Ryan's Conflicted Desire

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE – RYAN'S CONFLICTED DESIRE

Ryan said as he couldn't believe it! Did he just drag Scarlette into a trivial fight?

"You quite catch some things there, Ryan! It's obvious that someone instigated the whole incident and we didn't know who started this"

Jeffrey explains and Ryan couldn't help but think that this is not just about Scarlette taking a companion or something.

It's quite petty if you asked Ryan and he felt that there is something amiss in this matter.

Based on his logical thinking, if they were being watched from the beginning then, they are not targeting him but Scarlette for sure!

'Is this also one of her reasons why she didn't take someone with her? Is it because she had many foes out there?'

Ryan thought once again and it is understandable if the woman had many enemies, to begin with.

"Let's go. Waste no time"

Ryan snapped back as he heard the crimson-haired woman's firm voice and both gentlemen nodded at her.

The three of them finally leave the place and their silhouettes have been disappeared in the crowd.

At the other side of the city, someone is watching them from the sidelines and that person smirk evilly as the person disappeared without notice. 

...

The three of them have arrived at the place where Jeffrey is staying for the time being and both Scarlette and Ryan settled down their things and Jeffrey invited the two for a dinner.

"Your favorite, Scarlette" 

Jeffrey said as he laid the dishes in front of the crimson-haired woman and Scarlette looked at it.

The dishes that are being served in front of her are potato shrimp salad with lime sauce and three pieces of garlic bread at the side. 

Even though the crimson-haired woman is wearing a veil, Jeffrey knew that Scarlette is smiling.

"It's perfect. Good job, Zenon"

Scarlette said and start eating. She took the bread and lift her veil lightly as she eats.

Ryan looked at Scarlette when the crimson-haired woman gently lifts her veil and he wants to see what her face looks like but snapped back as Jeffrey serves the food in front of him.

"No matter what you do, you can't see her face as the veil had some magical components that could conceal anything from it. Not just that, no one can take off her veil except Scarlette as it is enchanted"

Ryan looked at Jeffrey as the man placed another dish in front and he looked once again at Scarlette's place while the crimson-haired woman is still eating as the food went over under her veil.

What Jeffrey said is right.

He can't see anything even the woman lift gently her veil and he had a baffled expression on his face.

Ryan couldn't help but ask the crimson-haired woman; "Where did you get that kind of veil?"

Scarlette looked at the chestnut-haired man when the said man asked her a question.

She raised an eyebrow as she speaks; "Why do you want to know?"

He replied; "Just curious, you know" 

Ryan said honestly as he shrugged off his shoulders and Scarlette just chuckled as those words came out from his mouth.

"If I tell you, what would I get in return?" She asked.

"Huh?" Ryan had a questioning gaze when he heard what the crimson-haired woman stated and he didn't understand why she said that.

"Nothing. Forget what I asked and I'll forget yours. Fair enough, isn't it?"

Scarlette diverts the topic because it is not the right time to talk about it and they have some important matters on hand.

[It looks like Ryan recognizes you, Zenon. Just act normally since he doesn't plan to ask you even further and if he does, let me handle it. We need him for this mission and trust me]

Jeffrey heard the transmission voice that passes through his head and he knew that it's Scarlette's voice since she is the only one here who could use a high-tier spell to communicate with him secretly.

Unfortunately, Jeffrey can't perform such a high-tier magic spell since Mind Telepathy is from a different branch and only those capable people who could directly use it.

In three whole years that he knew about the crimson-haired woman but still, Jeffrey viewed Scarlette as an enigmatic person.

There are times that he couldn't decipher what the crimson-haired woman is thinking or even her real strength, he couldn't tell that much.

Since it is a one-sided communication then, he just taps his fingers on the table and nods slightly as a sign that he understands what Scarlette had said to him.

On the other hand, Ryan noticed some abnormality between the Marquis and Scarlette but he thinks a different kind of thought.

'Are these two have a secret relationship? I heard a rumor back then that Marquis Middleton of Silveria Empire is having a secret meeting with someone else but they didn't reveal it. Is it perhaps, the one that the Marquis keeps on meeting at is none other than, Scarlette?'

Ryan thought as he thinks about the relationship of the two.

He couldn't help but felt something on his chest as if he couldn't breathe.

'Why am I feeling like this? I don't understand'

He thought as he slumped his shoulders and felt gloomy just by thinking about these two having a relationship with one another, aside from being friends as they claimed they are.

He never felt this way before for a mere woman and he was used to that women are all flocking at him because of his appearance and noble status.

He never viewed love as affection. For him, love is just a game.

Something inside him wants to possess the crimson-haired woman and he wants that the woman to only look at him.

However, he felt conflicted as he viewed Scarlette as a primary clue for the person that he is looking for. He doesn't know what to do anymore.

He shook off his head to ignore those negative thoughts but he sighed as he couldn't help but still thinking about it.

Scarlette noticed Ryan's odd behavior as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Something wrong?"

Scarlette's question made Ryan snapped back his thoughts and he looked at the crimson-haired woman as her eyes are staring directly at him. 

Green mint eyes meet crimson-lilac eyes.

Jeffrey's sapphire eyes are staring back at Ryan as well. The Marquis had a puzzled expression just by looking at him.

"N-no! I-I'm fine! Just fine! Haha!"

Ryan said as he nervously laughed and scratch his head as he looked at them.

The chestnut-haired man saw that Scarlette is staring at him as if he had some screw loose in his mind.

Scarlette knew that Ryan was lying when he said those words but she let it slide for now.

"Tomorrow morning. Adventurer's Guild. Additional information. City Lord's office"

'Huh?' Ryan thought as he didn't understand once again what Scarlette is saying.

Jeffrey chuckled as he once again interprets the crimson-haired woman's message.

"All three of us need to go to the Adventurer's Guild tomorrow morning for additional information. After that, we will visit the City Lord's office to apologize personally"

Jeffrey explained and Ryan looked at him as the auburn-haired man wiggling his eyebrows at him.

'There are times that I am grateful because he could understand what Scarlette is saying but at the same time, I felt irritated by just knowing the fact that he could understand her more.' 

Ryan thought as he felt displeased by just knowing this fact.

He sighed as he nodded at him and thank the auburn-haired man for explaining.

Ryan snapped himself as he remembered the mission that Scarlette took in and his purpose for coming with her.

He mentally scolded himself for what he is thinking right now.

'What am I thinking? I can't believe that I've been distracted! Focus!'

Ryan thought as he focuses on what's in front of them and set aside those trivial emotions that he felt.

Scarlette, on the other hand, wants to know more information about the Fordel Village. 

Because the information that she had from the main headquarters is different from what Jeffrey shared with her.

'Two different information and both seem suspicious when you compared to it. I need additional information for me to deduce its current situation.'

She thought as she sighed because she couldn't help but to analyze everything that she had but still, there is not enough information at the moment.

That's why she needs to go to the Adventurer's Guild in this city for her to ask for some updated information.