chapter 142 what will you do?

Brainless Girl twirled the gold coin between her fingers, letting it dance between them as she tilted her head, a teasing smirk on her lips.

"So, I'm yours now. What will you do with me?"

Her tone was light, playful—just another game between them. She expected Frost Eye to smirk, to throw back some cocky, over-the-top flirtation, maybe something ridiculous like, "Treasure you like a rare artifact" or "Put you in a golden cage, obviously."

But he didn't.

Instead, Frost Eye leaned back against the wooden post, spinning his own gold coin between his fingers in complete silence. His golden eyes, usually brimming with mischief, darkened ever so slightly as he watched her.

Brainless Girl raised an eyebrow. "Oh? No witty remark? No smug grin? I must've finally broken you."

Still, nothing. The playful air between them shifted. Frost Eye's smirk remained, but there was something unreadable about it. He wasn't ignoring her, no—he was considering something.

Brainless Girl's fingers tightened slightly around the coin in her hand. She hadn't expected this. Silence was not Frost Eye's usual response to anything. He always had something to say, always had a joke, a trick, a way to turn the conversation in his favor.

"…Frost Eye?" she pressed, tilting her head.

The Trickster let the coin drop into his palm, closing his fingers around it. For a long moment, he just watched her, his golden eyes practically glowing in the dim light.

Then, finally, slowly, he grinned.

"That," he murmured, his voice smooth, low, and entirely unreadable, "is a very dangerous question, Big Melon-chan."

Brainless Girl felt a chill—one she couldn't quite place. It wasn't fear, not exactly. But something about the way Frost Eye smiled at her in that moment—like he had just been handed something far more valuable than gold—made her suddenly feel like she was the one who had made a mistake.

Frost Eye pushed off the wooden post, moving toward her with that same lazy, knowing smirk. His steps were unhurried, deliberate, like a predator approaching prey that had already surrendered.

Brainless Girl didn't step back. She refused to. But as he closed the distance, the air between them changed—warmer, heavier, charged with something unspoken.

She expected him to stop just short, to keep that playful distance he always maintained. But he didn't.

Instead, he leaned in.

Close. Too close.

His golden eyes gleamed with amusement, but his voice, when he spoke, was low and smooth, carrying an intimacy that sent a strange thrill down her spine.

"I won't destroy Rainbow Solutions now, darling."

The words were almost a whisper against her lips, his breath warm, teasing, yet carrying an undeniable weight.

Brainless Girl's fingers tightened around the gold coin she had been twirling, a flicker of tension passing through her. His tone was gentle, almost affectionate—but that was what made it dangerous. Because Frost Eye never spoke without intent.

"Please, be patient," he continued, voice softer now, more coaxing, yet undeniably calculated. "You know we need a shield to protect us. And we can kill anytime."

Her breath hitched for just a second. Not because she didn't already know this—but because he was saying it like a promise.

Like a secret whispered between lovers in the dead of night.

Then, before she could react, he reached out.

His finger lightly tapped the tip of her nose, a stark contrast to the weight of his words. A teasing, playful gesture—so out of place, yet so perfectly Frost Eye.

"Am I right?" he murmured, his tone now mockingly sweet, his smirk widening as if he could read every thought running through her head.

Brainless Girl exhaled sharply, willing her expression to remain neutral. He was playing with her. Pushing boundaries, testing reactions—like always.

"You're insufferable," she muttered, her voice carefully even.

Frost Eye chuckled, stepping back just enough to give her space—but not enough to break the tension he had so skillfully created.

"And yet," he mused, twirling the coin between his fingers, his golden eyes never leaving hers, "you're still here."

Frost Eye's smirk didn't waver as he twirled the gold coin effortlessly between his fingers. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he leaned in again, but this time, there was no teasing gesture—just a slow, expectant pause.

Brainless Girl exhaled, crossing her arms. "A small question, huh?" She arched an eyebrow. "Why do you need Rainbow Solutions now, darling?"

Frost Eye chuckled, his voice low and smooth. "Oh, come now. You already know the answer."

Brainless Girl didn't blink. "Indulge me."

