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Cecil staggered back, wearing a look of pure fear.

If Veau wanted to kill her, anything she said or do, wouldn't help her in any manner.

Veau proceeded to smile lazily again.

That smile didn't make Cecil feel better.

"It's no fun scaring people," Veau stated, sounding bored. "Fear isn't the kind of ugliness I want to see."

Cecil swallowed nervously, blinking her clear eyes at Veau, taking a step back. It was obvious how she still regarded Veau with doubt.

"Like I said, I won't kill you," Veau stepped aside, gesturing for her to move. "You are an interesting acquaintance to have."

Cecil glanced up silently at Veau, before moving forward. She still needed to head to the clinic to get the bandages for Xue's hand. Without it, he wouldn't be able to handle the bow properly

Veau walked beside her, scanning the academy curiously.

Cecil furrowed her eyerows, not understanding why Veau was even following her or even here in the first place.

"...are you planning to follow me the entire way?"

"Who knows?" Veau shrugged, taking in the sights of the academy.

Cecil sneaked a peek at Veau, the frown still on her face.

Since the start when she met him, she had never once felt any killing intent from Veau. At least, a killing intent that was directed to her.

This entire time, he has helped me out in a way too, multiple times.

His character...doesn't seem to be one of a villain. But yet, in the novel, he was portrayed as a villainous--or more precisely, an evil man.

Genuinely evil, down to the core.

He caused Xue to become the way he is, but at the same time, he is helping all of us out the entire time.

Veau looked back at her, his eyes glinting.

"Widerlich."

Cecil felt tempted to roll her eyes at Veau. "That word won't work on me anymore."

"How upsetting," Veau responded, nonchalant. "Does that mean I won't be able to see that ugly face of yours again?"

Cecil grimaced, looking at Veau.

Again with my ugly face, this guy...

Veau suddenly let out a short laugh once he saw Cecil's expression.

"That's it! That ugly expression, I thought I would never see it again."

"Good for you." Cecil deadpanned.

"As I thought, being ugly suits you best."

Cecil sighed, picking up her pace and Veau did the same. She gave Veau a look, but he continued looking around the academy, humming thoughtfully.

Recalling the conversation with Xue earlier, about his mother, the burning question she had kept in her heart the entire time started to repeat in her mind. The question was never answered while she was reading the novel, and neither was it answered by the author.

Only Veau...can answer it.

Cecil gathered up her courage, she didn't sense anything bad from Veau. Moreover, from the amount of times he had somewhat helped her...a question couldn't land her in trouble, right?

"Veau."

"That tone only means you have a question for me, go ahead."

"Have you ever considered Xue as your... friend?"

Veau halted.

Cecil halted as well, staring at him with her steady, onyx eyes.

The smile on Veau's face stiffened. "You know what happened between us?"

"Vaguely."

"Why are you asking such a question?"

"This entire time that we have been meeting, coincidentally or intentionally, I have never once felt that you were...completely evil."

"Not completely evil?" Veau continued smiling. "How can you possibly feel that? If you know this much about me and Xue, you know who I am."

"I do know, but...I trust my instincts too," Cecil inhaled deeply. "You aren't completely evil, inside and out."

The smile gradually disappeared from Veau's face.

"So you are thinking like this, based on your instincts?"

"Yes."

"Ridiculous." Veau scoffed.

"If you were completely evil, and your enemy is Xue, why are you helping us? I am sure you know, Xue only wants to gather back his souls to kill you."

Veau wore an unreadable expression on his face.

Cecil only observed him quietly, the fear that she had felt earlier was all gone.

"An angel and a demon can never be friends, even if they think they are."

"...so you do consider Xue as your friend, then why did you--"

Veau waved his hand, a trail of black magic following his hand. Cecil felt something constricting her throat, preventing her from speaking.

She moved her mouth, but no words came out.

It wasn't like someone was suffocating her, it felt a force was sucking up her voice, not allowing it to even leak out from her lips.

He sealed away my voice!

Cecil glanced at Veau, and what she saw made her eyes grow wide, her breath hitching.

He no longer seemed like his relaxed and lazy self, his eyes had completely changed. The whites of his eyes had become utterly black, and his irises were a bloody, crimson red.

"You talk too much." Veau's voice was frigid.

He waved his hand once more, summoning up a portal.

"You were looking for the clinic for bandages, weren't you?"

He overheard our conversation earlier?!

Cecil tried to make a noise, but nothing came out and Veau pushed her harshly. She stumbled through the portal, and there was a flash of black.

She found herself colliding into the clinic door, immediately whining as she felt the stinging pain on her nose and forehead. She blinked in surprise, touching her neck.

The spell that Veau placed on her was gone.

The loud noise startled the healer and she pulled the door open, finding Cecil touching at her neck awkwardly.

The healer crossed her arms across her chest.

"What are you doing here now?"

