Es quickly pulled herself back and smiled up at his face, her cheeks still warm from their sudden embrace.
"You’ve gotten a bit more taller..." she said softly.
Now that she was standing right in front of him, the difference was even clearer.
He really had grown.
She wondered if boys also got sudden growth spurts like girls did. Maybe he was going through one right now...
Azel, anwhile, tried to think of sothing to complint back.
His brain flipped through possible topics, and the most obvious difference stood out imdiately... her coat.
Or rather, what was straining against it.
"Your... your breasts seem to have gotten bigger." Azel said plainly.
Es froze.
Her entire face turned bright red as she instinctively wrapped her arms around her chest and buried her breasts in her palms, looking down in embarrassnt.
Her jacket puffed slightly from the movent.
"You... you don’t... you don’t like them big?" she asked innocently as her voice trembled.
She really ant it... before, they’d already been above average, but now they were fuller, rounder and heavier.
She wasn’t used to it yet, and she wanted his honest opinion.
"I think they’re nice like this." Azel replied without hesitation.
He didn’t even realize that those words were basically a critical hit.
Sybil appeared beside him instantly. She grabbed him by the ear and dragged it down so hard his knees nearly bent.
"That’s enough talk, pervert." She hissed. "You can’t just co out and comnt on a woman’s chest, especially that of my best friend."
Azel blinked, confused as the pain radiated through the side of his head.
’I don’t actually mind...’ Es thought shyly as she peeked at him from behind her hands.
If it was Azel, she didn’t feel threatened. He was the only male she was this close to besides her father. In fact, part of her liked that he noticed.
Helena watched everything with a slow smirk.
’Oh? So she finally has a crush... about ti. I thought she would try to go after another woman.’
"So why are you here?" Sybil asked while still pinching Azel’s ear. "I’m guessing you ca to see ..."
"Yes." Helena stepped forward smoothly. "My lady wanted us to co all the way here from the Capital to see her best friend, but also deliver sothing that the Clan Head of the Astra clan ordered."
"Okay..." Sybil released Azel and turned to both guests. "Please co in then."
They walked toward the mansion, and Helena quickly noticed how Sybil clung to Azel’s arm just a little too tightly, as if staking her claim.
So she couldn’t help but poke.
"You’re being awfully clingy with Sir Azel. Is there anything going on between the both of you?" Helena asked innocently.
"Of course," Sybil answered proudly. "He’s my fiancé. We just finalized it today."
Helena didn’t miss the way her cousin’s face fell... just a tiny bit. Her eyes dimd before she forced a smile.
’So she really likes him. Perfect.’
Sybil led them upstairs to the long corridor of offices and stopped at the wooden double doors. She knocked twice.
"Who is it?" Haji’s deep voice sounded from inside.
He sounded domineering and impossibly composed... everything a Clan Head should be.
"Father, it’s . I’ve brought Es. She said she had business with you."
There was a short pause, then the door opened.
Sylus stood there, having clearly handled sothing inside. He nodded to Azel as the others entered.
He placed a quiet hand on Azel’s shoulder.
"I’ve gotten permission to wrap the bodies and send them back to their families..." Sylus whispered.
His voice was calr now and Azel nodded firmly.
Sylus passed by him and left, heading downstairs.
Es and Helena sat across from Haji, and Es instantly felt like the air was thicker inside the room.
The desk was huge, the shelves in the room were filled with scrolls, books, old relics, and even sealed crystal artifacts.
Haji himself had stern eyes and an overwhelming presence that made even seasoned nobles nervous.
"Welco to the Astra clan mansion." Haji said as he brushed aside so docunts. "I’m sure you’re here to deliver the order."
"Of course," Helena answered. "The package was too precious to entrust to a re ssenger."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a steel-crafted box engraved with enchantnts.
She set it gently on the table. Her hand glowed purple, and several knots unscrewed themselves one by one until the lid rose to reveal five vials... each containing bright, shimring liquid.
The Vials.
"Thank you very much." Haji nodded, and for once, a small smile appeared. "It’s afternoon. I assu you didn’t book a flight back?"
"Yes, sir," Helena replied. "I hope it wouldn’t be a problem if we stayed with you. Lady Es wanted to et with her friend quite a lot."
Haji’s stern eyes shifted to Sybil briefly, then to Es.
"Of course. You can stay. I’ll have the maids direct you to your rooms."
...
"I can’t believe we’re finally out of there..." Es whispered once they exited the office. Her legs trembled a bit... Haji’s aura really was sothing else.
They followed the maid down the long hallway toward their temporary quarters.
Helena smirked at her cousin, amused by her reaction.
"...So when are you going to ask Azel out?" Helena asked casually, as if discussing lunch plans.
Es nearly tripped.
"? Asking Azel out? Why would I?"
’Is she seriously denying it...?’ Helena thought with exasperation.
"Don’t you like him?"
"He’s a friend!" Es argued imdiately. "Besides, Flare and Sybil like him as well. Even Sylvia... I would be a bad friend if I put my persona—"
Helena grabbed her shoulders sharply.
"Are you dumb?"
"H-huh?"
"Sure, you might be the smartest person in the world when it cos to making formulas, but even then, you can’t tell when you like a guy? What a sore loser."
"Huh?! What are you talking about? Falling in love is supposed to take months, if not years, of getting to know each oth—"
"Yes, yes, that’s what the books say," Helena cut her off. "But the world doesn’t give you that much ti."
Es blinked, confused.
Helena sighed, then spoke more seriously.
"The love you know isn’t like the ones in novels. Believe it or not, whether you see it or not... the world is slowly approaching a war. And if that happens, all the years you want to wait will an nothing."
Es swallowed.
"But—"
"If war breaks out, you won’t be able to enjoy anything," Helena continued. "You’ll be overworked. There’s no guarantee you’ll even live through it. You need a good man who can protect you. If you like him, and he likes you too, that’s enough."
Es’s lips trembled.
"But that’s the sa advice I gave Sybil an—"
"Yeah," Helena cut in. "And she’s already engaged to him. Do you like him, though?"
Es closed her eyes tightly.
"I... I..." A long breath. "I do..."
Helena grinned triumphantly.
"Very good. So here’s what you’re going to do: butt into whatever they’re doing and ask him out on a date."
"I’ve never ask—"
Helena placed a finger over Es’s lips.
"You need more confidence. Now go. And make sure you don’t sleep with him on the first date. That’s disrespectful."
And under the relentless coaching of her older cousin...
Esralda did sothing she never imagined she’d do.
She made a beeline to Azel to ask him out on a date.
Helena on the other hand sighed.
’Why would there be a war? Just get with your man, girl.’
From the mont Es had co ho after the incident at the Academy, she had been talking about Azel non-stop and although he was popular as the Sword Saint’s son, she wanted to et him personally and after doing so today.
She really believed he was perfect for her cousin.
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