I Killed The Main Characters

Chapter 141: Double Down [4]

Noah had been silent the entire time, letting me toil away with the device on my own, as disbelief

He leaned back in his chair, occasionally glancing over with that slight smirk that I had come to associate with his unique brand of arrogance.

But then, as I struggled with a particularly delicate piece of the wiring, his hand reached over and covered mine, guiding it with a surprising gentleness.

"Not like that."

He said, his voice low and almost… patient?

"If you keep bending the wire like that, it'll snap.

Here."

His fingers deftly twisted the wire in a way I hadn't thought of, securing it precisely into place.

He didn't let go of my hand immediately, his fingertips lightly pressing against my skin, warm and unexpectedly steady.

For a brief, almost surreal moment, I felt my cheeks heat up, a blush spreading before I could stop it

Noah's face was close enough that I could see the faintest hints of gold in his eyes, and a part of me wanted to linger.

To watch the way his brow furrowed as he focused on the task.

But just as quickly as the feeling arose, I forced it away, blinking and pulling my hand back.

"Are you blushing?"

He teased, his smirk widening into a grin that was both infuriating and, somehow, oddly charming.

Experience tales with ???

"Don't flatter yourself, Noah."

I shot back, willing the heat in my cheeks to die down. "It's just warm in here, that's all."

"Of course it is," he said, chuckling softly. He leaned in again, his arm brushing mine as he reached for another piece of the device. "You know, if you'd just asked, I could've taken over ages ago," he murmured, his tone dripping with mockery. "But I suppose you were too busy proving you could manage on your own."

I clenched my jaw, biting back a retort. It would only give him more ammunition, after all. Still, there was something almost… comfortable in the way he was here, working alongside me, even if his arrogance was ever-present. For once, we were almost like partners—albeit infuriating ones.

Together, we continued piecing the device together, my focus shifting between the intricate parts and his steady hands. Each time I made a mistake, he was quick to correct me, though always with a smirk and some patronizing comment. Still, beneath the sarcasm, he offered genuine guidance, his knowledge of magic engineering surpassing mine in ways I hadn't realized.

Finally, the class ended, and I sat back, taking a deep breath. I could feel the weight of his gaze on me, as if he was waiting for some kind of acknowledgment. Begrudgingly, I glanced over at him and muttered, "Thanks… for helping."

Noah tilted his head, his eyes gleaming with that ever-present arrogance, but this time, there was a flicker of something else—a softer, unspoken understanding. "You're welcome," he replied smoothly, rising from his chair with that same effortless confidence.

And with that, he strode out of the room, leaving me with an odd, lingering warmth that I couldn't quite shake.

***

I walked briskly.

The sound of my footsteps swallowed by the evening's quiet as I held the bag containing Noah's blazer carefully by my side.

Every fold, every crease, was perfectly in place.

I'd made sure of it.

Heaven forbid I give him any excuse to sneer and toss it back, muttering,

"Oh, you missed a spot"

or

"Honestly, Ariana, are you even capable of doing something right?"

I couldn't help but mock him in his own smug, irritated tone as I walked, biting back a smile at the thought.

After what felt like forever, Silvercrest Hall came into view.

The imposing, old stone building seemed to loom in the twilight, and I made my way inside.

My eyes sweeping over the dimly lit hallways as I headed for Noah's room.

The hallway in which Noah was staying in Silvercrest was quiet—eerie.

Even compared to the other dorms.

Noah's presence had this way of silencing everything around him.

Few dared to disturb the near-silence.

Even a loud laugh or clattering footsteps would be enough to earn his disdain.

Eventually, I reached his door and froze.

It was ajar.

I furrowed my brow, peering inside cautiously.

"Did his maid leave this open?"

I muttered to myself.

For someone as controlling as Noah, an unlocked door was uncharacteristic.

But then again, maybe it was intentional.

A trap for anyone reckless enough to enter his domain uninvited.

And here I was, on the brink of doing just that.

"Just place the blazer where he'll find it and bolt out."

I reminded myself, steadying my nerves.

As I stepped inside, I felt like an intruder, careful with each movement.

The room was immaculate, a show of effortless perfection that only made the space feel more intimidating.

I placed the blazer on his study desk with care.

Smoothing the fabric one last time to make sure there wasn't a single wrinkle.

Then, thinking twice, I tore a piece of paper from my notebook and scribbled a quick note.

[Blazer returned, clean as you requested. – Ariana.]

The note seemed so simple, but something about it made me anxious.

The room felt heavy, like it was absorbing every little movement, watching my every step.

I glanced around, taking in the shelves lined with books.

Far too many to have ever been read, I assumed, but impressive all the same.

Then I saw it.

A small flower pot, balanced delicately at the edge of a table near the bookshelves.

A splash of green in the otherwise clinical room.

QI couldn't resist leaning closer, examining it with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

The fact that someone as cold as Noah kept something as fragile as a plant was almost laughable.

But as I leaned in to get a better look, my elbow nudged the pot.

It fell to the ground with a soft, heart-stopping shatter.

The fragments scattering across the floor.

Panic surged through me, and I barely stifled a gasp.

"Oh, no, no, no…"

I murmured, frantically looking around.

Maybe I could sweep it under the rug?

Or find some way to put it back together before he noticed?

As if that would somehow erase the evidence.

Before I could move, the room was plunged into darkness.

I froze, my pulse pounding in my ears.

Somewhere beyond the door, I heard footsteps echoing down the hall.

Coming closer.

I glanced around, desperate for a place to hide.

My gaze landed on the desk.

And without thinking, I ducked beneath it.

Curling up as small as I could.

The footsteps grew louder, each step sending a new spike of fear through my chest.

My breath was shallow, barely there, as I tried to stay as silent as possible, pressing my hand over my mouth.

I didn't know who was out there—maybe it was Noah, or maybe it was just some unfortunate student passing by.

But if it was Noah… I didn't want to think about what would happen if he found me here.

The door creaked open slowly, and someone stepped inside.

I caught a faint flicker of light as a candle was lit, casting a warm, dim glow over the room.

Through a sliver of space beneath the desk, I could see their shoes.

Dark, polished, and meticulously well-kept.

They stepped closer, then stopped by the bed, standing perfectly still as if waiting, listening.

My mind raced, my thoughts tangled in a frenzied attempt to figure out a way out of this.

I didn't know who was there, but there was no way I could let them find me.

I could feel my palms sweating, my pulse erratic, and my heart hammering so loudly I was convinced whoever it was would hear it.

For a few tense moments, silence reigned.

The figure didn't move, and I didn't dare to either.

Then, in a flash, a head appeared from the side of the desk, staring directly at me.

I couldn't see much in the dim light, just the face.

But the eyes—glowing yellow, intense and unblinking—seemed to bore into me, pinning me in place.

My breath caught, and before I knew what I was doing, instinct took over.

I threw out my hand, a gust of wind magic surging from my palm and slamming into the figure with more force than I'd intended.

They were flung back, hitting the wall with a sickening thud.

The candle flickered, nearly going out, but I managed to make out the still figure on the floor.

Blood trickled down their forehead, dark and glistening in the faint light.

A wave of horror washed over me.

"D-did I kill someone?"

I whispered, my voice trembling.

The room was silent save for the faint dripping of blood hitting the floor.

Each drop a sickening reminder of what I'd just done.

I didn't know who this person was, but the sight of their still form, the blood, made my stomach twist.

I stumbled back, my mind blank with shock.

My hand trembled as I covered my mouth, staring in disbelief.