Owen's world remained silent...

He stood panting, his shoulders heaving with each ragged breath. The body that had felt as light as a feather was now heavy, as if weighed down by invisible chains. The true exhaustion began to seep into every cell, though the numbness from his covenant still kept him from feeling the pain of his wounds. He stared with empty eyes at the unconscious bodies of the two assassins lying on the sand before he staggered, almost collapsing.

Just then, Sahara walked towards him with an elegant gait. She seemed relaxed, as if everything had gone as expected. But instead of looking directly at Owen, she turned and moved her lips, speaking to the "empty space" beside her.

"See, my love... I told you he was no ordinary man."

The one-sided conversation made Owen frown in confusion... Though he couldn't hear, he could clearly see she was talking to someone. His blurred vision focused on the empty space next to Sahara where she was speaking... and he noticed that the air in that area... looked distorted.

The air in that area began to shimmer and slowly warp, like looking through a curtain of water or the heat haze rising from the sand... From the emptiness... the shadow of a person began to form, condensing from transparency into a solid shape, little by little. Finally, the figure of a tall woman in military attire materialized from thin air like a mirage. She was Nyx, Sahara's personal bodyguard and guardian.

She was an A-Rank Awakened with the ability [Erase Presence - Rank A]. This power didn't make her invisible, but rather distorted the perception of those around her, making their brains automatically "refuse" to acknowledge her existence. Everyone had been seeing her all along but had simply overlooked her as if she were insignificant air.

Nyx was about 40 years old. Her face was sharp-featured and held a fierce, bold air. Her long, jet-black hair was tied back tightly in a ponytail. Her pitch-black eyes were as sharp as blades. Her dark, sun-kissed skin highlighted her well-proportioned muscles. She wore a tight-fitting crop top that revealed a strong core, along with camouflage military pants and a matching scarf. The tactical belt at her waist held both a pistol holster and a combat knife, clearly indicating her status as a seasoned warrior.

[Character Illustration: Nyx]

Owen stood in confusion. He was one hundred percent certain that before this, there was no one else on this beach but him and Sahara. He tried to rack his exhausted brain for an explanation for the illusion before him, but to no avail.

Nyx narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Owen from head to toe. Her once-fierce gaze now held an unconcealed spark of admiration.

"Hmph... not bad," she smirked, the smile of a warrior acknowledging another's skill. "Both courage and resolve... I like men like this. If you weren't already the mistress's, I would've personally dragged you off for some 'training'."

Owen only saw her lips move, but in his silent world, it was just a soundless picture, making him frown with even more confusion.

Nyx didn't wait. She walked straight to the unconscious assassins. She used the tip of her combat boot to unceremoniously flip their bodies over for inspection before grabbing them by their collars and starting to drag them across the sand as if they were weightless rag dolls.

"I'll take this trash to be 'laundered' clean, Mistress," she said to Sahara with a respectful tone, before dragging the two bodies away towards a hidden path behind the vacation home.

Owen watched the scene, stunned, before turning back to Sahara, who was walking slowly towards him. When she was standing in front of him, he decided to gesture to his ears and speak directly, even though he couldn't hear his own voice.

"I can't hear anything right now," he said, trying to keep his voice as normal as possible. "It's a side effect of using my power."

Sahara nodded in understanding. She didn't ask any further questions, but her eyes behind the sunglasses were filled with a complex mix of emotions: amazement, concern, and a deepening interest. She gently supported Owen's staggering body. "Go rest inside first... It looks like you overexerted yourself."

Although Owen couldn't hear her, he could roughly understand her meaning from her gestures and by reading her lips. He let her help him, his heavy body leaning on her as they walked across the beach and the teak terrace, back into the cool interior of the house, leaving the chaos, violence, and debris from the fight behind…

Owen was led into the cool, luxurious vacation home. Its modern opulence was a stark contrast to the beach outside. The polished cream-colored marble floor felt cool underfoot, softly reflecting the sunlight streaming in through the large glass walls. Every piece of furniture was exquisitely chosen, simple yet impeccably tasteful.

She carefully helped him sit down on a soft, white leather sofa that felt like sinking into a cloud. She disappeared for a moment before returning with a stylish first-aid kit. She sat on the glass table in front of him and began to treat the wound on his arm with a skill and gentleness that was surprising.

Owen watched her long, slender fingers, adorned with gold rings, as they used a cotton swab dipped in antiseptic to gently clean around the wound. Though the numbness meant he felt no pain, he could see the clear focus in her dark brown eyes. After she finished wrapping the bandage, she disappeared into the kitchen again and returned with a crystal glass filled with a concentrated, dark green liquid that looked rather untrustworthy.

She held a glowing tablet in front of him. A message was neatly typed on it:

"This is a special recovery potion. It will help heal your internal injuries... But I have to warn you, it's extremely bitter."

Owen nodded. He took the glass and drank it all in one go without hesitation. The warm liquid flowed down his throat, but he tasted nothing.

