*This is Allenshyre’s Point of View*

When I was 9 years old, my family moved into Dalseriev Dukedom. The reason for it is because of my father’s work. Since I was a child back then, I never knew what it was. During that time, I stayed in our mansion while being home-schooled by my parents. Because of that, loneliness is always upon me.

Just like my regular afternoons, I was near the window together with my tutor. There I saw the girl with her father visiting our mansion. This man was a business partner of my father. There was nothing special to mention, although there was something that piqued my attention, their hair. Unlike my dry blonde hair, their hair is more of alive than healthy. Gold, just like the jewelleries my mother own, their hair had that colour.

One day, they visited again. This time, I was outside swinging my wooden sword against a straw dummy.

While I was looking at them, the girl with golden hair noticed me watching them. She tilted her head while looking at me. It was such a cute gesture that made my heart skip back then.

And since I was a child back then, I didn’t know what it really was and ended up having a misunderstanding for a whole week.

When they once again came back to our mansion, I immediately tried to get rid of that feeling.

“You! What have you done to me?!”

When she was outside the mansion, I immediately charged towards her. Because I was yelling, she got surprised.

“Me? Did I do something bad?”

“Yes! You gave me something that makes me feel all weird and funny.”

“Really!? Then let’s go to father, he might know what it is.”

Without second thought, she pulled my hand ignoring the fact that I was unreasonably angry with her.

“W-wait!”

When we entered the mansion, we immediately went to the room where my father and her father are having a discussion. And needless to say, we intruded.

“Father! Something has happened to him. He said that I did something to his stomach.”

Upon hearing her panicked words, the adults immediately stood up from their seats and rushed towards me. It is understandable since I’m the only male child of my generation in this household has.

“What did your daughter do to my son?!”

“I don’t know, but I’ll do something about it. I have potions in my carriage.”

My father was enraged from worry, but the girl’s father remained calm while he checked up on my stomach.

“Boy, what are you feeling right now?”

After checking me, he asked me some questions.

“I don’t feel hurt or anything, at least for now.”

“What do you mean? You’re not sick?”

Then I turned my gaze towards the girl standing behind the man looking worriedly towards me. After that, that feeling returned.

“There it is again! It feels like there are some things crawling inside my stomach.”

“Crawling?”

Upon hearing that word, everyone’s expression became pale while. It seems that it was a very dire thing to have.

“Baron Hesler, what did your daughter gave to my son to make him like that?!”

“No Earl, I think you have misunderstood something.”

My father was enraged even more, but the girl’s father regained his calmness because he might have understood what it was. After calming my father down, he then bowed to me on one knee and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Young man, I’m thinking you’re experiencing something normal for a child your age.”

“Normal?”

“Although I don’t know who is the cause is. I’m sure that that person is nearby.”

“Baron Hesler, you have an idea what ails my son?”

With a smile, the girl’s father looked at me and gave the answer me and my father was looking for.

“Your son is in love.”

***

“Miss Cherlaine, we should probably just shake him up a little. I think his jaw has already healed.”

“I know that well Ghena, I’m just making sure that it doesn’t get any complications. After all, Key almost blew his jaw off. I can’t imagine how that hurts but I’m sure that it wasn’t something you can easily walk off.”

As I slowly open my eyes, I heard such conversation beside me. The other one was unknown to me, but the second one is something I could recognize even if it was said a mile off.

“Cherlaine…”

“Allenshyre!”

I unconsciously muttered her name causing her to panic. I apologized for it.

Then, I noticed that I was actually lying on Cherry’s lap. I can feel her healing magic flowing into me.

“What happened?”

When I asked her, she kept her silence and groaned a little. After healing me, she suddenly flicked my nose.

“That’s for the kiss you gave me out of nowhere.”

“Ouch.”

I slowly raised my head from her lap, and then I noticed that her skirt has been soaked by my sweat.

“How long was I unconscious?”

“About two hours. If didn’t heal you with my magic, you would’ve remained unconscious for a week and with a broken jaw.”

To think that man was so strong, I did not expect that for a magician.

“Come to think of it, where is that man? And also, why are you here?”

Before answering my questions, Cherlaine first dried her skirt with magic and then stood up while patting her buttocks.

“He told me to tend to you.”

While saying so, Cherlaine averted her gaze from mine. I can understand that she is having a conflict inside her.

“Cherlaine, what was that man to you?”

A part of me doesn’t want to know what the obvious truth, yet there is still a feeling inside me hoping that it was just all a misunderstanding.

