Chapter 69: The Unexpected Date [Part-2]

Alden’s expression turned complete blank at her sudden words. He did not know what she was talking about, and he genuinely looked confused by her confession.

"What did you say? Why did they tell you I was going to die?"

Syrene pursed her lips and shook her head, as she looked down at the table.

"I do not know much about it."

She raised her gaze back to him, her eyes turning deadly serious.

"They told me something about a ’curse’ you possess. They said that any person who gets close to you is guaranteed to face pure hell."

Alden felt utterly dazed. He could not figure out what the reason could be. He had never heard about any curse during his entire lifetime. He had never felt any cursed energy when he was alive back then. Were those people just lying to her?

’Hey, do you know something about that?... Hey, did you hear me?’

{...}

Azrael remained silent in his mind. For some reason, her revelation was aligning with his own current problems.

He remembered when Kaelian got close to him and targeted him. Kaelian faced an inevitable, brutal end. Even though the boy was still alive because his parents took him away, he still faced total destruction.

But that was just a fleeting thought. It did not actually prove the point. Alicia, who was closer to him than anyone else right now, had not faced any tragic doom—at least from his perspective. So, he dismissed the dark thought for the time being.

Alden nodded silently to Syrene. "Thanks for telling me."

"Hmph... But still, I fell for their lie. I was an idiot to listen to their excuses. I am sorry."

Alden nodded involuntarily and focused on eating his pastry. Syrene looked at him, noticing his lost, distant gaze, and decided to keep her mouth shut so she would not confuse him any further.

After they finished eating, they paid the bill and walked away. Since the night had already fallen and dinner time had passed, they decided to head back to the academy. Syrene was planning to leave for her family’s estate soon, but she wanted to spend her last free moments with him before returning home.

As they walked through the quiet paths leading toward the academy, a comfortable silence settled between them.

Syrene finally broke through the quiet air.

"So, about the real reason I called you out here today..."

Alden’s attention shifted back to her. This time, he became vigilant, not knowing what secret she was about to drop.

"Alicia... I know she has been kind to you. I also noticed the sudden change in her behavior lately. I do not know what is truly going on with her... But..."

She stopped walking, turned to face him fully, and spoke with unwavering certainty.

"She is the reason you were living like this."

...

After their long talk was over, Syrene revealed all the dark secrets he had been unaware of. At first, he thought her claims could be fake, but when she actually showed him the solid proof, he could not deny it. He did not reply to her. He just couldn’t. He was unable to align his chaotic thoughts just yet.

As they finally reached the grand academy gates, Syrene looked at him sidelong, wearing a calm expression.

"You have been quiet for some time. Are you okay?"

Alden nodded, forcing himself to calm down. Syrene stepped closer, wearing a small, playful smile—the exact same smile he remembered from their childhood whenever she was about to do something fishy.

The academy students returning from their evening runs started to notice the two of them standing near the gates.

"What are you doing?" Alden asked.

Syrene did not answer immediately. She just stepped even closer.

{Hey, idiot, pull back immediately! She is definitely going to do something!}

But the original Alden stood there stiffly, unable to react in time.

"Well... Just making sure you know that I am not giving up on you."

Before he could process her words, he suddenly felt a gentle softness on his lips. It was a bare, fleeting touch that vanished just as quickly as it came. She pulled back with a blush on her cheeks.

Alden stared at her, feeling entirely stunned. He could not move or react.

The students passing by all noticed the sudden kiss. Excited whispers erupted as they immediately began circulating the juicy gossip among their friends before the crowd thinned out.

Syrene looked away, too shy to meet his eyes, and quickly turned around.

"I-I will be back."

Without waiting for a reply, she hurried away into the academy grounds.

Alden felt a massive headache forming in his skull. He did not know what kind of trouble this event was going to bring him.

{You damn bastard! I already told you she was trying something! Now you have created a massive problem for me! The rumors are definitely going to spread around the whole academy and destroy my peaceful life!}

’Well, that was unexpected... I did not think... Well.’

{Just shut up and switch with me! I am never giving you control of my body again!}

’Well, technically, it is our body... But forget it.’

Suddenly, a powerful pulling force yanked the original Alden back into the depths of their shared mind. Azrael—the current Alden—took full control over the body once again.

He looked around the now near-empty street outside the gates, feeling incredibly tense.

’I am dead...’

{Hey, don’t worry. A single kiss does not change anything. Well, at least for you it doesn’t.}

’It changes everything, you bastard! Now I feel like I am definitely going to face someone else’s wrath!’

{Hmph... Well, all the best then. I am going for a long sleep.}

As Alden stood helplessly outside the academy gates, he felt a strong urge to just run away into the night before returning to classes next week, hoping to prevent himself from getting caught in any more dramatic trouble!