Dark Evolution Begins with Marrying an SSS-CLASS Blind Monster
Chapter 138: Curious Hearts

Chapter 138: Curious Hearts

Anna and her maid concealed themselves behind the old workshop door, dappled sunlight streaming through the dense leaves of the ancient trees casting playful shadows around them. The air was filled with the faint scent of blooming roses, carried by a gentle breeze that whispered through the garden.

Anna’s heart raced beneath her crimson dress, the fabric rustling softly as she shifted her weight. Her dark eyes, filled with curiosity and fascination, remained fixed on Nellas.

As he introduced himself, Anna’s thoughts swirled like leaves caught in a sudden gust of wind. She couldn’t help but think, So his name is Nellas? Her gaze remained transfixed on the mysterious young man, who not only saved her grandfather but also stood up for the less fortunate. There was something undeniably compelling about him, like a magnet pulling at her heart.

"Young miss, his name, it’s Nellas?" Anna’s maid suddenly remarked, her voice tinged with wonder. "Isn’t that such a unique name? I have never heard it before."

"Yeah," Anna replied, her eyes still fixed on Nellas, her cheeks flushed like the roses in the garden.

"But young miss, how long do you plan to follow him?" her maid asked with a knowing look, the sunlight dancing in her eyes.

Anna’s embarrassment painted her cheeks with a rosy hue as she replied, "Who said I am following him? I just came here for my grandfather." She tried to sound convincing, but the subtle smile on her face betrayed her true feelings. Why am I so captivated by him? she pondered in the recesses of her mind. There’s something about him that’s inherently different.

Her maid raised an eyebrow playfully, the glint in her eye matching the sun’s playful dance through the leaves. "Is that so? Then why are you hiding from him?"

"I—" Anna began to speak but stopped herself, unable to find a satisfactory answer. Why am I following him? she thought, her gaze locked on Nellas’s retreating figure. I don’t even know myself. It’s as if... there’s an invisible string pulling me toward him.

"Anna?"

Suddenly, a voice broke through her thoughts, and both Anna and her maid turned to find Han standing behind them, flanked by his guards. His attire was the epitome of elegance, and his presence exuded an aura of refinement.

"What happened? Who are you hiding from?" Han inquired, his curiosity piqued, his voice as smooth as the silk of his robe.

"Is there someone inside?" Han asked again, peering inside the workshop, his eyes adjusting to the dimmer light within.

Oh no. He’s going to look inside, Anna thought, her expression a turbulent blend of apprehension and embarrassment, the warmth of the sun suddenly feeling uncomfortably hot against her skin.

Han’s discerning gaze landed upon Nellas and Anna’s grandfather inside the workshop, linking their presence to Anna’s secretive behavior. "So that is why," he mused, his attention momentarily returning to Anna.

No. No. No. Don’t say it, Anna silently pleaded with her eyes as she glanced at Han, worry etched into her features, while the shifting patterns of shade and light from the leaves above painted a complex tapestry on her troubled expression.

"You are here to see your grandfather, right?" Han asked, his tone understanding, a calming breeze amid the chaos of Anna’s emotions.

"Huh?" Anna stammered, her expression a mix of surprise and relief, the weight of her secret beginning to dissipate like morning mist. "Right. I’m here for my grandfather. Yeah."

"Since when did he start working?" Han inquired, a gentle curiosity in his voice. "I remember him having a disease or something like that," his words hung in the air, as fragile as the petals of a blooming flower.

"He... He has been cured and is alright," Anna explained, her voice a soothing melody amidst the surrounding beauty.

"Really, that is great," Han said, his smile as warm as the sunlit garden. "It is good to see an excellent blacksmith working again."

Laughter rang out from the workshop, capturing their collective attention. Nellas and the old man emerged, bathed in a soft, golden light, like figures from a cherished painting.

"Young miss, he is coming out," Anna’s maid whispered, playfully nudging Anna’s elbow, the glint in her eye a reflection of the sparkling sun dancing through the leaves. "What are you gonna do now?"

Anna’s face turned an even deeper shade of red, her heart now an orchestra of emotions, each beat like a crescendo in a symphony.

Nellas and the old man, Anna’s beloved grandfather, stepped into the garden, and their presence was like a burst of sunlight after a long winter’s night.

"Greetings!" Han said, bowing his head slightly, a gesture as graceful as the swaying branches overhead.

Nellas’s eyes locked onto Anna’s for a brief moment, the world seeming to pause around them. Anna’s heart fluttered like a trapped bird, her senses heightened by the intensity of that fleeting connection.

He... Somehow he looks even more handsome than yesterday, Anna observed, her eyes drinking in every detail. Even his hair is gleaming more brightly.

Then, as suddenly as it had begun, Nellas’s gaze broke away, leaving Anna perplexed and her heart yearning for more.

Huh? What happened? Anna wondered, the world a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Does he not remember me? We just met yesterday.

"Ho, aren’t you that kid, Han? You sure have grown bigger than the last time I saw you," Anna’s grandfather addressed Han, bridging the gap and shifting the focus away from Anna’s tangled thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah," Han replied, a hint of surprise in his voice. "But do you know him?" he asked, casting a glance toward Nellas.

"Yeah, this young man saved me yesterday," the old man revealed, his voice filled with gratitude, the sun’s warmth mirrored in his eyes.

"He saved you?" Han exclaimed, genuine astonishment coloring his words.

"Yeah, it was because of him I can work again. He removed the curse from my body," the old man continued, admiration in his gaze. "And he didn’t ask for anything in return. He is a very nice guy."

While the conversation between Han and Anna’s grandfather continued, Nellas stood there silently, his thoughts a tempest of emotions, his eyes drawn inexplicably back to Anna and turning away again.

I hope she is happy in this life, he thought, his gaze carrying a weight of unspoken wishes. As long as she is happy, everything will be alright.

Simultaneously, Anna grappled with her own confusion. Is something on my face? Why did he turn away from me? She searched her face with her hand, finding no answers.

As they continued to think about each other, the conversation between Han and Anna’s grandfather flowed onward.

"Then you know about that too?" Han inquired, curiosity knitting his brows.

"About what?" the old man asked, the curiosity mirrored in his eyes.

"It seems you don’t know about it. That he is a blacksmith," Han revealed, the garden breeze carrying his words.

"Huh? He is a blacksmith?" the old man echoed, his voice filled with astonishment.

"Yeah, and he is pretty famous for it too," Han added, the details as vivid as the blossoms around them.

Suddenly, Anna’s grandfather gave Nellas a friendly slap on the shoulder, breaking him from his thoughts. "You are really something. Why didn’t you tell me that you were also a blacksmith?"

Nellas, still in a daze, replied, "Huh? I am not that good of a blacksmith to talk to someone like you about my craftsmanship." His words hung in the air like delicate petals.

Anna’s grandfather was about to speak up, but Han intervened, aware of the growing tension in the air. "Now, if you don’t mind. Can we... The sun is starting to set," he gently suggested, his words as comforting as a lullaby.

Anna and her grandfather watched as Nellas and Han’s figures gradually receded into the distance. A peculiar sensation settled in Anna’s chest, and her hands instinctively moved closer to her heart.

Will I ever see him again? Anna wondered, her thoughts like a quiet river flowing beneath the surface of her consciousness.

Her grandfather, keenly observant, couldn’t resist a knowing smile. "It seems our little Anna has taken a liking to Nellas."

Anna hesitated. Wait, maybe I have... started to like him, she acknowledged, the realization a soft, blooming petal amidst the garden of her feelings.