He hefted Achara's body with one hand, slinging her over his shoulder.

"Let me go, you bastard! Let me go!" Achara thrashed against him as he moved.

But with Melina's enraged mates hot on his heels, Rui didn't pause, continuing his flight. An urge surged within Rui to shove Melina away when she'd clung to him. Acutely aware of his monstrous strength and sudden impulses, he feared inadvertently harming a female. Opting for the swifter, albeit less gentle, solution, he fled with Achara draped across his shoulder. Besides, he had questions for Aron.

"What are you doing? Put me down, you bastard!" Achara shrieked, her world inverted, finding herself in a thoroughly undignified position. The rough weave of his tunic pressed against her cheek, and she registered the solid feel of his shoulder, carrying a scent of musk and the wild outdoors. Despite his urgent pace, the upside-down view and jostling threatened to make her stomach churn.

Coupled with him smashing her door and this disrespectful abduction, her opinion of him plummeted. Gone was any semblance of her usual timid demeanour. "Hooligan! Bastard!" she yelled along the way.

"Don't move. Be quiet," he rumbled, his grip subtly loosening. His voice, a low growl, vibrated near her ear as he spoke, "They're close." The sensation sent a strange heat prickling her skin.

Achara smirked, a mischievous glint in her eye. She deliberately shouted, "Here he is! The hateful male who won't take responsibility for the female is here!"

Melina's alerted mates immediately changed direction. Rui swiftly dropped Achara, pinning her beneath him, his hand clamped over her mouth. He loomed above her, their eyes locking.

"Mmmph," her protests were muffled, reduced to a low hum against his palm. Once he was certain, Melina and her mates were gone, and he slowly released her mouth.

No sooner was she free than Achara bit down hard on the hand that had silenced her.

"Let go, you bastard, you hooligan!" Achara screamed, seizing the opportunity.

A shadow fell over Rui's features at her outburst. "Bastard?" This little thing had guts, swearing directly to his face. And the audacity to bite him!

Achara looked like a furious, brave little kitten. So cute. The thought flashed through Rui's mind, and he instantly dismissed it. He decided to tease this feisty little kitty a bit more. "Do you know what happened to the last person who called me bastard?"

He drew a finger across his throat in a graphic gesture. Then, he held up his bitten palm, the faint trace of blood visible. Seeing her flinch, a flicker of satisfaction crossed his face.

When Rui cornered her, Achara, in her male disguise, though scared, retorted, "Who told you to carry a grown male? I have my pride, too!"

Realizing her point and that he wasn't entirely blameless, Rui relented. "I will compensate for the door and have my subordinates build a better one. I apologize."

He then shifted gears. "Do you remember the time I asked you about the beautiful female with black hair and pink eyes?"

A knot of unease tightened in Achara's stomach, but she feigned nonchalance. "Hmm?"

"Are you sure you don't know her from before?" Rui's gaze was piercing, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

"Is it Melina? She seems to have black and pink eyes," Achara replied, playing dumb.

Though lacking concrete proof, a persistent feeling gnawed at him—this small person he'd been carrying was somehow connected to the goddess he yearned for. And that fleeting scent he'd caught... was he imagining things, or had she been nearby?

He was convinced Achara held some key to the mysterious female.

"Achara, I'm not blind. I'd recognize her. The question is, is there another female at your house? Or has another female visited this house before I came?"

Achara had no idea he'd picked up her scent near her house.

"The only female is Melina." It wasn't even a lie; it was the truth.

A prickle of anxiety surfaced. "Is something the matter? What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

A thought struck him. "Achara, I want to confirm something. Don't move."

Rui leaned in, his breath a warm whisper against her skin. Achara's heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm in the sudden stillness.

Flustered, Achara instinctively tried to create distance, shoving at his chest, her hands meeting the unyielding hardness of his muscles.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Achara stammered.

"Stay still."

Rui inhaled deeply, trying to discern any lingering scent, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"I am sorry, I can't reciprocate your feelings. I am straight and only like females," Achara blurted out, a nonsensical defence.

Rui's brow furrowed. He'd been trying to detect any trace of his goddess, suspecting Achara's connection. This unexpected declaration completely derailed his train of thought. He helped her to her feet. "It's late. Let's go back."

Relief washed over Achara as Rui stepped back. She couldn't help but think his moods were as unpredictable as a woman's cycle.

In the aftermath of the chaotic encounter, Rui completely forgot about retrieving the recording stone needed to respond to the imperial kingdom.

Under the cloak of a dark night, a lone messenger pigeon beastman from the imperial army waited at the designated spot for Rui's arrival. He muttered to himself, "Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

The following day, while Achara was engrossed in cooking, Rui decided to surreptitiously search the house for any telltale signs of his elusive crush. He began with her bedroom, quietly slipping inside. A cursory glance at the neatly made bed revealed nothing amiss. Turning his attention, his eyes landed on her wardrobe. As he cautiously opened it and began to sift through the contents, his fingers brushed against delicate, beautifully crafted undergarments.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the silence from behind him.

"I never knew our great imperial leader had such... interesting hobbies. Perhaps you have a hobby for secretly looking at other people's belongings?" Achara stood in the doorway, arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

Rui whirled around, a look of utter shock plastered across his face at her unexpected presence. Caught red-handed, his face resembling a thief caught by people.

Achara had returned to her bedroom to retrieve her bamboo water container, which she'd left near her bed that morning, only to find a figure stealthily rummaging through her wardrobe.

........

Updated on 28th Fri 2025 ( Friday)