Chapter 35
After what felt like an eternity of being tossed through the air like ragdolls, Harley finally brought them to a rough landing at the first harbor she spotted on the Stellar Continent. As her feet touched solid ground, she couldn't help but let a smirk grace her lips as she glanced back at her captive companions.
Sanemi was crouched on the ground, his arms wrapped protectively around his stomach, his face contorted in discomfort. Meanwhile, Haruko stood nearby, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and determination as he struggled to maintain his composure.
Haruko's eyes wandered upward, finally beholding the stars that adorned the night sky above them. Here on the Stellar Continent, the nights were long and the days short, allowing the true beauty of the cosmos to be fully revealed.
With a mocking grin, Harley sauntered over to where Sanemi was still recovering from their turbulent journey. She teased him mercilessly, reveling in his frustration as he finally found his voice and unleashed a torrent of curses in her direction.
Haruko's brow furrowed in confusion as he approached Harley, his gaze steady as he posed the question that weighed heavily on his mind. "Why did you bring us here?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.
Harley responded with a roll of her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "What'd you expect when I took you? A vacation?" she retorted, her words laced with thinly veiled disdain as she closed the distance between them.
Standing face to face with Haruko, Harley pointed a sharp nail at his chest, her gaze piercing as she leveled an accusatory glare at him. "You are criminals," she declared, her voice cold and unwavering. "I don't know if you're responsible for whatever I saw back there, but you were the only ones at the scene of the incident. Whatever that incident is."
Her gaze drifted to the east, a sense of determination emanating from her as she spoke. "We will be walking from here to the east. That's where you'll spend the rest of your lives," she announced, her words carrying the weight of finality.
Without waiting for a response, Harley turned and began to stride purposefully toward the city gates, her movements swift and decisive. "What are you waiting for?" she called over her shoulder, tugging at the energy rope that bound them together. And, yes, she had neglected to remove it even during their chaotic flight across the ocean.
As Haruko complied with Harley's order, he couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation wash over him. Reluctantly, he began to drag Sanemi along with them, the weight of their situation heavy upon his shoulders.
After what felt like an eternity of walking through the bustling streets of the city, they finally emerged on the eastern side, greeted by the sight of a lush green forest stretching out before them. Haruko's eyes widened with wonder at the sight, a sense of awe filling him as he took in the natural beauty that surrounded them.
Harley noticed their curiosity and couldn't resist the urge to boast. "Unlike the Sin Continent, which is plagued by dead forests and deserts, the Stellar Continent has harnessed the power of technology to cultivate plant life," she explained, her voice tinged with a hint of pride. "After all, sunlight is limited here."
Sanemi, however, didn't take kindly to her words. As a prince of one of the Sin Continent's kingdoms, he felt a surge of indignation at her implied superiority. With a sharp click of his tongue, Sanemi shot Harley a glare, his voice dripping with disdain. "As if. The Sin Continent is home to beautiful women unlike yo-"
Before he could finish his sentence, a devastating punch landed squarely on Sanemi's head, sending him sprawling to the ground in a daze. Harley stood over him, her expression one of annoyance, her veins bulging on her forehead as she gritted her teeth in frustration.
"What was that?" she demanded, her voice low and menacing as she loomed over Sanemi, her gaze fierce and unwavering.
Meanwhile, Haruko struggled to contain his amusement, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he watched the exchange unfold.
With a heavy sigh, Haruko decided to put an end to Sanemi's antics and called out to him in a tone that brooked no argument. "Sanemi, we're captured. Stop messing around," he admonished, his voice tinged with frustration.
Startled out of his reverie, Sanemi glanced up from where he lay on the ground and met Haruko's gaze. There was a certain seriousness in Haruko's eyes that couldn't be ignored, and Sanemi knew it was time to put aside his pride and cooperate.
With a resigned grunt, Sanemi pushed himself up from the ground and turned to face Harley, his expression a mixture of annoyance and resignation. Harley arched an eyebrow at their exchange, her gaze sharp and probing. "You two sure do get along," she remarked dryly, her tone betraying a hint of skepticism. "But that won't help you in any way."
She turned her attention to the lush forest that lay before them. "We only need to cross this forest, and then we'll have arrived," she announced, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere like a knife.
As they journeyed through the dense forest, Haruko stole a glance at the rising sun, a small smirk playing at the corners of his lips. Sanemi, catching his gaze, scoffed in response but returned a knowing look of his own. Their silent communication did not go unnoticed by Harley, whose guard instinctively rose at the subtle exchange between the two.
Though she said nothing, Harley's body language spoke volumes, her posture tense and alert as she remained vigilant of any potential threats. Haruko couldn't help but chuckle softly, realizing that the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
However, to Sanemi's surprise, Haruko made no move to break free from the energy rope that bound them together. After a few minutes passed without any action, Sanemi shot Haruko a questioning look, his expression serious and perplexed.
Haruko met Sanemi's gaze with a smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he explained, "I want to see where this goes."
Harley, growing increasingly frustrated by their silent communication, turned to confront them both. "Would you just talk already?!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with irritation. "Stop talking with your freaking eyes."
Turning her attention to Haruko, Harley demanded, "To see what goes where?" Her frustration was palpable, her abilities limited to the physical realm rather than the subtle nuances of mental communication.
Haruko met Harley's intense gaze with a steely determination, unafraid to voice his intentions. "I want to see where this whole 'arresting' us thing goes," he declared, his tone firm and unwavering as he hid nothing from her.
A twitch of irritation flickered across Harley's features as she stepped forward to confront Haruko directly. "What's your game plan?" she demanded, her voice sharp with frustration. "You seem to think you can escape at any time you want? And that annoys me..."
Haruko shifted uncomfortably under her piercing gaze, his cheek tinted with a hint of color as he averted his eyes. "I'd rather you back off..." he muttered, his voice trailing off as he gestured awkwardly toward Harley's chest with his eyes.
Harley's expression hardened as she followed his gaze, her irritation boiling over at the brazen remark. Without a word, she delivered a swift slap across Haruko's cheek, the sting of her palm lingering in the air as she turned on her heel and walked away.
As Harley retreated, a deep frown etched upon her face, she hastily buttoned up the top buttons of her shirt, her movements quick and agitated. Haruko watched her departure with a mix of chagrin and amusement.
Sanemi's smirk widened as he watched Harley's embarrassed retreat, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "That was a low blow," he remarked, his tone laced with mirth.
Haruko chuckled softly, shaking his head in mild regret. "I didn't mean to upset her," he admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of apology.
Together, they observed Harley's figure as she walked ahead, her posture tense and her movements brisk as she led them forward, her embarrassment palpable.
As they followed along behind her, Haruko's thoughts drifted to the events of the past few hours. He couldn't help but reflect on how quickly their initial impression of Harley had shattered. At first, she had appeared to be a serious and formidable woman, but now, after only a short time in her company, they had seen a different side of her entirely.
Haruko glanced up at the sky, the passing clouds casting shifting shadows on the forest floor below. It had only been a few hours since they had crossed paths with Harley, but already, their perceptions of her had been challenged in unexpected ways.
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That's it for chapter 35 and if you made it this far leave me a #AwaitingContract. And yes, I have signed the contract. Also can you all please check out my first one shot. It just feels neglected. It is long, I assure you that.