852 Two Choices

Franca was initially stunned, then her expression turned to one of obvious shock.

She opened her mouth, instinctively wanting to say something, but her red lips quivered uncontrollably.

Her face gradually turned pale, and her eyes flickered between emptiness and confusion.

Lumian quietly watched Franca without saying a word.

After a while, Franca asked hoarsely and with difficulty, "You agreed?"

Her voice sounded like it was being squeezed out of her throat, her eyes holding a glimmer of hope.

Lumian nodded slowly.

The light in Franca's eyes dimmed instantly.

She lowered her head bit by bit, staring at her legs resting on the armchair.

After a few seconds, she muttered as if in a dream, "I knew... Jenna's affection and regard for me were never love. I was just fantasizing... Fantasizing that she couldn't find anyone suitable to help digest the Pleasure potion and had to reluctantly choose me. And maybe, over time, physical entanglement would lead to emotional closeness...

"I knew... Jenna was in a hurry to digest the potion because her brother would soon return to Trier...

"I knew... the female Demoness path is very dangerous. Jenna is very aware of this too...

"I knew... her sexual orientation is men...

"I knew... she's decisive and good at making bold moves...

"lL... Lean accept Jenna choosing someone else. I can accept... accept that she likes someone else. She's free. She's independent. She's not my appendage. Just because I like her doesn't mean she must like me or can't get close to others... I've been mentally preparing myself for this, even comforting myself that maybe this could help me digest the Affliction potion...

"But, but..."

Franca suddenly looked up, her eyes burning with anger. "Why you? Damn it, why you?"

Lumian felt like he was being stared at by a beautiful yet dangerous leopard, but he remained silent.

The answer didn't need to be spoken. It had already been spoken.

Franca and Lumian locked eyes, her gaze gradually turning sorrowful.

She laughed at herself bitterly, then asked in frustration and anger, "Why did you agree?"

"For two reasons: one superficial and one real. Which do you want to hear?"

Lumian replied with a bitter smile.

"I want to hear both!" Franca said without hesitation, her voice firm.

She stood up, trying to make herself appear more imposing.

Lumian sighed and said, "The superficial reason is that Jenna had already come to me. Whether I refused or avoided her, it would hurt her, affect her state, and leave hidden dangers. If I agreed to help her, it would hurt you. I had to choose the option where the aftermath was relatively easier to deal with. You are optimistic and have a good nature; you should be able to gradually let go..."

"Dammit! So because I have a good nature, I deserve to be bullied?" Franca interrupted angrily, laughing bitterly.

She walked to the window, placing her hands on the window frame, staring at the night outside as if to calm herself down.

Lumian came up beside her, also gazing into the deep night.

After a few seconds, without turning her head, Franca asked, as if talking to herself, "And the real reason?"

Lumian was silent for a moment before saying, "From the moment you didn't want to lose your image in front of someone you truly loved-at the moment you began digesting the Pleasure potion-and Jenna took the initiative to approach you, your relationship entered a vortex, spiraling downward, and sooner or later it would erupt. The longer it dragged on, the more hurtful and severe the consequences. It's better to have a conclusion sooner.

"For me, the optimal choice in this matter would actually be to delay until preparations for the Iron-blooded Knight advancement ritual were complete. If things went smoothly, that would only be a matter of three or four weeks. By then, I would have gained godhood, becoming a demigod of Sequence 4.

Whatever emotional issues you two had, it wouldn't affect me even if it completely shattered our team's harmony and unity.

"Even if the subsequent Sequence 3 also required a team, I would have enough time to reorganize."

Franca listened quietly, then turned her head to look at Lumian's face. "And your emotions?"

Lumian gazed into the darkness outside, remaining silent.

Franca followed suit, remaining silent for a while before saying expressionlessly, "You should go now. I'm a mess. I want some peace."

Lumian hesitated, not moving.

Seeing this, Franca said with a complex smile, "Don't worry, I won't leave. I still have a mission.

"Why aren't you leaving yet? Do you want me to beat you up?

"Let me tell you, once I figure things out, I might end up like that Demoness in Morora and cut off your manhood! Anyway, you can grow it back; I'll cut it every day!

"Go on, get out!

"Get lost!"

Seeing Franca's emotions gradually intensify and her grabbing something to throw at him, Lumian sighed softly, walked towards the door, opened it, and stepped into the stairwell.

Bang!

