CHAPTER 64………………………………………
The warmth he radiated from behind slowly calmed Sierra’s anger.
“Phew…”
She let out a long sigh and rested her head on Ashur’s chest.
“It’s been a while, and yet you had to see such a mess.”
“It’s okay. As long as you’re not hurt, that’s enough.”
His calm voice, coming from above her head, was comforting.
Sierra turned and quietly gazed at his face.
“Ashur… it really is you.”
Then she slowly sank deeper into his warm embrace.
“Haah…”
A sigh of relief escaped her naturally.
“I really… missed you.”
“…Me too.”
“Seriously, it was so hard…”
“Take your time. Tell me everything.”
His gentle voice, brushing her hair lightly, tickled her ears.
The days when Adrian’s constantly changing behavior had made her nerves taut flashed through her mind.
The anger and helplessness she had felt while trapped gradually dissipated.
All that remained was simply the desire to cling to Ashur.
“Ugh, that guy… he was really strange.”
Recalling the earlier events, Ashur let out an exasperated laugh.
“Yeah. Who would’ve thought such a ridiculous magic existed?”
“Right? I didn’t even know.”
“So there’s magic you didn’t know about too.”
Sierra let out a short laugh at his tone of mild curiosity.
“Of course. There are lots of things I don’t know. And it’s black magic, after all.”
“Hmph. So that’s why you were fooled by that guy who made himself look like me.”
She had even approached him first, thinking it was Ashur, and let herself be held.
Though it was understandable, she still felt a surge of irritation.
“Ugh… Ashur, now you know how it feels. Honestly, unless you’re a prophet, anyone would be fooled.”
“Exactly. I never imagined someone could perfectly transform into someone else.”
Sierra nuzzled her face into his chest as she replied.
“Right? At least his performance was clumsy enough that I noticed quickly. If not… it would have been a disaster.”
Her words made Ashur recall the spy, who had seemed like Sierra, creaking slightly when he hugged her.
It was truly impossible to distinguish the two just by appearance.
“…Our lips almost touched.”
Now he understood why that guy had shivered in disgust.
His stomach churned.
“What a vile guy.”
If she had been completely fooled, what might he have done next, using her face, using Sierra’s face? It was horrifying.
He finally understood why Sierra had been so angry.
“Sierra. What happened while I was gone?”
“Haah… well, you see…”
She explained everything: how after Ashur left, Adrian disguised himself as him, tricked her, pushed her off the cliff, and trapped her in the cabin.
“It was truly absurd.”
Though her hands and feet were free, black magic had prevented her escape, and she had only barely found a clue to break free.
As her story continued, worry gradually clouded Ashur’s expression.
“What? Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
He checked her face, examining every part of her in his arms.
Her speech was muffled under his hands pressing her cheeks.
“Uh, I’m fine.”
“Phew…”
Only after making sure everything was fine did he release her.
“Well, even though that spy was strange, he wasn’t violent.”
“…That’s a relief.”
“Yeah. It was just mentally tough… I ate well and took care of myself. Let’s finish talking on the way back?”
But Ashur still looked worried.
He sat in front of her, turned around, showing his back.
“It must have been hard. Want me to carry you?”
Sierra’s voice carried a smile thanks to his overflowing care.
“No, it’s not that bad. I’m really fine.”
“…Then say so anytime.”
“Haha, okay.”
She led the way with light steps.
“By the way, Ashur, how long has it been since you left?”
“Today marks exactly one week.”
“That’s quite a while… ugh, I wonder what that bastard did in the village using my face.”
Hearing Sierra’s complaint, he recalled what he had heard when he went to the cabin.
“They said they were busy running around and barely talked to anyone.”
“Really? Who told you?”
“Rohita. That spy probably didn’t want anyone to find out it wasn’t you.”
“Exactly. If he had mingled with the villagers, they’d have realized it immediately.”
Sierra frowned, recalling Adrian’s constant mischief.
“Really… such an unpredictable person. Hard to even get along with.”
Ashur’s gaze lingered on her weary expression.
“…I’m sorry I couldn’t come back sooner.”
“No, it was really fine. I just read newspapers and listened to that idiot’s nonsense to gather information. That’s how I spent my time.”
“Still… I shouldn’t have left you alone.”
His voice sounded unusually heavy.
Turning back, she saw his delicate features clouded, sulking, as if blaming himself for not doing anything.
But he hadn’t done anything wrong.
She remembered his low voice whispering that he always wanted to protect her.
“Hmm, for me, just seeing you like this after so long gives me strength.”
With a playful laugh, Sierra stood on her toes and approached his firmly closed lips.
Smack—
Ashur stopped in his tracks at the sudden soft touch.
“Hahaha, let’s go back quickly! We have to report this immediately.”
Her hurried steps made the back of her neck blush bright red.
Naturally, his face relaxed and a soft smile escaped.
A little later, Adrian perched precariously on the windowsill overlooking the vast garden.
“Haah…”
He watched the busy people below with a bored expression.
Click—
“Oh, you’re back, Adrian?”
Emily, dressed beautifully, approached.
Adrian didn’t even look at her as he answered.
“Yeah.”
“How was it? Fun there?”
“It was.”
Though he replied lazily, showing clear annoyance, she ignored him and plopped onto the nearby sofa.
“Who did you meet? Do you remember their names?”
“Hm. I mostly avoided people. But I did see Sierra… and Ashur too.”
“Oh, lucky! If I could’ve transformed too, I could have stayed comfortably and done even better!”
“You?”
He looked at Emily and scoffed.
“Huh? You think I couldn’t?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, seriously. So annoying!”
Emily pounded the sofa irritably.
The people in the sanctuary were different than he expected.
He had known the records left in Altareon were mostly false.
“If I hadn’t been careful, I’d have been discovered immediately… and kicked out right away.”
He had underestimated them as mere barbarians taming monsters, but their resolve was far stronger than expected.
The information he secretly glanced at surpassed all predictions.
Most of all, Sierra.
She was the most unexpected.
“You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”
A subtle thrill spread across Adrian’s face.
“Ugh. What’s with that perverted expression?”
Emily’s sudden comment made him snap back to reality.
He leaned against the cushions and muttered:
“Anything else to say?”
“Oh, um… did you see Sael?”
“Sael? …Who?”
“The Prophet!”
Emily’s excited shout froze Adrian’s expression.
“Hey. You’re close with the Prophet? Surely not?”
“Oh, no… it’s just… she’s so pretty. I can’t stop thinking about her…”
“Hah.”
He looked down at Emily, nervously rubbing her fingers, shaking his head at her hopelessness.
“Silly.”
“What! If I’m silly, then you’re the idiot!”
“I’m a genius, you know?”
“Ugh…”
Emily couldn’t contain her frustration, jumped up, and stomped around.
“I believed so firmly that I would bring Sierra back! I was the fool!”
“You’re always the fool.”
“Argh!”
“Well, what can we do if she didn’t follow? If Sierra had fought properly, I might never have returned.”
“Ugh…”
Emily flopped back down, frustrated.
“So… everything’s done, right?”
“Of course. Did you see me make any mistakes?”
Adrian crossed his legs and grinned.
“I’m curious to see how Sierra will respond.”
A strange desire flickered in his violet eyes.
