Indeed, when dealing with a liar, one cannot afford even the slightest lapse in vigilance. If not for Merlin’s ability to hear the other’s thoughts, he would have been deceived long ago!
But could the other party be deliberately using his inner thoughts to trick him?
Merlin hesitated for a moment, gazing at the glass filled with pink liquid before him, and ultimately decided to repay the other in kind.
Angel looked at the food on the dining table before him, finally no longer darting about in every direction, and let out a sigh of relief. He intended to pick up his knife and fork and eat directly, for his stomach was already aching with hunger.
But just at that moment, he felt the pouch beside his seat suddenly drop downward.
This made Angel instantly set down his knife and fork and hurriedly reach for it.
This pouch was what Angel used to store the magical plants he had collected, possessing a freshness-preserving function.
That was why Angel hadn’t immediately turned in his magical plant collection quest but had instead come to have lunch with Merlin.
And in a place Angel couldn’t see, while he bent down to pick up the pouch, Merlin had already silently swapped the two glasses of wine with magic.
Angel reacted swiftly, catching the thin cord of the pouch just as it was about to hit the ground. He picked it up without incident, this time not placing it near the edge but snug against the backrest, so the pouch wouldn’t easily fall again.
Angel picked up his knife and fork once more, his peripheral vision sweeping toward the glass of table wine beside him, feeling that something was just a little off.
But this wine did seem to contain some magical plants it was likely brewed with them. Earlier, when the wine had been sloshing around, Angel had already sensed it.
So, was the mana he was sensing now just the mana of the magical plants?
Angel’s gaze fell on Merlin.
“This guy wouldn’t tamper with the wine, would he?”
Merlin’s hand holding the knife and fork made no extra movement. Instead, he looked at Angel with anticipation: “I’ve heard this restaurant’s couple’s meal is delicious. I wonder if you’ll like it.”
Angel looked at the other’s utterly sincere expression, then thought of how the man had creepily followed him all the way into the Rice Forest. If not for that strange information that had appeared in his mind, Angel would have kept as far away from him as possible.
“This is a meal for the two of us to share you should also taste whether it suits your palate,” Angel replied.
Both of them lowered their heads with smiles and began cutting into the dishes on their plates with knife and fork, their chaotic inner thoughts not showing in the slightest.
Of course, that was only how it appeared to outsiders. Merlin, however, could clearly hear every one of Angel’s thoughts.
He knew doubt had arisen in Angel’s mind. This liar’s vigilance was truly formidable he probably understood very well how to deceive others, which was why he was so cautious himself.
So by the time the meal ended, Angel hadn’t taken a single sip of wine.
In response to Merlin’s somewhat dejected inquiry, Angel merely wore an apologetic expression: “I really don’t like drinking. If it’s just a bit used in cooking, that’s fine, but drinking it on its own I truly can’t accept, because it makes one lose their senses and leads to consequences one can’t accept.”
Since Angel had said as much, Merlin had no way to persuade him to actually drink that glass of wine.
However, Merlin knew that the move he had just made was rather obvious. The fact that his tailing had been discovered had already put Angel on alert, and now this action of his only made the other man even more wary.
But if the other party was trying to poison him, couldn’t he fight back?
Since things had already come to this, looking at Angel who seemed eager to part ways with him, Merlin directly reached out and firmly grasped the hand that was resting on the table, like a reluctant, clingy big dog: “My dear Angel, I truly don’t wish to be separated from you again. Are you still going into the forest to gather magical plants? I can come with you! With me by your side to protect you, I absolutely won’t let anyone or any magical beast harm you!”
Suddenly having his hand seized, Angel jolted with a start and nearly instinctively flung the other man’s hand away.
But after Angel managed to restrain himself from doing so, he felt a strange sensation.
Why did his heart seem to be racing, his face feeling hot, and even his breathing growing somewhat labored?
“Oh no, this thing on me that resembles a contract really isn’t a prank it’s something that genuinely affects my body. Is this something like a love charm or similar?”
Merlin clearly heard every thought in Angel’s mind. Though he didn’t know what a love charm was, just hearing the name made him certain it wasn’t anything proper!
Especially when Merlin noticed Angel’s suddenly flushed cheeks.
This made Merlin shudder all over, nearly snatching his hand back on instinct. Something felt completely off!
Could it be that the curse-like thing planted on Angel was something that could make a person aroused just through touch?
That kind of thing was too vile, too disgusting!
Merlin felt revolted. If not for his immense willpower, he felt he wouldn’t have been able to keep up the act any longer and would have just punched this guy outright!
