Omnia Vincit Amor | Sebastian Sallow

Chapter 22: Toward Stepping Backward

Chapter 22: Toward Stepping Backward

An outdoor enthusiast would find the sun setting in the west as picturesque, deemed unrivalled until they later see it rising in the east.

A voracious reader would fall in love with the first book of a series, but would fall harder on the second.

Sebastian Sallow believed in these.

He loved sunrises better than sunsets, and appreciated the second volumes better than the first. It was true, what they say—

That new beginnings are always the best;

That a better place awaits upon traversing exits;

That the past often looks questionable compared to the present.

But for once, Sebastian thought these were complete fallacies. The idea of stepping backwards in order to move forward was a hard to pill to swallow.

It had been three days since he woke up in sheer bemusement after finding himself magically transported in his bed, with a pulsating headache and a mysteriously placed Draught of Peace.

And today, he was back where he last remembered, the Three Broomsticks.

For a different reason this time, however. He had not touched alcohol since, believing the only way to advance was to face the days with a sound mind.

So here he was, occupying one of the tables in the tavern with an alcohol-free drink, and a lady, with olive skin, gray eyes, long brown hair styled in disciplined waves, sitting across.

She was beautiful, he could admit. But his judgment was invaluable as every time he lifted his eyes to check her, all he could see was the blonde he excruciatingly missed.

Even without alcohol in his system, his thoughts and vision were plagued by her, with the ring on his finger worsening it all. He should have returned it before leaving, but his words—

"Allow me or not, I'll take care of you,"

—reminded him of why it was best not. He had broken countless of promises in the past, and the Earth would shatter before he breaks more. Especially, not this one.

With or without promises made, he knew he would always be at her beck and call. He may be broken-hearted, but certainly not stone-hearted.

He caught whiff of himself, and Merlin, even his clothes were still confined in her scent.

'Damn it.'

Sebastian mentally noted to make a quick stop later at Gladrags Wizardwear.

"So..." his companion finally spoke, growing tired of wasting minutes just sipping her drink and people-watching. "Do you... play any sport at the moment?"

"No," came his curt reply, eyes set on his drink.

"What job do you do?"

"None."

"Oh, well... are you fond of pets? Do you own any?"

The gleam in her eyes returned after asking this question, hoping to break the brunet's cold demeanor. Surely, conversing about animals was a topic nobody would shy away from, correct?