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"…I think I can move now."
The moment the witch's kiss landed on his cheek, Blake quickly regained control of his body.
Opening his eyes, he looked toward the Angel, who had already fled several meters away in a panic. Her face was burning red enough to drip blood.
His tone became subtle and complicated.
"That just now was…"
"Mr. Blake, don't ask anything!" Mahiru's face burned with embarrassment, too ashamed to even raise her head. "Hurry and go save her!"
"What if I insist on asking?"
"Th-then I'll have to use force and make you forget what happened…"
"Please don't."
"…"
Since the Angel clearly didn't want to talk about it, Blake naturally wasn't dumb enough to push the issue. Besides, they still had something important to do.
"Let's go." Blake turned and headed toward the beach confidently. "Leave the woman to me."
"I'm counting on you…"
Mahiru stared at her toes and hurried after him in mortified embarrassment.
("I-I actually kissed Mr. Blake…")
Pressing her soft lips together, Mahiru Shiina could still feel the warmth and touch of the boy's face lingering on them.
Her sense of embarrassment was quietly overflowing.
But the angel didn't regret it.
There was no discomfort, no grievance, no disgust. Only a strange, indescribable feeling slowly spreading through her heart.
If time rewound and she had to choose again, Mahiru knew she would make the exact same decision.
The two walked in silence all the way to the shore.
"Take your clothes off before going in," Blake said as he started undressing. "Once clothes soak up water, they get ridiculously heavy."
"I know…"
Mahiru replied softly, covering her chest.
Of course she knew you had to remove your clothes before swimming. There was no way she'd forget something that basic. The problem was that there were still fishermen along the seawall and people collecting shells on the beach.
Even though nobody could notice anything during stopped time, and she could technically strip naked without anyone realizing, it was still way too embarrassing.
The only person she wanted seeing her like that was Blake.
That was why she'd rather jump into the ocean fully clothed earlier just to save someone.
"Here, use this for now."
Blake took off his jacket and handed it to her.
"Thank you…"
Mahiru looked up at him, only for her gaze to instinctively drift over his body. His muscles were sharply defined, perfectly proportioned, both beautiful and explosive with strength.
Her heartbeat instantly sped up.
She quickly lowered her head in embarrassment and stared at her toes.
Blake didn't seem to notice her sneaking glances at all. After removing his jacket, he took off his pants as well, leaving only a pair of boxer briefs.
The walk from the seawall had already counted as warm-up exercise. Now that he'd finished changing, he could jump straight in to save them.
But after taking only two steps, he suddenly froze in place.
"Miss Mahiru, hurry and recharge my mana."
"Huh?"
"My body stopped moving again."
"..."
"There's really no heartbeat." Mahiru pressed her right hand against his chest and frowned slightly. "Why does this keep happening?"
After hugging him, he'd been able to talk for quite a while. So why did kissing him, something even more embarrassing, only let him move for a few minutes?
Mahiru was smart. Extremely smart.
It didn't take long for her to think of a possibility.
"D-Don't tell me… kissing your cheek isn't enough? If Mr. Blake wants to move around freely in the frozen world for a long time… does it have to be that kind of kiss…?"
The video she'd accidentally watched on her phone the other night immediately surfaced in her mind. Before she knew it, she'd replaced the people in it with herself and Blake.
The angel's embarrassment exploded on the spot.
White steam practically burst from the top of her head.
(Kissing his cheek is already my limit!)
(That kind of thing… that kind of thing should only happen after we're dating!)
"Miss Mahiru, are we still saving them or not?"
Blake's flat voice interrupted the shame-filled images running wild through her head.
"Ah…"
Mahiru let out a startled squeak and hurriedly stared down at her feet again.
"M-Mr.-Blake, close your eyes!"
"Yes, yes."
Blake obediently shut his eyes.
A moment later—
Something soft and warm pressed against his cheek again.
Earlier it was the right cheek, now it was the left.
Even at a time like this, she cared about symmetry. Your obsessive-compulsive tendencies are seriously terminal.
"I can move again." Blake stretched his body and looked at Mahiru. "But each kiss only gives me a few minutes of movement. That probably won't be enough to save them."
"T-That's not a kiss!" Mahiru denied in humiliation.
"Sorry, slip of the tongue. It's mana recharging," Blake corrected himself calmly. "So what do we do if the time isn't enough?"
"You don't need to worry, Mr. Blake." Mahiru exhaled softly and looked down at the sand. She'd already come up with a plan while "recharging" him earlier. "I-I'll go with you… If you stop moving again, I'll… recharge your mana again."
"Then we're good."
Blake finally relaxed and walked toward the sea.
"Let's go save them."
"…."
Entering the calm ocean, Blake quickly swam over to the drowning woman, wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, and began swimming back toward shore with one hand.
To be fair, the woman really was on the curvier side. Her soaked clothes made her even heavier.
Fortunately, Blake's level had gone up. His physical stats were already beyond normal human limits, so rescuing her wasn't difficult at all.
"Mr. Blake is so strong…"
Mahiru quietly marveled to herself.
Her gaze drifted toward him again. As he swam through the water, every muscle in his body worked in perfect coordination, radiating explosive strength that was impossible to look away from.
But after only swimming a short distance, Blake suddenly froze like someone had hit a pause button.
Bubbles escaped from his mouth as he slowly sank beneath the water.
"Eh? Ehhh?!"
Mahiru hurriedly dove underwater.
Seeing him sinking stiffly toward the bottom, there was obviously no time to tell him to close his eyes first. She quickly caught up to him and gave him another mana-recharging kiss.
Splash!
Blake surfaced, coughing and spitting seawater.
"So this is what suffocating feels like."
"I'm sorry…"
Mahiru bit her lower lip softly and apologized in a tiny voice.
"Movement time is three minutes," Blake said after taking a breath. "Next time, recharge me in advance."
"I understand…"
One second of recharging.
Three minutes of movement.
Once he could move again, Blake carried the well-endowed woman back to shore and laid her beside her daughter.
"Alright, let's head back to the seawall."
Blake clapped his hands in satisfaction, ready to leave without taking credit.
Honestly, saving someone's life felt pretty good.
But after taking only two steps, he froze again mid-stride, one leg suspended in the air.
"Lady Mahiru, please recharge my mana."
Blake called out.
Mahiru sighed helplessly, her cheeks bright red as she walked toward him.
"Mr. Blake, close your eyes…"
"....."