From Trash to Lord of Thunder: The Rise of the Cursed Extra-Chapter 63: Think What You Want

The trial was over, but the air remained thick with tension as Charles, Lira, and Mira walked through the clan’s corridors.

The silence between them was so heavy Charles could feel it pressing on his shoulders.

Lira led the way, her back straight and face expressionless, but her steps were faster than usual. Mira trailed close behind, head bowed, hands clasped tightly in front of her, clearly uncomfortable.

Charles, a few steps back, limped slightly from the pain of Zev’s blows, each bruise throbbing with every step.

’This is weird,’ he thought, scratching his neck. ’Why’s no one talking? Feels like I’m at a funeral.’

Murmurs from other clan members echoed faintly in the distance, but no one dared approach the trio.

Charles opened his mouth to break the ice, but one glance at Lira’s expression made him reconsider.

’Better shut up,’ he thought. ’She looks like she’s about to explode.’

Finally, they reached the door to Lira’s room.

Lira turned to Mira, her tone curt but not harsh.

"Mira, you’re dismissed," she said. "I need to talk to Rian alone."

Mira nodded quickly, giving a slight bow.

"Yes, Miss Lira," she murmured, then turned and vanished down the corridor.

Charles watched her go, feeling a pang of sympathy for the servant.

’Poor girl,’ he thought. ’Lira made her walk all this way just to send her off.’

Lira turned to Charles, her blue eyes piercing him with a mix of exhaustion and irritation. freeweɓnøvel.com

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone suggesting her patience was hanging by a thread.

Charles blinked, confused.

"Uh... you told me to follow you?" he said, shrugging. "Or did I get the memo wrong?"

Lira let out a long sigh, running a hand over her forehead.

"By the ancestors..." she muttered, flinging the door open. "Just get in already."

Charles stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

The air in Lira’s room was cool, with a faint herbal scent, likely from some extinguished incense.

But what caught Charles’s attention most was Lira, who, without a word, flopped face-down onto her bed, as if the weight of the world had crashed onto her.

’Whoa,’ Charles thought, raising an eyebrow. ’Hope she didn’t hurt herself.’

Charles stood near the door, unsure what to do.

Lira didn’t move, her face buried in the sheets, arms sprawled like a corpse.

Charles cleared his throat, trying to break the silence.

"Uh... Lira," he said cautiously. "What’s your rank? Just curious."

Lira didn’t answer right away. Her voice came out muffled by the sheets, barely audible.

"Don’t wanna talk about that now," she said, her tone making it clear she wasn’t in the mood.

Charles frowned, crossing his arms.

’Then why the hell did she bring me here?’ he thought, confused. ’If she doesn’t want to talk, what am I supposed to do?’

Charles decided to sit in the cushioned armchair, which was as comfortable as it looked. He sank into it, the exhaustion from the fight with Zev starting to weigh him down.

The pain in his face and stomach was constant, but the chair and the room’s coolness were almost hypnotic. His eyelids grew heavy, and for a moment, Charles nearly drifted off.

’This is too comfy,’ he thought, eyes half-closed. ’Too... wait a second.’

A memory hit him like a bucket of cold water.

The last time he’d been in a situation like this with Lira, she’d drugged him and tied him to a chair.

Charles’s eyes snapped open, and he shot to his feet, heart racing.

Lira, still face-down on the bed, lifted her head slightly, her face half-covered by the sheet.

"What’s got you now, Rian?" she asked, her muffled voice barely intelligible.

Charles let out a nervous laugh, scratching his neck.

"Didn’t catch that," he said, keeping his tone light. "Sounds like you’re talking with a rag in your mouth."

Lira groaned, repeating louder but still face-down.

"I said, what’s got you now!"

Charles laughed harder, unable to help himself.

"Still can’t hear you!" he said, stepping closer to the bed. "If you want me to understand, flip over, woman."

Without waiting for a response, Charles leaned in, grabbed Lira by the waist, and with a quick move, flipped her onto her back.

Her black hair spilled over her face, covering her eyes. She brushed it aside with a sharp gesture, glaring at him.

"Hey!" Lira snapped. "Don’t move me! I love resting like that! Who gave you permission?"

Charles raised his hands in mock surrender, still chuckling.

"Chill," he said. "Just helping you communicate like a normal person. Besides, sleeping face-down’s bad for your back. Didn’t know that?"

Lira stared at him in disbelief, fixing her hair.

"What, you’re a doctor now?" she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Since when do you know about backs?"

"Not a doctor," Charles said, shrugging. "But I know it’s not good. And speaking of knowing things, why are we here? What’s the plan?"

Lira closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as if summoning patience.

"Hold on," she said, her voice weary. "I need to sort my thoughts."

Charles raised an eyebrow, sinking back into the armchair.

"Sort your thoughts?" he repeated. "How long’s that gonna take? An hour? Two? ’Cause I’ve got stuff to do."

Lira cracked one eye open, eyeing him curiously.

"Stuff to do?" she asked. "Like what? Get into another impromptu duel and ruin everything again?"

Charles grinned, crossing his arms.

"I wanna train," he said. "If I’m fighting weekly and hunting beasts, I need to be ready. Don’t want another Zev kicking my ass."

Lira sat up fully, her expression one of utter disbelief.

"Train?" she repeated, as if she couldn’t believe her ears. "You’re insane! You just came out of a fight where you almost got your face smashed! Sit there and rest!"

She pointed at the armchair with an authoritative gesture.

Charles frowned, leaning forward.

"Rest here?" he said. "For what? So you can drug me and tie me up again, like last time? No thanks."

Lira stared at him, a mix of surprise and irritation in her eyes.

"You’re still on about that?" she asked. "The situation was different then. I had to make sure you didn’t do something stupid. It’s not necessary now."

Charles raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.

"Not necessary?" he repeated. "But if it was necessary, you’d do it again, right?"

Lira didn’t answer right away. She leaned back on the bed, staring at the ceiling with narrowed eyes.

The silence settled in again, but this time it felt heavier, as if his words had struck a nerve.

Finally, Lira spoke, her voice calm but firm.

"Think what you want, Rian," she said, closing her eyes.