Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 287 - 280: An Ambiguous Solitude

Chapter 287: Chapter 280: An Ambiguous Solitude

After declaring his sovereignty, Tangmo glanced at Melia with a provocative look, then contentedly followed the others to the banquet hall, leaving only the awkward Luo’er and Melia.

After everyone left, Melia still looked at him with a smile in her eyes as if she was not bothered by what had just happened.

"Um, Your Highness, please this way," Luo’er awkwardly wiped the mark at the corner of his mouth then said to her.

"Still calling me ’Your Highness’?" Melia chuckled.

Startled, Luo’er blushed again, coughed, and then said awkwardly, "Melia, this way, please."

Melia considered it a small victory that she got Luo’er to address her casually. Her smile never left her face when facing Luo’er. That heartfelt smile seemed inexhaustible for the time being.

"Are those people part of your crew too?" Melia pointed at the mercenaries on the ship and asked.

"Oh, they are mercenaries," Luo’er replied.

"Let them go down for a meal, I’ll have my soldiers take their place," said Melia.

"Alright." Luo’er nodded, then loudly called the mercenaries to the banquet hall while Melia also signaled her soldiers to replace the mercenaries’ positions.

Since she started receiving support from the capitalists, Melia had been living quite well. The king, who was always occupied with warfare, nearly forgot about her existence, affording her an opportunity to develop.

Due to their partnership with headquarters, Melia could buy weapons there for a minor cost. Selling such a vast amount of weapons to Melia for less than a tenth of the market price, headquarters even offered many things for free. All this was done to nurture this force in the Masya Kingdom, showing maximum sincerity.

"These are all weapons," said Luo’er as he entered the cargo hold filled with the scent of gun oil, grimacing. He then opened a wooden box and explained to Melia, "These are semi-automatic rifles, these are fully automatic ones, along with machine guns and artillery for support. The military officers will teach you how to coordinate firepower. If all goes well, you should be able to pick it up soon."

Melia took out a handkerchief to cover her nose and nodded, frowning. Luo’er continued, "In there are also two million rounds of various types of ammunition, mainly for training. The next batch of ammunition will arrive next month, so you don’t have to worry about a shortage."

"Thank you," said Melia, nodding her head, turned, and walked straight toward him.

"Melia, you..." Seeing Melia walking towards him, Luo’er instinctively took a step back, looking at her nervously.

Melia looked at him with a beaming smile, gently wiped the spot on him just kissed by Tangmo with her handkerchief. Then tilting her head, she asked, "How long has it been since we last met?"

"Well, it’s been, it’s been almost half a year," Luo’er stammered with a sense of confusion.

"You’ve grown pretty fast!" Melia was still smiling, but Luo’er could clearly sense the malice in her gaze.

"No, it’s not what you think," Luo’er quickly defended. For some reason, he felt the need to explain this to Melia.

"Of course I know." Melia said, looking directly at him with a smile returning to her face.

Seeing Melia smiling again, Luo’er finally exhaled in relief, and realized, why did he explain such a thing to her?

What Luo’er didn’t notice was that the handkerchief Melia wiped his mouth with had just been on her lips. She had defied him in a subtle way, trying to erase the trace left by Tangmo.

On such an issue, Melia dropped her usual sharpness and magnanimity, becoming petty instead.

Melia sensed that Luo’er’s feeling for Tangmo had not changed. It was clear that a certain obsession in his heart was still tying him down, keeping him from easily loving any other girl.

After their frank encounter in Galan, Melia stopped showing any dislike for Luo’er, even though he was a half-elf. She once tried seizing Luo’er’s heart, but ultimately failed. Luo’er’s heart is sealed, admitting no one, neither her nor any other girl.

It was for this reason that Melia did not persistently chase Luo’er but maintained her distance. This time when she requested the Advance Team for a direct meeting to discuss intel, her motivation was not solely for official reason, but personal ones as well. She wanted to see if Luo’er had been captured by any other girls. As long as he had not, there was still hope for her.

They fell silent for a long time until Luo’er coughed then suggested awkwardly, "Let’s go, the smell here is quite unpleasant."

"Ok!" Melia nodded, turned around to leave, but the moment she stepped on the ladder, she stumbled and fell backward.

