Chapter 290 68.3 - Another Perspective

Chapter 290 68.3 - Another Perspective

?"I want you to take the credit for this incident. Especially for the fight with the demon."

The moment Irina heard his words, a cold feeling washed over her.

"What?" Irina's eyes widened in disbelief at Astron's unexpected request. It was an unreasonable proposition, and the audacity of it angered her.

It was a natural reaction. After all, what that guy had just said touched a place that she would never remember. There was no way that she would take it normally and scoff it off.

"Let me repeat. I want you to take the credit for this incident." And as if he didn't even notice her words, he repeated the same thing without any disturbance. He talked as if this was something natural.

"You....." And, Irina was not going to take it well.

–SWOOSH!

With a fast rush, she grabbed him by his collar once again. At least she tried to. Yet, this time, things didn't go as she wanted, as Astron slightly tilted his body backward, evading her grip.

"Calm down." He said, his voice monotone.

"Calm down? You want me to fucking calm down after hearing what you said?"

"What was wrong with what I said? Also, don't swear in front of me."

"What was wrong? Ahahahaha...." Irina raised her hand to her face after hearing his words, letting out a small laugh. "And you want me to not swear after saying all these things....This is beyond funny." Her face once again turned serious, as fire psions started to correspond to her emotional state.

"What do you take me for?" Irina's voice carried a mix of frustration and anger. "Someone who steals other people's achievements for the sake of her own success?"

Astron remained composed, seemingly unfazed by her outburst. It was as if he had already been expecting what she was going to say. "It's not about stealing." He started as he looked into her fiery eyes directly. "It's about keeping certain things hidden. There are matters that are better left in the shadows."

"....." Irina didn't respond immediately. She just kept looking into his eyes, her fiery gaze meeting his with an intensity that mirrored her building frustration.

'Here I thought his sleeping face was innocent. This annoying bastard...What does he think I am?'

After a brief silence, she finally spoke, her voice sharp and filled with indignation.

"Did I seem like a joke to you?" Irina's words cut through the tension, each syllable carrying the weight of her growing frustration. "Someone you can control and manipulate as you wish?"

Astron maintained his composure, his expression unreadable. "It's not about control or manipulation. I just proposed my wish to you. I am not controlling anything."

Irina's frustration flared, and she retorted, "If this is not controlling, then what is it? Proposing your wish? What kind of twisted way of asking for a favor is that?"

Astron has furrowed his brows at her words, seemingly thinking about them. It was as if he was saying internally, 'I should have been more considerate. I guess I underestimated her pride.'

While he might not have admitted it openly, Astron had been already trying to make Irina way more agreeable while diminishing her overly prideful demeanor. After all, she needed such a development.

'Well, the mask that one has been wearing for too long becomes a part of their real face, isn't it?'

He thought inwardly and raised his hand in a conceding manner. "Irina, my words were inconsiderate and too insinuative. It's my fault," Astron admitted, his tone more 'apologetic' than before.

Well, at least, this was what Irina wanted to believe, yet inwardly, she knew this guy's apology wasn't from his heart at all.

'At least, this should be fine for now.'

Yet, before he finished, Astron couldn't help but add one remark. "However, you should stop jumping to conclusions without listening to everything in detail."

And hearing it didn't make it better for Irina; otherwise, it might have made it worse.

'My bad, it is not fine.'

Irina took a moment to mull over his words. While initially skeptical, she started seeing the logic behind Astron's request.

'I can see that....'

It wasn't about manipulating or controlling her; it was about mitigating the potential fallout from a situation that had escalated beyond what was expected.

"All of these things would make things hard for me," Astron admitted, his expression serious. "So, I wish for you to take credit for the incident, especially the fight with the demon, since only you could have done it."

Hearing the phrase 'only you,' Irina felt her heart throb a little, and she hated that fact.

'...'

She nodded slowly, understanding the weight of his reasoning. The situation was indeed delicate, and Astron's concerns were not unfounded. She could see the practicality behind his request.

Yet, that didn't mean she was obliged to help him.

"I see your point." She said while raising. "However, you know you should not-"

"I should not expect you to go against your own standards just to help me." He cut her words and completed them on his own. "This was what you were about to say, right?" He met her gaze with a calm determination that left Irina momentarily dumbfounded.

"Exactly," she finally managed to nod her head in agreement.

"This is the reason I'm requesting it from you," Astron continued, providing insight into his perspective. "I know it goes against your principles, and I am willing to pay the corresponding price."

Irina's eyes narrowed slightly. "What could you possibly do?"

"I will grant you one request equal to this one. Consider it a transaction. You take credit for the incident, and in return, I fulfill a request of your choosing."

Irina tilted her head, studying Astron for a moment. The offer intrigued her, and yet, she couldn't help but feel a sense of caution. Considering the fact that he had also promised her to another one when she was teaching him the basics of magic, she thought he might be scamming. After a brief pause, she asked, "Anything?"

Astron nodded. "Within my capabilities and within the boundaries of reason. I won't compromise my values too much of an extent either, and we both should deem it equal to what you are doing right now."

His words made sense as she studied his expression.

'Well, he certainly is not the type to go against his own words.'

Considering the fact that he was rather obsessed with being true all the time, Irina was sure his pride was also quite great.

Irina crossed her arms, considering the proposition. The exchange seemed fair, and the idea of having Astron owe her a favor was already satisfying.

'Should I make him bark like a dog?'

He imagined the scene in her head, yet she was unsuccessful in even forming it.

'Yeah, there is no way he would do that. But.....'

After a moment of contemplation, while her mind wandered to countless different scenarios that she 'could' think of, she smirked.

"Fine, deal," she said, extending her hand for a handshake to seal the agreement. Astron reached out, and they shook hands, their unspoken pact binding them in a curious alliance amid the aftermath of the mysterious incident.

'What should I ask him about this?'

As she was thinking about the future when she was in the position of control, she couldn't help but smile.

Yet, in a place where many different things were happening, one boy opened his eyes.

"No....."