Noah felt June's arms suddenly squeezing his torso.
It was needless to say that he didn't expect something like that, especially not right after her attack.
Heaven's scent filled his nose and incited the hatred hidden in his instincts.
However, June's warmth spread through his body and suppressed that feeling.
A complicated expression appeared on Noah's face when he lowered his gaze toward the woman hugging him.
It was as if he could sense how lonely she had been during those twenty years, after the only person that she trusted had abandoned her.
Noah's hands moved.
His right arm went around her back to return the hug while his left hand went on her head to caress her hair.
'She feels so small.'
Noah couldn't help but have that thought.
A mighty heroic cultivator, one of the best talents of the Utra nation, was in his arms, holding him tightly.
\"I'm sorry, I knew nothing back then.\"
Noah felt her words reverberate on his chest, June had spoken without releasing the hug.
A slight tremble went through her arms when she spoke, it seemed that she was really concerned about that matter.
\"It's fine, I wasn't exactly fair with you too.\"
Noah replied and slightly separated himself from June.
His left hand went on her chin and lifted it to expose her throat.
The wound made by the Demonic sword had healed, but a faint scar was still there.
Also, the drops of blood spilled when he had threatened the escorts were still on her skin.
Noah used his thumb to wipe away those red spots from her neck, he wanted to understand the exact amount of damage that he had caused.
However, that situation was a bit too much to take for June.
They were still hugging, and Noah had his head lowered to inspect her wound.
She could feel how careful Noah was when he cleaned those red spots, and she was barely able to suppress the blush that his actions were causing.
She didn't hate that situation, but she wanted to catch up before reaching that point again once the relationship between them became clear.
That's why she pushed Noah away and stored the spear that had fallen on the ground when he had begun to caress her.
\"What now?\"
June asked before sitting on the ground and supporting herself to the walls of the underground area.
Noah didn't answer immediately, there were thoughts in his mind that he had to sort before he could be sure of what he wanted to do.
'Is this disappointment?'
Noah asked himself when he saw June distancing herself.
'Even my arousal is back. Maybe, this sensation is triggered by my emotions since I'm a hybrid.'
Elder Julia's words resounded in his mind at that moment.
He wasn't the Vance of the academy anymore, nor the Hooded Devil.
He felt no need to suppress his desires.
'I want her, it's clear. Yet, she is different from Nina, and I don't think I want that kind of relationship when it comes to her.'
Those thoughts surged inside Noah's mind, but his body had already started moving.
He was escaping from a difficult situation with one of the few people that he cared about, while an army of powerful magical beasts was invading the whole continent.
There was enough tension around him, there was no point in holding back in that already dangerous situation.
'Enjoy the moment.'
Noah repeated Elder Julia's words inside his mind as he sat next to June.
A familiar jar appeared in his hands, and June couldn't help but reveal a smirk when she recognized it.
\"Do you still keep Ivor's wine? Do you know that it does not affect rank 4 mages?\"
June's laugh accompanied those words, but her smile faded when she remembered what had happened to Ivor.
\"You know, many things have changed after your departure.\"
June lowered her head when she gave voice to those words.
Noah poured the wine inside two cups and handed one of them to June.
\"Tell me about it.\"
Noah said while poking June's shoulder to make her grab the cup.
\"Only if you tell me about your life. No lies this time.\"
June replied, and Noah was able to sense some hesitation behind her words.
He could tell that she was still a bit hesitant about that situation, it was impossible to prepare for that sudden turn of events.
Yet, Noah had made his mind about her and didn't hesitate to agree to her terms.
\"Deal, no lies.\"
Only when she heard those words did June pick the cup and began to speak about the events that had happened after his departure.
Noah learned about Ivor's death, about the detonation of Eccentric Thunder's separate dimension.
He learned about the progress of June and her group in the exploration of the Royal Inheritance, about the effects that the Cause was having on the nation and the rule of the Elbas family.
Then, June spoke about her family, about how its situation had evolved.
Also, she even mentioned the many marriage proposals that she had received during that period.
Her voice trembled a bit when she spoke about that topic, and she shot glances at Noah when she described the Royals that had sent those proposals.
Of course, Noah didn't show any reaction but limited himself to listen quietly.
June wasn't his woman or anything, he felt no jealousy when he learnt about the kind of interest that the Royals had in her.
'Her family can be a good asset, and she is talented other than beautiful. I don't see the Elbas family choosing a better candidate to add to its ranks.'
Noah thought as he refilled the cups.
His stash of wine was basically empty even if they only had drunk one jar, only a couple of them remained inside his space-ring.
June spoke about how she ended up in the new continent after she learnt that Noah had become a heroic cultivator.
The awkwardness between them had mostly vanished in those minutes, June felt relaxed even when she mentioned that she had often thought about him.
\"Then, you used me to escape from a different situation, and I had to play the role of the scared woman kidnapped by the ruthless Demon Prince of the Hive. I'll forgive you only if your story doesn't disappoint me.\"
June smirked when she said those words, and Noah could already imagine that she would keep on using her abduction as an excuse in the future.
However, he didn't mind it, he actually felt glad that she was smiling so often once again.
\"I guess I should start from my escape through the area of influence of the Shandal Empire. Well, I knew that the western side was les-\"
\"No, I want your full story, you don't get to keep the matters of your family for yourself.\"
June interrupted Noah with her words, and he could only sigh before focusing on the first memory that he had of his second life.
\"My mother was a commoner…\"