NOVEL NEXT Chapter 139: Chapter : 139 : Things Are Changing!
A loud band echoed through then room. Again... Again... And again.
"I have never seen her like that." Lazira growled low in her throat, punching at the wall of her room.
Lazira's fist slammed into the wall again and again, each blow leaving deep craters that sealed themselves almost instantly under the room's restoration spell.
"SHE... SAID... SHE... IS... IN... LOVE..." She growled, voice filled with rage, "BUT... WHAT ABOUT MY LOVE?"
She struck harder, shoulders quivering, each punch shaking through her entire body. Her boobs bounched with each punch.
The door clicked open, "Shut up. You're disturbing everyone's sleep."
The leader said, his tone low, firm, effortlessly authoritative.
Lazira's head snapped toward him, eyes glowing with barely contained rage. Then, with a feral growl, she lunged.
He didn't flinch. His hand shot out, catching her wrist mid-swing. He hadn't even opened his eyes.
"Let me go!" Lazira shouted, clawing at his grip with her free hand.
"Maybe." He said, his tone calm, "But after you calm down a bit."
His voice carried the weight of command, quiet but absolute. His voice leaving no room to argue.
*Talking to him feels like being bound in chains,* Lazira thought bitterly, twisting and struggling. But his hold was immovable, unyielding as iron.
"Calmed down yet?" He asked after a moment.
She gritted her teeth, trembling. Her breath came fast and heavy. Then, slowly, her shoulders slumped. The fury drained from her face, leaving only trembling exhaustion.
"…Yes," She muttered, eyes cast toward the floor.
His grip loosened on her wrist, before letting her go.
"There. As promised." He said, voice still calm.
Lazira stood still for a heartbeat, eyes glassy. Then, suddenly, she turned and threw herself onto her bed, wrapping the blanket around her like a cocoon.
Suddenly, she jumped on her bed, covering herself in her blanket, "BAKA!"
He sighed, "Do I really need to babysit her?" Murmering to himself.
He walked toward the bed.Pulling up a fallen chair, he sat beside her bed, elbows resting on his knees.
He scratched the back of his head, sighing again, "Lazira... I understand it is hard for you."
She didn't gave any respond, just kept clutching the blanket around her. Just a faint rustle under the blanket.
"She was your older sister and the object of your affection." He said softly, "I underatand how hard it is to loose someone. But look at the bright side. She isn't dead."
A faint tremor ran through the blanket. She was listening.
"And she is with the person she loves. I too have never seen her so carefree. So happy. It's like she is a completely different person around him." His voice softened, but it didn't lose the calm yet commanding presence.
For a long while, silence hung between them. Then Lazira peeked out from the edge of the blanket, her eyes red and glistening.
"Don't think you're off the hook either," She muttered.
"Huh?"
"Don't 'Huh' me. You clearly know what I mean." She cried, aquising him, "Why would you show yourself?"
She said again, voice shaking. "You of all people know what that means."
"I do whatever I want." He said cooly, voice calm.
"What?" She snapped. "That's your excuse?"
"He needed to see it," The leader said calmly. "He needed to know that the one leading the Pale Hands isn't just another demon hiding in the dark."
Lazira blinked, stunned. "You think that'll make him trust you? He's human. You're leading demons. He's going to think you're insane."
"I'm fine with that," he replied. "Even if he didn't, we're still going fulfill our goals."
"So you just walked up to him, said 'Hey, I'm the human leading a bunch of demons,' and expected him to what? Shake your hand?" She said sarcastically.
He almost smiled. "Something like that."
Lazira groaned, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him. "You're hopeless."
He caught it midair and placed it back on her bed. "You care too much.*
"I don't," She muttered, crossing her arms.
"You do," He said simply. "That's why you're angry."
"I'm angry because you're reckless! You could've ruined everything. The Pale Hands have followed you for years. They respect you because you saved us. You made them believe in something that wasn't about humans or demons. You—" She stopped, voice catching. "And now you just throw it all away?
He stared at her for a long time. "You think I don't know the risks?"
"Then act like it!"
Silence. The room stayed still for a while, both of them staring at each other, neither backing down.
Finally, he sighed. "That man. The Child Of Prophecy is different. I've seen enough humans to know when someone's worth the gamble. He treats your sister with care. He's not the kind who'll run around shouting what he saw."
