Over the remainder of the holiday, whereas I fearful about Liel, I memorized the names of each nobleman I might discover.

So many names cluttered my head, however I’m not going to neglect them, even when it’s for the improper causes.

The one saving grace I’ve was that many of the nobles have been within the academy, so I used to be compelled to assessment them unexpectedly.

Anyway, as quickly as I returned to the academy, I made my method to the college room with an enormous smile on my face.

I used to be greeted by Professor Bendik’s perplexed face and a few unwelcome information.

“Liel mentioned he wouldn’t be again till after this semester. Properly, he gained’t be again till your sophomore yr.”

“…….”

He didn’t trouble to clarify additional. I perceive, I simply don’t settle for it.

I stood nonetheless in entrance of Professor Bendik, wide-eyed, simply as I had been after I’d stood alone and dumbfounded the place Liel had left me.

“I do know you’re shocked, I do know you’re overwhelmed, however will you please depart now……?”

“Professor……. I don’t have any letters from Liel……?”

“This makes me really feel all sorry for this. However there’s nothing.”

The professor didn’t look sorry in any respect. He rummaged by a drawer and pulled out a letter.

“That is from Teacher Hemil, and I don’t know if it’s any comfort to you, however there are extra demons within the bolstered space than they thought, so they might simply take an extended time period, so that you shouldn’t fear an excessive amount of…….”

He mentioned he might die, how can I not be fearful…….

Professor Bendik’s voice trailed off in embarrassment when he noticed my tearful expression.

He unfolded the letter from Teacher Hemil and held it out for me to learn.

“He was initially going to ship Liel again, however he says he’s been so useful that he’s going to must make up for his second semester class time with practicals. I do know I’m not supposed to indicate it to you, however I particularly instructed you, so please don’t cry within the employees room.”

“I’m not crying…….”

I’m not crying as a result of I haven’t wiped away my tears but.

The professor checked out me in disbelief, however I didn’t care, turning and strolling out of the workplace.

I staggered as much as the classroom the place I’d have my first-class of the second semester and opened the door.

“Lucy, how was your trip?”

Melissa wasn’t there, so I knew she wasn’t taking this class. As an alternative, Karen, who had arrived earlier, greeted me.

“Hello, Karen. Did you may have a superb trip?”

I replied in as cheerful a voice as I might muster, hoping to someway erase the gloom from my face. However even with my empty phrases, I couldn’t say that I had a superb trip.

“After all, I had a good time, as a result of I truly went to a neighboring nation with my dad this trip.”

Karen started to inform her story with a critical expression on her face, and the point out of touring to a neighboring nation piqued my curiosity.

“However whereas we have been touring, a squirrel-like demon attacked us!”

“A, a demon?”

I used to be so stunned that I stuttered.

“Yep. It regarded actually cute, but it surely all of the sudden began consuming our carriage, so I used to be actually stunned…….”

I assumed you had a superb trip……? She met a demon, how can she say she had a superb trip…….

“I assume that is why my mother and father by no means wished to take me, but it surely was an ideal expertise, and I bought to look at the knight struggle off the beast.”

For a second, I used to be stunned by Karen’s boldness, however then I remembered Liel, who had all of the sudden gone to slay them, and I felt a heavy stone in my chest.

Liel…… you okay……?

***

After listening to Karen’s phrases, I used to be extra fearful about Liel’s security than I had been on trip.

‘I imply, he’s combating these monsters…….’

I sat within the nook of the library and glared on the web page with the demon on it.

‘We’re purported to be combating these items? They don’t even appear to be they could possibly be lower with a sword…….’

They are saying the younger are courageous.

I questioned if it’s as a result of he was solely 18 so he might throw himself into the midst of those monsters, or if he was simply getting extra fearless with age.

I might perceive the supporting solid’s concern for the protagonist, who was unexpectedly thrown into the center of enemy territory in a novel-like story.

I wished to slap my previous self for pondering, “Why fear about them after they’re stronger than me?”

‘Goddess Ophelia. I don’t know what number of occasions I’ve prayed to you, however please assist my buddy get again safely.’

I clasped my fingers collectively and prayed. After I returned to Seywint Manor, I prayed to the gods each probability I bought. After I ate, after I talked to my grandmother.

I had by no means been a spiritual individual, however now I used to be praying to God for a buddy with demonic powers.

‘Actually, he’s a superb individual……. He’s nonetheless a superb individual……. I’ll do my finest to ensure he stays that method…….’

It was contradictory even for me, however I made a decision to be shameless for my very own greed.

‘He doesn’t have demonic powers…… nor does he have them as a result of he needs them…….’

Midway by, my conscience pricked, I added a lame excuse.

‘Why would I need to be related to a demon and be seen praying, I…….’

Midway by the prayer, I all of the sudden felt pissed off.

“Lucy.”

Her tightly closed eyes and raised fingers have been strained.

“L, Lucy……?”

I’m praying with all the religion I can muster, however somebody retains speaking to me.

I’m in the course of one thing!

My eyes widened and I regarded over to see Pavon jerk again in shock.

Uh, Pavon……?

“I, I’m sorry, you have been praying……. I used to be going to attend till you’re achieved, but it surely was taking so lengthy…….”

“…….”

Had I been praying that lengthy?

I checked the time on the clock on the far wall and realized it had been about half an hour.

I prayed lengthy sufficient.

“I, I’m right here to pay attention.”

Pavon snapped his fingers.

I all of the sudden remembered that he had confessed to me earlier than the break. How he’d requested me to reply his confession when the second semester began.

‘I’ve been so fearful about Liel, I forgot…….’

