Chapter 66: I Don’t Like Wearing Someone Else’s Hat
This wasn’t succumbing to desire, Ekaterina told herself. This was to make the Hero stronger. This was for Jie Luo, for the sake of the world. She had to offer herself to Qin Chu for the greater good.
She clung to this flimsy justification, desperately trying to preserve her fragile self-respect.
But Qin Chu, malicious and calculating, intended to shatter her completely. At least in his presence, her pride was irrelevant.
His smile vanished as he looked at her.
Her position, leaning against him, brought their lips almost close enough to touch.
“Lady Ekaterina,” he said, his voice cold and distant, “could you move away?”
“You’re disrupting my cultivation.”
Ekaterina’s face paled. She had gone so far, only to be met with his icy rejection.
She stared at him, her eyes wide with confusion, then slowly released her hold on his neck and stepped back, her face ashen, her body trembling with shame and anger.
She had offered herself, only to be cruelly rebuffed.
It was as if her body was nothing but worthless trash.
Her pride, her dignity, lay shattered.
She couldn’t understand this sudden shift in his demeanor. The man who had been so gentle, so… enamored… was now cold and distant, his demeanor frighteningly different.
“I apologize if my words were harsh,” Qin Chu said, his expression softening slightly. “But your presence is hindering my progress…”
“But… you said… you broke through to the second layer after… after last night…” she mumbled, her voice barely audible. “I thought… maybe… it could help you advance even further…”
Qin Chu stood up, walking towards her. He lifted a strand of her crimson hair, his fingers brushing against her cheek. “Lady Ekaterina, don’t devalue yourself… your body… It’s precious, isn’t it?”
His fingers traced the delicate curve of her jaw, then moved lower, exploring the smooth skin of her neck, her collarbone, her waist, her legs… His touch, lingering and possessive, seemed to caress every inch of her. But his words contradicted his actions.
“And besides, I’m not that kind of person,” he said, his voice a soft rumble.
His words and actions were at odds. His touch, rough and possessive, sent shivers down her spine.
“Last night was… an accident. But we’re both sober now. I can’t… I can’t be intimate with a woman who calls out another man’s name,” he said, his voice flat. “It feels like… wearing someone else’s hat. You know I don’t like that.”
Wearing a hat? What did that even mean?
But Ekaterina didn’t have time to ponder his words. Jie Luo’s name, echoing in her mind, filled her with shame.
She had betrayed Jie Luo, betrayed Qin Chu, betrayed herself.
She couldn’t understand how she had become this… this… creature… She loathed herself.
“If one day… you truly forget Jie Luo… then come find me,” Qin Chu said, his gaze unwavering.
“I… I need some air.”
He withdrew his hand, turning away from her, walking away without a backward glance.
This was the “silent treatment,” leaving her hanging, her emotions raw and exposed.
He would break her, crush her pride, make her beg for his attention, make her obey his every command like a pet.
Ekaterina, watching him leave, collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling.
Sadness, pain, hatred, disgust, shame, longing… a torrent of emotions overwhelmed her. Tears streamed down her face.
She had never felt so humiliated.
But what frightened her even more was her own body, the aching emptiness within her…
She hugged herself, her face a mask of despair… Forget Jie Luo?
No, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. He was her only light, her only hope. Without him, her life would be consumed by darkness.
But no matter how hard she tried, his image in her mind blurred, fading with each passing moment.
Qin Chu’s image, however, grew sharper, more vivid.
She was falling for him. The more distant he became, the stronger her feelings grew.
Her love was shifting, transferring…
…
Outside the training grounds, Qin Chu stretched, enjoying the warmth of the setting sun on his face.
A sly smile curved his lips. It was a shame to leave Ekaterina like that, but he could be patient. He knew what was important.
“Lady Lena Martithes,” he said, his smile now bright and cheerful, “I’m heading out. Would you care to join me?”
Lena Martithes, having heard the rumors, despite the Pope’s order for silence, looked at him with sympathy. For the Hero to be… violated… by a drunken Valkyrie… it was a terrible humiliation. She felt she should offer him some comfort, some distraction.
“Of course,” she said, her boisterous personality similar to Ekaterina’s. She slapped him on the back, her grin wide. “Where are we drinking, brother? I’m buying!”
They had become quite close over the past few days. He didn’t mind her casual demeanor.
Her lieutenant, however, paled, frantically signaling for her to show some restraint. Such disrespect towards the Hero!
“Hmm… let’s go to… The Witch’s Hearth,” Qin Chu said.
The Witch’s Hearth was Candice’s tavern.
The name, referencing witches, wouldn’t arouse suspicion of any connection to Demons. After all, Demons lurking within the city wouldn’t be so brazen.
And the tavern’s menu featured… unusual… drinks, such as “Witch’s Heart,” “Witch’s Blood,” “Witch’s Hair,” and “Witch’s Eye”…
“Isn’t that in the slums? Why go there?” Lena Martithes asked, her brow furrowed. “There are plenty of taverns in the noble district, with better quality and service…”
“Well… the glasses in the noble district are too small…”
Lena Martithes, ignoring her lieutenant’s frantic signals, laughed, slapping his back again. “I see, brother. You have good taste! I hate those tiny glasses they use in the noble district. They ruin the experience.”
Please, stop hitting me, it hurts.
She, eager for a night of drinking and camaraderie, dragged him towards The Witch’s Hearth.
Though she resembled Ekaterina in temperament, Qin Chu knew that, at their core, they were different.
Lena Martithes was genuine, her heart pure. Her only desire was to restore peace to the Heavenly Continent. She would gladly sacrifice her life to protect him. And now, she just wanted to drown his sorrows in alcohol.
He felt a pang of guilt for exploiting her kindness.
After all, he wasn’t going there to drink. He needed information from Candice.
Lomond, the Eternal Monarch’s seventh son, should be on the move by now.
Benson, though powerful, was no match for Lomond, especially not alone. Lomond had an army at his disposal.
But Benson’s defenses were formidable. He could hold out for a while. And when he realized he was outmatched, he would contact Loseweisse for support. He might not be a mage, but he carried a variety of magic scrolls.
Most powerful and wealthy individuals kept a supply of scrolls for emergencies: communication scrolls, healing scrolls, etc.
Qin Chu needed to follow Benson, to steal his Ability. False Absolute Defense… it was a tempting prize.
…
Leave a Reply