Angel had no idea what Merlin was thinking. He felt that he was even beginning to reluctant to let go of Merlin’s hand, and the other man seemed to exude a faint, alluring fragrance that drew him in, as if it had been tailor-made for him. He couldn’t identify what the scent was, but it made Angel want to get closer!
“Damn it, there’s definitely something wrong with this thing on me! I actually find him fragrant! No, I can’t let this continue!”
Angel tried hard not to let any hint of fear show on his face: “I’m still used to completing tasks alone, and if you don’t know much about magical plants, you’ll only slow me down.”
Though Merlin himself was so disgusted that goosebumps were about to break out all over him, hearing Angel’s equally uncomfortable inner thoughts made him tighten his grip on the other man’s hand even more, forcing himself to look like a pitiful little puppy with eyes even misting over with a hint of tears: “Angel, I do have some knowledge of magical plants. I definitely won’t hold you back—I’ll just stay right behind you! I’ll do whatever you ask of me!”
Angel felt his heart no longer beating as fast as before, and his breathing wasn’t as rapid either. Yet he sensed that Merlin’s fragrance seemed even more intense now. The scent was almost like alcohol, making Angel involuntarily intoxicated by it, even wanting to draw closer to the other man!
He was now completely devoid of the strength to pull his hand free from Merlin’s grasp.
Angel struggled to maintain his rationality, searching through his somewhat muddled mind for the only solution that could change the current situation.
That was to agree to him! If he agreed, the other would surely let go of his hand!
He couldn’t continue having skin-to-skin contact with Merlin any longer!
“Fine then, but you absolutely cannot run off on your own. I don’t want anything to happen to you in the forest.”
Hearing this response, Merlin finally released the other’s hand in excitement, jumping straight up from his seat with a beaming smile. “Then let’s get moving right now!”
Merlin secretly breathed a sigh of relief finally, he no longer had to hold that liar’s hand!
And the moment his hand was released, Angel also felt a sense of relief, because he no longer had to smell that scent on Merlin that seemed like the most alluring poison, and his mind instantly cleared.
Unlike the excited Merlin, Angel paused for a second before finally picking up the pouch he had placed on the sofa. Looking at Merlin, who was staring at him with sparkling eyes like an excited big dog as if waiting for him to grab a leash and take him for a walk Angel felt not the slightest bit happy.
Because this was purely asking for trouble for himself!
“Bringing a yandere freak along with me is really going to cause problems! Even though I’ve already slept with him, I don’t want any more physical contact with him! The problem with my body might very well be his doing!”
“No, I can’t let this continue. Even if I have to spend more money, I need to go to the hospital and get myself checked out!”
Merlin now felt that the other’s current behavior was all an act deliberately trying to arouse his sympathy, making him feel sorry for the other, and then falling into his trap!
But at this moment, Merlin also thought was the information the other had obtained about his sister merely a coincidence, used to lure him into a scheme?
No, Merlin felt he needed to go to the hospital too, to resolve the issue of why he could hear Angel’s thoughts!
He was afraid that while he could hear Angel’s thoughts, the other could also hear his!
And Angel’s inner voice was performed in response to his own thoughts, while he had exposed all his information to the other!
No, if that were the case, then what kind of benefit would the other gain from going through all this trouble?
Merlin was now half-convinced, but he still tried to clear his mind of distracting thoughts, refusing to let his imagination run wild.
The two of them, both wearing expressions of pleasant contentment on the surface, returned to Rice Forest.
At this time, the forest was still bustling with people coming and going, lively as ever.
The outer perimeter of the forest was the least dangerous roughly at the level of an apprentice mage so it was also the most crowded. Rare magical beasts and magical plants were scarce in this area.
The magical plant Angel wanted to collect wasn’t in the outer perimeter, but deeper within.
Merlin had been playing the part of a clingy, big puppy that was Angel’s description of him. Merlin scoffed at the characterization inwardly, but since Angel seemed to like it, he had no choice but to put on a convincing act. Inside, he was utterly disgusted, and for Angel, who had a thing for anthropomorphizing animals, Merlin found it downright perverse.
People were people. If someone liked animals that much, why not just get an animal? Humans and animals were completely different! Treating a person like an animal was pure degeneracy!
Merlin pretended to be considerate and understanding, but all the while he was observing Angel’s every move, deducing all sorts of information about him through his various habits and mannerisms.
But right now, the surroundings looked strangely familiar it was just like the place he’d come across after encountering those mushrooms yesterday!