Chapter 197: I'll Handle It

'What!' Jarina thought to herself as her purple eyes saw the wave of fire suddenly disappear into thin air.

As it was so sudden and it was not by her doing, Jarina was really surprised by it.

She also knew that the source of the fire was someone strong, so...destroying the wave of fire was definitely not easy.

However, it seems that the surprises have not ended yet as she soon felt a touch on her shoulder.

"What's happening here?" A deep and husky voice entered her ears.

It was a voice unfamiliar to her, but somehow...it was really, really familiar.

It was a weird feeling, but that was not all as Jarina was feeling even...weirder than that.

No, it wasn't really a feeling, but...she could feel her heart beat faster than ever.

Hell, it was even beating faster than when she first noticed that a wave of fire was coming to burn her alive.

"Hmm? Are you alright?" The same voice resounded out. A deep and husky voice that just seems to attract Jarina's attention.

And it was then that Jarina finally turned her face around to look at the person who suddenly touched her shoulder.

"Ah!" Jarina's mouth widened into an 'O' shape as she let out a scream. It was not only her mouth that widened but also her eyes.

Why? It was because...even though the difference was huge and the resemblance was almost faint from when he was a child, Jarina could tell.

She could tell from the bottom of her heart that this stranger in front of her was...

"Desire!" Jarina shouted out loud as her body instinctively moved, her body moved as she hugged Desire.

And Desire...didn't move as he just began to caress Jarina's purple hair.

He was taller than Jarina now, so Jarina was completely tucked in his arms.

The sight of them hugging together was just like a painting made by a god himself.

He then spoke with the same deep and husky voice, "Hmm? You can recognize me?"

"Even though I grew up again?" Desire continued as he looked down on Jarina.

Of course, when Desire spoke to him, Jarina moved her head to look up at Desire.

However, when she did, Desire could see...her eyes were somehow a little bit red and wet.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Desire murmured immediately as he moved his left hand to wipe the tears from Jarina's eyes.

"W-well...I heard that something happened to you when you were training and that you weren't waking up even though a long time has passed." Jarina said, and as soon as she finished speaking, she...buried her face into Desire's chest.

It seems that she just wanted to savor this moment of being in Desire's arms as she didn't even wait for Desire's reply or explanation.

Of course, Desire...didn't speak as he just patted Jarina's head with his left arm.

His right arm was...not doing anything as Desire didn't want to touch Jarina with this arm, with this cracked and blackened arm that he used to destroy the wave of fire.

Well, his right arm was hidden as he was wearing a robe that was covering both of his arms.

'Hmm...this feels nice.' Desire thought as he closed his eyes.

It did feel nice for him to be hugged by Jarina, but...it seems that he couldn't enjoy this feeling anymore as he heard a voice.

"Can't you do that somewhere else?" That voice said, and it was a voice that Desire heard before.

As he has the Heavenly Demon Trait, it was fairly easy for him to remember who this voice belongs to.

That was why...Desire looked up as he opened his eyes and spoke, "Grizelle."

However, Desire was not done as he continued, "So, you're the one who made those fire and those pillars."

"You're the one...who planned to burn Jarina alive." Desire said as he...raised his right arm, pointing his finger to Grizelle.

His red eyes were glaring right at her, but that was not all as Desire even instinctively released some sort of aura.

This aura pressured Grizelle, but...it wasn't really that bad for Grizelle. After all, it's not like Grizelle was some small fry who can't defend herself.

What's more, it's not like Desire would just suddenly attack Grizelle when he knew that Grizelle was an ally.

However...Desire just didn't like the fact that Grizelle was actually pointing her fire at Jarina.

That was why he is acting like this. But...it seems that his concern was no need as Grizelle spoke.

"I don't know who you are, but we were practicing - not fighting. You can ask that woman if you don't trust my words."

"Besides, it's not like she can't defend herself. You saw her cutting the pillars of fire in half, right?"

"Even if you didn't come and defend her, she would be able to escape from that situation unscathed."

Grizelle said as she looked at Desire with cold eyes. It seems that she didn't recognize who Desire was.

Well, it was only natural considering that even Lionel didn't recognize Desire at first.

In fact, Jarina was just that...mindful of Desire that she was able to recognize Desire right away.

Anyways, when she heard the two talking, Jarina finally raised her head to look at Desire and spoke, "Oh, right. I forgot to mention this, but yes. We were practicing, so you didn't really have to intervene like that."

"But...I appreciate it." Jarina said those last words so quietly that if it weren't for Desire's senses, he wouldn't have picked it up.

"Hmm...I guess so. Master also did me pretty bad when we were practicing." Desire murmured as he brought down his right hand.

His right hand...returned back to normal, and the pressure that was leaking from him stopped as well.

"Anyways, how long are you gonna hug me? I'm fine now so you can have me for all you want whenever you want." Desire said as he caressed Jarina's head.

What he said was so cheesy and cringy that even the cold and lifeless eyes of Grizelle showed a bit of disgust.

'Uwaaah. Jarina actually has feelings for someone like him?' Grizelle thought as she turned her head away from secondhand embarrassment.

Of course, when Jarina heard what Desire said, her face turned a little bit red, but she didn't panic or anything like that.

She had the Cold-Blooded Trait for a reason, after all.

It seems that she didn't mind that Desire was cheesy or something like that.

"Ah, I'm sorry." Jarina said as she then began to move away from Desire while bowing her head.

She didn't want to Desire to see what she looks like right now, after all.

"Anyways, you said that you guys were practicing?" Desire said as he looked at Grizelle and Jarina.

Of course, his eyes stayed with Jarina as he continued, "How...come, though? I remember you didn't like her or something? Did that pass away just like that?"

Desire could remember that Jarina was acting hostile towards Grizelle, which is why he was confused to see them practicing.

In fact, that was also why he thought that the 'practice' was a fight.

After all, there was just no way that Jarina would suddenly like Grizelle.

However, before even Jarina could answer his questions, Grizelle spoke first.

"Huh? How come you're asking so many questions even though you just entered this place?"

"You disturbed our practice, and yet, you think that you can just act normally?"

"Even if this woman has feelings for you, I won't forgive such rude behavior."

"In the first place, who are you? Acting like that when it's our first meeting...disgusting."

Grizelle said all those words with her usual cold eyes. It seems that she really didn't like how Desire was acting.

Well, it was the truth that Desire was rude considering that he stopped their practice.

"Hmm? What do you mean by it's your first time meeting him? You guys already met." Jarina said as she turned her head towards Grizelle.

"You already met De-!!" Jarina tried to continue her words, but...she was abruptly cut off as Desire...covered her mouth with his left hand.

"Hmm!" Jarina tried to break out of Desire's hold out of surprise, but when she realized that it was Desire, she...didn't struggle anymore.

Well, it was Desire.

Anyway, when he could feel that Jarina was no longer struggling, Desire spoke with his mouth near Jarina's ear.

"Why are you telling her that I'm Desire? I trust you and master, but I don't trust her at all."

And when she heard what Desire said, Jarina's eyes widened. After all, she finally realized why Desire was covering her mouth like this.

It was indeed...a mistake for her to just speak without thinking about anything, and it was a mistake...that could possibly cost the future of Desire.

After all, just the rumor of someone being able to grow from a baby to child, from child to adult would definitely make Desire's life horrible.

That was why...Jarina was feeling guilty all over her mind and body right now as panic and confusion entered her mind.

However, before even Jarina could really panic or something like that, Desire spoke again.

"Don't worry about it, I'll handle this situation." He said as he tried to comfort Jarina.