As the day became night, Celia became grounded for the things she did since it has been the talk of the town even the nobles that she had hurried her way to where a lady is about to be bumped by a carriage.

That night, both of her parents are ailing, they are weeping for her not to do dangerous things and she did promise them. After talking to her parents, she was about to go to her room but there is this one young boy also weeping at the back of her room’s door. She then sees that it was indeed Nether. She also comforted the young boy. They hug each other as Celia guided Nether to his room.

Since she felt as if she has to stay in this household for a week, she almost forgot about the crown prince’s invitation that she had only learned not later than this day.

Shaking her head, she was about to go to her room but there is this young boy once more, who had this silver hair and crimson eyes looking at the ground. Though when she focused her vision on him, droplets of water are falling from his face.

At that moment, Celia creased her eyebrows but instead of hiding, she immediately went in front of the young boy and didn’t hesitate to hug him as she caressed his hair

“Why, Jacob? Are you bullied? Well, just tell me and I will---”

“No, Milady, I’m just worried that you were injured earlier but I wasn’t able to protect you. Please, don’t do anything dangerous that will endanger your life. Please wait for me to become a worthy knight so I will protect you instead,” Jacob says clearly but I can eventually feel the shaking voice he had as his tears continue to flow

“Well, I guess I have to be careful from now on, Jacob says. But in the meantime, I’m not rushing you to become a knight, Jacob. You just have to do what you want to do to protect those precious to you, alright?”

“Yes, Milady because you are also precious to me,” I loosen my hug as I see him gazing at me seriously.

I nodded and smiled at him followed by a chuckle as I patted his head

“Alright, it’s already time for me to sleep, so I guess have sweet dreams, Jacob”

“You too, Milady,” he says as I enter my room and immediately lumps herself on her bed whispering some words, “It will be another long night.”

Then it is indeed a long night for Celia since she can’t fall asleep remembering what happened earlier. By the time she had already fallen asleep, it was already midnight, and she can feel the cold breeze saying her hair a bit from her balcony window.

 

***

The night arrives within the Corest household. As usual, the young boy seems to be alone since both of his parents never paid attention to him. They were always busy to even ask him if he was alright.

“What time is it, Blin?” The young master asks as he handed his coat to the butler of the household

“It’s already 9:00 in the evening, young lord”

“And have you called on them?”

“Yes, young lord but I’m afraid they won’t be able to come down. They’ve been busy for quite the whole time,” Blin said bowing with respect. As expected, the young boy only narrowed his eyes to nod at the end

“I see, just prepare my dinner then,” he says and after a few whiles, he’s now eating his dinner, alone in the dining area of his household.

It doesn’t seem normal for any family, but it’s already been a cycle ever since he was born. All he ever wanted was a happy family, but what was bestowed to him wasn’t a happy one, it was a family that felt as if his parents died in front of him.

Not minding wasting his time after a few moments, he eventually accepted his life and went back to his room and start the same old monotone routine.

However, alongside that routine, he couldn’t help but lift his lips upward since remembering what transpired earlier is what made his dull life become colorful.

Just one young lady from a noble household ruined his mood enough to make him remember the lady for the rest of his life and he knew that it was the first time this happened in his life, someone messing him up.

Perhaps, it’s the only thing that he needs, someone to take out that monotonous life he’s living and bring out the very best in him. He might not just realize how much his life would change because of her but he knew that she will be someone in his future.

Standing from his bed, he immediately opened his door only to seek Blin, his butler in the middle of the night. He almost missed him finding his room, when he was about to leave from nonstop knocking. Finally, when Blin came out of his room, Deim asked him some words that immediately widened his eyes.

“Blin, give me all the information there is about this lady of the Crenst household. Tomorrow, and don’t ever forget that,” Blin gulped as Deim immediately run as fast as she could to his room, shut it, and leaned his back on the door while he could barely breathe holding his chest where his heart lies

“What is happening to me?” These are the only words that Deim ushered before he could finally sleep with a smile on his lips, the first genuine smile he has had in his entire life ever since he was born.

 

***

Earlier that morning, Celia’s eyes widened the moment she heard some words from her servants.

“What?!”

“Milady, calm down, it’s no surprise since the young master of the Corest household had unexpectedly arrived within the household and he’s asking for your time,” one of her maids said calming Celia as she ushered the lady to sit calmly on her bed since she’s only wake up for the first ten minutes after the maid explained everything there is the lady has to know.

‘What the hell? Deim is here? He’s supposed to be with Lady Rena and consult her! Why would he be in our household?!’

Celia thought but since the person is already in their household, she has no choice but to calm herself and assured her maid that she was fine. A few more minutes and she had already prepared herself as she immediately went to where Deim was

Opening the door, she saw the young boy smirking at her which made her suddenly shiver

“Why are you here”

“Oh, oh, that’s not a nice way to greet your guest, Lady Celia,” he says then clicks his tongue. Celia narrowed her eyes but instead of rebutting at the young boy, she immediately sat across him and eventually, crossed her legs

“Tell me what you want. BE direct to the point since visiting a noble household to which you didn’t send any notice might be seen as trespassing, young master Deim of the Corest household,” Celia says as if she’s serious and irritated just by the sight of the young boy.

The young boy, instead of being angry with a fuming red face, he instead, he chuckled endlessly making Celia’s eyebrows crease

“What’s funny huh?” She asked as if she and the original Celia had combined with having her villainous side awaken

“Well, not to spoil your mood but it’s all about you”

“What about me?!”

“You say that I should be direct to the point but at the same time, you’re addressing me as a trespasser. You should have called a knight to remove me from your sight instead of asking me what I want,” then Deim continued laughing making Celia have enough

Well,  it should be the other way around but it’s already that lady that had enough. Her face is angry that she nearly hit the young boy if it weren’t for her control over her actions

Narrowing her eyes, she spoke once more

“Not to spoil your fun as well but you’re beating around the bush, too much, young master Deim,” Celia then stand from her seat and was about to leave the young boy and do what he suggested earlier when a pair of warm hands grab her.

Celia suddenly felt as if there are some sparks on that two hands meeting her skin and that time moved slowly until she looks at the young boy who isn’t laughing anymore but instead looking at her in the eyes, so seriously.

“You’re not as bad as the rumors talked about you”

“…” Celia felt as if she was out for words but then, she also felt that even if there are words in her mind, she couldn’t even speak about them, it even made her situation weirder when the young boy leaned in closer her with a genuine smile. A smile that made Celia’s eyes wide

“…and I think you should also correct how the people perceive you, so from now on, would you mind being friends with me?”

“What are you talking about? You were just rude when we first met!”

“I might have, but don’t you also remember that I’m just worried about you? Now that seeing you fine, I guess I’m also fine,” Deim said as he lets her go and was about to leave when it was Celia’s turn to grab his clothes

“Fine, let’s be friends. But then, if we’re going to be friends you might as well abide by my rules”

“I will but first and foremost, do you even know about the legend of the demons?”

“Why did you suddenly ask?”

“As my friend now, you should know what I like, alright?”

“So you like talking about evil kinds of stuff, huh? I wonder why I even made you my friend in the first place”

“Oh admit it, you’re curious as I am because I’ve heard that higher nobility is talking about demons and don’t you know that I’ve even eavesdropped into their conversation one time and they even say that there must be a vessel for the demon’s spirit to take. Are they even real? But they seem to be real, and you don’t what to know what I’ve heard next…”

“What…?”