Chapter 599: Caught in the Act ( 599 )

The moment her fingers touched his hand.

Her heart skipped.

Her breath hitched.

And when she looked up…

There he was.

That handsome face—tilted gently toward her.

Those relaxed eyes.

That casual, confident smile that seemed to melt the air around them.

“You okay?” Javier asked again, gently helping her to her feet.

The dwarven girl, still stunned, didn’t answer.

She couldn’t.

Her eyes widened.

Why is he smiling like that?

Why is his hand so warm?

Why is he holding me like I’m something precious?

All around them, other dwarven girls froze mid-step. Some even gasped softly.

She didn’t notice.

Her entire world shrank to one thing.

Him.

She clutched her chest as he leaned down and began picking up the scattered fruits from the stone road.

“Sorry about that. Let me help you pick these up,” he said casually, still smiling.

Don’t smile at me like that…

I’m going to fall for you.

No… I already did.

The other girls watched—half in envy, half in awe—as their friend stood there, completely stunned, cheeks flushed, lips trembling.

A few whispered:

“Lucky…”

“She’s the first one he touched…”

“I want to trip too…”

Meanwhile…

Liana had arrived.

Her heart raced with anticipation. The moment her feet touched the stone road of the third stronghold, she could feel it. His presence. His magic.

They had stopped briefly at Gilikan Town, but she didn’t even wait for Felicia to finish her inspection. The moment she saw Javier’s puppet knights stationed at the walls—standing in silence, bearing the emblem of Armand—she knew.

He’s here.

And now, five hours of full-speed Pekko travel later, she was finally at the stronghold with Gloria and Felicia.

As they passed through the first gate, the massive puppet knights—silent sentinels clad in black mithril, glowing faintly with mana—did nothing.

Not even a warning.

The dwarven gate guards tried to intervene at first, raising their voices cautiously. But when they noticed the puppet knights remained still, unmoving—

They hesitated.

And when they spotted the crest of Armand embroidered in gold thread on Liana and Gloria’s maid uniforms, they stepped back, eyes widening.

No one dared to stop them.

Every dwarf nearby froze, watching in stunned silence.

The soldiers remembered what Lord Javier had said before:

“If my knights don’t move, it means those who arrive are my people… or my allies. Let them through.”

Now they understood.

A silver-haired elf girl, a composed human with glasses, and a silent but sharp-eyed catgirl—just three of them. And yet, the pressure they gave off was undeniable.

A few dwarves gulped.

Even the ones who had been laughing moments ago fell silent, stepping aside instinctively.

Liana’s eyes scanned the area eagerly.

She was so close.

Her fingers trembled slightly from the sheer excitement of finally seeing her young master again. And yet, there was no sign of him.

Gloria leaned forward slightly, whispering.

“Ara~ he must be nearby.”

Liana activated her locator skill. A faint pulse of mana swept outward, locking onto the familiar signature she longed for.

“Ah~ I found him,” she smiled, eyes glowing faintly.

Without hesitation, she dashed through the stronghold streets, moving faster with every heartbeat. Her silver hair streamed behind her as she closed in on the location.

And then—

She stopped.

Her eyes narrowed.

There, just ahead, Javier was holding a dwarven girl’s hand.

The girl’s cheeks were red. Her gaze locked onto Javier’s face. The way she clutched his hand—soft, intimate, too long.

Liana’s blood turned cold.

Her aura surged.

Without a single word, Liana leapt into the air—

BAM!!!

“BUHH!!”

Her kick struck Javier’s face perfectly, launching him backward like a rag doll. He flew straight into a stack of crates, splinters exploding outward as his body slammed into the wood.

The dwarven girl stumbled back in shock, dropping her basket completely.

“Huuhh—?! What just—?!” Javier’s muffled voice came from under the broken planks.

Crack. Crack.

The sound of slow, graceful footsteps echoed as Liana approached.

“So~ young master~” she said softly, almost too sweetly.

Her tone chilled the air more than any winter wind.

Javier pushed a broken crate off his chest, coughing. “L-Liana?! Wait, it’s not—!”

But she was already crouching down in front of him, smiling like a predator.

“Just because I’m gone for around three months… now you openly flirt with other girls~?” she tilted her head slightly, eyes half-lidded with dangerous warmth.

Javier’s voice cracked. “I-I swear! She fell! I was helping her! That’s all—!”

Liana step closer.

“Shhh~ Save your excuses, my dear young master.”

Liana didn’t say another word.

She stepped over Javier’s legs, grabbed his right foot with a smile still on her face, and twisted sharply.

Crack!

“Aghhhh!!!” Javier screamed.

She locked his ankle under her arm and began applying pressure with precise technique.

Javier’s hand frantically slapped the stone road.

“Gyaaaarrrhh!!! Liana!! Mercy!! Mercy!!”

“Hmm?” Liana looked down, tilting her head innocently. “Is something wrong, young master~? Is this too much for your poor ankle?”

“IT’S GOING TO SNAP—!!” he wailed, tears streaming down the corner of his eyes.

“Hmmm~ you didn’t seem to mind flirting with dwarven girls earlier~ Surely you can handle a little physical affection from your first wife~?”

“FIRST WIFE SHOULDN’T CRIPPLE HER HUSBAND!!”

Liana pouted. “That’s not true. Gloria said it’s perfectly acceptable to apply joint control to assert dominance.”

From behind, Gloria arrived, covering her mouth with a gentle chuckle.

Javier’s face turned pale.

“Eeeekkk!! Help! Help me, Gloria!!!” Javier cried out desperately, his body twitching from the intense ankle lock.

Gloria walked closer with an elegant smile, her heels clicking gently on the stone road. “My my, young master~ you need help?” she tilted her head sweetly. “Sure. I will help.”

Then…

Her aura shifted.

It turned heavy.

The air around them buzzed with pressure as Gloria’s glasses glinted.

Even the nearby dwarven girl who had been helped earlier stumbled backward and hid behind a crate, trembling.

Liana raised her palm slowly, still gripping Javier’s foot.

Gloria raised hers with a smirk and gave a light tap.

Javier’s face paled.

“N-noooooooooo—!!”

( End Of Chapter )

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