Halochassis

Chapter 52 - The Beach Couple

It was a peaceful evening along the shores of West Cape Beach. Vacation houses lined the coastline, their wooden balconies facing the endless stretch of silver water. The cool sea breeze drifted lazily through open windows, carrying the faint scent of salt and damp sand. Gentle waves rolled onto the shore in a steady rhythm, their soft splashes blending with the distant cries of seabirds returning to their nests. Above, the moon hung high in the velvet sky, surrounded by countless stars that shimmered like scattered diamonds. Everything about the night spoke of tranquility—except for the muffled sounds coming from one of the quiet beachfront cottages.

Inside, the room was warm and dimly lit, illuminated only by pale moonlight spilling through half-drawn curtains. The wooden bed let out occasional creaks beneath their shifting weight, breaking the silence that had settled over the house. Lireina's breathing had grown uneven after hours of shared intimacy, her strength slowly fading as exhaustion overtook her.

"Wait... let me rest first," Lireina pleaded between ragged breaths. "It's been hours... I'm going to..."

Shin paused only long enough to catch his own breath before their emotions reached one final crescendo. When everything finally settled, the room fell quiet once more, leaving only the sound of the waves outside and the steady rhythm of two people trying to recover from their exertion.

Lireina lay motionless on the bed, her chest rising and falling with slow, heavy breaths. Her body felt pleasantly numb from exhaustion, and even the elegant ears that usually stood proudly atop her head now drooped with fatigue. Her eyelids refused to stay open, while strands of golden hair clung lightly to her forehead. She could do little more than breathe as the cool ocean air drifting through the window soothed her flushed skin.

Shin leaned back, equally breathless. Beads of sweat rolled down his temples before falling onto Lireina's pale skin, where they caught the moonlight for a brief moment before disappearing. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand and smiled faintly. Despite his own exhaustion, simply looking at her peaceful expression filled him with quiet satisfaction.

Carefully, he brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face, revealing the emerald eye hidden beneath her bangs. When he realized she had drifted unconscious from fatigue, his expression softened. Slipping one hand gently beneath her neck, he carefully lifted her head just enough to keep her comfortable before settling her back against the pillow.

So this is the Untouchable Windwalker, Shin thought quietly. She's so vulnerable right now... If I wanted to, I could end her life without resistance.

The thought lingered only for an instant.

Earlier that evening, Lireina had willingly disabled her Autonomous Evasion skill, placing complete trust in him during their private time together. Without it, the legendary warrior who could evade nearly any attack was no different from an ordinary person.

Shin immediately shook his head, almost disgusted with himself.

No. What am I thinking? She's my lover. I'd rather see the Iron Bandits defeated than ever lay a hand on her.

The dark thought vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Leaning closer, Shin felt the warmth of Lireina's gentle breathing against his face. One of her elven ears twitched instinctively before her emerald eyes slowly fluttered open, still clouded with fatigue.

"Shin... no more..." she whispered weakly before he silenced her with a brief, tender kiss.

When he finally pulled away, Lireina let out a tired sigh and rested a trembling hand against the leather collar around Shin's neck.

"You're going to kill me if you keep this up..." she murmured with a weary smile. "Be a good dog... and obey your master."

A grin spread across Shin's face.

"Your wish is my command, my goddess."

With gentle care, he lowered her head back onto the pillow before lying beside her. The room fell silent again as they simply enjoyed each other's presence, listening to the distant surf outside and feeling the cool night breeze drift across their skin.

Lireina instinctively moved closer until she was resting against his arm, her hand lightly pressed against his chest. She listened to the steady beat of his heart while staring toward the moonlit ceiling.

"Haa..." she sighed contentedly. "That was wonderful, Shin."

Her smile carried both warmth and regret.

"Too bad... our vacation is almost over."

The waves continued their endless rhythm beyond the window, the scent of the sea filling the quiet room as the peaceful night wrapped around them like a comforting blanket. In that fleeting silence, the worries waiting beyond their vacation—the battles, responsibilities, and dangers of the outside world—felt impossibly distant. For now, there was only the sound of the ocean, the glow of the moon, and the comfort of being together.

