Lucy opened her eyes and located herself looking at a frightened Liel.

“I’m alive, proper?”

She checked her well-being as soon as once more, and as if responding to her unstated concern, Liel hurriedly took Lucy’s hand.

“I believed I used to be going to die, thanks for saving me…….”

Lucy hadn’t forgotten that Liel had pulled her out simply earlier than she handed out.

“I saved you?”

No, he wasn’t there when she was in peril.

Swallowing his phrases, Liel’s jaw tightened. Lucy’s eyes, now not uninteresting, got here alive.

“When you hadn’t come, I might have been left there to die.”

“…….”

She wasn’t solely flawed, as it could take days to clear the constructing’s rubble. Liel chewed on his decrease lip.

The lip that he had been bitten so many occasions lastly burst and bled.

“You’re bleeding out of your lip…….”

Lucy pulled her hand away from Liel’s grip and checked out his busted lip. Regardless of his pale complexion, his lips have been sizzling.

“Ah!”

As she was considering what to do concerning the blood on her thumb, Lucy instantly stood up and exclaimed.

Startled, Liel grabbed her by the shoulders.

“Don’t power your self to stand up.”

“I’m feeling higher than you suppose. By the best way, the place is Princess Chloe, and what day is it now, and the way lengthy have I been out chilly?”

Questions poured out of Lucy.

She was relieved that Princess Chloe was secure, however she additionally questioned how lengthy Liel had been away from the Academy.

Fear surged via her once more, questioning if she’d prompted Liel to overlook one other day of lessons.

“The Princess is okay, and also you have been solely knocked out for about three hours…….”

“Three hours?”

That was a aid. Lucy didn’t wish to inconvenience Liel anymore.

Lucy pulled again the covers and checked her limbs. They have been coated with small cuts and blue bruises.

“Liel, what did the physician say?”

Lucy was certain that the physician had come and gone after checking on her.

“…… They mentioned you’re high quality, only a few bruises.”

As anticipated, the physician had come and gone. Lucy stared into house, making an attempt to determine what to do subsequent.

She didn’t have lengthy to consider it.

“Liel, for now, you must return to the Academy. You got here right here for me, proper?”

The earlier he returns to the academy, the earlier he can atone for some sleep and be part of the coaching the following day.

Lucy deliberate to talk to the Empress about escorting him, simply in case, and enlist the assistance of the Imperial Knights.

She was unnecessarily calm for somebody who had been introduced again from the lifeless. It was not a response one would usually anticipate from somebody who had lived and died.

But when Lucy’s demeanor was any indication, Liel was a good distance from the traditional or common class.

“Return?”

Liel requested, his forehead furrowing. He appeared moderately confused.

“I’ve to go see the Empress, so I most likely gained’t have the ability to return to the manor at present.”

Nowhere in her phrases did she ask for him to take her residence.

Why?

Liel had a elementary query. Quickly sufficient, he reached over and gripped her knee firmly, and muttered:

“I don’t perceive.”

He couldn’t settle for that he had been omitted of Lucy’s plan.

“You simply got here again from the lifeless.”

He bit his bleeding lips and spoke once more. His lips, which had been recovering rapidly, burst open once more.

“When you depend upon me in any respect–-”

This time, Lucy didn’t wipe his lips; she simply sat there wordlessly, listening to Liel’s phrases.

“Isn’t it best for you to ask me to stick with you?”

He murmured as he brushed his second finger throughout his lips, his icy gaze deciding on Lucy.

Her expression, too, was inflexible, as if she have been holding one thing again.

“Liel.”

Lucy’s voice was completely different when she referred to as out to Liel. It was extra resolute than ever, however it additionally sounded distant.

“You ran all the best way right here since you have been fearful about me—”

Behind Lucy’s thoughts was Liel’s hand, nonetheless holding hers. Or, to be extra exact, his gnarled wrist that was related to it.

He hadn’t as soon as requested her to get her act collectively till she was in that place.

He had merely stood by her aspect for over a month in silence.

“I can’t depend on you anymore.”

That was sufficient.

It was sufficient for Lucy that when he heard about what occurred to her, he got here working to her in a hearbeat to tug me up from the rubble the place she’d practically died of neglect.

To ask for greater than that may be nothing however whining.

Lucy’s gaze drifted to Liel’s bloodied index finger, the place a brand new nail had simply grown.

