Chapter 87
As Eiden and Lyra walked alongside each other, the steady rhythm of their footsteps matched almost perfectly. The afternoon sun stretched long shadows across the pavent, and a soft breeze occasionally brushed past, ruffling their hair. For a while, they simply enjoyed each other’s company, letting the quiet speak for itself. Eiden glanced sideways at her, and his brow lifted slightly when he noticed her expression. She looked flustered for no apparent reason, and he could see the faintest blush creeping up her neck, reaching all the way to the tips of her ears, which had turned a delicate shade of red.
As for Lyra, her pace, which had been brisk at first, gradually slowed. It was as if the comfortable silence was making her more aware of the closeness between them. She tilted her head slightly toward him before finally speaking. "I heard you did amazing at the project and got A plus," she said, her voice carrying a note of admiration.
Eiden felt a twinge of awkwardness the mont her words landed. He knew very well that he hadn’t been the one to truly earn that grade. It had been Miss Mika who had secretly stepped in. He hadn’t even asked for it he had simply lost the pendrive containing his work, and she had found it, improved it far beyond what he could have done, and submitted it on his behalf. For no clear reason, she had decided to help him. He couldn’t exactly tell Lyra that Miss Mika had done the project for him. That would only raise questions he had no intention of answering.
So, with no choice but to play along, he scratched the back of his head. "It isn’t that big of a deal," he said with an awkward chuckle, his voice betraying a hint of discomfort. Lyra’s face beca serious as she t his eyes. "No, it is really impressive to get A plus. You heard the professor is very strict, but you did it." Her tone was firm, as if she wanted to make sure he understood how significant the achievent was in her eyes.
"Ok, ok, no need to get worked up," Eiden replied, smiling faintly at her reaction.
Realizing what she had just done how passionate she had sounded Lyra quickly drew back, her expression softening. "Regardless, I think it is impressive," she said, her voice quieter this ti, almost as though she was embarrassed by her earlier enthusiasm.
"Thank you," Eiden said with a more genuine smile, his tone warm. Lyra nodded and turned her gaze forward again, focusing on the road ahead as they walked. The faint sound of passing vehicles, the chatter of people in the distance, and the crunch of gravel underfoot filled the silence that followed.
Eiden stopped walking. The sudden lack of movent made Lyra pause and turn toward him, her brow slightly furrowed. With a serious expression, he asked, "Does Ruel still bother you?" Lyra was caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic. The question hung in the air for a mont before she answered, taking a little ti to choose her words. "No... I haven’t seen him since the last ti."
Eiden stepped closer, placing his hands gently but firmly on her shoulders. His eyes t hers directly, and there was no trace of his usual teasing in his voice. "If anything happens, don’t be afraid to ask for help." For a mont, Lyra just stared at him, her lips pressing together in a faint, bitter smile. She nodded slowly. "Ok."
Eiden’s expression softened, and he smiled reassuringly. "Good." They stood there for a brief mont, neither speaking, just letting the weight of the conversation settle before resuming their walk. The air between them felt a little different now less casual, but warr in a way that neither of them chose to put into words.
After a while, they ca across a point where the road split into two. One path led toward Lyra’s house, the other toward Eiden’s. Both of them slowed as they reached the fork, their steps naturally coming to a halt. They glanced at each other, and in that small exchange of looks, an unspoken thought passed between them.
Eiden, for his part, felt the impulse to walk her ho. It would have been nice to extend the ti together, but there was no excuse to justify it. The sky was still bright, the sun not yet close to setting, and it was not exactly unsafe. He knew that if he offered now, it might sound strange or overly forward.
Lyra, on the other hand, wished for the opposite reason that he might walk with her. She wanted to keep seeing him for a little longer, but she, too, remained silent. There was no excuse she could think of either, no reason that would not sound forced.
So, with a mutual and reluctant understanding, they exchanged their farewells. "See you, then," Eiden said, keeping his voice light, even though a small part of him felt dissatisfied.
Lyra nodded, smiling faintly. "See you too."
With that, they turned away from each other and began walking their separate paths. The mont they parted, the air felt a little emptier for both of them, though neither admitted it aloud.
Eiden, hands tucked into his pockets, walked at an easy pace, letting his thoughts drift. After a short silence in his mind, he decided to ask a question to the one companion who was always listening. "System-chan, will I have any quests regarding the targets I already conquered?"
A familiar chi rang in his ears. Ding!
System-chan’s clear, slightly playful voice responded. "Yes, you will. The quests regarding already conquered targets may be rare, but they are not unheard of. You need to take steps in your relationships too. A harem would not work with you focusing on just one girl."
Eiden nodded slightly at the answer, as though the system could see the gesture. "Makes sense," he muttered under his breath. His mind quickly shifted to the most relevant thought. I hope I get the quest regarding Lyra soon. I think I can do it rather quickly since Lyra is a sweet girl. Although it feels like I’m taking advantage of her, I can still farm quests from her since she’s easy to interact with and a genuinely kind person.
The calculation felt practical, yet a faint pang of guilt accompanied it. Still, he was playing the ga he had been given, and sentint could not entirely override strategy.
Before long, his steps carried him to the familiar sight of his ho. The quiet neighborhood greeted him with the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. He walked up to the door and let himself in.
Inside, the house was still. No sound of movent, no voice calling out to greet him. A quick glance around confird it his mom was not ho. The faint scent of fabric softener lingered in the air from the morning’s laundry. "Guess I’ve got the place to myself for now," he murmured.
The walk had left him feeling the subtle weight of the day’s warmth on his skin. A bath sounded perfect. Without wasting much ti, he made his way toward the bathroom, already picturing the relaxing steam and the relief of hot water. However, just as he reached the doorway, the bathroom door swung open.
A figure stepped out, her damp hair clinging in strands to her shoulders. Her skin still glistened faintly with moisture, catching the light in a way that made the scene almost surreal for a mont. She was wrapped in nothing but a bath towel, its fabric secured just enough to cover her but leaving little to the imagination.
It was Crysty.
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