I’m In Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me Chapter 144 - The End

“What are you doing?”

Elsez’s cheeks flushed red as she looked at him in surprise.

Over the half-year that Rashiel had lived together with her as lovers, he had learned one thing: when it came to romance, Elsez was easily embarrassed.

Whenever things grew awkward, she would either smack him or try desperately to wriggle out of the situation.

Of course, to him, that only made her all the more endearing.

“My lover is awfully shy,” he teased. “Even though we’ve already done things far beyond just kissing.”

At his blunt words, Elsez gasped in shock.

Rashiel, however, wore an expression that showed he couldn’t care less about her flustered reaction.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, locking eyes with her as she tried to look away.

“I wonder… when will you finally get used to me?”

“…”

“What if we just keep going until you do?”

His lazy tone belied the intensity in his gaze—it was the look of a predator ready to devour her whole.

‘He’s insane…’

Mouth opening and closing without words, Elsez finally clamped her hand over his mischievous mouth.

But even silenced, the charged current in his eyes was impossible to block.

Rashiel pressed a kiss to her palm before peeling it away.

“So… you’re really not going to give me a kiss?”

His striking features and low, resonant voice carried a dangerous charm.

Otherwise, how could she possibly fall for him every single time?

Staring blankly at the face that was tempting her yet again, Elsez finally gave in and brushed her lips against his.

“Ahem. Now you’re awake, right? So hurry up and get ready to—”

But before she could finish, Rashiel pulled her close and captured her lips in a deep kiss.

Thankfully, this time no fist came flying in response.

 

 

****

 

 

 

By evening, Elsez and Rashiel stepped into the Guild Eternal, the agreed meeting place.

The first to greet them were Jack and Pers.

“Our ace is here!”

Jack beamed as he welcomed Elsez, while Pers exchanged a polite nod with Rashiel.

“And the others?”

“Our boozehound? He’s already over there starting a warm-up round with the others. The rest haven’t shown yet.”

Jack jerked his chin toward a corner where Cassian was already drinking with a group of guild members.

“Anyway, sit over here for now.”

After seating Elsez and Rashiel, Jack went to inform Cassian of their arrival.

Draining his glass in one gulp, Cassian strode over and plopped down beside Elsez.

“You’re early. Do I owe the first arrival a drink as a prize?”

He lightly tapped her head with his big hand as he sat.

Elsez wrinkled her nose at the heavy smell of alcohol wafting from him and shot him a glare.

“Cassian, what is your limit? I’ve never once seen you collapse.”

“Who knows? I don’t even know. Curious? Then drink with me ‘til the end tonight.”

“Don’t you dare drag her into that.”

Rashiel cut him off sharply as Cassian tried to push a beer into Elsez’s hand.

Cassian scowled at Rashiel, then leaned toward Elsez and muttered,

“Seriously, what do you see in such a boring, stuck-up guy that you’d live with him?”

Elsez only chuckled at that, but before she could reply, two figures in black robes entered the guild.

A tall man and someone with the build of a child.

Elsez recognized them instantly and shot to her feet just as they pulled back their hoods.

Astaire—and Reti, restored to human form.

Elsez hurried forward.

“Lilia!”

That had been Reti’s name back when she was a princess.

The child, eyes wide with curiosity as she scanned the guild, spotted Elsez and ran straight into her arms, grinning brightly.

“Elsez!”

Elsez scooped the ten-year-old up with ease. To someone still carrying the power of the Demon God, the weight of a child was nothing.

“Have you been well?”

“Uh-huh… no, wait. Not really.”

Lilia, about to answer without thinking, glanced at Astaire and quickly corrected herself.

“That guy—uh, His Holiness keeps making me study! And he only gives me one cookie every three days!”

Having returned to a human body and recognized for her divine power, Lilia had immediately become a temple apprentice. Astaire, seeing her potential, had taken her as his student and heir.

Who would have thought? Reti, who once despised Astaire most of all, now being raised as his successor.

