Descending Into A Novel

Chapter 196: 196:Caught You

Raymond quietly opened his eyes. After pushing off a tail from a certain red dragon off of his chest and getting up. He checked the time in confusion.

[7:12 a.m.]

Weird. Raymond never woke up this early unless he was forced to by Ellen.

Checking the date however, he quickly realized that today was the date that Ellen and the rest were returning from their mission.

He should have felt upset about that. Raymond had significantly enjoyed his temporary freedom over the past few days. Being able to sleep whenever he wanted and eat whatever he wanted. All without her constant nagging, or even worse. Her constant teasing as she probed him for a reaction.

But it was also unbelievably...boring.

If there was one thing Raymond hated, it was being bored. There was a reason he had stopped his mana cultivation or magic studies after leaving Erde. He just couldn’t stand to stay in the same room again for years, possibly even decades doing the same repetitive tasks. It lost its joy somewhere along the road.

Of course, as with all things. There had to be a balance.

Sure he hated being bored, but it was also a good mental rest. Like how he spent years on Earth to the point of even getting a job when he could have just grabbed gold from any other dimension and sold it to be rich.

Well...he had done that once in a desperate moment when the economy crashed slightly.

But he forgot to account for the fact that the gold coin he was using didn’t match any other ancient civilization on Earth. Leading to conspiracies about there being another even older secretive ancient civilization. Which brought a lot of trouble to his neighborhood.Raymond really regretted that now. Just thinking about it brought back headaches.

Raymond wondered whether that poor intern was still being forced to work tirelessly just because of his desperation.

’...i hope you find some peace Diggerman...’

He gave a brief prayer for him. He really didn’t mean to do all of that, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Zzz...

Raymond glanced briefly at the still sleeping Erin. At first, she used to sleep more like real dragons did—curled up with their own tail similar to a cat. Gradually however, whether it was just Raymond and Ellen unintentionally influencing her. She had begun to sleep more like a human did. Her arms and legs tightly wrapped around a pillow, while her draconic parts spread out.

Zzz...

Flare would have been outraged at this sight. Lamenting on the pride of the dragons and how their reputation would be ruined.

Seeing Erin so peacefully asleep, Raymond almost wanted to join her again.

Unfortunately, Raymond had better things to do. He was a man of focus, commitment, and sheer will after all.

So after making a simple breakfast for Erin and leaving it on the table. As well as a note telling her to behave properly at school. Raymond immediately set off, leaving the academy walls and heading into the capital. Something which would have made any other academy student immensely jealous if they ever saw it.

Since it was the last day of his freedom, Raymond naturally planned to enjoy it all to the max.

Ellen had already messaged him yesterday, detailing her return journey. That left Raymond until the evening before she was back. Which was plenty of time. Once it was over, he didn’t know when he could have another opportunity like this. So Raymond wanted to have zero regrets.

He missed her presence, but he also really enjoyed this time alone. Truly paradoxical.

...

"Please come again next time!"

Raymond happily stored away the countless bags within his storage dimension. Grinning like crazy as he did so.

Now he just had to hide it around their apartment. Before gradually revealing them all piece by piece, because there was no way Ellen would ever let him get or keep any of these things.

Although he was struggling on whether or not the sudden appearance of a gaming setup. No matter how he thought about it, be couldn’t think of a good way to sneak it in without her realizing.

One time he tried to sneak in another red dragon figurine he bought for Erin. Only for the two of them to end up punished for spending too much on unnecessary things.

In their opinion however, it was definitely very necessary.

Ignoring the several stares of jealousy around him. He briefly stretched, before checking the time.

’...’

Did time always go by so quickly?

Before Raymond could even process it. It was already the time for Ellen and the rest to be returning. Going through his mental list, he had only checked off the not so important things. Like trying out the new limited pastry. While Ellen didn’t mind doing these things with him, she would get angry once he did it more then five times a week.

She would cite excuses like ’I’m training’ or ’Are you trying to make me gain weight?’ as justification for her anger. Raymond personally believed she was just jealous.

