Coldsnap: The Billionaire Alpha's Fated Pregnant Princess (GL)-Chapter 359 - A Prickle Of Spice From Oracle Too Nice

Chapter 359: Chapter 359 - A Prickle Of Spice From Oracle Too Nice

I directed Luca to Anise’s building instead of my own. Because I wanted to leave more than the showcase. I wanted to leave the city.

But simply couldn’t bring myself to do so without leaving what I’m wearing behind with the one who’d given it. Or maybe not without saying any sort of goodbye. I’m not sure, I’ve never really had this many people I would consider friends.

"You’re sure you wouldn’t like to just go home?"

"I need to return the dress and accessories. It wouldn’t be right to keep them overnight when I didn’t even stay to show it off to more people."

A flimsy excuse, but he accepted my mumbled words with a small nod. The rest of the drive passed in merciful silence. Part of me wondering if he had been close enough to hear anything she had said to me.

When we pulled up to the familiar building, I stepped out before he could potentially press with that line of questioning. I knew he was watching me walk away, that he probably wouldn’t be as easy to lose as the others if he was trusted to work alone.

So not matter what, I couldn’t just run off without being tailed. Because of that, I felt stifled as I buzzed Anise’s apartment. Like a slow fox realizing, only now, they’d always been surrounded by waiting wolves.

To distract myself, I started to wonder why I didn’t ask the reason she didn’t go to the event herself. Why she stayed home when Ember is her friend. When she wanted to get a bit of fame by using me.

And most of all, why she just kindly agreed that I could come up without making such a big deal about it. No immediate question or accusation about departing early from a social event.

Considering I often think of her as a meddling mother figure of a friend, I’m not sure how that can intersect with my past experiences. Unless this is like the Queen Mother waiting until we are in a private sitting room to lay into my imperfections and irresponsibilities?

> Yet I have absolutely no fear of that, from her. Shouldn’t that make me calmer, not less calm? <

The lobby was quiet and the concierge nodded politely as I passed toward the elevators. A familiar scent of gentle cologne made of something herbal made me turn my head the other direction.

Edgar Miles was walking from the mailboxes, white cane in one hand with a small package tucked under his other arm. He turned his head slightly when I stepped out of his path and my heels clicked against the flooring.

"Pardon me, miss. Going out or coming in?"

A voice that carried that same warmth as always, even though he couldn’t know who I am yet. His presence threw me off even more as I tried to find a will to speak.

"Edgar. I didn’t expect to run into you."

"Ah, but I live here. You’re the unexpected one. Visiting one of your other friends, I assume?"

"...Yes."

The blind old man tapped his cane twice, was quiet for another few seconds, then gestured toward the elevators as he started walking again. Like he was leading me. And I followed, like I needed that.

"I was about to make some chai. Would you care to join me? Unless you’re in a hurry to see someone."

"Thank you. That would be nice."

> Vrika, I know. Stop yapping. Maybe I need a few more minutes before facing Anise’s questions. What could it hurt? <

⧖ ☾ ❄ ☽ ⧖

When the kettle began its final quiet whistle, Edgar pour and strain the tea with steady hands. Some part of me wanted to take over, but I knew I was the guest and he was the host.

The scent of spices filled the air - cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorn and cloves. It reminded me achingly of home. Of sneaking through palace kitchens and servants who knew my preferences as well as to look the other way.

"You’ve gone very quiet tonight."

Carrying two cups over on a small tray, he set it on the table between us with very precise spatial recognition. I accepted the cup gratefully, wrapping my hands around its heat and weakening the system’s Tolerance.

The gardener from my kingdom and this man have both adapted to their disability so well. Maybe I get along with and just like to hang out with other stubborn people, even if it’s questionable how well I’ve truly adapted?

"I was just thinking about how far I am from where I started."

"Doesn’t seem like a very happy comparison. So. What happened?"

I stared into the murky tea, watching the surface ripple as I breathed on it before taking a sip. It was delicious. A taste that took time and all the right spices coming together.

The taste of proper proportions, clean water, and a bit of honey to make it sweet. Nothing that should be making me think of Kyrie if not for his question.

"If I were to tell the short of it, someone said something tonight which made me realize that... I’ve been avoiding thinking about how hard some things will be."

"Well, if everything was without difficulty, life would be different, hm? When Medha and I decided to marry, it came despite our families’ objections. We knew we were choosing a thorny path."

It makes me slightly uncomfortable that he immediately used a relationship comparison like that when I don’t believe I’ve let on, but I keep my mouth tight. For once, I won’t snap back with something revealing!

"Her family disowned her. My father threatened much worse, but we won’t go into that."

Worse than being removed from family in a culture where that is quite important? I want to ask! But he really looks like he doesn’t want to talk about it with the bit of quick drop on the table for his cup...

"You still stayed together until her death. From what you told me before."

"We did. Wonderful, complicated years of ups and downs. Left the city we’d both grown up in. Built a life elsewhere, away from everyone we’d known. A retreat to somewhere we felt we could actually have a future."

The parallel wasn’t lost on me. That there had been a chance to build a life here and that I even tried doing so, all while knowing it was always going to be limited. Assuming I could trust the entity behind the Apocalypse System.

> No, I still do not. It feels like whoever designed it did so only to toy with me! <

Now, I’m recoiling from what I’ve built. Everything that might last past when I was sure it would end. My reasons still feel sound to me, but I really do wonder if I’m not... a slight bit paranoid.

"And it was worth all the struggle. Even worth the heartbreak of losing her."

Because even this old man bringing his thoughts up sounds like it is trying to manipulate me. Perhaps I really should have just gone home. And I feel that way even more when he got up to his feet again.

When he tries to give me another gift I didn’t know I needed.