Ezra Echelon Liberation System

Chapter 17: Awkward Atmosphere

Ezra and Mira returned to the campfire after some minutes, causing the Coachman to be very surprised. This was because they had been looking for Ezra everywhere and now he had been found.

"Where did you go to?" the Coachman asked. "We all thought something bad had happened to you or you went somewhere far away."

Although the Coachman was expressing his concern, Ezra couldn't help but frown slightly as he thought within himself, What kind of person do you see me as? But of course, he didn't say that out loud and instead managed a smile.

"We would have already reached a far distance now if you had not suddenly gone missing," the Coachman complained. "You got us stuck in one place and if not for your wife here I would have already left."

My wife? Ezra's face turned pale when he heard the Coachman address Mira as his wife. He almost yelled that Mira wasn't his wife and was just his companion but resisted the impulse. He had to act manly even though the situation was very awkward.

Mira on the other hand choked from saliva after hearing the Coachman call her Ezra's wife. She couldn't control herself as she yelled, "We're not husband and wife."

"Huh?" The Coachman sounded very surprised, his eyes sizing up Mira and Ezra. He then burst into a loud laughter before saying, "Okay, you got me."

This made Ezra and Mira to be very surprised and they couldn't help but turn their heads to look at each other, wondering what the Coachman was talking about. The former shrugged, telling the latter that he wasn't aware of what the Coachman was insinuating.

The Coachman smiled as he turned around and walked towards his carriage muttering, "Couples these days are so loving. They even come up with pranks, fooling people that they're not couples. So lovely."

When Ezra and Mira heard what the Coachman just said, their faces turned very purple as if they had just swallowed large watermelons. Then they shifted from each other a little in embarrassment.

"This is so your fault," Mira said, turning to look at Ezra. "It's because you suddenly vanished and I found you that made the Coachman think we're couples."

"Why would he think we're couples just because of something as insignificant as that?" Ezra asked. "I mean, it doesn't make any sense at all."

"It doesn't make any sense at all?" Mira rolled her eyes at Ezra. "Why would it make any sense to you?"

And with those words, she went to sit near her bag which was beside the campfire. Ezra didn't say anything as he took a deep breath and went to sit beside his own bag.

There were several minutes of silence between them, creating a very awkward atmosphere. None of them even turned to look at the other as if there was some kind of bad blood between them. This made the Coachman who had returned from the carriage and was expecting some lovey-dovey between them to become disappointed.

Or is it because I'm around them that they can’t be very fondly with each other? the Coachman thought within himself. Are they new couples who are still shy around each other?

With those thoughts he looked at Ezra and Mira again, his eyebrows furrowing. Ezra suddenly sensed someone looking at him and turned to look at the coachman, causing him to look away immediately.

“What are you looking at?” Ezra couldn't help but narrow his eyes, clenching his fists. “You're the one who brought up this awkwardness and yet you still have the guts to stare at me!”

Mira on the other hand wasn't aware of anything and was just thinking about what the coachman had just said. It wasn't as if she didn't like Ezra enough to get married to him but the situation was very embarrassing. At that time she didn't know how to react and was very embarrassed. The truth was, if given a chance she would get married to Ezra.

When this thought crossed her mind she turned to stare at Ezra, a faint smile appearing on her lips. The young man's face was illuminated by the campfire, parts of his body obscured in darkness. He had a stern expression, making him look very manly and attractive.

This made Mira's cheeks flush as she blushed. And the more she stared at Ezra the more she couldn't bear to look away. In the end, this made Ezra sense that someone was staring at him intensely. He immediately turned his head to look at Mira and caught her staring at him. The young woman immediately became embarrassed after being caught by Ezra staring at him. She immediately turned her head sharply and looked in another direction.

Why is everyone suddenly staring at me weirdly tonight? Ezra couldn't help but think within himself, wondering why Mira had been staring at him just now and why she had just withdrawn her gaze sharply. Or is it because she sees me as someone who's not worthy of being her husband?

The moment he had this thought he turned to look at the coachman in anger as he clenched his fists. He was angry with the Coachman because it was all thanks to him that the atmosphere between him and Mira had gotten very awkward. If not for him, the both of them would have been chatting very lively just now or he would have been training her.

There was a deep silence that lingered for several minutes, nobody deciding to talk. It was when Ezra realized that the awkward atmosphere was too unbearable that he decided to break the silence.

"You guys can sleep," he said after some moments of deliberation. "I'll keep watch."

"Are you sure about that?" Mira asked, turning to look at Ezra. This immediately dispelled the awkwardness between the both of them.

"Yes," Ezra said, turning to glance at the coachman. And that was when he saw the Coachman smiling warmly as if he had seen something very pleasant.

Please don't say anything stupid, Ezra prayed inwardly after seeing this. He didn't want the coachman to say something stupid that would make him and Mira feel awkward again.