Marcus whipped his head to see who the voice behind him belonged to.

It had sounded somewhat familiar, but he did not place the individual in question until he saw their face.

"Forlorieous! What are you doing here?!"

Naturally, Marcus was surprised to see the Great Spirit of Nature making a sudden appearance.

It had been years since they had last met when he asked for help fixing the magic circles within Borealia’s royal castle’s atrium.

"I’d say that it is pretty obvious what brought me to this location. You and your friends were causing quite a ruckus so close to my home. I mean look at this place. It’s completely trashed." Forlorieous said, gestured towards the devastated landscape.

Unlike the first time that Marcus encountered the Great Spirit of Nature, Forlorieous was already in a female form right from the start.

Not that an outer appearance meant too much to a great spirit. Marcus could change his own appearance however he desired as well.

’There’s a lot I want to say to her, but I don’t have time for that right now.’

Marcus shifted his attention away from Forlorieous and prepared himself to at least save Quillon’s soul even if his body perished.

"That’s not going to work. Even a Supreme Spirit like you won’t be able to just pluck a person’s soul out and turn them into a spirit. Well, perhaps this man would be an exception since he’s already merged with a powerful spirit before. Only if you were at full power though. In your current state, it won’t be possible. You’ll just tear him apart."

Marcus gritted his teeth and tuned Forlorieous out. Letting her words get to him would just have his determination lower. He was not going to just allow Quillon to perish if he could help it. At the very least, eh would try everything that he could.

For her part, lyra had been stunned by the overwhelming presence that Forlorieous was giving off.

Even just floating there, she knew that this was the most powerful entity that she had ever encountered.

If Marcus had not started talking to the Great Spirit of Nature so casually, Lyra honestly might have remained in a daze the entire time.

Still, she wanted to save Quillon just as much, if not more than Marcus did.

The two of them were in a romantic relationship, and while it was still a bit nebulous right now, she figured that someday the two of them would become more serious.

"Please, I’ll do anything that you want. Just save him. You said that you were here to offer assistance, right?" Lyra said, pleading with Forlorieous.

"Yes, I did, but there’s nothing I want from you. I’m only here because of Marcus. You’ve become far more tantalizing than you were before."

Forlorieous only cast a quick disinterested glance at Lyra, before turning her attention back towards Marcus.

Even after all this time, her infatuation with him had not faded a bit. In fact, it was even stronger now than before.

"So, are you planning on holding my friend’s life over my head, or are you just messing with me?" Marcus asked, not in the mood to play any games and already running out of time.

Quillon was still alive, but he would not be for much longer. His heartbeat had already grown incredibly weak. He had a couple minutes max before he truly died.

"You misunderstand me. I would never do that. Forcing you to be with me would not be exciting at all. If I was the type to do that, I never would have let you go after you first came to me. My offer for help was genuine and unconditional"

Forlorieous then waved her right hand, and a shimmering green mana engulfed both Quillon and Roxene.

In just a few seconds, both of them who were in critical condition before were restored to full health.

It was truly a miraculous sight considering how much damage both of them had suffered.

Roxene was not in too much danger of dying so long as Marcus continually healed her, but Quillon would have been doomed if not for Forlorieous’ intervention.

"There, I hope that makes you see me in a more favorable light. Perhaps I should have done that first. I was just too elated to speak with you again." Forlorieous said, puffing out her chest proudly.

Marcus and Lyra were both shocked into silence by what had just occurred.

One second they were moments away from losing someone close to them, and the next everything was perfectly fine.

"Yeah, I owe you an apology. I jumped to conclusions in a state of distress. I shouldn’t have said what I did to you. Thank you for saving my friend and healing my beast companion."

Marcus bowed his head to Forlorieous and expressed his gratitude towards her.

Lyra quickly followed suit afterwards and profusely thanked the great spirit for healing Quillon with tears running down her face.

"Well, if you are feeling sorry, how about a little reward for me. Just spend one night with me, I’m sure you’ll get hooked once you have a taste." Forlorieous said, flashing Marcus and amorous smile.

"I appreciate what you did, but I’ll have to decline. I’m married now, and have no intention on ever being with anyone else. My wife is the only one for me."

Forlorieous pursued her lips at Marcus’ response. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

She had not expected her advances to work, but his immediate and blunt rejection was still frustrating.

"Fine. How about just a kiss then. It can even be on the cheek. Though, if you want my lips, I would be happy to give them to you."

Sighing, Marcus approached Forlorieous and gave her a kick peck on the cheek. Something in line with what might be considered a greeting with a good friend in some cultures.

"Will, that do?" Marcus asked as he pulled his face back.

"For now. Eternity is a long time. One day I’ll make you realize my charms"