’This woman... she’s the best.’
Noah couldn’t help smiling.
Unable to contain the warmth swelling inside his chest, he turned slightly and buried his face against the side of her waist where the wide obi was wrapped around her kimono.
One arm slipped gently around her waist as he rubbed his cheek against the soft fabric.
"Akari... you’re the best. Thank you. I honestly thought you’d be angry with me."
"Ahn? N-Noah... what are you doing?"
Akari’s composed expression instantly crumbled.
Her sapphire-blue eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at the young man clinging to her like a spoiled child.
"Hehe... Just... let me stay like this for a little longer."
He rested his face against her obi, enjoying the comforting warmth that surrounded her.
Akari let out a helpless sigh.
"You really are acting like a child today. Maybe I am... But I can’t help it. Besides..."
He smiled against her waist.
"You don’t seem to hate it."
She blinked. After a brief hesitation, her hand slowly came to rest atop his head Her fingers gently combed through his snow-white hair.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"No. I suppose I don’t."
For some reason...
Watching Noah behave so openly around her filled her heart with an indescribable warmth.
It wasn’t bothersome. If anything she found it strangely comforting. After another quiet moment, Noah finally released her and sat upright.
Now they were facing each other. Separated by only a short distance.
Noah quietly looked into her eyes. Those clear sapphire-blue eyes shimmered like a tranquil ocean beneath the evening sky.
Long eyelashes framed them beautifully.
The orange glow of the setting evening bathed her porcelain skin in a warm light, making her already graceful features appear even softer.
A few loose strands of raven-black hair swayed gently across her cheeks.
The dark sapphire scales along both sides of her neck and across her right cheek reflected the fading sunlight like polished gemstones. The natural pink of her lips, soft as rose petals with no need for color.
He was mesmerized by her.
Noah found himself unable to look away. He had noticed it during the past few weeks.
The longer he stayed beside her. The more beautiful she seemed to become. Was she truly becoming more beautiful. Or was it simply because of the feelings quietly growing within his heart?
Ba-dump.
Ba-dump.
Ba-dump.
His heartbeat echoed loudly inside his chest.
"Noah?"
Akari tilted her head slightly. Her soft palm gently touched his cheek.
"What are you thinking? You’ve been staring at me for quite a while."
Noah smiled. Slowly he raised his own hand. His fingers lightly rested against her cheek.
His thumb gently traced the smooth sapphire scales beneath her eye.
The scales were cool to the touch. Firm yet strangely beautiful. A faint blush slowly spread across Akari’s cheeks.
"W-What are you doing all of a sudden?"
She looked away for a moment before meeting his gaze again.
"It’s... embarrassing."
Being gently caressed by her own disciple. It was a feeling she had never imagined experiencing.
"Noah..."
He softly called her name.
"Akari."
"Yes?"
She looked directly into his eyes. The way he was looking at her was something she was getting first time from him.
Never before had someone looked at her with such warmth and such tenderness. Perhaps her parents once had. But Noah’s gaze was different. It carried something she couldn’t quite understand.
"You know..."
He smiled gently.
"I’ve been wanting to give you something. For always being so kind to me. For taking care of me...And for believing me."
Akari tilted her head again, unconsciously pressing her cheek a little further into his palm.
The gesture made her appear unexpectedly adorable.
"What could you possibly give me?"
She smiled softly.
"I don’t need anything, Noah. Honestly...Having you beside me after all these years...is already more than enough. It makes me so much happy."
Her eyes shimmered gently as she spoke.
Then without realizing it. She closed her eyes and leaned ever so slightly into his touch.
Noah felt his heart skip a beat. He swallowed nervously.
This was too much for him. How could he handle this. At this time he really wanted to keep this woman only for himself.
"Akari..."
"Hm?"
She slowly opened her eyes again.
"What is—"
Noah smiled apologetically.
"...I’m sorry."
Before she could ask what he meant. He gently cupped the side of her face.
Then leaned forward.
Chuu~
His lips softly brushed against her left cheek. It lasted only a brief moment.
