Chapter 229

Chapter 229

It wasn’t that far from here. Still, Lacias ran as fast as he could.

It was a white house. And smaller than he could possibly imagine. He couldn’t believe Lila was living in such a small, cramped place. His head throbbed, and he put pressure against it as to relieve it.

He wanted to hug Lila till she was crushed against him, feel her warmth and bury his face into her neck so he could smell her. Or this pain might never leave. It was like an addiction.

Thump, thump. His heart felt like it might burst at the prospect of seeing Lila again. He tried to calm down. He fussed with his hair, determined to look good for the person who had abandoned him.

As he knocked, more loudly than he’d expected, he couldn’t help feeling as though the door looked like Lila. It was white, tidy and steady.

He waited for a response, but there was none. Lacias listened for a moment. Nothing.

He summoned a few rings and circled Lila’s house with them. If she was inside, they should react. But they didn’t.

Is she out?

He’d figured she would stay indoors, what with all the wanted posters, but clearly, Lila was bolder than he thought.

Lacias decided that it would be more efficient to stay inside, so he sat by the stairs. He leaned his head against the wall and waited. Patiently.

***

The gun was taking too long to arrive, so Lila had left her house. Carefully choosing the streets with less crowd, she visited the agency responsible for claiming and delivering her time. She concealed her face by wearing a dark hood and felt relieved once she reached the agency unsuspected. However, the response she got there was nothing like what she’d been anticipating.

The item already left; she’d been told. “If you wait at home, you should receive it between now and tomorrow.’

Just when would she receive it? She clicked her tongue and shook her head. Retrieving the gun was urgent. The longer it was out there, the higher the chance there was of her being revealed.

Since it had already left the agency, there was no way to tell where it was. And so, there was nothing else she could do but wait for its arrival on her doorstep back at her house.

I do need to do grocery…

She went to a shop near her place to quickly buy some.

Let’s quickly grab some.

Her face was hidden under the hood, but many people easily got suspicious at the sight of hoods. It wouldn’t work in her favor to have a rumor spreading about a hooded woman walking around. She should make her trip to the market as short as possible.

What should I buy this time?

She only bought a few ingredients, but she was getting sick of them. She was planning on buying some other ingredients and making good food.

“Self-isolation isn’t easy.”

A boring life of doing nothing at home. She thought it would be the ideal life she wanted, but it was much different from what she’d had in mind.

I should make some dessert.

She bought flour, butter, and eggs for dessert. She also got sugar powder.

Hir really liked my desserts. Maybe he misses them…

She wanted to make some and deliver them in secret, if possible. Lila couldn’t help but clench her fist when she found some whipped cream. It was her way of calming herself. All sweets were a reminder of Hir truly. She grabbed the cream and carefully put it in her basket.

I should make a cream cake with fruit topping for dinner.

She also bought a newspaper, in case it contained any news from the Ahibalt Empire. She would read it while she waited for the dough to be cooked.

Lila started heading back home, feeling uneasy about being out for so long. She wouldn’t be leaving the house for a while after this.

Her house soon appeared in her line of vision. She hadn’t been used to it at first, but now she’d come to see it as a home.

My home…

It wasn’t as comfortable as the place she’d lived in with Lacias and Hir, but it was still her home. A home she lived in alone.She lowered her head a little, staring at the ground as she walked. She was used to the road, so it didn’t matter.

One step. Two steps.

Now I’ll see the stepping stones. Just a little longer and I’ll be safe inside.

“Huh?”

Her assumption was wrong. On the stairs, which should have been bare, someone’s legs were sticking out.

No way.

Both the shape and scent were familiar.

Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief, but she didn’t dare look up.