Chapter 68

Lakis felt his hand twitching with the urge again . But he endured it because of the situation they were in . The two of them walked out of the hallway corner . However, the next moment, Yuri began to head in the direction Lakis had just come from earlier .

Lakis reflexively grabbed Yuri again . Then Yuri stared at him, with a gaze that seemed to say, ‘what is it now?’ then she pulled back her arm .

Feeling frustrated, Lakis unconsciously opened his mouth .

“…it’s not here . ”

“Oh, I thought you shook your head cuz you didn’t know…”

Then they both paused at the same time .

“…”

“…”

A short silence fell over the two .

But a moment later, they both decided to act like they didn’t know what was going on . Lakis then nodded as if to say that was what he meant . And this time, he drew a circle to ensure that Yuri really understood . Then the two of them separated .

Yuri left to go to the other places she found on the list in the slave market while Lakis decided to stay back and look for the ruin’s fragment which was his original purpose .

For now, the strange encounter that day ended with that .

* * *

While Yuri was away, a luxurious carriage stopped in front of the coffeehouse . And the person who came down from the carriage was Damon Salvatore . He was dressed quite splendidly today and held a large bouquet in his hand .

‘They said women definitely like this kind of thing . ’

Damon recalled the woman he had seen here last time and with the bouquet in hand, he proudly walked to the door of the coffeehouse .

“Wel…come, Customer-nim . ”

Gilbert greeted Damon while dripping with cold sweat . Damon’s arrogant eyes scanned the area . But no matter where he looked, he couldn’t see the woman he met last time .

“Where’s the clerk I saw last time?”

When Damon asked, Gilbert hesitated for a moment before replying .

“Today is her day off…”

“What?”

Damon’s face instantly crumpled . He managed to make time out of his busy day to come but today of all days was her day off?

“Day off for what? Is she sick?”

“No . She usually takes a holiday once a week…”

“Holiday? The Alchemist Tower has no holiday, yet this tiny shop does?”

Damon chewed over Gilbert’s words like he couldn’t believe it . Gilbert choked with anger when he heard these words that seemed to be looking down on his coffeehouse . But then again, he couldn’t get into a fight with a noble .

“So she’ll be coming back tomorrow?”

“Yes, that is so . ”

“Then I’ll come back tomorrow . ”

‘Don’t come!’

Gilbert screamed inside but naturally, Damon couldn’t hear him . Damon left the coffeehouse with an irritated look on his face because he couldn’t achieve his purpose .

‘Has that guy lost his mind?’

Meanwhile, Snow who witnessed this scene watched as Damon left with disgust in his eyes . He couldn’t figure out why that alchemist bastard was looking for Yuri, and in such an appearance too .

No, wait…

Actually, when he took a guess from the scene he just saw, there was only one thing that came to mind…

Just imagining it made him burst into laughter .

The great Damon Salvatore was openly wooing a lady like this? However, the fact that the lady was the coffeehouse’s Yuri made Snow feel displeased . Of all people that he knew, he had to witness the annoying alchemist bastard flirt, which was probably why he was irritated . On top of that, Yuri was one of the people Snow held good feelings to…

Anyways, Damon Salvatore and Yuri . He was absolutely opposed to this combination . Of course, if Yuri fell for Damon, he had no right to stop her…

But if that happened, he would stop that unlucky alchemist bastard himself . After making a resolution, Snow’s face was cloudy as he stared at Damon’s back while he climbed into the carriage .

* * *

After finishing what he set out to do, Lakis headed for the warehouse . He took out the black feather he had and squeezed it, causing smoke to rise from his hand .

Shortly after, a black bird flew into the warehouse in a rush .

Hwak!

The bird turned into a man in the blink of an eye and prostrated before Lakis .

“Lakis-nim . You called . ”(1)

Lakis coldly looked down at the purple hair lowered before him and furrowed his brows .

“Can’t you do your job right? Thanks to you, I wasted my time . ”

“I’m sorry!”

