Chapter 660 Ewwww

Everybody had already departed.

One by one, the others had gone their separate ways, each heading toward the destination the dwarf had assigned them. The road outside the blacksmith’s shop had gradually become quieter until only Liam and Irina remained standing there together.

For a few moments neither of them moved. Irina looked down the road where the others had disappeared, then glanced back toward Liam, who seemed strangely relaxed despite the fact that their two-week deadline had already begun. She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a questioning look before asking whether they should go and get their horses. They had a long journey ahead of them, after all, and wasting time was the last thing they could afford. Liam, however, simply shook his head. He looked far too confident for someone who had just been reminded that reaching Elaris Village would take nearly three days by horse.

"No. I have another way of getting there."

Irina stared at him for a moment, clearly trying to understand what he meant. Then something suddenly clicked in her mind and her eyes widened. She remembered. Liam could fly. She had seen enough of his abilities by now to know that ordinary methods of transportation weren’t always necessary for him.

Her expression immediately brightened as she realized how much easier the journey would become. If Liam carried her through the air, they could cover the distance in a fraction of the time it would take by road. She was about to say something when Liam casually turned toward the street and walked toward a nearby carriage instead. Irina followed him with a confused expression, wondering why he was bothering with a carriage if he could simply fly them there. Liam didn’t explain himself. Instead, he climbed inside and waited for her to follow.

The carriage itself wasn’t particularly luxurious, but it was clean enough and spacious enough for two passengers. A young driver sat at the front, holding the reins loosely in his hands. He looked to be around Liam’s age, perhaps slightly younger, with messy brown hair and a friendly face. He barely paid attention to his passengers at first, assuming they were simply another pair of travelers. But when he eventually glanced over his shoulder and actually saw them, his expression changed so dramatically that Irina almost wondered whether something was wrong. His eyes widened, his mouth fell open slightly and for several seconds he simply stared at them.

"Wow..."

Liam and Irina exchanged a quick glance.

The young driver quickly looked forward again, apparently embarrassed that he had been caught staring. But that didn’t stop him from stealing another glance a few seconds later. Irina looked stunning even by the standards of this world. Her features were sharp yet feminine, her pale skin looked almost flawless and her long hair framed a face that could easily turn heads in any crowded street. She had the mature beauty of a woman who appeared to be around twenty-five.

Liam, meanwhile, looked almost unreal beside her. His dark brown hair naturally fell over his forehead, framing his sharp jawline and well-defined cheekbones. His deep blue eyes carried their usual confident intensity, and even when he wasn’t trying to look impressive, there was something about his appearance that made him stand out.

The driver swallowed.

Under his breath, almost too quietly for an ordinary person to hear, he muttered, "Two gorgeous people..."

Liam’s eyebrow rose.

Irina’s ears subtly twitched.

Neither said anything.

The young driver glanced at Liam again and his expression became strangely thoughtful. There was a hint of jealousy in his eyes as he examined Liam’s face. If he possessed that kind of appearance, he seemed to think, he would never have to worry about attracting women again. He could walk into any tavern, market or gathering and probably have half the women turning their heads toward him.

Liam had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.

The man wasn’t exactly whispering well enough.

Then the driver looked at Irina.

His eyes widened again.

"Wow," he murmured. "They really compliment each other."

Irina’s brows slowly pulled together.

Liam remained silent.

The young man apparently became more comfortable with his own thoughts because he continued murmuring to himself while staring ahead. "He’s so handsome and cool, and she’s so hot and thick..."

Irina’s face instantly tightened.

Liam’s lips twitched.

The driver continued without realizing that the two people behind him could hear every word. "I wonder what their kids would look like."

There was a brief silence.

"A fairy, probably."

Irina’s eyes widened.

She slowly turned toward Liam.

Liam was already looking at her.

Neither of them said anything.

