System's POV

A few minutes of silence descended upon the hot spring.

It was as if both of them were waiting for the other to say something and break the ice.

Knowing how shy Shana was normally, Thirteen decided to take the initiative to speak, so things wouldn't remain awkward between them.

"Shana, do you like me?" Thirteen asked.

He was a System, so going around in circles wasn't his style.

Thirteen would always use the quickest, most logical method to deal with any problem, allowing him to solve them without fail.

"… I think so," Shana replied

"You think?" Thirteen asked, closing his eyes once more. "So you're not sure?"

"…"

"What's so good about me? I don't even know why Erica and Sherry like me very much. I don't want to brag, but I'm a very smart person. Smarter than anyone in this world.

"But no matter how smart I am, I still don't understand what's so good about me. My looks are only slightly above average. I'm not that rich. I'm only a Rookie. Last but not the least, I'm a standoffish person.

"So, can you tell me, what's so good about me? I can understand familial love to a certain extent because that's a very normal thing. But romantic love? I don't understand it. You can even say that I hate it. I originally planned to live my life not being tied down by anyone. But…"

"But Erica and Sherry came into the picture, right?" Shana interjected before Thirteen could finish whatever he was going to say next.

"Right." Thirteen nodded. "Sometimes, I wonder if I released some kind of pheromones that made the two of them want to be with me despite my inability to reciprocate their feelings. So, can you tell me? Why do you like me? What's so good about me?"

Shana didn't answer right away. Instead, she bit Thirteen's shoulder, making the teenage boy's body stiffen.

"… What was that for?" Thirteen asked, enduring the sudden pain from the bite.

"I am just venting out my frustration, but I also did this for a reason," Shana replied. "Does it hurt?"

"Duh?" Thirteen answered. "Of course, it hurts."

"Then why does it hurt?" Shana asked.

Thirteen sighed before giving his answer. "Pain is an electrical signal transmitted through the nervous system, registering as an anomalous disruption in standard bodily function.

"The sensation triggers an automatic response, prompting attempts to identify and neutralize the source of damage. It manifests in varying intensities, often accompanied by involuntary vocalizations, fluid secretion, or motor refle—mmhhp."

"Okay, stop right there," Shana used her hand to cover Thirteen's lips to prevent him from continuing his explanation. "Can you speak human language?"

"Anyone will feel hurt if you bite them," Thirteen replied as soon as Shana's hand left his lips.

"You feel pain because you are human," Shana said before kissing the spot where she had bitten Zion. After that, she healed the injury using her healing ability. "Just like how people fall in love because it's a very human thing to do."

Thirteen was tempted to tell her he wasn't human. But knowing that saying so would only divert them from the main topic, he kept his mouth shut and listened to Shana's next words.

"Yes, when it comes to looks, Roland and Vincent look better than you," Shana replied. "When it comes to riches… I think you're richer than all the members of the Hero Party combined. You're just acting poor for the sake of acting poor."

Thirteen smiled faintly since he had indeed lied about him being poor. How could he possibly not be rich when he was the CEO of GANDAM and many other small businesses in Pangea?

"Let's not talk about you being a Rookie because we all know that your Rank doesn't match your current strength. Do you really think that there's a Rookie in this world who can beat the members of the Hero Party in a sparring match?

"Last but not the least, you being standoffish is actually a good thing. In fact, you should be more standoffish, so girls will not casually approach you."

There was a tinge of frustration in Shana's voice, which made Thirteen wonder if she was just trolling him.

"You really want to know what's so likable about you, right?" Shana asked.

"Yes," Thirteen replied.

"Then the answer is simple. You, Zion Leventis, are spreading your Zion Virus subconsciously."

"… Huh?"

"Hmmph!" Shana moved forward and reached out to the Champagne, uncorking the bottle and pouring it into one of the glasses that Pico had left for them.

She then drank it up to vent her frustration before looking at the teenage boy, who was looking back at her with concern.

"We should leave," Thirteen said. "You already need to go to the Temple tomorrow, so you need to sleep properly."

"No," Shana replied. "We need to talk, Zion Leventis, so drink up."

Shana poured some champagne into the two glasses and handed one to Zion.

She then clinked his glass and smiled mischievously.

"To the future," Shana said before drinking the glass of champagne.

Zion, on the other hand, placed the glass down beside the hot spring and looked at the Saintess, whose face had become flushed from the drink and the heat from the hot spring.
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Under the illumination of the moonlight, Shana looked breathtakingly beautiful.

If Roland and Joshua were there to see her, the two Simps might have died due to blood loss from nosebleeds.

