Chapter 410: Chapter 409- Admire

“How is he?” Ruby asked softly, her voice tight with worry as she looked toward the woman currently examining Adrian.

The moment she had learned about that strange black matter entering his body—along with everything that followed—Ruby hadn’t wasted even a second. She had immediately called for the medic, demanding a full inspection of his condition.

The bespectacled woman shook her head after finishing her check, her expression uncertain. “No, Ruby. I can’t find anything wrong with his body. If anything, he appears to be in perfect health—almost too perfect.”

Ruby released a slow breath, somewhere between relief and confusion. Her shoulders eased a little, but her brows remained furrowed.

If something truly entered his body, then why weren’t there any changes?

Adrian’s calm voice broke her thoughts. “As I said, I’m not even sure if it really went inside me. You’re being paranoid, Ruby.”

The redhead hummed quietly, not entirely convinced. “You can go, Dalaby,” she finally said, dismissing the medic.

The woman nodded, then turned to Adrian. “Still, Sir, please be cautious. If you feel dizzy when standing, experience nausea, or any sudden weakness, contact a doctor immediately.”

Adrian nodded politely. “If I feel anything unusual, I’ll reach out to one right away. Thank you for your time.”

His charming smile made the nurse’s heart flutter before she could stop herself. His eyes seemed almost unreal, deep and steady—pulling her in for a moment she didn’t even realize she had stopped breathing.

“Ahem… Dalaby?” Ruby’s firm voice shattered the moment. The nurse flinched slightly, gave a quick bow, and hurried out of the room.

Click.

The door shut, leaving a small silence behind. Ruby turned her gaze back to Adrian, her eyes still filled with concern.

“Do you really not feel anything different?” she asked again, softer this time. “Any stiffness, or maybe a change in your magic flow?”

Her mind refused to rest. She had read of cases where parasites hid inside the host’s body, remaining dormant until they needed energy or nourishment. Symptoms didn’t always appear immediately, but there were always signs—small, almost invisible hints that something foreign had made its home inside.

Adrian let out a calm sigh. “I promise, Ruby,” he said patiently, “I feel completely normal. I’m not a child who’d hide something just to stop others from worrying.”

Ruby leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “It’s just… too strange,” she murmured. “That ancient creature—showing familiarity toward you… Wait—” Her eyes widened in sudden realization. “Could it be because of your Witch bloodline?”

Adrian intertwined his fingers atop the table, his gaze thoughtful. “I considered that too,” he admitted. “The witches held great power in the past. They could even summon Hollow Beings to fight for them.”

Ruby nodded slowly, her mind racing. “Yes… that makes sense. Witches were always cornered and discriminated against. It wouldn’t be strange if they sought power from the Hollow Side. While the world suffered from darkness and the Acolytes, witches were cautious of the world itself—always on guard.”

Adrian gave a faint smile. “Exactly. So don’t worry about me for now,” he said gently. “Instead, tell me about yourself. What’s been going on lately?”

It had been a few weeks since they last met. Their last encounter was during the press interview—when Adrian recounted what happened with the Skulth and, together, they announced their engagement. The memory was still fresh, yet time had quickly moved on.

Since then, newspapers had flooded with stories—about them, about the betrayal of the Twilight Vault, and about the shift in Grimvale’s balance of power.

Ruby lowered her eyes slightly, stirring her cup absentmindedly. “I’m… learning what it truly means to be the head of a house,” she said quietly. “Knowing how to govern and actually doing it are two very different things. Meeting nobles, answering their endless questions, choosing every word carefully—one mistake and people start to whisper. I’ve been struggling to keep up.”

Her tone carried no complaint, but the exhaustion was there—hidden behind her calm composure.

She knew this wouldn’t be easy. Removing a Tower from governance wasn’t a simple decision—it was a seismic shift in Grimvale’s system. Even a year without their influence could ripple through society.

Some services would collapse temporarily. Trade routes might change. Loyal supporters of the Twilight Vault could rise in protest, unwilling to believe the truth about its corruption.

