Chapter 106: Coaxing the Villainess [Part-1] (Bonus)

Neo walked through the long corridor, heading straight towards the library, walking steadily as his only goal was to meet Nora at any cost. After watching the expressions of his parents, he understood one thing for sure, that they were hiding something related to Nora.

He didn’t know what could have happened to her for them to show such a reaction, but he still felt worried about her well-being, not knowing if she was really okay, or if something bad had happened.

‘I just hope she is okay…’

After walking for a long time through the corridor, he finally reached the library, where a large double door stood there, with two knights stationed on both of its sides, who bowed after seeing him.

Neo just nodded as he pushed the door in and stepped inside.

He entered the vast hall, where rows of towering bookshelves stretched out endlessly, while tables and chairs were arranged on different sides for peaceful reading.

Neo didn’t head to check the bookshelves, as his only goal was to find Nora. As his gaze swept through the whole library, he finally saw a violet-haired girl standing at one of the distant bookshelves, reading a book silently, as if the world around her didn’t matter to her.

Neo’s breath hitched after seeing her figure. She looked taller than before, her figure was lean, and she looked more mature than before. Her violet eyes were fixed on the book, blank and utterly cold, not caring to look anywhere else than the book.

She turned the pages slowly, reading with concentration. She emitted no aura, as if she didn’t want to be found by anyone, as if silence were the only solace she wanted to put herself in.

Neo felt a flutter of something in his chest, as he felt happy and relieved that she was perfectly fine. Her face was still as emotionless as always, but it gave her a different kind of beauty which attracted attention.

Neo moved without any conscious step, as he headed toward her, closing whatever distance was left between them. Nora didn’t notice him, as her gaze was entirely still, fixed on the book.

After he reached behind her back, Neo raised both of his hands and covered her eyes, then leaned sideways to see if she would recognise him.

Nora remained still for a moment, and the pages turned by the movement of the air as she stayed quiet.

After getting no reply and no movement from her, Neo finally let go, pulling himself back and stepping in front of her.

As Neo met her eyes, which slowly opened and fixed on him, she just stared at him continuously without any movement of her eyes. There was no sense of surprise or happiness or any other emotion in her face or even in her eyes, and she just looked at him as if he was just another person to be ignored.

Neo saw her close her book, step forward to place it back on the shelf, and pick up another book, while walking away from him without even giving him a glance or asking if he was okay, or where he had been.

Neo looked at her back, utterly surprised, not knowing what should be said.

‘Wait, is she upset because of me? Is that why she is not showing any reaction? If that’s it, then I should go and coax her. I don’t like her ignoring me so blatantly.’

Neo followed her without saying a word, as he knew she couldn’t hear him. He saw her pull the chair back and sit on it, placing the book in front of her as she began to read it while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

He immediately pulled out the chair directly opposite her and sat on it, watching her open the book and read it with a focused gaze.

Neo looked at her, waiting for her to look at him.

“Nora…? Are you okay?”

Of course, his attempt to call her failed miserably, as he already knew she couldn’t hear him. It was an unwanted but good way for her to ignore him, as unless she lifted her eyes to meet his, there was no way Neo could communicate with her.

He reached forward and poked her hand which was resting on the table.

For a moment, Neo felt a movement, but she just pulled her hand under the table while her focus remained entirely fixed on the book.

Neo felt frustrated as he leaned over more and waved his hand over her book, trying hard to gain her attention, but despite all his trying she remained stubborn and didn’t show any reaction, as she pulled her book away and began to read again, turning over the pages.

Neo leaned back on the chair with a dazed expression as he looked at her beautiful doll-like figure. If she hadn’t shown movement from time to time, Neo could have mistaken her for an actual doll.

He felt his chest tighten at her refusal to communicate with him. It would have been better if she had just acted angry towards him, maybe even hated him, or cried for his coming back, but he hadn’t expected her to remain so unresponsive, and that was the thing which ached more than he could have thought.

He took his foot out of the boot and pulled off the sock, as he reached his leg under the table to poke her foot, trying to get her attention.

As he continued to move his foot to gain her attention, Nora’s gaze finally flicked towards him once, glancing at him with a completely blank face.

‘Finally, finally!’

For a moment Neo felt like she was finally going to talk, but unfortunately she just pulled her feet back under the chair and continued reading.

Neo sighed in frustration, as he didn’t know what to do and how to communicate with her now, or how he should apologise to her for leaving her so unexpectedly, even if it was just an accident.

‘Think something, Neo, think! If you don’t think now, then she will definitely walk the same path of becoming a villainess and ultimately destroy the whole world. The fate of this world is in your hands now. Do something!’

Neo folded his arms and dived into deep thought about what to do to make her responsive, and suddenly an idea came to his mind, one from his childhood, from the time when she wasn’t able to read people’s expressions.