Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 32 The Way To A Man's Heart

Alicarde hurried back to campus, the sheer amount of work ahead of him weighed heavily on his mind. The pressure was immense, and after Elizalina had run him through what "academic style" truly meant, he couldn't help but mutter curses under his breath aimed at Malefica.

'And I would have cursed her if she wasn't such a beautiful witch,' he thought, smirking slightly at the irony.

He was in the elevator heading down to the garage, the smooth hum of the machinery doing little to calm his restless thoughts.

Behind him, Argint leaned against the wall, her eyes fixed on him. They had just finished a brutal training session half an hour earlier, and despite the quick shower he had taken, he still felt the phantom ache of his muscles.

As he stepped out of the elevator, he was caught off guard when Argint grabbed him, pulling him into a tight embrace, rubbing herself all over him. Her sudden closeness made his heart skip a beat.

"What the hell, Argint... the... the hell do you think you're doing?" he stammered, trying to push her away, though his efforts were half-hearted.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

She didn't seem to care about his protests. Her icy glare locked onto his eyes, making him feel like he was in trouble.

"Do not get any of that weird smell on you again. I have no idea what kind of creepy thing you touched, but do not do it again," Argint warned, her tone as cold as ever.

"This is harassment," Alicarde retorted, trying to sound indignant, though secretly, he didn't mind the attention.

"Don't do it again, or else." Argint's fist balled up, the threat in her voice unmistakable.

Alicarde looked at her in confusion. "How the hell am I supposed to avoid touching something I don't even remember touching, you nutjob?"

Argint didn't bother responding. She just turned back to the elevator and left him standing alone in the garage, as if her only reason for following him had been to deliver that cryptic warning.

Shaking his head, Alicarde made his way to one of the sleek luxury cars lined up in the garage. His mind was elsewhere as he drove off, thoughts of the impending workload mingling with the lingering sensation of Argint's embrace.

He was headed to campus, where he planned to meet up with Elizalina for some help with his case study analysis.

He arrived at the faculty and made his way to the faculty library, seeking the kind of research materials he couldn't easily find online. The library was a treasure trove of up-to-date books, and he quickly found one that seemed promising. Settling into a quiet corner, he waited for Elizalina to arrive.

She didn't keep him waiting long. Two minutes later, she appeared, her silver hair catching the light as she approached him.

"Good morning... Alicarde," she greeted softly, her voice almost a whisper.

She paused for a moment, her nose twitching slightly as if she smelled something unusual. Before Alicarde could ask, she stumbled, tripping and falling—right into his lap. Thanks to his superhuman reflexes, he managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

Elizalina's legs seemed to give out from under her, and she clung to him, her face buried in his chest. Alicarde felt a strange mix of amusement and concern as he gently helped her back to her feet.

"Still as clumsy as always, I see. Morning, Elly," he teased, a small smile playing on his lips.

Her cheeks flushed a deep red at his words.

"I... I sincerely apologize for my gracelessness," she stammered, clearly embarrassed by her own clumsiness.

Alicarde chuckled, waving off her apology.

"Nah, we're cool. I don't really mind it."

Elizalina quickly composed herself and sat down beside him, pulling out several books and research materials from her bag.

"Well then, shall we begin our work?" she asked, her tone becoming serious and refined.

Alicarde had done some preliminary reading on Hawthorn, but the challenge was translating his thoughts into a coherent academic paper.

The days flew by quickly, and as Alicarde spent more time with Elizalina, their bond only deepened. He found himself relying on her more, especially for his assignment, which they eventually completed together.

They had become close friends, meeting up almost every day, even when they didn't have classes. They explored the city, watched movies, and enjoyed each other's company. The more Alicarde thought about it, the more it felt like they were dating.

Elizalina's klutziness persisted, leading to frequent and sometimes awkward physical contact. Alicarde didn't mind, though, in fact, he was growing used to it. It reminded him of his interactions with Argint, whose new habit of rubbing herself on him had become more aggressive.

Every morning and evening, Argint would press her body against his, claiming that he had a bad stench she needed to get rid of. Alicarde wondered if it was mating season for werewolves, but he didn't dare voice the thought, not when he had seen what she was capable of when angry.

The rumors of missing people had grown, spreading through the college and even the city. Everyone was talking about it, though there was no mention of it in the mainstream media. Alicarde shrugged it off as just rumors, but the unease lingered in the back of his mind.

One day, as Elizalina arrived to meet him, she reached out and held his hand. From a distance, they almost seemed like a couple. She explained that holding his hand helped her maintain her balance, and Alicarde didn't mind at all.

Why would he? Only a sociopath would reject holding hands with the most beautiful girl in their university. Elizalina, with her long, flowing silver hair and gentle demeanor, was the epitome of grace and beauty. Her soft hand in his felt natural, almost comforting, as they walked together through the campus.

As they strolled, Alicarde heard a voice from the crowd. "Who the hell is that bastard?"

Another guy chimed in, his tone filled with disdain. "I don't give a rat's ass who he is. A girl like her is way out of his league."

"Probably some rich prick who thinks he can buy her affection."

"Bet he doesn't even know how to treat a girl like that. Pathetic."

"Look at him, thinking he's hot shit just because he's with her."

"He's got to be compensating for something."

"Maybe he's just her lapdog, following her around like a lost puppy."

"Must be nice having daddy's money to throw around. That's probably all he's got going for him."

'Shows what they know, I actually have sugar mommy Carrisa's money instead' Alicarde mused

The insults grew more vulgar, but Alicarde didn't let them get to him. If he stooped to their level, he'd end up wrecking them, and that wouldn't help anyone.

Elizalina, however, wasn't as composed. She let go of his hand and marched over to the group of foul-mouthed guys.

"How dare you speak of him in such a manner? None of you know anything about Alicarde, so you have no right to speak ill of him. I demand that you cease this insolence at once," she declared, her voice stern and refined, though her hands trembled slightly.

The guys shrunk back, taken aback by her outburst, but one, emboldened by the dazed looks of his friends, sneered.

"What the hell? Shut the hell up, princess."

Alicarde could sense Elizalina's surprise and instinctively pushed her aside before she could respond, causing her to yelp as she lost her balance.

He caught her effortlessly, his reflexes honed from his battles, and steadied her before turning his attention to the guy who had spoken.

He walked over to the guy, his eyes narrowing in anger. The guy's friends moved closer, their eyes glazed over as if they were in some sort of trance.

Alicarde's irritation boiled over. His eyes flashed a brief violet glow, and he unleashed his fear ability.

A dark, insidious aura radiated from his body, seeping into the minds of the group. Their bodies froze, paralyzed by the sheer terror that gripped them. Their eyes welled up with involuntary tears as Alicarde's presence bore down on them like a monstrous shadow, suffocating them with an overwhelming sense of dread.

The guy who had spoken earlier began to tremble uncontrollably, his bravado shattered by the invisible force crushing his spirit. Alicarde stared him down, his gaze cold and menacing, until the guy and his friends could do nothing but stand there, paralyzed by fear, their minds screaming for them to flee but their bodies unable to obey.