Chapter 5

“What’s wrong, kid? Are you tired already?”

The anger, which had slowly subsided, faded away while playing with Asilde, but Serenity provoked him with a languid smile on her face.

If she had come to Asilde with hostility, she would’ve beaten him to death. But this man wasn’t a hostile person. She could not feel another emotion but pure desire for a sword. She liked that quite a bit.

“There’s still a long way to go.”

Asilde’s body moved again. He slashed at Serenity’s shoulder with his sword. Serenity retreated and attacked back as she blocked his sword. It was only then that a satisfying smile came to Serenity’s face as he used all his skills to launch attacks.

“That’s pretty good.”

She was determined to deal with Asilde properly. Serenity quickly struck at him.

“…Urk!”

As the weight of the strike felt heavier than before, Asilde groaned softly. Her sword, which had gone from above, was now at his side. She managed to turn the sword around and cut straight in.

Clang!

The sword that flew into the air rolled onto the floor. Asilde, who had loosened his grip, looked down at the sword pointed at his neck. The edge of the sword paused right on his skin.

‘It’s over.’

It was a complete defeat, but it was also a pleasant defeat. She was kind enough to show him what his sword lacked.

“You lost…!”

Asilde, who was willing to admit defeat, stiffened and returned to his usual posture. Before he knew it, Serenity’s beautiful face and red eyes came into view. She was so close that he could feel her breath. His body shook as her long white fingers stroked his face.

“You have very pretty eyes. I like this dark purple. It’s a mysterious color.”

It may be right to say that this feeling was not cold, but perhaps mild. At the sound of Serenity’s voice ringing in his ears, Asilde’s heart pounded for a moment. It wasn’t like in the moment where they were dueling.

While Asilde was surprised at his own reactions, her cold fingers trailed up his sweaty forehead and touched his jet black hair.

“…”

Serenity touched Asilde’s hair without saying a word. His silky hair evoked strange feelings in her.

Why… does it feel so familiar… Her red eyes shook with a faint feeling.

‘What is this…?’

Without a word, Asilde looked down at Serenity, who was playing with his hair. His eyes were on her, but she wasn’t looking at him.

Her hazy eyes, wandering somewhere far away, seemed somewhat sad, and he could not take his eyes off her. If it wasn’t for the angry voice of Kairas, he would have stood there forever.

“What the hell is going on?!”

As if in response to his voice, the light returned to her red eyes. As soon as Serenity’s hand dropped to her side, Asilde felt somewhat disappointed.

“What do you mean?”

Turning away, Serenity looked at Kairas and said innocently. The look on her face, which said that she had no idea what she had done wrong, stunned Kairas. He strode up to her, clenched his fists, and glared at her dreadfully.

“Last time you killed my knights, and now you’re going to beat them to a pulp? Who gave you permission to do so?”

His voice lowered as suppressed anger flowed out of his mouth. Serenity then narrowed her eyes and raised the corners of her lips as if she knew why he was angry.

“Oh, you mean them. Are you so upset that I’ve been working with them?”

“Don’t laugh! Do I look like I’m joking?!”

Kairas’ silver eyes gleamed as he tightly gripped her slender arm. But the second he blinked, the wrist that he had grabbed was gone.

Serenity, who easily escaped from his grip as if she had performed magic, smiled and raised her hands, stroking his shocked face.

“If you hold it that hard, it will hurt, kid. Have you made up your mind yet?”

“…!”

“Haa…I can smell the strong scent… of Haymand’s Blood…”

The feeling of a small woman adhering to him instantly left him speechless. Before she knew it, her other hand went behind his back and stroked him. They slowly traveled up his spined as Kairas’ body flinched. Feeling the touch through her fingertips, Serenity looked up at him and smiled enthrallingly.

“There’s only one day left.”

Serenity indulged in Kairas’ scent, her face buried in his chest. The heart-throbbing scent had become entangled in her mind and body like a drug. She had the urge to sleep with him here like this, but she quenched her thirst and stepped back. Their promise was still valid.

Suddenly, as she stepped back, Kairas’ hand which belatedly lifted to push her away, now hovered in the air awkwardly.

“…”

Kairas’ face, after awkwardly staring down at his hovering hand, was now full of irritation. Even the Imperial Knights didn’t like it when she touched their bodies.

