“Xue called you by your name!” Hana gasped.

“He...did…” Cecil muttered out, her hand on the same shoulder that Xue pressed down on. “What did he mean by those words…?”

“I think Xue likes you now!” 

Cecil coughed, turning to look at Hana with wide eyes, removing her hand from her shoulder.

“Wh-what?”

“He is calling you by your name now, that means he likes you, doesn’t he?” Hana grinned happily, and Cecil let out a short nervous chuckle.

Somehow, with Hana’s personality, the like she means is probably...like a stray animal that has finally warmed up to the person who has been sneaking them food for days.

Seeing Hana’s bright smile, Cecil sighed in relief. “You don’t seem scared now, you were so uncomfortable around Xue earlier.” 

Upon hearing that, Hana’s smile faltered.

Cecil became flustered. “So-sorry Hana, maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, it’s okay,” Hana shook her head. “I am still scared of Xue, but you are important as well!”

Cecil was touched by her last few words, responding to Hana with a grateful smile. 

“And I know Xue isn’t a bad guy!” Hana added. “He’s just…”

“Just…?”

“I-I don’t know how to explain…” Hana pouted, glancing down before bringing her head up, vexed. “It’s hard! Xue is hard to explain! Xue is difficult!"

Cecil couldn’t help but laugh heartily at Hana’s exclamation.

Even the heroine knows!

Watching Cecil laugh out loud in an unrestrained manner, Hana giggled along as she cuddled her best friend. 

“I know how you feel, Hana.”

“Yes! Xue is...Xue!”

Hearing melodious laughter drifting towards them, Zasiok and his parents who were in the middle of their argument halted. They turned to look at the two women, who were chattering and nodding in agreement, still giggling at one another. 

“That is…” his mother trailed off, helpless. “They look so happy even after what happened.” 

His father turned to look at Zasiok wordlessly, along with his wife. 

Zasiok smiled at the scene of the two women laughing, looking back at his parents and shrugging. “Don’t look at me, ask them.” 

“You...don’t try to escape!”

“Ow, ow mother! Don’t smack me, I’m injured!”

“You are really fortunate that they are forgiving!” his mother huffed unhappily, before nodding in affimiration. “And they are beautiful too.”

His father glanced at his wife, his eyes widening in horror. “Honey, please don’t start it again.”

“Zasiok, my son, you aren’t getting any younger. Don’t you think you should find yourself a partner?” 

Zasiok groaned, slapping his palm onto his face. “Mother, we have gone through this a million times--”

“This is a perfect opportunity, you should start pursuing one of them!” she pried the hand off her son’s face, lecturing him. “We won’t be here forever, you will need someone to stay by your side, to take care of you and love you and…”

“Yes, yes yes, mother.” 

Zasiok peeked at the two ladies, his eyes drifting to Hana, softening, before shifting to Cecil. His mind recalled the moment he faltered when he was holding Cecil hostage after seeing Hana, he somehow couldn’t bear...to let Hana witness him in that manner. 

He didn’t want Hana to see him as a bad person. 

It was then Cecil said those words.

“Zasiok, don’t falter. You want me to escape and lose your only opprtunity?” 

Zasiok smiled to himself.

Don't falter, huh?

She still has the guts to say it, and warn me, even when she was being held hostage.

She almost died too, because of my master, and even committed treason for me. Yet, she's laughing happily over here with Hana.

Zasiok smiled even wider, shaking his head. "What a ridiculous woman. No normal person would behave and even speak like that."

The more he thought about their conversations, from the start of their meeting to the end, the more he wanted to laugh.

...and so he did.

Seeing their son laugh freely, shoulders shaking with mirth, while staring at the gorgeous yet indifferent raven-haired woman, his mother couldn't help but beam.

"You like her, don't you?"

"What did you say, mother?"

"The lady, with the black hair, the one you wronged so badly!"

Zasiok laughed harder. "Me liking her? Are you serious?"

"I have never seen you smile and laugh like that at anything or anyone, she has to be special!"

"Yes, she is! She is special!" Zasiok snickered, nodding eagerly. "Let me tell you mother, you know what she did? When she was a hostage, she told me to--"

"Oh, she's looking at you."

Cecil was attracted by the sound of Zasiok's laughter. She was surprised to see Zasiok laughing, or even hear his laughter. In a way, he was like Xue, always solemn and she can never picture them laughing.

Now that she had seen it first-hand, it was a pleasant sight.

Zasiok met her eyes, and she gave him a smile.

He went still at that smile, his laughter dying down, and he couldn't help but admire the smile donning her small, unblemished face.

He watched as her plump, pink lips moved, mouthing some words slowly.

"You should smile more."

Her onyx, crystalline eyes gazed softly at him, twinkling in delight. Zasiok found himself drowning in her clear eyes, his heart beginning to palpitate.

"Your ears are red!"

"Wh-what?" Zasiok blurted out, and he looked away.

He touched his ears, noticing they were warmer than usual, as well as his face.

He was flustered.

"You are blushing, my always-serious son is blushing because of a woman!"

"No, mother, you've got it wrong--"

The joyous mood was interrupted by the door slamming open, two men striding in, Xue and Kian's bodyguard.

"Captain."

Zasiok cleared his throat as he tried to calm himself. "You have it?"

"Yes."

"Let me see."

He nodded, still wearing the outfit that concealed him. While approaching Zasiok, the bodyguard threw a cautious glance at Xue, who didn't seem to pay any attention to him at all.