"Yeah," Shin said with a weary smile as he stared at the moonlit ceiling. The steady rhythm of the waves outside drifted through the open window, accompanied by the cool ocean breeze that carried the scent of salt and damp wood into the room. "We have to head back to Luminous City and return to our normal lives." He let out a quiet sigh before turning his head toward Lireina. "I wish we could stay here a little longer."

"I would as well," Lireina admitted, her voice soft with disappointment. She nestled closer against him, absentmindedly tracing lazy circles across his chest with her fingertips. "But Alexander is organizing a conference this Wednesday. The Cathedral has been preparing for it for weeks, and I promised to help with the arrangements. It'll take nearly two full days before everything is ready."

Shin let out an exaggerated groan.

"Bummer."

The room fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, filled only by the distant crash of waves against the shore. Moonlight reflected in Lireina's emerald eyes, making them sparkle like polished gemstones whenever she looked at him. Shin couldn't help but smile.

"You know," he began, studying her face with curiosity, "you're spending more time at the Cathedral lately than at the Adventurer's Guild. Do you have some kind of side job there?"

Lireina shook her head.

"No."

She hesitated briefly before continuing, her smile turning nostalgic.

"Actually... before I met you, I intended to become a nun at the Cathedral." Her fingers continued drawing small circles across his chest as though they were following the rhythm of her thoughts. "Alexander personally offered me the position years ago, and I genuinely believed that was the path I was meant to follow."

She looked into Shin's eyes, her expression warming.

"But then I met you."

A faint blush colored her cheeks.

"And somewhere along the way, I realized that life wasn't the one I truly wanted anymore."

Shin chuckled.

"So... does that mean we've been committing a terrible sin this whole time?"

Lireina laughed quietly before her smile slowly faded.

"Actually..."

Her voice grew hesitant.

"I think I owe you an apology."

Shin immediately noticed the change in her expression.

"What is it?"

Lireina lowered her gaze, unable to meet his eyes.

"I heard the reports," she said softly. "Qinglong... was the one responsible for your friend's death. You were there when it happened."

The cheerful atmosphere disappeared, replaced by a heavy silence.

"When we first met," she continued, "I tried to protect Qinglong. I looked you straight in the eye... and I lied."

She swallowed hard before finally looking back at him.

"I already knew the truth. I knew Qinglong caused it... even if it wasn't intentional."

"...Oh."

It was all Shin managed to say.

Lireina clasped her hands together almost instinctively, her expression filled with guilt.

"I promise I won't lie to you again." Her voice trembled slightly. "Please forgive me..."

She offered him an awkward, hopeful smile.

"Pretty pwease?"

Shin remained silent for a few seconds before answering.

"No."

"...Eh?"

Before Lireina could react, Shin shifted closer, hovering over her with an expression that mixed amusement and mock seriousness.

"I'll have to punish you for lying to me."

His grin widened just enough to make the words sound playful rather than threatening.

Lireina's eyes widened in surprise before she let out an exasperated sigh, immediately understanding what he meant.

"W-Wait," she protested, laughing despite herself. "Please forgive me instead! Haven't I suffered enough already?"

Shin only smiled.

"Prepare yourself."

"Oh no..."

The quiet cottage soon echoed once again with laughter, teasing protests, and the unmistakable sounds of a couple who had completely forgotten the late hour as they lost themselves in each other's company. They have started another round of pure pleasure.

Meanwhile, in the room next door, another vacationer lay awake with both eyes wide open.

Croft stared at the wooden ceiling, her pillow pressed firmly over one ear in a hopeless attempt to block out the noise.

"...God fucking damn it," she muttered through clenched teeth.

She rolled over for what felt like the hundredth time that night.

"Those two are way too noisy... and it's already past midnight."

Outside, the waves continued to wash gently against the shore, blissfully indifferent to the sleepless guest cursing under her breath while the peaceful seaside night carried on around her.

<><><><><>

As Shin, Lireina, and Croft were preparing to leave West Cape Beach, they encountered an unpleasant sight near the entrance of the vacation houses.

