《I Transmigrated as the Cannon Fodder Villain》


 Chapter 1 - 1

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    (warning: brief mention of attempted sexual assault.)


    Transmigration is such a popular genre in the modern world that readers would often want to experience it themselves. To be in a novel that you read and love would be a dream come true but that was not the case for Gideon. He was never interested in such genres because more often it is a Subgenre to the main genre is "Romance". He primarily read fantasy adventure books until his sister suggested the second novel series connected to the one she loves, Lux Ferre.


    Lux Ferre was a Fantasy Romance novel series that was well received in the web novel community that it even got published and is currently in the works of developing a webcomic adaptation. But of course, it also received harsh criticism from the community due to the staggering amount of plot holes, the Introduction of characters only for them to be reduced into cannon fodders, and the unnecessary protagonist halo given upon the main character who happened to be the center of a harem between 3 love interests that became the catalyst to destroying the world that was balanced by Angels and Demons. Gideon disliked the series but would listen to his sister''s rambling about it to the point he''s up to date on the latest chapters.


    "I STILL CAN''T BELIEVE GABBY DIED HUHUHUHU" His sister Alice wept while holding her cellphone.


    "How many times have I told you to focus on reviewing for your college entrance exam instead of reading?" Gideon scolded her while he puts the second-hand microwave on top of the kitchen counter


    ''God I hope this works¡­''


    After their parents died, they weren''t left much in their inheritance. Their father died when they were young and soon their relatives took over the printing company they had because his mother was in no stable condition to take over. As a result, their relatives grew greedy and lessened their power in the company to the point they can no longer pay for their mother''s medical bills and she passed away peacefully in her sleep leaving a 17-year-old Gideon to care for his 12-year-old sister. Their relatives came to them saying that they will take care of his sister but he knew that they will only use her to further secure their power in the company. He ran away with Alice and had her stay over at a family friend''s place to study while he left school to start working early.


    6 years later, he is still slowly getting back to what''s rightfully theirs, to begin with, while he takes care of his now 17 turning 18 years old sister in a small house in the central city. With their current funds, it was a blessing that he managed to buy this place. He needed a place near his current office as well as a permanent place that they can call home.


    "ehhhhh? This is the latest chapter of Koffee''s new story! I promise I''ll go back to studying once I''m done" Alice pouted and rolled around the sofa bed.


    "Don''t mess up my bed and besides that, I thought that''s a new story? Why are you bringing up Gabby then?" Gideon raises an eyebrow at her. Was there a connection between the two of them and that Alice already knew what he was thinking?


    "It''s the new arc of Lux Ferre but this time it focuses on her son"


    "Since when did she have a son?"


    And so Alice began explaining what she had read so far.


    In the new novel "Alas" the story focuses on Kaiden Lux Ferre, The son of Luciel and Gabriella. It turns out the period where the protagonist Gabriella suddenly disappears for a year, she actually was pregnant and had her sister Valerie take care of the baby before going back to Luciel. Sadly she was not able to return due to her untimely death and Luciel did not take the initiative to seek out Valerie due to his depression thus making Valerie assume that Luciel did not want anything to do with his son and further hid away this child in the chaotic world they now resided in. She ends up becoming a teacher in an orphanage so that she would not be separated from Kaiden. She cannot claim that he is her son because she wanted him to remember that his mother was Gabriella, the hero who ended the long war between angels and demons.


    Apparently, our new protagonist encountered a lot of hardships because he was a Half Angel Half Demon hybrid and due to the lack of parental love, regardless if Valerie was indeed there for him, his heart turned black at a young age. His goal was to seek out revenge for those who had bullied him and it was by chance that he had met his father''s right hand that he managed to become the prince of the world that his father now ruled over.


    Currently, he was planning to seek out the Villain of the previous Novel, Matthew, to get revenge for killing his mother.


    "There''s no romance whatsoever so it''s kind of boring" his sister mutters but he managed to hear it.


    "Oh?" this got his attention.


    "Yeah! What kind of guy that casually flirts with a lot of girls and would sleep with some of them?!" Alice whined.


    ''Thankfully I raised her right but still¡­ Alice dear that counts as romance just a different kind.''


    "ABSOLUTE SCUM!" she continued to hit the sofa bed but stopped as soon as she saw Gideon''s gaze turn cold.


    "Sorry" she mumbles out but continues to speak


    "I get that he''s deprived of love but this... this is just terrible! And what''s worse the girls just go with it"


    "Maybe the author want''s something different since they weren''t able to do stuff like that in the previous novel?" Gideon tries to explain.


    He could see that the author is now trying to gather attention to male readers by offering a Stallion novel to them with a relatable protagonist since even his sister was in a dilemma on the situation.


    "Do you mind sending me the link to that?"


    "Hah?" Alice blinked.


    ''HE''S NOT ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN THIS SERIES IS HE?''


    Alice continued to blink and Gideon sighed.


    "I can tell that the novel is meant for Male Audiences. I''ll make you a deal"


    He walked towards his sister and sat by the edge of the sofa since she was already taking up most of the space.


    "I''ll read the novel for you during my spare time while you focus on your studies. I''ll just tell you the story the same way you did for the first series, what do you say?"


    Of course, this was mostly so that his sister would focus on important stuff other than this stupid novel. It''s not like he found it interesting.


