CHAPTER 157: CHAPTER 157 | OBSESSION

"Jinn!"

The voice cut through the air before either of them could react, and a figure rushed forward with such sudden speed that Rina didn’t even catch the movement.

One moment the room was still, and the next, Akavi was already in front of them—an elegant blur of dark hair and gold eyes.

Only Jinn’s trained senses picked up her approach; he had seen this speed before, many times, and it no longer startled him.

Akavi threw her arms around him without hesitation, wrapping herself tightly against his body in a grip that looked more emotional than necessary.

She clung to him as if afraid he might slip away the moment she loosened her hold, as if she had missed him far too long to risk letting him go again.

Jinn didn’t flinch.

His expression remained stiff and unreadable, his posture unchanged even while she pressed herself closer. This sort of greeting was nothing new.

Even after his years of absence, he knew Akavi well enough to expect this exact behavior.

She always acted as though she owned him, or at the very least, as if she had some invisible claim over him that no one else dared question.

Maybe it was control.

Maybe possession.

Maybe some twisted sense of affection that she liked to display only when it suited her image.

Or perhaps—perhaps it was all just another form of entertainment for her, a way to amuse herself by pulling him closer and seeing how he reacted.

Whatever the truth was, Jinn wasn’t foolish enough to fall for the theatrics.

Zerafhon had molded him, sharpened him, and given him instincts that never failed.

He had learned long ago that in this empire, people did not bond so casually.

Every gesture had weight.

Every smile had a price.

Every noble had intentions buried behind polite words.

"Have you missed me, Jinn? Mhm?" Akavi murmured, resting her cheek against his chest with a soft, almost playful sigh.

For a moment she looked peaceful, but then her head turned, her golden eyes shifting sharply toward Rina.

Her arms remained locked around Jinn as if she was staking her claim even while addressing someone else.

"Ah, Rina," she said, her tone shifting instantly—no longer warm, no longer soft.

Her voice hardened into something formal, almost cold.

"Well done for bringing him back as requested."

The change in her expression was so sudden that Rina felt a small chill run down her spine, a quiet and unwelcome reminder of where she stood in the hierarchy.

Even her mask couldn’t hide the startled stiffness in her posture.

She forced out a laugh, a shaky, clearly artificial sound that cracked through her voice filter.

"Ah! H-Hahaha! O-Of course, Lady Akavi!" Rina replied, trying her best to keep her tone light, even if it sounded painfully fake despite the synthetic modulation of her mask.

"Mhm..." Akavi finally loosened her grip, her arms slowly slipping away from Jinn as if she reluctantly allowed the moment to end.

She turned toward the wide flight of stairs that led to the upper floor, her posture elegant and controlled. Without another word, she began moving, her heels clicking softly against the polished steps.

"Come," she said, her voice calm but carrying that familiar tone of authority.

"I will lead both of you to your rooms."

She took her first step, and before lifting the next, she glanced back over her shoulder—her golden eyes lingering on Jinn for a moment that felt longer than it actually was.

Then she shifted her gaze forward again and continued climbing, her figure almost gliding up the stairs with practiced grace.

"H-hahaha! Gotcha!" Rina muttered awkwardly, scratching at the back of her neck.

She leaned closer to Jinn, bringing her hand up like a small wall beside her mouth, whispering despite the house being large enough that no one else would hear.

"I really can’t get used to Lady Akavi..."

"Don’t be disappointed," Jinn replied calmly, stepping forward without hesitation.

He placed a foot on the first stair, eyes fixed ahead, expression unchanging.

"She is unpredictable as it gets."

He didn’t slow down or wait for her reaction.

He simply continued upward, his footsteps steady and firm, his attention glued to the figure ahead of him as if he already understood what to expect.

*siiigh!

Rina exhaled a long sigh, her shoulders dipping as she watched Jinn’s back for a moment.

She looked almost deflated, like all the tension she had been holding suddenly leaked out at once.

After a few seconds, she forced herself upright, straightening her posture with a small huff, her mask giving a faint mechanical whirr as she moved.

