38~ The Doll-like Girl
A waft of fragrant wind brushed past him, and Dillin froze momentarily, ignoring John who was still speaking to him. His attention was drawn instead to the golden silhouette that had just passed him, flitting like an elusive butterfly, with a floral scent that made it seem as though he was surrounded by a sea of blossoms, leaving him intoxicated.
“Hey?” John noticed that Dillin’s gaze was fixed on the stunning figure that had just gone by, his eyes unmoving. He waved his hand in front of Dillin’s face. “Snap out of it, man, you’re drooling!”
“What does the blonde chick look like? Got you all lovestruck. Is Aistride not pretty enough for you, or is Tillysha not flirtatious enough?” John slapped Dillin on the shoulder, his curiosity piqued as he stared at the retreating golden back.
Just looking at the back, she was undoubtedly a top-tier beauty, but who knows if she’s someone whose front doesn’t match her back—she might scare off a cow by the river when she turns around.
“You’re not being a good bro, seeing a beauty and not letting me check her out. All about enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” With that, John’s voice carried a tinge of resentment. “Do you know how lucky you are? Filisia, Aistride, Tillysha—all in your team, plus a soft kitty-eared girl. Surrounded by so many campus beauties and you’re still not satisfied, wanting what’s in the pot while eating from your bowl?”
“Don’t push it.” Dillin gave John a sidelong glance. “I wasn’t checking out what she looks like.”
“Yo, acting all aloof now, huh? Come on, your eyeballs were about to pop out. If I hadn’t held you back, you’d probably have transformed into a wolf ready to swoop on her, and now you’re denying it?” John looked disdainfully at Dillin, clearly not believing a word he said.
“Say whatever you want.”
“I get it, I get it—I wasn’t checking out her face, I was sizing up her figure, right?” John teased. ” After all, whether someone is pretty is one thing, but the body is another. Surface-level people check out girls’ faces, but experienced and sophisticated people check out their bodies, right?”
Dillin gave John a withering look and decided not to entertain him any further. “You’d probably still be single if you weren’t sharing these lines with me but with some younger girls.”
“Huh, do you think I’d still be spilling these with you if I had the courage to share with younger girls?” John said a little exasperatedly. “There’s no fun in telling these to you guys.”
“Then why are you telling me? I’m starting to question your s*xual orientation,” Dillin said with disdain as he shrugged off John’s hand from his shoulder.
“You…” Dillin’s sharp retort left John speechless.
“So, I see. You brought your harem…uh, I mean, your team members to complete the assignment in Ruglien?” Realizing his word choice might not have been appropriate, John quickly changed his tone.
“How did it go?”
“If we hadn’t completed it, would you be seeing me here?” Dillin smiled at John, but John had the impression that this smile was like looking after a fool.
“Wow, you guys dared to venture into Ruglien. Amazing! No wonder you’re the cream of the crop in our year, the face and zenith of the first-years. You four are like pillars—anywhere you stand, it’s a place you dare to tread.” John marveled.
Dillin didn’t tell him about the dangers of their journey. The first-year students generally know that Ruglien is dangerous, but they only have a vague understanding of how perilous it truly is. In their eyes, the top students in the first year are fully capable of venturing into Ruglien.
Not to mention the top students, but anyone admitted into Coleman Academy could be considered top-tier from a hundred selected. Young and fearless, inexperienced with life and d*ath, these ambitious students each think themselves the best, not putting Ruglien in their eyes. Perhaps even thinking that if they were to encounter the Demon King, they might just have a chance.
“Probably about fifty-fifty.”
“Just one month in, and you’ve already completed your course. Do you know most teams are just starting to think about their assignments at this point? Or are still in a panic about how they’re going to complete them? You guys have already cleared it, huh…” John said with wide, almost deadpan eyes.
“I even feel a little envious of you, you b*stard.”
“Well, enough chatter. How’s life going in your new team?”
“Meh.”
“Really?” John looked doubtful, clearly not believing him. “Meh? Is being the captain not tough? Managing the others must be challenging, right?”
John said this, and Dillin realized what he was getting at.
The team was filled with top girls from the academy, all in their rebellious teenage years, prideful and haughty. Given Dillin’s unique situation, disagreements in leadership were inevitable, potentially leading to an unsatisfactory breakup.
It’s entirely possible. When positions aren’t equal, one side has to continually demonstrate their worth. Over time, teammates might take this for granted, leading to an ominous situation where tensions in the team could rise to the point of being unresolvable.
Others might just see Dillin basking in the companionship of beautiful women, living under the same roof with four beauties, perhaps gaining advantages from proximity. But John knew that their interactions couldn’t be that straightforward.
Envy aside, consider that Dillin is just a common male deity student. In a team filled with members born with silver spoons, would anyone even look at him? With the different educational backgrounds and concepts they bring, would there be vast ideological differences leading to potential clashes?
It’s natural. Lots see the surface, not diving deep into the complexities.
Dillin could tell John was genuinely concerned. He shook his head, signaling there was no problem.
John’s worry wasn’t entirely unwarranted, but John didn’t know something—he too was a holy deity, so he could hold his own ground.
Dillin had considered this issue when forming the team. The solution he came up with was simple and direct: anyone who didn’t respect him would be reasoned with—using physical force to back up his logic where necessary.
Turns out, his teammates were more reliable than he expected, from high-bred backgrounds yet surprisingly humble and easy to get along with.
By this time, the golden silhouette had disappeared around the corner.
Dillin instinctively wanted to chase after her to find out more, but thought better of it because it would have made him look like a creepy stalker.
Had he seen that girl somewhere before?
Recalling the dazzling golden hair, Dillin paused for a moment.
When the girl had passed by him earlier, he had felt a slight twinge of familiarity in his heart.
