The Germain squad spent some time recovering alchemical plants from the remains of the Disease Spreader.
This time, they only managed to collect 30 plants—over 20 fewer than last time.
Still, it was enough. They then returned to the "Special Lantern Teleportation Point" in the Wasteland. By the time they arrived, it was already late at night.
Setting up camp nearby, they spent another night there. The next morning, they used the instant teleportation between "Special Lanterns" to return to the Ancient Labyrinth.
As soon as they arrived at the "Special Lantern Teleportation Point" at the top of the tower, the team members finally relaxed.
Bisky was the first to rush off, her footsteps thudding down the stairs.
She wanted a bath—then to put on a fresh, fragrant dress.
For days, she had been wearing the same tight-fitting outfit for convenience in battle.
She had endured enough. In her eagerness, she didn't even greet the other three before running off.
Buhara was the second to leave.
He said he would inform Ging, Menchi, and Sanbica, who had stayed behind, that their team had successfully completed the mission and returned safely.
Germain, meanwhile, stayed near the "Special Lantern Teleportation Point," checking what new "negative traits" or "illness" he had acquired this time.
The results weren't too bad—two "negative traits" but no "illness," which was considered the best outcome.
The first negative trait was "Wasteland Phobia."
This meant that whenever Germain was in a barren landscape like the Wasteland and encountered a "stress event," his stress would increase even more than usual.
The second negative trait was "Shoulder Injury."
This caused all of Germain's melee attacks to deal reduced damage.
Both of these negative traits would need to be removed as soon as they returned to Greed Island.
In terms of limitations, it's clear that the "shoulder injury" poses a much greater danger.
At this moment, Shizuku, who was still on the top floor of the tower, approached.
Germain didn't turn around but felt the warm, soft body pressing against his back, allowing him to fully sense its incredible elasticity and stretch.
Shizuku wrapped her arms around Germain from behind, her side face pressed against his broad back. She squinted her eyes with an expressionless face, breathing slowly.
Germain didn't move, letting Shizuku continue holding him.
This was one of the rare moments they had alone recently, so he let Shizuku continue.
Her action, which seemed a little like acting cute, only started after that night.
Germain noticed that Shizuku was becoming more and more feminine, in both body and spirit.
After squinting for a moment, Shizuku opened her eyes, released her arms from Germain, and adjusted her crooked black-frame glasses.
"What's wrong?"
Germain turned to look at Shizuku, sensing the slight change in her mood. This was a subtle understanding between lovers after their soul connection.
"Mm..." Shizuku put her finger to her lips, cutely tilting her head. "Bisky seems to have noticed our situation."
"Oh, she noticed?"
Germain wasn't particularly surprised. In fact, he had known that the girl in her fifties would eventually notice.
"Probably," Shizuku replied.
She grabbed her collar with her right hand, revealing a glimpse of her full, smooth skin, before using her left hand to reach inside and pull something out, placing it in her palm.
It was a small, bronze pocket watch, with a small inverted cross still hanging on her chest, but it was forced to be hidden in the depths of the dark world, unseen by the light of day.
She found this on me and asked, 'Isn't this Germain's pocket watch? Why is it with you?'"
Germain raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
"I said I wanted it, so I took it. After that, she just smiled and didn't ask further."
Shizuku paused for a moment and added, "I don't like the way she smiles. It always feels like she knows everything."
"Well, if she knows, then she knows. I don't care."
Germain really didn't care. The reason they hadn't gone public yet was because he didn't want too many people getting involved in his relationship with Shizuku.
They might mean well, but Germain and Shizuku didn't need that kind of interference. They both preferred things to unfold naturally, like they are now.
As for Germain's pocket watch, how it ended up with Shizuku, that's because of Shizuku's bad habit.
She always liked to swipe little things from Germain.
It started with Germain's sketches, though technically, Germain had given them to her, and the sketches were of Shizuku herself.
Then she took Germain's dice, his headphones, his game console, his pen… and now, finally, his pocket watch.
Shizuku was like a hamster, constantly taking little things from Germain and keeping them with her, hiding them away.
The pocket watch was something she grabbed when she was hurrying to help Germain take off his clothes, and she forgot to return it.
Germain had gotten used to things slowly disappearing from his side and ending up with Shizuku, so he didn't mind. He just let it go.
Little did he know, that pocket watch would become the key to Bisky discovering and confirming the latest development between Germain and Shizuku.
Right now, Germain and Shizuku were in the sweetest period of their time together.
If Bisky insisted on bringing it up, they wouldn't really say anything.
But in the end, Bisky was the one who understood them the best, and the one who cared about them the most.
She chose to say nothing, acting like she hadn't noticed anything.
Germain and Shizuku stayed on the top floor of the tower for a while longer, then walked down the spiral stone stairs together.
Originally, the center of the tower only had a spiral stone staircase, with most of the area hollow. Now, however, ceilings and floors have been added, creating multiple levels.
Germain and Shizuku arrived at the bottom floor. After stepping out from the archway of the tower, they were immediately engulfed by the surrounding shadows.
Tall walls rose up around them, completely encircling the tower.
Of course, the tower still stood as the tallest structure here, with the walls only reaching about two-thirds of its height.
The sound of busy Moose Centaur warriors echoed around them as they transported stones to continue the construction of the city.
Under the command of Ging and Scela, and with their hard work, the basic shape of the tower castle had already been established.
As for Germain's four-member team, who had not participated in the castle's construction, their reason for disappearing during this time was to explore the ancient labyrinth.
This explanation was enough for Scela and the other Moose Centaur warriors, who didn't question them.
Germain and Shizuku were greeting some nearby Moose Centaurs, explaining that their team had just returned, when Ging appeared.
He adjusted his hat, ensuring the strong wind between the high walls didn't blow it away. He muttered to himself for a moment before stopping in front of Germain.
"Buhara just told me. You guys came back at the perfect time."
Ging noticed some Moose Centaur warriors in the distance, waved his hand, and pointed toward the inside of the tower.
"You two, along with me and Bisky, the four of us should go inside and talk. It's time to figure out the next target."
********
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