Sahara watched him, utterly amazed and surprised. She raised an eyebrow slightly, in disbelief, as others who had taken this potion had contorted their faces in bitterness, almost choking. She had no idea this was because Owen had sacrificed his "sense of taste" for the [Golf Genius] ability. The penalty from a previous mission had become an unexpected blessing, something even Owen himself didn't realize. He only felt a warm energy begin to spread through his body from within, slightly alleviating his fatigue.

Seeing that Owen was looking better and some color had returned to his face, Sahara decided it was time to reveal the truth. She picked up the tablet and typed again with a more serious expression, before handing it to him:

"I have to apologize for all of this. The truth is... I didn't really want to be your model. I agreed... because I needed to use you as 'bait' to lure out the people who have been targeting me. And it worked."

Owen read the message and froze. In his silent world, he replayed the entire event and understood instantly. Before he could react, Sahara typed again quickly, as if afraid he would misunderstand:

"Of course, I'm not that cruel. Besides the photos… a man who puts on such an impressive 'performance' deserves... a 'special bonus,' don't you think? I'll think about what to give you that's worthy of your bravery... Or, if you have something you want in particular, you can tell me, darling~"

Owen stared at the last message before looking up to meet Sahara's eyes, which were watching him with a hard-to-read expression. A slow smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. It wasn't a smile of anger, but one filled with amusement and challenge.

He decided to speak his mind, trying to control his tone even though he couldn't hear his own voice.

"You mean I almost died for free, just so you could catch two little rats?"

Hearing his sarcastic yet humorous words, Sahara burst out laughing for the first time, a genuine laugh. Her laughter was bright and powerful, instantly breaking the tense atmosphere.

She picked up the tablet and typed a reply, a smile still on her face:

"Something like that... But I have to admit, your performance was better than expected. You didn't really have to push yourself that hard. I was going to have Nyx 'clean up' the stage anyway."

Owen read the message and smiled back. He felt this strange conversation was letting him see another side of this elegant queen... a side that was surprisingly casual and charming.

The atmosphere in the living room shifted from tense to completely relaxed. The silent conversation through text created a closeness and understanding deeper than any spoken words. Sahara found herself enjoying this other side of Owen full of wit, defiance, and a spirit that wouldn't give up even in the worst of situations. She smiled and laughed more naturally than ever before.

Owen felt the same. He watched Sahara as she typed her replies with relish. Her bright smile seemed to light up the room. He felt the wall of ice she had built around herself had melted, revealing a true self that was intelligent, charming, and intriguing.

As Sahara was typing her next message, she found herself staring at Owen's face as he waited intently for her reply. The afternoon sun streaming through the glass wall bathed his sharp features, making his once-serious eyes now look surprisingly warm and deep.

Without realizing it... Sahara slowly put the tablet down on the sofa. She took off her sunglasses, revealing complex, sparkling dark brown eyes. She looked at him... looked deep into his eyes... and then slowly leaned her face towards his, as if controlled by an invisible force.

Owen watched, motionless. He saw her flawlessly beautiful face moving closer and closer, her brightly-lipsticked lips parting slightly in invitation...

But just as their lips were about to touch...

Clomp... Clomp... Clomp...

The heavy, firm sound of combat boots on the marble floor came from the hallway, rudely interrupting the sweet moment.

Sahara flinched slightly as if waking from a dream. She quickly pulled back, shock and regret clear in her eyes, before turning to the source of the sound with annoyance.

Nyx walked back into the living room with a casual air, as if she had just been for a walk in the garden and not "interrogating" someone. She shrugged nonchalantly at her boss's reprimanding gaze.

"Sorry to interrupt your 'important moment,' Mistress," Nyx said flatly, but her eyes were filled with amusement. "But I have an urgent report... We have information on the mastermind, and the result is exactly as you predicted." She glanced towards Owen, who was looking confused by the situation.

Sahara sighed softly to calm herself. She turned back and quickly picked up the tablet, typing out what Nyx was about to say for Owen to read.

Nyx began to report the results of her investigation in a professional tone. "The person behind this is Miranda, the owner of the boutique 'Elysian Garb' from 'Colossus City.'"

Sahara typed the name onto the tablet. Owen frowned slightly. The name of the neighboring city sounded strangely familiar.

Nyx continued, "It seems she's lost her mind over losing the title of 'Goddess of the Fashion World' to you. So she hired these two assassins to destroy everything of yours. Your reputation... and your body."

Owen read all the text on the tablet and paused, thinking. In his silent world, he was piecing everything together. He had come here for a simple mission from Jace, but now he had unknowingly been dragged into a cold war between "two queens of the fashion world."

His world... was undoubtedly about to become more chaotic than ever before.

—-------

From the author: We now have 15 chapters available for early access! This will soon increase to 20. Join my Patreon to get ahead of the story, along with exclusive, uncensored illustrations.

Your support is crucial in helping this story continue. Thank you very much!

[Patreon Spirit_Alphabet: /SpiritAlphabet]

—-------