I jumped to my ft and turned to face Pavon, his throat tightening. His fingers fidgeted much more nervously.

“Why don’t we simply exit and…….”

I urged him to go away, pondering this was not a dialog to have in the course of the library. Pavon nodded obediently, as if he had the identical thought.

We hurried out of the library and regarded round. Fortunately, everybody had gone again to their dorms and the hallways have been abandoned.

“…….”

“…….”

On this state of affairs, I ought to most likely be the primary to talk. I knew what I used to be going to say to him anyway.

I wasn’t prepared for a relationship but, judging by how poorly I’d dealt with Pavon’s request for me to consider it over trip.

“Sorry, I believe it’s a bit of early for a relationship.”

As quickly as I mentioned no, Pavon’s eyes drooped. Then, he shook his head back and forth to finalize his expression.

“No, you shouldn’t really feel sorry for me……. Thanks for answering. And…… I’m sorry for pushing you, too.”

He smiled bitterly.

To his credit score, he appeared to acknowledge that he’d confessed to me in a quite blunt method.

“Can I ask you one final query?”

Simply as I used to be questioning if I ought to depart, I heard Pavon’s voice.

“Sure? What’s it?”

“Lucy, do you may have emotions for Liel?”

The query was surprising.

I had been requested many occasions if I used to be courting Liel, however by no means if I appreciated him.

I used to be about to say no, however my mouth fell open.

Do I like Liel?

After all, if he was asking for a easy favor, I’d have nodded with out hesitation.

“…….”

However that’s what it means to love somebody.

My coronary heart beats non cease when I’m with him, I get excited after I see him, and I miss him after I don’t see him.

It’s solely when an individual has such complicated emotions which you could name it a crush.

“I like him, however I like him as a buddy.”

And if he’s speaking concerning the form of love that makes you fall in love and trigger hassle for different individuals, like Liel within the authentic, I can’t assist however shake my head.

As I concluded, I all of the sudden remembered the day I walked with Liel below my umbrella.

For some purpose, it made me really feel uncomfortable.

***

I don’t know if it’s as a result of I’m fearful about Liel or as a result of Pavon requested me an odd query.

I hadn’t felt good because the first day of faculty.

I lay down on my mattress and closed my eyes, hoping to push my ideas away with sleep. However whilst sleep poured in, the nagging feeling continued to plague me.

After I opened my eyes once more, the very first thing I noticed was that I used to be at Duke Marsen’s mansion.

‘One other dream?’

It was a dream just like the one I had earlier than. I by no means thought I’d have such an uncommon dream once more.

As soon as is a coincidence, however twice…… No, twice remains to be okay.

I don’t know what’s okay, however I calmed my nervousness by repeating the phrase okay to myself.

‘Does it imply I ought to go inside?’

It was clear that I had come to go to, however apart from this door, the complete space was shrouded in darkness.

‘Ought to I not go in, however maintain out?’

I stared on the door, my forehead furrowed as if to see who would win.

‘Huh?’

The winner of this struggle will need to have been determined from the beginning, as a result of the door opened of its personal accord.

The door opened and a vivid gentle poured in. However surprisingly, it wasn’t blinding. I stared unblinking into the room.

“L, Lucy. You’ll be able to’t inform anybody about this……? I instructed you it was a secret…….”

It was then that the acquainted phrases rang in my ears, and what I noticed subsequent was each an unforgettable reminiscence and the scene of a nightmare.

Liel pulled up his ankle to indicate me a tattoo of a snake, a lot smaller than it’s now. To the younger me in entrance of him.

Then, in disbelief, a chilling voice emanated from the ‘younger me’.

“……Do you assume being a child excuses all of your frivolous conduct?”

As a toddler, I’d have run away as quickly as I noticed Liel’s snake tattoo, realizing that this was a piece of fiction.

However the youthful me in entrance of me was completely different.

“And why are you exhibiting me this?”

She regarded greater than irritated, she regarded offended. As regular, my dream self nonetheless had a twisted persona.

‘No, that’s greater than twisted, that’s simply plain imply.’

I didn’t really feel good, seeing it on my face, regardless that it wasn’t me.

“I simply, I need to get to know Lucy……. If there’s somebody I need to be near, I ought to method them first, my sister mentioned…….”

Even when that’s true, exhibiting me your tattoo will not be ‘approaching’.

The truth is, I used to be a bit of offended at Liel for leaving the Empire on such brief discover with out consulting me.

I’m positive I used to be, however the look on younger Liel’s face made me need to choose him up and luxury him proper then and there.

“……You didn’t present this to your good little sister, did you?”

Immediately, the youthful me grabbed Liel by the scruff of the neck and yanked him away. Startled, I rapidly tried to drag away the youthful me’s grip on Liel who struggled to his ft.

However my fingers didn’t even contact Liel, together with the youthful me.

“Oh, no. I didn’t present her…….”

Liel, who had lastly burst into tears, shook his head quickly. Each time he moved, a tear rolled down his chin.

He’s crying! He’s crying!

“Hear, it’s a secret for a purpose, and if it will get out due to your mouth, will you be accountable?”

With these phrases, the youthful me threw Liel to the bottom.

After I noticed him on his butt on the bottom, my coronary heart raced and I couldn’t breathe.

“Why would you do this to a child like this…….”

I might see my youthful self sighing as she washed her face dry, questioning what was so improper together with her.

However I didn’t just like the look of it both. I glared at her, shielding Liel from her sight who’s on the ground.

That was the top of the dream.

Besides this one had a for much longer after-effect than the final. Grabbing a child by the throat will not be the best way to go…….