After Max saved me, we sought refuge in the narrow alley until the others disappeared.
Max... an enigmatic figure. I had no clue about his identity or why he was avoiding the hero. Similarly, he didn't know why I'm doing this too.
His attire included a cloak that shrouded him from head to toe. Although his face was veiled by peculiar glasses with a mustache and his eyes resembled the deep blue of an ocean, the pale complexion of his visible skin hinted at a challenging existence. His long, pale blonde hair, tangled and unkempt, suggested a life of hardship.
Truthfully, I couldn't help but think his hair would look majestic if cared for properly.
... Though, I hope it's a wig.
After scanning our surroundings, Max redirected his focus to me. "I gotta go. See you," he said, waving goodbye and lifting his cloak to conceal his head.
"...."
And now, I find myself alone once again.
"What should I do now...?"
[00M : 00D : 01H : 56M : 54S]
Gazing at the sky, I sighed deeply in contemplation. The unexpected arrival of significant figures only hinted at a shift in the course of events. With Julius and his companions present, the scale of casualties might be mitigated compared to the original scenario.
"...?"
"...ack!"
Wandering through the bustling market crowd, an abrupt collision jolted me from behind.
"Umm... He—?"
"...."
Refusing to turn around, I pressed on, determined not to reveal my identity. My intuition whispered that the person I had bumped into was likely one of Julius's companions.
—Look out!
Keeping my focus low, an unsettling sensation prompted me to swiftly sidestep, narrowly avoiding a descending vase. Unfortunately, my evasive maneuver resulted in another accidental collision with the person behind me.
...Seriously, just why?
Unlike earlier, this time, a delicate grip tightened around my shirt from behind.
"Co—Contractor...."
Upon recognizing the familiar voice, I flinched and gradually turned around. "I—It's just you, Odium..." I sighed in relief.
However, as I observed tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, confusion enveloped me.
"Why are you crying...?"
"We—Well... You've been ignoring me since earlier..." She sniffed, my brows furrowed in perplexity.... Wait, ignoring her? What did she mean?
I tilted my head, blinking in confusion. Noticing my confusion, she continued, "I had been following you since you left the church, but you just kept ignoring me no matter how many times I called you..."
...Wait, seriously?
"And... When I lost you in the crowds, I thought—"
"Okay! If you say more than this, I'll start getting embarrassed..." I interrupted her by gesturing my index finger to my lips. Just how could I have overlooked her presence earlier?
Closing my eyes, I leaned on my fingers, contemplating. In my mind, I envisioned her, both cute and determined, attempting to keep pace with me wherever I went.
Still... The fact that she managed to shadow me without detection was an impressive feat. Reflecting on it, I guess her role as the group's sniper might not be purely coincidental just because of her gun.
"Contractor... Huh?"
Suddenly, she pulled me close, holding my head against her chest. Flustered, my face reddened as the gentle smile on my lips stiffened.
"What are—"
"The people you've been avoiding are nearby," she whispered, causing me to fall silent. Scanning the area, I spotted Julius moving through the crowds.
Just before he could catch sight of me, Odium used her back to shield me from his view.
"...."
"....?"
It took a couple of moments before she finally released me.
"...Thanks."
Expressing gratitude to Odium, I checked again to ensure Julius had moved on. Seeing him walk away in the opposite direction, I sighed in relief.
...Without her intervention, I would've been caught.
"Odium... Aha...."
Upon returning my attention to her, I found her looking down with a reddened face. Even though her expression was concealed by her hair, I was certain she was embarrassed.
...I'm feeling some strange urge over me... I can't stop it.
Raising my hand, I gently placed it above her head and began to stroke her hair.
"Uhe~!"
She let out a cute yelp in surprise, muffling it by covering her mouth with her hands.
With my hands still resting on her head, she lifted her gaze slightly, peering through her hair as we locked eyes.
"C—Contractor..."
I noticed tears forming from the side of her eyes due to embarrassment.
...This girl is dangerous for the heart.
"Ehem... Am I perhaps interrupting something here?"
Without even noticing, Solis was standing between us with her hands tucked to her chest.
"So—Solis...!" Odium yelped in surprise.
Pulling my hand away, I hid it inside my pocket and smiled gently, asking, "Wait, how long have you been here?"
"Long enough," she said, her tone cold enough to send chills down my spine.
"Contractor... If you ever do something to her like you did to me back then, I won't hesitate to fire some of my spells at you—the same ones I often use for torture~"
Solis said it with a kind smile, but her eyes told a different story.
While our eyes interlocked to each other, Odium added more oil to the fire when she asked, "Umm... What happened between you two?"
Following this, Solis mouthed to me,
"How do you like to die?"
Hey...It's not my fault!
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[00M : 00D : 00H : 00M : 00S]
In an instant, the countdown elapsed, the clouds from the sky suddenly turned dark.