Chapter 4: Getting the Seat Filled

“Is Novec not coming?”

“I apologize for the late message lady Celestine, Novec is feeling unwell this morning and cannot join you for breakfast.”

“Is that so…”

Celestine sipped the glass of water glancing at the empty seat in front of her. She accepted that he could have very well been busy after taking the time to meet her personally but it had now been a week without seeing a trace of him.

“Then please inform the hero that I invite him to join me for dinner.” She said plainly as she put down the glass and continued to eat.

This was her first time being direct in her wish to see him.

“Very well, milady.” Said the butler as he left the dining room.

Seeing the head butler leave Celestine took a small bite of a sliced fruit. A soft sweetness which was overtaken by a sudden tart aftertaste.

She had grabbed hold of the cuff to her feelings and desired to grow them yet the person she held those feelings for was suddenly distant.

“How unfair must you be? Forcing me to come so close yet keep me at an arm's length once I am here?” She grumbled peeved at Novec.

Celestine had been going to the secondary tower Novec was living in to have her meals in his residence in hopes of meeting him.

With the message delivered and hers being sent Celestine finished her meal and retired to one of the libraries. She was surprised at the extensive amounts of books Malzak had and was passing time with the task of slowly using her own developed magic to learn and translate the completely foreign languages that filled the shelves.

As her delicate fingers slowly turned the page her hand came to a halt.

“Did I just ask him out?” She mumbled to herself slowly realizing the meaning of the message she asked to be returned to Novec.

Usually engrossed in her self-given task today her mood was different. She was to focus as sudden flashes of red appeared on her face realizing it was the first time she had ever asked anyone to accompany her.

She was finally going to get to see the eyes of the man she realized she probably loved once again. Celestine was certain Novec wouldn’t deny her request to eat with her either out of obligation from his respect for her or the guilt he had shown he felt on the rooftop.

However, the evening proved to be disappointing as the dishes at dinner were being served.

“Were you able to relay my request to dine with Hero Novec?”

“Yes, I was able to reach him lady Celestine. Unfortuenly Novec was—”

“Feeling unwell is it?” Celestine cut in.

“Yes, milady.”

“I understand.” She said

Finished relaying the message and overseeing the footmen the head butler quickly left wiping his sweat the moment he left the dining room.

With an icy glare, her face stared at the seat once again empty.

Only the sound of dishes clinking as they were placed down could be heard. Each clink overshadowed by the deafening silence of a young woman who had been stood up.

While angry Celestine wasn’t disheartened.

“He never did agree to come.” She consoled herself in a soft voice.

With practiced precision, she ate the dishes being served. Her movements refined as she sat alone at the large table. A scene she had faced countless times before, eating alone was her preference, but the one time she didn’t wish for this she was gifted it anyway.

[His guilt is larger than I had anticipated.] She thought as she raised the glass of a red wine swirling it staring deep into it in a trance.

Thinking back she remembered why the hero was a stuttering mess on the rooftop and was able to ease her anxious heart. Reminded his feelings for her affected him deeply, but simultaneously angry that they affected him enough to be so cowardly.

Novec had not been able to manage his self-loathing enough to see her. The guilt having grow since her words on the rooftop.

[I cannot live with this vague indecision. If you want to passively avoid me then it leaves me no choice but to actively seek you.]

Resolving herself, through the courage from her drink, she ate the tender meat dish and vowed she would see his eyes once more.

***

The following morning Celestine made her way into the underground training room below Novec’s tower. Knowing he would be here after obtaining Novec’s usual schedule from a nervous butler. She walked in wearing a plain training outfit and her tied in a simple ponytail that reached her waist.

—Bang!

Celestine heard the sound of a sword smashing against a stone target the moment she walked through the door. There at the far end of the training ground was Novec being chased by multiple stone training golems only to be blown apart when a swing would land.

With the mechanical sound of the automatic door Novec’s eyes glanced over in the middle of his training, usually at no cost to his concentration, however, his mind was taken blank when he saw the face of the person who had come.

With a large wack across his chest a stone fist sent him tumbling across the dirt creating multiple craters as he rolled.

Celestine smiled inwardly seeing him tumble but then saw the rest of the stone monoliths going after him when he wasn’t showing signs of getting up.

Worried, she jumped forward teleporting in front of Novec and raising her arm to send seven glowing golden spears at each one turning them into nothing but pools of molten rock.

“Are you alright?” Celestine crouched down beside the hero sprawled on the floor.

Novec was still in a daze not by the blow from the golem but by the fact that Celestine still hadn’t left his territory to be free from his selfish self. Not only did she not run away she had personally come to seek him after what he thought was a goodbye dinner that he purposely missed.

Thinking he must have been knocked out Novec closed his eyes and waited to be woken up.

Crouching beside to look at Novec, who suddenly closed his eyes and went to sleep, Celestine gave a light smile seeing the man with the eyes she adored be so childish. Unable to help the want to brush away his hair to better see his face.

Realizing he was not dreaming as he felt soft hands pass over the side of his face and over his ear Novec opened his eyes to see Celestine was truly here with him.

“What are you doing?” He genuinely asked. He was at a loss.

“Did I not say I like your eyes? Why have you been denying me moments to look into them?”

At his limit on what to do with the guilt and shame that he built up himself, he asked a serious question.

“Do you want them? If they are enough for your forgiveness then I am prepared to spend my life blind.” He said in a low voice.

If the pain in his chest and the voices in his head went away if he ripped them out of their sockets and handed them to her he would do it in this moment without hesitation.

Seeing him look up at her with the rubies she loved filled with the earnest innocence she was enamored with she hesitated in saying no. A little part of her truly did want to see the hero squirm as he ripped them out in an attempt to please her, but she knew she liked them better shining on the person instead.

“Hmm, I can’t say that I want them in my hands.”

Novec continued to stay sprawled as Celestine stayed crouched beside his head.

“Why do you think you feel the need to give them to me?” She asked alluding to something Novec wouldn’t dare think of after what he did to her.

Silence filled the training ground but internally Celestine was screaming in joy seeing him be silent. She was certain now. Their feelings must be mutual.

“Why does hero Novec want to gift me the eyes that could stare down a rift demon?” Asking again she caressed his face tracing her thumb around his eyes.

[Say it! Say it!] She yelled in her head.

“If I said I haven’t disappeared without a trace is because I share the same reasons could you tell me then?”

Novec’s eyes widened in disbelief.

[The same reasons?] His mind quickly realized her meaning.

Closing his eyes out of embarrassment to admit the thoughts he refused to acknowledge he slowly opened his mouth and spoke.

“Because, because I carry feelings for you.” He answered.

Celestine’s heart felt as if it were about to burst as she finally heard the words she had been waiting for longer than she wanted to admit. Unable to contain her feelings any longer she stopped crouching to be able to lean down.

By the time Novec shot his eyes open to see the warm softness that had pressed down his lips Celestine was already standing up beside him looking away.

“Join me for breakfast?” She said offering him a hand to help him up unable to look at him.

“Y-yeah.” He said equally as bashful as he took her hand.

Novec made an attempt to let go once he had gotten up as they head towards the door but Celestine tightened her grip by entwining their fingers making sure their hands stayed together.