Chapter 69: The Bet That Bound Their Fates

Chapter : The Bet That Bound Their Fates

After some casual exchanges between Sonora and Fafnir, things finally settled down, and a brief silence fell over the palace.

The atmosphere had been tense only moments earlier, but that tension gradually began to fade, especially after Sonora realized that having Fafnir in her home did not necessarily mean that every passing minute would turn into a battle.

Sonora sat on one of the green seats in the hall, while Griselda sat beside her, close to her in the way two old friends might sit after a long-awaited reunion.

Fafnir, meanwhile, chose to sit alone opposite them, leaning back against the sofa with his usual confidence and composure, one leg crossed over the other. His demeanor made it seem as though he were the master of the place rather than a mere guest who had come to Sonora’s palace.

Sonora glanced at him from time to time before turning her gaze back to Griselda.

Ever since she had learned that her friend had become Fafnir’s wife and was carrying his child, there had been one question that had been intensely nagging at her curiosity.

Finally, she could no longer contain herself.

Sonora asked, "So, Gris, you still haven’t told me what happened between you and that bastard for the two of you to become husband and wife and have a child."

Griselda looked at Fafnir with a smile. She found him calmly watching them, then turned her gaze back to Sonora and said, "It all started with a bet."

Sonora raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"A bet? How? I don’t understand."

Griselda sighed and began to recount what had happened.

"It all began when we fought about ten years ago, but before the battle started, we made a bet."

Sonora’s curiosity intensified, and she leaned slightly toward Griselda.

"A bet between the two of you before the fight?"

Then she asked in a tone overflowing with curiosity, "And what could possibly make two people like you place a bet before a battle?"

Griselda looked at her for a moment, as though recalling the events of that distant day.

Sonora then asked curiously, "What were the terms of the bet?"

Griselda hesitated for a moment and glanced at Fafnir.

Fafnir was looking at them with a mischievous smile, as though he knew exactly what she was about to say and was thoroughly enjoying watching her recount it to her friend.

Griselda sighed even more deeply and said, "We bet that whoever won the battle would have the right to do anything to the loser."

Sonora’s mind froze for a moment.

She stared at Griselda, then slowly turned toward Fafnir.

Fafnir, however, remained completely calm, and his confident smile did not disappear for even a moment.

After a brief pause, Sonora asked excitedly, "Then who was the winner? You?"

Sonora genuinely loved strange and exciting stories like this, and her curiosity only grew with every word.

Griselda answered bitterly, "Ah... I lost."

Then she added, "Fafnir..."

Sonora’s eyes widened in astonishment.

She turned toward Fafnir and found him looking at them with a smile dripping with mischief.

She muttered aloud, "So after he defeated you, he forced himself on you, Gris..."

The moment she said those words, her expression changed.

Anger began to rise within Sonora as she imagined what her dear friend might have endured under Fafnir’s evil claws.

Her aura suddenly erupted, and a violent wave of power swept through the room, causing the palace to tremble.

The windows shook, the plants and flowers scattered throughout the hall swayed violently, and an immense pressure filled the air.

But Griselda quickly grabbed Sonora’s hand and said, "No. He did not force himself on me against my will. I agreed to it."

Sonora’s aura vanished in an instant.

She stared at Griselda for a long moment.

"You... agreed?"

Griselda nodded calmly.

"Yes."

Sonora slowly exhaled, and the aura surrounding her receded completely.

After a few moments of silence, curiosity returned to her face.

"Then what happened afterward?"

Griselda answered frankly, "We had sex for three days without stopping in a cave on a deserted island."

Fafnir burst into loud laughter at his wife’s blunt honesty.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Sonora was stunned. She looked repeatedly between the two of them.

"You had sex for three days?"

Then a brief silence fell.

Sonora slowly shook her head.

"Three days..."

She looked at Griselda in disbelief.

"Gris, I had no idea you were capable of making a bet that dangerous."

Griselda gave a faint, embarrassed laugh.

"I didn’t expect to lose."

Fafnir smiled confidently from his seat opposite them.

"I was certain I would win."

Sonora narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course you were certain. Arrogance runs through your veins."

Fafnir smiled.

"And you’re still remarkably talented at ruining beautiful moments."

Sonora said proudly, "And I’m proud of it."

Griselda laughed as she looked from Sonora to Fafnir.

"It seems the two of you really have returned to your old ways."

After a few moments, Sonora continued, "So what do you need from me, then?"

Before Griselda could answer, Fafnir spoke from across the room.

"We came so that you could examine my wife again."

Sonora raised her head toward him.

