Chapter 18: I Long For Shura Field
"Ennnh, what a strange dream… or rather, a nightmare…"
Kaya slowly opened her eyes, her gaze dazed and unfocused as she muttered groggily.
As her vision cleared, something beside her caught her attention.
A white-haired teenager with noble purple eyes sat nearby. He wore a crisp white shirt and matching pants, his expression calm and focused as he read a book in his hand. He was seated on a chair just beside her comfy bed.
The young girl's pale cheeks flushed abnormally as she gazed at the young man in a daze. Her hands moved uncontrollably, her fingers gently brushing against his cheeks.
"Am I still dreaming?"
Kaya grew even bolder. Rising from her bed, she sat on the young man's lap, facing him directly. She even tossed the book from his hands without a second thought. Meeting his surprised gaze with a contented smile, she studied his facial features with an unreadable expression.
"What a beautiful dream…"
Kaya leaned in closer, feeling the heat of the young man's breath. It made her feel even more intoxicated by his presence.
Unfortunately, just as the young lady was about to claim his tempting, kissable lips, the young man stopped her with a finger pressed against her forehead. With a smirk on his face, he shattered her dreamscape by calmly telling her:
"Kaya, young lady, I'm glad you've finally woken up… Oh, and by the way, you weren't dreaming before, and you're not dreaming now."
Kaya's innocent eyes gained sudden clarity as she looked at him, realization dawning on her face.
"Kyaaaa!!!"
In Kaya's bedroom, Xun began recounting everything that had happened prior, explaining the events to the newly awakened Kaya. Her earlier shyness quickly vanished as the weight of the truth sank in.
He told her of Kuro's machinations, the reasons behind her parents' deaths, the fact that she had been slowly poisoned, and how her body could no longer handle it. He also mentioned Ussop, who had become entangled in Kuro's schemes.
Speaking of Ussop, Xun's disdain for him was evident. Without much concern, he had flung Ussop out of the room through the window, sending him flying outside the mansion.
Ussop's body was left battered and bruised, his injuries so severe that he wouldn't be able to stand for at least a week or two—assuming he could rely on the natural endurance typical of people in this world.
Even now, with the drugs still coursing through his veins, leaving him feverish and weak, Ussop could do little more than writhe helplessly on the ground.
Xun never took Ussop seriously. Even if Kaya had been Ussop's wife, Xun was confident he could win her over. After all, in his past world, married women hadn't been off-limits to him. Every move he had made so far was part of a calculated plan—to manipulate Nami into drawing her own conclusions about his "flaws."
Letting her reach those conclusions on her own would be far more effective than simply saying, "Hey, Nami, I like you, but I want your sister too."
He wanted to see her jealousy, anger, and resolve—not to simply succumb to his luck and become a blindly devoted love-struck fool.
Xun wasn't sure if polygamy was considered normal in this world, but that didn't matter to him. As long as he desired something, his luck would inevitably make it happen. It was a trait he both loved and hated when it came to relationships.
Knock…
The knock on the door pulled Xun out of his thoughts and also broke Kaya free from her grief.
The door creaked open, and Nami's head appeared. She took in the scene—Kaya clinging tightly to Xun, her head buried in his neck, greedily inhaling his scent. Black lines appeared on Nami's face as green veins bulged on her forehead, the effort to suppress her rising fury evident.
Xun, however, was secretly delighted. He had grown bored of the harmony in his harem. He craved the chaos of a battlefield of jealousy—a shura field. Just imagining Nami, Kaya, Robin, the Empress, and others fighting fiercely over him made his excitement… noticeable.
Grinding her teeth, Nami managed to speak through her anger.
"Xun-chan… Butler Merry has finished the final touches on the ship and is asking for your presence, as you requested."
Still grieving, Kaya tightened her grip on Xun and cast a glare of barely concealed hostility at Nami.
"Xun-sama and I are discussing the cure for my illness. Tell Merry we're busy…"
Kaya, an innocent teenager, had been easily captivated by Xun's charm. She wasn't like Nami, who bore a deep vendetta and was shielded by the luck of the world. But even with that luck, Nami had still been drawn to him—so capturing Kaya had been effortless.
Earlier, Xun had explained the true nature of Kaya's illness. Her condition stemmed from innate fragility compounded by years of poisoning. He had delivered the news with characteristic nonchalance:
"There's good news and bad news. The bad news is that your body can't take much more. If you're not cured soon, you won't survive beyond a year. The good news is that I can cure you—but I have my own condition."
Although Xun hadn't elaborated on his condition, Kaya hadn't cared. With her life nearing its end, nothing else mattered. Her parents were gone, her loyal butler had been revealed as a cruel pirate and her parents' murderer, her childhood friend had almost assaulted her, and she had little more than a year to live.
In many ways, Kaya was already a near-broken girl. Then, suddenly, she had tasted the sweetness of love—and she had no intention of letting it go. Whatever Xun's condition might be, she had agreed without hesitation.
Nami, watching Kaya cling to him so desperately, clenched her fists in frustration. Kaya was sick and couldn't withstand an attack—otherwise, Nami would've taught her a lesson then and there.
Her glare turned to Xun, her vicious eyes making his expression falter momentarily.
He sighed, gently patting Kaya's back to comfort her.
"It's okay, Kaya. Take your time. I'll just take a look at the ship and come back. You can even tag along. After all, what's going to happen next is definitely worth watching…"
Kaya, who had looked heartbroken moments earlier, brightened instantly at his invitation.
Nami, still watching the two entangled with each other, felt her emotions spiraling out of control.
Forcing a smile, she grabbed Xun's other arm, completely ignoring Kaya's hostile gaze.
"Let's go…"