Their romance storyline only begins on the second playthrough

Finally, Felicity covered her lips, took two steps back, and said, "Then I'll be leaving now."

Felicity left, and Lilith, who had been huddled in the corner, finally stood up and walked over to him.

Her eyes were filled with complex emotions, and she simply pursed her lips:

"Rhodes".

Again.

She was never good at expressing her feelings in front of other people.

This was especially true in front of Ivina.

Right now, she's just a helpless person.

She felt that what belonged to her was being gradually taken away, and her resentment grew stronger and stronger.

If she continues to be marginalized like this, she will really become unable to do anything, and can only curl up in the corner in silence like just now...

But simply doing things isn't enough, and simply making yourself more humble won't earn you more love.

and so……

“This time, I was able to help… with Cecilia’s matter.”

"Yes, that's great. It was an unexpected thing that she was able to fuse with the Demon God's Echoes on her own." Rhode didn't deny Lilith's contribution, but he didn't offer much praise either.

A gentle, conventional approach is like a needle that doesn't hurt or itch, yet it makes one's heart ache even more.

I want more, but I know I don't deserve more right now...

Complex, chaotic, and painful emotions were all mixed together, making it difficult for her to breathe.

But she wanted to say something, yet her pride prevented her from letting go because Ivina was there.

She couldn't hold his hand and ask him to care for her more, just like she could when she was alone with Rod.

Even now, I still have to save face.

She lowered her head reluctantly, but after thinking for a long time, she could only give up.

She couldn't get anything...

But at that moment, Rhodes reached out his fingers and gently ruffled her azure hair.

"Are you sad because of me?" Rod bent down.

"I……"

Yes, or no.

"Ah."

"Some things have to be said eventually; you can't just keep nodding and shaking your head."

As long as the fact that you like me is still true, then I don't mind waiting for you for a little longer, but we still have to move forward.

Otherwise, if you can't say anything when it comes to the crucial moment, I really will abandon you.

I hate it to happen again, you understand?

"I know." She pursed her lips, her delicate shoulders trembling.

"Go back and rest. And don't worry about anything, I really won't do anything to Ivina."

Upon hearing this, Lilith calmed down a bit and showed a normal expression.

"It's a deal, okay?"

“Hmm.” Rhodes nodded.

Lilith was finally relieved. Her shadow stretched long in the dim light as she walked to the doorway.

But in the end, she still couldn't bear to look at Rod one last time.

Because she suddenly felt like she might have been fooled by just a few casual words...?

Yes, to put it bluntly, Rhodes won't do anything to Ivina, but can't Ivina do anything to Rhodes?

This isn't an equal sign at all...

Ultimately, she felt a sense of powerlessness, as if she had been cuckolded, but she could only endure it and walk out.

Sooner or later, her dynasty will be able to return; it definitely will.

Once her thoughts were closed behind the door, everything fell into peace.

The candlelight, which had been disturbed by the girls' departure, returned to normal, and Ivina leaned against the wall, looking slightly nervous.

"Miss Lilith, she likes you too."

It was only at this point that she learned the truth.

Although she had some suspicions before, she let it go because Rod said, "The relationship is complicated, you don't need to know."

But it's obvious we can't just go there casually now, right?

She originally thought there would only be two people to share, but it turned out there were three?

"Heartbreaker..." she muttered under her breath, her head bowed.

"I can hear you."

"Hmph, I said it on purpose for you to hear, nonsense." Ivina placed her hands on her chest, straightened her fish-like, beautifully curved back, and looked away.

"Hey, you were just speaking up for me..."

"That was so Felicity wouldn't be sad! Not so you wouldn't be sad," Ivina retorted, then walked past Rhodes and sat on the bed with her legs spread apart.

The room had heating stones, so my body felt warm.

Rod followed her to the bed and sat down beside her.

"So, how are you feeling now? Is there anything you want to say?" Rod whispered as he leaned close to her.

“I…” Ivina lowered her head, crossed her legs, hugged her arms, and curled up into a small ball.

"Do you want to say something to apologize for?"

"Hmm. Cecilia, the big bad guy, is someone I created. I, the big bad guy, am a monster born to make anyone who gets close to me problematic."

“But all of that is in the past. Cecilia will be constantly punished, but now you have me, and you won’t hurt anyone else.”

As the words fell,

This is nothing more than the knot in the young girl's heart.

Rod's voice was calm and steady, like the ocean soothing one's heart.

Ivina's nails dug into her arm, and a thin mist rose in her eyes again.

These were tears of gratitude, because she knew that everything Rod spoke so casually was a result of the changes brought about by his act of salvation.

Without Rhodes, she would be nothing more than a corpse waiting to be killed, relentlessly destroying human cities.

Without Rhodes, she wouldn't have been able to feel the warmth, feel the light, or take that step into the hall of coming-of-age ceremony.

Yes, she has come of age, and at this moment, she has been given a second chance at life.

“Hey.” Ivina reached out and tugged at Rhodes’s sleeve, her tone a mix of coquettishness and haughty restraint. “Even if you’re a lolicon, you don’t have to go this far, doing all this.”

"Someone like me, who speaks harshly and has a bad figure, would probably find it hard to be liked even if I were a normal person."

"So what?" Rod tilted his head and said calmly.

Upon hearing those three words, all of Ivina's feelings of inferiority vanished.

What she was turning to was a strange, barely concealed anger. She said coquettishly, "What do you mean, 'what'? I'm speaking seriously, you're listening carefully!"

"If the so-called relationship between people is always measured by interests, then it is too meaningless."

Sometimes, besides completing the main storyline, I just want to do something that makes me happy, that's all.

After Rhodes finished speaking, he slumped down and leaned against Ivina.

"Wow--"

Ivina, who was curled up in a ball, was suddenly thrown to her side and rolled onto the bed by the sudden gravity.

"Hey!"

She released the ball, crawled out from under Rhodes, and then viciously rubbed Rhodes' face: "Damn it, damn it, damn it..."

But Rod simply ignored all of that, raising his hand high, then threading the glimmer of light through his fingers—

"Ivina, are you happy?"

"Huh? You're pressing down on me, of course I'm not happy!"

"I mean, are you happy about getting out of the mud?"

"..." Ivina's words caught in her throat, and she closed her lips slightly.

Then, she leaned forward, lifted Rod's head and placed it on her lap, lowering her pale face.

"Be happy... right?"

"That's good. If you're happy, I'm happy, and everyone's happy."

Solving a major crisis for Phillips, killing the witch, and making everyone happy—isn't that something we should definitely do?

Otherwise, what's the point of becoming stronger? Isn't it just to serve and please oneself?

Professor Merrick was the same way; she enjoyed the thrill of killing, which is why she became stronger, not the other way around.

Ivina remained silent, simply absorbing all the peaceful and gentle things around her, and her mood gradually calmed down.

Too……

Things are good, but what's the point of feeling inferior or anything like that?

Just enjoy it, just satisfy your greedy desires.

And at this moment—

Rhodes's purple eyes met Ivina's.

"Hands out."