"Again?"

Then she said, "But I examined her eight years ago and told her that she and the child were both fine."

Fafnir replied bluntly, "Examine her again in front of me so I can make sure for myself."

Sonora’s expression darkened.

"Are you implying that I lied to Gris, you fossil?"

Fafnir answered with complete honesty, "Yes. I don’t trust you, so examine her again in front of me to make sure that you are telling the truth."

Silence descended.

Sonora stared at Fafnir as though she could hardly believe that he had said it so bluntly.

Even Griselda placed a hand against her forehead for a moment.

"Fafnir..."

She said it in a tone that mixed embarrassment with amusement.

Fafnir, however, showed not the slightest hint of guilt.

"What? I merely told the truth."

Sonora glared at him.

"You haven’t changed at all."

Fafnir replied, "Neither have you."

For a moment, Sonora and Griselda were both rendered speechless by Fafnir’s shameless bluntness.

Then anger ignited in Sonora’s eyes, and she shouted, "You bastard! I’ll fight you!"

She then lunged toward Fafnir, but Griselda caught her and stopped her.

Griselda said coldly, "Enough, you two."

Sonora stopped despite her anger.

She then gave Fafnir a sharp glare.

He remained seated exactly where he was, perfectly calm, as though her attempt to attack him had been nothing more than a passing squabble.

Sonora said, "One day, I’ll make you regret that excessive confidence."

Fafnir replied, "I’ll be waiting for that day."

Griselda sighed.

"The two of you can’t speak for even a minute without turning into rivals."

Sonora said, "Because he provokes me."

At the exact same moment, Fafnir said, "Because she always starts it."

Griselda stared at the two of them in silence.

Then she said firmly, "I said enough."

The two fell silent.

After several moments of tense silence, Griselda spoke.

"Sona, examine me again so you can prove to him that you aren’t lying."

Sonora gave Fafnir a long, sharp look.

Then she sighed.

"Fine, fine. I’ll examine you."

A happy smile appeared on Griselda’s face, and she suddenly threw her arms around Sonora in a tight embrace.

"Ah!"

Sonora was startled by the sudden hug, her eyes widening, but she soon smiled despite herself.

After a few moments, Griselda pulled away from Sonora, still smiling.

Sonora looked at her warmly.

"You’re still the same, Gris."

Griselda smiled.

"And so are you, Sona."

Sonora raised a warning finger.

"Don’t celebrate too soon. I said I’ll examine you, but not now."

Griselda frowned slightly.

"Why?"

Sonora continued, "But I won’t be able to examine you today or tomorrow because I’m conducting an important experiment that cannot be postponed, so you’ll have to stay here with me until I finish my experiment."

Fafnir was surprised by Sonora’s declaration.

He raised an eyebrow and said, "You’re still obsessed with experiments and medicine just as you were before."

Sonora lifted her chin proudly.

"Of course I’m still the same."

Fafnir gave a faint smile.

"I knew it."

Sonora asked, "Did you expect me to change?"

Fafnir answered, "After five thousand years? I expected anything."

Sonora raised an eyebrow.

"And I expected you to become less arrogant."

Griselda laughed softly and shook her head.

"Looks like neither of you got what you expected."

Silence lingered for a few seconds before Fafnir looked toward Griselda.

"Looks like we’ll be staying here for a few days."

Griselda replied with a smile, "I don’t mind. As long as I’m with you."

As for Sonora, she rose from her seat and looked at Fafnir warningly.

"I’ll prepare rooms for the two of you. But I have one condition."

Fafnir raised his eyes toward her.

"What is it?"

Sonora said sternly, "Don’t touch anything in my laboratory."

Fafnir answered indifferently, "I make no promises."

Sonora stopped where she stood.

Then she slowly turned toward him.

"You fossil..."

Griselda laughed, while Fafnir wore an irritatingly provocative smile.

"Don’t start again."

Sonora stared at Fafnir for several seconds, then turned away while muttering, "Having you here is going to be a real headache."

Fafnir replied from behind her, "And I’m certain my stay here will be enjoyable."

Sonora turned toward him.

"Don’t get your hopes up."

Griselda laughed again.

And so, what had been intended as a brief visit by Fafnir and Griselda became a temporary stay at Sonora’s palace.

The two old friends sat together on one side of the hall, while Fafnir remained seated alone opposite them, watching them with his usual confidence and composure.

And as Sonora prepared to return to her experiment, she had no idea that Fafnir’s presence in her palace might make the coming days far more troublesome than she expected.

As for Griselda, she already knew it.

And that was why she could not stop herself from smiling.