Cecil shot her head up, hesitating before she opened her mouth.

"Ba-bandages."

"Come on in then."

She turned around, seeing no signs of Veau before frowning, entering the clinic.

***

"Like this?"

"No, tighten your stance more."

"Tighten?"

Xue stepped forward, adjusting Hana's stance. He then adjusted the bow in her hands as well, when he felt a slight sting on his palm.

He grimaced, looking at his palm.

If only I still possessed light magic.

Hana watched Xue in worry, until she spotted Cecil walking towards them from the corner of her eyes.

"Cecil!"

Cecil didn't answer, seemingly lost in thoughts.

Xue snapped his head up, his eyes following the dazed Cecil as she approached them. He noticed the red imprints on her forehead and the tip of her nose, narrowing his eyes.

He marched towards Cecil.

Hana glanced between Cecil and Xue, smiling knowingly and she focused back on perfecting her stance again.

Cecil was still absorbed in her own thoughts, her fingers tapping on her chin.

Does that mean Veau considers Xue as a friend?

But if he did, why would he do all of this to Xue?

...it doesn't make any sense, unless Xue betrayed him as well?

It wasn't mentioned in the novel...but I'm discovering more things than I ever did now.

Betrayal...

No...Xue wouldn't do that--

"Mmh!" Cecil crashed right into a hard object, her fingers that were originally on her chin pressed onto her mouth.

She blinked in shock, jolting back in alarm, realising that the object was Xue's chest.

"Oh, sorry, I was daydreaming." Cecil hastily said, putting her hand down.

"Were you hit by something or someone?" Xue questioned, unhappy as he saw the obvious red marks on her forehead and nose.

"Hmmm?"

"Your forehead and nose are really red."

"Oh that, I crashed into the door." Cecil explained, waving it off.

Xue was bewildered by her answer.

"I got the bandages," Cecil revealed the bandages in her other hand. "Let me wrap your hand up."

Xue raised his injured hand towards her, the bloodied fingernails marks still on his palm. His other hand was shoved into his pocket, and he observed as Cecil wrapped the bandage around his hand carefully.

A tiny smile flitted past his lips, and he pulled his injured hand towards him.

Cecil was forced to take a few steps forward and the distance between them closed up. She didn't say anything, only continuing to bandage up his wound, ensuring that he would be able to hold the bow properly.

Kai: "What a sly move."

Zasiok: "Sly and smooth."

Kai: "...why do you sound so proud?"

Zasiok only nodded in approval.

Alric: "Ce-Cecil is so close!"

Leonaut: "Oi, oi. Don't tell me you are going to overheat again."

Xue disregarded the alters in his mind. With this distance, Xue could catch Cecil's familiar scent of herbs and flowers.

The scent made him smile faintly once more.

Cecil was done with the bandage, glancing up and was startled at their close distance. She was even more startled when she noticed how Xue's gaze was unusually tender.

Just then, the memory of her accidental kiss with Xue flitted past her mind.

She inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly.

"I...I'm done, you should be able to...teach Hana properly now."

Xue smiled softly, and Cecil found her heart skipping a beat.

"Thank you."

Xue headed back to Hana's side, leaving a stunned Cecil behind.

Cecil shook herself awake, eventually finding a bench to rest on.

There's something wrong with me.

I'm definitely becoming weird.

It doesn't help that the lord protagonist has been smiling more at me these days.

...and that ki--

No, no--don't think about it, don't think about it!

Cecil slapped herself softly on the cheek, shaking her head again. At that moment, she heard Hana making some noises, observing as Xue taught Hana patiently on how to wield the bow properly.

He was even adjusting her stance.

He then proceeded to produce a bunch of ice arrows in his hands, directing Hana how to shoot it.

The scene made her smile.

How cute.

Since she had finally completed her mission given by the system, Cecil could finally rest. She sighed, staring up at the sky, the sun was close to setting, but Hana still seemed eager to learn.

Cecil expected that they weren't going back anytime soon.

"Xue! The arrow!"

Cecil gasped, looking at the two of them, just in time to see Xue catching an arrow heading towards him.

Hana had completely missed her target.

Xue didn't even look to catch the arrow, his eyes had been looking towards the left the entire time.

This scene shocked Cecil more.

What is he looking at?

Cecil turned to the left, but she saw nothing there. Cecil stood up, approaching Xue, and Hana did the same.

Xue crushed the ice arrow in his hand into pieces, his eyes still fixed in the same direction.

"Xue, what is it?" Cecil asked.

"I can sense the next soul fragment in this direction."

"Your next soul fragment? That's good!"

"That direction..." Cecil blinked in realisation, looking at Hana. "It's the direction of our hometown."

"Aoi? That means, we can go back and see our parents again?!" Hana grinned happily.

"We could, and since we still need to gather the other soul fragments for Xue..." Cecil nodded, frowning to herself. "We can't stay in the academy until we graduate, that would take too long."