Standing along the sandy path was Qinglong, the Ultimate Dragon Warrior, accompanied by his beautiful girlfriend. The two looked as though they had stepped straight out of a luxury summer advertisement. Qinglong wore a light summer outfit that left his upper body exposed, revealing his sharply defined six-pack abs and lean, muscular frame. His girlfriend wore an elegant summer dress that fluttered gently in the sea breeze, while her expensive accessories glimmered beneath the morning sunlight.

The sight of Qinglong was enough to ruin Shin and Croft's morning immediately.

Croft instinctively moved behind Lireina, using the elf as a shield while only peeking out from behind her shoulder. Shin, however, did not bother hiding his irritation. He simply stared at Qinglong with an expression so cold that the warmth of the morning seemed to disappear around him.

There are at least a thousand ways I could kill this bastard.

Shin's imagination immediately began producing increasingly creative possibilities.

Qinglong, completely unaware of the murderous thoughts being directed at him, raised one hand cheerfully.

"Yo! Lena!"

Lireina forced a bright smile onto her face.

"Hello there, Qinglong."

Her voice sounded cheerful, but her eyes betrayed the tension underneath. She was painfully aware of the hostility between the two groups, and the last thing she wanted was for their peaceful vacation to end with a fight on the beach.

Qinglong glanced at their luggage.

"Are you guys leaving already?" he asked casually. "I was just about to start my vacation today!"

"Yes," Lireina replied. "Unfortunately, Alexander needs my help with preparations for the conference this Wednesday. I'll be busy for the next couple of days. Make sure you attend, all right? It's important."

Qinglong waved dismissively.

"Okay, okay, Mom."

Lireina's smile twitched.

She was already beginning to regret saying anything.

Qinglong then turned his attention toward Croft, who immediately disappeared farther behind Lireina. After that, his gaze shifted toward Shin. A smug grin slowly spread across his face as though he had just discovered a new toy to bother.

Qinglong stepped forward and extended his hand.

"So, you're Lena's boyfriend, huh?"

Shin glanced at the offered hand but did not take it.

Qinglong chuckled.

"I never thought such a beautiful elf would have such low standards." He laughed loudly at his own joke. "Hahaha!"

Shin's fingers slowly curled into fists. His knuckles cracked under the pressure as he stared at Qinglong with a blank expression. For a brief moment, the only thing preventing the Ultimate Dragon Warrior from being attacked was Shin's restraint.

Lireina noticed immediately.

She grabbed Shin's arm with both hands.

"Let's go already!" she said quickly. "We're getting late."

Shin remained silent for a moment, his eyes still fixed on Qinglong.

Then he exhaled.

"Okay."

He allowed Lireina to pull him away.

Croft hurried after them, taking one last nervous glance at Qinglong before quickly turning his head forward. The three continued down the path leading away from the vacation houses, their footsteps sinking lightly into the warm sand.

Behind them, Qinglong stood with a smug grin plastered across his face.

He scoffed and folded his arms.

"Hah. I think I rubbed him the wrong way pretty hard."

His girlfriend laughed softly beside him. "I can tell."

Qinglong watched Shin's retreating back for another moment before shaking his head.

"I still can't believe Lireina's beauty is being wasted on that NPC."

His girlfriend casually adjusted her hair as the ocean breeze passed around them.

"Don't worry about that little twink, honey," she said with a dismissive smile. "Let's just go to the beachside café and spend the morning talking about how disgusting those three are."

Qinglong's grin returned.

"Oh, yeah. Let's go."

The pair began walking toward the café, completely unaware that their insults had not gone unheard.

Lireina's long elven ears had been twitching the entire time. Every word had reached her clearly, carried across the morning air by the gentle coastal breeze. Her smile had disappeared completely, replaced by a faint scowl.

Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress.

Little twink? Disgusting?

She had remained quiet only because she did not want to cause trouble for Shin.

Shin had heard everything as well. Yet, unlike Lireina, he did not look angry. Instead, the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward.

Croft noticed the expression and immediately became suspicious.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

Shin said nothing. He simply glanced back toward the beach café before looking ahead again.

An idea had already formed inside his head. It was not violent. Not exactly.

It was much worse.

Shin had just thought of a prank that would embarrass Qinglong so badly that he would never forget this morning.

And judging from the wicked grin spreading across Shin's face, Qinglong's peaceful vacation was about to become anything but peaceful.