Desires In Another World

Chapter 76: Dealt

"You should know who this is, don't you?" <Shin>

When Harold saw the body, he immediately knew who it was. The body belonged to the leader of the Phantom guild that he had hired to kidnap Misomi.

The look of shock could be seen on his face.

"The look on your face already says it all." <Shin>

"Shit, So!? There's-" <Harold>

"Here's the contract with the seal belonging to your company." <Shin>

Shin cut off Harold's words, and then took out a scroll from his pocket.

"Everything on here are the agreement between the Phantom guild and Fortuneprise. In which it states to kidnap the girl working for Guardian." <Shin>

"Ahh..." <Harold>

Harold finally lost. The one proof that connects him to the kidnapping had been uncovered. There's no way he can lie himself out of it anymore.

Harold looked down dejectedly.

"Here, take it." <Shin>

Shin gave the scroll containing the contract to Aleytia.

"I'll be waiting for the news of his downfall. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." <Shin>

Shin devoured the body back into his shadow and began to walk off.

"Wait!" <Aleytia>

Aleytia suddenly stopped him.

"Before you go, I want to know how's Misomi doing..." <Aleytia>

"Other than being fatigued and dispirited, she's alright. Shana should have already brought her back home and healed her." <Shin>

"Thank the goddess..." <Aleytia>

Aleytia was relieved to hear it. She then braced herself to say something to Shin.

"Actually... I would like to apologise." <Aleytia>

"?" <Shin>

"Because of me, she got kidnapped in the first place." <Aleytia>

Shin was confused as to what Aleytia was apologising for, but what she said after made Shin understood the reason.

"Ah, that. I heard what happened from Layla. Honestly, that's another matter that I'm really pissed off with. But the Princess shouldn't be the one apologising." <Shin>

"No, I should be blamed just as much. He's my-" <Aleytia>

"Enough. No point in you apologising, I don't wanna hear it. Instead, you should know what I want that can quell my anger. Tell him that he better be prepared." <Shin>

"Yes... I'll inform him." <Aleytia>

With nothing else to discuss, Shin went off.

...

Shin had a detour. He went out of the capital to a nearby forest with monsters. After slaying some monsters to cool down, he then returned home. The sun had long set by then.

When he stepped into the mansion, Layla was standing in the middle of the corridor.

"Layla? Why are you just standing there?" <Shin>

Shin asked that question, but he roughly knows what it's about.

"I told her that she shouldn't blame herself for the kidnapping but she wouldn't listen. Even though she knows that you wouldn't be mad with her, she insisted that she should apologise to you in person." <Shana>

Shana who suddenly appeared, was leaning against the wall nearby.

"I'll leave you two alone to talk it out. As for Misomi, she's fully healed. But mental scar isn't something I can heal even as a goddess. So for now, she's sleeping. With that said, I too will head to bed. Goodnight." <Shana>

Shana said her farewells and headed up the stairs.

After Shana left, Layla finally spoke up.

"Shin-Sama, before you say anything, I really am sorry for not looking out for Misomi properly." <Layla>

Layla wholeheartedly apologised.

"You had tasked me to take good care of her, but I failed such a simple task. Truly, I'm ashamed." <Layla>

Layla continued to apologise. Hearing that, Shin was troubled as to how to respond to it. He knows if he just simply brush it off, Layla will continue to blame herself. So Shin was still thinking as to what he should do.

But first,

"let's talk somewhere first." <Shin>

Shin grab hold of Layla's hand and pulled her along. They then walked out the door and went somewhere.

After a while of walking, Shin finally reached the place that he decided to go.

He sat down on the bench that was there.

"Sit down." <Shin>

Shin urged Layla, but she hesitated. However, she sat down after a while.

There was a bit of silence at first, but Shin decided to break the silence first.

"You should remember this place. It's the place that you and I had a small squabble." <Shin>

Shin had purposely brought them here. Since they could reminisce of their first encounter with one another, so as to lighten the mood. But also a place quiet enough for them to handle the current matter.

"You should already know without me telling but I will still say it. You don't have to blame yourself, and I'm not going to blame you either." <Shin>

"But-!" <Layla>

"If you're gonna blame yourself, then I should blame myself too, right?" <Shin>

Shin interrupted Layla before she could rebuke.

"I should have given her the insignia to protect her, since she's someone special to me. You all should know that by now." <Shin>

Shin spoke out his honest opinion on the matter.

"That... It can't be helped. Misomi has yet to understand her own feelings. Since Shin-Sama is still waiting for her, you don't want to rush her." <Layla>

"True. But, if I had been greedy, she wouldn't have gotten traumatised by this kidnapping." <Shin>

Shin took a light breathe, before continuing to speak.

"What I'm saying is, everyone makes mistake. Its just how will you respond to it that matters. You can choose to feel guilty all the way, or you can instead better yourself so as to not make the same mistake twice." <Shin>

Hearing Shin's lecture, Layla had some thoughts of self-reflection.

"I understand. I'll work harder to not disappoint you again." <Layla>

"Good. Now then, I'm still a bit mad, so I need something that can cool me down. Since the others aren't here, you're the only one I can rely on." <Shin>

"Yes?" <Layla>

Layla looked at Shin with a questionable look. Wondering what Shin wants.

Shin proceeded to pull her close to him and then whispered into her ears.

"Let's have lots of fun, shall we?" <Shin>

After that, Shin brought Layla to a nearby inn where they stayed overnight. On the contrary, they had a blissful night together.