Lord of Mysteries:Fire of Destruction

Sitting across from each other on the white couches, the red-haired man looked at the white-haired woman with the corners of his lips slightly raised.

While she tried to hide it, he could easily notice how the tips of her ears were slightly red.

He was sure it was the same as his own, but that didn't matter much to him.

He also wasn't worried about getting the couch dirty with dirt, zombie brains, and blood because as soon as they walked in, all the filth they acquired was wiped off.

Whoever had designed this room, it was clear that they didn't want to make it dirty.

While Adryan was thinking about the possibility of the Cleaning Freak, Flora took that moment to speak.

"We don't have to worry about them noticing our absence. Once five minutes pass, we'll be kicked out of here and appear at their side as if we were never separated."

"Well, isn't that convenient?" Adryan raised an eyebrow before laughing, a little pleased. "And might I know the reason for that move earlier? Being sassy is more my thing."

"And I would never be; unlike you, I have a pride to maintain," Flora grumbled grimly, her eyes looking deep into his.

Adryan rolled his eyes slightly but didn't take his attention away from her. " It must be a good thing if you were willing to ruin a bit of that supposed pride."

The woman nodded, the grimace shifting to a deep, thoughtful look.

After a few seconds in silence, she finally spoke, "Since we entered the Tower, have you felt anything strange in your body?"

Adryan's expression did not change, but his smile was gone. He gave a slow nod, "I have noticed it."

Flora closed her eyes, and a soundless sigh escaped her lips. Her hands lifted and rested in her lap. After a moment of thought, she opened her eyes. "It's because of me."

'No shit Sherlock.' No one aside from a certain clown would understand the reference, so the redhead merely said it in his mind. Instead, a slight "Oh?" left his lips, accompanied by a raised eyebrow.

Flora looked at him for several moments in search of a reaction, but seeing that was all he would say, she decided to continue.

"Your life force has just been split in half... Well, half is a lot to say. Rather...

"By separating from your body, I took 70 years with me."

A deep silence fell in the room; the fall of a needle would sound like a war drum.

Adryan covered his face, and a long, exasperated sigh left his body.

'Damn it, Hunter's Hallow! What the fuck were you thinking doing that? 70 fucking years! What the fuck?!'

Did that mean he would die in his 30s?!

Another exasperated sigh, not at all exaggerated, left his lips until his lungs were empty. "You live up to your sequence, no doubt about it."

"You don't seem as angry as I expected," Flora admitted, somewhat surprised. "I can't help but be a little disappointed. So little do you appreciate your life?"

"I like living, thank you very much, and while I'm not angry, I am somewhat annoyed." Adryan snorted a little.

And who wouldn't be? He just lost an entire life!

"So now what? Did you definitely get your body back, or is it just a special occasion every time you enter the tower?"

"I'm not too sure about the former..." the white-haired woman mumbled with a flat face before shaking her head. "I wouldn't know until I get out, but it's most likely the former."

Adryan nodded, "Congratulations on getting your body back, by the way."

The woman's brow furrowed elegantly, "Is that all you're going to say?"

She already knew the man was weird, but to know that not only did you lose 70 years of life, but that the culprit was in front of you and showed no reaction...

"If I hadn't known what would happen, I would care more, but not really. Since you made your home in my body, I knew I would have to give a part of my life to get you out." Rolling his shoulders, the redhead admitted honestly.

He knew this thanks to the 'Fool's Dear Poet' and the Elder inside him.

"You already knew?" White eyebrows raised slightly, surprise clear.

He nodded.

"Of course," Adryan said matter-of-factly, then sighed in defeat. "But it was supposed to happen when I advanced to Sequence 4, not when I'm Sequence 6." 

Flora was about to retort, but at the last moment, she clammed up. The man's words made sense as she thought about them, just as they explained her current problem.

'But even so... Having 'His' Blessed give up a part of his life to get my body back... That's something...' Biting the inside of her cheek gently, she stopped that dangerous train of thought.

She had no right or power to question the decisions of the Scarlet Monarch...

Finally, the question that caused her most discomfort left her companion's lips, who, as was now customary, asked in the worst possible way.

"So Doc, how much time do I have left?" Adryan consulted bored, one eyebrow raised with interest.

Flora didn't hold back a grimace at how the question was asked but still answered, "A maximum of 10 years and a minimum of 5."

