scene from across the room.

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Rein, still waving and getting no response, was left awkward and frozen.

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Kokoxi hid in her robe, as timid as ever. Eileen, irritating as always, sat primly with her chin resting on her hand.

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And Oshu… how to describe that face?

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Shocked? Furious? Disbelieving—and, beneath it all, a flicker of fear?

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“So you’re here too.”

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Iresha’s mood, which had been decent, soured the instant she saw them.

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She frowned, but—well, they were still her teammates. After a moment, she raised a hand in greeting.

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“Ah… Where’d you run off to, Iresha?”

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“We thought you’d come to the Adventurers’ Guild, or straight to the tavern—we waited half the night, but you never showed.”

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Trust Rein, the party’s self-appointed mood-maker, to try to break the tension.

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His eyes flicked to Lin Wei. Was he the problem?

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But before he could puzzle it out, a cold voice cut through the air.

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“I was outside the city, building shelters and handing out food to the refugees from the Northern Countries.”

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“Why didn’t you help?”

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“Huh? Something like that… Why would our Hero’s Party bother with…?”

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Even Rein, the eternal fool, sensed the chill in the air and swallowed his words under Iresha’s icy gaze.

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“Well, I… Helping refugees… There are others for that…”

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“C’mon, don’t be like that, Iresha! We just got back from the Labyrinth and helped you at the Cathedral—that was exhausting enough! You’re the Princess of the Northern Countries, it’s normal for you to help the refugees.”

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“But we’re not from there. We need a break, too, right?”

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Just as the group floundered, Eileen’s syrupy-sweet voice cut in, her gentleness the perfect counterpoint to Iresha’s frost. Like a savior, she gave Rein an excuse to keep up the act.

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“Exactly, Iresha. We’re not refugees from the Northern Countries.”

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“We barely made it back from the Labyrinth, dragged ourselves to the Cathedral, and now you want us to save the world? That’s what other people are for! We need to rest before we tackle the Labyrinth again.”

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“By the way, I remember you—Lin Wei, right? And the Holy See’s Saintess? We had a bit of a misunderstanding at the Cathedral; we never got to apologize. Why not join us for dinner? What do you say, Oshu?”

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Rein nudged Oshu under the table.

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Oshu’s face was twisted with rage, barely restraining himself from tearing Lin Wei apart, but with the Saintess right beside him, he forced on his best heroic mask.

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“Yes… my apologies, Saintess. I never properly introduced myself.”

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“I am Oshu, the Hero of the Sword. By the orders of the Holy See and the Empire, it is my duty to defeat the Demon Lord and save humanity. I neglected to greet you at the Cathedral; please accept my apology.”

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The tavern was crowded, but with the group tucked away in a corner, few paid attention.

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Oshu stepped forward, ready to display his heroic charm—hoping to dazzle the Saintess, and, if possible, draw Iresha back, making Lin Wei taste the bitterness of losing the women around him.

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But what happened next left him frozen.

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“I don’t mind.”

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The moment Oshu approached, Yalis reflexively shrank back, her fingers instinctively gripping Lin Wei’s sleeve.

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The hostility was obvious—so obvious even Oshu felt a chill.

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It was rude, but she’d heard enough about Oshu’s issues with Lin Wei. Her eyes flashed with open wariness.

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Is… is she looking at me like that!?

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Oshu stared, dumbfounded.

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He’d heard the Holy See had once considered sending the Saintess to join their party against the Demon Lord, but she’d been deemed too young.

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But to him, that had always made her a potential teammate.

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Now, before they’d even started, it felt like the party was already over.

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Damn Lin Wei—he really was stealing Oshu’s life right out from under him.

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This bastard… this bastard, I’ll kill him!!!

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“I’m not in the mood. Let’s eat upstairs, Lin Wei.”

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Just seeing them irritated her—she couldn’t stand another second together.

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Iresha grabbed Lin Wei’s wrist and dragged him toward the stairs, leaving Oshu stunned. That kind of casual intimacy—he’d never shared anything like it with Iresha.

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“There are rooms on the top floor. We can eat, then wash up and rest.”

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“Hey, Saintess, what do you like to eat? It’s your first time here, don’t be shy—order whatever you want. Our family’s richer than yours, so don’t try to save us money…”

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Yeah. Lin Wei had to die.

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The urge to kill was so strong it drowned out all reason. Oshu’s fists clenched, every muscle straining not to reach for his sword.

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He didn’t even notice—

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Behind him, Eileen watched with a sly, ambiguous smile.

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Her tongue flicked across her lips, a strange glint lighting her eyes.

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Tl Note:

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- PUA: Pick-Up Artist, someone who uses charm or manipulation tactics to win someone over rather than genuine feelings.