Zura pinned Noelle down on the pigeon, his movements swift and sure, and glared at her, his gaze a mix of determination and frustration.
Noelle gulped, her face flushed red, her voice a mix of shock and disbelief. "What… are … you…"
"Don't you dare insult my sister like that," Zura said, his voice a mix of fury and desperation. "Or I will make you regret it."
Noelle averted her flushed face to the side, her voice low and unsure. "I won't. So…" She muttered, her voice a mix of embarrassment and frustration. "Get.. off me."
Zura let go of Noelle, his movements hesitant and unsure, and made some distance between them. He placed his hand on his face, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and regrets. 'I shouldn't have done that.'
Ever since Zura was a kid, he had a tendency to get angry whenever it was something related to his sister. And growing up like that, it became his habit, a part of him that he couldn't control.
Noelle gritted her teeth, her gaze a mix of anger and frustration, and glared at Zura with her teary eyes. "How dare you treat me like that," she muttered, her voice a mix of hurt and disbelief.
After flying for a while, Zura glanced at Noelle, but she seemed to be ignoring him, her gaze distant and unsure.
'I don't want the entire ride to be like this,' he sighed, his mind a mix of regret and determination. He cleared his throat, his voice hesitant and unsure, and tried to start a conversation with Noelle. "So… how old are you?"
At first, Noelle ignored him, her gaze distant and unsure. But after a while, she glanced at Zura from the corners of her eyes, her voice a mix of curiosity and hesitation. "Why should I tell you?"
Zura scoffed, his gaze a mix of amusement and disbelief, and shook his head as he looked at Noelle. "I see, I see," he said, his voice a mix of teasing and curiosity. "I get it. I get it. So this is how you treat the chosen one. This is how you royals are. I understand. I see. I see."
Zura tried to make Noelle feel guilty, his voice a mix of teasing and curiosity, and it worked.
"I am 18!" she yelled, her voice a mix of frustration and desperation. "And… don't call me 'You'. I have a name. So call me Noelle," she added, her face flushed with embarrassment and frustration.
"Alright." Zura nodded, his voice a mix of understanding and curiosity, and uttered, "So, Noelle, if it has been two months since Zagred tried to destroy everything, does that mean the dark triad hasn't attacked yet?"
Zura asked with a puzzled and confused look on his face, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and uncertainties.
Noelle's eyes widened, her voice a mix of shock and disbelief, and she shook her head. "They attacked the Clover Kingdom just three days ago."
"Wait! So…" Zura exclaimed, his voice a mix of shock and disbelief. "Does that mean… Zenon took Yami?!"
"No. They did come to take Captain Yami, but he defeated Dante, so they retreated," Noelle answered, her voice sincere and sure.
"Let me guess; Captain Yami was also the one who defeated Zagred?" Zura wondered, his voice a mix of curiosity and hesitation, and glanced at Noelle to hear her response.
Noelle nodded, her voice steady and sure. "Yes."
'I see. So, Captain Yami truly surpassed his limit to the point where he defeated Dante alone,' Zura thought to himself, his mind a mix of awe and curiosity. 'I can't wait to see him!'
Five more minutes passed by, the silence between them a stark contrast to the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling within Zura's mind. Hage village was around the corner, its familiar sights and sounds a beacon of comfort and curiosity.
Noelle shot a glance at Zura, her gaze a mix of curiosity and hesitation, and asked, her voice soft and unsure. "What… type of person is your sister?"
"Well, if you ask me to describe her as a person, then I better not," Zura chuckled, a distant smile playing on his lips, his mind a mix of memories and emotions. "She is terrible, but she is my sister. And she is the only reason why I want to go back to my real world. I can't leave her alone."
"She should be okay," Noelle reassured, her voice gentle and sure. "I am sure she can take care of herself while you are away."
"Of course she can," Zura replied, his voice a mix of understanding and desperation. "But I don't want to go back and see her grow into an old lady with grandchildren. Besides, it's my birthday in 15 hours, and she promised me that she would give me something special, something valuable. Something she has been saving for me."
"Oh!" Noelle turned to Zura, her gaze a mix of curiosity and hesitation, and furrowed her brows as she asked, her voice soft and unsure. "Did I not tell you that time passes differently here compared to your real world?"
Zura stared at Noelle, his face a mask of disbelief and shock, and uttered, his voice a mix of confusion and desperation. "No."
"Lady Tsunade was supposed to tell you, but as you were yelling about going home, she must have been discouraged," Noelle informed, her voice gentle and sure. "The time here and the time of your real world are different."
"How much is the time difference?" Zura asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and anxiety, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and uncertainties. He was worried that the time might pass fast on the earth, his desperation to return home a constant companion.
"One year in this world should be one hour in your real world," Noelle replied, her voice steady and sure.
"..!" Zura was genuinely surprised, his mind a mix of awe and disbelief. The only reason he wanted to go back to his real world was that he wanted to celebrate his birthday with Lucy. And he wanted to receive Lucy's special gift that she had been saving for him.
However, if one year in this world was only one hour in the real world, then Zura could spend at least 14 years in this world and still make it back home before his birthday.
"We are here," Noelle said as she lowered the pigeon, its movements swift and sure, and landed near the Hage village, its sights and sounds a beacon of comfort and curiosity.
'Let's see what happened to Asta—the main character of this world,' Zura thought to himself, his mind a mix of anticipation and curiosity.
Zura and Noelle jumped off the pigeon, its form shimmering and grand, and made their way to the church, its sights and sounds a beacon of comfort and curiosity.
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