"Sir?" Lucas called as he peeked in the office after knocking on the door.

Calling Izekiel sir is still not his jam.

Izekiel looked up from reading his papers and saw Lucas. He smiled, saying, "Ah, Lucas! Come in, what brings you here?"

Lucas nodded and walked into the room and stood in front of Izekiel's table at a very good amount of space. "I'm here to inform you about my resignment, sir." He said, standing politely.

"Ah, I heard from father yesterday. You just had your graduation earlier, no?" Izekiel said with a chuckle as he flips the pages of the file.

"Yes, sir." Lucas nodded again. "And I am here to say my farewell."

Izekiel stopped and stare at Lucas for a moment then back to the papers. "Where are you applying to work in?"

"In the magician tower sir," Lucas replied. When is this going to finish? "I'm going to serve the emperor and his family as a royal magician."

—rather, going back to see the princess.

"Mhm, is that so? Well, you have good potential for doing magic even if I'm not a magician," Izekiel said, closing the file and finally meeting Lucas's gaze.

"Thank you, sir." Lucas smiled. Can I go home now?

"When are you moving out?" Izekiel asked.

"After informing you about my resignment, sir. I'll move out," Lucas said.

"I see." Izekiel sighed and stood up, reaching his hand out. "You did a great job working for me, I appreciate it."

"No, thank you, sir," Lucas replied, shaking his head.

"I mustve kept you long," Izekiel chuckled. "You can go now. Good luck on the new chapter of your life."

As much as Lucas doesn't want to admit it, he smiled (in front of Izekiel, yep), nodding. It really is a new chapter of his life and also to Athanasia.

Now that Nicholas is gone, there will be no loop anymore.

-

"Yo."

Athanasia jumped in surprise, dropping her book as she heard someone's voice behind her. She immediately turned around to see Lucas wearing a magician's robe.

Her cheeks flush pink as soon as she saw his face. "L-Lucas?!"

"Miss me?" Lucas said with a chuckle, tilting his head.

Athanasia blushed more. "Wha- who would miss you?! I'm actually having a great week without you!!"

"No need to be that harsh," Lucas hiccuped, as he wipe a fake tear from his cheek.

After Athanasia picked the book that she dropped she look back up to the older and noticed something different.

"Wait... didn't you have short, ruffly hair?" Athanasia frowned, tilting her head.

"Ah, this is my original hair," Lucas explained as he combed his hair. "The Alpheus won't accept an attendant with long hair so I have to hide it."

"Why did you even choose to be an attendant?" Athanasia scoffed.

"For some reason," Lucas replied with a shrug.

"Reason?"

"I'm not gonna tell you."

"Stingy."

"Deal with it, princess."

"But you changed your hair back," Athanasia decided to change the topic.

"I've finished school and I choose to become a magician in Obelia," Lucas said and leaned close to Athanasia's face. "To annoy you."

Athanasia's cheeks turned beet red as she saw Lucas's face up close.

Ever since she realized that she have feelings for the older, she became more desperate to not wanting to see him.

She must be crazy for liking someone like him!!

Didn't she hated him at first?! Why the sudden change?!

"You look red."

Lucas's teasing voice pulled Athanasia out of her trance and saw Lucas smirking at her. She panicked and immediately hit the older on the head with her book. "Y-You're so close!!!" She yelled.

Lucas hissed in pain, taking a step back from the princess. "Ow!! Why did you do that?!!"

"For acting like... like-like that!!" Athanasia yelled, hiding her red face.

Lucas noticed the younger's behavior and that made him widen his eyes in surprise.

"Princess... Are you perhaps... Flustered?" There, he said it.

And what happened to Lucas after?

He was kicked out after getting another smack on the head.

Yep, he sure is back. And no one will interfere his life with the princess and her family again.

No one.

-

Sorry, short chapter ;-;