Her Wild Thoughts~

"You did great."

Currently lying on my lap was my precious Austin, who, after handling the church matter, returned to me obediently.

I didn't know that my obsession with Austin would enhance so much in so less time that not being able to touch him or talk to him would make me so much panicked.

Apart from my grandma, I never grew closer to anyone in my entire life.

But Austin was different, or to say if my grandma, along with the whole world, stands at one side and Austin on the other, I was sure which side I would lean on.

I wasn't aware of what made me so addicted to him, but who cares?

What I wanted was right in front of my eyes, enjoying my warmth and providing me with his presence. And that's all I could ask any more.

"It's all thanks to Luna that I was able to handle so many things with such ease. If you haven't trained me properly before, I doubted whether I would have withstood such amount of intent from my surrounding."

My love whispered some sweet words with his eyes closed as he enjoyed the caress I was providing him with my hand over his hair.

He likes it when I fawn over him.

I was fortunate that Austin doesn't open his eyes whenever he makes such an adorable face, or I might scare him...

"I just gave you the framework. What you said and how you acted were all your hard work. So stay silent and let me pamper you."

Austin sighed in defeat before turning his face toward my belly. The urge to rashly hug him until he doesn't go breathless and I end up accomplishing something irreversible rose inside me.

But thanks to the perseverance I have cultivated for so long, I was able to resist my devil and let the relationship nurture before I could partake my wild thoughts into reality.

It would happen; eventually, I just have first to build the road, so I don't push my Austin away.

"But Luna...was it okay to provoke Venessa like this? I mean, I did get a tremendous point gain, but what about the consequences? We both know that numerous professors would fill the capital with the news of the church, and in a day or two, the knight Commander would make his appearance."

Austin's a little worried tone made me clear that he was aware of Commander Charles' 'Blade of Despair', but because he had kept hidden the fact about knowing this world, he couldn't confess Captain Charles' secret weapon to me.

To be honest, I wanted to tell him about the fact that I knew Austin's secret, but there was a side of mine that still wasn't prepared for it.

Maybe I feared Austin's distrust toward me, or perhaps he might come to hate me...

'No, it's fine how it is...'

Subconsciously the hand on Austin's hair clenched as I thought of the possibility that I never would like to pursue.

"Luna, are you scared?"

Oblivion about my actual thought, my caring Austin held my hand as he directed his gentle gaze toward me.

I held his hand back with a clear smile returning to my face as what Austin has faced until now; stress would be the last thing I would like to delegate to him.

"No, I am not scared, my dear Austin. And you also don't have to worry about the Captain. Despite being so much famous for war God and whatsoever, there isn't a chance for him to come out victorious when I am standing right beside you. Remember, Austin, whatever happens, I will always be at your side, shielding you from any possible threat and pushing you always to move forward. So stop worrying and rely on me at times like these, okay?"

I gently brushed my thumb over his cheeks as I assured my beloved that in this world, even God wouldn't dare to touch him when I was by his side.

And I wasn't promising him baselessly. I had the confidence and strength to keep my words, and after meeting my love, I found the goal I had always longed for.

Now I had a reason for whom I could let go of my restraint and regret nothing in the process.

Now I had someone whom I could call mine...

"You sure sounds manly sometimes, Luna."

My brows frowned as I heard my sweety talking, not something sweet, but the giggle he let out after his words had already worked as compensation.

"Do I look like a man to you, Austin?"

The reason I complained despite not being angry or knowing full well what he meant was I hoped that he might compliment me...

"Who said? For me, no one could be more girly and feminine than you. Not to talk about the beauty you adorn which leaving any man, I doubt even any woman could behold. I meant it was the way you just committed things."

...Yes, I love you too~ ♡♡.

Sadly I wasn't able to confess back my feelings as fluently as he did because I knew Austin really didn't love me that much to choose me over his blue marble chick.

I want him to say, 'I love you the most, Luna. Please let me impregnate you' and I would go 'Khya! Please be gentle with me', types of scenario.

But he hasn't opened his heart to me until now, and I knew that would take time, so I was happy with my imagination alone.

"..What I really want to say was, you don't have to shoulder my responsibility. It's a truth that I am and will be relying on you, but that doesn't mean I would like to become a burden on you."

I became speechless as his words reached me.

The first thing that came to my mind was...

Can a person be this much, pure?

I highly doubt whether a person who, despite facing so many difficulties and shitty people in each life, would be so much gentle and considerate toward others.

If I didn't have my [Mystic Eye], which I used on Austin at the start of our relationship, then I might have thought of him using flowery words and faking his behavior.