Luckily, Luo’er reacted quickly, rushed forward, and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Luo’er held her arm, asked Melia, concernedly, who was leaning against him. Melia looked up at him, smiling. For some reason, Luo’er had a feeling that he was being tricked.

In truth, he was deceived, everything was within Melia’s predictions. This kind of trick was simple to her, far too simple. Just a slight implementation could narrow the distance between them, why wouldn’t she take advantage of it?

Melia was quietly leaning into Luo’er’s arms, her body was light, so Luo’er didn’t find it cumbersome. She exuded a faint floral scent, which was not overwhelming but lingered pleasantly.

"Um, Melia, could you stand up?" Luo’er hesitated for quite a while, before embarrassedly asking.

"I can, but could you help me, I’m afraid of falling again," Melia raised her head and asked him.

"Alright, sure." Unable to find any reason to refuse, Luo’er could only help her stand up. As soon as she stood up, she immediately hugged his arm as Tangmo would, intimately leaning against him without any hint of princess-like demeanor.

Both of them then affectionately went to the deck. Without Tangmo’s presence, Luo’er didn’t feel particularly nervous. Melia’s soldiers replaced the mercenaries, each taking their posts armed, turning a blind eye to their intimate antics.

"Um, Melia, you can let go now," Luo’er said nervously.

Melia was not as clingy as Tangmo, and quickly let go of Luo’er on hearing his words, reclaiming her princess-like poise.

"Do I look nice?" Melia lifted her dress in front of Luo’er, twirled around, and then asked expectantly.

"You look amazing!" agreed Luo’er, genuinely.

"I prepared it just for you!" Melia said, a smile resurfacing on her face. She simply loved watching Luo’er look bewildered.

"Is, is that so, haha..." Luo’er awkwardly laughed, recalling their last encounter.

In front of strangers, Melia was still as savvy and intellectual as ever. To this day, Luo’er couldn’t forget the command she gave to annihilate the front-line corps. But when she was alone with Luo’er, she would take off all her disguises, revealing the sly and lively demeanor unique to girls.

There were times when Luo’er would almost forget, this seemingly nave girl aimed to take the throne of Masya, wanting to become the queen of the Masaya Kingdom.

"Oh right, I almost forgot," Luo’er suddenly remembered something, he then took a wooden case from his pocket and gave it to Melia.

"What’s this?" Melia hesitated as she took the case, and opened it. Inside was a refined and compact handgun.

"Is this for me?" Melia asked a bit joyfully. It was clear she liked the gift.

"It’s from the headquarters, for you, as a token of our collaboration," Luo’er explained.

"Oh," Melia responded, disappointment apparent in her nods.

"You don’t like it?" asked Luo’er.

"No," Melia’s fingers ran across the elaborate engraving on the body of the gun. She then shook her head and looked up at him, "I wish it was from you."

Luo’er was taken aback, standing in silence for a while. He then coughed and lowered his head, whispering, "Then consider it as a gift from me."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he immediately regretted it. For some unknown reason, those words just slipped out.

"Then I will gladly accept it, thank you!" On hearing Luo’er’s words, a genuine smile once again appeared on Melia’s face.

"Glad you like it!" Luo’er said, feeling as though he couldn’t stay any longer, pondering an excuse to leave.

"Could you teach me how to use it?" Just as Luo’er was thinking about making a quick exit, Melia took out the pistol from the case and weighed it in her hand, then asked him.

Luo’er didn’t refuse but walked over and began instructing her on how to use the gun. "This is the safety, locking it will prevent the gun from firing. This is the slide lock, with the last bullet spent, the lock catches the slide. This is the hammer, keep it down when not in use, to avoid accidental discharge."

"Next is aiming, extend your arm straight, align your vision with the sights and target, use trigger control to avoid misfires," Luo’er continued explaining.

"Like this?" Melia raised the gun, but her stance was not quite right.

"Like this, extend your arm straight, level it with your focus." Luo’er reached out and held her hand that was gripping the gun, giving pointers.

Melia’s hands were soft and silky, much like polished white jade. He could feel her soft skin, suddenly realizing something. Only then did he notice, unknowingly, he was holding Melia, who was snuggled in his arms, earnestly taking in his lessons.