After hearing me finish, Ronan looked as if he was about to drop to his knees and bow to me.
In his eyes at that moment, I was no different from some kind of mythical being: accidentally saving a life, only to discover the person was a famous philanthropist in the city of Alchimie and even a soldier like Opius trusted me without reservation.
Seeing that subtle expression, I couldn't help but feel amused. Smiling, I teased him, "What's wrong, do you want me to check you over too?"
"Don't, don't!" Ronan reacted instantly, instinctively covering his lower body. "I'm very healthy these days."
I looked him up and down a few times, my gaze full of implication, then laughed and turned to walk into the living room.
At five in the afternoon, Captian returned.
The moment I saw him step inside, I immediately presented the transfer documents with both hands as if offering a treasure, my eyes sparkling. "Mr. Captian, from now on, please call me your little lucky star."
Captian opened the documents to take a look. I thought he wouldn't say anything, but to my surprise, the corner of his lips lifted slightly, and his deep, husky voice rang out clearly: "Little lucky star."
I froze for a beat.
Just two short words, yet it felt as though someone had brushed lightly against my ear. Heat surged up instantly, so hot that I unconsciously raised a hand to cover it, my heart pounding completely out of rhythm.
"You used the card?" He leaned in close, his low voice sounding right by my ear, his breath brushing my skin and sending a numb tingling down my spine.
I stiffened at once. "H-how did you know, Mr. Captian?"
He chuckled softly, the smile lazy yet carrying absolute certainty. "There was a notification."
I suddenly realized.
Ah… the black card.
So it wasn't just an unlimited payment tool, it also automatically sent alerts to the supplementary cardholder.
Thinking about how casually I had just swiped a not-so-small amount, my scalp immediately tingled.
"Mr. Captian…" I took a deep breath and decided to proactively explain, slowing my voice to calm myself. "After you left, I went shopping with Wendy. She said she wanted to buy clothes for me, as a kind of meeting gift. But… she already called me sister-in-law."
I paused, then continued, "So I thought, since I am the sister-in-law, it would make more sense for me to prepare the meeting gift for her instead."
I didn't know whether it was because I was getting used to the identity of 'your wife,' or for some other reason, but I could clearly feel Captian's mood soften.
He raised his hand and gently rubbed the top of my head. The movement wasn't forceful, yet it carried that familiar sense of possession.
"Mr. Captian, if you don't like me using the card…" I probed carefully, my voice lowering. "Next time, I won't use it."
Captian frowned and replied immediately, not giving me a chance to take it back. "It's yours now."
The words were concise and decisive, leaving no room for argument.
The meaning was unmistakable, if you want to use it, use it. No need to ask for permission.
I was instantly silenced by that domineering tone, biting my lip and not daring to say another word.
"You didn't buy anything for yourself?" He lowered his gaze to me, his sharp eyes seeming to see right through everything.
Thinking of that red dress, my head throbbed slightly. "I did… buy one dress."
After saying that, I reached for the shopping bag on the sofa and handed it to him. "This red dress… doesn't really suit me."
Captian opened the bag.
The deep red silk dress quietly appeared before his eyes, the fabric soft and flowing, the shade of red deep and rich like wine.
I saw his gaze shift slightly.
There was no need to guess an image had already formed in his mind: me wearing that dress, soft and lush, like a rose blooming in the dark night, beautiful and dangerous all at once.
He took a deep breath, his Adam's apple moving subtly.
His eyes darkened, carrying a near-instinctive sense of possession.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally forced himself to rein in his emotions, the familiar coldness gradually returning.
I felt the atmosphere waver for a moment before quickly settling again, like a wave that had just risen and was immediately pressed back down.
So… he also thought it didn't suit me, right?
Just as I was thinking that, his voice sounded slowly, "Wear it for me next time."
I froze.
Captian spoke very softly, yet every word felt like it dropped straight into my ear. He raised his hand and gently brushed my ear, his fingertips cool and dry. The motion seemed casual, yet it carried an undisguised possessiveness. Immediately after, he bent down, his low breath brushing close to my ear, carrying warmth that made my scalp go numb.
My entire body trembled in an instant. My back went rigid, my heart pounding so loudly I was afraid he could hear it.
"Yes…" My voice was so small it nearly dissolved into the air.
So… he thought it suited me?
The thought had barely surfaced before it could settle, when Captian's voice turned cold. "Did you have a lot of fun with her?"
There was no warmth now, no ambiguity from before. The question was like a thin blade clean, sharp, and precise.
My fingers twitched slightly. Instinctively, I tightened my grip on my clothes and chose my words carefully. "It wasn't bad… Wendy really likes street racing."
The moment the words "street racing" left my mouth, I felt a clear change in the atmosphere.
Racing?
Captian's eyes darkened almost instantly. The lines of his face hardened, his jaw tightening. The living room seemed to drop several degrees, as if an invisible frost had settled over everything.
"Next time, you don't need to pay attention to her." His voice was low, allowing no negotiation.
I nodded obediently without arguing. "Oh."
