Chapter 108 I Wouldn't Know II

Words : 628 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

"...Winter." Layla raised an eyebrow. "Didn't take you for the snow type." "You can always wear more clothes." She snorted. "You just don't like people, do you?" "Didn't say that." "Okay, okay." She chuckled. "What about friends? Got any?" "...Had a few." Layla caught the shift in his tone and softened.@@@@ "Do you miss them?" Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire "..." He didn't answer right away. Instead, he watched the fire flicker, the wood crackling softly. "Next question." For a moment, there was silence, then she shook off the mood and grinned again. "Okay, what about something that makes you laugh?" Malik snickered faintly. "People running from animals smaller than them." Layla cackled. "Like what? Rats?" "Rats, chickens, tiny canines." He paused. "Saw a full-grown man get chased by a baby monkey once." Layla was wheezing. "No way—what happened?" "He lost." She practically fell over laughing. "I—oh my God—was he okay?" Malik shrugged. "Depends on what you call okay." Layla wiped a tear from her eye. "You have got to tell me that story later." "I won't." Layla groaned, but she was still grinning. "One day, I'm only gonna get real answers out of you." She had no words... Because Layla wasn't wrong. There was no changing the cards you were dealt. You could only accept them and move forth, choosing whether to enjoy the somber warmth they brought. Layla? She chose to enjoy the warmth. *** {Inside The Projection} As the food finished cooking, the other members of the caravan, one by one, began to leave. Not in an obvious way, but in that casual, 'we totally don't see what's happening here' kind of way. Malik easily picked up on it, the quiet glances and small smirks, the way they grabbed their food and conveniently found something to do elsewhere. Layla noticed too, her face heating up. "Tch! Meddling fools..." Though she complained, she was thankful, but yeah, she wasn't about to tell them that. Ali Baba, watching from a distance, scoffed but made no move to interfere and left as well, giving them privacy. Malik, for his part, just sat there, eating his food, humming in approval after every bite. "Not bad." Layla perked up, deciding to ignore the other for now. "Right? I seasoned it myself!" Malik nodded. "Thanks for the meal. Wouldn't mind eating it every day." Layla's face turned red as she smacked his shoulder—once, twice, repeatedly. "W-Well, obviously! Hehe! You better be grateful!" Then, before he could respond, she shot up to her feet and ran off. Oblivious to the not-so-hidden hidden meaning behind his words, Malik's gaze followed her until she left completely, then turned back to the fire, watching the flames dance in the night. Now only he remained, or so one might think. Malik was far from lonely. Sinbad and Jasmine sat next to him, swinging their feet and bobbing their heads as they hummed a song. He didn't know when they 'came by' exactly but he didn't mind them. They weren't nightmarish. They were peaceful. And this peace... it was new to him... Malik didn't know what to think about it. But he didn't get long to do so. "Hey, brother!" A man came up behind him, and his hand clapped down on his shoulder. It was some random guard Malik didn't bother to know the name of, grinning at him, leaning in like they were old friends. "Ain't you lucky~? Getting all chummy with such a beautiful girl?" Malik turned to him, his expression blank. "...Beautiful?" The guard raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?" Malik looked back at the fire, his voice quiet. "I wouldn't know."

Chapter 108 I Wouldn't Know II

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