“And you’re skipping the part,” Astaire added dryly, “where you snuck into my office and got caught stealing every last cookie I had confiscated.”

Lilia froze, eyes darting away.

Cassian cut in with a laugh.

“Come on, how badly must she have wanted them if she went that far? Lighten up once in a while.”

“See?!” Lilia cried, quickly siding with Cassian as if she hadn’t just been caught red-handed.

The reunion carried on in that warm, noisy way until the clock struck seven.

Hearing the chime, Cassian glanced at the door.

“By the way, where the hell is Tezette this time?”

“Is he buying cookies?!” Lilia’s eyes sparkled with hope.

Elsez smiled at her and replied, “He’ll be here soon. Don’t worry.”

“Ha. Some habits never die…”

“Speak of the devil,” Rashiel murmured, nodding toward the door.

Sure enough, Tezette walked in.

Noticing Rashiel seated beside Elsez, his expression cooled for a moment, but he took a seat without a word.

Cassian immediately shoved a brimming mug in front of him.

“Latecomers pay a forfeit.”

“Why should I drink this?”

“Then I’ll drink it!” Lilia piped up.

Of course, Cassian wasn’t about to let that fly.

“Pfft. Stay out of it, kid.”

“I’m not a kid! I’m over eight hundred years old!”

“Then stay out of it, grandma.”

Astaire, Elsez, and Rashiel could only sip their drinks, watching the three bicker.

After wetting his throat, Astaire suddenly turned to Elsez.

“By the way, Master. What happened with separating the Demon God’s power?”

“It’s going well. I had some extracted earlier today.”

“That’s not putting too much strain on you, is it?” Cassian asked, his tone softer now.

“It’s tiring, but manageable.”

“Why not just keep the power, then? If it’s only people judging you for it, I can deal with them.”

Knowing exactly what Cassian’s “solutions” looked like, Elsez only chuckled and shook her head.

“No, this is what I want. A world guarded by one absolute being is dangerous.”

“But you’d never use it for evil.”

“I just want to live as an ordinary person now.”

Cassian, who better than anyone understood the crushing weight of the “hero’s responsibility” she had borne, could only fall silent at that.

The mood had grown heavy when suddenly—

“Ahem! The drinks are flowing, the mood’s high, so it’s time I graced you with a song!”

Jack, at another table, leapt up declaring he would sing.

Cassian groaned.

“Who the hell told him to sing?”

Despite the jeers, Jack started anyway. And no wonder Cassian was horrified—Jack was catastrophically tone-deaf.

Still, nothing lifted spirits quite like music. Guild members and Lilia doubled over with laughter, even Astaire chuckled aloud at the ridiculous performance.

“Stop this madness. Someone drag him down,” Cassian ordered as the second verse began.

Tezette, silent until now, drew a dagger. Cassian panicked and quickly restrained him.

Rashiel’s gaze looked indifferent, but the fact that it lingered on Jack betrayed that even he was somewhat entertained.

Elsez, meanwhile, let her eyes take in the sight of all these people she loved and thought,

We protected this scene.

Her chest tightened with sudden emotion.

And with it came a quiet hope—that everything still unresolved would work out in time.

Under the table, she slipped her hand into Rashiel’s.

Her fingers brushed the couple’s ring on his left hand.

Feeling it, Rashiel turned to her.

Leaning closer, she whispered, “Thank you, Rashiel.”

He looked at her, puzzled by the sudden words.

Elsez smiled softly. “For everything.”

For a long moment, Rashiel just stared at her, then let out a quiet laugh and squeezed her hand more firmly—telling her without words that he understood her heart completely.

Caressing his hand, Elsez thought to herself,

The peace of this world won’t last forever.

It was only temporary. Evil might rise again, or, as Dike had said, human greed could spark new wars.

But no matter how many times, no matter what comes, this world would be protected—by all those who loved it, and loved the precious people living within it.

 

 

 

I’m In Trouble Because The Darkened Heroes Are Obsessed With Me- END