The sheer innocence in the young driver’s voice somehow made the entire situation worse. He hadn’t been trying to insult them. He hadn’t been trying to be vulgar. He was genuinely imagining what the children of two ridiculously attractive people might look like. Unfortunately, his innocent observation had created an incredibly awkward atmosphere inside the carriage.

Liam looked away first.

Irina stared at the wooden wall beside her, desperately trying to pretend she hadn’t heard anything.

The driver’s words continued replaying in her head.

Their kids.

A fairy.

She glanced toward Liam again before immediately looking away.

It was ridiculous.

There was no reason her mind should even entertain such a thought.

But the problem was that the driver wasn’t entirely wrong about Liam’s appearance. The man sitting beside her really was absurdly handsome. His face looked almost crafted rather than naturally formed. His blue eyes, his jawline, his hair, the proportions of his face, everything about him seemed unfair. If she had encountered him from a distance without knowing his personality, she could easily have understood why someone would find him attractive.

Unfortunately, she knew him.

That changed everything.

His personality was another matter entirely.

Liam could be arrogant.

He could be shameless.

He could be annoying.

He could be incredibly stubborn.

And somehow, he always seemed to have something ridiculous to say at exactly the wrong moment.

Irina’s lips tightened as she thought about it.

His character was...

"Eww."

The word escaped her mouth before she could stop it.

Silence.

Irina froze.

Liam slowly turned his head.

His expression was almost blank.

For a few seconds he simply stared at her.

Then his eyebrows rose.

Irina’s face immediately went pale.

She knew exactly what had happened.

She had been thinking about Liam’s personality and had reacted to the driver’s suggestion of the two of them being together. But she had said it aloud.

Liam, naturally, had heard only one word.

Eww.

His expression changed several times in rapid succession. First came surprise, followed by confusion, then realization and finally something that looked suspiciously like amusement mixed with wounded pride.

"So that’s how you feel?"

Irina’s eyes widened.

"No, Liam, I..."

He looked toward the front of the carriage.

She could practically see the conclusion forming inside his head.

Apparently, the idea of being paired with him was so disgusting that she had instinctively said "eww."

Irina hurriedly shook her head. "Liam, I didn’t mean it like that."

"It’s fine."

His voice was calm.

Far too calm.

Irina knew him well enough to recognize that particular tone.

"Liam, listen..."

"It’s really fine."

He didn’t even let her finish.

He turned toward the front again, leaving Irina staring at him with growing frustration. She opened her mouth, then closed it. She could explain herself, but somehow the more she tried to explain, the worse it sounded.

She hadn’t meant that his appearance was disgusting.

She hadn’t even meant that being with him was disgusting.

She had meant his personality.

Which, when she thought about it, probably wasn’t much better.

Irina sighed and rubbed her forehead.

This was ridiculous.

Beside her, Liam remained silent.

But the corner of his mouth had lifted slightly.

He wasn’t genuinely offended.

At least, not entirely.

There was something amusing about the whole situation. He had spent so much time around Irina that he knew how easily she became irritated by him, but hearing her accidentally reject the idea of being with him had still caught him off guard.

He glanced sideways at her.

She was staring out of the carriage window now, clearly trying to avoid eye contact.

Liam almost smiled.

Then he leaned forward and looked toward the driver.

"Can you hurry up?"

The young man, completely unaware of the emotional disaster he had accidentally created behind him, nodded quickly.

"Of course!"

He immediately tightened the reins and urged the horse forward.

"Come on!"

The horse picked up its pace.

The carriage began rolling faster through the city streets, its wheels bouncing slightly over the stone road as they headed toward the city gate.

Liam leaned back into his seat.

Irina remained beside him, still silently regretting the single word that had escaped her mouth.

Neither of them noticed how the young driver smiled to himself.

As far as he was concerned, he had just driven two of the most beautiful people he had ever seen.

He had absolutely no idea that his innocent comment about their imaginary children had nearly started a war inside the carriage.