With renewed resolve—even if it was slightly shaky—she climbed the stairs as well, following closely behind Jinn, her pace a little faster than before so she wouldn’t fall too far behind.

After several quiet minutes of climbing the stairs and turning past a few connecting hallways, Jinn and Rina finally stepped into an ornate corridor.

A deep red carpet stretched across the entire length of the passage, so soft that even their footsteps felt muted against it. Golden patterns curled along the edges of the fabric, designs that almost glowed under the warm lights hanging overhead.

The walls to their left and right were lined with paintings—abstract pieces, strange swirls of color and odd shapes that held no deeper meaning. They were clearly installed only to add flavor to the hallway, a noble’s attempt at showing culture without truly caring for the art itself.

Jinn barely spared them a glance. Rina looked once or twice out of polite curiosity, but nothing about the artworks stood out enough for her to comment.

They reached the center of the corridor where Akavi already waited, standing with her arms loosely crossed, her gaze sharp as always.

She stood before a wooden door, simple and elegant, very clearly meant to be Rina’s.

"This room will be yours, Rina," Akavi announced, her tone flat but polite.

"You may call any of your servants to attend to you. You can rest here until the royal assembly commences."

Rina straightened with a relieved nod. "Than—"

But she didn’t get the chance to continue.

Before the word could leave her mouth, Akavi had already turned away, reaching out and clutching Jinn’s arm with a firm, almost possessive grip. Without giving Rina even a proper farewell, she pulled Jinn forward, guiding him down the rest of the hallway.

Rina blinked, slightly stunned.

But Akavi gave her no more attention.

The further end of the hallway grew even more elaborate.

The carpeting darkened to a richer shade, the patterns thicker, and the lanterns brighter.

The door Akavi approached was far from ordinary—its wooden frame carved with swirling designs, gold leaf pressed delicately into the grooves.

Compared to Rina’s room, this one was unmistakably special.

"Here’s yours, Jinn. I picked this one specially for us!" she chimed, her tone bright and lighthearted—completely different from the cold, clipped voice she used on Rina just moments earlier.

"Us?" Jinn raised a brow, turning his lone eye toward her.

She was already watching him, golden eyes locked onto his face, glowing with something unreadable.

"Isn’t that obvious?" she replied sweetly, tilting her head.

"It’s been such a long time since we last saw each other. We should take this moment and taaaalk about everything—every little story from your campaign with General Gaius!"

Her fingers tightened around his arm, abnormally strong, enough for Jinn to feel it through his armour.

Her expression shifted—a shadow falling across her eyes.

"How many did you slay?" she continued, voice dropping slightly.

"How many did you spare? Did they die fast... or slow?" Her grip tightened again.

"Anything, Jinn. I want to hear all of it."

Her golden eyes pierced into him, sharp like blades, staring so deeply that even Jinn felt the slightest twitch of discomfort.

With a sharp motion, he yanked his arm free, swiping her hand away.

"You do not have any business knowing how I slay my enemies," he said, his voice edged with warning.

He took hold of the doorknob and pushed the door open without waiting for her response.

Warm, sweet air washed over him immediately—a mix of floral scent and something faintly sugary.

The room inside was large, patterned with intricate carvings and designs fit for royalty.

Expensive decorations lined the walls, a bed large enough for two nobles sat at the center, and faint drapes hung from the ceiling like soft fog.

Jinn didn’t care. A room was still a room in his eyes. Luxury meant nothing to him.

He took one step forward—

*vwoooom!

—and suddenly a powerful force slammed into him from behind.

A gust like an explosive wave shoved him fully inside the room.

His boots skidded across the polished floor as he twisted his body, instincts snapping awake.

In a single breath, his hand reached for the hilt of his sword.

"What are you doing, Akavi?" Jinn snapped, his lone eye twitching with irritation.

*click!

A loud click echoed through the room. Akavi had closed the door—and locked it.

She stood with her back against the door, a slow smirk crawling onto her face.

Her golden eyes gleamed with something unsettling, something between amusement and hunger.

"You must have forgotten, Jinn..." she said softly, almost teasing.

Her gaze never wavered. Her smirk never faded.

"About the contract we made."