System's POV

Chapter 1398: I. Like. You

The Ferris Wheel of Kazo Land was a very popular attraction, especially just before or after sunset.

But since "Stella" was practically royalty, they didn’t have to line up like the others and got ahead in line through the VIP Gate reserved for them.

"Why are you sitting across from me?" Eros asked. "Wouldn’t it be better to sit beside me? This is our last ride, you know?"

"I prefer to sit here so I can look at the amusement park in silence," Thirteen replied.

"You sure know what to say to charm the ladies huh?"

"I’m not even trying."

Eros covered her lips and giggled, while Thirteen looked at the window to gaze at the amusement park bigger than the ones they had in Pangea.

As the cabins were loaded one by one, the cabin where the two sat slowly rose up, giving them a better view.

"Say, Zion, what do you like in a girl?" Eros asked in a curious tone. "Do you have some kind of preference?"

"By my experience, I don’t choose my lovers," Thirteen replied without bothering to look at his companion. "They choose me. I don’t know what’s so good about me though?"

"Are you bragging?"

"Just stating facts."

Belle and Stella, who were both inside Eros, were quite curious how Zion had met his lovers, so they urged the Goddess to ask this question.

"How did you meet them?" Eros asked. "And how did they fall in love with you?"

Thirteen pondered a bit as he recalled his memories of his first encounter with his lovers.

"I first met Erica when I was training the Hero Party to become stronger," Thirteen replied. "She has a bit of an inferiority complex toward Shana, the Saintess of their team. She’s always been a bit stubborn, but she never hesitates to fight for what she believes in."

The teenage boy’s gaze became tender as he spoke of his lover. It was one of those moments where he was showing an emotion that not many people were able to see normally.

"I think she fell in love with me when I taught her how to start forest fires."

"Huh?!"

Thirteen ignored Stella’s gasp and spoke once more.

"I met Sherry during her First Wandering," Thirteen continued his story. "She stuck with me as we faced challenges together."

"And that made her fall for you?" Eros interjected.

"No." Thirteen shook his head. "I don’t think she fell in love with me at first sight. I treated her just like I would treat my little sisters. During that expedition, we reunited with Erica, and we traveled together for a long time.

"Back then, the two of them would insist on sleeping beside me. I am always at the center, and they have a habit of using me as a hug pillow. I thought they just wanted to feel warmth, so I didn’t push them away. I think that is where it all began."

Belle and Stella listened more closely to the young man’s words as he continued his tale.

"... So you will wake up with your head resting on Erica’s chest almost every morning?" Eros blinked. "And she always tells you that you were like a baby all night?"

"Mmm." Thirteen nodded. "I really don’t know what she meant by being a baby back then, but now I understand. It’s because I suck on her *beep* whenever I sleep."

"Oh dear." Eros’ eyes widened in shock.

"Oh my." Belle blinked.

"..." Stella looked down at her chest, and thought that she and Erica were the same size.

"Then... did you do that with Sherry too?" Eros asked.

Thirteen shook his head. "No. Sherry is a shy girl, so she would only hug me from behind. But now, she didn’t mind if I suck her *beep* and *beep*."

Unknown to Thirteen and Eros, William, James, and the rest of William’s wives were paying close attention to the conversation playing out inside the Ferris Wheel.

Chiffon’s, Sidonie’s, and Titania’s cheeks were already beet-red from second hand embarrassment.

The corner of William’s lips would twitch from time to time. He really didn’t expect to hear this kind of conversation from the teenage boy.

"So innocent and so naive," one of William’s wives, Wendy, commented. "Good thing you’re not that dense, William."

""Right!"" the other wives agreed in unison.

James chuckled, finding the entire fiasco quite funny, but still listened to the boy’s story about his lovers.

"When I met Princess Aracelle, I tortured her and plucked all her feathers," Thirteen replied. "After that, she fell in love with me for some reason."

"..." Eros blinked once, then twice before speaking. "Go on..."

"I think it’s what they call Stockholm Syndrome. We’ve been together since then."

"... What the f*ck?"

Thirteen pretended that he didn’t hear the lady’s comment and continued talking.

"Shana was infected by something called the Zion Virus, which I have no idea about. She told me that I release some kind of pheromone that latches onto women, making me look irresistible in their eyes. She confessed that she wanted to be with me for life, so I accepted her feelings.

"Princess Xynalia was a succubus princess. Just like Princess Aracelle, we were originally enemies. But after I *beeped* and *beeped* her, she was unable to live without me anymore."

"By the Gods..." Eros cupped her face from second hand embarrassment. "What is wrong with you? Your love life is a mess. Did you get dropped by your mom when you were a baby?"

"I don’t have a mom. My old man is a snail. He can give birth by himself."

"Excuse me?"

"Ah... I mean. In this life, I do have a mom. Her name is Alessia."

The teenage boy then proceeded to continue his recollection about his lovers, making Eros’ face turn from blue to green.

After telling the stories of his lovers, Eros, Belle, and Stella, didn’t know how to feel.

They never thought that Zion didn’t really know what love was and that it was his lovers who taught him the essence of that word.

Now the Goddess of Lust could finally understand why he wasn’t affected by Lust. Since these two were closely linked, it was no wonder why he was able to resist the advances of her Goddaughter!

After talking for a while, Eros decided to go all out.

"Zion, there is something that I want to tell you," Eros said. "I never felt something like this before, but being with you makes my heart race..."

William’s ears perked up before his gaze sharpened.

"Gramps, don’t stop me," William declared. "If Stella confesses and that boy accepts it, I’m going to drag him to the sea."

"Say no more, Will," James replied. "Say no more."

James gave his grandson his full support because he felt that if Stella and Zion became a couple, his great granddaughter would suffer due to the teenage boy’s outlook in life.

They waited patiently for his reply, or for Stella to continue her confession, but before that happened, Zion finally gave his reply.

"Your heart is racing?" Zion asked. "And you have never felt it before?’

"Yes." Eros nodded.

"Then you should go to a doctor and have that checked."

"..."

"I’m serious, you know? Heart problems are very common."

Not wanting to back down, Eros decided to push through the teenage boy’s denseness, and explain herself properly.

"Zion," Eros said slowly, enunciating every word like she was teaching a toddler how to speak, "I. Like. You."

Thirteen blinked once then twice.

"Thank you," Thirteen replied. "I like myself too."

William, James, and his wives all face palmed at the same time. Even the Half-Elf’s earlier urge to feed Zion to the fishes disappeared completely.

"No, you don’t understand." The corner of Eros’ lips twitched as a nerve bulged at the corner of her forehead. "What I’m trying to say is that I love you. Please, become my boyfriend."

William’s gaze sharpened once more, ready to drag the teenage boy from the cabin if he said yes.

"No," Thirteen replied. "Why would I make you my girlfriend when you don’t even love me. Besides, you’re not even Stella."

"H-Huh? What are you talking about? I am Stella."

"No, you’re not. You might fool others, but you won’t fool me. Stella’s breast is one centimeter bigger than yours."

Eros and Stella almost coughed a mouthful of blood then and there after hearing Zion’s snarky reply.

Even those who were listening to their conversation were starting to lose their mind. Every single one of Zion’s answer had come out of the left field, which was something that no one could comprehend.

Eros, Belle, and Stella weren’t aware that from the beginning, Thirteen already knew that the young lady wasn’t the one who had brought him to the amusement park earlier.

The golden thread that was fluttering on his pinky finger was moving in a different direction, nowhere near the finger of the lady that was looking at him as if she was seeing a rare creature for the first time in her life.