Chapter 69: Night Tension [1]

After the long day he’d endured, Lorenzo decided to drink some alcohol as soon as he returned to the Riina family residence.

He was exhausted and had lost a considerable amount of blood, but more than anything, he was stressed.

’What a long day.’

His father wasn’t home. In fact, Lorenzo rarely saw him nowadays.

’There must be something going on in the Spirit Realm.’

As for Sara, she was already fast asleep, which was a good thing. Children should go to bed on time.

With nothing else to occupy his mind, Lorenzo poured himself a drink.

One glass became two, and before long, he was drinking to his heart’s content. He stopped only when he finally felt himself beginning to relax.

He even offered Sofia a drink, but, as expected, she rejected it.

Lorenzo couldn’t help chuckling at her response.

’She must think I’m going to do something to her again, just like that night.’

He had no intention of doing anything of the sort tonight.

He wasn’t stupid enough to repeat the same mistakes he’d made before.

The reason he’d brought Sofia back to the Riina residence was simple.

He wanted to sleep in the same bed as her.

That was all.

Since he couldn’t share a bed with Sofia in the female dormitory at Golden Dawn Academy, he’d decided to bring her home instead.

Lorenzo knew he was obsessive, but at least he wasn’t behaving as badly as he had before.

’That’s what I call improving myself.’

Satisfied with his own reasoning, Lorenzo glanced at Sofia, who was standing near the edge of the bed.

"Tsk..."

Sofia clicked her tongue when the owner of those crimson eyes stretched out his hand toward her.

’Just try something, Lorenzo. I dare you.’

Her murderous intent flared as she prepared to summon her weapon at the slightest sign of danger.

However, Lorenzo did nothing more than lock the bedroom door behind her before making his way toward the large bed with his slightly unsteady, inebriated body.

"Stop daydreaming and come here."

Sofia would have preferred sleeping alone on the cold floor rather than sharing a bed with that man.

Unfortunately, Lorenzo clearly wasn’t going to allow that.

With no other choice, she approached the bed reluctantly and lay down with her back turned toward him.

"Sofia Moretti."

Now what?!

"What?"

"Get up."

Of course, it had been foolish of her to expect him to lie down and fall asleep peacefully.

Hearing Lorenzo’s commanding tone, Sofia curled up and clutched the duvet tightly in her hands.

’Any moment now.’

She was ready to summon her weapon again.

"Ah!"

As if to mock her expectations, Lorenzo grabbed her and forcibly lifted her upper body.

His sudden movement made Sofia’s heart skip a beat.

Then he spoke in an irritated voice.

"Align your pillow properly."

"...What?"

With the help of his [Perfectionist] trait, Lorenzo carefully trying adjust the pillow.

Sofia watched in confusion as Lorenzo adjusted her pillow with the obsessive precision of someone rebuilding a shattered thing. He moved it an inch to the left. Paused. Moved it a centimeter to the right. Tilted it slightly upward.

Apparently satisfied, he lowered her back onto it then he wrapped his arms around her waist again and settled down with a sigh that sounded almost relieved.

"Don’t touch me!"

Sofia tried to push his arms away.

Despite her delicate appearance, she wasn’t particularly weak. However, Lorenzo’s arms were considerably thicker than hers, and struggling against him was exhausting.

Her body was stronger than it appeared, her mana core a higher rank than his, she was about to fight harder when she realized something.

’He wasn’t trying to force himself on her.’

That realization didn’t make his unwanted touch any more acceptable, but it did stop her from immediately summoning her weapon.

"Fuck you, bastard!"

Even so, she cursed him with every ounce of hatred she could muster.

Lorenzo didn’t seem bothered by her insults. Instead, he smirked.

"Do you even know how much trouble I went through when you ignored my calls and messages? Do you know how frustrating it was when I couldn’t find you? Every day, my thoughts kept returning to you. It was unbearable."

He tightened his arms around her slightly.

"Now you’ll have to put up with this."

’I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about...’

At least that’s what she said to herself.

Sofia knew exactly what he meant.

And, to her own surprise, she was rather pleased that her disappearance had caused him so much trouble.

It wasn’t much of a victory, but she would take whatever small victories she could get.

If her absence had bothered him, then at least she had managed to make his life a little more difficult.

For now, that was enough.

Meanwhile, Lorenzo, too irritated and self-absorbed to consider her perspective, buried his face against her neck.

He breathed in her scent and gently caressed her body, handling her as though she were an expensive piece of porcelain.

To him, the closeness was comforting.

To Sofia, it was another reminder that she had little control over her own circumstances.

Before long, Lorenzo fell asleep.

The alcohol had begun to dull his senses, and the strain of overusing his mana had left him exhausted. Even the constant pressure of suppressing the compulsive impulses associated with his [Perfectionist] trait had gradually eased.

With Sofia beside him, his tense body finally relaxed.

And soon, he was sleeping soundly, seemingly unaware of the hatred building in the mind of the woman in his arms.

Once Lorenzo was asleep, Sofia carefully removed his hand from her waist and moved away from him.

She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him in silence.

’Should I kill him now?’

The thought came as naturally as breathing.

She could summon her dagger and drive the blade straight into his heart.

It was a perfect opportunity.

Lorenzo was asleep, exhausted, and still recovering from his injuries. For once, he wouldn’t be able to react immediately.