He seemed to realize his reaction had been excessive. His hand rose again, gently rubbing the top of my head, the familiar gesture carrying a hint of reassurance.
"Tomorrow, come with me to Ravenholm."
Ravenholm?
The name made me pause slightly. I blinked, and vague images I'd seen in high-end financial and travel magazines immediately surfaced in my mind: a northern coastal city, famous for its ancient gray-stone buildings, endless cobblestone streets, and the interweaving of old European architecture with cold, modern glass-and-steel skyscrapers. Ravenholm wasn't loud or bustling, it was calm and powerful, much like Captian himself.
"Mr. Captian, are you taking me abroad?" I looked up at him, unable to hide a trace of hesitation. "But I still have classes to attend… and there's a lot of work at the hospital."
He curled his lips, his gaze unwavering. "Take leave."
Two short words, decisive and final, like a command already set in stone.
I frowned. Knowing full well I had no right to refuse, I could only nod in the end. On second thought… leaving familiar surroundings for a while, going to a distant city like Ravenholm, breathing in a new atmosphere, it might not be a bad thing.
"Get ready. We leave early tomorrow morning."
Captian's gaze swept over me, then stopped on the shopping bag by the sofa. A corner of the deep red dress peeked out, its color so vivid it was almost provocative.
"Wear that dress tomorrow."
I frowned again. Though I felt a little reluctant, I still answered.
He used to like pale pink, and now he liked deep red… the great demon lord truly was unpredictable, changing without any pattern at all.
"Mr. Captian, how many days are we going?" I asked, already starting to calculate how many clothes I should bring.
His eyes settled on my face, staring for a long time so long that I felt as if I were being seen through. "At least ten days."
Ten days?
My heart sank slightly. It clearly wasn't just a short trip. Ravenholm… might be a place completely different from my current life.
"Mr. Captian, go ahead and take care of your work." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'll go back to my room and prepare."
After saying that, I almost fled, turning and quickly heading toward the stairs. My heartbeat still hadn't settled, and images of Ravenholm were already forming in my mind, the gray-silver sky, cold sea winds sweeping through ancient streets and the place where I would soon set foot with Captian.
Behind me, there was a gaze that followed me for a long time.
I didn't see it, at that moment, Captian's eyes had sunk completely into darkness, deep as the night blanketing Ravenholm before a storm, carrying thoughts no one could possibly guess.
…
The Richart family residence. These past few days, Olivia had been constantly supervising Jason as he took his medicine. The medicine was extremely bitter, yet it seemed to have no effect at all. Jason's complexion grew worse by the day, like a powerful lion that could explode at any moment, yet the next second, when facing Olivia, he would fall silent again.
"Son, take your medicine." Olivia brought the freshly decocted bowl of medicine in front of Jason.
Jason frowned, the gentle expression on his face instantly turning irritable and fierce. "It's been six days." Six days with no effect clearly a quack. Taking this medicine was no different from taking nothing.
Olivia caught the meaning in her son's words, and in the next second, her expression changed, looking as if she were about to cry. "There's only one more day, my son. Be good, just drink it. After that, you might feel something again."
She spoke as if coaxing a child, her voice carrying suppressed sobs.
Jason couldn't stand seeing her like this. In the end, he took the bowl and downed it in one go.
Seeing him so obedient, Olivia immediately smiled.
"Mom, what kind of medicine did you even buy for my brother?"
Halley felt a sudden ache in his heart watching his brother being forced to drink it. "Some medicines can't be taken casually. You shouldn't let him drink it anymore."
"What would a kid like you know?" Olivia shot her younger son a glare. "That doctor's medical skills are excellent, and her reputation is very good. Anyway, we'll try it first. Drinking it won't do any harm."
Halley rolled his eyes and muttered, "As long as you're happy, Mom."
Olivia glared at him again before carrying the bowl away.
Halley quickly went to Jason's side and saw him staring out the window at the stars, lost in thought. Halley quietly stood beside him, just like when they were little.
While Jason was distracted, he suddenly felt a dense, dull ache coming from both legs. The sensation was very faint almost there, almost not like an illusion.
Jason's pupils flashed briefly, then quickly settled.
But not long after, the pain grew more intense dense yet delicate, like tens of thousands of ants crawling over his legs. It was a completely unfamiliar sensation, tormenting yet exhilarating at the same time.
It had been three years.
Could it be that the legs which had lost all sensation were feeling again?
If he cooperated with treatment… could he stand up one more time?
Jason's lips curved. For a moment, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Slowly, the smile on his face spread, the gentle expression completely overtaken as his laughter gradually turned wild.
"Brother, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me!" Halley was frightened by his laughter.
In Halley's memory, his brother had always been gentle. How could he laugh like a madman?
Jason kept laughing, quickly drawing Mrs. Jamaica Richart and Olivia over. They thought something had triggered him and were instantly stunned in fear.
What was happening?
"My legs hurt." Jason finally stopped laughing, his voice trembling endlessly. "My legs hurt so much but I'm so happy."
"Your legs hurt?"
"Your legs hurt?"
"You have sensation?"