Otto had grown somewhat skilled at transforming his left hand into tentacles. He bound Irene's legs with some, while the rest began to dig a pit.
Soon, the dizzy Irene was dug out by Otto. She sat on the ground, looking miserable.
After all, being slapped into the earth from so high in the sky couldn't possibly feel good.
But this only confirmed she wasn't a normal woman.
How could a normal person fly? How could they fall from such a height and not die?
Otto glanced at his left hand, now back to its original form. He wasn't a normal man either.
Irene pressed a hand to her forehead. Even for her, who had been clinging to life by a thread, she now had only half a thread left.
A few dozen more slaps like that might just kill her.
After a while, she finally recovered from the dizziness. Her gaze swept over Otto's left hand.
A moment ago, she vaguely remembered seeing those slender fingers turn into slimy tentacles. She remembered being bound by them. Was that just her imagination?
Irene stared a little longer. The more she looked, the more something felt off. She suddenly had a strange feeling about that left hand.
Like meeting her own father.
This was just too bizarre.
Irene composed herself and stopped looking at the palm, now as white as jade. It couldn't be a normal hand, anyway.
She stood up, her body swaying slightly. The impact from being slapped down had been excruciating.
As she stumbled, she fell into a warm embrace.
"Are you all right?" Otto's gentle voice sounded by her ear. Irene could feel the fiery warmth of his body. She had never been this close to a man before.
She subtly steadied herself and took two small steps back, creating a proper distance between them—not so far as to seem distant, but not close enough to be intimate.
"Thank you for saving me," Irene said with a slight bow. He had saved her twice now. If he hadn't dug her out, she might have died in an utterly humiliating position on this snowy ground.
But the thought that this man had seen her in such a disgraceful state was unbearable. She, the great Fallen Rosemary, the favored child of the Sea of Quanta, had never been treated this way.
"Irene has no way to repay you for saving my life," she said, a little embarrassed. After accidentally falling into this strange world, she had lost most of her treasures. If she offered some trinket, wouldn't that imply her life, the life of Fallen Rosemary, was only worth that much?
"It's nothing, really." Otto waved his hand. Just digging someone out wasn't worth such thanks. The flower he'd received was already a very nice gift.
Besides, he had other questions for Miss Irene.
"Miss Irene, may I ask a question?" Otto said.
Irene nodded magnanimously. 'A mysterious beauty like me must have sparked many questions in his mind.' she thought.
But if he asked her age, she would politely decline.
"How do I leave this world?" Otto asked. This was the answer he truly wanted. Miss Irene seemed to be from another world too, and she might know how to leave this one.
"Hmm? Huh?"
Irene heard Otto's question. It wasn't the expected attempt to get closer, nor was it a probe into her private life. He didn't even ask for her contact information or address.
'Am I really that unattractive?' But she quickly recovered. After mulling over his question for a moment, a meaningful smile spread across her face.
"So, you're not from this World Bubble either."
Irene raised her hand and tapped Otto's chest with her index finger. No wonder she had sensed a familiar scent on this man.
It was the scent of Quantum.
This man truly shared the same origin as her.
In a way, she and this Mr. Alpha were like siblings from different parents.
As fellow travelers from other worlds, Irene felt a flicker of kinship with Otto, much like how her Rita-like appearance had made Otto feel a sense of closeness.
"Yes." Since Otto wanted to know how to leave, he needed to be somewhat open with this mysterious Miss Irene.
"I stumbled into this world by accident, but I don't know how to leave," Otto stated bluntly. The fact that Irene had given him a thank-you gift for such a small favor suggested she was a good person.
Listening to Otto's explanation, Irene nodded.
So he's still a fledgling.
Irene understood. This handsome blond guy was a Sea of Quanta traveler, just like her. But compared to her seasoned self, he was just a novice. He had accidentally entered this strange world and now couldn't get out.
For an outstanding veteran like her, guiding him out of a World Bubble would be almost too easy.
But then, the humiliating image of being slammed into the ground flashed through her mind. This junior had seen her buried halfway in the earth. How utterly mortifying!
However, Irene didn't dwell on it. As long as she led him out of this world, he would surely recognize her excellence.
With that thought, Irene crossed her arms and stood elegantly.
"This world is very special."
Irene began to explain to Otto. "People like us, favored by the Sea of Quanta, can move freely within it. We should be able to come and go as we please in World Bubbles."
"But," Irene raised her right hand and pointed at the sky, "this world is rejecting our departure. It's like a cage. Once we're in, we can't get out."
"If you try to break through directly," Irene flattened her right hand and made a slapping motion, "you'll be blocked just like that."
"Someone with your slight build might be killed instantly."
Recalling the force that had slammed Irene into the ground, Otto nodded in agreement. His gaze, however, inevitably drifted to the legs beneath her skirt.
Noticing Otto's stare, Irene subtly squeezed her thighs together and tightened her glutes.
He really does remember my humiliating moment!?
'When I was buried halfway in the earth, what did my lower body even look like?!' But her face betrayed none of her inner turmoil. Maintaining her elegant composure, Irene continued.
"Based on my assessment, this World Bubble has a master."
"It's precisely because this World Bubble's master forbids anyone from leaving that we're trapped."
"But the methods to escape this world are simple."
"There are three."
"First, a direct breakthrough. But we probably can't manage that."
"Second, find the master of this World Bubble and get them to agree to let us leave. But they might refuse."
"And the third is..."
A cold glint flashed in Irene's eyes. She had never been a soft-hearted person.
"Kill the master of this World Bubble."