Her grief!

"You okay now?"

Austin asked as he had sensed Luna's trembling shoulder and small sniffs which halted for some seconds.

Even though Luna tied him up and seemed that she would be pushing him for the non-consensual engagement he was forced into, she did nothing significant to him.

Apart from the torn sleeves and red teeth mark on his arm and shoulder blades, which Luna served as a way to show her anger, there was nothing she did more than that as a punishment.

But for Austin, seeing Luna's crying figure because of him was the most painful retribution. He tried to soothe her after he forcefully tore the ropes, but Luna calmed down only after half an hour.

Currently lying in his embrace like a distressed damsel, Luna didn't lift her face as she confessed something in a meek voice.

"I missed you."

A wide grin, completely betraying the image that Austin which he has created nowadays in the Eden Academy, spreaded on his face as he slowly tightened his embrace than before.

"I know that's why I came here as soon as I finished my stuff."

Stating the utmost priority, he gave to his love, Austin again felt a tug on his clothes as a low, grumbling voice reached up to his ears.

"I hate you."

This time he sighed in awe as he saw the adorable pout adorning the beautiful Saintess, so he asked in his previous tone.

"Is it about the engagement?"

Luna instantly shook her head but didn't lift her face nor try talking again. 

Austin, in the absence of hints, rummaged through his mind and thought of the possible reason which rewarded him with such cute pouts.

"If it's not Venessa, then is it about the fight? Wait, since you know about the engagement, then you must have seen the match, right?"

Luna, in an instant, nodded once, before she clutched Austin's clothes as a memory flashed in her mind, making her heart anxious.

But the oblivion Austin didn't notice her distress as he asked something casually.

"How was it? Did I impress you?"

After somewhat dueling with Charles, a sense of pride was born inside Austin, and knowing that the girl he wanted to pursue was also watching the match ....he thought he would at least receive some compliments and some kisses too....?

But life doesn't go as one wants it to...

"You were utterly reckless."

The previously anticipated smile of Austin faded in an instant as Luna finally shot her head upward, matching her narrowed gaze with him.

"Didn't I tell you, Austin, you shouldn't follow this chivalry and such if you want to survive in this world? If you had used your spell, the battle would have concluded within a minute, and nothing would have managed to damage you. Not to talk about the sudden power-up you used. Have you ever thought about what would have happened if your body couldn't have handled that much boost and fallen right there and then? Have you ever thought about what would have happened to me? What would I have done without you?! Have you ever thought about it?!"

As her words continued, beads of heavy tears started to form in the corner of her oceanic eyes. Austin was so occupied with her reprimanding and self-reflection that he noticed Luna's grief only after she nearly shouted at the end.

"Hey...hey...don't cry, okay? I am sorry. Look, I am not hurt from anywhere at all. That Knight Commander wasn't even able to inflict decent damage on me. I am completely fine Luna, so please stop crying; it hurts to see you like this."

Austin tried his best to hold himself together as he consoled the broken Luna gently. He knew that the way he fought was reckless, but still, even though he saw Luna like this, he wasn't guilty of his behavior in the arena which was strange.

Luna was also well aware of this side of Austin, which made her heart clench more for the possible future where he might use such incautious methods to win something, and sadly there was nothing she could do to stop him.

The only possible way to keep him safe from partaking in something irreversible, was something Luna had already formed her resolve upon.

The couple who reunited after so many long days (from their perception), held each other dearly while feeling the other one's warmth and keeping themselves solely occupied with the presence of the person they love the most.

Luna, after wailing out all of her accumulated emotions, seemed to calm down a little as she let herself get pampered by her beloved.

Austin used fresh tissues which he had stored in his inventory to wipe the tear stains off her delicate skin gently. Once again, Austin realized how fluffy and precious her cheeks were.

The thought of biting them rose instantly inside his mind, but soon, he shooed off his evil thoughts and finished cleaning her face.

Luna stabilized her back as she sat facing Austin with a slight guilty gaze because of the way she shouted at her beloved even though they had met after so long.

Her gaze instinctively fell on the shoulder, which had her own teeth marks designed with reddish clotted blood around the effect.

She instantly raised one of her hands to use her healing spell, only to get interrupted by an extensive and warm hand.

"Don't."

Luna became perplexed as she tilted her head toward Austin, who was smiling contentedly. 

With worries clouding her eyes, Luna asked the reason, only to get surprised in the end.

"These marks prove how worried you were about me, and even if it sounds weird, this pain is a sign of love that I want to last long. So please don't ignore my intentions, Luna."

Luna, for a couple of seconds, became completely senseless as the overwhelming love she felt from the man she adores the most confessed his thoughts honestly.

