CH 66.2

‘What, what? Why are you closing your mouth all of a sudden? It was a joke, alright..?’

N-Noo way?

Just when Lorian wanted to open his trembling lips.

“What are you guys doing?”

Cloud, approached from behind, intervening between the two of them.

Precisely, he stood close to Frillite.

‘Wh-When did he leave the square?’

Why was he here? Rather, why at this time!

Now, it was impossible for him to urge Frillite to answer the previous question. What happened next made Lorian’s expression wrinkled in annoyance.

Because, he saw.

Frillite looked at Cloud and opened her eyes wide, she was surprised, then she smiled softly.

It was a big contrast to the cold expression she had taken towards Lorian.

“Cloud, you literally jump out of nowhere. Thanks to you, I was shocked silly.”

“I don’t jump out of air. I walked here, openly, just that you didn’t notice. What were you so engrossed with that you didn’t even notice my footsteps?”

“Something you don’t need to know.”

Indeed, it was not the cold voice she had when dealing with Lorian.

“Come on, tell me! What is it? What are you guys hiding~?”

“Like I said, it’s not a big deal.”

“Hoh… so you are going to hide it to the end? You don’t know, but these things pile up one by one and destroy friendship. You have planted the seed of distrust between us, Frillite.”

“Why do you like exaggerating things so much? Stop whining and chill out. Is there any reason to whin like a kid?”

“Of course I’m jealous!”

“Gee, jealous?!”

…he felt so confused.

The world itself seemed to be tilting on the other side.

She is Frillite, right? The Frillite he knew?

A small sense of uneasiness grew in size and made Lorian’s heart heavy.

– You don’t want to marry Cloud, do you?

A joke thrown in to lighten the mood.

It was just a joke, but suddenly it started to turn realistic.

‘Marriage..? With that guy?’

With that bastard who had nothing to this name except his worthless good looks?

Why?

Lorian couldn’t quite understand.

Lorian was better than Cloud in all aspects except for his appearance. Also, had he become ugly just because his looks were inferior to Cloud?

No!

He was so good looking that ninety out of the hundred women would turn around when he walked down the street.

‘Is Frillite more into appearance than I thought?’

If so, this anomaly could have been explained. But instead, Lorian felt the sensation of being stabbed in the chest with an awl. For the first time in his life, Lorian felt a sense of inferiority.

Lorian was about to clench his fists to control his burning heart.

When, Cloud’s and his eyes met.

Cloud looked at Lorian for a moment, and then gently placed his hand on Frillite’s shoulder.

Lorian eyes popped with blood pressure.

It was almost funny, his eyes seemed to be popping out.

‘Whose body does that lowly bastard thinks he is touching!’

Last time and this time too.

He didn’t know his place.

Just when Lorian was about to say something stingy.

“So be it. I won’t ask any more, let’s go get a drink.”

Cloud smiled and invited Frillite.

For a moment, Lorian doubted his own ears.

Had he heard it right? Did that commoner bastard just dared to invite the heiress of the Perdiac family for a drink?

It felt so ridiculous that he was barely stopping himself from bursting out with laughter.

Building friendships as fellow heroes and having a drink together are completely different things. If she does that, she will never be able to avoid a rumour in making.

And having such rumours were one of the worst nightmares for an unmarried woman of a noble family.

Of course, there are still some young girls who secretly went out to drink with handsome men.

However.

‘… Frillite isn’t your usual woman.’

She was qualitatively different from the women around Lorian.

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Regardless of whether it was an aristocrat or a commoner.

That was one of the reasons Lorian adored her.

No matter how friendly you are, she will firmly reject your offer…

“I got it. Alright, don’t rush. Where are we going to drink though? The city is not in the mood for them to open the pubs, as you can see.”

Lorian’s face contorted in despair.

That was enough to startle even Cloud for a second, but Frillite was not surprised.

Because she just wasn’t paying attention to him.

Since Cloud came, she hadn’t looked at Lorian a single time.

It was same for this time as well.

“Can we not have drinks in the castle? If the duke still has some conscience left, wouldn’t he bring out some fine produce for us to taste?”

“Oh, that’s kind of exciting.”

“Then it’s decided, let’s go.”

Cloud turned on his heels, placing a hand on Frillite’s shoulder.

The two heroes headed for the castle, leaving Lorian behind, alone.

What could he even say?

He wanted to stop them, he had come up with reasons, but his lips just wouldn’t move.

Lorian was blankly staring as two of them were about to leave his sight. When–

Cloud turned his head to look at Lorian, and then, saw his misery…

He smirked.

Lorian, who had seen Gis prank others several times in the past, knew the meaning of that smirk. So, he suddenly lost his sanity.

His face contorted fiercely, he stretched out his hand towards his sword.

Cloud’s eyes turned sharp.

[Strength in Numbers]-!

The moment he saw Cloud’s eyes, his body stiffened.

The stiffness was released within 0.5 seconds. Lorian with his high resistance to status abnormalities, wasn’t made to suffer ‘fear’ status.

Originally, he should have been happy with his high resistance showing its worth…

‘I-I am scared? M-Me?’

Lorian didn’t know anything about Cloud’s Behemoth’s Glyph. Therefore, it was natural for him to accept the stillness of his body with a different meaning.

Slump!

Lorian sat down helplessly.

There was no more of his characteristic arrogance in those eyes. There was only a deep sense of defeat.