Chapter 289
The atmosphere between them shifted, becoming calmer and more fluid.
Amid the steady rhythm of their steps, without planning or intention, Theo's gaze slipped.
A brief glance, quick and spontaneous, drifted to the side, catching Aldraya's profile as she focused on her bottle of tea.
What he saw, even for an instant, was enough to make him immediately turn his face forward again, as if he had been caught touching something deeply private.
Yet the image had already been etched into his mind.
Aldraya, with all the flatness and emotional restraint she usually radiated, was drinking her tea.
Her sips were slow and dignified, as though every drop of liquid were a rare offering.
But beneath that composed act, there was a small detail that stole Theo's attention.
Every time Aldraya swallowed, every time the cold liquid passed through a throat that had likely been very dry, the look in her eyes—fixed on the bottle—changed.
Not a dramatic change.
There was no smile or sigh of satisfaction.
But something within the depths of those eyes became different.
A softness.
A quiet gratitude.
A glimmer that had not been there before.
In his heart, Theo was suddenly tempted by a strange metaphor.
He murmured inwardly, wondering whether what he was witnessing was a reflection of the sensation of falling in love, but from an entirely different angle.
For Aldraya, that bottle of cold tea was not a beloved, but a blessing.
The look in her eyes as she gazed at it resembled a flower that had withered and been neglected, suddenly given abundant and regular water by a caring keeper.
The flower did not cheer.
Yet in its silence, in each leaf slowly straightening, in each petal beginning to freshen, there shone a moving surrender, an acknowledgment of life flowing again.
Was that a form of infatuation?
Perhaps not in the usual human sense.
But certainly, it was a very deep satisfaction, a pure appreciation for the fulfillment of the most basic need that had long been neglected.
"So, does your throat feel relieved now?"
Returning to their hidden observation spot behind the food stall, a new scene greeted Theo and Aldraya.
The crowd in front of the Flying Saucer ride had shifted, flowing like a slow-moving river.
Ilux and Erietta, who had previously been nothing more than two small points at the far end of the long queue, had now moved forward.
They were now in the middle section of the line, close enough to the ride's boarding platform.
The harsh midday light highlighted Erietta's green hair as it occasionally fluttered, and Ilux's shoulders, which now appeared more relaxed.
Theo's calculation was correct.
If nothing interfered, within minutes the two teenagers would board the colorful flying saucer, sit close together, and be swung through the air while their hearts raced for reasons that were not purely adrenaline.
Watching this progress, Theo's observer's instinct immediately ignited.
The moment inside the ride was crucial.
It was there, within confined space and emotionally stimulating conditions, that the most honest and uncontrolled reactions often emerged.
A scream of fear.
A nervous laugh.
Or perhaps a hand reaching out, seeking another to hold.
Theo had to capture all of it.
But before he focused all of his attention, there was one more thing he needed to ensure.
He could not allow physical discomfort to disrupt their focus, especially after the earlier intervention with the drinks.
Thus, before his eyes fully locked onto the targets, Theo turned toward Aldraya beside him.
This time, his question was more specific, more directly aimed at the root of the earlier issue.
He did not ask about the mission or surveillance.
He began with the most basic matter.
The state of Aldraya's throat.
Had the thirst that had made her lethargic and produced those protesting sounds truly been resolved?
Was the bottled tea she had drunk so gratefully enough to restore the functions of her mortal body?
"A throat that's already wet doesn't need to be debated anymore."
'For a moment she seems offended, but secretly pleased to be noticed.'
"All right.
But listen—what if we ride that attraction too?
Aside from making close-range observation easier, it's also a chance for you to experience the tension firsthand.
I want you to know that sensation in a more tangible way."
After hearing Aldraya's response, which sounded irritated yet was wrapped in a gentle tone that revealed hidden satisfaction at being cared for, Theo felt that an unspoken permission had been granted.
The now-moistened throat was no longer a problem, but a bridge they had crossed together.
With the foundation of basic needs fulfilled, Theo's thoughts leapt toward a more ambitious and direct plan.
He was no longer satisfied with being a distant spectator, hidden in the shadows.
A greater opportunity lay before them, a chance to immerse themselves in the same experience as their observation targets.
So, in a voice carrying a hint of adventure while remaining analytical, Theo presented a proposal.
He suggested that the two of them, Theo and Aldraya, should not merely observe, but also board the Flying Saucer ride.
His reasons were layered.
First, of course, was closer and more intimate observation.
By being on the same ride, perhaps only a few seats away, they could directly witness every micro-expression, every whisper, every physical reaction Ilux and Erietta had to the swings and spins.
They would share the same atmosphere, feel the same gusts of wind striking the teenagers' faces.
But there was a second reason, more personal, driven by Theo's own desire.
He wanted Aldraya to feel it.
He wanted the former Supreme Angel, accustomed to heavenly perfection and eternal calm, to directly experience a worldly sensation called "tension."
Not the tension of danger or combat, but a pleasant tension that triggered adrenaline and light laughter.
The slight lift in the stomach as the flying saucer swung to its peak, the heart pounding not from fear but from pure excitement, and the wind rushing through hair and clothes, momentarily erasing burdens and dark memories.
Theo wanted Aldraya to understand that being human, being mortal, was not only about thirst and hunger, but also about the ability to feel exhilarating joy, about the courage to release control and let oneself be carried by the moment.
"I'll go with you as long as you're the one accompanying me. But what about the consequences?"
Fhhhh!
"Forging tickets and cutting the line would definitely draw attention.
If the public suspects we're Human Change and demands an explanation, that would be a major problem—even more complicated than mere tailing."
Aldraya's agreement came quickly, a simple "yes" filled with absolute trust.
Her condition was straightforward: as long as Theo accompanied her.
For Aldraya, Theo's presence was her anchor and shield in a world that felt foreign and often chaotic.
Yet behind that innocent agreement, Aldraya's mind was operating on a different logic.
She was not an ordinary human.
As a being who had once lived under different consequences, instant movement and spatial manipulation were simply commonplace to her.
So when considering how they might board the ride quickly, her thoughts naturally drifted toward more direct methods, methods she deemed efficient.
That thought soon collided with the reality of their new world.
Aldraya remembered one thing.
The reaction of ordinary humans.
To be continued…