"Why didn't you drink?" Shana asked.

"Because I want to talk to you while I am sober," Thirteen stated. "I know that my personality changes when I'm drunk, so I don't want to do anything under the influence of alcohol.

"Or would you rather want me to do things to you without me having any recollection of it? Would you want that? Would you like to see a drunk Zion, who is not in control of his senses, do things to you that you might regret in the future?"

Shana lowered her head and remained silent.

Erica told her that Zion's personality would change when he was drunk.

He was more suave, more daring, and more loving, as if the alcohol broke some kind of limiter inside his body, allowing his pent-up emotions to surge forth like a wave.

But Erica also told her that the drunk Zion was very different from the sober Zion.

Although the sober Zion was like a brick who didn't understand what love was, his every action, every touch, and every kiss felt more genuine than the drunk Zion, who threw caution to the wind.

A minute later, the Saintess grabbed the glass that Zion had set aside and drank it all, so the teenage boy would remain sober.

"Silly girl," Thirteen said while shaking his head. He then reached out to cup Shana's face and held her gaze. "Use your power to make yourself sober. I don't want to talk to a drunk Shana."

The Saintess nodded and placed her hand over her chest, purifying herself from the effect of the alcoholic drink.

"Shana, I will ask again," Thirteen said. "Do you like me?"

"Yes," Shana replied.

This time, her answer was firm and filled with determination.

"Why do you like me?" Thirteen asked.

"Because I do," Shana answered. "Sometimes, you seem so distant, and yet, I can feel that you will not hesitate to put yourself in harm's way to protect those whom you care for.

"Also, you have no idea how fatally attractive you are when you stand at the front lines of battle. In the Temple of Courage, when you were fighting all of us at the same time, you looked really cool.

"Also, when you touch me or hug me, my heart beats so fast that I'm afraid that it will jump out of my chest."

The Saintess then reached out to hold the back of Zion's head.

She then pulled him closer, allowing his head to rest over the place where her heart was located.

"Can you hear it?" Shana asked.

"Yes," Thirteen answered.

"It's beating that fast because of you. So you have to take responsibility for it."

"… Well, that escalated quickly."

Shana then pulled back and cupped Zion's face.

"It's your fault for spreading your virus," Shana stated.

"We're back to this virus thing huh?" Thirteen smiled bitterly because he had no idea that a Zion Virus existed.

"Very well," Thirteen replied. "When you return after your training and your feelings for me haven't changed, I will give you my answer."

"No." Shana shook her head. "I want your answer now. And I won't take no for an answer."

The Saintess then kissed Thirteen's forehead before kissing his cheek.

After that, she once again looked at Zion as if waiting for him to give her an answer.

"… I didn't know you can be pushy like this," Thirteen replied. "Where did that innocent Shana go?"

Shana didn't reply. Instead, she continued to look at the teenage boy, whose face was slowly but surely turning red.

Thirteen, who also felt that his cheeks were burning, frowned.

'What's this feeling?' Thirteen thought. 'I am feeling embarrassed or something? This is very illogical.'

Truth be told, he wasn't feeling like his normal self since earlier. It was as if he was feeling more emotional, and Shana's touch was making him feel things that he hadn't felt before.

"Oh, I didn't know you could blush like this, Zion," Shana giggled, looking fondly at the young man, whose face was starting to redden.

"I think we stayed in the hot spring for too long," Thirteen said. "I'm feeling a bit lightheaded."

Shana smiled and used her purification ability on Zion, but the warm feelings didn't disappear.

Instead, the more he looked at Shana's eyes and felt her touch, the hotter his body became.

"Zion, do you like me?" Shana asked. "Tell me the truth. Don't lie."

"I like you," Zion replied. "But not in a romantic way."

"That's fine," Shana replied. "That is a good start. As long as you don't hate me then there is still a chance. Rocky, please take us back to the Mobile Fortress."

Since everyone was currently outside, the Mobile Fortress was devoid of people.

Zion, whose face had become flushed, and felt more sensitive than usual, allowed Shana to carry him to his room inside the mobile fortress.

"Shana... I," Thirteen wasn't able to finish whatever he was going to say next because the Saintess pressed her finger over his lips.

"It's fine," Shana said as she hugged the teenage boy, who was now starting to breathe a little ragged. "I will keep this memory until we meet again."

A minute later the sound of tender kisses echoed inside the room.

Shana felt as if her heart was melting due to the happiness that she was feeling at the moment, as the teenage boy, whom she had fallen in love with, returned her kisses, while wrapping her, in his protective embrace.