“Actually, Allen. That man was my fiancé.”

I already knew it from that man’s action, yet the spoken words from her mouth hurts more than the punch.

“Do you love that man?”

I asked again, only because I want to know the truth. I want to know if she had no choice but to love that man or that what she harbours towards him.

“I didn’t…”

“Then-”

“That’s it, I ‘didn’t’. I did not love him at first, but that feeling was changed overtime.”

We sat beside each other with the other girl listening soundlessly by her side. Her story was quite long, and the more I listen to her, the more I got hurt. Although I feel like there is something she’s not telling me, I’m not that insensitive to poke on it.

“So in the end, you fell for him.”

“Well, he is a very nice person. Even though he has another fiancée, he doesn’t fail to also give me attention.”

“Another fiancée?”

While looking at me, she gave me a half irritated smile.

“It’s another story.”

“Outrageous! How could that man get another fiancée if he already has you?! That is something I will ever do to you—”

Then, the image of me kissing Cherlaine suddenly flashed back into my mind.

“Cherlaine…”

She then looked at me straight into my eyes, though it feels like she already knew what I was going to ask, I still let out the words.

“I did something very terrible to you. I kissed and stole you from your fiancée. Would you forgive me?”

After asking her so, she looked down to her knees and touched her lips. Though she’s wearing a sad smile, her cheeks somewhat became slightly rosy.

“Actually, you’re not bound to me after you kissed me.”

...

…

…

…

“What?”

At that moment, my mind went black. After a few moments, I realized that this was the part Cherlaine did not want me to find out.

“What do you mean you’re not bound to me? Didn’t we kiss earlier?”

“Yes, we did kiss, but you are not my first.”

“T-then, that tattoo on your finger…”

After Cherlaine showed it again to me, and still, the tattoo was there.

With cold sweats, I slowly remove my gauntlet off my left hand. And as expected, nothing was there except for scars from my trainings.

“He has the tattoo?”

“Yes. Although the first kiss was an accident, I completed the conditions for the contract on my own will.”

I didn’t—no, I did expect that. I can tell just by looking at her eyes that she really loves that man.

“I guess I already lost my chance.”

With a defeated feeling, I stood up from the ground and turn away from her.

“Where are you going now?”

Cherlaine asked me with a worried and sad tone.

“I’m going to Dalseriev Dukedom. I’m going to continue my work.”

Just when I was about to take my first step to leave, Cherlaine suddenly grabbed my hand from behind.

“I know you’re slightly mad, but please forgive me for forgetting our promise.”

There, my heart skipped. Not because she suddenly grabbed my hand, but because of the words that came out from her mouth.

“You remembered?”

“Yes, but only when Key almost killed you. Everything flashed back to me and made me realize my sin for forgetting about that promise. I’m really sorry.”

My heart is confused whether to jump in joy that she told me everything honestly, or cry because of the truth that time did made her forget about me.

“Please don’t be sorry, it was my fault too. I left and went to become an [Elemental Knight].”

“But I was the reason why you became one. Did you not say that you’ll become a knight just for me?”

More, I’m getting hurt more and more by the things she said. And without me realizing it, my tears had already started falling from the ends of my eyes.

When I turned my head towards her, there, I saw Cherlaine crying. She’s crying her heart out just for me.

“I didn’t let you leave, I wouldn’t have forgotten about you and break your heart.”

“Cherlaine…”

While looking at the crying Cherlaine, I then realized the true reason of those tears. She never looked at me as someone that is more than a friend.

“If I told you about it seven years ago, you might have not left and wear yourself out.”

“But if you did, I might have hated you. I don’t want that!”

Inadvertently, I hugged Cherlaine tightly with both arms. The girl she’s with read the air and turned away. Luckily, there’s no one here aside from us.

Gently, I caressed Cherlaine’s hair. I let her cry for minutes before loosening my tight hug.

“Then, how about this. I’d still be your knight. That way, I’d still keep our promise even though I’m not the one who owns your heart.”

“Allen…”

With a surprised face, Cherlaine looked up from my chest with teary eyes. Because of her small height, I can’t help but find her looking adorable.

After that, she then gently pushed me away and wiped off her tears.

“Then, before you go, I want to let you know that my fiancée wants to talk to you.”

***

After I agreed to her request, I was then directed to an inn where that man is waiting. Never have I thought that that man was so wealthy that he rented the whole building just for privacy that it made me inadvertently drop my jaw upon hearing it.

