Single for Eternity
Chapter 57: Softie

Chapter 57: Softie

The barmaid emerged from her hiding place—a heap of debris from a collapsed building beside us.

Her small steps were hesitant yet steady, her fingers clenching the hem of her dress. The fear in her eyes had lessened, now replaced with something else. Awe.

Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the words.

’She probably thought we were all bark and no bite.’

I smirked.

Dusting off some nonexistent dust from my clothes, I took a few steps toward her, arms crossed over my chest. "Now, what do you think? You’ll be saved, right?"

Her gaze flickered between me and the others. Mael, who was sharpening his sword absentmindedly; Flavia, who stretched with a satisfied grin; and Ben, who stood with arms folded, surveying the area like a watchful guardian.

She hesitated for a moment before nodding subtly. "You can probably save all of us."

Her voice carried the weight of uncertainty. Of course, she’d doubt us. The creatures that had tormented this town for six months were fearsome, relentless. In her mind, there was no way a group of outsiders could simply waltz in and end it all.

I flashed her a confident smile before turning back to my group. "I did gain some information."

Almost instantly, their expressions brightened.

I walked toward them at a steady pace, recounting every detail the barmaid had provided. The conversation took minutes, yet the people around us barely paid any attention.

At least, that’s what I thought.

The surrounding townspeople never stopped their usual routines—wandering aimlessly, haggling at market stalls, whispering in hushed voices. But every now and then, I caught it.

The glances.

Their eerie, unsettling glances in our direction before quickly turning away.

A shiver crawled up my spine of excitement.

They didn’t want to fight us. They didn’t want trouble.

Yet they were watching.

’This was going to be an awesome adventure.’

When I finished my explanation, Mael, who had been rubbing his chin in thought, finally spoke up. "So, the authorities couldn’t do anything? If that’s true, then aren’t they seriously weak?"

Ben nodded, his sharp eyes still scanning the surroundings. "I think there’s more to it than just weak authorities."

Flavia frowned, placing her hands on her hips. "What do you mean by that?"

Ben’s expression darkened. "I suspect the authorities were the ones who orchestrated all of this."

Silence.

A long, heavy silence.

The only sound was the dry wind, howling through the empty streets. Not even the buzz of insects.

’Wait.’

No insects.

No flies, no mosquitoes, not even the faint chirp of crickets.

That was wrong.

What could possibly drive away even the lowest creatures of nature?

Certainly not these grotesque flower-headed monsters.

Before I could dwell on the thought, a sudden voice broke the eerie quiet.

"No! You’re wrong! Our authorities would never do something so heinous!"

The barmaid.

Her face was twisted in anger, her voice rising in a near shout.

I turned toward her, my gaze unwavering. "How sure are you?"

She pressed her hands to her chest, clenching them into tight fists. Her breath was shaky, but her words were firm.

"I can bet my life on it."

I blinked.

That level of trust—of faith—was foreign to me.

I could never trust anyone that much.

It was... enviable, in a way.

I shrugged off the stray thought. "If you say so," I replied, but my tone turned serious. "But what if you’re wrong?"

Another silence.

Her lips trembled for a moment before she inhaled deeply, as if gathering every ounce of courage she had left.

"If I’m wrong..."

She swallowed hard.

"I will let you kiss me."

...

’Huh?’

My mind momentarily went blank.

I blinked once.

Twice.

Thrice.

I glanced at my companions.

Mael’s jaw had slackened in shock. Ben choked on his own breath. And Flavia—

Cough.

I turned toward her, already expecting her usual cheeky remark.

And I wasn’t disappointed.

She leaned forward slightly, pointing a teasing finger at me. "Now! Now! Don’t flirt so openly. There are single people here who get jealous."

’Bingo.’

But the word jealous made me pause.

I quirked an eyebrow. "Jealous? Seriously?"

Flavia just smirked.

Ignoring her, I turned back to the barmaid. Leaning in slightly, I lowered my voice. "Tell me your name, to sign our bet."

She hesitated, then murmured, "Priscilla."

It was barely a whisper.

Her face was beet red.

I smiled. "Nice name."

With that settled, I turned back to the group.

"We need a plan. Any suggestions?"

Mael, arms crossed, spoke first, his usually cheerful tone replaced with something more serious. "I think we should investigate the authorities."

The others nodded.

All except Priscilla.

A gloomy expression had settled on her face, as if she wanted to protest but lacked the strength to do so.

I raised a finger. "Keep in mind that the authorities could be weak. We shouldn’t judge them immediately."

Flavia groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. "Auuuugh! Can we just rest somewhere? I’m exhausted."

Ben scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Exhausted? You fought for like thirty minutes. Get some exercise."

The air turned cold.

I turned to Flavia.

’Yup.’

She was the reason for the sudden drop in temperature.

Her expression was blank, but the sheer pressure radiating from her was anything but.

She was glaring at Ben.

No—glaring wasn’t the right word.

She was sharpening her icy daggers of death, aiming to eviscerate him on the spot.

’Poor guy... I pray you won’t have a painless end.’

Flavia suddenly let out a chilling chuckle. The kind that made even me take a cautious step back.

"Did you just call me fat?"

Ben went pale.

And then—

He ran.

A literal marathon, as if his life depended on it.

Which, to be fair, it did.

Flavia, the supposedly exhausted girl, chased after him like a hellhound released from its chains.

Occasionally, we could hear the distant cries of our giant.

I shook my head, watching them disappear around the corner.

"Aww," I mused, hands on my hips. "He’s a softie."

Mael sighed beside me. "Should we save him?"

I thought for a moment.

"...Nah."

And with that, we turned back to more pressing matters.

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