Chapter 219: Curious Eyes And Hidden Doubts
Chapter 219: Curious Eyes And Hidden Doubts
Alister found himself in awe as he observed Lady Aiko expertly maneuvering through the bustling crowd of the mall.
It wasn't her physical presence that got him curious, but rather the small skill she seemed to posess-it seemed like an almost invisible aura that seemed to repel anyone who might consider approaching them.
'There's something strange about her... There is this way she seems to use her aura... should I say murderous intent to not necessarily threaten people, but make them uneasy and agree with her.'
'Now that I see it, I partly understand why Axel and Blitz are usually scared of her.'
'And besides that...'
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'I can't look at her status window...'
'Is she the same as Master Yuuto?'
As they walked, whispers followed them like shadows.
"Look! It's the Dragon Lord!" exclaimed a young woman, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
A group nearby turned, pulling out their phones and snapping photos, while another voice -called out,
"Can I get a picture with you, Dragon Lord?"
"Alister! Can you sign this?" shouted a man holding a poster of the White Comet Guild.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
But before Alister could respond, Lady Aiko stepped in as she adjusted her glasses, causing them to glint, her blue eyes shining slightly.
"We are on important guild business," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
"From which failure could take a direct hit on our guild's reputation and future earning capabilities. If you do not wish to be held liable for damages by hindering us, it would be best to just wave."
Her words seemed to make the air around them tense, like an unseen force that made the excited crowd uneasy.
'There it is again...' Alister thought, narrowing his eyes as he noticed a small aura emanate from Lady Aiko's body, but not enough for it to be threatening.
One by one, the people in the crowd exchanged uncertain glances and slowly stepped away as they waved instead, as if her presence made them reconsider their enthusiasm.
Alister felt a touch of respect and confusion at the effectiveness of her approach.
As they continued to walk, Alister noticed curious stares directed at Cinder, the striking woman with silver hair who walked beside him.
Dressed in black gleaming armor, her tail waved around graceful behind her while her horns seemed to glint in the mall lights.
Some onlookers whispered among themselves, wondering who this beautiful woman was. "Is she cosplaying as a character from some game?"
"Woah man, look what she's packing!"
"She looks like a model, who is she?"
"Maybe she's a fan of Alister?"
"No, no, no, don't be dumb, if she was cosplaying or a fan why would Lady Aiko allow her to follow Alister around like that?"
"Maybe she's his bodyguard? He's popular now, so it's only natural he'd get one."
"But if she's a bodyguard, is it really necessary for her to wear armor and follow him around like that?"
"Yeah, and what's up with that tail... It's so life-like, almost like it's actually real."
"And she has horns too."
[Prestige points+45]
However, the notion shifted when a brave soul ventured to voice an idea.
"Wait... what if she's one of Alister's dragons? I heard his other dragon, Draven, can take on a humanoid form too!"
"Wait, that would make sense!"
"Yes, yes, so then that must be Cinder, the black drake, right?"
"No doubt about it, it's definitely her!"
"Take a picture, post it online!"
"Damn, to have such a beauty follow you wherever you go, I'm jealous!"
"Do you think maybe... they are a thing?"
"No way, that's crazy talk!"
"No, think about it, she's gorgeous and she will definitely be loyal since she's already been tamed!"
Silence suddenly came over them; humans, as usual, always tended to easily believe the more negative side of things, in this case, the more scandalous.
Hearing all these words in the background, Lila's gaze drifted toward Cinder, walking gracefully ahead of her. Her silver hair seemed to shimmer in the light, her horns and tail adding an elegance that made her stand out even more. There was no denying it-Cinder looked amazing, far beyond her.
'They're not wrong,' Lila thought to herself, her eyes lingering on Cinder.
'She's gorgeous, powerful... far better than I am. Would Alister even think of me, when he has her?'
Doubt began to creep in. As much as she admired Alister, she couldn't help but wonder if she even stood a chance.
Soon, a picture of Cinder walking beside Alister was uploaded online, all with the same question, 'Who is she, and what sort of relationship does she have with the Dragon Lord?'
The question would slowly become a trending topic, and unbeknownst to Alister, it was slowly growing his prestige point balance.
Alister glanced over at Lila, noticing her distant expression. She seemed lost in thought, her usual energy dimmed. "Hey, are you okay? You seem kind of... out of it."
Lila blinked, startled, and quickly forced a smile. "I-I'm fine! Just... just got a lot on my mind
is all."
Alister sighed softly, sensing her discomfort. He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck before saying, "You shouldn't pay attention to what you heard back there. People say all kinds
of weird stuff. I'm used to it, so I usually just ignore it."
Lila's eyes brightened a little at his words. "O-okay."
But after a moment, her curiosity got the better of her. She hesitated, then asked, "Um, Alister... is what they were saying true, though?"
Alister froze, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks. He fumbled for a response, caught off
guard.
"O-of course not!"
Lila's eyes widened in surprise. She had never seen Alister so flustered before. The sight of
him, usually calm and composed, now struggling with his words made her burst into a fit of
giggles.
Alister blinked, confused. "What? What's so funny?"
"I-I'm sorry!" Lila managed between laughs. "It's just... I've never seen you make that face
before. I couldn't help it!"
Alister sighed, shaking his head, but he couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up...