Chapter 330

「……」

Damn it! If only this brat could be even dumber!

Seeing Leon's face—five parts shock, four parts stunned silence, and one part profound disgust—the Red-haired Director let out an audible tut, then blinked her sultry fox-like eyes, cheeks flushed as she gripped the corner of her robe.

"What are you talking about? How could I possibly… from your mouth…"

"You absolutely thought that!"

Leon instantly saw through the Red-haired Director's clumsy act. He hissed, drew in a sharp breath, and stepped back two paces, clamping his lips shut.

No wonder you've been so nice to me today! You even wasted such a precious wish to help me obtain a suitable anomaly—this whole time, you were just waiting for this!

Tch! Guess I can't fool her anymore!

Watching Leon retreat several paces, lips sealed, guarding himself like a thief, the Red-haired Director blinked once, then spoke with a hint of sadness:

"Leon, today's my birthday. I only get to celebrate once a year—I just want to take one sip of something good. Can you…?"

"This isn't about birthdays!"

Alert to the Red-haired Director's emotional ploy, Leon firmly shook his head.

"If you want to drink, I'll buy you some after we return. I'll even borrow money from the Princess—whatever you want, I'll get it for you. But this…"

"But this isn't something you can just drink casually!"

Looking at the small bottle in Leon's hand, the Red-haired Director pouted pitifully:

"This is steeped in the bead of the God of Wine—it holds trace amounts of the God's【Wine Authority】. All the wine in the world combined can't match it. Even wine slightly inferior to it doesn't exist. The wine available in the Capital is at least two tiers below this."

"Leon, good Leon, I just want to taste one sip today—on my birthday. I won't do anything else. Besides, you already promised me! How can you back out now?"

"I… I did promise you, but I didn't know you…"

"Don't worry—just one sip!"

Seeing Leon's resolve falter, the Red-haired Director beamed with triumph. She crept closer silently, raising her hand to swear:

"I swear—if you let me take one sip, I'll never bother you again! And I'll keep this secret from everyone!"

"…"

"Good Leon, today's my birthday. I granted you a wish on my birthday—won't you grant me one too?"

"…"

"You know I left my parents when I was young, joined the Clearance Bureau—every birthday, I've always been alone…"

"Stop… stop talking… I… I give in…"

Unable to resist her persistent nagging—and fearing she might just forcibly take it by force if left unsatisfied—Leon gritted his teeth and reluctantly agreed to this absurd, shameless request.

"Aha! I knew you'd give in! Don't worry—I'll be quick! Close your eyes, it'll be over in a second!"

Seeing Leon finally give in, the Red-haired Director's eyes sparkled with triumph. She urged eagerly:

"Drink! Drink fast! Yes, yes! Take more!"

"Keep going! Bigger sip!"

"Mmm!!!"

Hearing her urging, Leon gulped down a full mouthful, cheeks bulging. He glared at her, face flushed with anger.

That's it! If you want more, you'll have to swallow it yourself!

"Alright, alright. That's enough then."

Reading his meaning in his eyes, the Red-haired Director sighed regretfully, carefully sealed the cap, and tucked away the half-bottle. Then she wrapped her arm around Leon's neck and tiptoed slightly.

"…"

Honestly… though her personality was insane, the Director was still a rare beauty—even rivaling the Princess, famed as the most beautiful woman.

Following the pull of her arm, Leon lowered his head slightly. His gaze traced down her cunning fox eyes, past her smooth, high nose, finally settling on her slightly pouted, pink lips. His heart skipped half a beat. His throat moved involuntarily.

Following the pull of the arm wrapped around his neck, Li Ang slightly lowered his head, his gaze tracing down the red-haired director's sly fox-like eyes, past her smooth, upturned nose, until it settled on the softly pouted, pink lips—his heart skipped half a beat, and his throat instinctively bobbed.

"Oh no! Don't!"

Seeing Leon's Adam's apple twitch, the Red-haired Director instinctively clamped her fingers around it—pinching hard—and forcibly stopped the wine from sliding down.?!

Seeing Li Ang's Adam's apple twitch, the red-haired director instinctively clamped her fingers around it, forcibly stopping the spilled liquor from sliding down in Li Ang's stunned gaze.?!!

"Uh… sorry…"

Realizing what she'd done, the Red-haired Director gave Leon an embarrassed smile, then quickly pressed her warm lips against his. Leon, whose heart had already died before it even stirred, reluctantly parted his lips, face dark.

Realizing what she had just done, the red-haired director smiled apologetically at Li Ang, then quickly pressed her warm lips to his—while Li Ang, whose heart had already died before it could even beat, blackened his face and slightly parted his lips.

Though the process and motive were utterly absurd, the presence of the fine wine made this impure kiss still feel fragrant…

Though the process and reason were utterly absurd, the presence of fine wine made this impure kiss still feel fragrant and…

A searing heat surged straight into Leon's core. His eyes flew wide. He instinctively tried to pull away—but the Red-haired Director reacted faster. She shoved him back and turned her head, trying to spit out the wine.

But before they separated, a rose-colored horn-shaped rune glowed on the small bottle. The remaining half-bottle of wine instantly transformed into blazing red chili oil!

Yet before the two could separate, a rose-colored ox-horn secret pattern had already appeared on the small bottle tightly clutched in the red-haired director's hand—the half-bottle of fine liquor instantly transformed into blazing red chili oil!

After frantically spitting out the chili oil, Leon's tongue had gone numb. The Red-haired Director wasn't faring better—her pale pink lips had turned bright red, swollen from the heat.

After frantically spitting out the chili oil, Li Ang's tongue had gone numb from the heat; the red-haired director fared no better—her once-pale pink lips had turned a fiery red, swollen from the burn.

With a familiar growl both recognized, the rune on the bottle faded. The crimson chili oil inside, nearly seeping through the glass, reverted to clear, fragrant wine—as if nothing had happened.

The chili oil they'd spat onto the ground quickly pooled together, leaving a vivid red, angry message on the pale soil of the Dead Realm.

"You two have truly opened my eyes."

"You two have truly opened my eyes!"

"…"

…

"You're back."

Hearing footsteps behind her, Emma, who had been sitting on a round stone by the lake, stroking a Deathcrow, turned her head. She was about to ask how things went—but froze.

The reason? Leon and the Red-haired Director walked side by side, yet their gazes never met—one looked left, the other right.

One looked like a thief caught red-handed: face flushed with guilt and shame. The other looked like a thief who failed: sighing bitterly with regret.

Judging by their expressions… had they been caught stealing the coffin?

Thinking this, Emma's heart tightened. She set down the Deathcrow and rushed over, eyes filled with concern:

"What happened? Was it the Third…? Wait—what's going on? Why are both your lips swollen?"

Thinking of this, Emma's heart tightened; she immediately put down the Deathcrow and hurried forward, her eyes full of concern as she asked:

"What happened? Is it the third-generation… hmm? What's going on? Why are both of your lips swollen?"