CHAPTER 34: SHE’S THE ONE I CHOOSE

"What do you want Veyra?" I asked, my eyes falling on her.

She had a heavy frown. She didn’t even bother looking all innocent as she faltered at me, showing how much she hated me.

She must see me as an eyesore.

Seeing me flaunt so romantically in the arms of the beast warrior she wanted must’ve pissed her off so much that she could blow.

I folded my arms, smirking, but then my eyes darted past the jealous females and towards calm and quiet Solin.

"Solin," Fenric called and I watched him head towards her. "Are you having fun?"

"I don’t think so, brother." She said and then her eyes tilted towards my side. We met each other’s gaze for half a second before she looked away.

But even when it was so short, I could feel something in those blue eyes that reflected a golden hue from the fire beside her.

She looked like a curious kitten.

Cute, adorable, and definitely Beautiful. I want to be friends with her, but... I saw the company she had come with.

Veyra must’ve done whatever she wanted, mixing lies and truth about me to get Solin to lose interest in me.

She doesn’t seem to be the type that would fall for such petty schemes but just in case, I should keep my distance.

That was the plan but then Fenric called out to me.

"Arinya, come meet my sister." He said and I froze.

I was going to avoid contact as much as possible. Why must be always make things awkward for me?

Well, he was doing it with pure intentions and probably because he wants me to get along well with his sister, so I won’t blame him.

He must really cherish her.

I walked up to her and said,

"My name is Arinya."

"Solin." She said.

Her introduction was short and cold, like she just wanted to get it over with.

I’m sure we didn’t need an introduction to begin with, since we already had one before, so she must see it as a bother.

"You seem to be having fun, Brother," Solin said. "With this female. Is she different?"

"Arinya’s very different," Fenric said, suddenly pulling me closer. "She’s very smart too. Just now, she was about to tell me what the use of the gift we picked up on our way here was."

"Gift?" Veyra, who had yet to know if the rock salt’s presence, asked, and Fenric nodded proudly.

"No one knows what it’s used for but she does. Isn’t that amazing?"

His nose could literally point up to the sky at this rate.

He was feeding me with praises, as I wanted, but it was a little embarrassing in front of Solin. I don’t know, I just feel a little humbled in front of her

"Then she must be really incredible, brother," Solin said, making me suddenly feel giddy inside.

"Of course. She’s the one I choose, after all." He said and laughed.

But all this, Veyra could not take it. She gritted her teeth in annoyance and hatred.

"That’s a lie!" She suddenly ranted and we turned to her. "I don’t know what you’re talking about but Arinya is definitely lying. There’s no way she’s capable of anything. She’s too dumb and too—" Fenric immediately got closer, intimidating her with his size and aura as he glared at her.

"And why do you think she’s lying?" He asked.

"T-that’s because she’s just trying to get attention." She said and the females beside her nodded, adding their own contribution.

"She doesn’t know how to do anything right."

"I bet she’s lying just to enjoy a little bit of attention, even if it’ll be exposed later."

"She couldn’t have done anything great."

They were yapping and I was yawning.

Are they done?

They only know how to throw false accusations with no evidence.

They don’t even know what the gift looks like, but they say I’m lying just because I got complimented for saying I know what it’s used for.

To what extent will you stoop so low, Veyra?

After their words, they did not get the reaction they were hoping to get. Neither Solin nor Fenric turned on me. Instead, they both stared coldly at the three who were trying to paint me badly.

"What’s that weak female who doesn’t even know how to hunt saying?" Solin suddenly asked, and I might say, That’s the most words she’s said since she came here?

She glared at Veyra who stiffened.

"W-what?" The words escaped Veyra’s lips like a whisper of disbelief as she faced off against something bigger than her.

"You were going on and on about how weird Arinya is because she goes out to hunt and does that things the males do. Saying she isn’t going to keep a spouse for long."

"T-that’s because it’s true." Veyra stuttered, looking desperate again. "How can she keep a spouse when the males want a female who doesn’t go around acting like they’re a male?"

"Well, you seem to have gotten it wrong," Fenric said, and then stepped towards me, hugging my body to his again. "Females who are strong and hunt are not the least desirable. In fact, I desire them. And that’s why Arinya is my spouse. So..." A strange and dangerous aura emanated from him, spreading towards the three females as he threatened them. "You’d better stop picking on Arinya and stay away. I won’t be nice the next time."

Veyra trembled and then began to cry. She cried so much that she ran with the tears after giving me the deadliest side eyes that screamed, ’I’ll be back and I’ll make you pay’

Gosh, good riddance.

I didn’t have to deal with them.

"So," Solin got closer and stood in front of me, those eyes that screamed curiosity now sparkling with the eagerness to know more. "...how do you use that rock?"

I stared at her, and for a moment, I didn’t even think of the question she had asked me and instead...

"If I may, Solin... You’re very beautiful."

The words slipped out of my lips before I could even filter them and it took both Solin and Fenric aback.

"Ah," Solin exclaimed and Fenric pulled me away as far as possible, as if protecting me from being stolen by Solin. But I saw it; the small blush on Solin’s pale cheek as her eyes lowered to the floor and she said, "You’re the..." It was a few words, but I couldn’t hear because of the increasing distance.

I wonder what she said.