Lahat ng Kabanata ng Provoking a Graceful Bloom: Kabanata 311 - Kabanata 320

As expected, Silas scrambled to his feet, ready to flee. But before he could move far, Nathaniel's tall, lithe form was suddenly in front of him. With a sharp blow from the prince, Silas dropped to the floor again, sprawled out helplessly.But Michelle was a step ahead. As Nathaniel moved from the window, she feigned an attack, then used the force of Selena's own strike to vault from the windowsill and vanish into the street below.She had escaped!Silas gaped in disbelief, fury welling in his chest. He assumed Selena would give chase immediately, but she merely approached the window slowly and looked down at the scene below, her expression indifferent.A chill ran through Silas' as realization struck. He shouted, "Don't go to him—"A sharp pain seared his shoulder, cutting off the words mid-cry.It was too late. Michelle had taken the bait again. Selena and Nathaniel were not content with just uncovering this hideout. They intended to use Michelle, following her straight to her

Selena wanted to pull away. After all, there was no reason for him to be so close. But when she glanced back, Nathaniel's attention was entirely on the sounds around them, as if the proximity between them didn't matter at all.She felt as though she'd swallowed a bitterness she could not voice. He seemed perfectly unbothered. If she started squirming now, wouldn't that make her look needlessly self-conscious?Besides, there were indeed others approaching, and any sudden moves might alert them. From the sound of it, the newcomers' Lightfoot Skill seemed quite formidable. After a brief hesitation, she stopped struggling. She turned her focus forward, silently watching the dense woods with Nathaniel.Unbeknownst to her, as she focused intently on watching the approaching threat, the eyes of the man behind her subtly lowered. In the dim light, all he could see was her fair profile and the delicate curves of her figure.He was growing impatient. Pressed so close together, he could clear

Selena's face flushed as she glared at him, but no words of reproach came to mind. Who spoke such scandalous nonsense with utter seriousness? The most infuriating part was that she couldn't find a proper argument to refute him.He hadn't said it with even a hint of lewdness. His expression was grave, and his tone honest. He was merely stating what had actually happened. Still, the words were scandalous enough to leave her utterly flustered, her ears burning bright with embarrassment.Nathaniel didn't look much better himself. His face was just as red, his composure hanging by a thread. After all, he was only a young man of twenty-three, still capable of feeling embarrassed. But fearing he might miss his chance later, even his shyness could not stop him from speaking plainly."Lena, I'll give you one year. If you still can't overcome your fear after that, then I—"Selena's eyes narrowed as she scowled in discontent. "Then, what?"Nathaniel suddenly smiled, then leaned down and ligh

After her boots were padded with several layers of fabric, Selena could finally wear them well enough to move. Nathaniel tore two more strips of cloth and tied the tops snugly around her calves, ensuring she could run and jump without fear of her feet slipping out.Once he finished, he stood up and noticed her staring at him intently."What's wrong? Still uncomfortable?" he asked, crouching down again to inspect the boots.Her tiny feet were indeed a challenge. The boots were far too big.Just as he reached out, Selena softly said, "It's fine. No need to fuss anymore.""Is it unbearable?""I can manage," she replied.Though slightly too large, they would do for hiding her identity."Let's go." Nathaniel tugged her hand.Once they were down, he let go and they continued on.The cave was huge, likely a series of interconnected tunnels that had been manually carved. After Nathaniel dealt with one guard at an entrance, they slipped inside. Inside, it was just as they'd expected.

Selena and Nathaniel made their way back out, moving through the cave without alerting anyone, tracing the layout and taking in the structure of the tunnels. As they hid in the shadows, she took his hand, writing on his palm again.[Eric. Surround and destroy.]With just the two of them, there was no way they could take everyone inside. They would need the Royal Army.This time, Nathaniel didn't hesitate. He grabbed her hand, leading her toward the exit. Filled with explosives, the cave was too dangerous. Just one spark and even the most skilled fighter would have no chance of escaping.He was confident, but not reckless. Without absolute certainty, he would never put his beloved in harm's way.As they moved out, their black robes and masks, combined with their exceptional agility, allowed them to avoid suspicion. Only when they emerged did Selena notice the tension leave Nathaniel's shoulders. She breathed a sigh of relief herself.Being in there had felt like being caught in a