What they didn’t like most of all was Serenity, who was calmly talking to Asilde after doing all that to him. As she looked at Asilde, she strangely felt that she had somehow insulted Kairas instead.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Asilde Oreman.”

When Asilde answered Serenity’s question, she said his name once or twice in her head and smiled.

“Asil. That sounds nice. Can I call you that?”

“…That’s fine.”

Asilde, who had been silent for a long time, nodded slowly. At the sight of his close friend, Kairas looked at him in surprise and his boiling anger ceased.

Asilde didn’t quite like it when others called him Asil because of his dark past. It had also taken Kairas a long time before he could call him Asil. But he allowed Serenity immediately.

“That son of a bitch…! Stop discrimination against people…”

Serenity’s voice interrupted Kairas as he was about to yell at Asilde. Her voice was full of regret somehow.

“Dark purple eyes and silky black hair, you’re really my cup of tea. I’d love to sleep with you at least once in a while. Too bad you’re not of the Haymand bloodline.”

‘What?!’

Kairas’ head turned to Serenity so fast that he could hear air whooshing in his ear. Right now, he was so ashamed of how dirty Serenity sounded even though she was no different a while ago.

Kairas, who stared at Serenity with a dazed look, turned back to Asilde when he didn’t show any reaction.

Anyway, it was Asilde, not Serenity, who was being molested. His friend would probably feel worse about her harassment than he was, since he was a very old-fashioned and proud man.

But Asilde, contrary to his usual personality, only stared at Serenity with an expressionless face that had no intention of getting angry. Rather, Kairas was lost for words when he saw the tip of Asilde’s ears burn red.

‘This is a load of crap…’

Feeling despondent and betrayed, Kairas laughed with a blank smile. Unknown anger rose in his throat. Gritting his teeth, he strode over to Serenity. Then he snatched her lender wrist before looking over at Asilde and saying,

“I’ll see you later.”

“…”

Asilde looked at the back of the hunk dragging Serenity behind him with a curious look. Somehow, his best friend looked somewhat angry.

‘Maybe it’s because of her, but I didn’t even get to ask for her name yet.’

Asilde stared at Serenity, regretting that he only answered with his name, but didn’t even manage to get a chance to ask for his opponent’s name. Before he knew it, he smiled unconsciously.

She had been dragged away, but she had a relaxed grin on her lips. Moreover, when their eyes met, she even waved with her other hand, which was not being grabbed by Kairas.

‘She’s kind of weird…’

No one had ever said that his eyes looked pretty. Purple was considered a symbol of evil not only by the empire, but the whole continent. Even his birth mother had refused to embrace him when she saw the color of his eyes.

Therefore, he became used to harsh words such as ‘ominous’ and ‘creepy’ as a child. However, Serenity had told him that her eyes were pretty. In addition…

[Dark purple eyes and silky black hair, you’re really my cup of tea. I’d love to sleep with you.]

As he remembered her words, Asilde suddenly felt his face become hot. Standing there dazed for a moment, he leaned over and picked up a sword that had fallen on the floor. Training was the best way to drive out weird feelings.

Asilde, who shook his wrist lightly to remove dirt off the sword, looked around and wondered if there was stille someone left to deal with. Then he caught sight of the knights staring at him with wide eyes and hardened like ice.

The knights were shocked to find out that Asilde was actually a human being who could smile, but Asilde didn’t know that they were there before. With his head slightly tilted, he moved towards the most fit knight.

Serenity shook off her wrist and looked at Kairas’ back as she strode behind him. Before she knew it, the two arrived at the palace. As Kairas’ legs were long, Serenity ran to catch up to him.

‘I don’t want to be bothered…’

Serenity stopped when she glimpsed at the long corridor ahead. It wasn’t hard for her to run, but she didn’t like to move fast except when she used her sword. All of a sudden, Kairas’ hand holding her wrist felt empty.

“…?!”

Kairas, who quickly reacted, stopped in bewilderment. Serenity’s wrist, which he held tightly, suddenly escaped in a flash, and the power that she used was concentrated all in her arm. If it were an ordinary person, they would’ve fallen forward.

“How on earth…”

Kairas looked down at his hand with wide eyes. A little while ago, her slender wrist was clearly still being gripped tightly by him.

He stared at his hand blankly as he didn’t understand how Serenity got out so easily like last time. Then he heard Serenity’s voice.

“Aish, I’m not really fond of running, kid.”

“…!”

Her face popped up right in front of him.