Frost Eye let the coin roll over his knuckles before catching it in his palm. "Fine." He tilted his head, watching her like a cat amused by a cornered mouse.

"Think of it this way," he mused, his tone light, but his words sharp. "A strong shield isn't just for defense—it's a tool. A weapon in its own right." His smirk deepened. "And Rainbow Solutions? Right now, they're the perfect shield."

Brainless Girl stayed silent, so he continued, voice dropping into that mockingly sweet tone he loved so much.

"They keep enemies occupied, waste their resources, and take the first hit in any battle." He clicked his tongue. "Why would I destroy something so useful before I have no more need for it?"

His eyes darkened slightly, the amusement never quite reaching the depth of his gaze. "And when that time comes… well." He flipped the coin into the air and caught it with a snap of his fingers.

"Shields break. Eventually."

Brainless Girl held his gaze, unflinching. "So, you're just waiting for the moment you don't need them anymore?"

Frost Eye's smirk widened. He leaned in just slightly, enough that his voice was a whisper against her ear.

"Exactly, darling."

Frost Eye leaned back, golden eyes gleaming as he flipped a gold coin effortlessly between his fingers. The smirk on his face was as casual as ever, his posture relaxed, as if this conversation was nothing more than idle entertainment.

Brainless Girl, however, wasn't fooled. She knew he was always watching, always calculating. And right now, she had something he wasn't expecting.

She took her time, letting the silence stretch between them just long enough to make him wonder. Then, with a knowing smirk, she spoke.

"You're launching a guild, right?"

The coin in Frost Eye's hand stopped mid-flip.

For the first time, even if only for a fraction of a second, he was genuinely caught off guard.

His grip tightened—barely noticeable, but Brainless Girl caught it. The usual lazy confidence in his expression flickered, like a mask momentarily slipping.

A crack. A rare moment of weakness.

Brainless Girl's smirk deepened. Oh, she had him now.

"Did I hit a nerve, darling?" she teased, tilting her head. Her tone was light, almost playful, but her eyes were sharp, digging into the moment like a dagger sliding between ribs.

Frost Eye exhaled through his nose, forcing an easy chuckle as he caught the coin again—but this time, the motion wasn't quite as smooth.

"You've been thinking too much," he murmured, his voice still dripping with amusement, but this time, it wasn't as effortless as before.

Brainless Girl didn't let up. She stepped closer, her smirk widening. "Oh, I don't think so." Her voice carried that same mock sweetness, but underneath, there was precision. "You plan things too well to rely on someone else's guild forever. It's just a matter of when, not if."

Frost Eye tilted his head slightly, his smirk returning—but his eyes remained narrowed. She had cornered him, and they both knew it.

Brainless Girl wasn't finished. She let the tension hang for a moment before adding, "I think it happens when we reach the city, right?" She folded her arms, watching him carefully. "If my estimate is correct… around level 20 to 25, that's when you'll attack."

There it was again. That flicker.

This time, Frost Eye didn't freeze completely, but there was a split-second delay in his response—a hesitation.

Brainless Girl's eyes sparkled with amusement. "And," she continued, her voice almost a whisper now, "you're planning a guild, aren't you, darling?"

The second shock hit harder.

This time, the coin in Frost Eye's hand stayed still.

No flip. No twirl. Just silence.

Brainless Girl watched him, soaking in the moment. The great Frost Eye, the untouchable trickster—she had finally caught him off guard.

But he recovered fast. Too fast.

His smirk returned, sharper than before, and in one smooth motion, he flipped the coin again. "Luckily," he murmured, closing the distance between them in a single step, "you're on my side, darling."

And before she could respond, he lightly tapped her chin with his finger.

It was playful, teasing—but it carried a silent message.

Brainless Girl chuckled, but she didn't step back. She liked this little power game.

"For now," she replied, her voice soft but filled with meaning.

Frost Eye's smirk deepened. "That's all that matters."

But even as he said it, Brainless Girl could see it—that tiny sliver of uncertainty lingering in his golden eyes.

For the first time, she had made Frost Eye hesitate.