Lin Ran originally thought he’d get an answer like [Do you remember how many slices of bread you’ve eaten?].
But the answer he received was——
“Eat? I never eat anything…”
“Whenever something comes in, I always entertain them properly. If someone’s magic smells sweet, I might…just take a tiny bit. But until now, I’ve never encountered a creature as sweet as you…so tragic.”
“But for some reason…those people couldn’t get used to the food here, and died within a few days…To commemorate my friends, I turned them into this.”
As she spoke, she conjured a plate of [food] as if presenting a treasure.
The so-called food was a plate connected to the ground, made of meat identical to the surrounding environment.
On it, several bones were haphazardly arranged.
Considering that the treasure chest monster in front of him was also connected to the ground…
In other words, this plate of food and the treasure chest monster girl before him were both organs of the treasure chest monster’s main body.
That really was hard to swallow…
Even if there was someone stubborn enough to eat it, the treasure chest monster couldn’t supply her own flesh indefinitely.
Starving to death was only a matter of time.
What’s more, the real problem was the complete lack of water.
After all——the water served by the treasure chest monster was also a chunk of flesh shaped like a cup.
“You…don’t like it either?”
“But it’s okay! Your magic is so strong, you’ll definitely be able to stay with me forever and ever!”
She looked at Lin Ran, her eyes dimming for a moment, then brightening again, filled with a stubborn hope.
After speaking, she hugged him again.
Several soft pink tentacles extended from her back, tightly wrapping around Lin Ran.
Then, her actions escalated——
From sniffing and rubbing, to licking.
“Sweat…is also a high-quality magic reservoir…Can’t waste it.”
As she licked, she savored the taste.
At this moment, Lin Ran found himself in a dilemma.
First, this treasure chest monster was definitely eating people, she just wasn’t aware of it herself.
The creatures that entered died from lack of food and water, starving and dehydrating to death.
Then, inside the treasure chest monster’s body, they turned into skeletons and became her nutrients.
If he did nothing, he’d end up the same sooner or later.
The other dilemma…
He, Lin Ran, was at least a healthy, hot-blooded male college student.
Being hugged, sniffed, and licked by a high-value, landmine-type beauty…
Who could endure that!
Even if he knew that the treasure chest monster in front of him was just an organ similar to a tongue, even if he knew the landmine girl’s clothes and beautiful appearance were simulated.
But—a beautiful girl.
Looks like a beautiful girl, feels like a beautiful girl, the sensation of being licked and sniffed by a beautiful girl—
That’s a beautiful girl!!
Which executive could resist this test!
The three women at home—one didn’t understand anything, one was timid and fearful, one dared to act but was too simple and rough in her methods.
For the first time, he understood why men with beautiful wives at home would still have thoughts of cheating.
Whether it was Little Lin Ran controlling Big Lin Ran, or Big Lin Ran controlling Little Lin Ran, it was all just a thought away.
In the end, rational Big Lin Ran overpowered Little Lin Ran.
“That kind of thing should wait until after clearing the route!”
While complaining to himself, Lin Ran transformed into a slime and easily escaped from the tentacles.
Then, he took out the Affection Handgun, loaded a corrosion bullet, and fired at the tentacles.
“Bang!”
The tentacle was hit by corrosive liquid and retracted immediately.
Next, he tried to release threads and use the automaton’s control ability…
But——he failed.
The moment the thread touched the treasure chest monster, it neither wrapped around nor controlled her, simply falling to the ground with no effect.
As expected, the girl in front of him wasn’t the main body.
After all, the treasure chest monster’s main body couldn’t possibly appear before him.
Because this entire space——
Was her main body.
“Why are you attacking me…? Do you hate me?”
The treasure chest monster girl withdrew her tentacles, her eyes instantly reddening, her voice tinged with tears:
“I just…wanted to be friends…wanted you to stay with me…Why did you hurt me…”
It was as if a teenage girl had been beaten up in the bathroom by her crush—a grievance that made her feel wronged and miserable.
Seeing the treasure chest monster not attack him further, Lin Ran didn’t explain right away.
He just gently patted her head.
Then, he found a remote spot and sat down.
In this space, doors were just decoration.
If you really wanted to get out, there were only three methods: forcibly breaking the treasure chest, having Vilarim save you, or having the treasure chest monster let you go.
But the first two would destroy a capturable character, so Lin Ran dismissed them immediately.
So, he could only proceed to the capture phase——
“I was more surprised that no one attacked you before…Oh, I guess they were all tied up by you? Those people you brought in who couldn’t get out, what were their last words? Try to remember.”
After Lin Ran spoke, the treasure chest monster girl actually tilted her head and thought seriously.
It seemed she wasn’t fundamentally evil—just a mind that couldn’t mature after being confined in the treasure chest for so long.
“That child…kept crying ‘Ah—let me go!’ It was so noisy…So I used my tentacle to gently cover her mouth and nose…Then she went quiet and never made noise again…”
“That’s called suffocation!!”
“There was also one who said she wanted to go back to see her husband. I didn’t want to let her go, so I locked her in a dark room.
A month later, when I remembered and went to check on her, she wasn’t moving…Humans are so fragile, I never eat and nothing like that happens to me.”
“Because the human you ate was that person…”
“Oh, and there was that goblin who said he’d report me to the Demon King for eating a coworker—I didn’t! I was afraid Lord Demon King would misunderstand, so I wouldn’t let him leave…
Later, he kept begging me for water. I thought he was trying to trick me into letting him go, so I ignored him…Eventually, he stopped moving too.”
“……This is obviously intentional by now.”
Lin Ran was beyond the point of retorting.
As for not being fundamentally evil—he’d have to reconsider.
With a long sigh, Lin Ran drew out the Affection Handgun once more.
He fired into the air, greatly increasing the corrosion.
“Let me out. I can let you absorb magic from me regularly, and be your friend.”
“But if you keep holding me, I’ll die like the others.”
“This shot is a warning, to let you know I have the ability to escape. But if you let me go, it’ll be better for everyone.”
Corrosive liquid struck the flesh wall above, making a ‘shhhh’ sound as it sizzled, causing the entire space to tremble.
After speaking, Lin Ran looked at the treasure chest monster.
She lowered her head, clearly feeling the pain from the corrosive liquid just now.
After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly raised her head, tears in her eyes:
“You…You’re lying! I clearly let a few go, and they all promised to return! But they left and never came back!”
“I don’t care! This time I absolutely won’t believe it! You must stay! You have to stay!”
“We promised to be together forever! You’re not allowed to go back on your word!”
“I…”
Lin Ran tried to say more, but the treasure chest monster suddenly hugged him tightly.
Then, pressing closely against him, the tentacles on her back grew larger and wider, forming a cocoon of flesh that tightly, relentlessly wrapped around his entire body.
The space grew cramped; even breathing became a luxury.
Immense pressure came from all directions, crushing Lin Ran so thoroughly that even as a grown man, he couldn’t resist.
The air thinned, consciousness blurred, and darkness crept over his vision.
“Crap…Did I say too much? Did I make her angry…?”
But——
[ Ding! The treasure chest monster has been moved by your words. Affection +20! Current Affection: 40 (Instinctive Reliance) ]
Affection…actually increased?
…