Chapter 66: I Said What I Said

When Arthur finally made his way back to the table, he set his plate down and pulled out his chair.

He had barely sat down when Florian leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"So, how did it go?"

Arthur picked up his fork.

Florian watched him closely, a mischievous smile already forming.

"Did Lyra give you an earful?"

Arthur’s hand paused halfway to his mouth.

A faint blush crept across his cheeks.

He slowly lowered his fork and let out a sigh.

"I’m not going to talk about it."

Florian’s eyebrows rose.

She leaned closer, studying his face.

"Oh?"

Arthur avoided her gaze and started eating again.

Florian tilted her head.

"What happened?"

She pointed at him with her fork.

"I bet she ate you alive."

Arthur’s chewing slowed.

He swallowed, then placed his fork down.

"I said I’m not going to talk about it."

His tone was noticeably more serious this time.

Florian blinked.

She stared at him for a moment before slowly leaning back in her chair.

Then her eyes widened.

"Wait."

She lowered her voice.

"You two didn’t go all the way in the hallway, did you?"

"Noooo!"

Arthur sat upright so quickly that his chair scraped against the floor.

His face turned bright red.

"Why would you even think that?!"

Florian stared at him for half a second.

Then she burst into laughter.

"Hahaha! Oh my God!"

She slapped the table with one hand as she laughed, nearly knocking over her drink.

Arthur’s face twitched.

"What’s so funny?!"

Florian wiped the corner of her eye as she tried to calm herself.

"Nothing, nothing."

She waved her hand dismissively.

Then she leaned toward him again, resting her chin in her palm.

"But something definitely happened."

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

Florian’s smile widened.

"And judging by that reaction..."

She slowly dragged out her next words.

"It’s definitely spicy."

Arthur’s eyebrow twitched.

He leaned back and crossed his arms.

"You’re sick, you know that?"

Florian immediately shrugged.

"Tell me something I don’t know."

Arthur stared at her in silence.

Florian simply smiled back.

After a few seconds, Arthur let out another tired sigh.

He reached for his plate, pushed his chair back, and stood.

"I’m done eating."

He picked up his plate and turned away from the table.

Florian followed him with her eyes.

"You’re running away?"

Arthur kept walking.

Florian leaned back in her chair and folded her arms behind her head.

"That just proves I’m right, you know."

Arthur stopped.

His shoulders tensed.

He slowly turned his head toward her.

"Shut the hell up, you hell spawn."

Florian clicked her tongue and waved him off.

"Fine, fine."

Arthur shook his head and continued walking away.

Florian watched him go, then slumped back into her chair.

"He’s always so upright."

She rested her cheek against her palm.

"Makes things boring."

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone approaching.

Florian’s eyes shifted toward the approaching figure.

Lyra.

She was walking toward the table, her cheeks still carrying a faint blush.

Florian’s lips slowly curled upward.

Her eyes narrowed with amusement.

"Oh?"

She immediately straightened in her chair.

Then she clasped her hands together and rested her chin on them, watching Lyra approach.

A sinister smile spread across her face.

"Well, well, well..."

Lyra hadn’t even reached the table yet.

But Florian already knew exactly who she was going to interrogate next.

After Lyra finally took her seat, Florian immediately leaned across the table, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"So, what happened over there between you two...?"

Lyra’s cheeks immediately turned pink.

She shifted in her seat and looked away.

"Well..."

A couple of minutes later...

"Hahahahahaha!"

Florian was practically doubled over the table, one hand gripping her stomach while the other slapped against the tabletop.

Lyra sat beside her with her face buried in both hands.

Her ears were completely red.

"Stop laughing!"

"I can’t!"

Florian wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye.

"You actually said all that to him?!"

Lyra peeked through her fingers.

"Don’t remind me..."

Florian straightened herself and cleared her throat.

Then she put on the most dramatic, charming voice she could manage.

She placed one hand against her chest and slowly leaned toward Lyra.

"I want you to rely on me and me alone..."

Lyra’s entire face turned red.

"Florian!"

Florian immediately broke character and burst into laughter again.

"Hahaha! And then you told him you wanted him to be yours!"

She clasped both hands together dramatically.

"I want you to be mine, okay?"

Lyra sank lower into her seat.

"Please stop..."

Florian continued laughing.

"Oh, this is too good!"

She wiped another tear from her eye before leaning closer.

"And you gave him all three hundred of your Cadet Points?!"

Lyra’s shoulders stiffened.

"...Yes."

Florian stared at her.

Then she slowly covered her mouth.

"Ohhhh, you’re a hopeless romantic, I see."

Lyra puffed out her cheeks.

"I was just trying to make sure he didn’t have to rely on someone else."

"By giving him everything you had?"

"Yes."

Florian shook her head, still smiling.

"You really went all in."

Lyra looked away.

"...I couldn’t help it."

Florian leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.

"So let me get this straight."

She began counting on her fingers.

"You told him how down bad you were about him."

One finger.

"He kissed you."

A second finger.

"You claimed him."

A third finger.

"You promised to take care of him."

A fourth finger.

"And then you gave him all your Cadet Points."

She lowered her hand.

"Did I miss anything?"

Lyra’s face burned even hotter.

She muttered something under her breath.

Florian leaned closer.

"What was that?"

Lyra looked away.

"...I wanted to ask him if we could kiss more often."

Florian froze.

Lyra froze.

They stared at each other.

A second passed.

Then Florian slowly covered her face.

"Oh, you’re finished."

Lyra immediately grabbed her sleeve.

"Don’t tell Arthur I said that!"

Florian pulled her hands away from her face and grinned.

"Oh, I absolutely will."

"No!"

Lyra reached across the table and grabbed Florian’s wrist.

"Please!"

Florian laughed as she tried to pull her hand free.

"Relax! I’m just teasing you."

Lyra narrowed her eyes.

"You better be."

Florian finally settled back into her seat, still wearing that mischievous smile.

"But honestly..."

She glanced toward the direction Arthur had disappeared.

"I didn’t expect him to actually kiss you."

Lyra’s expression softened.

Her fingers slowly released Florian’s wrist.

"Neither did I."

She touched her lips lightly.

A small smile appeared on her face.

"But... I’m glad he did."

Florian noticed the expression immediately.

Her teasing smile faded into something softer.

"Oh."

Lyra lowered her hand.

"What?"

Florian shook her head.

"Nothing."

She leaned back and smiled.

"I’m just glad you’re happy."

Lyra blinked.

Then she smiled.

"...Thank you."

Florian waved her off.

"Don’t get sentimental on me."

Lyra giggled softly.

But Florian’s mischievous expression quickly returned.

"Still..."

She leaned forward again.

"I’ll never let you forget this."

Lyra’s smile vanished.

"Florian."

"Hm?"

"I’m warning you."

Florian grinned.

"What are you going to do?"

Lyra narrowed her eyes.

"I’ll tell Arthur about all the embarrassing things you’ve done."

Florian’s smile instantly disappeared.

"...You wouldn’t."

Lyra smiled sweetly.

"Try me."

For the first time that afternoon, Florian looked genuinely concerned.

"Okay."

She raised both hands in surrender.

"Your secret is safe with me."

Lyra nodded with satisfaction.

"Good."

Florian slowly lowered her hands.

"...For now."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed again.

"Florian."

"I’m joking!"

Florian quickly laughed and leaned back.

The two continued their meal, though Lyra’s cheeks remained slightly pink.