The sound of the door slamming shut echoed behind him.

Lumian descended the stairs and soon saw Jenna standing silently in the shadows.

She hadn't really left. She had been waiting quietly in the building, head slightly lowered.

"How did it go?" Jenna raised her head, asking Lumian.

Lumian recounted his conversation with Franca and her reactions, focusing on the key points.

Jenna pursed her lips and said to Lumian, "You should go back. I'll wait outside in case of any accidents."

Lumian glanced back at the dark hallway, then said, "I'll wait here too."

Jenna shook her head. "One person is enough. If she calms down, she might want to talk to me. Your presence might provoke her further."

After a moment of thought, Lumian said, "Okay."

He looked at Jenna's deep eyes, filled with a hint of pain, and sighed, saying, "In this world, most people are selfish most of the time. Like you...

Lumian paused and pointed at himself. "And like me."

Jenna's gaze softened a bit, and she smiled self-deprecatingly. "Sometimes, I really want to drag you into the abyss with me."

...

Returning to his rented apartment, Lumian lay on his bed, staring at the dark ceiling, unable to sleep.

He didn't want to rely on Cogitation to calm himself down either.

After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly had a premonition and sat up abruptly, directing his gaze towards the bedroom window.

With a creak, the window opened, and Franca, wearing a woman's shirt and fitted trousers but sporting fuzzy slippers, jumped in.

In the crimson moonlight, her eyes appeared red, and she held a dagger in her hand.

"Thanks to you, I've digested quite a bit of the Affliction potion!" Franca said through gritted teeth, looking at Lumian sitting on the bed. "Damn it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!"

Lumian stared at Franca's face for a few seconds, his gaze slowly shifting to the dagger in her hand.

He waited for Franca to continue speaking.

Franca ground her teeth and said, "I can accept Jenna making this choice.

Although I would be sad, sorrowful, and in pain, I am willing to accept it and even encourage her.

"But you, you hurt your bro! You should be cut into pieces for this!

"Do you know how much this hurt me? We were so close, so in sync, always thinking of each other. Why, why did you break this beautiful state?

"You ended up making me feel abandoned, like you two are close and intimate, while I'm left out, the unnecessary one...

"I feel betrayed..."

As she spoke, the gnashing tone in Franca's voice diminished, and a trace of confusion appeared in her voice.

She paused, then threw the dagger, which embedded itself accurately in Lumian's bed.

Franca then took two steps forward, glaring at Lumian.

"You now have two choices!

"One, as I said before, if you dare touch Jenna, I'll make you drink the Witch potion and turn you into a woman. Now, your choice is to switch pathways and become a Demoness of Despair!

"Two, I screw you, or you screw mel!"

Lumian had anticipated many possible developments, but he hadn't expected these choices.

Seeing his shocked, bewildered expression, Franca added angrily, "I want to join you two!"

"Wh-" Lumian finally said a word, carefully observing Franca's state.

After speaking, Franca let out a long sigh, revealing her usual smile.

"Let me ask you, do you, uh, care about me?"

"Yes," Lumian answered without hesitation.

Franca nodded in satisfaction. "Do you care about Jenna?"

"Yes," Lumian also didn't hesitate.

Franca pursed her lips and asked further, "Does Jenna care about you?"

"Yes," Lumian had no doubts.

Franca then asked, "Do I care about you?"

"Yes." Lumian nodded solemnly.

Franca continued, "And do I care about Jenna?"

"Very much," Lumian added an adjective.

Franca hesitated and asked again, "And does Jenna care about me?"

"Very much. You're her family and her best friend," Lumian answered seriously.

Franca then raised her hand slightly.

"There you have it! We all care about each other, and we never know when we might die suddenly. So let's stay together. No one abandons anyone. It's just sleeping together. Love is a pain in the ass! To hell with love!"

Lumian was rendered speechless for a moment. He looked at Franca and sincerely remarked, "You look quite beautiful in your current state of mind."

Franca chuckled. "What else would I be doing?"

As she said this, she suddenly half-turned her head and looked to the side, her voice growing louder.

"Should I give up? Should I leave?"

Tears, long in the making, slowly trickled down her cheeks.

Lumian remained silent.

After a few seconds, Franca turned her head back, her gaze deep as she looked at Lumian. In a hoarse voice, she said, "Because in this world, you two are the most important people to me.

"The only two..."

Under the crimson moonlight, her face was already streaked with tears.