BXBX NOVEL Chapter 126: Stalkers
"Hick." The two nodded in fear.
"Follow me." Then Adrian took them into a nearby alley.
He glanced at the ring on his hand. \'Its second feature should come in handy now...\'
"Take off your hoodies." He ordered.
Adrian led the two individuals into a dimly lit alley, the shadows casting an eerie glow on their faces as they reluctantly pulled back their hoods. One was a wiry man with a sharp jawline and piercing eyes, the other a woman with short, tousled hair and a wary expression.
Adrian\'s eyes narrowed, and he clenched his fists slightly, feeling the weight of the ring on his finger. \'How do I activate the ring\'s power?\' he wondered, his thoughts racing. Then, as if sensing his intent, the ring pulsed with a faint warmth, sending a tingling sensation up his arm. He took it as a sign and focused his attention on the two strangers.
"Names," he demanded, his voice cold and authoritative.
The man hesitated, his eyes darting around the alley as if searching for an escape route. "I-I\'m Lenny," he stammered. "And this is Tessa."
Adrian studied their faces, noting the nervous twitch of Lenny\'s lips and the way Tessa\'s eyes flickered with unease. The ring grew warmer, and a subtle, almost imperceptible aura surrounded the two, making their lies palpable.
"Why were you following us?" Adrian asked, his tone sharp.
"We weren\'t," Tessa replied quickly, her voice trembling. "We were just passing by."
The ring\'s warmth intensified, and Adrian felt a strange clarity wash over him. He knew they were lying.
\'Oh, this is how it works, huh? But is there a limit?\'
"You\'re lying," he said flatly. "Tell me the truth."
Lenny swallowed hard, his fear evident. "W-We were hired to keep an eye on you," he admitted reluctantly.
"By whom?" Adrian pressed, taking a step closer, his eyes boring into Lenny\'s.
"I don\'t know," Lenny said, shaking his head. "We were just given orders and told to report back."
The ring pulsed again, and Adrian felt a surge of frustration. "You\'re still not telling me everything. Who gave you the orders? And, don\'t try to lie, I can tell whether you are lying or not."
"...W-We were hired by... The Principal." Tessa muttered her last words in a low voice.
"Who?" Adrian asked wondering whether he heard her right.
"The P-Principal..." Lenny replied.
"Which principal?" Adrian asked, his mind piecing the parts of the puzzle. \'It can\'t be who I think it is, right?\'
"T-The principal of the Arcane Academy..." Tessa answered.
\'It\'s really him!\' Adrian\'s widened in shock, his guess was coming right.
"Y-You mean Sir A-Arwen Starlight?" Adrian asked, stuttering slightly, wanting to confirm once again.
"Y-yes," The two of them replied.
Adrian looked at the ring, there was no reaction, nor did he feel anything. Which meant they were telling the truth. At least they weren\'t lying.
\'No, I should check it more.\' He muttered inwardly and faced them once again.
"I don\'t believe you," he said, his voice firm. "Where do you work? How do you have a connection with the Principal?"
Lenny glanced at Tessa, who gave a slight nod. "I\'m the librarian at the academy," Lenny confessed, his voice steadying. "And Tessa here is the Principal\'s secretary."
Adrian\'s eyes widened in disbelief. "You work at the academy?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Tessa confirmed, her expression softening. "We were sent to watch over Aria, the Principal\'s granddaughter, and protect her from any harm or...boys," she added, with a slight smirk. "But it seems we were too late. She is already taken..."
Adrian\'s face flushed with embarrassment. "I-I\'m sorry, and I think you got the wrong idea. And..." he stammered, taking a step back. "I thought you were stalkers."
"Don\'t be shy, boy," Lenny and Tessa exchanged a knowing glance, their lips curling into amused smiles. "It\'s okay," Lenny said, a chuckle escaping his lips. "We understand. You were just looking out for her."
Tessa nodded, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "You\'re really a funny boy," she said, laughing softly. "And you are right, we weren\'t sent by the Principal."
Adrian looked at them, confusion etched on his face. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "Then why?"
Tessa and Lenny looked at each other, then laughed out in a low voice.
"L-Let me explain." Tessa wiped away a tear of laughter. "I own the cafe you visited this morning," she explained. "And Lenny here is the head librarian of the academy and my husband."
"O-Oh, so you are the person she was talking about that time..." Adrian nodded remembering Aria\'s words about recommending the place for someone.
"We saw you both at our café," Lenny added, a grin spreading across his face. "And we couldn\'t resist following you to see what you were up to. You two looked so interesting together. We haven\'t seen little Aria with a boy alone before, you know, so it really intrigued us."
Adrian felt his embarrassment deepen, his cheeks burning. "S-so, you weren\'t sent by the Principal?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "A-and... You watched us this whole time?"
Tessa nodded her head, still smiling. "Yeah, we were just curious. And, you two seemed like a fun couple to watch."
Adrian let out a sigh of relief, though still feeling awkward. "I apologize for the misunderstanding again," he said, bowing his head slightly.
Lenny clapped him on the shoulder, his expression warm. "You did good, kid. But next time, maybe ask before jumping to conclusions," he said, winking.
Adrian managed a small smile, the tension easing from his shoulders. "I\'ll remember that," he said. "But you shouldn\'t stalk people like this too."
Tessa and Lenny laughed, their voices echoing in the narrow alley. "You\'re a good, boy," Tessa said, patting his arm. "Aria is lucky to have you looking out for her."
"T-Thanks... But, you got it wrong again. We aren\'t in that kind of relationship..."