It must have been a coincidence. Besides, this academy was filled with people he’d never seen—many classmates he had yet to fully recognize, let alone students from other classes.
“Speaking of which, who was that blonde girl? Is there such a distinctive and gorgeous holy deity at our academy?” John rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Are you really that curious?”
“Of course! You know how it is in our school. The female holy deities are either neglectful of their appearance or are more intellectual and composed, generally not interested in romance, dressing minimally. To them, men only slow down their quest for knowledge. Do you realize how hard it is to find a partner under these circumstances?” John said with a woeful expression.
“From the look of it, that girl knows how to dress herself well. She wore a blue ribbon, with her hair styled neatly into twin tails—this is the first time I’ve seen a girl in our academy dress so elegantly!”
“Say, what are my chances if I pursue her?” John rubbed his hands together.
“What? You?” Dillin, already dismissing his previous reaction as a fluke, glanced at John. “Fifty percent.”
“Oh! So you’re saying, if I just go up and make a bold move right now, she has a fifty percent chance of agreeing?!”
“Is this real or fake, Master Dillin? You know more about such matters, have more experience. You’ve got to help your bro!”
“I am sure you have a fifty percent chance, in other words, anyone has a fifty percent chance,” Dillin said with a smile.
“That is to say, your chances of rejection and acceptance are equal. You might be turned down, and you might be accepted—that’s it.”
“You didn’t say anything useful!” John’s mouth twitched, realizing Dillin was teasing him.
“Hey, buddy, are you really uninterested in that girl?” John pulled Dillin into a corner and whispered quietly.
“That depends on what kind of interest you’re referring to.”
“What?” Looking at the amused Dillin, John felt he couldn’t quite read what the other was thinking.
In the past, if Dillin was asked a question, he would answer with a minimal response and not utter unnecessary punctuation. If asked too many questions, he would grow impatient and give curt answers.
But now, it seemed as though every word out of Dillin’s mouth was a riddle, feeling like he was just toying with him.
“Young man, don’t be too greedy! Already have a beautiful wife and three beautiful concubines? Don’t snatch potential partners from us bachelors!”
“You can say that a bit louder if you want. But don’t blame me when the backup team starts pounding on you!” Dillin cleaned off some dust from his clothes as he spoke.
“I’m serious with you, look, you’ve already got Tillysha, right? She stood by you in your most difficult moments, but here you are, chasing after others. How unfaithful is that?”
“Even Aistride is fine, isn’t she? She’s in the same team as you now; if there are any barriers between you two, you can always start over!”
“What exactly do you want to say?” Dillin yawned, preparing to leave.
“Eh, my good buddy, you’re the smart one! In just a couple of days, you’ve gotten even more handsome!” This was half flattery, half truth. Dillin did look a bit better since returning from Ruglien, although saying he was outright handsome might be a bit of a stretch.
“Oh? So?”
“My dearest friend, how about you go ask that girl if she has a boyfriend?” John pleaded.
“And how would I do that?” Dillin gave him an eye roll. “Approach her and directly inquire if she’s dating? That awkward pick-up line is probably something only you would think of.”
“So, how should I find out then? Do I have to arrange an accidental encounter or something? I’m not good at that kind of thing.”
“Encounter? What century are you living in if you’re still doing that sort of thing? No wonder you can’t find a partner. You’ve been brainwashed by those third-rate romance novels. I think it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever find someone.”
“Huh!? If I say another word, I might turn into a blue-eyed lunatic!” John was getting agitated, giving Dillin a dangerous look. “If I can’t find a woman, then I’ll go for men. Fine, right?”
“Sorry, I find you repulsive too.”
“Hah! Can’t help it!”
“If you don’t help me, I will morph into a blue-eyed demon right here and wrestle you down!” John was exaggerating.
“Idiot, if you want to find out if the girl has a boyfriend, the simplest method is to punch your way forward and just…er…confess.”
“Ah? Isn’t that too direct?”
“That’s why I said you don’t have the guts.”
“You…” For some reason, as Dillin leaned against the wall with a teasing look, John felt his temper rising.
“Alright then, we’ll try it! Let’s go!”
“Though, direct approaches don’t always work. Even if she’s single, she might still conjure up a fake boyfriend to politely deflect you: ‘I already have a boyfriend’!”
“True…so?” John’s eyes sparkled. “How about you go check if the girl has a boyfriend?”
“It’s not like I’m the one looking for a girlfriend. Why should I go?”
“Please! You’re my only dependable relationship advisor!”
“If you want to get a partner, shouldn’t you focus on your teammates first?” Just as Dillin said that, he remembered something—John’s teammates were all burly men.
That’s just tragic.
“Well, I’ll give it a try, but don’t blame me if things go south.” Unable to resist John’s steady gaze, Dillin reluctantly agreed.
This fool was quite a hassle, but he was often a good friend in need.
“Thank you, thank you so much!”
As they turned the corner, they saw the girl with the golden hair tied with a blue ribbon, delicate as a porcelain doll, standing on the balcony at the end of the corridor, casually leaning against the railing and gazing down at the scenery below.
John gave Dillin a look and Dillin strode out silently, hands in his pockets.
At this moment, the corridor leading to the balcony was empty.
“Cough.” Upon reaching the balcony, Dillin coughed deliberately to get the golden-haired girl’s attention.
“Classmate, are you alone?” Dillin forced a pleasant smile, realizing this was the first time he’d ever tried to initiate something like a confession. Previously, Dillin was pretty much disinterested and would never have made the first move.
At the sound of his voice, the golden-haired girl leaning against the balcony railing turned her gaze.
The first thing Dillin noticed was the moist, emerald eyes, and a face more dreamlike and delicate than he could have imagined from the back, along with her twin-tailed hairstyle. The girl looked like a princess straight out of a fairy tale………
