Chapter 57: His Promise To Her Grandfather

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: His Promise To Her Grandfather Kian remained rigid, arms hanging loosely at his sides as Zara clung to him like a dying woman. Her nails dug into the soft fur covering his chest, and her breath came out in short, dramatic gasps as if she had run miles just to throw herself into his arms. Kian’s jaw clenched, his patience already wearing thin. She had done this before. Too many times. And yet, his voice remained calm, cutting through the room’s silence like a sharpened blade. "Zara, release me." But instead of letting go, she clutched him tighter, tilting her head up with watery, wide eyes that begged for sympathy. "Kian..." her voice wobbled, pitiful and weak. "Why... why have you been ignoring me?" Kian’s cold blue eyes remained unmoved as he stared down at her. "I have been busy." "With that woman?" Zara snapped, her sorrow quickly morphing into something uglier. She jerked back just enough to look him in the eyes, her hands still desperately clutching his fur. "Ever since that strange woman came to the village, you’ve been avoiding me! You even told me to stay away from her! Why are you protecting her?" Her voice rose, her lower lip trembling as her nails dug into his chest. Kian’s expression did not change. "She is my guest," he stated simply. Zara let out a sharp laugh, but there was nothing humorous about it. "Oh, a guest?" she mocked, her lips curling. "So, that’s what she is? She’s not some pretty little pet you’re suddenly interested in?" Kian’s brows twitched, but he didn’t respond. Zara, mistaking his silence for weakness, pressed forward. "She’s different, isn’t she?" she whispered bitterly. "She’s not like the other women in the village. She’s not like me." Kian didn’t correct her. And that infuriated Zara. She took a deep breath, her body trembling as if she were struggling to hold herself together. "I hate her." The words spilled out before she could stop them, raw and venomous. Kian’s gaze darkened. "That is none of my concern," he said, finally gripping her wrists and forcing her off him. Zara let out a small, startled gasp, but Kian’s hold wasn’t cruel—just unyielding. "You will not speak of her again," he said, his voice as cold as the mountain air. Zara staggered back, her face twisting in frustration. Then, just as quickly, she changed tactics. Her eyes softened, her lips trembled, and her body curled inward as if she were a wounded animal. She was playing the victim. "Kian..." she whispered, voice frail. "You promised." Kian’s muscles tensed. She saw it. And she went in for the kill. "My grandfather loved you like a son," she said, taking a small step forward. "He trusted you. And on his deathbed, he asked you to take care of me." Her voice broke, and she quickly wiped a tear away, ensuring he saw just how much she was suffering. "You said yes," she reminded him, her tone fragile, as if the weight of her words alone should be enough to bind him. "You said you would never abandon me." Kian stared at her, his face unreadable. His blue eyes—usually so piercing—were now as cold and distant as an untouched winter lake. Zara’s lips trembled, but only for effect. She let out a slow, measured breath, sniffing softly, playing the role of the delicate, heartbroken woman. "You wouldn’t go back on your word, would you?" she asked, tilting her head just enough to make her disheveled hair fall over her shoulder. Her voice dripped with feigned innocence, the perfect mix of vulnerability and quiet manipulation. The silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Zara held her breath, waiting, watching for a crack in his expression—a flicker of doubt, a twitch of guilt. But Kian stood motionless, his sculpted face carved in stone. Still, silence was not a refusal. So she took it as a victory. Zara exhaled shakily, as if this conversation had drained her completely, and then she lifted her gaze to his, softening her features into something pitiful. "I’ll be good, I promise," she whispered, her voice carrying the unspoken as long as you keep your promise, too. She held his stare for a moment longer, then turned to leave, her steps slow, measured. And just before she disappeared past the doorway, where he could no longer see her face— She smiled. A small, satisfied, victorious smile. Kian remained still, his posture rigid, his face an impenetrable mask. But something inside him—something deep, buried, long ignored—felt... Conflicted. Not because of Zara. Not because of her words or her tears. But because he had let her stay. Again. BACK AT ISABELLA’S HUT [Ding! New Tasks Available!] Isabella’s eyes gleamed as the system screen flashed in front of her. She was ready. [Task 1: Save a pet!] Reward: 5,000 Points Description: Find and rescue a small, helpless creature. Isabella blinked. That was... shockingly easy. A pet? A helpless creature? That meant something tiny and adorable, right? Like a kitten? A baby bird? A cute little squirrel? Psh. She could do that in her sleep! "This is perfect," she muttered, already feeling smug. "I just have to scoop up some lost animal, and I’ll be rich in points." Then, Bubu’s mechanical voice chimed in her mind. [Warning: Do not take anyone with you. This task must be completed alone.] Her smugness vanished. "...What?" Isabella frowned. "Why?" [Classified information.] Okay. Red flag. Bubu was being shady. Whenever the system refused to explain things, that meant trouble. "I feel like you’re setting me up," Isabella narrowed her eyes. [Incorrect. The task is harmless.] "...Right." She didn’t believe that for a second. Bubu might act cute sometimes, but she knew it was a scheming little thing. Still... five thousand points. She couldn’t ignore that kind of money. Fine. Whatever. She’d just stay alert. But just as she was about to close the screen, a new item popped up in the system shop. [Recommended Purchase: Elegant Hand Fan – 500 Points] Isabella froze. "A hand fan?" she muttered. "Are you joking?"