I Transmigrated as my Bias's Messenger Bird - Chapter 16
‘I should say something, make an excuse, plead for mercy perhaps? No, that might provoke him to do something worse.’
I need to make the most plausible excuse possible… No, just being as plain and honest as possible.
“I’m taking a bath…”
Have I lost my mind? Despite wishing for mercy, my brain seemed to have stalled, leaving me unexpectedly resolute and straightforward.
Rai, with his still languid expression, nodded slightly and murmured, ‘Oh, taking a bath…’
“Right. I see.” Rai replied lightly, looking away for a moment.
‘Is he just letting this slide?’
I had a moment of hope. As Rai raised his right hand slightly, a rough water spout suddenly erupted, splashing towards me.
As I looked forward in shock, Rai’s right hand swiftly approached, gripping my chin. It felt like he wanted to grab my jaw but couldn’t find a grip.
Rai’s eyes, meeting mine up close, seemed to pierce right through me. Droplets trickled down from his damp fringe, tracing along his jawline. The moment seemed to pass in slow motion.
From a breath’s distance, Rai slowly opened his mouth.
“Brave, should I say? Or…” Rai’s head tilted slightly. His eyes were like those of a predator studying its prey. “Should I say fearless?”
One corner of Rai’s mouth lifted, a smile so innocent it made me feel uncomfortable. I didn’t know what had happened to the impassive, stone-face love interest who wouldn’t even acknowledge my greeting.
Instinctively, I sensed it. That wasn’t a smile. It was a threat. I needed to say something, anything…
“I… I…”
“You…?”
As Rai prompted me to speak, it only made me more terrified. I gulped involuntarily.
“So, um… I was told to soak in the healing spring…”
“Told to soak in it. By whom?” Rai asked in an affectionate tone, as if she were addressing a pet.
“By the assistant, Luke.”
“Oh, I see. Luke.”
‘Did I manage to convince him?’
While still feeling uneasy about Rai’s oddly affectionate tone, his mouth twitched upward once more.
“It wouldn’t be a lie, right?”
“It’s true.”
“Good. That way, Luke, who would otherwise face punishment, won’t feel unjustly treated.”
“Wait a minute! Punishment…? But, but–I was told no one had reserved the Well after evening hours…”
As I was elaborating on my explanation, Rai’s grip tightened on my chin, causing my head to tilt slightly backward. Under his looming gaze, I felt overwhelmed and lost my words.
“What exactly is your purpose?” Rai inquired.
My purpose? I felt unjustly accused. I was just a normal person who woke up in a strange place and was brought here by an arrogant eagle against my will…
When I attempted to open my mouth to express my genuine thoughts, transparent windows appeared before my eyes as if I were about to tell a lie.
[Rai’s Question Event Triggered! Please select an answer.
- I’m researching mixed bathing cultures around the world.
- Starting today, I’m taking over the management of the Tower.
- I’m proposing to the Tower Lord.]
…What? …Please, spare me.
Normally, there would at least be one somewhat reasonable option to choose, right? However, no matter how many times I reconsidered the choices, there was nothing suitable. Unknowingly, I swallowed dryly.
If I said I was researching mixed-bath cultures, I’d probably get a fireball right there and be done for, and if I said I was going to take over the Tower, I’d be labeled a madman and put in the tower dungeons. Even so, it feels like none of these options are sane in this situation.
‘Proposing out of the blue in a place like this? This is insane…’
I met him in a bathhouse and now I’m going to propose to him? This also feels like it might lead to a prison sentence somehow. What should I do?”
As I nervously bite my lip, Rai’s head tilts slightly as he looks down at me.
“Can’t find any excuses?”
“Um… um?”
I wanted to say it’s not that, but the words wouldn’t come out.
You can’t say anything when the damn options are floating around. You just have to pick something.
“Three.”
Rai began counting down. Oh, God.
“Two.”
And with that, Rai’s left hand burst into flames. Please don’t kill me.
“One…”
“I’m asking you to marry me.”
That’s it. I chose option 3 while suppressing an internal meltdown, and for a moment, there was silence.
[Oh no! Rai Sherfied’s affection levels have dropped by 5849 points!]
Huh? The disparity in the scale seemed about to drive me crazy, but then another message popped up.
[ S O R R Y ! The subject perceives you in two distinct ways. The combined affection level calculation failed.]
Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I have no idea.
[ S O R R Y ! Individual affection level will be summed when the subject perceives you as one entity.]
I was momentarily dazed by the crazy messages.
“I decline.” Rai replied bluntly, taking a step away from me.
‘What? Don’t you usually freak out when you hear the word ‘proposal’ in a situation like this?’
Rai seemed to take the situation in stride, as if it were expected at this point, and said no without a second thought. Although I wasn’t entirely sincere myself, such a flat-out rejection stung a bit. It almost wounded my pride.
As I stood there dumbfounded, Rai wrapped a black robe left near the spring around himself, tied its sash at the waist, and casually remarked, “Since the rejection is done, this conversation is over. Let’s hear your real purpose, shall we?”
Rai snapped his fingers and a small bead of light appeared out of thin air and flew toward my neck.
‘What, is he going to cut my throat?’ I wondered, feeling a chill as I instinctively touched my neck.
Sitting comfortably by the spring, Rai ran a hand through damp hair and asked, “Why have you come to Alucina?”