"Hmmm...then what should we do?" Hana pouted.

Xue was indifferent. The life in the mortal realm didn't bother him, since his real life was in the heavenly realm after all.

It was only these two ladies that mattered to him, especially the raven-haired woman.

Kai: "If it's like that, why not quit the academy?"

Zasiok: "Is it that simple?"

Kai: "The principal was my master, knowing him, he'll accept their withdrawal if they had a personal reason."

Alric: "Ye-yes, I have known him for quite a while, I can vouch for Kai."

While they were chatting, Leonaut was staring at Alric and Zasiok playing chess.

Xue: "...I'll tell them. And stop bringing me into your chats."

None of the souls responded, and Xue knew they would continue to bring him in. His eyebrows twitched, and he cut off the connection again.

"Let's withdraw from the academy."

Hana gasped, surprised.

Cecil widened her eyes, before nodding in understanding. "...that's the only possible way to roam freely. I'm alright with it."

"Mmmm..." Hana tilted her head, before smiling. "Wherever you guys are going, I will follow!"

"So, it's us three then."

***

Cecil was in her room, packing her bags quietly.

The next soul fragment...it appeared so soon?

There were at least three bags worth of luggage for her. However, Cecil knew Hana's luggage would almost be twice as much as hers.

Cecil huffed, taking a break from her packing. She laid down on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

If the story is still flowing in the same timeline, the next soul fragment would be fine.

Even if the timeline did stray off, Cecil hoped the next soul fragment wouldn't be an evil one. She wasn't ready to encounter one yet, in fact, Cecil wasn't sure if she would ever be ready encounter one.

Cecil sat up on her bed, starting to feel restless once again.

Since I have been training with the lord protagonist, I am sure passing another gate wouldn't be a problem.

Cecil exited her room, sitting down in the courtyard and she closed her eyes. She started to meditate.

Fortunately, this time, she passed the gate without fainting from exhaustion. Once again, when she passed the gate, the tree in her spiritual world only sprouted more leaves.

Cecil assumed everything would only change once the tree had been fully grown.

After she was done, she dragged herself back to bed, immediately falling asleep.

***

The wise, bearded principal spat out his tea upon hearing the words from his precious students.

"Wh-why?"

Xue did most of the talking, though, it was Kai speaking for him inside his head. The two ladies decided to remain quiet, since Kai knew his own master the best.

Using the few words, "personal reasons", "emergency back at home" and "unable to attend classes any longer", the principal eventually gave in.

"If there is no other choice, I will accept your resignation."

The three of them nodded.

"But, if you ever want to come back here, I will accept you back with open arms," the principal smiled amiably. "You will always be considered students of the Eagle Academy, you can keep your emblem with you--or, please keep it, actually."

The three of them, particularly Hana, thanked the principal wholeheartedly.

After exchanging their goodbyes with the principal, the two ladies left the room. Xue prepared to leave as well, until he heard Kai talking in his head.

Kai: "Goodbye master."

Kai: "Even though you weren't the best master one could hope for...you were still my master."

Kai: "...thank you for everything."

Zasiok patted Kai on the shoulder, and Alric stared at Kai, feeling sympathetic. Leonaut laid on the couch, dozing off.

Xue hesitated, his eyes on the door and the principal noted his hesitance.

"You still have something to say, Xue?"

Xue spun around, walking towards the principal.

Kai: "...wait Xue, why are you pulling me out--"

Xue: "Tell him that yourself."

Xue bowed down, causing the principal to spit out his tea again.

This time, when the ash blonde-haired man raised his head, it was no longer Xue.

The man started utter the same words as he did earlier, inside his mind, and the principal could only gape openly in shock. The Xue everyone knew was always indifferent, yet the Xue in front of him was thanking him with all his heart.

Even calling him master!

"Thank you for everything." Kai grinned toothily.

Seeing that smile on his face, the principal was suddenly reminded of the past Kai he knew, the Kai he knew before his soul was "repaired".

The principal showed a shaky smile. "You're welcome, and take good care of yourself."

"Understood."

"...and treasure the person you like properly."

Kai chuckled.

His master knew all along, and it didn't surprise him.

"Understood!"

Kai waved, opening the door and leaving the room. He stood outside the doors, leaning against it and he sighed.

The alters inside the mind were shocked at what Xue did, including Leonaut.

After recovering from his shock, Zasiok smacked Xue on the back, giving him a thumbs-up.

Xue narrowed his eyes at Zasiok.

Kai: "Xue."

Kai: "Thank you."

Xue didn't say a word in return.

The two of them started to switch.

Within seconds, Xue was back in his body and he stared his own arms before walking off.

***

《 start 》

I used to find your scent nauseating.

And somehow, I started to find your scent annoying.

And now, your scent...

It comforts me.

《 stop 》

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