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Emilia felt it the moment it happened.
Although Cynthia only had a minuscule amount of energy left, the redhead was still able to slowly familiarize herself with it over time, and she could clearly feel something similar rapidly leaving the hero's body and dissipating into the world.
Her partner's excited squealing soon confirmed her thoughts.
"Emilia! Emilia! We did it! The world will's host acknowledged it, and it couldn't handle the backlash as expected!"
And as if to make it official, Cynthia even pinged her with updated 'system messages'.
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Ding! Ding! Ding!
The hero and the heroine have developed an irreconcilable hatred for each other!
Mission 2 is now complete!
[Calculating Individual Contribution…]
Cynthia = 80%
Notable Merits:
—Guiding Emilia.
—Teaching Emilia.
—Playing with Emilia.
—Not letting Emilia go astray.
—Making Emilia focus on what matters.
Demerits:
—None.
Emilia = 20%
Notable Merits:
—Obediently following Cynthia's guidance.
—Having a somewhat suitable attitude for a villainess, most of the time.
Demerits:
—Always causing mischief.
—Not paying enough attention to Cynthia's teachings.
—Being too obsessed with mortals.
——————
Ding!
The energy acquired will be allocated based on the contributions, but since Cynthia has graciously given up her part, Emilia will receive 100% of the energy.
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Emilia felt her lips twitch. 'Isn't Cynthia just giving it to me because she's too lazy? And this…'
But perhaps realizing that she might have gone too far, the system prompt abruptly changed. Not only did all the absurd 'merits' and 'demerits' vanish, but their contributions were also flipped.
==========
Emilia = 80%
Cynthia = 20%
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Cynthia coughed. "N-Never mind the glitch before. But look, we finally did it!"
Emilia could only shake her head with a smile.
Since she was in a good mood, even Cynthia's shamelessness looked cute.
In fact, having finally completed one of her missions, the redhead felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and nothing could bring her down.
But Emilia couldn't help but furrow her brows as she watched all the energy leak away. 'This… Isn't it going to waste? I can't seem to be able to attract it?'
Cynthia cleared her throat awkwardly. "That… there's a special method to take in this kind of energy before converting it to your own. Um, unless you want to jump around and physically let it flow into your body, that is."
Emilia tilted her head in confusion. 'Special method? Won't you teach me?'
Her partner waved her hands rapidly, as if afraid of being misunderstood. "O-Of course I will! I'll teach you later, though, since we can't do that yet. It's flowing back into the world from the world will, and if we extract it right away, even that moronic thing will notice something strange, okay?"
Seeing that the redhead's eyes lit up in realization, Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief. "D-Don't worry, aside from us and the world will, there's no one else who can make use of it. And of course, that thing can't take back what it has lost."
Emilia hummed thoughtfully. 'Isn't it pretty easy to take back our own energy if it hasn't been consumed by someone else?'
Cynthia smirked. "Heh, is it really so easy? You only feel that way because you learned from me, and your body is my body. After all, compared to me, it is but an inferior defective little thing. How can it be the same?"
Emilia could imagine how cute and proud she looked at the moment, and could only feel pity at the fact that she couldn't immediately bring her out and squeeze her cheeks right away.
After all, they were still being watched by Noelle and her subordinates.
Cynthia coughed. "Actually, if I wasn't so weakened, it would only take a single thought to extinguish such a creature. No, I might do it accidentally, without even thinking about it. In fact—"
Emilia couldn't help but giggle in amusement. "Yes yes, I think I get it. You're very mighty, mhm."
Feeling her start sulking in her mind, the redhead only thought it made her even cuter. She would definitely have to tease her partner more later!
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Amos didn't even realize how long he had been staring at Crystal blankly, but no matter what, she refused to even look at him.
It was as if despite all her hateful acts, she didn't feel a single ounce of guilt.
The hero could only grit his teeth in rage and hate. 'I'll make you regret it, I swear!'
But just when he thought it couldn't get worse, after the two girls who had been making out separated with a gasp, the slutty whore — that ex-fiancée of his — swaggered over to him with a satisfied smile.
As most of his attention was still on Crystal, Amos clearly saw her previously glassy eyes turn hateful as her gaze landed on him.
Even Noelle, who was staring at them from a nearby building's window, could tell that she was daring the boy to even think about making a move on Emilia so she could stomp his teeth in.
The hero was no normal person, though, and his thoughts naturally differed from the commoners. 'She doesn't even have the will to resist, but she dares blame me for not being strong enough to protect her in time?!'
Amos could feel the surge of gloom intensify in his heart. Sure enough, it's better for her to be brought back and kept locked up in his house later. 'Crystal… really doesn't deserve the trust and respect I showed her before!'
Dixie moved away when Emilia got close, though she still made sure to keep a close eye on the boy in case he made any unexpected moves.
Emilia gave the dark-haired girl a relaxed smile. "My knight is really too diligent and caring, mhm, but don't worry, I'll be careful."
Before the resentful hero could take out his rage on her, she sent him tumbling back with a kick. "Ah, sorry, my leg slipped."
The hero coughed as he tried to regain his bearings and tried to stand up, but before he could, he realized that something had slammed into his chest, and then pressed right against his throat.
Emilia's face still carried that same indifferent smile as she pressed her knee on the hero's throat, kneeling over the boy as he choked. "Why don't you cry for me? Maybe I'll let you go, then?"
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