That Azaria had chosen to so dutifully offer herself to go in search of and hunt down Victor sounded completely ludicrous to Zorat.

She is a person who is smart and knows just how to get people to trust her.....

which makes sense since that’s a very important aspect of being a successful spy.

Even the team of heroes were now all very fond of her and even trusted her.

She even has the royal family eating from the palm of her hands....

Maybe the trust they have in her stems from the real knight commander whom Azaria was masquerading as....

Or it was something she built up on her own efforts after assuming this disguise.

Zorat was unsure of what exactly this young lady’s goal was....

But when it came to her innate nature, he had that figured out to a pretty decent level.....

And going after someone who was not only stronger than her....

but also known to be lethally unpredictable, all for the sake of the kingdom she was pretending to be so fond of.... just doesn’t feel like something she would do.

She might truly have left the capital....

but the timing.... which so perfectly fits into the excuse of going after Victor....

Was suggestive to Zorat as a convenient excuse for her to justify going after a different goal.

But only Zorat thought this way... at least as far as he knows.

Even Erica, seated before him, showed zero doubt as she informed him of this news.

"That’s fine. Hope she makes it back safely..." Zorat remarked after a couple of seconds of silence.

"And Erica... "

"I believe you mentioned there was something you needed to talk to me about ?" he added.

’i guess this is it!" Erica thought as she visibly lost all her earlier outspoken flair, twiddling with her dainty finger between her lap with a blush on her supple cheek.

She would open her mouth, look up with her beautiful eyes as if to speak, only to close them back, retrieving her gaze shyly.

Being vocal about such matters had always been hard for her.

Erica had felt she would have some time to sort out her feelings before confessing them to Caleb, but she had been wrong.

She had recently learnt that there might actually be something between one of her female friends and Caleb....

and she couldn’t have been more tense about it.

As she had never seen this person talk to Caleb for longer than a few seconds....

She reasoned she might just be delusional....

And probably she was too, because she also doesn’t know what Caleb’s true feelings are about either of them.

Considering what she had heard from her other female friends about how this person had acted when she and Caleb were sent down into that cave....

Even going as far as describing her actions as scary.... there was a possibility that there might actually be something there.

But she and Caleb had already shared what they shared before she found out there might even be something with someone else...

So she felt it wasn’t selfish for her to go for what she desired with all her might.

However, she first has to confirm with Caleb where it is she stands .... And how he sees her, even though that’s frightening to her.

Steeling her resolve, Erica held Caleb’s gaze as she muttered nervously...

"Are you... in a relationship with her ?..."

"...with Ava..... I mean," she murmured, as her gaze remained glued to Caleb’s face.

"It’s kinda complicated," Zorat said in response to her.

He felt this was the appropriate response.

A lot of the others already have this perception that something was going on between the two of them...

He learned this during their return journey to the palace.

Completely denying that fact seemed unnecessary.

’So there is ... something,’ Erica thought inside. Half dejected and half hopeful.

After a few seconds of tense quiet, mustering the courage, she decides to go for it and see how Caleb felt about her....

"What we shared... in the cave...."

"...did it mean anything to you ?" she mumbled, holding her breath.

"It meant a lot.... Erica." Zorat said softly as he reached with both his hands.....

gently grabbing onto Erica’s dainty hands between her lap, he squeezed lightly in assurance with a warm smile.

"Really ?!" Erica blurted with her cheeks turning rosy pink hearing the answer she’s desperately hoped for.

This meant she’s not been delusional in her feelings, and what they shared meant something to the both of them.

"Yes, really." Zorat said simply in response.

The atmosphere became charged with both situational and sexual tension.

The setting was reminiscent of the secluded cave when it was just the both of them... making Erica more triggered by Zorat’s touch.

Erica, seeing this as the perfect moment to make her feelings known, mustered the courage to go for it before she chickened out...

"I like you Caleb!..."

"I like you a lot!." she blurted a little louder than she planned.

Erica could feel her heart almost beating through her chest as she said those words....

Yet she couldn’t divert her gaze...

She needed to see how Caleb would respond to her confession, what would be his reaction...

Zorat smiled as he met Erica’s gaze, though she was trying to appear composed....

he could see her large cleavages rising and falling rhythmically in tandem with her rapid heartbeat...

It was obvious she’s never done anything like this before.

"I like you too." He whispered in response.

A beautiful smile bloomed on Erica’s face as she quickly diverted her gaze to the side in embarrassment.

Only after a couple of seconds of this lingering electrifying atmosphere, did she shyly mumble some other words...

"What.... What about Ava ?"

"Ava’s not here right now....You are." Zorat replied smoothly, causing Erica to fluster even more.

"But ...." Zorat spoke this time.

"What about Broddy ?" He added.

"No no. Broddy and I have already broken up!" Erica frantically replied for fear that Caleb might have an issue with that.

But his next words instead took her by surprise.

"ah.... "

"That’s what I was worried about, Erica" He muttered solemnly.

"What ?... What’s the matter ?!" Erica said anxiously seeing his reaction.

Caressing her hands slowly, Zorat looked Erica deep in the eyes as he intoned....

"Can you do me a small favor ?"