“Useless . Look for it again . ”

“Yes, Lakis-nim! Thank you for your mercy!”

The one kowtowing and yelling in front of Lakis, was certainly Odin . Odin was startlingly obedient in front of Lakis right now, as if his former resistance was an imagination . However, Lakis didn’t seem pleased with Odin’s behavior and looked at him with a frown .

“I noticed Arachne was looking for you today . ”

“Oh, really?”

Hearing Lakis’ words, Odin tilted his head, then he seemed to remember something he had forgotten and spoke up .

“Now that I think about, we promised to meet up a few days ago but I forgot . ”

“What?”

Odin’s tone was light as he spoke; he didn’t seem to see it as a big deal . But as soon as Lakis heard it, his brow twitched, and a chill began to spread from him . Odin was startled out of wits and clung to Lakis’ leg .

“Hk, Lakis-nim! Don’t misunderstand! You’re the only one for me, Lakis-nim! Arachne was just trying to meet me because of a request! You know my heart, right? This Odin’s loyalty…!”

Odin’s gaze as he begged Lakis to believe in his loyalty seemed slightly off .

“The king of crows! I am Lakis-nim’s true right-hand man! That’s why, Lakis-nim, please let me lick your shoes . ”

This was a side effect of subordinating Odin to make him obey . It was also why Lakis didn’t usually like to use this ability .

‘I have to use him as much as needed and quickly undo this subordination . ’

Lakis was deeply irritated and kicked away Odin who was tightly clinging to his leg .

“You moron . If there was something like that, shouldn’t you tell me right away? How dare you make Arachne wait?”

“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry for being a moron!”

“Go and see her right now . ”

“Yes, I understand! Um, Lakis-nim, your shoes…”

“Oh, get lost . Before I rip out your wings . ”

“Yessir!”

At Lakis’ command, Odin immediately turned back to a bird and flew out of the warehouse to meet Arachne .

Lakis gazed after the departing black shape with a very unhappy look in his eyes .

* * *

Like Lakis, Yuri was unable to achieve her purpose and headed for Leo’s hideout . She didn’t have time so she couldn’t look into all the places on the list . For now, she only checked half of them . However, there were no traces of other mutants, let alone Odin .

‘I have to look again tomorrow . ’

Yuri decided that tomorrow, she would search the places she couldn’t look at today and with that in mind, she hurried to the hideout .

“Arachne!”

Right then, a familiar voice rang out, along with the sound of wings flapping in the air . Yuri came to a stop in a field close to the monastery .

The image approaching her under the setting sun was definitely a crow .

“Odin . ”

A while later, the black shadow flying over her head transformed into a human . Odin, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, stood casually in front of her . Fortunately, Odin looked fine .

“I couldn’t contact you, so I went looking for you . ”

To Yuri’s words, Odin replied .

“Sorry! I was busy with something . ”

Yuri wondered what kept him so busy that it made him break his promised commission date but seeing as Odin was okay, she felt other things didn’t matter . But when she heard what Odin said next, she was a little taken aback .

“Arachne, I’m going to live a new life from now on . ”

Odin’s face was very serious .

Yuri’s eyes widened slightly as she gazed at Odin who stood contrasting against the red sky .

“I finally met a being like the sun in my life . ”

“What?”

“It’s only now that I realize my life has been colorless . Until now, I have only been a withering plant in a barren wasteland . But when that person called my name, I became a blooming flower . ”

As Odin continued to speak, Yuri’s expression became increasingly odd .

“Hah, you probably can’t even imagine this feeling . It’s like taking off a dirty shell and being reborn . ”

And soon, Yuri thought .

It’s either of one of these two…

He fell in love or got sucked into a religion .

But with Odin’s personality, the latter didn’t seem possible…then could it be the former?

And finally, a firm resolution rose in Odin’s eyes as he gazed at Yuri .

“I’m going to devote myself to that person! Even if my body breaks and becomes a grain of sand in this wasteland!”