After I parted methods with Melissa, I headed straight to the coaching heart, however one thing was incorrect the entire method.

Why, not like me, did everybody else appear to be heading out the opposite facet of the coaching grounds……?

With nervous eyes, I scanned the folks passing by me. At first look, it was apparent that they have been swordsmanship college students and their households.

I knew it, as a result of I acknowledged the neatly sheathed swords at their sides and the pink twine on the finish of their hilts.

That was an indication of knighthood. Anxiousness gripped me as I noticed what was taking place.

No method.

I ran straight to the coaching grounds and requested the teacher guarding the doorway.

“B, by any probability, has the ceremony already ended?”

“What? Sure. It simply ended…….”

The teacher scratched his head as if he hadn’t seen. No method.

I didn’t hassle to ask Liel the place to go, because it was clear that the ceremony can be held on the Academy.

But when nothing else, I ought to have requested concerning the begin time so I wouldn’t be late. From what I heard, it might be concurrently the commencement ceremony…….

“Oh, you have to be mistaken concerning the time. It was moved up an hour three days in the past.”

W, why?

Why would you modify the time on the third day of me not seeing Liel…….

And regardless of how busy he’s, shouldn’t he have not less than given me a heads up in a letter?

I appeared on the teacher with a despairing face, and he coughed in frustration and turned his head the opposite method.

I didn’t get to attend the ceremony, however I didn’t flip away. I walked again into the coaching heart and appeared for Liel.

On condition that I hadn’t seen him on the best way right here, it was possible that he was nonetheless within the coaching heart.

I needed to congratulate him on his commencement.

I had been attending the academy for over a yr, however this was my first time contained in the coaching grounds, so it felt somewhat totally different.

I couldn’t assist it, I couldn’t break my promise to Liel that I wouldn’t return to the coaching grounds.

“Mmm…….”

I appeared round, figuring it might be okay for right this moment.

I acknowledged the scholars who hadn’t returned but, however I didn’t see Liel amongst them.

The place the hell did he go?

⁂

Instantly after the ceremony, Liel fled as if being chased by somebody.

Rapidly ducking behind a storeroom, he sank to the ground and stifled a groan as ache shot up from his ankle.

He pulled his knees up and clutched at his ankle, however the ache didn’t ease.

He’d thought he’d gotten the dangle of it these days, however as if to mock him, his ankle had been aching prefer it was going to snap for 3 days now.

“Ha…….”

With a heavy sigh, Liel lifted his chin and closed his eyes tightly.

It will be time for Lucy to return any minute now…….

With the ache that had been plaguing him for 3 days, he didn’t even have the presence of thoughts to inform Lucy the time had modified.

“…….”

A chilly sweat broke out on his brow, and Liel opened his eyes and launched his grip on his ankle.

He sat up and stretched his legs out, leaning again towards the warehouse to try to ease the ache, letting out an intermittent gasp.

However the ache didn’t go away. His eyes steadily closed because the ache turned insufferable. Then Liel’s head jerked to the facet.

At the same time as he closed his eyes in surprised silence, the snake continued to maneuver. One second it was slithering round his ankles, making its presence felt, after which it stopped.

Then the ache, which appeared unrelenting, started to subside.

It was then—

“Liel.”

He heard Lucy’s voice, barely cracked on the edges. Liel’s eyelashes fluttered as he acknowledged the voice directly.

“Are you sleeping?”

Sleeping right here?

Liel opened his eyes to see Lucy wanting round with a puzzled expression on her face, his paralyzed mind lastly beginning to operate.

Straightening his neck, Liel replied in a gradual tone.

“No, I used to be simply drained and closed my eyes for a second.”

He blinked slowly, and his blurry imaginative and prescient steadily cleared. Ultimately, the ache in his ankle was gone.

How lengthy would this relaxation final?

Asking himself the unanswerable query, Liel rose from his seat with a gradual motion.

Of its personal accord, Lucy’s neck lifted. Vast-eyed, Lucy reached out and pushed again Liel’s bangs.

“Isn’t {that a} chilly sweat? Are you sick?”

Contemplating it was nearing the top of winter, it wasn’t sweat as a result of sizzling climate, so Liel grabbed Lucy’s wrist simply in case.

“I’m not sick. I’m simply drained.”