⁂

For a second, a surprised silence fell between them. Lucy, noticing the rising coldness in Liel’s expression, unconsciously patted his arm.

Quickly, Liel’s voice broke the silence.

“Why can’t you?”

He smiled, as if he didn’t perceive. In the course of the silence that adopted, his lips cleared.

“Simply do it.”

I advised you so many occasions. You are able to do that.

Lucy’s forehead furrowed barely at his subsequent phrases.

“Go get your nails fastened.”

Lucy spoke curtly to the bluntness in his voice.

“I’m virtually healed.”

Liel mentioned, bending his index finger, which was nonetheless not absolutely healed. She heard his bones snap as he cracked his fingers.

Lucy’s eyes narrowed as she held again the smile that just about adopted her on the sound. At her quirked forehead, Liel spoke once more.

“.”

“…….”

“That I heal rapidly.”

“That doesn’t imply you possibly can’t get damage—”

—That’s not proper.

Lucy didn’t end her sentence. Liel interrupted her, chopping her off.

“I actually don’t perceive.”

Maybe he wouldn’t perceive her angle it doesn’t matter what she mentioned.

“Why are we even arguing about this?”

“…….”

“Proper now, who wouldn’t be fearful about seeing you want this?”

Is it bizarre for me to do that?

Lucy lastly appeared away from Liel, who was saying all the precise issues.

Casting her gaze into the void as soon as extra, Lucy gently closed her eyes to appease her drained eyes.

He should be fearful.

However regardless of Liel’s worries, Lucy was in higher form than he thought. Not in want of anybody’s care, and effectively sufficient to start out work tomorrow.

Liel wouldn’t mistake that, as he knew that she was fearful about him and that was the one motive why she was considering what to say.

It’s not that I don’t perceive…….

Lucy hesitated, considering what phrases to make use of to steer him to return to the academy.

Now, as if to finish this pointless alternate, Liel spoke up.

“Lucy, I need you to place your self in my footwear.”

Ah……. On the acquainted sound of the phrases, Lucy knew she was about to lose this struggle.

“Are you able to simply stroll away and depart me damage?”

He stared at her intently, realizing what the reply can be.

A grunt escaped Lucy’s mouth, unable to face up to Liel’s stare.

“You……. from final time…….”

Liel undoubtedly knew the way to win Lucy over. It was apparent since he had been catering to her all his life.

When she couldn’t consider anything to say in retort, she raised her hand and raked it via her hair.

Then, with a snap, her hand dropped down and he or she glared at Liel.

“Do you wish to be imply?”

“What?”

He tilted his head in confusion. As if satisfied of his victory, the muscle mass in Liel’s face slowly started to calm down.

His chilly eyes slowly stuffed with heat, and shortly he was smoothing Lucy’s tangled hair with the hand that was clasped in his lap.

His contact was soothing.

“Come on, I haven’t heard the reply but.”

At the same time as he moved his arms diligently, he insisted on her giving him a solution he hadn’t but heard.

Seeing that he had lastly returned to his regular, languid Liel voice, Lucy lastly set free the sigh she had been holding in and spoke.

“…I can’t return. If it have been me, the second you advised me to return since you have been okay, I might have rolled my eyes and jumped across the room.”

Lucy assessed herself soberly this time. Nonetheless, his gaze swept throughout the room the place she might need run.

“I’d wish to see that.”

Present it to me later.

Liel lowered his hand and felt for the spot the place Lucy’s gaze had swept.

Lucy’s lips curled up right into a smile when she realized she had interpreted Liel’s phrases otherwise.

“Does it sound such as you’re saying you’ll do the identical to me later?”

“By no means, and if I have been you, I’d be begging you to not depart me alone once I’m sick.”

He smirked, his face stuffed with mischief. He was relieved that Lucy had so readily admitted defeat.

“To magnify…….”

The corners of Lucy’s mouth twitched upward as she realized that regardless of his whiny tone, it wasn’t so dangerous to have him backing her up.

However after what she’d simply mentioned to Liel, she jerked her head to the opposite aspect, making an attempt to not present her frustration.

She regained management of her expression and turned to face Liel.

Then, as if ready for it, Liel’s golden eyes touched the small of her again pressed in opposition to the pillow.

Why do you retain drawing traces with me?

Liel, who had been smiling as if relieved, silently wiped the smile off his face.

✧