Hacking the Game Didn't Go as Intended

CHAPTER 171: The Bloom and the Beast

Lyndoria glanced up at the clock mounted on the wall with a frown, her pacing becoming more frantic by the second. It was well past midnight, and still no sign of Princess Lumielle. Her mind spun with worry. Had she eaten? Was she drinking enough water? Was she being eaten alive by insects? And worse—what about the terrifying creatures that roamed the forest under the cover of night? But, above all, it was well past the princess's bedtime. She needed her beauty sleep to preserve her flawless complexion! What if she woke up with a pimple?

"Ekkkk!" Lyndoria shrieked at the thought, her hands flying to her face in horror.

Haxks Starfrost, that useless cur, she seethed, her frustration building. Her fangs sank into another defenseless handkerchief, practically shredding it with the force of her anger. This is all his fault! And he better not be doing anything inappropriate to the princess!

***

"Gahhh!"

"Kyaaa!"

""Hmph!""

Daisuke and Lumielle were abruptly teleported outside, landing with all the grace of a water slide ejecting its riders. A pained yelp escaped them as they tumbled onto the fern-cushioned forest floor, one atop the other.

Daisuke blinked away the disorientation, his senses slowly returning, only to realize the princess was sprawled beneath him. Her coral pink hair fanned out like a shimmering blanket, her soft curves pressed against his chest, their shared warmth impossible to ignore.

Lumielle's lashes fluttered as her eyes opened, only to find his butterscotch gaze locked on her. For a moment, everything seemed to stand still—their faces were inches apart, their breaths mingling in the cool night air, their bodies molding into one. With a startled cry, her face turning crimson, she shoved him off with surprising strength. Then she scrambled to her feet, clutching her dress as though it could shield her from the awkwardness.

"D-Do you mind watching where you land?" she stammered, avoiding his gaze as she fumbled to restore her composure.

"Sure, next time I'll just bend time and space to make sure I land at least five feet further away," Daisuke muttered, still sprawled on the ground, his gaze lost in the intricate weave of the trees above. "I finally get it now—why she's called Sinister Granny," he added with a sigh, too mentally drained to even be irritated. "I think I lost half my brain cells just trying to hold a conversation with her."

"...She usually has good intentions," Lumielle replied with a slight pout. "But enduring her company does indeed require... an extraordinary amount of mental fortitude."

Daisuke sighed noisily. "You're not kidding. I thought dealing with Cleave and his daughter was a royal pain in the you-know-what, but that old crone? She takes the whole damn cake. I'm ready to just collapse."

"Unfortunately, we don't have that kind of luxury," Lumielle said firmly. "We need to complete our objectives here and return to the palace before daybreak. Until then, rest isn't an option."

"Of course it isn't," Daisuke grumbled, dragging himself upright. "No rest for the wicked, right."

Between her thumb and index finger, the princess held up the parchment she had received from their irritable host. The intricate magic circle etched onto its surface pulsed faintly with a green glow, casting soft, flickering light across her delicate features.

Daisuke inched closer for a better look. "Now that we have a reasonable way of finding the flower, I highly doubt this will turn into a wild goose chase."

Lumielle nodded with cautious optimism. "Shall we get moving?"

"Yeah, let's."

***