Damian Blocks Her With His Arm

"If—just hypothetically!—three men proposed to you at the same time, one from Drake Abyss, one from Southern Realm, and one from Lumina Realm, which would you choose?" Adrian pressed.

"Your whole premise is flawed!" Lucia retorted. "Choosing a husband isn't just about where he's from. Of course it's about the person!"

"So, if you fell for a guy from Drake Abyss, you'd be willing to marry here?" Adrian grinned.

Lucia raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm just asking on behalf of the men of Drake Abyss—seeing if any of them have a shot at marrying my senior!"

He's actually using his senior sister as a joke!

Lucia strode toward him. "So which one of you from Drake Abyss wants to marry me? Go on, spill!"

Adrian darted behind Damian. "You want to know? Not telling! Guess!"

"Why are you hiding? Come here, I promise I won't hit you!" Lucia tried to grab him.

But Adrian stayed hidden behind Damian, still provoking her. "Guess right and I'll come over."

Lucia reached out to catch him.

She lunged left—he dodged right.

She lunged right—he dodged left.

Before she knew it, they'd reached the edge of the big rock. Adrian's eyes gleamed—and he suddenly dove straight into the water.

Lucia lunged after him, nearly tumbling in herself.

Luckily, someone stopped her just in time.

It was Damian. As she lost her balance, he suddenly stretched out his arm and blocked her.

Lucia steadied herself by grabbing his arm, finally regaining her footing.

She looked at Damian, smiling gratefully. "Thank you."

Damian didn't say a word, just withdrew his arm.

He clutched the spot where she'd touched him, face flushed, breath slightly unsteady.

"Saint Maiden, please be careful." Just then, Ezra Cloud, her Divine Attendant, came over to steady her.

Lucia gave him a gentle smile.

"Saint Maiden, I just picked these Fairy Fruit over there." Ezra handed her a few cherry-sized, bright red fruits. "Would you like to try one?"

Lucia took them, popped one in her mouth, and said, "Mmm! Delicious! Drake Abyss really is overflowing with water—even the fruit is juicier than ours. Here, everyone, have a taste."

She happened to be closest to Damian, so she handed the fruit to him first.

He glanced at Ezra, then snatched the whole handful from her and stuffed them all in his mouth, chewing away.

Lucia: "..."

She'd only meant for him to take one, so everyone could have one...

"Hey! Why did you eat all the Fairy Fruit?" Ezra was upset. "I picked those for our Saint Maiden!"

Damian replied matter-of-factly, "She gave them to me."

"She... she meant for you to take one!" Ezra fumed.

Damian drawled, slow and indifferent, "Really?"

"Saint Maiden! He's doing it on purpose!" Ezra stamped his foot.

"Enough, Ezra," Lucia said. "We can always pick more—there's plenty over there."

"Hmph!" He turned and stomped off.

But as he walked away, somehow he slipped—and with a splash, fell right into the water.

Lucia: "..."

She turned to Damian, about to say something, when Adrian suddenly emerged from the water as a little white dragon and sprayed water at them.

Yep—everyone was soaked.

After the water fight, Lucia forgot all about the fruit incident.

...

The group wandered and played, and by that afternoon, they'd arrived at Drake Deep.

"What's that place?" Lucia asked, spotting a cluster of buildings floating on the sea, brimming with spiritual energy.