Chapter 51: Undercurrents: A Glimpse of Violet

Anran's eyes widened in shock. "The task… I gave you?"

"Of course! Don't tell me you've forgotten what happened earlier, little kitten?" Richard's tone was deliberately ambiguous, as though something intimate had transpired between them.

What? What did he mean by "earlier"? His words were far too misleading!

"W-what are you talking about?" Anran was utterly stunned, staring at his infuriatingly smug face, momentarily speechless.

But Richard's unpredictable antics were nothing new to her. After a moment, she composed herself and pieced together the meaning behind his words. "Are you talking about what happened at the old school building?"

Richard smiled and nodded, clearly pleased with her quick understanding. It seemed his little kitten was on the same wavelength as him.

This exchange, however, piqued Lester's curiosity. Initially, he'd assumed Richard was exaggerating, but hearing Anran's response made him realize that something significant had indeed occurred between the two. They shared a secret, one he was completely unaware of, and the feeling of being excluded left him mildly unsettled.

Anran had mentioned the "old school building"—likely the abandoned one on the St. Magnus Academy grounds. That place… At the thought, Lester's silver-violet eyes darkened.

"So, you've already figured it out?" Anran asked.

She was genuinely surprised. How could Richard have uncovered the truth in such a short time? It had only been a matter of minutes since the incident. His efficiency was almost alarming.

"Such a trivial matter doesn't require my personal attention. I simply delegated it to my subordinates," Richard said dismissively.

Hearing this, Anran couldn't help but feel exasperated. So much for thinking he'd actually investigated it himself. He'd just passed the task onto someone else—nothing more than a few words from him.

"Richard, can you tell me what exactly happened?" Lester interjected, his tone serious. "What could possibly have occurred during my absence that warranted your attention?"

Though Richard had downplayed the incident as insignificant, he knew it could have serious implications. He hadn't intended to keep Lester in the dark, either.

"Lester, I'll discuss it with you in detail later. For now… shouldn't we focus on escorting my desk mate home?" Richard said, raising an eyebrow. "And thank you for your help earlier."

Without waiting for a response, Richard grabbed Anran's wrist and started pulling her along.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Anran protested, annoyed by his lack of consideration. Her ankle was still swollen.

Richard glanced back at her, his handsome face lit with a faint smile. His eyes shimmered in the dim light, their violet depths swirling with an intensity that seemed to threaten to spill over, like an undercurrent ready to engulf everything in its path.

His lips parted, and words as mesmerizing as a spell slipped out. "What? Would you rather I carry you back?"

His near-whisper sent Anran's mind into a frenzy. Her heart pounded like a drum, its rhythm deafening in her ears…