Asher was first surprised by the fervor of the kiss. Then he responded with the same intensity, pulling her against him. When they separated, short of breath, Miria hugged him with all her strength. Tears of joy were flowing down her cheeks.
"Thank you… from the bottom of my heart, thank you… Thank you for your love… for always being there for me…"
Asher gently wiped her tears with the tips of his fingers. His gaze was radiant, almost awestruck.
"I love you… I love you with all my heart…"
He kissed her again, more tenderly this time. But a mocking voice interrupted them abruptly:
"Don't you think that if we go to the inn and you take a room… you'll be able to do your things in peace?"
Laughter immediately erupted from the group. Asher rolled his eyes and turned to Bryan with a smirk.
"Says the one whose reputation as a player is known by everyone… even your daughter knows it."
Bryan's eyes widened, completely shocked. Alix, for her part, blushed up to her ears. The others burst out laughing.
"Asher!!!" Bryan protested, red with embarrassment.
"Well… if you didn't want that, you shouldn't have provoked me," Asher answered in an amused tone. "Especially if you know you're so… sensitive."
Everyone laughed even harder. Bryan looked like he wanted to disappear into the ground.
"What?!!!!"
Asher, looking weary and perfectly serious, added:
"Besides… he's deaf."
A new wave of laughter shook the group. Bryan no longer knew where to put himself.
Miria, hearing those words, felt a nostalgic smile rise to her lips.
Miria's thought: *Sensitive… deaf… Those are exactly the same words Leo had retorted to Kil in my past life… And even the sequence…*
She took Asher's arm with a mischievous smile.
"Come on, come on… enough playing. The faster we get to the inn, the faster Diana can eat… and who knows… some people might be able to satisfy their fantasies."
"Miria!!! You're joining in too?!" Alix cried, half annoyed, half amused.
Everyone set off again, laughter echoing along the path leading to Élias. Asher squeezed Miria's hand a little tighter. She returned the pressure, her heart light for the first time in a long while.