Chapter 60: The Heat Rises.

Ize’s brain went blank for several seconds, the soft and unfamiliar sensation on his lips lingering like a brand that wouldn’t fade.

By the time he regained his senses, Rhea had already pulled back. She was slumped on the ground, breathing slightly heavily.

It’s over, it’s over, it’s over! Alarm bells rang out in Ize’s heart.

He felt himself drifting further and further away from his goal of “staying under the radar.”

Although Rhea had been the one to take the initiative just now… in that split second, had he, possessed by some ghost or god, seemed to… maybe… possibly… respond a little?

You couldn’t really blame him for that brief, instinctive reaction.

This was his first kiss, after all. It was only natural to steal a little taste when he couldn’t help himself!

He had normal physiological needs too. If the fear of death hadn’t occupied most of his thoughts, he might have been devoured by Rhea long ago.

“Uh… this… I…” Ize was incoherent, trying to explain but not knowing where to start.

He hurriedly handed over the half-bottle of sedative he had just prepared, his voice dry. “This medicine… there’s still a large portion left. Drink it quickly!”

Unexpectedly, the thunderous rage he anticipated did not descend.

Rhea lifted her eyelids. Though those hazy silver-gray eyes still held traces of moisture, they seemed to have regained a sliver of clarity.

She didn’t look into Ize’s eyes. She simply took the test tube silently. Her fingertips trembled imperceptibly when they touched his, and then she tilted her head back to drain the cold potion in one gulp.

The effects took hold quickly. The unnatural flush on her face faded at a visible rate, and her hurried breathing gradually steadied. She stood up and straightened her slightly disheveled robes. Her movements still carried her usual cold and elegant poise, but the slight pink tinge at the tips of her ears betrayed that her heart was anything but calm.

“Thank you,” she said. Her voice was lower than usual, carrying an undetectable hint of raspiness, but her tone was unusually calm—as if the person who had just lost control and kissed him wasn’t her.

“Sorry for the intrusion.”

After saying that, she didn’t even give Ize another look. She turned straight around, pulled open the door, and her figure quickly disappeared into the darkness of the corridor. She left behind only a faint, cold scent in the air that belonged to her, and Ize, who stood frozen in place with a heart as tangled as a mess of hemp.

Ize stared blankly at the empty doorway, subconsciously touching his lips.

She just… left like that?

No anger?

No violence?

Not even a single harsh word?

This calmness was a bit eerie!

Did he accidentally mix some amnesia-inducing ingredient into the sedative?

No, that wasn’t right. He knew the formula perfectly.

Or was it that… Rhea actually didn’t find it that repulsive in her heart?

As soon as that thought emerged, Ize forcibly suppressed it. Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

That Affection Level was definitely the result of the drug!

He frustratedly scratched his hair, feeling that his future was pitch black. He was wading deeper and deeper into the muddy waters of this main plot.

***

Early the next morning, the group gathered at the entrance of Kasipe Village.

The atmosphere was a bit subtle.

Rhea had returned to her “keep away” ice-queen persona, acting as if everything from the previous night had never happened.

She didn’t even spare Ize a single glance, standing silently at the front of the Liyue Academy team.

This also proved that the enhanced sedative Ize had concocted yesterday was effective.

Ize, sporting a pair of faint dark circles under his eyes, tried his best to lower his presence by hiding behind Luke and Emma.

Luke looked at Ize and then stole a glance at Rhea. An ambiguous smile that said “I get it” appeared on his face. He only settled down and hissed in pain after Ize gave him a stealthy kick.

Ize thought Luke’s memory had returned or that he had somehow caught wind of the gossip between him and Rhea. He asked tentatively, “What’s with that expression of yours?”

Luke rubbed his head and smiled. “Naturally, I know that you, Senior…”

Halfway through his sentence, he froze again.

Right, what did he know?

Why did he always feel like there was some unspeakable secret between Senior Ize and Lady Rhea?

His head itched so much. What on earth had he forgotten?!

Luke remembered the scene when Ize beat up Swan and said suspiciously, “Senior, I always feel like you’ve cast Physical Amnesia Magic on me.”

Ize was startled. He hadn’t expected Luke to suddenly get smarter. He laughed. “How could that be? You’re my dear ‘Junior.’ You know everything about me. There’s no need to use that move on you.”

Hearing this, Luke felt it made some sense. “But I always feel like I’ve forgotten something…”

Ize said, “It’s fine. You’ll remember eventually.”

On the other side, Sarah finished the head count. After confirming everyone was there, her gaze swept over the group. “According to the Village Chief, the nearby Xis Family garrison will arrive this morning to take over the defense of Kasipe Village. Once they arrive, we will set out immediately, cross the Magic Beast Forest ahead, and head to the next teleportation anchor.”

Sure enough, the Xis Family’s troops arrived at Kasipe Village shortly after.

Before leaving, Rhea suddenly spoke up, her voice cold as she questioned the Commander of the stationed army. “Did you place an automatically triggered defensive magic circle at the West Gate? That formation was quite exquisite and saved my life. My Arseid Family should naturally show our gratitude.”

