Chapter 148
Enoch slowly reached out his hand to me.
"Come here."
I quietly approached him. Then, he pulled my hand, sat me on his lap, and left a kiss on my cheek.
I touched my cheek with a dazed expression.
Am I really going crazy? It's so surprising how I'm getting used to this kind of behavior. And I don't feel so bad either.
A firm arm wrapped around my waist. He, who had been exuding a fierce feeling like a beast displaying possessiveness, softened his energy and took my hand.
He kissed each of my fingers and then looked at the bomber jacket I was wearing with a puzzled face.
"Where did you get this outfit?"
He looked at the jacket as if it were something bizarre. It must have looked very crude and ugly to the eyes of the Imperials. I smoothed the jacket in front and pointed to the hanger in the corner of the room.
"It was there. I think Jenny... no, Zenas must have brought it."
"...Jenny? You called that guy by such an affectionate nickname."
Enoch's eyebrows furrowed with displeasure. His eyes became as hot as burning firewood.
I flinched in embarrassment, and he sighed and gently stroked my hair. I cautiously replied.
"I did at first. I didn't know he was like that."
I was getting increasingly uncomfortable sitting on his lap, so I tried to get up, but he pulled me back down.
"Are you feeling okay?"
At his question, I scratched my cheek and pointed to where I was sitting.
"I don't think I'll be okay if I stay in this position."
Only then did he quietly let me go.
"Haa. Noisy."
Just as I was getting out of Enoch's arms, Kaiden woke up. He raised his head with drowsy eyes. His hair was a mess, but thanks to his glamorous appearance, even that looked stylish.
As he raised his head, he made eye contact with me and hurriedly got out of bed. He came to me in one stride and hugged me.
I glanced at Enoch. Sitting on the bed, he stroked his chin and was subtly watching Kaiden.
"Are you okay?"
Kaiden, who had taken me out of his arms, carefully examined my complexion. He was being cautious, unlike the man who had been so aggressively trying to devour me last night.
"Uh... but Margaret, it looks like the clothes you're wearing inside are even shorter?"
He must have seen the crop top through the jacket. Kaiden narrowed his brow and personally smoothed the front of the jacket.
"It's embarrassing."
"But it's okay for you to be undressed?"
"I'm fine. I can show you more. Do you want to see?"
What are you going to see, you crazy bastard.
"I'm not curious, so keep it to yourself."
As Kaiden really showed signs of taking off his clothes, Enoch got up from his seat.
"Lord."
Then he called Kaiden in a low voice. He had only called him, but the atmosphere became solemn. Kaiden clicked his tongue and quietly stepped back.
I looked at the two men who were taking off their tops and pointed to the hanger.
"There are some clothes here that you can wear. It would be better to get dressed before we have a proper conversation."
I looked at Enoch's white shirt lying on the floor. I should throw away that tattered piece of shirt now.
I walked towards the hanger first and picked out clothes for Enoch and Kaiden.
Enoch, who was standing behind me, reached out his hands and rummaged through the hanger with me. I ended up standing almost embraced by him and picking out his clothes.
"This seems to fit Enoch the best."
I took out a black short-sleeved t-shirt and held it up to Enoch's body. Then, my eyes involuntarily went to his muscular body.
The events of last night flashed through my mind, making me feel like I was going to die.
Enoch, unaware of what I was thinking, quietly took the clothes from me. Then he put on the t-shirt and changed his pants.
"It's the first time I've worn clothes like this."
I looked at the clothes Enoch was wearing and briefly exclaimed. The t-shirt fit him perfectly, highlighting his firm muscles.
"Pick one for me too."
Kaiden, who had come closer, looked at the clothes hanging messily on the hanger and asked me.
Fortunately, there were clothes and pants that Kaiden could wear, but he insisted on wearing a Wizard Robe over them.
When I asked why, he smiled and said,
"What if you get cold at night? We have to sleep under it together."
He answered so brazenly that I was speechless.
"Okay, okay, put on your clothes quickly. I want to talk."
I handed the clothes I had picked out to Kaiden and sat down on the bed.
Enoch, who had changed into neat clothes, came to me. Then he carefully stroked my hair. It was a delicate touch, as if handling a precious glass doll.
I felt something very ticklish and strange.
I grabbed Enoch's wrist. Because I felt like I was really going to have strange feelings.
I glanced up and met Enoch's Golden Eyes, which were staring at me intently.
It was as if time had stopped.
"We have a lot to talk about."
Enoch said, looking down at the wrist I was holding.
He was right. We had to talk about what had happened in the meantime.
I was also curious about what happened to Luzef and Diego.
Then Kaiden threw off his clothes. I was so surprised that my eyes widened. Enoch quickly covered my eyes with his palm, so I only saw his black drawers.
"How careless, Lord. Margaret is watching."
"I told her to watch?"
I heard Kaiden's brazen reply to Enoch's rebuke. Enoch had changed his clothes behind the shelf, considerate of me, but Kaiden was still Kaiden, which made me laugh.
As we were talking like this, it felt like we had gone back to the beginning. To the first time, when the three of us were living together on the Southern Island.
I swallowed my words with a rapidly darkening face.
Because I remembered what the situation was like right before I parted ways with Enoch and Kaiden.
'They were going to Seal my Mana. And they said they were going to kill me.'
I thought it was clear that I had misunderstood because I was poisoned by the gas.
But what if that wasn't the case? What if it wasn't a misunderstanding? What would I do then?
"What are you thinking about?"
I heard Enoch's voice from above. The hand covering my eyes was removed. I looked up at him.
Enoch was quick to notice, so he probably realized that I was having negative thoughts. I quietly looked up at him, blinked, and hesitated before opening my mouth.
"If you were going to kill me, what would be the reason? I was thinking about that."
"...What?"
Enoch's eyebrows gradually furrowed. Kaiden, who was coming to me after changing his clothes, was horrified with a truly surprised face.
"Wait, Margaret! What are you talking about?! Who's killing who? We are, you?"
Kaiden asked me with a bewildered face. I slowly nodded.
Enoch had a blank face and stared down at me. Was it my imagination that he looked a little upset?
"I guessed it. So that's why you ran away."
At Enoch's answer, I pursed my lips. A wave of sadness washed over me again, and I felt like I was going to cry.
"That's nonsense."
Kaiden, who had run to me in one stride, knelt down in front of me and looked up at me.
"We would never do that."
"Yeah. I thought you wouldn't."
Kaiden sighed in relief at my answer. I looked at Kaiden's face and opened my mouth.
"So I was going to ask you directly and judge. Whether what I heard was true. Whether you were really going to Seal my Mana."
"What? Margaret, that's...!"
Enoch stopped Kaiden from trying to object in surprise.
"Let me speak. Margaret, you're misunderstanding."
He explained calmly. About the conversation I had overheard that night, which I had misunderstood.
"I thought you would be the Key to escaping this island. Because you're the only one among us who has Mana. The reason I said I would Seal your Mana was to test whether your Mana was attracting Monsters."
"Then what about saying you were going to kill me..."
"I never said that. What you heard was probably that it wouldn't be too late to kill the Monsters after we experimented."
When I questioned Enoch's words, Kaiden answered.
Ah...
Only then did I understand the situation and sigh. Along with the relief that washed over me, I felt sorry for doubting their trust.
I was filled with self-reproach and buried my face in my hands. I was ashamed. I couldn't lift my face because of the self-blame that surpassed it.
I quietly lowered my hands and stared at my toes.
"I'm sorry... I... I went back to the cave after that. I waited for half a day, but no one came... I ran away after encountering a Monster..."
I spoke incoherently, unlike myself, because I was flustered. I gathered my hands neatly on my lap, but they were trembling because I was flustered.
Then, Kaiden, who had been kneeling in front of me and looking up at me, took my hand. He obsessively kissed each of my fingers and looked into my eyes.
"It's okay. No matter where you ran away, we were going to find you anyway."
Kaiden said that and smiled. His dimples went in, creating his unique charming smile.
Enoch nodded in agreement with Kaiden's words.
"I'm sorry for scaring you. How scared you must have been all alone..."
Enoch distorted his face and blamed himself.
According to him, the reason they didn't come to the cave right away was because they were looking for me and found the piece of cloth I had dropped. Then they met Zenas.
"I needed a place to hide. While looking for a place to hide, I found the underground side path of this Bunker."
"Side path? Ah, is that the path where that damn archmage disappeared?"
"Well, I think so."
I nodded at Kaiden's question. Of course, I took a different path in the middle and met the skeleton.
I was about to tell them about the skeleton, the Romalyzan Combat Suit, and what happened in the Bunker.
Thump!
We heard something hitting outside the door. I was startled and turned to the tightly closed door.
"W-what is it...?"
I found my crossbody bag and hurriedly took out the Flares. Enoch and Kaiden also drew their longsword and dagger, respectively, and entered a state of alert.
"Could it be a Monster?"
I asked Enoch and Kaiden, wary of the closed door with a tense face.
"Did you leave the Bunker Gate open?"
At my question, Kaiden frowned with a troubled face.
"I closed the door I came in through. There's no locking device, so it doesn't seem like you can't open it if you want to? But, does a Monster have the intelligence to open a closed door?"
Kaiden asked me back, and I shrugged because I had no idea. In the meantime, Enoch stood in front of the door, listened, and then turned to us.
"I'll go out first, so please provide cover up to the Bunker Gate."
Kaiden and I nodded at the same time. Enoch took a deep breath for a moment, quickly opened the door, and pointed his sword forward.
Bang!
"Ugh!"
And we heard a familiar scream.
The one who was lying in front of the door with a pale face was none other than Luzef.
"Are you all here?!"
Luzef saw us and shouted, tearfully. He had a very sad face.