Chapter 387 The Berserker's Heart
387 The Berserker’s Heart
Anya swirled her drink in her glass, watching the amber liquid catch the light before taking another slow sip.
Aria leaned against the bar with a casual yet attentive posture, her own drink resting in front of her, untouched for now.
“You? Out of control?” Aria smirked. “Now that’s something I wouldn’t expect.”
Anya rolled her eyes. “Tch. Don’t act so surprised. Sometimes things don’t go my way, and when that happens, well…” She took another sip, her lips curling into a smirk.
“Glass shatters. Walls get dents. Some poor training dummies get wrecked.”
Aria chuckled. “Sounds about right. You’ve always been wild, you tend to power through everything, and when in doubt, you’d simply use your fists to solve your problems.”
Anya scoffed, setting her glass down with a soft clink. “Please. You make it sound like I’m some wild animal. I know how to keep myself in check. Most of the time.”
Anya remained quiet for a moment, her gaze fixated on the swirling liquid. Then, as if deciding something in that instant, she turned to Aria with a casual tone. “Tell me, Aria… have you ever been in a relationship?”
09:50
“Mm-hmm.” Aria rested her chin on her palm, amusement in her eyes. “So, what was it this time? Did Klaus piss you off again? A dungeon raid go sideways? Complicated paperwork?”
Anya exhaled, her expression briefly darkening before she shrugged. “Just… a lot on my mind lately. And no, not because of that guy. I don’t have time for those kinds of headaches.”
Aria gave a small, knowing hum. “That so? Could’ve fooled me with the way you stormed in here like the world owed you something.”
Anya shot her a look but didn’t bother denying it. Instead, she downed the rest of her drink and signaled Dorian for another. He sighed but didn’t argue, refilling her glass.
As soon as Dorian refilled her glass, Anya took it in her hand, twirling the liquid slowly, watching the way it swirled under the dim bar lights.
Aria, who had been watching her closely, finally lifted her own glass and took a slow sip before speaking. “Alright, I’ll bite. What’s on your mind, Anya?”
Anya remained quiet for a moment, her gaze fixated on the swirling liquid. Then, as if deciding something in that instant, she turned to Aria with a casual tone. “Tell me, Aria… have you ever been in a relationship?”
The reaction was instant.
Aria choked on her drink mid-sip, coughing as she nearly spit it out, barely managing to keep herself from making a complete mess. She set her glass down quickly, tapping her chest to recover before turning wide eyes to Anya.
“What?”
“Did I just hear you right?”
Anya swallowed, gripping her glass a little tighter. She could already feel the warmth creeping up her cheeks, and she cursed herself for it.
Clearing her throat, she forced herself to speak.
“Y-you heard me…” she muttered, avoiding Aria’s gaze.
Aria raised an eyebrow, leaning in slightly as if she hadn’t quite caught that. “Sorry, what was that?”
Anya shot her a glare, her face now fully tinted red. “You heard me, dammit!” she snapped, taking a quick sip of her drink in a feeble attempt to calm herself.
Aria, now thoroughly amused, smirked and rested her chin in her hand. “Now this is interesting.”
Aria’s smirk widened as she studied Anya’s expression, the slight blush dusting her cheeks, the way she was fidgeting with her glass—oh, this was too good.
“That face you’re making…” Aria spoke, teasing. She tapped a finger against the rim of her glass.
Anya froze for a split second before her expression filled with frustration. Her grip on the glass tightened, and without warning, she slammed her fist down on the table with a loud thud.
“Oh, shut up!”
She yelled. The impact caused her drink to slosh slightly, and a few nearby patrons turned their heads at the sudden outburst.
Aria, completely unfazed, merely chuckled, propping her cheek against her palm.
“Hit a nerve, did I?”
Anya scowled, grabbing her glass and downing half of it in one go. “Tch. I knew I shouldn’t have asked anyone.”
“But you did ask,” Aria pointed out, swirling her own drink. “And now I have to know—who is it?”
“Who is the lucky guy that has reduced the unstoppable Berserkers guild master into a mere woman.”
Anya grumbled something under her breath, refusing to meet Aria’s gaze.
Anya chugged down the rest of her drink then slammed her glass back onto the counter, her frustration bubbling over.
“Who they are doesn’t matter!” she yelled, her face still with a stubborn blush.
“All I want to know is how to deal with this!”
Aria raised an amused eyebrow, taking another slow sip of her drink. “Deal with what, exactly?”
Anya groaned, running a hand through her hair before crossing her arms. “This feeling! This… this stupid thing that keeps messing with my head! It’s annoying!”
Aria chuckled, clearly enjoying this far more than Anya would have liked. “Ah, I see. So you’re suffering from it.”
Anya shot her a glare. “Obviously, or I wouldn’t be here asking you of all people for advice.”
Aria smirked, tapping her fingers on the counter. “So, let me get this straight—you, Anya, the woman who can break bones with a single punch, who charges headfirst into danger without a second thought, are struggling because of a little crush?”
Anya groaned again, burying her face in her hands. “I swear if you keep talking like that, I’m going to throw you over this damn counter.”
Aria let out a low chuckle, shaking her head in amusement. “Well, this is unexpected,” she mused, swirling her drink. “But I guess you are human in the end. You’re always so strong, always in control—I suppose everyone just forgets that.”
Anya scoffed, still resting her forehead in her palm. “Tch. Spare me the poetic insight, Aria. That’s not helping.”
Aria smirked but didn’t push further. Instead, she lifted her empty glass and turned toward Dorian. “Another one, if you don’t mind.”
Dorian, who had been quietly observing their exchange with an amused look in his eyes, wordlessly took her glass and refilled it before setting it back in front of her.
Aria took a slow sip, savoring the burn of the liquor before exhaling. “Look, I’d love to help you, but… relationship advice isn’t exactly my specialty.”