Chen Yu's eyes held a smile as he extended his hand.
His gaze was like that of someone looking at a petulant child, filled with indulgence.
He could understand.
Ever since the two of them had started gambling, the little devil had been losing. Anyone would feel a bit disgruntled, and by the rules, the little devil had fulfilled her promise.
She hadn't broken any rules.
But—
Understanding aside, he couldn't just let it go.
No matter how rare the Meteoric Iron Guards were, without activation, they were just a pile of scrap metal. He had just retaken the city and made many enemies.
Without any means to defend the city, Chen Yu's days would become very difficult.
Sona also looked surprised.
She seemed to find Chen Yu's words hard to believe.
"Barbara, you must have forgotten the Demon Energy Stone, right?" Sona whispered. To her surprise, the little devil glared back indignantly, "No, I didn't. I deliberately didn't give it to him."
"Ah?"
Sona was taken aback.
She really hadn't expected the little devil to do something like this.
"How could you do that?" Sona frowned and whispered, "Quickly give the Demon Energy Stone to Chen Yu. You gave him the Meteoric Iron Guards, but without the Demon Energy Stone, aren't they just scrap metal?"
"Why should I give it to him?"
Yet, the little devil floating in the air glared back defiantly.
"I've already given him what I promised him. Whether he can activate it is his business, what does it have to do with me? Do I have to handle everything for him? Am I his nanny?"
"Barbara~"
"I'm not giving it to him, no matter what."
The little devil stubbornly lifted her chin. Throughout this, Chen Yu hadn't said anything, just watching her with a gentle gaze.
"You, don't look at me like that." Noticing Chen Yu's gaze, the little devil bit her lips and whispered, "Even if you look at me like that, I won't give it to you."
Chen Yu remained silent.
"What?"
Seeing Chen Yu's gentle eyes, the little devil bit her lip hard.
"If I say I won't give it, I won't give it."
"Really, not even a sliver of room for negotiation?" Chen Yu whispered softly. The little devil put her hands on her hips. "Impossible, absolutely impossible."
"Alright."
Chen Yu smiled, seeming a little dejected, but he didn't press the issue.
With a thought.
The Meteoric Iron Guards were once again stored in the bracelet, and Chen Yu raised his hand to offer it.
"What are you doing?" Seeing the bracelet being offered, the little devil furrowed her brows. "Don't tell me you're giving it back to me. Throwing a tantrum like this is childish."
"It is indeed giving it back to you."
Chen Yu didn't refute, chuckling lightly.
"Not just these Meteoric Iron Guards, but also what you lost to me before, you don't need to fulfill any of it."
"You, what are you doing?" The little devil, however, started to panic and didn't take the bracelet. "What I lost is what I lost. I've always honored my bets. What are you doing now, throwing a fit?"
"I thought we were friends."
Chen Yu shrugged, a wry smile in his eyes.
"The so-called bet was just a way for us friends to have fun. You provided me with resources, and I thought it was a gift from a friend, not something you truly lost to me, or that I won from you."
"From what you just said, I know it might have been my wishful thinking."
"Then—"
"There's no point in me keeping these."
The little devil floating in the air froze involuntarily. She stared blankly into Chen Yu's eyes, at the hint of bitterness on his lips.
She couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart.
"Hmph~"
Yet, the little devil, being proud, didn't say a word of softening. With a surge of luminescence, her pretty figure in a long black dress appeared before Chen Yu, and she reached out to snatch the bracelet back.
"If you don't want it, then fine."
The little devil's face was stern, but she didn't put the snatched bracelet away. She held it tightly in her small hand, defenseless.
She was waiting for Chen Yu to snatch it back.
Unfortunately, Chen Yu maintained his gentle smile.
His face held an air of nonchalance.
He didn't even glance at the bracelet again. He stretched lazily, pursed his lips, and raised his eyebrows.
"It feels about time, we can head into the city now." With that, Chen Yu turned and walked towards the city gates.
The little devil, holding the bracelet, remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought.
She quietly watched Chen Yu's slightly forlorn back, biting her lip, her small hand gripping the bracelet tighter and tighter.
Luminescence surged.
Sona, who had been floating in the air, suddenly transformed into a mature woman exuding holiness that dared not be looked at directly, alluring yet still making one dare not have the slightest defiling thought. Clad in a dignified holy maiden's magic robe, her ample bosom still hinted at their presence.
On her brow, a golden holy sword brand flickered with sacred light.
"Now this is good."
Sona slightly raised her eyebrows and pouted lightly.
"Looking at Chen Yu's expression, he seems genuinely hurt. You've disappointed him a lot. It seems I've won again this time."
"You don't need to worry about me," the devil girl glared.
Proudly holding her small fists, she bit her lip tightly. After a long while, she still looked at Chen Yu's retreating figure and whispered.
"Is it that serious?"
"What?" Sona asked, confused. The devil girl glared, throwing a tantrum, "It's just that I didn't give him the Demon Energy Stone, why is he throwing such a big fit? The Demon Energy Stone isn't some rare commodity. He has over twenty million gold coins, he could just buy it."
Unexpectedly, Sona smiled slightly.
"You, do you think this is still about the Demon Energy Stone?"
"Otherwise?" The devil girl bit her lip. "He's so petty, he can mess with me, but I can't tease him a little and see his reaction?"
"Barbara, if you think this is about the Demon Energy Stone, then... perhaps he's just being stingy."
Sona's voice was gentle, and Barbara frowned upon hearing this.
"What, you're saying that too? Don't tell me you actually believe what he said? I could hear it clearly, his talk about friends was clearly fake."
"But my holy light tells me he's not lying."
Instantly, the devil girl was rendered speechless.
"Even though we haven't known Chen Yu for long, from his usual behavior, you can see that he is a very gentle and kind person at heart," Sona said softly. "He might be a bit unreliable sometimes, but you shouldn't doubt the sincerity of his feelings when he's serious."
"Hmph~"
The little devil feigned disdain, crossing her arms and spitting lightly. Seeing this, Sona suddenly burst into laughter.
"Actually, you two are quite similar in some ways."
"Us, similar?!" The little devil immediately acted as if she had heard the biggest joke. "Sona, aren't you overestimating him? What qualifications does he have to be like me? When I ruled the six kingdoms, he probably wasn't even born yet. And you say we're alike? Tell me, where are we alike?"
A smile appeared on Sona's face as she slowly uttered two words.
"Stubborn!"