CHAPTER 232: GETTING THE PERMIT [2]

"Just write your name and signature here, then you are all set." Chief Salamandara stated, pointing on a particular spot in the logbook.

"That’s all I have to do?" Coco asked, feeling a little cautious as she walked towards the desk, her footsteps soft and silent on the thick, plush carpet that covered the floorboard of the office.

The floorboards creaked softly under her feet, the sound of her steps breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the room, as she walked closer.

Coco took in the room, scanning the desk and the papers on it before eventually standing across from the village chief, their eyes meeting across the polished oak desk and noticed the way her gaze followed her movements with curiosity, her expression soft and unguarded.

"That’s all you have to do." Chief Salamandara stated as she leaned back in her chair, her hands folding on the desk in front of her, her fingers drumming lightly against the wood.

"Okay.." Coco said as she picked up the pen, the feather light weight familiar in her hand.

A leather-bound book sat open on the desk, the pages filled with neat handwriting and numbered entries— the names of the villagers that she had not met yet.

Coco shook her head to get rid of the curiosity about the names written on the logbook and rested her hand on the book, the buttery soft leather cool and smooth under her fingers.

She skimmed the pages until she found an empty space on the bottom, then moved the pen to the paper and signed her name, the strokes of the pen forming a flowing signature, each letter looping and graceful.

Coco wrote in a flowing, elegant hand, her signature clearly visible on the page.

Coco Hughes.

The pen made a soft scratching sound as it moved across the surface of the paper, the signature was a testament to her presence, the unique squiggles and loops of the ink a visible mark of her identity.

After a moment, she replaced the pen on the desk, the logbook complete with her signature.

"This is neat for a handwriting." Chief Salamandara hummed out, complimenting Coco’s name and signature with a proud smile.

"Thank you." Coco returned the smile, appreciating the compliment about her penmanship.

"Hmm.. With that out of the way, let me introduce you to my trustworthy companion." The village chief said, closing the logbook and nodding her head towards the other person in the room.

Coco had ignored this person’s presence because he looked harmless enough, and the fact that the village chief had let her in after she interrupted their conversation says a lot about the stranger.

"Coco.. He’s a hybrid." The garden fairy mumbled, her eyebrows furrowed as she stared at the man sitting by the chair.

Coco’s interest was piqued by Lala’s words and turned to the person she had ignored a moment prior.

As her gaze fell on him, the man was quick to notice her gaze and returned her gaze with a smirk, his expression teasing and almost flirtatious.

He sat up slightly in his chair, his body language open and inviting.

He had an almost magnetic charisma, an energy about him that was captivating, but obviously irritating— something that gives Coco the ick.

On top of that, the smirk on his face was infuriating, his expression smug and arrogant.

He leaned back slightly in his chair, his arms spread wide across the chair’s armrests, his body language casual, relaxed, cocky, and confident.

It was clear that he has trust in his own abilities and his importance towards the village chief.

The woman felt a flutter in her chest as she looked at him, her heart skipping a beat as she met his gaze— the type of skipped heart beat because of her blood pressure going up.

He stared at her with an intensity that made her stomach churn, his expression unreadable.

With the corner of his mouth quirked up in a smirk, his gaze traveling over her form, lingering on her curves, especially on her bosom, an unpleasant feeling settled on the pit of her stomach.

She doesn’t like the way he looks at her so she turns to Chief Salamandara, her eyes wide in annoyance.

"What about him?" Coco asked, a scornful tone in her voice.

"I know that he may act like a creep, but trust me, he’s very good at his job so you can trust him." The village chief laughed loudly as she shook her head.

Trust him? Him..?

He was obviously studying her, checking her out, his eyes taking in every detail of her appearance and it caused a chill run down her spine, goosebumps rising in her arms because of his scrutiny.

How can she trust him?!

"I don’t think I can, chief." Coco refused the village chief’s offer firmly, "I don’t feel comfortable to be around someone like him."

"Oh." Chief Salamandara blinked rapidly, staring at Coco for a moment, then she smiled softly and shook her head again, "I thought that you would agree, but that’s fine, too. I won’t force you to partner up with him."

"That’s reassuring." Coco grumbled under her breath, keeping her gaze on the village chief.

"Well, it’s not." A masculine voice interjected sharply, "You made me come here because you told me that you want to introduce me to someone important, but this is what I get? Judgment looks?"

"Who wouldn’t try to?" Coco was quick to say a rebuttal, snapping her head in his direction with narrowed eyes.

"Exactly, Alithe." Chief Salamandara agreed with Coco’s statement, a playful lilt in her voice as she flashed him a closed eyes smile.

The man, Alithe, in return, scoffed at her.

"This isn’t what we talked about earlier." Alithe grumbled under his breath, but his volume was still loud enough for Coco and the village chief to hear.

"That’s true.. But I also said that I wouldn’t force her if she doesn’t want to." Chief Salamandara replied with a hum.

"Hold on."