The perfect | TBATE X COTE

Chapter 24.5: Interlude

Aeris Edevane point of view:

"I think this a bad idea, young lady..." Beside me, the voice of my personal guard, Lenay, echoed, a blend of concern and apprehension. Her emerald green eyes shimmered with uncertainty as she gently traced the curves of her brown hood. With a cautious demeanor, she instinctively tucked her head, shielding her ears from prying eyes. "Lord Edevane would object to this..."

"Fufu~ Good thing my father isn't here," I joked lightly. With a playful nod, I surveyed the vibrant surroundings of Xyrus' bustling city boulevard, appearing to be somewhat curious about my surroundings.

The cobblestone streets, alive with a symphony of eager voices and various scents, wove a tapestry of colors and fragrances, making it a somewhat pleasant location for sightseeing, if I had the intention. However, that wasn't my purpose here, so the quiet ambiance enveloping Xyrus held little significance for me. I merely pretended to be curious because of Lenay.

My guard in question drew closer to me as a group of rowdy adventurers passed by, her hand firmly gripping the pommel of her sword. "Still, you shouldn't leave your quarters, the negotiations aren't over yet, if something goes wrong..."

I hummed lightly at her comments. "Negotiations are about to end," I commented, "The time for something to go wrong ended long ago," I continued, glancing sideways at a ruddy-haired adventurer with a scar on his nose who was quite boisterous as he walked past me. When he was far away, I spoke again, "Besides, if something were to go wrong, wouldn't my room be the first place they would look for me?" I mused. Before Lenay could protest, I added, "You could say this is a precaution against a possible attack,"

I could feel Lenay's eyes fixed on me, and after a while, she let out a sigh. "It's things like this that remind me that you're already an orange core mage at your age," she commented with apparent resignation. Though her shoulders slumped slightly, I could tell her stance was still battle-ready. "But while your reasoning is valid, I'm still against this touristy escapade."

I ignored her comment, knowing that her protective instincts wouldn't easily be swayed by a few words. Instead, I focused on enhancing my sense of smell with mana, heightening my perception of scents. I felt my sense sharpen several times, but just as I anticipated an unpleasant odor, I created a filter that could detect a specific scent.

Although I didn't catch anything at first, after a while, a faint citrus scent was carried by the wind.

"Fufu~ I found you," I whispered lightly, sensing the distinctive scent of the plant with which I had imbued Arthur before he got off the carriage.

The result of my pheromone experimentation with my powers on plants proved to be truly useful. This small, indistinguishable chemical reaction, known only to me, was just the first step towards what I wanted to achieve. I wouldn't limit myself to reconnaissance and tracking.

As I pondered this, I paid no mind to Lenay's somewhat confused look in response to my words. Instead, I focused on hastening my pace and following the scent.

I could visit him, I knew where he lived, but first I had to confirm that it was him, not someone else.

That he was really Kiyotaka Ayanokouji.

I could feel my heartbeat quickening, its tempo aligning with the quickened pace of my steps. The possibility of him being here, where we have an equivalent board, was what motivated me to use this experimental tracking technique with Arthur.

I needed to observe, confirm and then act accordingly.

"Young lady!" Lenay's voice sounded a little distant as before I knew it I started to run.