Novels often have plots where the villain, who once tormented or hindered the protagonist in every possible way, falls into the protagonist's hands. Facing their miserable fate, they can only regret the ugly face they once showed.
If the protagonist is kind, the villain's end might just be a heavy lesson that leaves them harboring a grudge for revenge. If the protagonist is ruthless, the villain likely won't see the morning sun.
Lin, tied to the lance with wires found in the mech wreckage, thought Bianka should be the kind-hearted type. But looking at the mechs she had pulverized—some smashed into iron pancakes by her soft-looking fists—he reconsidered. Even with a kind heart, she might accidentally turn him into something resembling the mashed potatoes she ate.
"Scumbag-Mushroom, how does it feel to be tied up?" The girl took off her hair tie, brushed her slender fingers through her long, dazzling hair, and stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at the reversed situation like a triumphant little girl.
After the battle, her armor had vanished, leaving only her tight black combat suit. It seemed fifty thousand years later, there was technology to store armor on one's person.
Lin replied expressionlessly, "The view is quite nice."
"Where are you looking?" Bianka covered herself as her combat suit emphasized her enticing curves, whispering with a red face, "Pervert."
She observed the post-battle mess. Such a sudden situation was not within her expectations; it seemed there were more things in this World Bubble she didn't know about.
"Do you have a way to leave the World Bubble?" Lin asked suddenly after she finished her observation.
"I do. The Holy Sword Durandal can help me... Huh?" Bianka frowned slightly, trying to use Durandal's power, but no matter how she called, it didn't respond.
She could usually enter and leave World Bubbles at will using the sword's power, which was why she could investigate the quantum distortion alone.
"...Phew, looks like I can't leave until the truth comes out." Bianka adapted to the situation quickly. She had encountered many strange events that ordinary people wouldn't face in a lifetime; this was just another one.
She smiled brightly, tilting her head to look at the immobilized Lin. "So, how should I deal with you next?"
Lin gave a cold snort. "Hmph. Treat me exactly how I treated you. I can take it. Feel free to watch or touch."
"You really are shameless." Bianka was astonished. She narrowed her eyes, and after thinking for a while, she clapped her hands with a laugh. "Then I'll just hang you up for a night."
...
Left alone tied to the lance, Lin looked up at the rift. Perhaps tired after the battle, he uncharacteristically felt sleepy. Bianka had gone into the tent to sleep; from Lin two days of observation, her routine was healthy, similar to his.
Actually, Lin could see many of his own habits in Bianka. She likely exercised every day, and upon entering a strange area, she would observe the environment and take notes—likely a workaholic. Sometimes she was too serious and blunt, with a rigidity that didn't match her appearance. It wasn't necessarily bad, but Lin had rarely met such an easy-to-trick girl.
As he thought, Lin closed his eyes and drifted into sleep—the only real sleep he'd had in a long time besides being unconscious.
The sky-piercing blade falling from above, the red ice freezing the earth, the flames burning atop that ice...
"..."
Lin eyes were closed, but he was awake. His sleep quality was poor, with terrible things running wild in his dreams like layered nightmares. It took a long time to calm his mind. He intended to open his eyes to observe the rift, but just then...
"Are you already asleep?" A whisper, so soft it would be impossible to hear without the silent environment, entered his ears.
Bianka footsteps were even quieter than her whisper; he hadn't heard when she left the tent and walked up to him.
"I remember seeing a wound on his chest..."
There was the rustle of Lin clothes being moved. After confirming, she went behind the lance and untied the wires.
"Swoosh..."
Before he could hit the ground, he fell into a soft, fragrant embrace. The good news was he didn't have to sleep on the lance tonight; the bad news was if he were found awake, he'd probably be turned into a gingerbread man.
"..."
Suddenly, the surroundings went quiet. Lin didn't hear the wind of movement; instead, the sound of suppressed breathing seemed to draw close.
"Why is there a scent on him?" He heard Bianka mumble, not quite understanding what she meant.
The breathing came closer. "Just... a small sniff. That should be fine, right?"
Lin secretly squinted his right eye. He could see the girl's cascading long hair spilling down in the starlight. She gently held Lin waist, her hand on his back, her delicate nose approaching his collarbone to sniff the scent.
...What is she doing?
Under Lin confused gaze, her cheeks turned crimson. As if intoxicated, she followed his collarbone upward, sniffing toward his neck. Just as she was about to touch Lin chin—
"Clatter."
The night wind moved a nearby mech wreck. Her entranced expression immediately shattered. Bianka looked at Lin sleeping face so close to hers and jerked back like a knee-jerk reaction.
"What am I doing..."
Later, she seemed to say a bunch of self-comforting words and did nothing else out of line. Lin was moved into the tent. She chose a position for him that wouldn't press on his wounds and then slept beside him. Fortunately, the tent was large enough for two.
Lin breathed a sigh of relief. Finally...
"Zzz..."
"..."
Lin heard a soft snore that sounded like her nose was stuffed. He slowly turned his head and saw Bianka sleeping posture, with her entire head buried in the pillow.
Setting aside her speed of falling asleep, her sleeping "etiquette" was truly poor. Lin thought for a moment, sat up, and put his hand on her shoulder to help adjust her position.
However, he never expected that Bianka, who was excellent in so many areas, had no equal when it came to bad sleeping habits. Besides stuffing her head in pillows, she would kick the blanket off the bed five times a night and roll around. When she wasn't rolling, she would drool and wet the sheets.
There was no blanket today, but there was Lin.
Slap.
Lin calmly looked between Bianka innocent sleeping face and her arm, which held his wrist as immovably as an iron pillar. He tried to pull his hand out. This movement triggered a switch.
"Whoosh!"
"..."
An irresistible brute force pulled him into the girl's embrace. She usually hugged her blanket like a body pillow between her legs and arms; this time was likely more convenient because Lin took up less space than a blanket.
His limbs were pinned, making him even more immobilized than when he was tied to the lance. He looked speechlessly at the gap in the tent flap as the girl's face rubbed against his, her sweet, low snores continuing in his ear.
And so, he spent the entire night staring at the moonlight in speechless silence.