novelraw Chapter 40: Time Stops
Chapter 40: Time Stops
With the help of Forest Magic, the scattered and mysterious text transformed into a language Leon could understand. He read it carefully, then compared the gift icons on the scroll with what he remembered from the offerings list. When he confirmed that nothing had changed, he let out a breath of relief.
If there had been any changes, and some new, reality-exclusive item had appeared, he would have had to go through a lot of trouble to find it.
Looking again at the scroll, he saw that the first row depicted four types of wild spring plants—Leek, Wild Horseradish, Dandelion, and Daffodil. No quantity was indicated, so Leon simply took one of each from his System Backpack and placed them into the basket.
The moment the items landed inside, there was a muffled pop. Four apple-sized Junimos appeared at Leon’s side, bouncing around him before all of them dove under the basket. Their bean-sprout-thin hands lifted the basket together, and they hopped their way toward the exit of the Community Center’s Crafts Room.
The sight brought a smile to Leon’s face. These Junimos were actually quite adorable. Their voices were a soft, musical hum—indescribable yet pleasant—that made Leon want to catch them and keep them in a cage, just to hear all the different tones they could make.
Following them as they carried the basket, Leon was just stepping out of the Crafts Room when he noticed the Junimos suddenly startle. With another pop, they vanished, leaving the basket of spring forage behind.
He blinked in confusion, but the next second, he spotted Haley. She was tiptoeing toward him, clearly more concerned about keeping her shoes and clothes clean than about where she was headed. Leon instantly understood why the Junimos had fled.
Her fussy expression at the sight of the slightly dirty surroundings made Leon sigh inwardly. He had ignored her earlier, but she’d spotted him anyway and, driven by curiosity, had followed—uninvited—interrupting his offering.
A mischievous idea struck him. Since Haley’s eyes were fixed on her footing and she hadn’t seen him yet, Leon slipped back into the Crafts Room and waited, listening for her footsteps.
Just as she drew close, he jumped out and shouted, “Ah!”“Ahhhhhh!”
Haley let out a string of sharp, high-pitched screams, completely abandoning her earlier caution about her clothes. She bolted, skirt and all, with surprising speed and agility.
Leon couldn’t help but give her a thumbs-up. Those quick reflexes and long strides—he’d believe her if she said she was a sprinter, and that was with her wearing a skirt. Clearly, fear could unleash remarkable potential.
But his amusement didn’t last long. Haley, running too fast to watch her step, caught her ankle on an upturned plank and pitched forward. The place she was about to land was strewn with sharp stones. Without any protection, she’d be badly hurt.
Haley clearly realized this too. She tried to steady herself, but her speed and the force of her momentum left her no time to recover. Terror flooded her mind as the stones rushed closer in her vision. She could already imagine her skin and face torn open by them.
Leon’s heart tightened. He wanted to help, but they were still five or six meters apart—far too far to reach her in time. He could only watch.
Then, in an instant, two Junimos appeared on his shoulders. They chanted in strange, incomprehensible tones—and suddenly, Haley’s fall slowed, as if someone had pressed the slow-motion button on a video.
Leon didn’t stop to think. He sprinted toward her, and to his surprise, his own speed wasn’t affected at all. Two long strides, and he was there, close enough to see the fear etched on her face.
No time for gawking. He reached out and caught her around the waist, halting her forward tumble. The moment his hands made contact, time around Haley seemed to snap back to normal.
Her momentum still carried her forward, but now she felt a strong pair of arms at her waist. Before she could react, that strength reversed her fall entirely.
Leon spun them both around in a smooth arc, defusing what could have been a trip straight to the ICU—and leaving them pressed together in a far more intimate position than either expected.
Perhaps it was the lingering fear, but Haley instinctively clung to him, seeking the safety he represented, like a drowning person grasping a floating plank.
Leon, for his part, was left awkwardly holding a girl who was practically wrapped around him like a koala, her perfume drifting into his nose. He raised his hands slightly, silently declaring himself an upright gentleman.
Haley, now calmer, caught a strange scent from Leon. Not floral, not sweet, yet inexplicably pleasant—and oddly heart-racing.
So this is what they call a man’s scent?
The thought flickered through her mind before embarrassment kicked in. Realizing how close they were, she quickly let go of his shoulders and unhooked her legs.
But she moved too fast. Forgetting to steady herself, she lost her balance again and tipped backward.
Luckily, Leon was right there. He grabbed her hand and pulled her upright, saving her from another fall.