Free Web NovelChapter 92: _Death Is A Guardian Angel
Gabriel pulled away after sustaining the mouth-to-mouth contact. He used the back of his hand to wipe his lips, staring at that same hand like it didn’t belong to him.
How? Minutes ago all he wanted to do was figure out what this Guide’s deal was and be done with it. Now here he was, kneeling in the middle of Vatican City... kissing him?
No—that wasn’t a kiss. He was only trying to resuscitate the idiot.
Meanwhile, Ambrose still had his eyes wide open, his gaze first pinned on the bright afternoon sky. Then it flitted to Gabriel’s face. And then to Valentine—standing behind him and gawking like his favourite show was on.
’No freaking way,’ his mind went down an avalanche of thoughts. ’That... that didn’t just happen right? Did he kiss me?’
[Normal people would call it—]
’I know what I felt!’ he snapped. ’It was a kiss. That was more than lips touching. I could’ve sworn I felt his tongue sliding in at one point.’
He was petrified, not knowing what to say or do.
Surely, since the guy technically ’saved’ him, he should be thanking him. But his brain couldn’t even generate anything coherent to start with.
As this went on, a few people around them whispered amongst themselves.
"Who is that young man?" Someone murmured in French. "He doesn’t seem important... how are two of America’s SS-Ranks talking so casually with him?"
"Did he actually faint?" Another asked in Russian.
"It looks like it."
"Shouldn’t he be taken to a doctor or healing Esper?"
While these conversations swirled from one country’s circle to the other, clarity finally shot back into Gabriel. He gnashed his teeth, glaring at Ambrose like he’d committed a grave crime.
Without warning, he grabbed him by his shoulders, yanking him off the ground and onto his feet.
Valentine scoffed. "You sure you want to be dragging him around like that after reviving him?"
"Let me, Lockwood." he didn’t even glance back, eyes blazing with annoyance. "You faked that. Didn’t you?" He questioned Ambrose.
The latter blinked. "W–What?"
"You weren’t actually unconscious."
"I–I was—"
"Tell me what your end goal here is," Gabriel didn’t let it slide. "Are you some spy? Which one of my enemies sent you?"
The questions seemed easy—but there was nothing ’easy’ about the man asking them. The air trembled around him, grip feeling like a vice on Ambrose’s shoulder.
And as if that wasn’t bad enough, the system came with a warning.
[Valentine’s timer paused at 3 minutes, 03 seconds.]
[Initiate interaction with him within the next ten seconds or lose current progress.]
His heart hung in his throat.
Fortunately, Mother Luck seemed to shine her light on him today. "That’s enough, Gabriel," Valentine caught his elbow. "You’ll make the poor lad piss himself at this rate."
Gabriel barely listened to a word he said, eyes refusing to leave Ambrose. Time seemingly stilled around them. For a beat, breathing was impossible.
Before the Guide could actually pass out, Gabriel withdrew his hands with a harrumph.
"You’re one bold fellow," he wagged a finger at Ambrose, adjusting his outfit. "Phoenix Flight Guild, eh? Well..." he pulled closer until his mouth brushed his ear.
"... I’ve got my eyes on you."
With that, he left, giving Valentine one last look. Ambrose couldn’t even follow his movements to see where he was headed. Not after Valentine smoothly moved right in front of him.
"Want to tell me what all that was about?" He queried, interest flashing on his face.
[Valentine’s timer running again.]
[Time left: 2 minutes, 58 seconds.]
"Tch," the man kissed his tongue when he spaced out. "Of course you wouldn’t. You and your little secrets."
He slipped deeper into his personal space, head inclining. "You do feel... different though," a pause. "You sure you don’t want to tell me what happened to you since Norfolk?"
’Oh, nothing.’ Ambrose thought to himself with snark. ’I just got sucked into another dimension the other day and went through a life-or-death mission that helped me evolve.’
[Can’t wait to see what he says if he finds out.]
