Free Web NovelChapter 64: _We Aren’t Dating, Are We?
Phoenix Flight HQ.
[Daily quest completed!]
[REWARD: +100 EP and +2 intelligence.]
Ambrose sighed as he, Devon and Orion got out of the elevator leading into his hallway. Seeing his stats move up at a snail’s pace was getting frustrating.
He couldn’t keep up with all the numbers and hated having to always ask the system to show his stats. To see if he was getting any closer to evolving to the next rank.
’Aura. What are my total EP points now?’
[EP: 2300.]
’And intelligence?’
[10.]
Ugh... again... numbers meant nothing to him.
The system rewards had been getting worse each day— a mystery box, fifty seduction coins, minor healing factor boosts... useless things when he was stuck at a bottleneck.
"Daddy?" Orion’s fingers curled around his just then, making him stiffen. His gaze lowered to the little human blinking at him innocently. "You’re doing that thing again."
Ambrose glanced at Devon.
The Esper walked a few paces ahead of them, looking over his shoulder with a knowing glint. Traitor.
"What are you talking about?" Ambrose decided to humour the kid.
"Spacing out. Like you’re having a little conversation with yourself in your head."
The words struck him harder than they should’ve. He gawked speechlessly at Orion. "... I... I do not do that."
"You actually do," Devon intoned matter-of-factly as they finally got in front of Ambrose’s suite door. "A lot. I noticed it since the Gala night."
Ambrose’s cheeks burned.
Not with embarrassment. Nervousness.
’What happens if they find out about you?’ he asked Aura. ’Or anyone else for that matter.’
[You tell me—what do you think other Espers would do if they find out you have a robotic voice in your head helping you down a path where you can progressively become both a Guide and Esper?]
He didn’t even need to imagine it.
[The system must remain a secret. There are far too many chances of things ending badly if you do something otherwise.] Aura added as Ambrose opened the door.
Orion was the first to run in, Ambrose lumbering lazily behind.
"I had so much fun today, Daddy!" The boy skipped to the sofa. "Can I have ice—"
"Young man, bathroom." Ambrose pointed at the kid’s bedroom door. "Now. What do I always say comes after play time?"
The boy grumbled, pouting as he responded. "We must always wash off the dirt that comes with playing."
Devon arched a brow from the door, shutting it quietly. He watched Ambrose’s interaction with the kid and was amused, a small smile curving his mouth.
"Good." Ambrose raised his chin, gesturing at the lad. "Now come on. Off you go."
As Orion spun around and scurried off to his room, Ambrose smirked. The moment the door clicked behind the boy, however, two hands gripped his waist gently from behind.
Ambrose’s breath hitched. "Jesus, Devon."
"What?" The Esper acted clueless, his mouth dangerously close to Ambrose’s neck. "Did I startle you?"
"A little, yeah."
"You’ve been so tense since Norfolk," Devon went on smoothly, his fingers trailing up until they got to Ambrose’s shoulders. "See? Why don’t we... fix that?"
Ambrose gulped, his crotch already throbbing in a way he couldn’t ignore.
Sadly—or not—the moment was brought to an abrupt end when Ambrose’s phone rang.
"I need to get that real quick." He chuckled, pulling out his phone while taking a couple of steps away from Devon. His brows knitted when he saw the contact name.
... Viktor?
"Who is it?" Devon queried, stretching his arms as he strode to a sofa. "Also, should we really be trusting a six-year-old with bathing on his own?"
Ambrose waved dismissively. "He’s a smart kid. He can... handle it..." His stomach churned with each ring that came from the phone.
Something told him he already had an idea why the ice Prince was calling him. Still, he couldn’t know for sure without picking. Plus, Devon’s stare as the ringing persisted was beginning to feel suffocating.
"Uhm... hey." He picked up the call, keeping his voice low. "This is a surprise."
"Good morning to you too, Ambrose." Viktor sniggered, words clear even though he wasn’t on speaker phone.
Devon’s forehead creased. ’Viktor? Since when did he have his number?’ he recognized that smug tone from anywhere.
"How’ve you been since Norfolk?" Viktor continued as if it were a welfare check. "Anything new? Any—"
"I’ve been good, Viktor," Ambrose answered too quickly, his smile disappearing. "Just here. Surviving."
"Don’t be boring," the grin on the S-Rank’s face was almost visible to Ambrose. "Tell you what? I’m feeling generous today... so I decided to cash in that favour you owe me."
Ambrose paled instantly.
How did any of that make the guy ’generous’?
"Viktor—"
"Pinnacle Pavilion Restaurant," Viktor’s baritone was cutting. Final. "Tonight. Me. You. Eating dinner at the place where you stole my number. And my attention."
"I—It’s impromptu," Ambrose heaved. "Can’t you—?"
"Would you like me to come pick you up?"
"... No. Fine. Tonight, right?"
"Seven PM sharp. Don’t be late, little bird."
And with that, Viktor hung up.
Devon had heard most of the conversation but still felt the need to ask. "What favour was he talking about? And why do you have to go for this... dinner?"
Ambrose’s eyes fluttered shut for a beat before he responded. "I... you know I couldn’t have been at Norfolk without Viktor, right?"
"Mmhm?"
"Yeah... Well, in return for getting me there, he asked for a favour."
"And you agreed to it?"
"I mean—"
"I don’t trust him around you, Rory." Devon broke the distance between them, head tilting. "Viktor is... complicated. This might be some kind of game to get to me—"
"Why should it get to you?" Ambrose asked, genuinely curious. "We... aren’t really dating, are we? Besides, it’s a harmless dinner date."
Those words shattered the light in Devon’s eyes.
But Ambrose didn’t regret them.
Devon has never spoken about a relationship since the permanent link was formed. And if he was being honest, he liked it that way.
After the trauma his last relationship from his past life caused, he doubted he’d be hopping into a new one anytime soon. What they had now worked. No expectations. No labels. Just... this.
Seeing that Devon had nothing to say, Ambrose nodded. "Okay then. If there’s nothing else I’ll—"
[NEW SIDE MISSION UPDATED!]
’... You’ve got to be kidding me.’
[OBJECTIVE: Form Guide link with subject, Viktor Morozov, tonight.]
[REWARD: Passive cold resistance skill and +700 EP.]
[PENALTY: Psychic backlash.]
’It’s always the damn psychic backlash!’ he held himself back from snapping, brushing a hand through his hair.
Devon noticed the sudden shift in his demeanour. "You... were trying to say something."
Ambrose shook his head. "Oh—nothing. I’m fine," he smiled from ear to ear while the system screen flashed in his face. "Everything is all good."
[That won’t be the case for long if you don’t complete this mission. So... chop chop, sweetheart. You’re going on a date!]