Lazira didn't answer. Her head dropped a little. "…He's still human."
"So am I."
"That's not the same, and you know it. You're the only human we and even I, who respect you as our leader." Her voice lowered. "You lead demons. You're not supposed to be one of them. You're not supposed to show weakness."
He looked away. "Maybe I just stopped caring about what I'm 'supposed' to be."
Lazira frowned. "You've changed."
"Everyone does."
She looked down, pulling her knees up to her chest under the blanket. "I hate it."
He raised an eyebrow. "Hate what?"
"The way things turned out. My sister falling for a human. You showing yourself. Everything." Her voice cracked a little. "Feels like the world's just slipping away."
She scoffed. "You sound like one of those wise old guys."
He smiled faintly. "Maybe I am."
She didn't reply. Just stared at the floor for a while. The anger in her face was gone now, replaced by something quieter. Sadder.
Finally, she said, "You trust him that much?"
"I trust your sister's judgment."
Her mouth twisted a bit. "You really believe she's happy with him?"
"We've seen her laugh, Lazira. The real kind. The one she never had back when she was here."
That hit her harder than she expected. Her hands tightened on the blanket. "…I hate hearing that."
He sighed softly. "I know."
She turned her face away. "You always act like you know everything."
"I don't," He said, almost gently. "But I know pain when I see it."
That quiet tone made her chest tighten. She wanted to say something sharp, but nothing came out.
He broke the silence, "Pale Hands is my only home. The members are my family. So... I will do anything to save my family and fulfill their wishes. I can promise you that." His voice stern, authorative, yet genuine.
She twitched under the blanket. Her voice soft, "Baka..."
He stood up, brushing his coat lightly. He turned toward the door, but before he could take a step, something tugged at his sleeve.
Lazira's fingers clutched the fabric tightly.
"Stay," She whispered, eyes downcast. "Just for a bit."
He paused, glancing back at her.
For once, the ever-calm leader didn't reply right away. Then, quietly, he pulled the chair closer to her bed and sat back down.
"Fine," He said. "But only until you fall asleep."
Her grip on his sleeve loosened, but didn't let go.
"Thank you," She murmured, eyes closing as exhaustion finally overtook her.
He watched her for a moment in silence, then leaned back with a faint sigh.
"Spoiled," He muttered, but there was no edge in his voice anymore.
---
The warmth of the hot water wrapped around Aiden. He stood, relaxed inside the hot bath.
"Finally. Some me time." He took a sigh of relief.
"You're forgetting me." The system said.
"Tch."
"Oi..." The System shouted.
"Just kidding. Calm down." He said, leaning against the wall of the bath.
Aiden closed his eyes, taking in the warmth of the water. He felt like his stress is seeping out of his body.
"So..." He asked, without opening his eyes, "...where will I find the second?"
The answer was instant.
"You will find her in the auction of the Eastern side of the Kingdom."
"Eastern?" He repeated, then he asked, "How will I know which auction in that part of the kingdom."
"Simple!" The system shouted, "All the auctions are named upon their locations."
"And which are?" He asked.
"Their are in total 8 auction. Aurora Hall in the North, Solcrest in the South, Dawnspire in the East, and Duskhaven in the West. Beyond them lay Frostgate in the Northeast, Sunmere in the Southeast, Stormreach in the Northwest, and Emberfall in the Southwest. Each ruling its own forbidden trade. Eastern Division — Dawnspire. Specializes in the sale of living assets — beasts, monsters, and enslaved races. Their auctions are held before dawn."
Aiden listened intendly and nodded, taking in all the information.
"So... I have to–" Before he could finished, the door of the bathroom clicked open.
His eyes shot toward the door. "Huh?" His eyes widened.
He saw, Luna, Lysandra, Thristle, Arisha, Vegia, Nyxion, Zerra, Seraphina, Nivara, Serica, Varra, Selvara, Venya, Xylendra, Valeforia and Aethoniel. All his women, wrapped around in a towel.
"Come on." Thristle said, smiling mischevious, pushing Vegia in.
"I-I don't wanna." Vegia nagged, refusing to get in.
"Princess, let me go." Nivara protested, as she was getting pushed in by Seraphina.
"This is so embarrassing." Varra muttered, covering her face.
"Don't be. It's just our future husband in their." Serica said mischievously.
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END OF CHAPTER : 139 : THINGS ARE CHANGING!
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