CHAPTER 77: CH 77: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN - PART 1

Irielle was practically glued to Kana’s side.

From the moment Kana had woken up that morning, the elf had latched onto her arm like a stubborn vine, refusing to let go.

At first, Kana had thought it was cute — the warmth of Irielle’s body pressed against her, the faint scent of forest herbs clinging to her hair, and the way her soft cheek brushed against Kana’s shoulder every time she shifted.

But after an hour of trying to make breakfast, reach for cups, or even just pour water, the "cute" had started to wear thin.

Every time Kana subtly tried to tug her arm free, Irielle’s grip would tighten in an almost possessive squeeze, sending a dull ache shooting through Kana’s muscles.

She winced, biting back a sigh.

Lysera, leaning against the kitchen doorway with arms folded, finally raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning on going to work today, Irielle? Or do I need to send someone to drag you there?"

"I’m taking the day off. Kana needs me. I need my fill of her. Do you know how irritated and annoyed I was while she was stuck in that temple? Now that I have her back, I’m not letting her go."

Irielle announced without shame, pouting at Lysera as if daring her to object.

Kana’s lips curved into a faint, awkward smile.

She was flattered, yes, but also very aware she had completely lost her ability to use her dominant arm for anything remotely useful.

Lysera opened her mouth to argue, but after a long pause, she just sighed and shook her head.

"Fine. Stay glued to her if you want. I’m going out for a while."

She grabbed her coat and left with the air of someone surrendering to inevitable nonsense.

Kana stared at the door Lysera had closed behind her, realizing with resignation that she was probably stuck with Irielle for the entire day.

She had almost accepted her fate when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor outside.

The front door burst open, and an elf stumbled in — hair mussed, breathing uneven, and eyes wide with panic.

Irielle didn’t even glance at her at first.

"Go away. It’s my day off. Whatever it is, deal with it yourself."

But the intruder’s expression was so strained, so desperate, that even Irielle hesitated. The elf’s voice came out in a rush, pitched high with urgency.

"They... they’ve come to visit you. You need to hurry!"

The room fell into a sudden, heavy silence.

Kana felt Irielle’s grip on her arm slacken for the first time all morning, replaced by a cold tension that coiled through her body.

The moment the other elf’s words left her lips, Irielle released her hold on Kana’s arm.

"I need to take care of some pests. I’ll be back soon."

She said, her tone low and edged in a way that told Kana she wasn’t talking about rodents or insects.

Kana tilted her head slightly, wanting to ask what she meant, but something in Irielle’s expression stopped her.

The easygoing, teasing air she usually carried was gone, replaced with a sharpness that made the air feel tense.

Her eyes were narrowed, her jaw tight. Whatever she was going to do, it wasn’t going to be peaceful.

So, Kana simply nodded, even though a faint loneliness settled in her chest as she watched Irielle stride toward the door.

She had a feeling that giving Irielle space was the wiser choice right now.

The elf who had brought the message lingered by the doorway, hesitating before glancing back at Kana.

She attempted a reassuring smile, but the panic behind her eyes was impossible to miss.

"Don’t worry. It’s just... Irielle’s family visiting her. She’s not on good terms with them, so she gets irritated whenever she hears they’ve come to see her. Or, well... for something like that."

She said quickly, as if trying to smooth over an unseen wrinkle.

Kana’s lips parted slightly.

"Her family?"

She echoed softly, surprised that she knew so little about them.

Before the elf could continue, the front door opened again, and Irielle stepped back inside.

"Don’t fill her head with useless information."

She said curtly, her gaze fixed on the other elf.

The elf flinched, startled, and quickly dipped her head.

"My apologies."

Without another word, she moved toward the door and slipped out, with Irielle following right behind her.

And just like that, the house was quiet again.

Kana stood in the middle of the living space, the emptiness around her somehow louder than before.

She tried to distract herself — pacing the room, glancing out the window, even pulling one of the books from the shelf — but nothing held her attention.

The clock ticked steadily in the background, and with every minute that passed, the quiet pressed down heavier.

Eventually, she sighed, setting the book down without even remembering the last sentence she’d read. Sitting here and waiting wasn’t doing her any good.

She could at least make use of the time and explore. Maybe have some fun.

Stepping outside, Kana took a deep breath of the cool air, the light of the late morning spilling across the street.

She started walking, her steps unhurried, but as she reached the end of the street, an odd sensation prickled at the back of her neck.

She slowed slightly, eyes flicking to the rooftops and alleys in her periphery.

It felt like someone was watching her — not in the casual way passersby sometimes did, but in a focused, lingering manner. Yet when she scanned the area, nothing seemed out of place.

Unable to find the source, she pressed her lips together and continued walking, telling herself it was probably nothing.

Still, she made a conscious decision to head toward the more crowded parts of the city.

If someone truly was following her, they’d think twice about making a move in broad daylight with too many eyes around.

The bustle of the marketplace soon reached her ears, the clinking of coins, the calls of merchants, and the mingling voices of a hundred strangers creating a safer sort of noise.

Even so, the feeling of being watched didn’t entirely fade.

Kana kept her pace steady, weaving through the bustling streets where merchants hawked wares and children darted between stalls.

The midday sun cast warm light over the cobblestones, yet that faint prickling at the back of her neck refused to fade.

It was the kind of sensation that made her shoulders tense and her eyes flick to every reflective surface she passed, searching for a glimpse of movement that wasn’t there.

She told herself it was probably nothing—maybe just leftover paranoia from her recent ordeals—but her steps unconsciously steered her toward the busiest corners of the marketplace.

The noise, the colors, and the constant shifting crowd gave her a thin comfort.

A vendor selling sweet pastries waved her over, recognizing her from a past visit. Kana forced a smile and bought one, trying to act natural.

She took a small bite, the sugar melting on her tongue, and focused on blending in.

Still, every so often, she caught herself glancing over her shoulder.

No one lingered long in her sight, but the air felt... wrong, as though an unseen thread was tugging her along.

Kana exhaled slowly. She decided she’d make a quick loop through the main street before heading back.