The very first thing Vivian the Witch did after coming to Alet’s side…
Was to try and steal him away.
Alet felt a little troubled.
He really didn’t want to get too close with Vivian.
Because Melo wouldn’t be happy about it.
Melo had always disliked Alet having too much interaction with other women—even among teammates within the same Adventurer party, she barely tolerated it.
As for this “outsider” Vivian, it was even more out of the question.
But, after all, the other party had saved his life earlier.
If he just told her to go away, wouldn’t that make him seem ungrateful?
So, when faced with Vivian’s suggestion, Alet chose—
Silence.
That’s right, better to say less than to say too much, and better to say nothing than to say less.
If he didn’t say anything, he couldn’t make a mistake!
For this decision, Alet nodded inwardly in satisfaction.
So, Vivian rambled on and on, only to be met with Alet staring at her like a stone statue.
“Hey, hey! At least say something, will you? Don’t just ignore me like that.”
As she spoke, she tapped her fingers “pat, pat” against the table.
Suddenly, Vivian’s eyes flickered, a sly, mischievous smile appearing on her cheeks.
Alet immediately felt something odd beneath him.
The tight armor covering his thighs seemed to be pressed by something, a strange sensation passing through it.
Lowering his gaze in confusion, he saw a slender, fair leg reaching out from under the table.
That leg was long and beautiful, tightly wrapped in glossy, black silk stockings.
Her soft, warm foot, freed from its high heel, was now gently resting on Alet’s armor-clad thigh.
The foot moved slowly up and down, as if teasing him.
At the same time, Vivian leaned forward, slowly pulling back the corner of her Cloak’s collar, revealing the pale skin of her collarbone.
Then, a sultry, devilish voice, oozing with seduction, slipped from her lips:
“Hey, hey, little knight.”
“If you agree with me this time, and come over to my side…”
“I’ll give you soooo many benefits!”
She even gave him a playful “wink” as she spoke.
Any other man would probably have surrendered under such an attack.
But Alet?
He didn’t waver at all in front of Vivian. He just kept on acting like a chunk of iron.
“Hmph… How boring.”
Seeing that her opponent was truly “impenetrable,” Vivian could only pout and pull her leg back.
She was just about to fix her clothes and think of another way to pry open Alet’s mouth, when suddenly a strong stench of alcohol drifted over from behind her.
“Hey, little lady, how much for one night?”
A Drunkard staggered over to Vivian’s side, the smell of liquor heavy on him, and slapped two filthy silver coins on the round table between the two of them.
“Huh?!”
Vivian gave the Drunkard a baffled look.
As soon as she caught a whiff of his boozy stench, she frowned in disgust.
“Are you sick? Get lost, now!”
But instead of leaving, the Drunkard just grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, his eyes becoming more lecherous.
“I saw what you were doing with that guy over there. Now you’re gonna pretend to be innocent? Huh?”
“If you think that’s not enough money, I’ll throw in a little extra, make sure you’re satisfied…”
The filthy Drunkard leered as he reached his hand toward the hem of Vivian’s Cloak.
“This trash… Looks like you’re tired of living!”
Vivian’s anger flared even higher.
She was just about to cast a spell and teach the Drunkard a lesson, when suddenly Alet, who’d been sitting quietly beside her the whole time, moved first—
He set his right hand on his left forearm, twisted and pulled, and removed the Armguard from his left arm, exposing his clenched fist.
Beneath his heavy armor, Alet wore a Tight Combat Suit.
Made from supple leather and fabric, it hugged his body, ensuring the heavy armor stayed snug.
Before the Drunkard could react, a powerful gust of wind from Alet’s punch hit him head-on!
In the next instant, Alet’s fist slammed hard into the Drunkard’s cheek, knocking him flat to the ground!
For a moment, all eyes in the tavern turned their way, lingering on the scene.
“Tsk… I really didn’t want to make Miss Melo angry.”
“Oh well, just this once. Not again.”
Alet sighed inwardly, then slowly stood up, towering over the Drunkard writhing on the floor.
“I’m Alet, the Heavy Knight of the Elite Adventurer Party ‘Crystal Thorn.’”
“You just tried to act improperly toward this lady without her consent. In accordance with the Cloud Mist Law, I am exercising legitimate self-defense.”
“If you object, you can take it up with the local Security Bureau right now. I’ll be waiting.”
The Drunkard struggled for a while before finally getting up.
“Damn! That really hurt!”
“You… you iron turtle! So what if you’re an Elite Adventurer! Just you wait!”
With that, he stumbled and limped his way out of the tavern.
“He didn’t touch you, did he?”
Only after confirming the man was completely gone did Alet turn and ask Vivian.
His tone was cold and calm, yet it still made Vivian’s heart leap.
“N-no.”
Truthfully, when Alet suddenly took action, she had been completely stunned.
But after the shock faded, she was left with a surge of joy and longing.
Vivian’s eyes grew brighter as she looked at Alet, and a strange itch began to stir inside her.
Of course, it was her heart that was itching.
“I really want him… If only I could get him right now…”
That was Vivian’s true thought at that moment.
After hearing her answer, Alet nodded lightly.
“As long as he didn’t. I know you’re strong, but I really can’t stand guys like that doing such things in broad daylight.”
“Next time, try not to do anything so bold out in public.”
As Alet spoke, he slipped the Armguard back onto his arm and secured it.
“Thank you.”
After the conversation ended, Vivian finally composed herself and sat back down.
Right now, her gaze toward Alet grew even more tender, her heart burning with a fiery heat.
The good news was, he’d finally spoken to her and was willing to converse!
“Hey, hey, little knight.”
“So, about what I was saying earlier… have you thought about it?”
She was naturally referring to “stealing him away.”
Alet shook his head, his heavy armor giving off a deep clang.
“As for that…”
“Sorry, I can’t accept.”