Lila’s thoughts raced, her face pale as she felt a strange intensity from a woman with blue hair wearing a pair of glasses who now stood before them, gazing intensely.
‘When Lady Aiko instructed me to notify her when Alister would be leaving… I just thought she wanted to be sure he would follow orders… I heard a rumor that he was allowed to disobey them, so I was sure that was the reason…’
And this woman was none other than Lady Aiko, and her reason for following Alister was not only to ensure he got the best of what he needed out of the day, but also to take control if a paparazzi were to show up.
Lila’s thoughts raced further, ‘Never would I have thought the reason could be that she wanted to follow him!’
‘Why though? Does she need to?’
‘Ahh, now I feel awkward.’
The air surrounding her now felt almost suffocating as she stood before them, Lila’s posture stiff and nervous as she practically froze at Alister’s left side.
They were just steps away from the main street, but it felt like they were in a different world entirely.
Lady Aiko stood before them, her glasses reflecting the sunlight as she adjusted them slightly. She then spoke.
“So, Alister…”
“…you mean to tell me that this woman beside you… is your summon, Cinder?”
Alister sighed softly. “I believe I mentioned that earlier.”
Lady Aiko adjusted her glasses again, a habit she had when thinking something through.
“And, if I recall correctly, you also said, due to… complicated reasons, you can’t unsummon her, so she will now be forced to follow you around. Is that correct?”
Before Alister could respond, Cinder stepped forward, her crimson eyes narrowed dangerously.
“My lord, permission to incinerate this one. She’s beginning to get annoying.”
The temperature around them seemed to rise as Cinder spoke, her tone deadly serious. Lila went pale, her thoughts racing.
‘Incinerate? Incinerate Lady Aiko!?’
‘Wait-is that even possible?’
Her heart pounded as fear crept into her chest. She stole a glance at Lady Aiko, who remained unfazed, her expression calm despite the threat.
Alister narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking onto Cinder.
“Cinder, stand down,” he commanded.
“The vice guildmaster is a trusted ally, and she means no harm.”
Cinder’s gaze was intense, but she bowed her head slightly as she turned to face Alister. “As you wish, my lord,” she said, though her tone was still edged with frustration.
Lila exhaled quietly, relieved that Alister had de-escalated the situation. But the tension between Lady Aiko and Cinder still lingered as she noticed both of them were still gazing intensely at each other.
Lady Aiko adjusted her glasses again, her gaze moving between Alister and Cinder, clearly thinking about the unusual relationship between them.
“Well then,” Lady Aiko finally spoke. “I suppose it can’t be helped. However, I would advise caution in how you manage your summon in public spaces, Alister. We wouldn’t want any… unnecessary incidents.”
“Like rumors spreading online of people getting hurt, property damaged, or…”
She narrowed her eyes and said, “Fires…”
Alister responded calmly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
As they stood there, Lila couldn’t help but feel out of place, caught between two powerful figures-one a seasoned leader, and the other a powerful summon.
The uncertainty of her role in the moment weighed heavily on her, but she decided to stay composed, doing her best to push aside her swirling thoughts.
Lady Aiko’s sharp gaze shifted from Alister to Lila, her piercing eyes locking onto her. “Miss Monroe,”
“What are you still doing here? I thought you were training with Kaida and the other healers.”
Lila felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes darted around nervously. She hadn’t expected to be addressed so suddenly, and the tension of the moment made it even harder to think straight. She fumbled for words, stuttering awkwardly.
“Uh, well… I thought maybe it’d be a good idea to… go shopping, too. You know, restock my wardrobe and stuff.”
Lady Aiko adjusted her glasses, the reflective lenses catching the light once again. She let out a soft but stern, “No.”
Lila blinked, taken by surprise. “W-What did you say?”
“I said no,” Lady Aiko repeated, her tone firm and leaving no room for negotiation. “You can’t be skipping practice. There will be other opportunities to restock your wardrobe. Return to your training now.”
Lila’s face paled slightly as she stuttered, struggling to come up with an excuse. “B-But, ma’am… you see, I’m already tired after my sparring session, and I’m a bit sore. So, I don’t think I can-”
“If that’s the case,” Lady Aiko cut her off coldly, “ask another healer to heal you. And if you need more energy, get a stamina potion from the alchemists.”