’Oh, hush. This is your fault.’ Ambrose’s mouth parted finally. "Nothing much, Mr Lockwood. I—"
"I saw those pics." Valentine blurted, stretching out his nails and flicking out imaginary dust. "The ones going around the internet—of you and those two S-Ranks."
Ambrose’s expression glitched with confusion.
... Okay?
"Well..." he managed to speak. "You know how the internet is with these things. Trying to poke into people’s private lives."
Valentine grinned wolfishly. "They’re saying you’re dating or playing both of them at once," he snorted. "Ironic. Fire and ice. You really can’t make this up."
He rubbed his nose, the few seconds letting Ambrose’s eyes sweep over the system screen.
[Time Left: 1 minute, 32 seconds.]
"And then there’s that little boy." Valentine intoned. "Correct me if I’m wrong but he looks a lot like you. Even up to his hair colour."
All Ambrose could do was stare at the screen, trying and failing to keep his features plain. "He sure does," At this point, it felt like he was speaking just because.
Valentine noticed that. "Are you afraid of me?"
"W–What—"
"I asked if you’re afraid of me." The Esper slipped his hands into his coat pocket, the wind carrying his long black hair. "I simply want your honesty."
The question took Ambrose by surprise.
His eyes wandered around, spotting a few people still throwing him looks. Some with curiosity, others with disdain. Yet all this while, they’d seemed... invisible.
Not because he was courageous or didn’t care—he was self-conscious as hell. But because before the presence of this enigma of an Esper, all those people were insignificant.
"... I’m not afraid of you." The words came out before he could stop them. "Everything about you should be scary. From your powers. To your reputation. Even the way you carry yourself."
The amusement on Valentine’s face didn’t change. Not yet.
Until, "And despite all that and the power you have, you haven’t tried hurting me." The words kept flowing. "You keep your distance. Saved my life once. Haven’t tried forcing my so-called ’secrets’ out of me."
Valentine’s lips thinned into a serious line. Something... stirred in him. Something he couldn’t explain for the life of him.
Ambrose wasn’t finished. "You’re darkness. Death. But for some reason, you feel like some kind of guardian angel." He caught himself smiling. "I guess I should be grateful for that."
Silence.
Only the noise from the crowd walking around them was audible. Valentine smacked his lips, his fists balling.
"Adorable." Was all he said after several seconds of nothing. "I wouldn’t get used to it if I were you though. Sooner or later, I will unravel what you really are."
Valentine held his gaze a second longer.
Not smiling this time. Not amused.
Just... looking.
Like he was trying to peel Ambrose apart layer by layer and file every piece away for later.
[Time Left: 00:07]
Ambrose’s throat went dry. ’Say something. Do something. Don’t just stand there like a—’
[00:05]
Valentine exhaled softly through his nose, the tension in his shoulders easing just a fraction. "...You say the strangest things," he muttered.
[00:03]
He stepped back. Just one step—but it felt like space itself snapped back into place with it.
[00:01]
"Try not to die before I figure you out, hm?" A tilt of his head. Then a ghost of that usual, infuriating smile.
[00:00]
[Daily Quest Completed.]
[Reward Issued: +5 Intelligence, +500 HP.]
[Valentine Lockwood Interaction Progress Saved.]
And just like that—He was gone.
No dramatic burst of power. No signs of teleportation or anything of the sort. It was like the air swallowed him whole.
Ambrose stood frozen for a beat.
Eventually, he let out a shaky exhale, his entire body going slack like someone had just cut his strings. His knees nearly gave out.
"Holy shit..." he whispered under his breath, dragging a hand down his face. "Holy shit, holy shit..."
He was alive.
He was actually—
"AMBROSE!"
He flinched so hard his soul nearly left his body.
Oh no.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned around.
And there he was.
Devon.
Marching toward him like an oncoming storm, his brows furrowed.
"What the hell was that?!"
