When Your Secret Crush Wizard Took a Love Potion - Chapter 17
Everywhere I looked, there were people. Even compared to the mountain town where I occasionally visited the market, the bustling city felt like another world entirely. Leaving the paths lined only with tall grass and large trees and arriving in such a city was like stepping into a different realm.
Exiting the dock area, I made my way toward the city center where the inns were likely located.
The wide stone streets, made for carriage passage, were so crowded that standing still for a moment felt like I could be swept away in the wrong direction by the stream of people.
“Hey! What are you doing just standing there? Move along, don’t block the way!”
A man snapped irritably. However, he quickly paled and cringed upon seeing something behind me.
“Yikes! S-sorry!”
He seemed as if he had seen a demon crawl out from the fires of hell, which startled me enough to turn around, but all I saw was Edgar blinking innocently.
“You know, Chloe, sometimes humans who are fragile in mind and body get swept up by their surroundings and experience delusions or hallucinations.”
His calm reasoning would have been convincing if he hadn’t suddenly wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close.
“Oops!”
His chest was so solid that it made my nose tingle from the impact. Before I could scold him for his clinginess, a cargo-laden carriage passed behind us at full speed. Its wheels clatter loudly despite the crowded street.
“Be careful.”
Edgar murmured and raised an eyebrow disapprovingly.
“Are you okay?”
I could distinctly hear his heart beating fast through the skin that touched. I don’t remember what I responded with, but the mischievous twinkle in Edgar’s eyes must have been because he noticed my cheeks turning red under my robe.
“Shall we hold hands?”
His suggestion came out of nowhere, making me instinctively think if he was crazy. My reaction must be visible from just my expression.
Edgar quickly added a reason.
“We might get lost, you know.”
“Really? That’s the only reason?”
“Yeah.”
His ulterior motives were all too obvious I can’t even pretend to not know. The quick answer was more honest than he probably intended.
I bluntly rejected him, and Edgar’s lips pouted before he changed tack.
“What about cutting down the noise? It’s just too noisy and chaotic here.”
“What do you mean?”
Confused by his ambiguous statement, I turned to face Edgar’s serene expression, and it hit me like a bolt of lightning.
“Hand! Edgar, give me your hand quickly!”
It was clear now. Edgar in love was not in his right mind.
Life is not something to be tampered with carelessly.
A wizard who had inherited the truths of the world from a sage druid, wouldn’t just involve himself in bloodshed for such trivial matters. Even if no one would punish him, Edgar had always strictly followed the rules and wouldn’t even joke about such things.
“Let’s hold hands and go. Quickly.”
I really think I need to fix him as soon as possible—no, right now, it is more important to keep a tight grip on him, unpredictable as he was.
“Always in a hurry. Our Chloe can be quite bold at times.”
“Just give me your hand now.”
“It’s embarrassing if you rush me.”
“I’m starting to get really annoyed.”
The lines in my brow deepened from the frustration. Fortunately, Edgar seemed to sense the seriousness in my voice and stopped joking. He quickly took my hand.
“Lovely couple there! Why don’t you take a look at our goods!”
Street vendors called out as we passed. Though I wore a robe and was of average build for a woman in the kingdom, Edgar’s tall and broad stature made him visible.
In the eyes of those unaware of our story, our hand-holding might look like a couple sweetly enjoying their time together.
“Let’s go.”
Vendors typically see couples as easy targets since people in love are often quick to open their wallets.
