Alister watched Cinder for a moment, initially caught off guard by her response, causing him to pause as he simply gazed at her.
Her playful tone, combined with the faint blush on her cheeks, intrigued him. He’d never seen her so flustered before.
Just as she noticed the look on his face, she raised her hand to clear her throat, composing herself and trying to act all calm and serious.
“It’s good,” she stated, her voice soft as she turned her gaze away, a touch of warmth still coloring her cheeks.
“I, um, actually like this delicacy.”
“Chocolate…”
The way she admitted it surprised him. “Really? I didn’t expect that…” he said, a playful smile creeping across his face.
Cinder glanced at him from the corner of her eye, her expression softening as she continued, “Perhaps humans aren’t that bad after all.”
As she spoke, they all paused again, letting the words hang in the air. Suddenly, Alister chuckled softly, clearly finding all this entertaining.
Feeling a bit attacked by the levity of the moment, Cinder crossed her arms and shot Alister a pointed look. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
“What is so funny, my lord?” she asked, her tone stern yet filled with curiosity. “I’m being serious.”
Alister raised an eyebrow, trying to contain his amusement. “It’s just… I never thought I’d hear you say that. It seemed so out of place for you…”
“Was it bad then…” Cinder asked, her gaze lowering as if feeling she had disappointed him.
“No, certainly not… but let’s just say it was refreshing.” He leaned back in his seat, his expression thoughtful.
Cinder looked away, her cheeks still tinted with the faint blush from his words. “Understood… My lord…” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alister, sensing the change in the atmosphere, stood up and stretched slightly. “Since we’re done here, we should begin to head back,” he said, glancing at both of them.
Lila agreed as she stood up as well, brushing off crumbs from her outfit. “Yeah, it’s probably a good idea to get back since you have a big day tomorrow.”
Just as they were about to leave, Cinder hesitated for a moment before reaching out and grabbing Alister’s hand.
The sudden contact sent a jolt of surprise through him. With a soft blush creeping across her cheeks, she looked up at him, her eyes earnest.
“Is it possible for me to… take some chocolate along as we go back?”
“My lord…”
Alister blinked in surprise; he didn’t know she already liked the dessert that much, causing him to pause for a moment.
“Of course, Cinder,” he replied, a gentle smile spreading across his face.
“We can get some for the road.”
Looking at the look they shared, Lila’s face darkened for a moment, reflecting a tempest of emotions, but then she quickly shook it off, widening her eyes in delight as she clasped her hands.
“That’s a great idea! We can all share some when we get back! Chocolate is best enjoyed together, after all.”
Cinder nodded, her expression softening as she released Alister’s hand. “Thank you,” she said quietly, a touch of relief in her voice.
So they ordered some chocolate to go, and with that, they made their way toward the exit, Alister’s mind racing with the pleasant surprise of the moment, while Lila chatted excitedly about the different types of chocolate Cinder might like.
…
Night soon approached, and the neon lights of the city slowly came to life.
After they got Cinder some chocolate, they got into a cab, the ride back to the White Comet Guild was quiet, each of them caught in their own thoughts.
As they finally arrived at the guild entrance, Alister stepped out first, paying the driver as Cinder and Lila followed. The cab pulled away, leaving them alone just outside the gates. Lila walked slightly ahead, her steps slow and her gaze directed downward. Alister noticed the slight shadow over her face, her brow knitted in an unusual expression of disappointment.
He exchanged a puzzled look with Cinder, who was quietly munching on her chocolate pop, before he picked up his pace to catch up with Lila.
As they passed through the guild gates, Lila suddenly stopped, making Alister halt just behind her. He opened his mouth to ask if she was alright, the words barely escaping him.
“Lila, are you al—”
“Alister… I had fun today,” Lila said softly, interrupting him. Her voice caught him off guard, and he paused, tilting his head slightly in surprise.
She turned to look back at him, and for a second, there was a vulnerability in her expression he hadn’t seen before. With a small smile, he pulled off his black face mask, nodding.
“I did too, Lila,” he replied warmly.
Cinder stood silently beside him, her eyes moving between them as she sucked on her
chocolate pop, her expression neutral but observant.
“But…” Lila continued, her voice trailing off.
“But what?” Alister asked, his curiosity piqued.
“I don’t… know… Um…”
She took a deep breath, her cheeks flushing slightly before she finally spoke. “So… next time we go out, I want it to be just us.”
She said, her words spilling out in a rush. “We’ll leave Cinder behind, and no one else should
follow…”
“Just us.”
Alister blinked, momentarily stunned by her request, and Cinder’s eyes narrowed, her expression slightly intense as she glanced at Lila.
“Wait, what?” Alister asked, a touch of confusion and surprise in his tone.
Realizing what she had said, Lila’s face went red. She turned on her heel, practically
stumbling over her own feet as she ran toward the guild doors.
“J-just f-forget what I just said!” she called over her shoulder, her voice high and flustered.
Alister stood there, his gaze following her retreating figure, a touch of surprise and amusement in his expression. He shook his head slightly, chuckling to himself as he turned
back to Cinder.
Cinder simply raised an eyebrow, finishing off her chocolate pop with a final crunch. “She’s… an interesting human,” she murmured, her voice had a small touch of irritation.
Alister sighed, smiling as he chose to completely pull off the black face mask as he said, “Yes,
she is…”
“She is indeed.”
…
Lila darted through the guild’s main building, her footsteps echoing off the polished metal floor, her cheeks still blazing with embarrassment.
Around her, the guild was as lively as ever, members and visitors alike milling about in groups
or stationed at tables.
The grand hall was bustling with chatter, the hum of voices mixing with the distant clinks of armor and clatter of weapons.
Lights embedded in the ceiling cast a soft glow, illuminating the reflective surfaces that lined
the walls, giving everything an almost soft sheen.
As she weaved past a crowd of guild members, the swirl of her own thoughts nearly
overwhelmed her.
‘What was I thinking?’
‘Did I really just ask him that? I must’ve sounded so dumb… and selfish!’
Her heart pounded in her chest, both from her sprint and from the flood of emotions swirling
within her.
She could only imagine what Alister must be thinking after that slip-up, and each new
thought seemed to tighten the knot in her stomach.
‘What if he thinks I’m childish? Or worse… clingy?’