I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 193: Leveling Up

"Look, that’s very nice too!" Claudia points at a cute blue dress and beams at Theo.

Theo only smiles, making no comment or gesture that he agrees. In his personal opinion, it’s a dress, not his clothes.

Liam laughs from behind them.

"Sis, you should pay more attention to what Thea likes to wear. She doesn’t wear dresses. She only wears them when she really has to."

Claudia ignores her brother and points at another dress.

"That one is cute too!"

Then she turns back to Theo. "Thea, you should wear dresses more often. You’d look very beautiful."

Liam rolls his eyes. "Thea doesn’t need to wear a dress to look beautiful. She already is. Look around, Sis. Most men are already staring at her."

There’s a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Claudia actually looks around.

"You’re right, Liam," she mumbles. "But that dress is still very cute!" she adds stubbornly.

"If you like it that much, then you buy it, Claud," Theo says.

Claudia’s face drops instantly. "If I buy any more clothes, my wardrobe will explode. I need to clean it first before I can buy new ones. But I don’t want to throw any of them away. I’m in trouble!"

Theo laughs.

He really likes Claudia. She’s different from Maeve. Mature yet childish. Very smart, yet sometimes surprisingly slow. Fiery, yet gentle.

He’s never met anyone like her.

They’re sightseeing during Rhaenas’ free time, killing time while waiting for Arthur and Maeve. The four of them had decided to hang around the city, not far from Captain Chambers’ office.

"Hey," Julian says suddenly, eyes on his Resya interface.

"I just noticed Arthur and Maeve are nearby."

The other three crowd closer.

"How do you know?" Claudia asks.

"His Resya," Julian answers simply.

"You put a tracker on it?" Claudia stares at him in disbelief. "Why would you put a tracker on them?"

Julian scoffs. "I’m not invading their privacy. It’s for safety. Just in case we get separated in the future and need to find each other. Hey, it’s dungeons. We don’t know what could happen."

"And I definitely don’t monitor you all the time," he adds, rolling his eyes.

"I didn’t monitor Arthur and Maeve either, if that’s what you’re asking. Resya just informed me they’re close. Within two hundred meters."

Claudia nods. "That’s close."

"Let’s surprise them," Liam says. He’s clearly bored with shopping and just wants to leave.

Little does he know, they’re the ones about to be surprised.

------------------------------

"I am her teacher! She will talk to me whenever I want her to!"

"Jonathan!"

"Oh my God!" Claudia clasps her hands over her mouth.

Theo suddenly feels the air in the café spike. Hot. Suffocating. And yet, the light carries a faint blue hue.

"What’s happening?" Claudia asks, confused.

The three Rhaenas, especially Theo, are staring at Arthur, who is towering over the two men in front of him, with Maeve behind him.

They enter the café just as Jonathan says those degrading words.

"Maeve!" Julian exclaims quietly. He steps forward. "We need to help her!"

Theo stops him. "No. Don’t you feel the air?"

"I do, Thea. Arthur is very angry. We need to be there with them. Supporting them," Julian insists.

Theo still holds him back.

"Because Arthur is this angry, we cannot step in. Look at him. Really look."

"There’s a faint blue light surrounding him. He’s not aware of his surroundings. He’s in his own little world, too focused only on those two men."

"If we step in, like what you’re about to do, he’ll burn you too."

Julian freezes. "Burn?"

Theo nods, without looking at him. His eyes remain locked on Arthur.

"Yes. That faint blue glow is his blue fire."

Theo actually grins.

"He’s about to level up."

------------------------------

Arthur has never felt this angry in his life. Not even at Bradley, when he found out about him and Thea. And he doesn’t understand why he’s this angry.

There’s a heat inside him, settled in the center of his chest, spreading its warmth throughout his body. Yet his mind isn’t clouded by anger. Instead, it’s frighteningly clear.

He is very aware that he is furious. At the same time, he is calm.

He knows he is in total control, not about to go berserk like he did in the Mt. Helene dungeon.

This time, he has all the control.

And that is far more terrifying than losing it.

He feels powerful. Completely in power.

It’s intoxicating. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Addictive.

If he’s not careful, he knows he could become addicted to it.

He forces himself to focus on what he can control. And right now, that is directing his anger at the man standing in front of him.

Jonathan.

"You may be her teacher," Arthur finally speaks, "but you do not own her."

His tone is low and tight. The volume is normal, not raised even the slightest. The words are simple, but they land like blows.

Victor goes completely pale.

Jonathan freezes.

"This deal is over," Arthur continues. "Don’t ever come to see her again."

Silence.

The entire café holds its breath. No one knows why they do, but they do. The air is still.

Jonathan can’t speak. His entire body trembles. There’s no trace of his anger, jealousy, or bitterness left.

Only fear.

Pure, paralyzing fear.

He’s terrifyingly close to wetting himself.

Victor fares slightly better, if only because he knows Arthur’s wrath is not directed at him.

Arthur doesn’t wait for an answer.

He turns back to his table, movements controlled and precise, and calmly gathers his belongings. He signals for the staff, asks for the check, pays without hesitation. The blue heat around him hasn’t fully faded yet, but it’s no longer raging.

Then he reaches for Maeve’s hand again.

"Let’s go," he says quietly.

They take only a few steps toward the exit before both of them freeze.

Standing right at the café entrance is the rest of the team.

Theo. Liam. Julian. Claudia.

All of them are staring straight at them.

For a split second, Maeve doesn’t move. Then her face lights up so brightly it’s impossible to miss. The change is instant. Her shoulders relax. Her eyes soften. She looks at Arthur and smiles, wide and genuine, as if the heaviness from earlier never existed.

Arthur exhales.

The blue fire inside him finally begins to cool, the fury draining away now that he sees them. He releases Maeve’s hand, not because he has to, but because he no longer needs to hold on so tightly.

They walk toward the team together.

Theo gives Maeve a knowing look. Julian flashes a reassuring grin. Liam’s expression softens, protective but relieved. Claudia beams at her, already stepping closer.

None of them say a word.

They don’t need to.

Surrounded by quiet support, Maeve walks between them, and the five of them leave the café together, leaving the silence, the fear, and the shattered assumptions behind.