Her question made Ize’s heart skip a beat, and he subconsciously pricked up his ears.

The Knight Captain sent by the Xis Family showed a look of bewilderment upon hearing this.

He also wanted the Xis Family to earn the Arseid Family’s favor.

However, he still shook his head. “Lady Rhea, I led the team during the last few goblin clearing operations. While I did consider setting up a magic circle, no one in our team is proficient in formation placement. The family’s Formation Master happens to be away from the Raymond Territory during this period.”

This answer surprised everyone.

Sarah looked thoughtful. “It seems that the expert who laid the formation does not wish to reveal their identity.”

Roger pushed up his glasses. “To be able to set up a formation that triggers so precisely and possesses such impressive power, that person’s attainments in magic circles must be extremely high. Could it be a passing hermit expert?”

Rhea remained silent for a moment, a flicker of faint confusion and deeper curiosity flashing in her eyes.

She nodded slightly and stopped asking questions. However, the image of that mysterious formation master who had saved her at a critical moment left a deeper mark in her heart.

Leon stood by her side, taking in her entire reaction. His hand hanging by his side tightened slightly. He also really wanted to know who that unknown existence was—the one who had ruined his “Hero Saving the Beauty” plan.

The team soon set off, entering the depths of the Kasipe Forest.

Because this forest was close to the Raymond Territory and had experienced the goblin mutation, the atmosphere felt exceptionally gloomy and oppressive.

The tall trees blotted out the sun, the light was dim, and the air was filled with the faint scent of decaying matter and the specific musky stench of magic beasts.

Ize still walked toward the back of the team, but he didn’t dare to relax his spirit in the slightest.

He kept an eye on his surroundings while replaying the events of last night and that inexplicable kiss in his mind.

In the moment his mind drifted slightly, a change occurred!

*Swoosh!*

A black shadow shot out from the bushes diagonally in front like a bolt of lightning, lunging straight for Ize!

It was a Shadowclaw Marten, not large in size but incredibly fast. It was a D-rank magic beast specializing in stealth and surprise attacks, and its claws carried a paralyzing toxin!

The incident happened so suddenly. Ize initially wanted to cast Scratch-Style Magic, but with everyone present, casting it would expose his true strength.

If he tanked it with his body, his ridiculous defensive power would also draw attention.

His pupils shrank, and only one thought flashed through his mind: “Should I just choose to dodge clumsily?”

Just as he was about to roll on the ground in a pathetic manner—

*Whoosh!*

A scorching line of fire arrived first, accurately hitting the Shadowclaw Marten and instantly charring it to a crisp!

The speed of the strike was even faster than Sarah, who was standing near Ize and had also sensed the danger and was preparing to move!

The group stared fixedly. They saw Rhea, who had turned around at some unknown point, with a wisp of fire elemental mana that hadn’t yet fully dissipated lingering in her hand.

Her expression remained icy, as if she had just casually swatted a mosquito.

The scene fell into a brief silence.

Everyone’s gaze subconsciously darted back and forth between Rhea and Ize.

The hand Sarah had been preparing to lift slowly lowered. She looked at Ize, who appeared normal on the surface but was actually panicking inside, and then at Rhea, whose face was frosty but whose strike had been as fast as lightning. A flash of realization and amusement crossed her eyes.

She thought to herself, “It seems my Junior Ize is quite well-liked by Rhea!”

In that kind of sudden attack, Rhea had reacted even though she was further away from Ize than Sarah was.

This also meant that while Rhea seemed to be looking ahead, her attention had always been on Ize.

Emma and Luke were full of surprise.

Luke even nudged Ize with his elbow, winking and silently mouthing the words: “Senior, you’re the man!”

In his view, this was clearly Lady Rhea being nervous about Senior Ize!

Leon’s gaze, however, darkened completely. He had seen it very clearly. Rhea’s reaction in that instant was almost a mindless instinct, faster than everyone present, including Sarah, who was closer!

This subconscious desire to protect far exceeded the scope of ordinary classmates or teammates.

The look he gave Ize became deeper and more inscrutable, swirling with scrutiny, suspicion, and a hint of icy coldness from being strongly threatened.

Ize himself felt his scalp tingle, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.

He hurried toward Rhea’s direction and thanked her in a tone that tried to be natural but was actually very stiff. “Tha… Thank you for your help, Lady Rhea.”

Rhea gave him a faint glance. Her eyes were calm and waveless, as if saving him just now really was just something she did in passing.

She said nothing. She simply turned around again and continued forward, as if that earth-shattering strike had never happened.

However, this brief scene was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring different ripples in everyone’s hearts.

Most people present could see Rhea’s attitude toward Ize.

It was the same when she handed him water last time, and it was the same with this rescue.

It appeared that this heir of the Arseid Family cared quite a bit about Ize.

Was it because, as Sarah said before, Ize’s future prospects were limitless?

Or was there another hidden reason?

Feeling the various gazes coming from all directions, Ize sighed inwardly.

What a mess!