"Please, let me see the comments, darling! Please! Please! Please!"
I grit my teeth as Lilith tries to snatch my phone, but I don't let her, which only makes her feign crying.
"Why are you even trying to hide it? You've got a good amount of views for your first video. Why are you hiding the comments?" Lilith asks in frustration as I refuse to give in to her pleas.
The views on my solo masturbation video have already exceeded ten thousand and are still climbing, though the engagement remains low.
"Okay… fine," I sigh and finally hand her my phone.
Lilith immediately opens the comment section the moment she takes it.
{Gapingasshole?1: Come fill my asshole with your nuts, Daddy.}
{whencum?##: Can we collaborate? You'll be the top?}
{Expensivefaggot: I wish you could cum in my pussy <
>>>>(Milf_Hunter replied: You sick fuck, that's a fucking dirty asshole. Stop calling it a pussy! Why are you guys even here?!)
{The comment section was turned off.}
"..."
"..."
Lilith looks at me and gently returns my phone.
"T-That's why I didn't want you to see it," I say, trying to clear the air. "There was no way I could delete the comments, so I just disabled them."
She suddenly bursts out laughing and rolls on the bed, clutching her stomach as she laughs heavily.
"Haha, you didn't even do any configuration on your account before uploading the video. You should have restricted it from showing on the feeds of gay people. Even I know that," Lilith says, her laughter finally subsiding.
"I see… Anyway, let's go see Aleena first," I say. Lilith nods and quickly puts on her clothes.
We walk to Aleena's study and knock, but there's no response. I check the lab too, but she isn't there either. Finally, I lead Lilith to her room. When we knock this time, a voice comes from inside.
"Come in."
The moment she speaks, I open the door and we both enter. Aleena is frantically scrambling around, desperately trying to hide her trash and dirty laundry. Her face turns beet red when she sees Lilith behind me.
"Why did you two come to see me?" she asks, breathing hard.
"Well, we need your help," I say, taking a seat on the small couch and motioning for Lilith to sit beside me.
"What is it?" Her eyes widen in surprise as she settles on her bed.
"Me and Lilith don't know how to use Mana. You already know about my situation, but I need you to help both of us," I explain.
Aleena pauses, her eyes darting quickly between me and Lilith before she lets out a sigh.
"I see… So you want me to teach you how to wield Mana and explain the basics of magic?"
"Yes."
"Honestly, that would be a bit of a bummer. I have something really important I'm working on right now. I think I told you about it. Baron Halver was the one who gave me the contract," she says.
My eyes widen as I remember her mentioning the deal with Baron Halver. Time was also running out. I needed to return to the Baron's estate soon to continue my job there.
"So… you won't be able to help us?"
"N-No, it's not like that!" Aleena says awkwardly, running a hand through her hair. "It's just that I usually charge a fee for teaching magic."
"You shameless elf!" I snap, my nose flaring in anger. "I've already paid off everything I owed you. It's time you worked for all that free food!"
"It's also time you started paying rent!"
"You! I did so many repairs on this rundown house! How are you going to pay me back for that?!"
"After everything I've done for you, this is how you repay me?!"
"Yeah, just like how you stole money from my pants the other day?!"
"In your dreams! If you really didn't want to waste money, why did you rush and get engaged to someone else?!" Aleena bellows, her face flushed red with anger. But she suddenly pauses, realizing what she just said. Her expression shifts instantly from rage to embarrassment.
"EHH?!" Lilith lets out a shocked sound, looking between me and Aleena strangely as we seem ready to pounce on each other.
"W-Wait, Lilith! It isn't what you think!" Aleena cries out. "It's a slip-up! There's no way I'm interested in him!"
But Lilith isn't listening. She dashes toward the exit, then suddenly stops just before leaving.
"I'm sorry if you feel I stole Jacob from you," Lilith says with a crude smile, "but I love him and would do anything to stay by his side. Although… I don't mind sharing him."
With that, she walks out.
"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Aleena pulls at her hair in frustration and embarrassment, slamming her palm against the ground. "This is a misunderstanding, waaaaah~!"
Just like that, the chaos prevented us from reaching any conclusion. I walk to the exit and glance back at Aleena one last time.
"Do you really not see me as a man at all? Do you feel that disgusted by the idea of dating me?" I ask, then close the door before she can answer.
Something clicked inside me. I buried all the feelings I had for Aleena. Whether she liked me or not, I no longer wanted to debate it or let my feelings be toyed with.
---
Meanwhile, after Jacob leaves, Aleena clutches her hair tightly and starts crying.
"Why…?"
"Why can't I just say it? What's wrong with me?" Aleena sobs quietly, her heart racing faster at Jacob's parting words.