'This man...is  not fair!!'

Complaining inwardly, an unfamiliar heat that she had only come to understand after she met Austin, covered her face as she hid herself in Austin's chest, digging herself in the deepest part, not to show him such a melted state.

She was dearly missing her previous indifferent and cold attitude she used to carry around as after meeting this unfair man, she has lost count of how many times she has fallen into his traps and shown such a typical maiden-like expression. 

Austin, however, was thoroughly amused by such a sight, and he even let out tiny giggles as he felt how meekly Luna was trying to dig her face in order to hide herself from him.

"Spop lafin..."

(A/N:- Stop laughing)

With her voice muffled because of her current state, she complained before Austin felt another sweet bit on his collar bone.

Smiling contently, Austin brought his other hand over the silvery hair of his bullied Luna before he started stroking them as he whispered lovingly.

"There~there. My Luna is a good girl~."

______________________ 

At the same time, when the two love birds were dwelling in their pink world, a very profound meeting was being held in the central palace of the kingdom of Gram.

The vast room with furniture and decor looked like a reception hall, and there were two people who were conversing not-so-casually under the big chandelier, taking into account, the hall indeed seemed built for legal purposes.

These two men, varying in age, had a lot of resemblances in common, which was to be expected from the same genes they share.

The older one was the renowned Emperor of the most influential Nation of Gram, who was called for an essential purpose.

The younger one was the second prince of the nation and the most probable heir to take over the throne, Mikhail der Gramduör.

Some days ago, the second prince was ordered by his father to attend an event in his stead, which basically was a brawl between two unbalanced participants.

The only reason why Mikhail even bothered to stay until the commencement was the admiration he carries for Charles; that he didn't want to disrespect the battle by leaving abruptly.

But when he saw the whole match, he became utterly baffled and thrilled to the point where he requested a meeting with the Emperor right away after returning.

But since the Supreme entity of the nation doesn't get his time freed whenever he desires, it was only after four days, when the father and son were able to hold this long-awaited conversation.

Since William heard some part of the news about the battle already before this meeting, when Mikhail started to talk about the brawl, William's expression wasn't much different from a person who was listening to everyday events.

But as Mikhail's words continued to the point where Austin threw Charles on the ground and also when he was forcing the almighty Knight commander mercilessly, William's expression shifted to a brighter and enthralled end.

With disbelief clouding his comprehensibility, William asked in an anxious tone only after his son concluded his report.

"Are you sure this useless brat of Count Vincent did as you said? There isn't any fabrication in your words, right?"

Mikhail frowned slightly, being doubted but nevertheless cleared his words with utmost confidence.

"I vow on my name as the nation's prince that what I said is all true and verified. Captain Charles was pushed to a corner by a boy whom I didn't even know four days ago."

William, hearing the unbreakable remark of his son, fell into deep contemplation as he listened to his strangely over-enthusiast son continuing.

"Father, we need people like Austin besides the Hero. People like him would lead the hero toward humanity's greatest crisis while supporting him in every possible way. We need to bind him to the nation as soon as possible, father."

William didn't respond to his son's plea, but he thought the same. Since Count Vincent had severed his ties with Austin, there was a high possibility for such young talent to be stolen by other nations who were greedily waiting for the downfall of Gram.

"Do you have any suggestions, Mikhail?"

Asked in a rich voice was the Emperor as in his current fuzzy mind, which still hasn't recovered from the news of the battle, William wasn't able to draw any idea currently.

Mikhail didn't halt for even a second before responding as it seemed he had prepared the answer to such a query beforehand.

"How about Tiara, father?"

Upon hearing the eldest princess' name, William's eyes went wide. He turned his head toward the prince in disbelief but looking at the latter one's expression; it didn't seem Mikhail said such things casually.

But before William could have said anything in response, suddenly the reception door was pushed apart as a man wearing a black shroud all over, entered inside hurriedly.

The two seated men instantly turned themselves toward the intruder, who immediately bowed upon arriving.

"I extremely apologize for the sudden intrusion, my lord, but a matter requires your immediate attention."

Upon hearing his trusted spy acting in such an unusual way, William frowned before he asked.

"What's the matter, Rito?"

Hearing his master's approval to continue, Rito opened his mouth to speak the news he received just some hours ago, which made the two blonde men freeze in dread.

"This morning, Hero-sama, along with Sir Austin, illegally infiltrated the Teleportation center and used the portal to reach the Northern Empire."

_______________________ 

A/N:- Next chapter will be filled with lots of sugar. 

Drop a comment if you are hyped~

Editor : Zenon#4120