Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 126 The Library

the sun bathed a secluded mansion in soft, morning light. pale lilac hues streamed through the large windows of a luxurious room, illuminating a king-sized bed draped in fine linens.

the bed, however, was unoccupied. its owner, alicarde, had just stepped out of a spacious walk-in closet. explore more stories with empire

he was dressed sharply in a designer outfit: a dark, tailored jacket over a crisp white shirt, paired with slim-fit jeans that perfectly accentuated his lean frame.

slung over his shoulder was a black guitar case, worn with a casual confidence.

he walked out of the room, his attention drawn to his phone. a recent text from a certain lady had just buzzed on the screen.

though her messages were frequent, they were far from welcome. his fingers itched to block her, but he hesitated. she was a cop, and blocking her would undoubtedly raise suspicions, especially given her increasingly probing questions.

'i really wish she'd just leave me alone. if she ever finds out who i really am, things will plicated.'

the thought of jessica west, the detective, lingered in his mind. the possibility of her discovering his true identity sent a chill through him, though he quickly dismissed the fear.

'it wouldn't matter. i'm stronger than all of them. they don't have the firepower to take me down, and it's not like i'd just let them catch me.'

while thinking about that, the only real problem would be his family. he didn't want to become a public pariah, especially if he ended up as public enemy number one. it would affect them too much. being the parents of a wanted criminal would be a great stigma, one he didn't want to burden them with.

his mother still called occasionally, but the more persistent one was his older sister. every time something happened in evergreen city, she'd be on the phone, interrogating him.

as the elevator doors opened, he stepped out and headed to the pavilion. the crisp air hinted that winter was fast approaching.

"winter isn't far. i wonder why we keep eating breakfast outside."

carrisa and argint were already enjoying a sumptuous spread of what appeared to be a french breakfast.

the table was adorned with freshly baked croissants, delicate pastries, rich butter, assorted cheeses, and an array of seasonal fruits.

a pot of steaming hot tea, accompanied by elegant cups, added a touch of warmth to the brisk morning. amena stood to the side, dutifully fulfilling her role as a maid, her expression serene.

carrisa seemed to have heard his words as he approached the pavilion.

"the morning air is fresh, and the cold, paired with the warmth of the tea, creates a rather delightful contrast."

argint held a fork in her hand as she delicately picked at her food.

"he's not wrong, though. it is getting cold, and the winter fest isn't far off now."

alicarde scowled when he heard talk of the winter fest.

"ahh, i can't say i'm looking forward to it this season."

"that 'insolent human' is my friend, elly, so try to be nice."

elizalina inclined her head gracefully.

"very well," she conceded.

akimitsu, now slightly flustered, by the sight of elizalina, tried to recover while stealing glances at her cleavage.

"you... you look as suave as always, boss, and with a nice flower in hand too."

elizalina's cold smile, however, was an ominous sign. sensing her patience wearing thin, alicarde grabbed her hand, playing the part of a sweet boyfriend.

"babe, don't you have somewhere you need to be?"

elizalina raised an eyebrow, not used to his unfamiliar way of addressing her. with alicarde, she would normally expect something more sarcastic. but since he wanted to play, she would indulge him.

"i shall see you later, my darling. we can become more intimate when prying eyes are no longer upon us."

the room fell into an almost tangible silence as every head turned toward alicarde, eyes wide with shock and jealousy. the library had been quiet to begin with, but now he found himself surrounded by hateful stares, even from his own friends.

"that lucky bastard."

"if he dropped dead today, i'd dance on his grave."

"he always gets the hottest girls on campus."

"i hate him so much right now."

"don't worry, bro. he'll die soon."

"i hope he becomes broke."

"i wish he'd reincarnate as a helpless village girl in the world of goblin slayer."

"i pray he spawns in the goblin cave from the get-go."

alicarde clenched his jaw, struggling to maintain his composure.

'these bastards. she's talking about drinking my blood, goddammit.'

the misinterpretations buzzing around him were both amusing and mortifying, and he couldn't help but wonder how much worse it could get before the day was over.

'women are so much trouble.'

"and shut it, akimitsu. i can hear your hateful whispers."