"When will you leave?" asked Aunt Sisca softly, tried to hide her sadness and disappointment.
Lionel glanced at his best friend, who was waiting patiently in front of the house. If he wanted to be honest to himself, Lionel wanted to stay longer here. If he could, he wouldn't leave this place and stay beside his loved one as long as he could.
Because of his identity, he couldn't do it. He needs to leave as the Time Master already broke the seal. At least he could go tomorrow morning, but... he was sure that his friend would not let him stay any longer.
"Right now."
Flo gasped at this.
Right now? This soon? Can't they wait until tomorrow morning? Besides, it was almost midnight, and the wind was freezing outside.
She realized her thoughts were absurd. For Elementalist knights, cold temperatures were no obstacle.
Flo tried to refrain herself from holding back the man. She gritted her teeth so that her mouth would not utter words that she would regret.
Aunt Sisca wrapped some leftovers inside a box and put them in a bag. She gave them to Lionel, who was wiping the blood in his lips.
"It's not much, but at least it can fill your hungriness during the trip."
"Aunt Sisca, this is unnecessary. I don't want to bother you more than this."
Aunt Sisca smiled and touched Lionel's cheek gently with her hand. "I already think of you as my child. So let me do it for you even though it's only something small."
Lionel hugged Aunt Sisca like a child hugging her mother. "I'm sorry, auntie, and also, thank you."
Florence, who witnessed the breakup, shed tears.
After that, Florence ushered Lionel's departure to the village border. The person she saw earlier was there waiting for them.
"Is he also an Elementalist knight?" Lionel just smiled without answering her question. "Alright. I will not ask again. Just go."
"..." For a moment, Lionel did not move. He didn't want to leave there. He really wanted to stay by Florence's side but... that was impossible. Why did he have to become a knight? Why couldn't he live as a normal Elementalist?
No. If Lionel weren't a knight, he wouldn't meet Flo and her family as he was eighty-eight. He would die as older people would.
A big pat broke his reverie.
"Hey, Lionel! Do you know you look like a fool when daydreaming? If you want to find your inamorata soon out there, don't ever put on such a stupid face."
"How could I possibly meet another inamorata when you are the one for me?"
Florence was astonished to hear that. She did not expect that declaration at all.
"I... I don't know what to say."
"But ... I'm not an Elementalist. You won't age while I... I will become ugly."
Lionel smiled warmly at that. "You have never been ugly in my eyes." He raised a hand to rub his beloved face gently. "I love you."
Florence enjoyed the touch of a big hand on her face. Tears began to drip without her permission.
"I will be waiting for you. I will wait for your return."
"Don't wait for me for too long. If I don't come back in three years... please, forget me."
The tears flowed even more laborious. If Lionel does not return within the time limit, does that mean the man was dead?
What kind of enemy should this man face? Isn't he an Elementalist knight? Isn't he the strongest Elementalist in this world? Who is so much stronger than an Elementalist knight that he would risk his life facing it?
Florence shook her head tightly.
"I will not forget you. I will wait for you to come home. No matter how long it would take, I will wait for you."
Lionel gritted his teeth then brought the girl's into his embrace. They hugged each other so tightly as if there was no tomorrow before loosened his hug slowly and leaned his face closer. His slow movements gave the girl a chance to refuse him. But there was no rejection. Instead, the girl closed her eyes, waiting for what she would face.
Lionel pressed his lips gently on the pair of sweet lips of the girl. Their kiss begins with tenderness then turned into a passionate one. Lionel's arms tightened to the point where Flo's body was entirely attached to him. Flo put her arms around the man's neck, making Lionel raise her body so that Flo's two feet were lifted off the ground, almost floating above the ground.
"Mnng," the girl moaned when he nipped the skin hard enough, tracing his tongue gently, making another moan escape her mouth.
Her heart began beating wildly in her chest as he kissed her. The man had never kissed her before, yet their first kiss was so intense.
They were kissing for a good ten minutes before Lionel broke their kiss. He could see his beloved one was flushed, and her breathing labored as she panted for air. Her eyes closed, still lingering in the sensation.
"I've made up my mind."
Flo opened her unfocused eyes, hearing the husky voice of the man.
"I'll make sure I'll be back in full. For now, this will be our goodbye kiss."
Once more, he kissed her, but he did it very gently as if he wanted to savor each sweet favor. The girl was more than happy to receive his love.
Lionel let the girl go and turned to catch up with his friends who had been waiting for him at the border from earlier. He was afraid he wouldn't want to leave if he kept kissing the girl.
Flo looked at his lover's back with a longing gaze.
'I will be waiting for you. I love you, Lionel. '
Unfortunately, Lionel could not hear the girl's confession of love.