As usy back, catching his breath, he couldn''t help but admire Lucy. She was more than just beautiful—she was everything. He wasn''t the same after he got back from the dead. It''s like he has grown overnight, making him more perceptive.


    ''She''s incredible,'' he thought, his gaze softening as he watched her. But just as he was lost in his thoughts, admiring her sinful body, a voice echoed in his mind.


    ''He is incredible. I would''ve killed myself if he hadn''t woken up,'' the voice whispered.


    Startled, us blinked. It wasn''t his own thought. It was Lucy''s voice. His eyes widened in shock.


    "Lucy, what did you just say?" us asked, lifting his head to look at her resting on his chest.


    "What? I... I didn''t say anything," Lucy stammered, her face growing pale. She had just thought to herself how she might''ve killed herself if us hadn''t survived the assassination attempt.


    "us," her voice cracked as her eyes filled with tears.


    "It''s okay. Don''t think like that," us said gently. "I''m not going anywhere anytime soon. But... how is it that I can hear your thoughts in my mind?"


    Lucy''s eyes grew wide in disbelief.


    "What?" she whispered, her heart racing.


    "Yes, I can hear your voice inside my head. Can''t you hear mine?" us asked, his eyes searching hers. But Lucy just stared at him, wide-eyed, clearly in shock. After a moment, she shook her head.


    "I can''t hear yours," she whispered.


    "Strange," us muttered. "Try thinking of something else."


    Lucy nodded, focusing on positive thoughts this time. But as she did, us''s expression remained nk.


    "It''s not working anymore," he said, confused. "But how did it work the first time?"


    "What were you feeling when you said those words the first time?" us asked, his voice soft but curious.


    Lucy wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "I was feeling how lonely I would be if you were gone from this world. It was heartbreaking, us. I was really scared," she admitted, her eyes filling up with tears again.


    ''I was really scared,'' she thought, and suddenly, us heard her voice in his mind once more. His heart skipped a beat.


    In response, us focused on Lucy, reaching out emotionally. At that moment, he felt something shift—like they had established a connection.


    ''It''s okay, my love. I''ll make sure this never happens again,'' us''s voice whispered into her mind.


    Lucy''s eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly raised her head. "It''s working, us! I can hear you inside my mind!" she said, her smile growing wider as she looked at him, her heart soaring.


    us smiled back, feeling closer to her than ever before.


    "us, I love you," Lucy whispered, burying her face in his chest, tears spilling down her cheeks. The emotion was overwhelming, and their shared connection felt like a gift. What woman wouldn''t want this? The ability to hear the thoughts of the one you love—at least the ones they chose to share—felt deeper than words.


    It was more intimate than anything Lucy had ever imagined. This was what love should be, she thought, and now she was fully immersed in it. Truth be told, she had been scared from the beginning She wasn''t sure what she was getting herself into when they started, but now lying on us''s chest, feeling his breath on her neck, she feltplete, more happy, and somehow stronger.


    "us," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "I want to open every part of myself to you. All my thoughts, everything about me—my fears, my strengths, and my weaknesses. I want you to know it all." Lucy was lost in love for the first time in her life. She was really in love now.


    us gently brushed her tears away, smiling warmly. "I don''t need to know all that to understand how much you love me. I already know, Lucy. You lying here,pletely defenseless on my chest, says everything I need to hear. I''d rather get to know you naturally."


    He paused, a teasing grin on his lips. "Wouldn''t it be fun when I find out you''re scared of spiders?"


    Lucy''s body shuddered involuntarily at the word spiders.


    us chuckled. "Heh, so you really are scared of spiders. Who would''ve thought?" Hisughter echoed in the room as Lucy squirmed deeper into his arms, hiding her face.


    "Stop it," she muttered, embarrassed but smiling as she clung tighter to him. Looking at how adorable she looks, us''s heart warmth.


    They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other''s warmth, before us finally broke the silence.


    "So, what''s next?" he asked, his voice low and calm.


    "I''ll stay for a few weeks before I have to leave," Lucy replied. "My master gave me some time off. I think she just wants me to clear my mind before I climb the Stairway to the Heavens. She knew I''d hear about your assassination attempt one way or another, so when I broke through to the Saint stage, she brought me here herself."


    us nodded thoughtfully. "She sounds like an amazing person."


    "She is," Lucy said with a soft smile. "She''s like a second mother to me."


    "A second mother, huh?" us raised an eyebrow, his expression curious.


    Lucy, noticing the look on his face, quickly asked, "Hey, you''re not thinking anything shameless about my master, are you?"


    us grinned. "Not at all. Why would I be thinking about other women when I have such a sinful body lying on my chest?"


    Lucy arched an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh, so when this ''sinful body'' is gone, you''ll go back to thinking about other women, huh?" she teased.


    us chuckled, shaking his head. "You know that''s not what I meant. Besides, no one else canpare."


    "I bet you''ll be saying the same thing to Sister Ohema and Miriam," Lucy teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.


    us smiled slightly, not liking where the conversation was headed. "Hey, let''s just stay in this moment," he said, his tone a little more serious yet yful. "Where only you and I matter."


    Seeing the look on his face, Lucy couldn''t help but grin wider. "Oh,e on, don''t get all flustered now," she teased, enjoying how easily she could push his buttons.


    us sighed, shaking his head with a small smile. "You''re impossible. How about I show you who''s in charge?" And just like that, they ended up in another marathon. Lucy quickly realized she was teasing a sleeping dragon.


    She experienced the dragon''s might for another set of hours before they were exhausted gain. As theyy there afterward, Lucy, now looking more flustered and weak, tried to speak. "us, about my sister, can you…"


    "Don''t worry, my love," us said with a grin. "Your sisters will learn not to mess with this young master." Lucy could only smile and rest her head on his chest, feeling a deep sense offort.


    A whileter, they went to clean up and were ready to go out after seven hours.


    "You should probably put on a weak face so they don''t devour you," us teased, holding Lucy''s hands. The past seven hours had brought them closer than ever. Lucy felt a deeper connection and warmth between them.


    "Let''s go," she said, and they left the room, wrapped in each other''s arms. us didn''t mind; he was shameless enough to use their teasing to his advantage. Lucy, on the other hand, knew her sister would give her a hard time.


    Shortly, they appeared in the hall, only to be greeted by a room full ofdies. Danny and the other guys were nowhere in sight. Their presence would have beenforting had they been there.


    Seeing the look on thedies'' faces, Lucy''s cheeks turned a deep pink. She quickly hid behind us, who was unfazed by the situation.


    "Well,dies, how are we doing?" us said with a charming smile, looking at the women before him. ''Damn, I am one lucky bastard,'' he thought to himself.