While the redhead's life force was quite large, that meant nothing in the face of human mortality.

"Whistle. So little? So I'll become a frail old man in 2 years? A dried-up grape?" His eyebrows raised, and he couldn't help but ask.

"That would be if your body had time to age, which it doesn't." Flora shook her head. "You'll continue to age as you normally would have, but once your life energy runs out, you'll simply die."

"At least it'll be an open casket, then." Adryan sighed and shook his hand in boredom.

"No matter. That problem will be solved once I ascend to Demigod; my life will be extended, and this will simply be a joke we'll laugh about in the future!"

Noticing how Flora looked at him in disgust, the red-haired man couldn't help but laugh softly.

Tilting his head to the side, a teasing smile graced his lips, his eyes sparkling mischievously, "Someone's worried about me~"

"Someone has to see what's in that head of yours, but I'm afraid they'll lose control if they peek so much." Flora snorted defeatedly.

She didn't doubt the man would ascend to Demigod. Even if she didn't count his ridiculous speed of digestion, how he acted, and the risks he was willing to take to do so...

He had the support and blessing of a God!

Reaching the level of a Demigod was the absolute minimum he HAD to achieve!!

Laughing some more, Adryan raised his hands in the air.

"Oh, come on, Miss Worm. I'd think you'd be happier once you got your body back, but here you are, hurting for things that don't matter.

"Isn't your sequence Parasite? You just acted like a perfect one! Without me noticing you 'took' all my life, your potion must have digested a bit at least, didn't it?"

The grimace got a little bigger, and the blood rushing to her ears increased.

The redhead was a little confused for a moment until the realization hit him. "Oh, right... My bad."

From the moment Flora had entered him, she had never been a Parasite but a Prisoner.

It also didn't help matters that he had never seen her as one. If questioned, he would admit that their relationship was far more Symbiotic than Parasitic.

"Tch. Never mind, besides, I've long since digested my potion so it would have been a waste." Flora looked away for a moment.

"So that's how it is, huh?" Adryan mumbled absent-mindedly.

"That means you got all your strength back?" 

She shook her head slightly. "I wouldn't know for sure until I leave the Tower, but my condition is certainly much better."

A smile graced his lips, "I'm glad to hear that."

Flora's eyes flashed accusingly, "You plan on making me work harder, don't you?"

A playful wink was all she got on the subject.

Rolling her eyes, she murmured, "Of course."

Leaning forward a bit, the redhead looked curiously at the woman. "There's something I'd like to know, Flora. You got your body back and were in the perfect place to escape. Why didn't you?"

The white-haired woman's expression became flat and expressionless, with a raised eyebrow, which seemed to say she had just heard the stupidest question in the world.

"Really?"

Not only was she still serving a sentence, but she had heard the voice of the God who condemned her, a God who, by the way, always answers prayers made to 'Him'.

Oh! And how could she forget that she had also prayed 'His' honorific name!

Even if she escaped, where would she go?! She would be easily found even if she were on the other side of the world!

At the question, the red-haired man gave only one answer. 

"Eyup." With the flick of his tongue and a mischievous smile.

"..."

For 15 seconds, they stared into each other's eyes in awkward silence.

Rolling his eyes, Adryan stood up from his couch and stretched a bit, his back thundering with several satisfying cracks. "I think we had a good time here, don't you think, Miss Worm? Let's get back now."

Flora nodded and gracefully rose from her seat and walked over to him.

Before walking through the door to the exit, the redhead bent down slightly and whispered into the white-haired woman's left ear.

"Maybe you want to raise the collar of your dress a little more~"

Confused, Flora didn't understand what the man was referring to.

Turning to look at him, she immediately noticed his sweet smile and his eyes on her neck.

Realization hit her, and her mouth hung open a bit.

"You didn't..." She murmured incredulously, her cheeks warming.

Quickly, she approached the white wall. Its material was similar to ceramic and was so clean and shiny that she could use it as a mirror.

Tilting her head slightly, Flora pushed her hair aside with trembling fingers, and her pupils shrank upon seeing the red mark on her neck. Right where Adryan had kissed her.

That jerk had left a hickey on her!

So fast that it almost tore her dress, Jacob lifted the dress collar and covered her neck as best as possible.

With cold, shining eyes, she turned to look at the man, "You have no shame."

"I regret nothing." Adryan laughed a little.

Flora's eyebrow twitched briefly, and a fire burned in her heart.