Lucy appeared him up and down, her eyes narrowing as if she sensed one thing wasn’t fairly proper about his phrases.

Nonetheless, there was no awkwardness in Liel’s demeanor now that the ache was gone.

Lastly giving up on attempting to determine the reality, Lucy’s lips tilted up in a pout.

“Come on, let’s go. You look actually drained.”

As if she believed Liel’s phrases to a sure extent, she held out her hand to him, wanting somewhat nervous. He took her hand with out hesitation.

“Are we going to my place? Would you like the visitor room? Or would you like me to take you to your house?”

Realizing that he had solely began residing on his personal every week in the past, Lucy weighed her choices.

“If we’re going to your house as a substitute, you’ll have to inform the coachman the place it’s.”

Maybe acutely aware of Liel’s unusually quiet demeanor right this moment, Lucy spoke in a low voice.

“…… Take me dwelling.”

When he lastly answered, Lucy craned her neck barely to look at Liel. At the back of her thoughts, she’d anticipated him to go to her home.

Nonetheless, she shook her head slightly than argue with him, accepting his alternative.

“Okay.”

You’re actually okay, aren’t you?

Lucy requested once more to verify since she was nonetheless nervous, however as a substitute of answering, he nodded as he appeared forward.

His feathery purple hair fluttered in entrance of his eyes. He took my hand and smiled softly at Lucy as they walked ahead in silence.

Let’s say he’s sick now.

Then, the affectionate her would instantly kneel down and elevate up his hem as she used to. And with a terrified expression on her face, she would meet his eyes.

He felt an indescribable satisfaction when he noticed the fear in Lucy’s sundown eyes.

“Lucy.”

Lastly, Liel misplaced management of his impulse and known as Lucy’s identify.

“Sure?”

Lucy grabbed the beret she was carrying and rotated to take a look at Liel. Her massive eyes waited patiently for Liel to talk.

“It’s nothing.”

Lucy’s head tilted barely to the facet as she listened to his dry reply.

She opened her mouth to protest, questioning if Liel was taking part in a prank on her. However after a second’s thought, she closed her mouth.

She thought of Liel’s situation. She hadn’t even bothered to ask Liel why he hadn’t advised her concerning the change in time.

Even in Lucy’s eyes, Liel was in a nasty situation right this moment.

And he didn’t understand that Lucy was intentionally avoiding even a gentle reprimand out of consideration for him.

“Come on, you go first.”

The carriage got here into view, and Lucy rushed over and opened the door, mimicking a gentleman.

It was an ungainly gesture that made the distracted Liel flinch.

“That’s what I’m imagined to do to you.”

Liel grumbled in a low voice, as if to say, “Why are you usurping my function?” Listening to his grumbling, Lucy replied with a smile.

“As a result of, as you say, I’ve to endure this awkward remedy from you, the longer term knight, for the primary and final time!”

Lucy’s consideration for her sick pal was enviously playful. Like when she and Liel had visited the dilapidated cottage the place he lived.

Lucy would generally do that to cheer up Liel’s sinking spirits.

“Yeah…… it’s actually awkward.”

As she stated this, a delicate smile would tug on the corners of Liel’s mouth. It made him really feel somewhat higher to have Lucy’s consideration.

Fortunately, his ankle was nonetheless high quality.

He pretended to stroke his chin with the again of his hand to cover his reddened neck and turned to Lucy, who was standing by the carriage door.

“However for those who’re going to do it, you may as nicely maintain on to the door deal with, in case the wind slams the carriage door shut.”

Lucy shrugged and grabbed the doorknob, obtrusive at Liel as if this was a query that wanted to be requested now.

“…… Okay, I’ll preserve that in thoughts subsequent time.”

Wanting a lot better, Liel chuckled and requested.

“You’re doing it once more?”

“I used to be going to name it a day, however you pointed it out, so out of spite, I’ll do it once more later, once you’ve forgotten.”

The social gathering who had opened the door slipped into the carriage first.

She appeared barely pouty.

Liel lowered his eyes barely as he watched Lucy.

Simply as Lucy had drawn a line within the sand, he had a rising listing of secrets and techniques he couldn’t inform her.

He thought he heard a creak from someplace.

It sounded just like the cracking of an invisible kind, or the opening of a chasm.

Liel knew he was the one one who may hear it.