INN

Chapter 18

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, as soon as the academy's expedition was organized, Andra and Dustin set off for the Aslan Ruins again in less than a fortnight.

The journey went smoothly. At first, the distance between Aslan Ruins and Ishlan Academy was not very far, so it was possible to get there in two days by horse or carriage. And today was already the second day.

Today, just like yesterday, Andra was in the middle of a heated conversation with the academy graduate, Archaeologist Shamune. The story of Shamune's experience of being in the field for several years was like a breath of fresh air that made Andra forget the pain of her butt from travelling for a long time.

Most of all, he was very good-natured.

"But it's okay, right?"

Andra raised her eyebrows at the sudden question.

"Huh?"

"Lord Airak."

Shamune glanced at Dustin, who was following from behind, and whispered to Andra in a whisper. Oh, we just made eye contact. So scary! Shamune, who accidentally met Dustin's eyes, turned his head quickly. It was a bitter eye that made his throat clench. He was the most terrifying person he had ever met.

"Did you know that Lord Airak has been glaring at Miss Avellin terrifyingly since yesterday?"

Have you ever committed a mortal sin against the Lord? Shamune murmured carefully. At those words, Andra almost snorted.

"Don't mind it. Because he's hard to even deal with."

"No, but... He's been looking at you for a while..."

AD

To be honest, from Shamune's point of view, it felt like he was sitting on a cushion of thorns. Since yesterday, Dustin's eyes have been focusing on this way every time he and she have a conversation. It's a gaze full of hostility.

Of course, because the hostility was directed towards Andra, he did not seem to have been hated by Lord Airak, but it was still unpleasant. Besides, Shamune couldn't completely relax to the extent that if he accidentally met his eyes, goosebumps ran all over his body.

"If he wants to look at me, tell him to keep looking. I won't even look at him."

"Uh, why do you hate the Lord so much?"

"Looking at it, he looks like bad luck. He's really bad luck."

To Shamune's question, Andra answered calmly, as if it was not a big deal.

"Is that all? Also, is it because of the family? Because the environment is important."

Because of the family. It wasn't wrong. Because her own family, Avellin, and Dustin's family, Airak, were known to be hostile to each other. This had not changed for hundreds of years, and in fact, Andra grew up listening to what the elders of her family had to say about Airak.

But it wasn't the only reason Andra and Dustin had an irreversible hatred of each other. To explain it, they had to go back 16 years ago when they were both eight years old.

Their bitter relationship began from there.

"Apart from our families, it was just a bad relationship from the old days. Every time we met, something bad happened."

"Is it bad?"

AD

In response to Shamune's curious question, Andra tried to recall the past, which she did not like for a long time, but then she stopped. If she thought about it now, there would be nothing good about it. Besides, it didn't fit her personality to talk about her affairs with Dustin to others. Andra replied modestly.