Chapter 119: 118. To Preserve His Sanity, Part V
"I'M GENUINELY OFFENDED!" He seemed confused. "No. Ash is the older brother I don't have. He's family. And he is already dating my friend!"
A smile lightened up his lips and showed off his deep dimples. "Poor dude was brother-zoned," he mocked. "How tragic. So, you don't have any brothers?"
I do. But he doesn't need to know that. "No."
"Interesting," he got back to signing the books, but this time with a big wide smile.
And that made me feel anxious, and like something was tickling my stomach from the inside. It was a dreadful feeling. I absolutely hated it!
When he finished, still with that disgraceful smile on his ridiculously beautiful lips, he turned his attention to me again. "Here," he handed me the two sets of books.
In Ash's, he sighed his name and added:
[Your little sister told me you enjoy books, I hope you will find this story to your taste. May the Goddess be always with you and bless the family you will create with her friend! Be careful and do not step over boundaries, dear friend.]
{"See? That's what a person consumed by jealousy would write,"} you are doing this to stress me out, aren't you?
Because if you are, you are doing a great job. I'm about to break your fucking neck.
{"Silver told me once that there are girls that, when they are in love, they tend to deny with all their willpower, and to become rude and lose their temper when the one they are in love with is around. I think you fit on that,"} I had to take a deep breath not to scream at him out loud.
Cut the bullshit, Chaos. I'm losing my patience.
{"What patience? You don't have that!"} I answered by tightening my grip on the cat. {"Alright, I'll stop messing with you!"}
When I looked at what he had written on my books, I had to avoid looking at him, or he would probably see what I thought about that straight up on my face.
[I hope you fell in love with my story, geliefde. All of my emotions are put into these three books, and I, myself, am in love with what I created. I wish you will also relate. And it's funny because the dynamic between the main leads is similar to us, so, I hope you will think of me when reading it, geliefde. For now, I wish that one day we'll be able to sit together and talk about this story after you are done reading, however, I know that's too much to ask. But dreaming is for humans, and I am one as well. From your nemesis to you, my geliefde!]
Clenching my fist, I turned to face him after what seemed like an eternity. "Your geliefde, my ass. And stop calling me stupid, or I'll kick your ass!"
"I'm counting on it," he smirked.
{"What do you mean? When did he call you stupid? He seems quite like a gentleman until now,"} ha.
He's anything but that. He keeps calling me geliefde, didn't you pay attention? That means stupid. It isn't anything cute, so don't even bother fanboying it over it!
{"Stupid? Did he say that to you?"} He seemed amused, of course, he does. Chaos very much agrees on that, so it's not surprising.
He did. Didn't you see it in my memories? He's a shameless bastard, Chaos. Don't fall for his trick! It's not worthy!
"So, I take that if you gave this earring to me, you probably want something from me," he came closer again, but this time I took a step back automatically. "What can I help you with?"
Holding the two sets of books in my arms, and with Chaos now up in my head, like a sloth, I stepped back again. "I have no time for you now, asshole."
He seemed to accept that way too easily. "Okay. We'll meet again when you get back to the Empire!"
"It's not like I want to," I muttered.
"Keep lying," he mocked. "It was a pleasure to see you, geliefde!"
"I can't say the same!" With that, I turned my back on him and left as fast as I could, feeling the necessity of getting away from him.
He's going to be the death of me if this shit goes on. {"That would be romantic!"}
Romantic my ass. Quit that subject, for Goddess' sake, you are causing me a headache. Do you want me to drown you in a bathtub?
{"That wouldn't kill me!"}
"But it wouldn't be pleasant, would it?" He rolled his eyes and went silent after that.
Finally giving me some peace in my mind.
➵➵➵
Asher came back to the hotel at 6:40 pm when I was finishing getting ready for my dinner with Cass. Then he came in after I permitted him. "Here, for you! I bought it when I went outside."
"Oh my God! They were all sold out in Leopenia and Theolia, Goddess bless you, Nat! How did you find them here of all places?" He was almost jumping with excitement, just like a golden retriever.
I stared at the books. "Is this bastard famous for those books? For real?"