This wasn't going to stay like this!

So, quickly walking beside the man, looking at her amused, she stood before him.

"Oh?" Adryan looked at her playfully.

The height difference was considerable—he measured 1.88 and she only 1.70—so she decisively grabbed the man's collar and pulled it down.

"Wow! It is not necessary to resort to-"

Adryan was surprised by this, but before he could ask what was happening, soft lips connected with his neck.

His body froze, and his mind short-circuited. After long 7 seconds, a red-faced Flora separated from him with a smile that mixed pride and embarrassment.

"We're even." With that said, and without letting go, she walked through the door, pulling him along.

His entire vision turned white for a moment as he passed through the darkness that was the door, but it was only momentary; in the blink of an eye, he found himself back in the hotel room where they had entered the tower.

To his right was Flora, while Sharron and Maric were a few steps ahead. Sitting on a simple wooden chair was Uron, who looked somewhat bewildered as he watched them, holding a brown-covered book and a steaming cup of tea in his hands.

"That... was quick." The Wise Owl admitted, putting down the book he was reading and standing up.

"Congratulations, I didn't expect you to finish the floor so... quickly..." The man's gaze passed over each one until it stopped at Asryan, his words dying as he looked at his neck.

An eyebrow was raised. "It looks like it was a rather special floor, huh?" Uron said.

Sharron and Maric also turned to look at each other, and inevitably, their gazes fell on the duo.

More specifically, on the evident purple kiss mark on the neck of the redhead, who had a stony expression but a slight blush on his cheeks.

Then, their gaze moved to the only one with that color lipstick.

Flora's expression was also stone-cold, but her ears were as red as apples.

Interestingly, they noticed that the collar of her dress was higher than before.

Sharron's blue eyes sparkled slightly, and the intensity of her gaze increased a bit as Maric looked at them incredulously.

'These two?!' Wasn't it a joke that they were married?! His gaze fell to their fingers, but there was no ring. 

Not married, a couple?

Cough Cough

Everyone's attention returned to the serious Uron, whose cheeks had taken on a reddish hue. "Putting that aside... I repeat, congratulations on completing the first floor of the Tower, and in record time as well."

"Mr. Adryan, if you could please step forward."

Wanting to get this over with quickly, Adryan positioned himself at the front of his group while trying to wipe the mark on his neck with his left hand.

Flora looked at that and had to keep the corners of her lips from rising.

With the redhead in front of him, Uron reached into his vest and pulled out a small medallion no bigger than an adult's palm.

"Normally, and following protocol, you would have to undergo a rigorous examination and sign several contracts before even considering this. But, again, you are a particular case." The man admitted, looking at the medallion before extending it to him.

"I welcome you to the Wise Owls, Mr. Adryan."

Holding back the urge to roll his eyes at this, the redhead grabbed the medallion and nodded.

"Thank you, I think." He said while examining the object in his hands, ignoring how the dark-haired man's eyebrow twitched.

Now that Adryan looked at it more closely, it seemed more like a plaque similar to a book than a medallion. It was made of pure brass and had a small owl engraved. The owl's wings covered its snout but left its eyes free, which seemed to contain immense knowledge.

Behind the owl, illuminated by it, was the omniscient eye on an open book, the symbol of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Uron closed his eyes for a moment before nodding. "We will contact you to assist on some important missions, but that will not be your primary job. 

"Your main mission will be to climb the Tower."

"Many are interested in reaching the top. Can I ask why?" Adryan responded while putting the badge in his pocket.

Uron looked at him in silence for 2 seconds. "Just focus on doing what you're told, Mr. Adryan."

"Before finishing this. While you are already a Wise Owl along with your team, you will be the one who bears all the responsibility if anyone commits a crime. Don't forget it."

The superior then turned to look at Flora. "We will make some documents for your new identity, Mrs. Flora. You should receive them this Sunday."

"Understood." The white-haired woman nodded elegantly.

Uron looked at the rest. "I didn't plan for you to finish the floor so quickly, and I still have several business matters to attend to. You are free. You can leave."

Adryan did not immediately heed what the man said but instead prepared another altar and stored everything they had obtained in the Tower in the City of Calamities. Taking advantage of it, he also took out Creeping Hunger and changed his appearance.

After that, the group left the hotel and headed to the place where the gothic duo was staying.

They still had a lot to talk about.