He sighed, staring up at the sky. The sun getting ready to set soon.

Tossing the last of his pastry to the birds, he stood up.

Since he was Ellen’s Shadow, it was only proper that he awaited her arrival after all. Once again, this was a classic case of Raymond’s selective usage of his identity in this dimension once again. Something that would make Ellen shake her head in exasperation while grinning at the same time.

Raymond couldn’t help but wonder how Ellen was doing over the mission compared to him.

Considering she was used to much worser standards, it was probably pretty easy for her wasn’t it?

His slow, originally relaxed walking speed unconsciously sped up as he got closer to the station. His heartbeat gradually rising with each step. The excitement evident to any bystander. Even if he himself was unaware.

Ellen often liked to joke that she had a ’Raymond sense’, being able to detect when a situation involved him. At best, he figured this was probably just the same thing that she felt each time.

Once he was practically speed walking, Raymond caught himself. Standing still as he quietly pondered.

"Why am I in such a hurry?", he muttered.

From where he was standing, at the entrance of the station. Raymond could even feel the mana that powered everything. Compared to the more dull and impure mana used by the commercial trains however, he could distinctly feel another train utilizing much higher quality mana. A clear sign of the one used by the Academy.

The Academy didn’t skimp out on the things it considered important after all, although their definition of important was rather questionable.

He took a deep breath, before discarding that <anno data-annotation-id="16f63502-978c-4994-b401-922ea8eff565" data-title="train">train¹</anno> of thought.

Whatever. Right now, he just really wanted to see her again.

It wasn’t like it was a weird thing to miss your friends after all right? Especially someone you were very close with like him and Ellen. The two of them had spent literal years living together, so it was only natural they were a bit closer then others.

The station was practically completely empty as Raymond entered, having just completed the evening rush of tired office workers returning home. Only a few latecomers that had missed their usual train, or teenagers coming out to hang littered about.

His eyes wandered across the area.

Within seconds he spotted what he was looking for.

In such a empty place, Raymond’s appearance naturally stood out. But it wasn’t the only thing that stood out.

She was dressed casually. The only strange part about her outfit naturally being the ominous purple bow on her back, and the small quiver tied to her waist. That and her golden blonde hair made her stand out like a sore thumb.

The moment he saw her, as if sensing his presence. She turned her head to face him. Her sharp eyes and glimmering pupils making eye contact with him.

Sometimes, it was hard for Raymond to associate the past Ellen and the current Ellen. Ever since coming back to the past, she had lost a lot of the cold edge she used to have. Only ever showing off the persona when she didn’t want to talk or whenever she felt like it was needed. Dropping it whenever she was with Raymond all alone.

Her current appearance, held absolutely zero warmth whatsoever. As Lin Qingyi put it, the term jade beauty best described her.

Despite looking tired, the moment she saw Raymond. It was like a second wind had hit her, giving her a burst of vitality.

Her face brightened up, "Raymond?"

"What are you doing he-

Her questioning was quickly brought to an end by a rather unexpected event however.

"Oh—"

Raymond, too lost in the moment and absorbed by Ellen’s presence. Caught his shoe against the edge of the raised floor, something that honestly makes zero sense for existing. Because why in the world would you just randomly raise the floor by like an inch?

Regardless of Raymond’s complaints however. What was undeniable was the that the perfect human, actually tripped. Flailing about for a second uselessly in the air.

Then someone caught him.

Ellen’s eyes widened, with her reflexes being extremely fast. She reacted instantly—practically dashing over the moment she saw him trip. Moving nearly on instinct without even thinking.

In one smooth motion, one hand grabbed him by the shoulder, while another one caught him securely on the back. Preventing him from falling to the ground as she firmly planted her foot down on the ground. Leaning directly over him.

It was almost surreal how fast it happened. Like a scene out of a movie brought to life.

Finding himself suspended in an almost dramatic lean, in just a split moment. Raymond found himself nearly face to face with Ellen—staring back at him.

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