When we were outside, I then saw that man standing through a window. And then the next moment, I then saw a girl with green hair with a little girl on her lap holding that man’s hand. Even more, I saw that man gave that girl a whole hearted smile.

“Why is your fiancé talking to another girl in broad daylight?!”

I got suddenly infuriated by it that the other girl that’s following Cherlaine got surprised.

“Although I really hate to admit it, but that woman is Key’s other fiancée, Matilda Balerishk, the only granddaughter of Viscount Vrethar Balerishk.”

Did she just say Balerishk?

“Balerishk, the Headmaster of Half Moon Academy?”

“Yes.”

“B-but how? Wasn’t the headmaster strict on choosing her suitors? I even heard that her granddaughter challenges her suitors and was never once defeated. Did that man pass the two hurdles?”

With a sour face, Cherlaine gave the answers to my questions.

“You’re correct about the Headmaster accepting Key, but Matilda herself was the one who let it happen. She seduced Key one night and had…”

“W-what did she do…”

Because Cherry suddenly fell quiet, I turned my head and ask her, only to find that she already was looking away with her face beet red with embarrassment. Then I realized what she was trying to say.

“N-no way… she… he… you already had sex with him?!”

Because I inadvertently said it out loud, Cherlaine became flustered and panicked then slapped me.

And that brings us to the present situation where I got angry with that man and he broke the script of my magic sword.

***

“First. What is the [Grey Legion]?”

Though I don’t want to say it, this man has the upper hand. Without my sword, I can’t fully utilize my > because I needed the sword as a catalyst. I need to get even against this man.

“Before I answer that question, I want insurance on my sword. I may not know what you are capable of--!”

Before I could finish my sentence, I then saw my sword’s magical script return. Moreover, he activated it in front of me even though I’m the one holding it.

“I am capable of anything related to magic. Does that answer your question?”

With a very confident tone, he gave me my answers. I hate to admit it, but he is more capable than I thought.

“Yes.”

“Then answer my question; what is the [Grey Legion]?”

He then crossed his legs again with a very arrogant tone.

“We, the [Grey Legion] are a mixed religion group. Our aim is to protect this world from the demons that are sent by Galdius from the [Chaos Realm] and cleanse this world from heretics.”

“Hmm… then why do I hear bad rumours about your group? Is there some kind of misunderstanding happening?”

“There is, only because some of the high nobles are heretics and evil magicians using the power of the gods.”

“So you believe that you are doing a good thing.”

“We do not believe. We ARE doing a good thing. There are magicians using the name of the gods and even using their power, as Knights that swear an oath to the Gods, we will erase them from this world.”

Then, with his legs still crossed, he put his left elbow on the left arm of the chair and leaned his head on it. He then gave me a smile in which poses a challenge.

“Then, what will you do if I say that I’m a heretic?”

For me, that question is simple and would only require an obvious and simple answer. But since this man is the question and Cherlaine is involved, it’s a different story. Moreover, I can’t tell if he’s saying it seriously or not.

“Can’t answer huh… Well, that’s what I expected.”

With a relaxed expression and a calm voice, then stood up from his seat and grabbed my sword from my hand. The next moment, he once again activated >.

“>”

Upon saying those two words, the crystal on my sword grew sharper and visually stronger than before. Just who is this man?

“In exchange for your silence, let me propose a deal.”

No way, this man couldn’t be--!

“I myself am deemed by the gods as heretic.”

While this man was talking in front of me, I quickly turned my head towards Cherlaine. Unfortunately, she was not there standing. I didn’t notice when she went out of the room.

“Since I am literally connected to Cherry, you wouldn’t want to have something to happen to her. Am I right?”

This man, she’s using Cherlaine as a protection! Unforgivable!

“What do you want me to do?”

No matter how angry I am now, I can’t show it or things would become complicated.

Still, this man’s expression infuriates me.

“Simple, I want to let you avert your matter to mine and pretend you never saw me. Also, I want to let you do everything with your power to not let anything happen to my girls.”

Then with a devilish smile, he suspiciously offered me his right hand. I feel like I shouldn’t, but I can’t deny it since it would probably create a misunderstanding.

While I shook his hand with reluctant feeling, the bad premonition suddenly became real.

With a smile of a devil that’s about to burst into laughter, he said the words that an unworthy human shouldn’t say without the authority of the Flame God.

“>”

From his hand to his body, the trusty armor I always wear in battles had been stolen from me.

-The Chapter Finally ended-

I’m dead tired