"Bastard? What do you mean? Did you meet the author?" His eyes got wide and I rolled my eyes annoyed with how excited he was for something made by that asshole. "And how haven't you heard of the Alchemy of Souls trilogy? Mikla's above, and you used to catch up faster on new novels than I."
"Ethan Theodore... Damn it, so he's good at writing?" He's good at everything until now, which makes me hate him even more. "I've met him back in Theolia, and we... Hm... We don't go well with each other!"
{"Liar,"} Chaos muttered.
"Then, when I was walking with my cat," I petted his furr putting too much pressure on my hands. "We went to the Never-Ending Carnival which was more like an open shopping center. And he was there selling his books and signing them!"
His jaw dropped. "IT'S SIGNED?" He screamed overjoyed and opened the book abruptly, reading what Theo had written in it.
Even though he seemed to find it awkward, he turned to me with a side-to-side smile. While I stared at him disgusted. I don't like how he's acting!
"You told him about me," is he crying? "Goddess above, you even told him about my relationship with Gwen, I'm so happy. My idol knows who I am!"
{"I don't think this dumbass got the actual meaning of what your crush wrote,"} I glared at him with blades in my eyes.
He is not my Goddess-damned crush!
{"Whatever you say,"} he mocked.
"Can I see what he wrote in yours?" What?
I gulped. "He didn't write anything but his name. I was only going to buy your set of books, but I bought this to me compensate for how I offended him!" The lie came easy and believable to my goodness.
"You did what to him?" Why is he judging me for that? How awkward.
"I slapped him on the face," I exclaimed proudly!
"Why did you do that? Don't you know you can't use violence here? Are you crazy?" He seemed offended.
"Is he more important than I am, to you?"
"What? No! What's up with that?"
"Then stop picking his damn side. I had my reasons to slap him in the face, alright?! He flirted with me," which made him burst out laughing.
So much that his shoulders trembled, "How old is he? I thought he was a grown-up, maybe in his early twenties. Is he a child to be attracted to you?"
I took a deep breath. "Hey, that's offensive. And he's younger than you, probably, by a year!"
"What? Damn, then he's amazing!" Great.
He offended me and complimented him. How infuriating. "Oh, and do you know Leonard's best friend who I gave the earring?" His mood changed.
"Yes. What does that have to do with that?" More than you could imagine, brother.
I averted his eyes, "Ethan Theodore is Leonard's best friend, Ash!"
Honestly, I thought he would get protective or something like that, but a big smile appeared on his face and his eyes shone a little brighter. "Does this mean I'll get the chance to meet my idol?" Is he joking?
"You are beyond salvation," I muttered. "Go to your suite read your damned books, I'll go and meet the person who called me to have dinner together," my cousin.
And he seemed happier than ever to do that. "To think you even got the special editions to me with his signature and a message to me! This is one of the best presents I ever got, Nat," then he came and hugged me and Chaos tight.
"Alright, alright! Take your paws away from me," I said, still annoyed.
"See you tomorrow!" Then he left, jumping with happiness.
He didn't even close the doors, Goddess above! I hate Theo even more now. He made Asher out of everyone else prefer him better than me. Seriously, my blood is boiling.
{"Don't be like that. Maybe the books are really good!"} He turned to the set of three books. {"One this is for sure, they are all thick as hell. What's up with this length? Do they have 900 pages each? My eyes hurt!"}
I have a preference for books with big lengths, to be honest, and Theo's works fitting on that made me annoyed beyond anything. "Whatever! Now it's not the time to think of that idiot. Let's go to where Cass' staying," with him in my arms, I left my suite and locked the door.
{"Didn't you come here with your aide too? Why hasn't she even appeared today?"} Indeed.
"She must be enjoying her stay here, I told her yesterday that I wouldn't need them today, so they could just go and do whatever they wanted." Kate must be with the friends she made back on the ship.
{"Whatever you say, I'll meet her another time then. Do you know where your cousin is staying? The hotel is huge,"} he has a point.
"Cass is a member of the White-Wood Royalty, he must be on the same suite as I am, but on the floor of his Kingdom!" I hope so, or we would get a little lost.
{"Then in search for him we go,"} he seemed to enjoy going out, it was almost cute if we weren't talking about him of all spirits.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone