Chapter 8: Rumors
The uncomfortable silence inside the carriage felt heavier than before. The only sounds were the clopping of horses’ hooves and the creaking of wooden wheels rolling over the cobbled road toward the city center.
Sylfie sat with her arms crossed, staring at the opposite wall, her face completely red. It was hard to tell whether it was from anger or embarrassment.
Aeris, on the other hand, seemed calmer than expected for someone usually so timid. But the reddish tint on her face and her trembling ears betrayed her embarrassment. "M-My lord... why... did you say that...?" Her voice was so low it was barely audible.
Ethan, completely relaxed, rested his arm on the carriage window, smiling as if absolutely nothing was wrong. "Oh... I was just breaking the ice." He crossed one leg over the other, looking up at the sky with that usual satisfied grin. "I figured it would leave a good impression on the guards. And, hey, they respected me a lot after that."
"Respected?! My ass!" Sylfie exploded, stomping her foot on the floor. "They were in shock! You... you... do you even realize what you just said?!"
Ethan turned his head to her, golden eyes shimmering with amusement. "Of course, I do."
Sylfie opened her mouth, then closed it. She ran a hand down her face, letting out a long groan, visibly torn between wanting to hit him or just accepting that if she tried, it’d be two against one.
Aeris fidgeted with her staff. "B-boyfriend of b-both... w-what kind of impression... is that...?" She tried to maintain a serious face, but her voice faltered. Curiously though, there wasn’t any real rejection in her tone, just pure, unfiltered embarrassment.
"An amazing impression," Ethan replied with an even bigger smile. "Any man would be impressed hearing that."
Sylfie clenched her fists. "If this ends up reaching the guild... if it spreads through the city..."
"Perfect," Ethan added without missing a beat. "Even better. Early fame is never a bad thing."