The torture!

Akira pov

What was I even expecting?! As if I was spellbound! I only came back to my senses when he asked the question with that evil smirk on his face.

“Did the chancellor find anything?” I asked about changing the matter of discussion. He gave me a meaningful look understanding my intentions too well.

“He has found some people who have seen the kid. But no one knows where the kid lives. They said that the kid was randomly seen in the market area. He is always alone and mostly covering his face with a cloak.

They only recognize the portrait because they have seen him many times.” i nodded at his statement as i was still trying to calm my fast heartbeat that was running a marathon in my ribcage when he asked,

“I wonder how your aide has seen the boy so clearly in a glimpse when many have not seen him clearly even here?”

I rolled my eyes at his doubtful questions.

“Why don't you give yourself and me a break from the repetitive questions? You should go and make plans instead and let me enjoy my meal.” I replied as I took another bite of the pie.

“I will follow the current plan for now. Ben has already announced about the competition and even distributed parchment in the whole town.” he replied as he cut the carrot cake and started eating it as if he was the one who ordered it.

“You are going to pay the bill!” I mumbled as I cut the pie again.

“Pardon!” He was looking stunned as if I had asked him to do something impossible.

“Since you are eating the cake, it is only right that you would pay its bill!” I said again, since he was so adamant in calling me glutton, why would I pay his bill!

“Sure, then I will ask Ben to divide the bill of the inn we have hired to stay. So, you can pay your share too.” he said. Nodding his head in understanding.

Wouldn't the bill of the inn be much higher than the cost of the cake!

“Hehe, you turned serious. I was just joking. I am kind enough to share food with you. I am not petty like others!” I replied and he chuckled.

“Oh, that's good then, you will pay the completed bill of the meal. But I am not joking at all. I will send the bill to you once we will be ready to leave the inn.” he said with a nod as he ate another bit of my food nonchalantly.

“Petty, monger! Hmph. I will pay the whole bill, you do not need to worry, my lord. I have a bigger heart to do so.” I replied with a tsk tsk. But the truth was my bigger heart was bleeding with the decision.

“That is good, then all the expenditure bills of this trip would be sent to your palace later.” That man was doing this intentionally! He was trying to scare me! Hmph!

“Sure, my lord.” I replied through gritted teeth as I chewed the pie, closing my eyes, imagining that it was his fingers that I was chomping. It gave me some satisfaction to see his painful expressions as I continued to eat his fingers.

“Aww awww” he was crying and shouting as I used my fork to stab his hands. It was such a satisfactory imagination to see him crying and begging for mercy.

“You are enjoying my pain, aren't you?” he asked with a wince. His eyes were filled with tears and I nodded with a smirk on my face.

“You must be biting me, the way you are eating the pie.” I heard him asking in anger this time.

“You only deserve this. Hmph” i replied in a cruel tone this time to subdue him again as i bit him with more force this time.

“I never knew women enjoy eating my fingers this much. Shall I present them to you in reality too?” he asked again and I frowned. His face was turning angrier. And he was not crying for mercy like before.

“Now would you finish the meal so that we can leave. The place is almost deserted now?” This time he squinted his eyes and snarled at me and I opened my eyes with a glare too.

That's when I realized I was not speaking in my dreams but in reality. And he has listened to everything.

‘That was the most embarrassing moment of my life.’ How I wish I could dig a hole and bury him in it so that I did not need to see his smirking face.

“If you are done with your imaginative killing, shall we leave?” he asked as he looked around. I followed his gaze. There were hardly any customers left and the place was looking rather deserted.

I frowned as I looked out of the window. It was a bit later than sunset. But it was still not night.

“Why is the place deserted so early?” I asked as I saw people leaving in a haste.

“A storm is announced and it has already hit the nearby city. I think we should go too.” I nodded as I stood up and he followed me.

“We do not need to pay the bill?” I asked as he moved directly towards the door.

“I paid it before you start eating me completely in anger.” he replied, shaking his head.

‘Wait! Was I the only pervert one to understand the meaning behind his words! Or did he use that line intentionally?!’

“I know that you are short, but your speed is still slower in comparison to your height. Would you please walk a bit fast!?” he commented as he looked at me.

“You, I am not short. Hmph!” I started moving towards him, almost running to catch his pace.

“Yes, you are just dumb!” he murmured.

“What did you just say?” I asked to catch up.

“We need to hurry,” he replied as he looked around.

People were running on the roads here and there. The winds have already picked up their pace. The sky was filled with dark clouds and I could hear the sound of roaring clouds as they moved to cover the whole territory.

“Where is your carriage?” he asked as he held my hand and started moving faster.

“Umm, I do not have a carriage. I came with his highness in his carriage. I was about to return to his store after my meal.” I replied apologetically and his grip on my hands loosen.

“What? You do not have a carriage?” he asked me as if he could not believe my words.

“Well, it is not like we have not shared the carriage before. Why don't you give me a lift?” I asked with a sweet smile on his face.

“Tsk tsk.. I am not petty like you. It's just..” he stopped as he ran a hand in his hair. “I thought that you had a carriage, so I sent my carriage back to help a lady who suddenly fell on the road.” she replied with a sigh.

“Since when have you been this kind!”

“..............................”