Lord Shadow

Chapter 1700: His Flaw, Her Flaw

The fire crackles nearby as Sofia excitedly is preparing the meat. Some she grills. Some she boils, and some she stir fried

She basically is doing all kinds of things in front of him.

And he could not look anywhere else

He waited for the food to be done, for the meat to be served on a plate and for the plate to be put on the stone table.

He is very patient.

Any other person, Raynodn would already blurt out the reason for coming here.

And Sofia also knows that Raymond probably came here for a reason. Raymond is not exactly someone who have a lot of free time in his hand.

But...he always would make time for her. This is something that she knows. And so, she wanted to cook for him.

But she did not ask about why Raymond is here and Raymond does not to want to rush. And this is not the first time they ate together so there is this familiar routine between them.

Sofia has finished setting up the table.

There is all kinds of meat on the stone table, each one look appetizing.

Some are oily, some are boiled, some are soup but each one emits a pleasant smell and fragrant aroma fills the area

Usually, such smell and such activity would lure all kinds of beast around this forest to come near this area.

But there is no beast that dares come near. And Sofia would also not make such a big scene of cooking here if Raymond is not here.

Because she knows why the monster is not coming. Raymond is here and he is basically like a monster anti repellent patch.

His energy is enough to deter any beast in this island to scatter away from this area.

Even though Raymond only emanated a bit of his energy it is enough to intimidate those other monsters. ”itʼs done” Sofia said. ”But, do you eat?” Raymond only smiles ”I can eat. Though it would be converted to energy when it enters my body” ”Then this meat would be useful. Each one of them contains great laws and principles. If you train the same laws as the laws that these beasts have, it would probably strengthen your mastery and control of that law. A pity you no longer have any psychical body. If not it would help also to strengthen your body” Raymond only smiles at this ”You seem to have level up your cooking since then” ”Everyone change” Sofia said with a smile on his face. Raymond did not turn down the invitation as he begins eating. They take another half an hour to eat. Afternoon turns into late afternoon as they even drinks.

And then Raymond clean the table with one swipe of his hand. The earth swallows all of the bones and left nothing behind.

Sofia leans back and she closed her eyes. She seems to be taking a breath. Opening her eyes, she look straight at Raymond with a wistful smile ”I doubt you came here to reminisce with old friend”

Raymond nodded his head

There is silence. The wind blows, the leaves flutters, the branches sways and both of them look at each other. Raymond smiles and then he ask ”Sofia, donʼt you want to join the World Government?” Sofia smiles. There is many reasons why Raymond could come to her. And this is one of the reasons.

She chuckles a bit ”So, this is a recruitment drive? Why me?”

Sofia look toward the distance. Raymond did not say anything. He knows that Sofia has something more to say. ”Is it because of my past history with Death Monarch? Now, that Katarina has deep relationship with Death Monarch, does Hirate worried that Pandemonium and the Republic would create an alliance? So, Hirate needed me to balance the scales. So that if conflict does erupt Death Monarch would hesitate?”

Raymond chuckles ”I donʼt know what Hirate thinks. Not many people do. But I have always wanted to recruit you to the World Government. Years ago, I ask you the same question didnʼt I?”

Sofia nodded. That is true. No matter what Hirate wanted to do and what he is scheming and planning, it is true that Raymond has always bene sincere with her. It has always been like that.

Sofia did not know how to answer. ”You are roaming the world alone. You wanted to be stronger. To be stronger you need resources.” Raymond said. Then he sighed and added ”We are all not Death Monarch” And he added something more ”Ice Queen Katarina is improving even more after the battle with the Crime Alliance” hearing this Sofia shot a glare toward Raymond but Raymond is used to it and did not even flinch ”You donʼt think you could surpass her simply by just hunting monster could you? She also uses all kinds of resources. Sometimes to aid her process of condensing power, sometimes to heal her. Yes, you must rely on yourself to find your own path. But using resources that is available to you is also part of it”

Then Raymond quickly added something ”Death Monarch is different. I think, you who are closer to him, probably knows how different and abnormal his existence has become”

Sofia who was about to raise up the example of Death Monarch also knows that she was pre- empted

And she could not help but accept that what Raymond said is true.

Before she broke up with him, she herself knows that Azief is very different from any levelers she has met in her journey.

It is like he is walking a very different path from any other people

Out of everyone that she met, she never saw him takes that many aid either in pills or herbs or items.

Instead, most of it is solved with his own brute strength ”I would not attack Pandemonium” she declares and Raymond smiles.

The fact that she raise a condition is good enough for Raymond. It means she is thinking of joining if she raises a condition

What Raymod is worried about if she did not have any conditions at all ”You will join?” Sofia look around her and close her eyes.

Is it because she could not accept Katarina?

Is it because she is jealous?

Or is it because she always feels inferior that she acted like this?

She wanted to be stronger.

She wanted to prove something.

So, after she broke up with Azief, she roams the world.

She did not mean what she said.

Before...and after. She always wanted commitments but when that commitment come in front of her, she could not help but push it away.

Because she was perplexed. Why does Azief become so rash? Why did he do that? Sofia believe that he is uncertain about his own heart.

And because of that he wanted to cut off all retreat of his heart and choose her. She believes that is why he propose to her.

She did not know how to articulate it when she was in that situation but after she thinks for a moment, that is probably the reason why she rejected that proposal

It felt like.....he was settling for her. And if that is the case, then what if one day, he would leave her too? Just like other people who have leave her before

She would not be able to accept it if he would leave her like that.

So, she would let him leave. So that he would hurt less. So, that he could be honest with his own heart

Letting him leave out the gate that is called ”us”

Once he walks away from her.....she could not help but feel sad. This contradictory feeling of wanting to retain him and at the same time to let her go so that he would know what he wants.

He does not want to be the one that he is stelling with. He does not want to be someone that

Azief picked because he have to.

She could tell that Azief has affection for Katarina.

She did not want to be cheated. Azief has a hard time of letting people inside his heart.

That is his flaw.

And for Sofia, she has trust issues.

A man who could not let anyone inside, a woman who could not trust those that are in her heart

Because she has been burned too many times

Because she has been betrayed many times.

And each time, it cuts deeper.

The only thing that she got better at, after being betrayed, is that she becomes better at hiding the pain.

Those who have not been betrayed does not know how a betrayal could change how you view people and your life.

You began doubting people. And then you feel guilty for doubting them. But you could not stop doubting them either

Because...the alternative is another world of pain waiting for you. When everything is perfect,

Sofia could not believe it.

There is always a corner of unhappiness that seems to be waiting for her. She believes it so, so it became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

And she could not stop it either. Just like Azief could not open his heart completely, Sofia could not just erase all of her trauma just because she enters a new relationship.

She doesnʼt know if he would come back to her or not. And knowing that she could not help but keep crying

Alone. ....