The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!-Chapter 323: Bickering Siblings

"You did that on purpose!" Adeline hissed under her breath, shuffling in the ridiculous iron chains Aaron had locked on her wrists.

Aaron didn’t even flinch—he just smirked as if he’d been waiting for her outburst. Raising his voice so the guards at the border could hear, he declared with chilling authority, "You did not talk when I gave you the chance. Now remember the fear... Make sure it is engraved into your hearts."

Adeline rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might get stuck. Her brother had clearly missed his calling—forget being a knight, he should’ve been a theatre actor. Honestly, the way he bellowed those lines, you’d think he was auditioning for the role of "Evil Warlord #3."

Layla kept her head ducked, trying not to snicker and ruin the whole performance. She bit her lip until it hurt, but Aaron’s melodramatic booming made her shoulders tremble with suppressed laughter.

Once the border was behind them and the forest swallowed them in shadow, Aaron unclasped the shackles with a casual flick, as though he hadn’t just put them through a mortifying ordeal.

The second Adeline was free, she lunged. She slapped her palm over Aaron’s mouth and punched him squarely in the arm with her other hand. His muffled scream rattled against her hand, vibrating like a trapped bee.

"Ugh—Adeline!" he protested once she finally let go, rubbing the sore spot.

"Be happy you got off with one punch," she snapped, cheeks puffed in indignation. "After the way you bullied me back there, I should get at least two more hits!"

Layla instantly covered her mouth to stifle the laugh threatening to burst out, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. Watching Adeline puff up like an angry squirrel was quite funny.

Aaron groaned, muttering under his breath about "ungrateful little sisters," before straightening and trying to look serious again. "Cough. Let’s focus. I know the way. Follow me."

He took two confident steps forward before Adeline mimicked him in an obnoxiously deep voice, swaggering after him. "I kNoW tHe wAy, fOlLoW mE," she parroted, swinging her arms dramatically like she was some kind of pompous knight on parade.

Layla snorted as she tried to stop herself from laughing.

"Come on," Aaron said with a hint of annoyance.

The forest was thick and full of trees and plants. There was no clear path on which they could walk. Aaron had to clear the path as they made their way deeper into the forest.

Every now and then, Adeline would flinch, alerting Layla and Aaron. They quickly drew their weapons and looked around, trying to identify the attacker, but it was simply her flinching because she felt something crawl.

"I don’t like bugs!" Adeline wanted to cry! Every small itch or touch she felt, she imagined a caterpillar or a spider crawling its way up. She wanted to scream, but kept it in. "It’s more scared of me... Than I am of it... No, even I can’t believe that. I am more scared of it!"

"Adeline..." Aaron frowned.

"I am TRYING!" Her holy powers might help keep the monsters away, but not the bugs! In fact... In fact! They are probably being attracted to it!

Aaron shot them a sharp look over his shoulder, a silent command to keep their mouths shut, before pressing deeper into the forest. His steps were confident, almost noiseless, while Layla and Adeline stumbled now and then over the uneven ground.

Adeline busied herself by preparing small charms as they walked, her hands glowing faintly with holy power, she tried her best not to think about the bugs or the monsters.

The shimmering energy wrapped around them like a veil, soft and nearly invisible, yet pulsing with enough strength to keep any nearby monsters from daring to cross their path, though it attracted bugs, she could not just turn it off.

Every creak of a branch, every whisper of wind through the leaves made her jump, making it a rough journey.

"How can you fight if you’re scared of bugs or the wind?" Aaron asked with annoyance.

"Hey! I can take on bad guys! I can’t take on venomous spiders or scorpions." Adeline retorted. They whispered, trying not to attract attention.

"You have healing powers! You can just heal yourself!" Aaron whisper-screamed.

"Well- Nuh-uh!"

Layla, who had been trying to keep up with Aaron’s brisk pace, suddenly slipped on a root. She stumbled forward with a squeak, and Adeline barely caught her arm in time. Aaron didn’t even look back. He just raised a hand in a vague "keep quiet" gesture.

I’m supposed to be the wingwoman, letting Aaron catch Layla. Yet here I am, being the brave heroine again. Life is hard being the protagonist.

Layla did not let go of Adeline’s hand, though. Adeline turned around to see Layla’s worried face. As they got closer, she felt increasingly nervous.

Adeline gave her hand a firm squeeze and smiled reassuringly, even though her own stomach twisted. That could be from a possible bug bite, though-

The forest grew eerier as they pressed forward. The deeper they went, the fewer sounds of normal life—no chirping crickets, no rustling critters. It was as if the night itself held its breath. Every so often, a faint growl echoed through the trees, distant yet close enough to remind them they weren’t alone.

To cut the silence, Adeline whispered, "Hey, Aaron. Are we there yet?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"We will get there when we get there!"

"Jeez, man, okay."

Aaron really preferred solo missions at this point.

After what felt like hours of winding through the forest, Aaron finally slowed. The forest cleared a little.

Ahead, a faint golden glow flickered between the trees. A lantern. They drew closer until the narrow opening of an underground lair came into view, marked only by that single, dim light swaying at the entrance.

They had walked the entire way by moonlight alone, they did not have any source of light with them. They did not want to draw attention.

Out of curiosity, Adeline snapped her fingers, letting a small spark dance in her palm. The glow spread like a candle flame, spilling soft light around them.

"Aaah!"