Yet Ruby stood at the center of it all, taking every blow in silence, determined to restore order.

Adrian watched her quietly for a while, his expression softening. Then, without warning, he reached across the small tea table and took her hand gently.

Ruby blinked, startled by the warmth of his touch.

“You’re… a very inspiring person, Ruby,” he said suddenly, his voice low and sincere. “Shouldering so much alone—facing judgment from your own family, and still moving forward… that’s nothing short of admirable.”

Her lips parted slightly as his words sank in.

“There are only a few people in this world,” he continued, “who can carry so much weight and still not break. You never complain, never cry about it—you just keep going.”

Ruby felt her heart tremble, a mix of surprise and quiet happiness washing over her. She never worked for praise. She had never sought anyone’s validation—not even his. Everything she did was for Grimvale’s future, for peace, for the people who depended on her.

But hearing such words from him—from the man she admired most—felt different.

It filled her chest with a gentle warmth she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.

And for the first time in a long while, Ruby allowed herself a small, genuine smile.

After a short pause, Adrian looked up at her and asked softly, “Did you have lunch?”

Ruby shook her head, her red hair swaying gently. “I… just woke up, actually. After arriving here at the workshop, I went straight to sleep. I haven’t done anything else.”

Adrian’s brows lifted in surprise. “You haven’t eaten anything since morning?”

When Ruby gave a small shake of her head, he sighed, his voice turning faintly scolding but warm. “Then that settles it. I’ll go direct the team on how to make the reflectors first—and after that, I’ll cook you something good myself.”

Ruby’s eyes widened slightly at his words. “Can I come with you, please?” she asked quickly, almost too quickly, as she saw him rising from his seat.

Adrian blinked in mild surprise. “Aren’t you tired?”

She smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not really… I just want to be with you while you’re here.” There was no hesitation in her tone, no attempt to hide how she felt. After everything that had happened, even a few moments apart felt too long.

Adrian looked at her for a moment—then his lips curved into a soft smile. “Well,” he said with a light shrug, “this is your place. You can go wherever you like.”

Ruby giggled, her mood instantly brightening. Without another word, she followed him as he stepped out of the room, her steps light and cheerful—like a girl who had just found the reason she wanted to stay awake.

….

“Hmm… hmm…” The chief inventor nodded diligently as Adrian explained the specifications he needed for the reflector.

There was nothing overly complicated about it — no request for runes or additional enchantments, just precise dimensions and mirror angles that had to align perfectly.

After listening carefully, the bespectacled man asked a few technical questions. Adrian answered each of them calmly, his tone steady, as if he had already rehearsed every detail in his mind.

Once everything was clear, the inventor pushed up his glasses and said, “Alright, I understand. Give me half an hour, and I’ll have the first reflector ready. You can check if it meets your requirements.”

Ruby blinked in surprise. “Half an hour for one reflector? Isn’t that a little too slow?”

The man let out a wry chuckle. “Manual labor will be faster once I have the exact model built. It’s just the first one that takes time — precision work always does.”

Adrian gave a small nod. “That’s fine. Please take your time and let me know when it’s done.”

With that, both he and Ruby left the workshop. Their footsteps echoed faintly along the corridor as they made their way toward her quarters.

Ruby had a room in this facility — not out of necessity, but comfort. Whenever life became too heavy, or her thoughts too tangled, she would retreat here for a few days to reset herself.

Her room was modest, yet warm — soft curtains swayed gently by the window, a few personal trinkets rested on the shelves, and the faint scent of lavender filled the air.

Adrian took a brief look around, rolling up his sleeves. “Show me the kitchen,” he said.

Ruby turned toward him with a playful grin. “You seem quite eager.”

Adrian raised a brow and smirked faintly. “Well, someone hasn’t eaten since morning. I can’t let the chief inventor of this entire division starve under my watch.”

She chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear before motioning him to follow. “Alright then, Chef Adrian. Let’s see if your cooking lives up to your confidence.”

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.

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