The Smiling Death-Chapter 327: Getting Used To Him

The village canteen was unusually lively that afternoon.

It was lunchtime, and nearly every wooden table inside the wide, open hall was occupied. Villagers in dusty boots, explorers still smelling faintly of the forest, children laughing too loudly. Everyone filled the space with chatter and the clatter of bowls and spoons.

Gray light filtered through the open windows, mixing with the warm smell of stew, roasted meat, and some weird vegetables.

As usual, Scarlett chose the corner table. As usual, Amon followed and sat beside her. It had been a normal thing for the last whole week.

But today they were not alone.

Julian, Ethan, Katherine, and two other young villagers had already dragged chairs over before Scarlett could finish sitting down.

Amon sat beside Scarlett without hesitation, a bright expression on his face as if the morning battle had never happened.

Julian leaned back in his chair with a smile. "So? Did you survive today, Amon?"

Ethan snorted. "Survive? I heard explosions from the west forest. I thought a monster raid started."

Katherine rested her chin on her hand, smiling slightly. "No monster. Just Scarlett training him again."

Amon puffed his chest a little, though there was still a faint bruise near his jaw. "I lasted longer today," he said proudly.

Julian burst out laughing. "Lasted longer? That’s how you describe it?"

Scarlett silently ate her food. She did not look at any of them. But she could already guess what kind of face Amon might be making currently. Her spoon moved calmly. She scooped her food, then put it in her mouth to eat, then chewed it.

But there was a faint irritation in her eyes. She usually ate alone. Always quietly. With peacefulness beside her. With no noise.

There was no nonsense.

Yet somehow, ever since Amon began shamelessly sitting with her, others slowly started gathering too.

And Amon was persistent, thick-skinned, completely unbothered. He continued to sit beside her every single day and night.

He was the one who started this. For the first two or three days, it was only him who sat with her. But then his friends came as well.

Ethan leaned forward. "So what happened this time? Did she break your ribs again?"

"Not this time," Amon replied proudly. "Just internal injuries."

Julian choked on his drink. "Just internal injuries?!"

Katherine covered her smile.

Scarlett finally spoke, without lifting her gaze from her bowl. "He overused his darkness again."

Her tone was calm. It was flat but precise.

Amon scratched his cheek. "It was necessary."

"It was reckless," she corrected.

Julian whistled. "You really are amazing, Amon. To be honest, we never fought any monsters since they are always asleep. We only spar against each other. But you... you have survived the outside world, which is considered so dangerous. Hope one day I can travel outside."

Amon nodded. "Don’t worry, you can... one day we will get outside for sure."

All these youngsters were born in this village, so they had never seen the outside world.

Ethan raised a brow. "That sounds exciting."

Katherine said, "So what do you think... is he improving?"

"Yes. Slowly but surely," Scarlett replied while looking down at her plate.

Amon glanced at her sideways. Even while annoyed, she still explained his flaws openly. Even while irritated by the noise, she still corrected his mistakes.

Somehow she hadn’t told him to leave. It was true that they decided to spar daily. That didn’t mean she allowed him to have lunch and dinner with her.

But she never stopped him. She only tried to stop him on the first day. But not after that.

Oliver smirked mischievously. "You two are getting closer." A young man with black hair and blue eyes commented this time.

Katherine chuckled at him. "Don’t tease."

Amon laughed easily. "We train together every day. Of course we are."

Scarlett paused mid-motion for half a second, then continued eating. She was feeling annoyed by that "getting closer" comment.

Julian leaned forward again. "Scarlett, does he still collapse dramatically after training?"

"Yes," she replied simply, as if it was obvious.

"I do not collapse dramatically," Amon protested.

"You do," Ethan said.

"You absolutely do. I bet you enjoy doing that," Katherine added.

Scarlett took a sip of water. "He groans loudly."

The table went silent for one second. Then Ethan slammed his hand on the table laughing.

Amon gritted his teeth. "That’s because I’m in pain!"

Scarlett calmly took another bite. "He exaggerates."

"I do not exaggerate!"

"You said you were ’on the verge of death’ yesterday," she simply said as if it was truth... because it was actually truth.

"I felt like I was!" Amon retorted with the most serious face.

Ethan wiped tears from his eyes. "You’re unbelievable."

The noise at the table grew livelier. More laughter. More teasing.

Amon responded to every joke, every comment. He smiled brightly, as if nothing bothered him. Beside him, Scarlett remained mostly silent.

She did not leave. She could have. She always could. Instead, she stayed seated.

Amon talked animatedly, occasionally gesturing too much and almost knocking over his cup.

Without looking at him, Scarlett moved it slightly away from his elbow. A small, subtle motion.

He didn’t even notice. But she did very easily. She noticed something else too.

The noise around her. The chatter. His constant presence beside her. It was... becoming familiar.

He was damn annoying. He was persistent. But he was now becoming more familiar to her.

She glanced sideways at him for a brief second. His dark black yet bright eyes. Carefree grin.

Bruised face from this morning. Still talking like nothing hurt. He might be the most shameless man she had ever seen. Completely shameless.

And yet she had grown used to him sitting there in just the span of a week.

To his warmth beside her shoulder. To his endless attempts at conversation. That realization surprised her more than anything.

She really didn’t want to accept it. But it was true.

She looked away immediately. "...You’re too loud," she muttered quietly.

Amon turned to her instantly. "Hmm? Did you say something?"

"...Nothing." She knew telling that "too loud" line to him would be useless.

Julian grinned. "See? She doesn’t even deny it anymore."

Scarlett shot him a cold glance. Her amethyst eyes were cold.

Julian straightened immediately. "I will eat quietly now."

Ethan laughed under his breath. Katherine shook her head. The canteen remained noisy, full of villagers and wooden tables and afternoon warmth.

In the corner, Amon kept talking. Scarlett kept eating.

She was irritated because of him. Still, she remained silent. And slowly, unexpectedly, getting used to him.