It was gentle and light. Filled only with gratitude and affection.
The evening breeze swept across the yard. Flower petals drifted quietly between them.
Akari’s eyes widened completely. She remained frozen. Her mind blank.
By the time she finally reacted. Noah had already leaped to his feet.
"Hehe! S-Sorry!"
He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before hurriedly running toward the other side of the house.
Leaving her sitting there alone.
Akari silently watched him disappear around the corner. Her fingers slowly rose to touch the place where his lips had rested.
She stared into space. Unable to process what had just happened.
"W... What...?"
Color rapidly flooded her cheeks.
In only a few seconds. Her entire face had turned crimson like some tomato.
The usual cold and strict Akari was feeling embarrassed? Someone who had lived alone for so many years, she was actually feeling flustered.
"H-He...He kissed me..."
Who kissed her last time? It was her daughter Ophelia. And now it was a young man who was similar to Ophelia’s age.
Her voice came out as little more than a whisper. She covered both burning cheeks with her hands.
"W-What in the world was that...? T-That’s completely improper...How could he suddenly kiss me...? And why am I acting like this?"
Her thoughts became a complete mess.
She was a Sovereign-ranked warrior. Someone capable of reacting to lightning-fast attacks.
Yet she hadn’t stopped him. Not because she couldn’t. But because for that brief moment.
She simply hadn’t wanted to move. Wondering what he wanted to do. Realizing that only made her face grow even redder.
"N-No... Damn! I am such idiot."
She shook her head repeatedly.
"I shouldn’t be thinking like this. This is... this is far too dangerous."
Yet despite all the embarrassment overwhelming her. Her fingertips never left the place where Noah had kissed her.
As if she wished to preserve that tiny warmth for just a little while longer.
---
The next few hours were rather awkward for both of them.
Neither Noah nor Akari brought up what had happened. Not even during dinner.
The meal was unusually quiet.
The only sounds were the gentle clinking of their wooden bowls and the soft evening breeze drifting through the open doorway.
After dinner, Noah stepped outside to meditate.
He sat beneath a tree, quietly absorbing the abundant mana flowing through the surrounding nature.
Meanwhile Akari silently returned to her room.
In one corner lay the simple bed she had made— a thick layer of dried grass and leaves, covered with a large fresh leaf that served as bedding.
She lay down upon it and slowly closed her eyes.
Yet the gentle kiss Noah had placed upon her cheek refused to leave her thoughts.
Every time she tried to clear her mind. She could almost feel that fleeting warmth against her skin again.
She slowly turned onto her side.
’...How am I supposed to react? Should I have said something during dinner? But... what could I have possibly said? It was improper... It was wrong...Yet...
She sighed quietly. ’I’m not angry with him... Why?’
Her thoughts only became more tangled. Was it because she had lived alone for sixty years? Had loneliness changed her so much that she no longer understood how she was supposed to react?
The questions continued to circle inside her mind. While Akari struggled with her thoughts.
The wooden door quietly slid open.
Creak
Noah stepped inside as quietly as possible. The room was illuminated by the pale silver light filtering through the open window.
A gentle breeze drifted inside, causing the loose strands of Akari’s black hair to sway softly.
Noah glanced toward her.
’She appeared to be asleep.’ He thought.
Her breathing was slow and even. Carefully, trying not to wake her, he walked over to the bed. Then he quietly lay down beside her. Both of them were sleeping on their sides.
Facing each other. He slowly inched a little closer. Close enough to admire her peaceful sleeping face.
"She’s asleep."
A small smile appeared on his lips. He remained silent for a while before letting out a quiet sigh.
"I’m sorry, Akari. I should apologize properly tomorrow. I wanted to during dinner...but I got nervous.And honestly..."
He laughed awkwardly to himself. "I thought you’d scold me. Maybe even hit me. But... you didn’t."
He looked at her sleeping face for another moment.
Unable to resist he slowly raised one finger. His fingertip gently touched the tip of her nose before lightly rubbing it.
"Hehe... You really do look adorable when you’re asleep."
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter