688 You don't want to clear up the misunderstanding?
Not long ago, Kyle's eyes gleamed as he used instant teleportation without pause. He was astonished since he only needed to use the skill thrice, ensuring he locked onto Yue's precise location as his destination. In a moment, he found himself in a bustling restaurant teeming with elves.
He felt many eyes on him and sensed an aura of power emanating from everyone in the restaurant. Nevertheless, his attention remained fixed on the elven woman seated at the table beside the window.
She was gazing at the moon through the window with a flushed yet calm face. The communication crystal she held hadn't lost connection yet, but she had fallen silent.
Disregarding the many eyes on him, Kyle approached her table and pulled over the chair opposite her before sitting down with a smile on his face. Yue was startled when suddenly someone sat before her, but her eyes widened when she saw his face.
Kyle tilted his head and tapped the table lightly to bring her back from her daze.
"So, you gonna keep your words, right?"
Yue's face flushed even more as she remembered their earlier conversation.
"You... how did you get here so quickly? I thought you were very far..."
She quickly glanced at the crystal in her hands, convinced she had just picked up Kyle's location through it a few seconds ago, and he was definitely far away.
Kyle chuckled as he watched her hastily checking the communication crystal.
"You claimed you're sober, but those fumbling hands tell a different story. Plus, don't forget I can simply conjure a portal to appear in front of you since I can track your location through the mark I placed on you."
She wanted to argue that she wasn't drunk, but before she could, Kyle leaned in on the table and pinched her nose.
"Don't lie. Besides, it's too loud here. Let's leave here and find a quieter spot."
His other hand accidentally brushed against one of Nox's horns, startling the lynx out of his sleep. Nox caught sight of Kyle's face and left the table with an annoyed look.
'Why does my sleep always get ruined whenever he's around? I don't dislike him, but he's annoying just like Bia.'
Nox paused and looked back to find the phoenix. If Kyle had made it to the elven planet, she should have too, but his mood soured even more when he didn't spot her.
'Where is she? Well, it's not like I care!'
He grumbled under his breath and quickly made his way towards Mia and the other ladies. Kyle glanced at the lynx's figure.
"He has become more powerful..."
Yue pushed his hand away from her face with an annoyed expression. Nevertheless, she still responded to him.
"He got stronger after consuming the fruit you provided everyone."
Kyle hummed and reclined in his chair, fixing his gaze upon her with intensity, causing her to look away.
His eyes absorbed every feature of the woman sitting before him: her amber eyes with a hint of coral, her long honey-colored hair cascading over her shoulders.
She wore a flowing robe embellished with an emblem depicting a graceful tree with intricate branches and leaves.
"You look stunning as always."
Yue's face flushed even deeper. The crimson hue spread towards her neck as she glared at him.
"You! Don't you realize everyone around us can hear you since they are all powerful?"
Kyle blinked, looking puzzled.
"So? I'm not saying anything untrue."
His eyes crinkled as Yue rolled her eyes at him, and he cleared his throat.
"Well... now that I'm right here in front of you. I have held up my end of the deal, so it's your turn to keep your promise. We could have a wedding beneath the Tree of Fate. That idea isn't bad at all. It's been on my mind for a while now-!"
His words were cut off by a hand that gripped his shoulder tightly. Then, a familiar yet angry voice echoed behind him.
"You really do have some nerve, huh? Flirting in front of so many people, and with none other than someone whose partner could easily put an end to your entire existence alongside your family."
Nine glared daggers at his head. The moment Nine, Alec, and the others took action against the unknown man who had just appeared in the restaurant, every single person surrounding them fell silent. The bustling atmosphere quieted down, and all the elves who had been keeping an eye on Kyle were prepared to ensure the situation didn't escalate if Nine and his group indeed began to confront the unknown man.
Sinon advanced and grasped Kyle's opposite shoulder while waving at Yue.
"Don't worry Yue; we will deal with this man and guarantee he never dares to gaze at a woman again in his life."
Yue caught Kyle's gaze mid-air, observing the speechless expression in his eyes. His mischievous demeanor had faded, replaced by clear annoyance. Her lips briefly curled upward into a smile, but then she quickly adopted a serious stance.
"Oh, okay."
Kyle suppressed a chuckle at her words. Does she want the others to beat him up? He removed the array he had previously set up around himself and Yue to prevent their conversation from being heard by others.
"Really? You don't want to clear up the misunderstanding? That's unexpected."
Nine, who finally caught his voice, narrowed his eyes with a serious gaze. Why does this man sound so familiar?
He glanced behind to find Alec and the others who should have been standing behind him but saw no one except Sinon, who had grabbed Kyle's other shoulder.
"Where did the others disappear to-!"
His words faded mid-way when the man whose shoulder he was holding, the very man he wanted to beat up, suddenly raised his head to meet his gaze.
"Haha..."
Nine let out a wry laugh at the familiar pair of green eyes staring at him with amusement dancing within them.
"It's you...?"
He swiftly released Kyle's shoulder. Sinon followed suit. The pair scanned the area and noticed Alec and the rest had long returned to their table, engaged in conversation as if they had never gone to confront the dark-haired man who was flirting with Yue.
"Those scoundrels..."
Nine cursed under his breath, a tad irritated but nonetheless glad to see Kyle again. His eyes flashed with a smile, and he wanted to sit beside Kyle to inquire about why his hair had suddenly changed color. However, an old memory suddenly flashed in his mind.
"Huh...?"
He stared dazedly at Kyle. The familiar dark hair... He knew Kyle originally had dark hair in the past. But he had also seen a future version of Kyle with dark hair, the one who told him the dark contracts' location.
Nine recalled the emotionless stare of the future Kyle who gazed at him as if he were already dead, and a sense of foreboding rose in his chest. He snapped out of his thoughts when Kyle rose to his feet.
"I will pay the bill. I know you all were fighting over it. Enjoy. I will leave with Yue."
Kyle shook his head at him and the others who cheered in the distance upon hearing his words. He signaled a nearby server and inquired about the bill.
The middle-aged elven man scrutinized him from head to toe, as if etching his face into memory, and told him of the total amount due. Kyle was taken aback by the sum.
"Just how much did you all eat?"
Sinon chuckled at his words.
"Not food, the drinks here are pricey."
Kyle gave him a baffled look, then grabbed a storage ring from his mind space filled with mana stones before handing it to the server, who bowed and left them alone.
He looked at Yue and reached out his hand toward her when she stood up.
"Come with me."
But then, his eyes narrowed abruptly, and he swiftly evaded Nine's touch when the latter attempted to make contact.
"What was that sensation just now?"
Nine's hand halted in mid-air. He stared at Kyle for a while and then withdrew his hand. Right now, many eyes were watching them. He actually wanted to employ his spiritual gaze on Kyle to glimpse into the man's future. But it appears he can't for now.
"I forget you don't remember anything."
Kyle touched his neck. He felt a weird vibe from Nine all of a sudden, as if the man was trying to peek into his soul. Kyle furrowed his brows at him.
"Next time, give me a heads up before doing anything strange."
Nine nodded and rubbed his fingers. Kyle noticed the swirling golden threads in Nine's eyes but didn't ask anything and left with Yue. Sinon glanced at Nine when he saw the solemn look on his face.
"What happened? I thought you would be glad to see Kyle back in one piece. Why are you wearing such a serious face?"
Nine hummed. He let out a smile and swiftly changed the subject.
"Nothing. Let's have some fun for a bit and then leave since Kyle took care of the bill."