Chapter 284:

Chapter 284:

Stardus walked silently in the labyrinth created by Dungeon Maker while holding tightly to Egostic hand.

.

She walked down the hall, pushing the sound of her pounding heart away.

She didnt know if her heart was beating faster or slower because of how wonderful it was to hold hands like this.

Only that her palm and his were pressed together, like they were glued together.

Feeling his cold skin slowly warmed by her warm hand and his fingers curl around the back of her hand made her heart throb.

Stardus was only silently aware that her heart was still beating for some reason.

Thank goodness it was dark so he couldnt see her flushed face.

With that, Stardus walked down the darkened hallway, holding tightly to his hand.

As she watched him walk straight ahead, hand in hand, without hesitation, she silently thought to herself.

Apparently, Egostic knows the system of this labyrinth and there were fewer things he didnt know before now.

That means he came here for her own good. Hes always flown in when she was in danger, as if he knew.

Why is he doing this to me?

What does he think of me?

Stardus held hands with him, feeling the warmth of his body slowly returning, just the two of them walking together, their bare flesh touching, in a place where no one else was.

Stardus wondered more and more about him and soon she decided to take this opportunity, which might never come again, to ask him the question shed always wanted to ask.

Hey, Egostic.

Yeah? Whats wrong?

He flinched slightly at her words, and answered.

Hearing him ask himself that question she paused for a moment, wondering what to say. Then she blurted out the question shed been dying to ask.

Why do you keep me?

Thats what she wanted to ask.

What does he think of her, that he would go to such lengths for her? What purposeOr some kind of emotion.

Today, she wanted to hear the answer.

Haha, what do you mean, what did I do to help you?

Egostic scowled but she explained, quietly and carefully, everything he had done so far. From the Moonlight Church to his work in the basement of the HanEun Group, and why he would go to such lengths.

Stardus asked, turning to the Egostic who held his hand in hers, for once she wanted to hear the truth.

After a moment of silence at her question he opened his mouth again, and said nonchalantly.

Thats because youre my archnemesis.

That explains it.

Stardus was about to retort as usual but Egostic cut her off with a slight chuckle.

In the darkness, still holding her hand, he said.

And because you mean something to me.

As his words echoed down the hall and before Stardus, dazed by the words, could reply, No.

Im a villain, and you know it.

He was a villain, he said, but that wasnt the point.

Thats why youre important to me, Stardus, because, as Ive said before, you make me complete.

To me, you mean more than anything else, which is why I dont want you to get hurt, Stardus.

He smiles, speaking as if hes confiding in himself and Stardus could feel it in his words, could feel it in his gut, could feel it in the throbbing of his hand against hers that there was no falsehood in his words that he meant what he said, that she mattered, one hundred percent.

In fact, it was absurd.

A villain valuing a hero doesnt make sense. If other heroes had heard this, they might have dismissed it as bullshit. Even if he meant it, theyd think he was a weirdo and be offended.

But

I wonder why.

Hearing his words, her heart beat even faster than before.

I was important to him.

He was right to think of me as special.

I wasnt the only one.

And with that, every bit of insecurity shed ever felt disappeared as Egostic assurance that she was special.

She could feel something warm in the pit of her stomach.

Seeing him walking toward him with such a serious look on his face Stardus felt her heart beating like crazy, her face flushed, and her mind racing.

Ha, am I doing it, right here, right now? Ive never done it before, I dont know how to do it Still, with EgosticMmm

And thats when she stumbled backwards and touched the wall, her hands clasped across her chest, her face flushed to the tips of her ears and her eyes trembling as she looked up at him and tried to close them.

He stood in front of her.

I found it.

And with those words, he suddenly clenched his fist against the wall and threw a blow.

-Kaaaaaaaahhhh.

With the sound of something collapsing, the wall behind her collapsed.

?

Stardus eyes widened as she looked behind him, not yet comprehending the situation.

Egostic, who had walked over, looked in her direction and chuckled.

Stardus, theres a path here, follow me!

?

Seeing that smiling expression on his face, Stardus suddenly sobered up and asked.

Is it a condition that we have to kiss?

Of course you dont have to, thank goodness, haha. Im sure Stardus wouldnt want to lock lips with me either, right?

Seeing Egostic say that while smiling Stardus felt something drain from her body.

No. Then my resolve and thoughts are.And.

Maybe thats why, lost in thought, Stardus pressed a finger to her lips and muttered.

I dont mind, as long as its with you.

What?

Oh, its nothing.

She looked at Egostic, who, as usual, didnt seem to hear her.

Stardus shook her head and followed him out.

.

Okay, good. ThankGod.

Im glad I dont have to.

Stardus thought to herself as she followed Egostic into the strange unknown.

Quietly, she thought to herself.

Thats good, isnt it?

Im glad. Im glad.

Why?

Why do I feel so disappointed?

***

As usual, Ive found a loophole in the villains perception and smashed through the walls of the Labyrinth.

Im walking toward the exit, looking ahead, with Stardus trailing behind me.

..

-Pounding. Pounding.

I dont mind, as long as its with you.

I thought of Stardus muttering, which I had just heard so I stumbled forward, trying to suppress the pounding in my chest as best I could.

I must have misheard her, right?

Surely

***

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[???????]

[Is she finally going crazy? Why is she holding her head and leaning against the wall?]

[I dont know what it is, but she looks like a dog]

[Dungeon Maker<<<<<Is she bipolar? Why is she giggling to herself and then suddenly shotgunning the wall?]

[What the hell happened in there to make her look so bad?]

[I dont know why, but it feels good anyway lol taste the pain of a million viewers!]

[(Scary fact) Somehow I have a feeling that what happened in there isnt exactly a good thing for us either]

*