“You sure took your time. I thought you had ghosted me.” Jazmine said in a joking tone when I returned.

I put on an ashamed expression purposefully.

“I was considering it.”

Jazmine stiffened.

But when she saw the playful smirk on my face, she rolled her eyes.

“Really, then why did you come?”

“Well, I thought I could not miss the opportunity to eat with such a beautiful senior. I don’t know when I’m going to be this lucky again.”

Jazmine chuckled amused.

“What a sweet mouth. Junior, could it be that you are an experienced player?”

“Maybe? Senior could be my next target.”

“Then you will need to try harder.” She smirked.

I shrugged and extended my arm to her.

“May I start by escorting this lady to dinner?”

Jazmine looked at my face and giggled. She put on a playful expression and followed my act, holding my arm while using her other hand to poke my side.

“I’m starting to become afraid. You seem really good at dealing with girls.”

I did not reply and just led my senior to the restaurant she indicated.

On the way, we chatted about several different topics, mostly casual stuff. We avoided talking about serious stuff like the drug or my sister’s injury.

None of us wanted to ruin the current mood.

[You are quite good at this.] The demon expressed.

I smiled embarrassedly.

Honestly, I just tried with the mentality of playing around, but it worked better than I expected.

I looked at Jazmine and saw her looking at me too. When she noticed my gaze, she curved her lips up.

“Hey, Jane, do you have a girlfriend?” She suddenly asked.

I was taken aback by the sudden question. After hesitating briefly, I shook my head.

“I broke up recently with my previous girlfriend.”

“I see, so you are up for grabs, huh? What do you think of me?”

I was not stupid enough to not understand her meaning.

But after listening to her, I hesitated.

Because I was aware I did not see her that way.

Jazmine was beautiful. Her long black hair reached her waist like a silk curtain, and her eyes were like bright obsidians.

Although she normally had a deadpan expression, it instead made her look smart and capable. I was sure she was the perfect material for a girlfriend.

Plus, her occasional smiles were a killer.

But in my situation, having a girlfriend was not a good idea.

I needed to have sex with different women regularly to use the [Soul Supplementation Art], otherwise, I would die. I don’t think a normal girl can accept something like that.

In fact, that is the reason I’m acting like this now. The time limit to use [Soul Supplementation Art] is approaching, and I thought that Jazmine was a good candidate for the next use.

For a brief moment, I felt guilty.

‘Maybe I should just pay someone for it. It will make me feel less guilty.’

Jazmine noticed my complicated expression and smiled in disappointment.

“Is that a no? I really lack charm, huh.”

I hurriedly shook my head.

“It’s not like that, senior. It’s just… complicated.”

Jazmine stared at me deeply before smiling.

“Then it looks like I still have hope.”

I forced out a smile.

[Don’t overthink it, boy. Just sleep with her and be done with it. It’s just a woman.]

Sorry, I can’t be that much of a scumbag.

After that conversation, both of us fell silent. The silence felt so awkward that I was tempted to make a silly joke just to change the mood.

Just then, the demon spoke up again.

[At your right, boy.]

‘Huh?’

Curious, I looked at my right at a seemingly empty dark alley.

But after a careful look, I realized there were two figures in the alley, one of them was lying on the ground, and the other was crouched beside her with a hostile expression.

I immediately recognized both of them.

It was Hela and her cousin Cynthia.

And judging from Hela’s messy appearance, she must have been beaten by Cynthia.

“Hey!” I shouted and rushed inside the alley, surprising Jazmine.

“Jane? What happened?”

I did not reply and instead used Confidence to release my aura, directing my killing intent to Cynthia.

She froze immediately.

“What do you think you are doing?” I asked coldly.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“You again.”

She then spat on the ground and glared at Hela.

“You are lucky this idiot came, but you won’t be so lucky next time.”

After saying that, she stood up and left.

But when she was passing by my side, she hit my shoulder and sneered.

“To think that even that monster has an admirer. The standards sure have fallen low.”

I stared at her coldly, making her click her tongue again.

“I told you before, don’t get close to her. She brings misfortune to the people around her.”

“I’m old enough to decide whom I become close to.”

“Suit yourself.”

She shrugged with a sneer and left.

After she was gone, I extended my hand toward Hela.

“Are you alright?”

But she did not grab my hand and instead stood up by herself.

“Thank you, but there was no need. She would have left on her own eventually.”

I frowned.

“Enduring bullying isn’t the answer.”

“I don’t mind it. Plus, she is right.”

“She is not. You are not a monster.”

Hela glanced at me and smiled bitterly.

“I am.”

I furrowed my brows. Beside me, Jazmine also had a complicated expression.

Hela’s mental state was really bad. She seemed like she could commit suicide at any moment.

“Sorry that you had to witness something like that. I won’t take more of your time.”

She said with a soulless expression and walked away while staggering, probably due to the injuries caused by the beating she just received.

But before she could leave, I grabbed her arm.

Hela’s eyes opened wide. She looked at me in surprise before struggling to break free.

“Stop! It's dangerous!”

But I did not release her and instead spoke to the demon.

‘Hey, demon, will Jazmine be affected if Hela is nearby?’

[Mm? It should not be a problem for a short while. Jazmine is at the peak of tier five, so she has a bit of resistance to Hela’s life drain.]

After hearing these words, I made up my mind.

“Senior, do you mind if someone else accompanies us to dinner?”

Jazmine understood my intention and smiled.

“Of course not. The more the merrier.”

I grinned.

“Wonderful. Hela, you are coming with us.”

Hela could only put on a dumbfounded expression.

That was the greatest change in her expression I had seen until now.