Lila’s expression darkened, frustration bubbling up within her as she realized there was no escaping the situation. She bit her lip, trying to think of another reason. “But—”
Before she could finish, Lady Aiko’s voice cut through her thoughts, calm but sharp.
“Miss Monroe, you were accepted into the guild because your potential to grow was recognized.”
“But if you start deciding to prioritize personal errands over training, you may lose your position here.”
Lila swallowed hard, her will to fight backs enly left her, the weight of Lady Aiko’s words hit her. She stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing once again. With a reluctant sigh, she
nodded, her shoulders slumping slightly.
“I… I understand. I’ll go back to training.”
Suddenly, another voice spoke up, “Come now, Aiko, don’t be so harsh on the youngster. Let her live a little,” the voice teased lightly. “She said she wants to restock her wardrobe-why fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cm
not let her?”
All eyes turned toward the approaching figure dressed in silver gear, his silver eyes glinting with a mischievous look. It was none other than the Guildmaster, Yuuto.
Lady Aiko adjusted her glasses, her sharp gaze focusing on him.
“Understood, sir…”
“…but what are you doing here?”
Yuuto gave a casual wave of his hand, grinning. “I decided to tag along with you guys on this little trip. I haven’t really been out shopping much lately, so I figured it would be a refreshing experience for me after a while.”
His playful tone suddenly took a more serious note as his eyes shifted toward Cinder, standing tall and intimidating beside Alister.
“But, uh, don’t you think Cinder might attract a bit too much attention if she steps out
looking like that? I mean, a woman who looks like a model, wearing all black armor, with
horns and a tail? That’s not exactly keeping a low profile…”
“Wouldn’t it be better if she could get rid of the scale armor, the horns, and the tail? Maybe wear something a bit more… normal?”
He said with a far too familiar tone, as if he was absolutely certain she could do it, rather than speculating and giving a suggestion.
His gaze met Cinder’s, both of them silently locking into a tense stare. The air between them became intense.
Alister, sensing the rising tension, broke the silence. “Cinder,” he called calmly, “could you
do that?”
Cinder’s gaze flicked to Alister, her eyes softening just a little as she paused. After a moment, she finally spoke. “I could.”
Lady Aiko adjusted her glasses, already preparing to offer a logical solution. “Well then, you
might-”
But before she could finish, Cinder cut her off. “But I won’t.” She turned her eyes back to Yuuto, her expression slightly intense as she spoke. “Wouldn’t want to end up being mistaken for a human… and accidentally hurting someone because of that, now would I?”
Her words sounded more like a threat than a suggestion. The intensity of her gaze challenged Yuuto’s, a silent assertion of her own will.
Yuuto’s silver eyes gleamed softly. His voice dropped, almost to a whisper as he spoke. “Is that so?” He’s gaze remained fixed in Cinder for a moment longer before straightening up, his playful smile returning but with a touch of seriousness underneath.
“Well, I suppose we’ll have to make do, then.”
Alister narrowed his gaze, sensing something deeper between Cinder and Yuuto, but decided
to hold his tongue for now. He let out a long sigh, breaking the heavy atmosphere. “So, when can we get going?” he asked, a touch of impatience creeping into his voice. “All this standing around is starting to get nerve-wracking.”
Yuuto’s enthusiasm returned as he clapped his hands together. “Yes, let’s get going! No need to waste more time on-”
Before he could finish, Lady Aiko interrupted him sharply, adjusting her glasses. “There isn’t going to be a ‘we,’ Guildmaster,” she stated coolly. “You’re staying here, back at the guild.”
Yuuto blinked, caught off guard. “What? Why?”
Aiko’s expression didn’t falter as she responded, “You need to ensure things run smoothly
while I’m gone.”
Yuuto sighed dramatically, looking slightly deflated. “If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I was the vice guildmaster. Since I’m not, what makes you think you can order me arou
A sudden surge of mana from Aiko cut him off, her mana so intense that her glasses cracked, causing Yuuto’s expression to shift to one of unease. Her tone was cold and authoritative as she spoke. “Sir, you are the guildmaster of a guild. You have an image to uphold. What do you think the public would say if they saw you, of all people, walking around a mall shopping?” Yuuto stammered, “Um… isn’t that supposed to be a normal thing to do?”