Chapter 94 Stubborn
\[Lilia\]
“No.”
Val flat-out rejected my request in the spur of the moment without even giving it a single thought. He then turned around almost immediately, ignoring my completely dismal expression. I huffed in exasperation and marched my way in front of him with my hands rested on my waist, lifting my chin in stubbornness and refusing to accept defeat.
He looked down on me with one of his brows lifted into a perfect arch and pursed his lips. However, his eyes gleamed with amusement.
“Please, Val…It’s good if I’ll learn how to fight. In case you or Kael wasn’t around, I can always defend myself. You trained women here as well, I saw them fight, and they are all exceptional. What difference would it be for…me?” As I completed talking without taking a break, my lungs began to contract, and I found myself gasping for air after the very last word I said. I took a long, deep breath in order to regain my breath, and then I exhaled loudly through my mouth while staring at Val in the vain hope that I could convince him to change his mind.
He stares at me for a moment, his eyes moving back and forth on my face and then over my shoulders, glancing at his people sparring. I could visualize the gears on his head, contemplating the exact word he was going to say to me. Then the creases on his forehead relaxed and he resigned a long, deep sigh.
“Sorry sweet cake, but I can’t,” Val shakes his head and cups the side of my face with his enormous face, almost covering half of it, and endearingly rubs his thumb over my cheeks before pulling away. “You can stay if you still want to watch them, or you can go back to the poolside. Aya must have been looking where you’ve been,” he added, turning his back on me and walking towards the center, shifting his attention to the fight scenes in front of us.
I followed his gaze, my eyes looking for Sasha specifically, but she wasn't around anymore. The frown on my face deepens, remembering how she reacted to me when I smiled at her. I love Aya and all, but it would be great as well if I could befriend her. She was a fantastic woman, my ideal, to be exact.
Sighing for what felt like a hundred times, I glared at Val. Starting to get annoyed, I briskly walked directly behind him, sauntering like a child deprived of candy and was now throwing tantrums.
“You can’t, or you won’t?” I sneered, huffing with disdain and giving his back a stern glare and puckered lips.
Val instantly halted on his steps, and I did too, or else I would crash on his back as he swiftly turned to look me straight in the eyes. “I can’t. Boss Kael will have my head skewered on a pike before he lets that happen,” he said, emphasizing the part where he mentioned that he can’t, which immediately cast a frown on my face.
I know he’s just exaggerating it, though I couldn’t help but wonder if Kael could really hurt Val because of me. That seems unbelievable, but no one really knows what things are turning inside his head. He is difficult to foresee in any way. No one would be able to stop him from hurting Val if he made up his mind to do so.
That's how I know of him.
Also, the way Val stared at me, I knew he wasn't kidding. He seemed to be an undaunting kind of person. A type that fears nothing but he, sure, is undoubtedly scared of Kael, even though he's a bit bigger than him. I don't know what kind of a boss and a henchmen relationship they had, but Val respected Kael to the greatest extent possible.
Yet, no matter what he said, I still wanted to learn how to fight. I am sick and weary of being overly reliant on them. I wanted to be as strong as Sasha and fight for myself in case I was put in a situation where I needed to rely solely on my capabilities to fight. Slapping an armed man won't just do.
“Then, we won’t tell. That could be possible, right?” I suggested after thinking of a way where Val would let me train. However, he only laughed at me loudly, and I could feel the burning stares stabbing at my back upon his sudden outburst as though I said something funny.
I stared at him, perplexed, as I became aware of the intense scrutiny that was being directed in my direction, but I opted to disregard it and instead gave the enormous man a face that conveyed bewilderment on my part, waiting for his explanation why he suddenly laughs when it is not a bit funny with all that I said.
“Oh, no sweet cake. He knows everything that’s going on under his premises,” he said, shaking his head. “You should talk to him when he’s back. If he approves, then you can start your training, but I’ll warn you first, it won’t be easy,” He continued, patting the top of my head with a smile.
What he said got me thinking. If I were to wait for Kael, I don't have an exact date when he's going home, and I don't think I could wait for that long. I wanted to learn now.
Well, damn, phones and signals weren't invented for nothing. I know I didn't have to wait for Kael’s approval until he came home. We could reach him now.
“Can’t you call him or something?” I said, waving my hands in front of him, pointing out the obvious.
“No, I can’t disturb him unless it is important. He’s busy,” he countered dismissively.
My shoulders immediately dropped, and my enthusiasm doused, feeling my energy sapped. Convincing Val seemed to be more challenging than I thought, but I knew it would become even harder if I were speaking this matter to Kael now.
“Fine...” I groan glumly as I continue, “Guess I'll take my leave then,” turned my back on him without waiting for his reaction, and walked out of the training facility gym. If he can't teach me how to fight, then I guess I'll have to figure something out myself.
Sasha inspired me, and with or without their help, I will learn how to fight.
I will make sure of that, and I am sure, Aya would be on my side on this.