“What could a man and a woman possibly do alone on a blanket late at night?” Matthias pondered rhetorically. Odelliana remained silent, uncertainty flickering in her eyes.
“There’s only one thing,” he continued, his tone suggestive yet strangely restrained.
His hand, much larger than hers, enveloped Odelliana’s with a gentle touch, holding her in a subtle yet undeniable grip. Though his grasp was light, she felt the stark contrast in strength, a reminder of the power he possessed.
At that moment, a surge of conflicting emotions washed over her—irritation mingled with a sense of being overpowered, her balance tipping under the weight of his presence.
As she shifted against the soft texture of the blanket, a shadow fell over her, prompting her to look up into Matthias’s piercing gaze.
“Are you capable of doing it?” she dared to ask, her voice laced with a hint of defiance.
The one who recoiled at another’s touch as if it were repulsive, like a mere insect?
Matthias’s expression tightened slightly at her words. “That’s a rather rude remark to make to a perfectly healthy man,” he retorted, a flicker of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
“I didn’t mean to imply incapability,” Odelliana clarified. “Just that you weren’t the kind of scoundrel to entertain such thoughts.”
“How can you be so sure? You talk as if you know me well,” Matthias countered.
“I have a good eye for people,” Odelliana replied with quiet confidence, her mind drifting back to a shared history that spanned lifetimes.
I know you well. In our past lives, I was probably the person closest to you. Although our relationship wasn’t particularly affectionate, we were undeniably the closest of companions. Master and disciple, comrades serving the same lord, and eventually, lord and retainer. We spent a lot of time together, whether we liked it or not.
“If you’re so confident, go ahead. What could you possibly do to me?” Odelliana challenged, her voice laced with defiance as she met Matthias’s gaze head-on.
“Should I undress first? Or will you do it?” Matthias retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm, though a flicker of discomfort danced across his features.
As Odelliana observed Matthias’s reaction, she couldn’t help but notice the faint blush that colored his cheeks, a rare display of vulnerability that caught her off guard.
It was a stark departure from the composed facade he usually wore, and Odelliana found herself momentarily taken aback by the sight.
“See? You can’t do it, yet you’re putting on airs,” she remarked, her tone a mixture of amusement and disbelief.
Matthias’s expression hardened, his displeasure evident as he averted his gaze. “It’s not that I can’t; it’s that I won’t,” he muttered.
His attempt at correction only served to elicit a soft chuckle from Odelliana. “Is that so? How very well-behaved of you,” she quipped.
Matthias’s laughter mingled with hers, the tension between them momentarily diffused. “That’s the first time anyone’s called me well-behaved.”
“Maybe you’ve only been surrounded by people who can’t judge character.”
In this life, Matthias wasn’t the same violent, fierce, and cruel individual she had known in their past existence. There was a glimmer of something more, a potential for growth and redemption that she couldn’t help but feel hopeful about.
“Just so you know, never do anything this dangerous with other men,” Matthias cautioned.
“Dangerous?” Odelliana echoed, her brows furrowing in confusion.
“Don’t pull just anyone onto a blanket with you,” he clarified, his words leaving Odelliana feeling defensive.
What does he think of me? she wondered, bristling at the implication that she would engage in such reckless behavior with anyone other than Matthias. “I just wanted you to sleep on a clean blanket instead of a dirty mat,” she explained hastily, her tone tinged with frustration. “After all, I’m an intruder, and it wouldn’t feel right to take the good blanket for myself. That’s all there was to it. Really.”
“Even so, you were careless,” Matthias replied, his sigh heavy with reproach as he turned away from her, his resolve to refrain from any untoward actions evident.
It seemed like he was showing off his self-control, signaling that she should be grateful for his restraint. “Go to sleep,” he added tersely.
It was indeed very late, and although Odelliana wanted to talk more and tend to Matthias’s wounds, she could sense his fatigue and decided to save it for tomorrow.
I need to ask him to come with me…
Would he follow her quietly? With a resigned sigh, Odelliana turned her back to him and closed her eyes, the events of the day swirling in her mind.
Was it the sudden change in environment, or was it the fact that this was the first time she’d ever shared a blanket with her disciple in any of their lifetimes? Whatever the reason, it was clear that sleep would elude her on this night.
