Luck is a Charm

"A-Angela, we can talk about this in a calm and gentle manner. Don't listen to others and ask yourself this question. Do I look like someone who would only care about taking advantage of women?" Zen asked softly, hoping to make Angela calm her anger.

However, little did he expect that his word was no different than digging a hole for him to go into.

"Yes, you are exactly that kind of person." Angela snorted and raised her fist and punched at Zen's face.

BAM!

Zen did a 270-degree flip as he dropped to the ground with a bruise on his face. Although he can easily dodge the punch, Zen knew he would be asking for more torture so he could only muster up his courage and take the punch like a man.

Of course, he didn't forget to over-exaggerate the pain and flip around to perfect his acting skills. 

He cultivated his body tempering process so Angela's punch was soft but the bruise was a good deceiving look to fool Angela.

"Ouch, Angela, I'm sorry, please forgive me." Zen stood up and rubbed his bruise with a pitiful expression. Tears were filling his eyes too and Angela's heart softened when she saw his current appearance.

'Heh, I'm a successful actor who fools Angela perfectly.' Zen cheered inwardly but his expression remained the same.

Angela fell for his acting and became concerned as she placed her hand slowly on his bruise.

"It's painful isn't it?" Angela asked and continued, "You knew I was on an impulse so why didn't you dodge my punch."

Zen smiled briefly and held her hand and said, "If I dodge then wouldn't that mean I'm guilty so I decided to eat the punch and show you that I didn't mean to make you wait for me during the Palace Moon Restaurant."

The atmosphere between these two was so disgusting that Daphne Camellia couldn't help but get goosebumps in her arms.

"My goodness, Angela isn't stupid so couldn't she tell he was clearly acting before. If he was truly injured by that punch then how could he stand up right away and stop screaming in pain afterward." Daphne Camellia sneered and the rest of the women nodded their heads in agreement.

It was clear as day that Zen decided to act pitiful to soothe her anger and every one of them has eyes to realize this.

"Sigh, you women are too ignorant regarding relationships. Love is blind so even if Angela knew he was faking it, she wouldn't care about it anymore since it's true that he didn't dodge and got punched by her." Evie said slowly and retrieved another cup of tea to sip.

"Madam Evie, you seem to know more about relationships than us… Have you been in one before?" Krista Dragoon asked suddenly.

Meanwhile, Evie's expression darkened when she heard Krista Dragoon's question. There was a dark gloomy aura surrounding Evie and Krista Dragoon paled.

Zen who was busy fooling around with Angela after coaxing her, raised his eyebrow slightly in surprise at the sudden change in the atmosphere.

Turning around to glance at Evie, Zen was dumbfounded to see Evie in a different temper. The always calm and collected woman was now a deadly woman with a fierce expression.

'What happened to Evie and why is Krista Dragoon turning pale?' Zen has many questions and decides to calm Evie down since it was clear that Krista Dragoon was afraid of Evie, most likely poking her sore spot accidentally.

"Evie, what happened?" Zen rushed forward and touched Evie's shoulder slightly in concern.

Evie regained her composure when she saw it was Zen touching her and the dreadful aura slowly vanished.

"I-I'm sorry Madam Evie. I didn't mean to offend you by asking that question," Krista Dragoon hurriedly said to Evie once she calmed down.

Evie smiled briefly and shook her head, "It's fine, I know you didn't mean it and I couldn't control my emotion so apologies for my previous behavior."

Afterward, she glanced at Zen and said, "Let's leave this forest already. I don't feel very well now so it's best that we return to the Jade Kingdom now."

Zen nodded his head and continued to hold her shoulder to balance her and Leila Dragoon intervened and explained the method slowly on how to return with the orb since Krista Dragoon was still a little pale from feeling the dreadful aura.

Sometime later, the group used their points in the orb and teleported away from the forest, leaving the participants who were unlucky to gain enough points behind.

Whoosh!

Zen and the group reappeared back in the entrance of the Jade Kingdom and could finally heave a sigh of relief to see the street buzzing with people and no more gloomy environment or magical beasts lurking at every corner.

"Phew, it seems like the normal people without prestigious status did not receive the news regarding the incident in the auction house. Otherwise, there's no way they would remain blissful considering the number of nobles disappearing." Zen exclaimed slowly as he glanced at the people purchasing some items.

Krista Dragoon has returned her calm composure and merely sneered at this scenario. "Heh, this kind of scandalous news would definitely be suppressed by the other noble families and even the imperial family would prevent any news from leaking."

And she continued, "If it were known to the other kingdom that their annual auction house turned into a trap then the Jade Kingdom's reputation would hit rock bottom, and soon, it would lose influence and power.

Overall, it is still politics in the end and zero concern of the people disappearing. 

"No wonder why the demons are able to conquer many places and the kingdom is helpless against them. Demons are united and work together for the greater good while humans are busy fighting themselves for power." 

Zen commented and shrugged his shoulders as he wasn't even bothered by this reality.

"Mhmm, that's why these pathetic humans would die sooner or later," Evie added, causing the rest to be surprised by her tone of speech.