Xue had saw him kissing and flirting with his lover, he didn't want Xue to think he was slacking in the job. In fact, his lover was the one who obtained this piece of crucial information.

***

Xue silently walked over to the ladies' side, his gaze switching between Hana and Cecil, especially the latter.

The two ladies were unbeknownst to the intense gaze on the back of their head, focused on the item in Zasiok's hand instead.

Zasiok unrolled the paper in his hand, perusing it.

"Yes, this is it, the drawing is accurate. It has been located?"

"Yes captain, it was last seen in the black market," the bodyguard nodded his head, his tone assuring. "We need to hurry, the king may find us soon, he might even be two steps ahead."

"Out of all places..." Zasiok suspired pressing his hand against his forehead. "Are you sure your source is trustworthy?"

"I can confirm, captain. They would never lie, and there is only one of this robe in the entire continent."

"The black market," Zasiok groaned out, a look of frustration and exhaustion on his face. "Why did the damned robe have to be there?"

Zasiok shoved the paper back to the bodyguard, using his hand to rub his face.

"What's wrong, Zasiok?" Hana asked, tilting her head as she skipped over to his side, peeking at the paper. "Oh, it's a drawing of a pretty robe!"

Cecil and Xue followed after Hana, and Cecil assessed the drawing on the paper, it was hand-drawn. The artist was meticulous and even included minute details such as the intricate patterns lining the robe, and the colour of every part of the robe.

No matter how one looked at it, the ostentatious robe could only belong to the highest of the nobles, or a royal.

"Does your source know the black market well?"

"No, she's only an artist. The person that helped us locate it is...gone."

Cecil has been listening in to the conversation the entire time, realisation dawning on her. She snapped her head towards Zasiok, reaching out to grab his arm.

“Zasiok.”

Zasiok froze, removing his hand from his face, glancing down at the petite hand holding onto his arm, blinking at Cecil as his heart skipped a beat.

“Wh-what?”

“You need someone well-versed in the black markets and trading, and goods,” Cecil stated, a smile playing on her lips. “Basically, a merchant, or a wandering merchant.”

Zasiok nodded stiffly. 

Her limpid, black eyes sparkled and she spun around, still holding onto Zasiok as she tried to spot a certain ash blond-haired man. To her surprise, once again, Xue was at her side, his gaze fixated on her hand attached to Zasiok’s arm. 

“Xue.”

“I know what you are planning to say,” Xue glanced at Cecil, before looking back at the same hand on Zasiok’s arm, his eyes growing dark. “You don’t need to say it.”

“So, is that--is that a…” Cecil stared back at Xue, pleadingly, her voice holding a hint of excitement.

Xue narrowed his eyes, removing her hand from Zasiok’s arm as he gripped it lightly. His frown softened a tiny bit upon seeing the separation, and he turned to Cecil, planning to reject her request without any delay. 

However, the words that he was about to growl out were lodged in his throat as Cecil gazed at him with earnest eyes.

Her pellucid, onyx irises pierced right through him, making his heart flutter and he unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand. 

Cecil glanced down at her hand, looking up at Xue who seemed frozen and she tilted her head, a hint of sadness flashing through her eyes. “Is that a no? I’m sorry, I know it’s really unreasonable of me after all…"

At that moment, he could see himself reflected in her clear eyes, and everything that occupied her eyes was him. 

Only him.

Xue opened his mouth, the words spilling out. "Do what you want."

He then widened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he looked away. "What?"

What did I just say?

Hearing his answer, Cecil gasped, smiling once again. "Thank you so much, Xue!"

He. Said. Yes!

The lord protagonist said yes!

Cecil couldn't believe that the lord protagonist actually agreed to her request!

Xue wanted to take back his words, but he couldn't upon seeing Cecil's happy reaction and his face twisted in frustration and confusion.

Albeit, he was mostly frustrated at the voice laughing inside his mind.

Xue: "Shut up. Stop laughing."

Kai: "You can't even control your own mouth! And I can feel how lost you are!"

Kai continued laughing and Xue growled in annoyance in his mind, glancing at Cecil.

She was gazing expectantly at him, but there was a hint of guilt in her eyes. This time, Xue has lost all the ability to reject her request anymore.

Xue: "...she wants you to come out."

Alric: "Who?"

Kai: "You. Aren't you the wandering merchant?"

Alric: "M-me?"

Kai: "Yeah, you."

Alric: "Me?"

Xue: "Yes. You."

Alric: "Me--"

Kai: "Yes, stop making me repeat it!"

Xue: "Yes, you!"

The two of them barked at Alric at the same time, and the poor cowardly merchant only cringed back in fright inside Xue's mind.

Alric: "I'm sor-sorry! I understand! I understand now!"

The entire time, Zasiok and Hana was observing Xue and Cecil in puzzlement, unable to grasp the conversation. Zasiok was particularly distracted by the same hand, that was previously on his arm, was now being held by Xue.

"I'll let him out."

"I can't thank you enough, Xue."

Xue stared at Cecil, registering those words.

The same sickening words that he used to hear, when he helped others in his previous life. Though, hearing it from Cecil, it didn't make him disgusted.

It made him feel...different.

Xue closed his eyes, allowing Alric to take control over his body.

***

《 start 》

Those words of gratitude, they aren't enough.

I want...I want more.

Something way more.

Something tangible.

《 stop 》