But now, I was ashamed of why I ever doubted my beloved's word and thought anything otherwise. He's a kind and lovely person through and through which this world wasn't worthy of.

That's why I was hogging him all for myself...

"Don't worry, Austin. You won't become a burden on me, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. We will support each other while sharing our grief and enjoying our happiness together. So, please be with me until the end, okay~."

_______

On the same night, when the two love birds were conveying their feeling through words and enjoying each other warmth, a very chilly atmosphere surrounded the place miles away from the academy.

In the continent's center where the significant officials and most trade centers were based, along with the residences of some selected high nobles, the Kingdom of Gram.

The palace of the emperor was the only place in the world that was wholly made of Gold and rubies.

The main palace showed how resourceful and prosperous the nation of Gram is.

And there was a reason for such prosperity in the kingdom, as compared to other continents where losses have never left their sides; for the Gram kingdom, those losses have been minimized due to the presence of excellent troops the Kingdom nurtured.

In the Gold Palace, a person wearing a black uniform with his whole body covered and only some portion of his upper face up to his eyes visible sat in an extravagant reception.

The person was so hidden from the outside world that if not heard his voice, people might misunderstand him for a woman.

The reason for his thin limbs and soundless movements was due to the job he performs in his everyday life.

The person soon got up from the comfortable couch as he heard the guard on the door announcing the arrival of the person whom the shrouded man came to meet.

Upon sensing the incoming presence, the shrouded man turned on his heel before he landed his left knee on the ground with his right hand over his chest as he bowed respectfully.

"This lowly one greets the emperor."

The person whom he regarded as 'Emperor' passed by the kneeling man without batting an eye to the gesture before he plopped down on a big sofa that was kept aside from the normal couches.

"You may stand now."

Upon hearing the command, the shrouded man got up and faced his majesty with his head still little bowed.

"Rito...you know what's the time, right? Do you want me to get divorced or something?"

"I humbly ask for forgiveness for the intrusion, my lord, but this matter needs

urgent attention of yours."

While saying, the shrouded man Rito took out a piece of paper from under his black waist before forwarding it to the man with his brows up in surprise.

The emperor was well aware that his trusted spy would never disturb him if not for an urgent matter, but the problem was that the letter he took had a seal of the Eden Academy. The place which the emperor also never takes causally.

Frowning his brows, the middle-aged man tore the envelope before he started to read the content written on it, only to get his eyes stretched out in the process.

"Rito....this...?"

With disbelief clouding his mind, the emperor of the Gram Kingdom asked his trusted employee about the thing he found utterly absurd.

"I snatched it from the messenger in charge of reporting everything related to young lady Venessa to the Knight Commander Sir Charles."

The emperor's forehead was soon covered with bids of sweat as he thought of the possibility of what would have happened if Rito hadn't brought this letter away, and Charles would have learned that his princess was humiliated like this.

It goes without saying what the muscle head would do if he came to know such a thing happened in the knowledge of every instructor and the headmaster himself.

'That fucking Brat!!'

Cursing under his breath, the emperor retracted his gaze back to Rito before he began to command something which needed immediate effect.

"Arrange a letter to the 21st Battalion which Sir Charles is leading and hand them the remaining lairs of the northern Jungle. Whatever you write in that letter, make sure not to let him return before at least ten days."

Rito just nodded firmly as he waited for the following command.

"Ask that bastard Alex to return by tomorrow, or I will burn his office."

A none visible grin formed on the spy's lips as the thought of seeing the menace Alex running around to save his theories made Rito tempted, but he didn't dare to say such thoughts.

"And lastly, inform the school to make proper arrangements for the hero, so he doesn't get involved in all this. I will send troops for the fort defense."

The emperor, after saying such in an anxious manner, fell silent with his eyes fixed constantly on the spot, thinking of the possible preparation he could arrange so he could minimize damage.

Stopping Charles from visiting Eden academy was close to impossible that's why he wasn't thinking of such a route entirely and was focusing on the precautions.

Suddenly his train of thought came to a halt as he heard the low voice of his loyal spy.

"My lord...what about Sir Vincent's son?"

Upon hearing the query, the emperor sneered without blinking twice as he shrieked on his shoulder in hopelessness.

"That brat has brought death upon himself. And now, when Count Vincent has also abandoned him, I fear he won't be able to even have a proper funeral. Forget about him; just make sure you keep the hero safe and away from the scene. What will happen to that bastard prick won't be any of my concern."

________

A/N:- Ah, this sweet and bitter chapter.

Anyway, drop a comment if you are hyped for the couple's date ;)