"So, you really don't hold a grudge against what I did to you, right?" Christian said, looking at Nina, who stood before him, with Eva still by her side, seemingly defending her.
He glanced at Nina's face, which now seemed to have returned to normal, with just a few traces left from their battle, nearly ten days ago. He couldn't help but think she had turned out to be truly beautiful, just as Eva had said... though, of course, his Eva and sister were more beautiful.
But he had to admit, with her small frame, black hair, and black eyes, along with her cute, distinctive Asian features, the woman before him was undeniably beautiful.
Most importantly, the change in her gaze was striking. Where once her eyes had been dull and lifeless, they now seemed to hold something more… something captivating.
And while she was four years older than him, as he had learned, she appeared even younger than him.
"No," as she suddenly answered, Christian couldn't help but think that it wasn't just her face that was childish… even her voice!
Still, unfazed, he narrowed his eyes and said, "Really?"
"Yes, I'm really fine," Nina replied, reaffirming her earlier statement, and Eva, who had seemed on the verge of interfering, held back in the end, noticing Christian's subtle gesture. Instead, she obediently walked to his side and sat down.
"So, what do you want then?" Christian asked.
Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Ah, by the way, if what you want is just freedom, and you're afraid you still can't have it because of the smart chip implanted in you, don't worry, it's already been removed."
Christian didn't know if Nina was aware of the smart chip they had discovered in her, or of all the other things that had happened between her and Eva.
He just knew that his sister, who had been spending more time with Eva than with him lately, had suddenly come to him and said that she approved of her.
That alone made him curious. Moreover, since they were finally leaving the city tomorrow, he decided to meet Nina. Well… he'd be staying a little longer than the others, as there was still Damian to deal with. But anyway!
Now, with his sister out, accompanied by Sophia to meet her friends one last time, as who knows when she'd see them again, Christian, having nothing else to do, decided to spend his time meaningfully and meet the famous Nina.
Christian waited patiently, staring at Nina, who didn't even blink, let alone change her expression at his words. It made him think that with features like hers, such a blank face was a waste.
"I don't have anything I want… I just hope I can do a better job this time."
"As for the smart chip, I've known about it for a long time. But… it was just something to track my location, not something I couldn't handle. I didn't run because I simply didn't feel the need to. Moreover, Miss Eva had already given me the choice to leave if I wanted to."
Well, that was long, Christian thought, hearing her unusually detailed reply. And he pressed on, "Then what's different now? Or is it that if someone better comes along, you'll switch sides again?"
"No!" Her voice rose for the first time, flustered, and Christian, raising an eyebrow, cast a quick glance at Eva, wondering what kind of nonsense she'd fed Nina to make someone like her, who didn't seem capable of holding any emotion, suddenly develop some.
He was genuinely impressed… after all, he hadn't felt even a trace of humanity from the woman in front of him at that time.
Nina, who had momentarily lost her cool, paused with a surprised expression, seemingly startled by her own sudden reaction. She stayed silent for a moment, then gradually returned to her passive demeanor before saying, "I mean, it won't be the same. Because with them, I didn't have a choice. But this time, it's my own decision."
Christian continued to argue with Nina, who had gone back to her short, clipped answers. After a long while, still unsatisfied and venting his frustration on Eva beside him, with his dishonest hand wandering her body, he suddenly had an idea.
Trying not to get too distracted by Eva's embarrassed, flustered state, her breathing heavy and little sounds escaping despite her hand covering her mouth, he asked, "Who do you work for? Me or Eva?"
Christian, curious about the reactions of both women in the same room with him, ended up disappointed.
While Eva didn't seem to be registering the conversation anymore, lost in the pleasure his hand was providing, Nina, on the other hand, despite hearing everything and seeing everything clearly, still showed no reaction. In her flat tone, she simply replied, "I'm your property."
Christian blinked, surprised by the unexpected answer… by the nature of it, and Nina paused, seemingly hesitating as if debating whether she should continue. In the end, she decided to just say it:
"Actually, I was told by Miss Eva that if I decided to stay, I'd need to dedicate my body and everything to you. Not to mention, there's no going back… I was even given time to think."
"My answer was the same. I'm fine with that."
'She can even be considerate!' was Christian's first thought at her subtle gesture. And upon reaching this point after their conversation, he finally felt it, there was something wrong with the woman in front of him.
…Actually, it had been clear just from his battle with her, but now, after talking with her, it became even more apparent. With that realization, he decided to end the conversation altogether.
It felt meaningless… or not entirely, but enough for now. He could just observe her from here on and see how the situation unfolded.
With Christian and Eva in different clothes after their strenuous exercise, and his sister still not home, seemingly going to be late, the room was silent.
Christian was resting his head on Eva's bare thigh, her wearing shorts, while he stared at an identity card in his hand.
"So, it was really possible," he muttered, suddenly breaking the silence.
Eva, running her fingers through his hair, paused upon hearing him and replied in a strange tone, "Did you think a mere fake identity card was hard to get?"
"No, it's not about that. It's…" Christian paused, his thoughts drifting back to the past two week… the recent busy days.
He had naturally checked everything he'd assigned to Eva and his sister to prepare, along with a few things he'd forgotten and they did on their own, since the morning.
But as he went through it all, he was reminded of a simple fact: while he'd thought the tasks he'd given them were easy, in reality, they weren't.
He had seen them working to get everything ready. Well, more accurately, he'd seen Eva handling most of the preparations, with his sister just assisting.
As for him? He helped when needed, but compared to them, he hadn't done nearly as much.
Still, the more important realization was that he hadn't expected moving to take this much effort.
Today, when he made his final check, he was surprised to find that everything, aside from the house they would be moving into, was ready. They would be staying at a hotel for a few days before finally settling into their new home.
Whether everything could truly be considered completely ready despite that, Christian wasn't sure. But at the very least, they could leave Harrisburg without being chased by time, delaying the execution of the plan, which was now set for tomorrow, since the Academy was opening two days later.
Seeing the results before him, Christian felt they were competent enough and couldn't help but praise her, "I'm just reminded of how competent and lovely you are… like I said in that call previously."
As Eva blushed and her heart fluttered, Christian truly meant every word he said. At that time, when he told her about the items he would likely need for his future plans, and how she should secure them now, while her connections were still intact and open, with Iris there to help, Sophia as a bodyguard, and the assumed backing of the Infinitel company and Ashvale, for things would be much easier at the moment.
At that time, when she questioned her abilities, he had teased her, saying she was competent enough. But now? He was reminded of how much she had achieved by the time she came to this city at the age of eighteen, through this experience.
"You know, I just don't understand why the hell Liora is still staying here when the main purpose of her visit, my daughter, has already gone."
Christian absorbed in his thoughts, felt himself lose himself even more by the softness he was feeling, when he suddenly was interrupted, by Eva whom thought he wouldn't say anything more. She voiced out, what was lately in her mind, and her words caught him off guard, as they were that surprising.
"Huh? You still don't know?"
"What do you mean?" Eva asked, her tone puzzled.
"I mean, why haven't you asked Iris about the answer if you're this curious?"