    "Hmm" Alice pondered for a moment before nodding


    "I accept! BUT! You also buy me the physical copy for the webcomic series of Lux Ferre" she grinned and Gideon can only roll his eyes at her


    "if you get into AB University, I''ll buy you all of the volumes as a gift"


    "REALLY?!"


    "Really."


    And with that Alice sat up and hugged her brother to which she got her cheeks pinched. She retaliated by trying to pinch him, so they ended up fighting each other affectionately before saying sorry to each other and then laughing.


    "Well then, I''ll be in my room studying! goodnight"


    "Good night, don''t stay up too late! If I see you up at 3 am again reading novels"


    "OKAY OKAY! SHEESH STOP NAGGING ME SO MUCH! you''re turning 23 but you act like a 40 year old dad¡­ no wonder you''re still single-"


    "I will only get you 1 volum-"


    "ah.. You still haven''t met the one yet, can''t rush true love" She immediately corrects herself before retreating into her room.


    Gideon only shook his head and chuckled, thinking that this was the start of their brand new life. They no longer need to run away from their relatives, this time he can take them to court and seize what''s rightfully theirs.


    That was the plan until a few months later he got hit on the head with a bottle of beer because he wanted to pick up his sister from University to eat at a restaurant and give her the present he had promised for her birthday only to find out that she was dragged into a karaoke bar by her batch mates, a KTV bar notorious for sexual assault cases due to the fact it had no Security cameras in their booths.. He rushed over there to find his sister crying while being pinned down by several of her classmates while the female schoolmates took photos of the situation. His commotion of barging into the establishment and going through the booths unwarranted made the staff contact police to arrest him but when the police got there, they discovered that the group of students immediately ran off leaving a crying girl trying to stop the bleeding of the lifeless body of her older brother


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 Chapter 2 - 2

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    ''Ugh my head hurts¡­ wait- Alice what happened to her''


    Gideon tried to open his eyes and saw that he was in an unfamiliar room. He slowly sat up but felt really weak so he could only move himself up a bit before leaning on the headboard of the bed.


    ''Wait¡­ why does my hair feel longer? How long was I out?''


    He tried recollecting his fragmented memories of "Last night" and remembered that he pried off the boy that was trying to get in between his sister''s legs and punched him on the face before getting held back by the other male students and getting himself beaten up in the process but to some unknown reason he managed to fight back until one of the teens smashed a bottle on his head that knocked him unconscious.


    Gideon frowned but before he passed out he heard his sister scream out of help and other muffled voices. Seeing that he was awake now means that his sister managed to get help. He looked down at his hands and saw how tiny they were and it took him a few seconds before he screamed. His voice was that of a young boy and his scream got the attention of someone outside because he later heard panicked footsteps before the door finally opened and a young boy with golden hair and lavender eyes came running in with tears in his eyes.


    "DEON! DEON! ARE YOU OKAY? ARE YOU OKAY? PLEASE BE OKAY!!"


    The boy kept repeating this sentence in between sobs and Gideon didn''t know what was going on until-


    "GIDEON! THANK GOD YOU''RE FINALLY AWAKE! WE WERE REALLY WORRIED!" a beautiful lady came rushing in the room and looked angrily at the young boy who was crying by his side.


    "Kaiden! Why are you clinging onto Gideon? You might worsen his condition if you stress him out with your crying!"


    "b-but but! It''s my fault Deon fell from the tree! It''s my fault because I was the one who needed to climb the tree! I SHOULD BE THE ONE WHO GOT HURT"


    ''Wait Kaiden? Tree? Isn''t this-?''


    "What nonsense are you talking about kaiden? Neither of you should get hurt and it is not your fault, don''t blame yourself"


    "Aunty Valerie¡­"


    Gideon only stared flabbergasted between the two, trying to figure out what was happening until it clicked but at the same time it didn''t.


    ''Aren''t these the same names in that novel Alice got me to read?''


    Seeing that the boy was confused, Valerie couldn''t help but assume that the young boy may have gotten amnesia due to the fall.


    "Gideon?" she called out softly to the young boy in a daze and Gideon couldn''t help but get startled by the sudden grab of his attention. He blinked at ''Valerie'' not knowing what to say but perhaps this was the best course of action.


    "Do you remember what happened to you?" she asks softly and Gideon shakes his head.


    "WHAT? DID DEON LOSE HIS MEMORIES?! DEON DID YOU FORGET WHO I AM?" the blond boy started crying again.


    "I''m Kaiden, your bestest friend! We always play together and we take baths together and sleep together and and- DEON!!!! HUHUHUH" Kaiden hugged Gideon.


    Gideon suddenly thought of the transmigration thing popular in web novels. Maybe that is the same thing that happened to him.


    "Kaiden.... haist um¡­ Gideon, it is good that you remember your name but do you remember anything else?" Valerie asks the young lad and Gideon suddenly thought about the "Gideon" in this novel.


    Ironically he and this character did share the same name by coincidence but this character was one of the least memorable characters in this series. To sum it up, he''s a cannon fodder villain who used to be a childhood friend of the protagonist that suddenly betrayed the protagonist after finding out that he was an angel-demon hybrid. Despite being the same kind, Gideon''s angel side was not dominant thus making it easier for him to fit in versus Kaiden who accidentally revealed that he can use holy magic in order to save his life due to the fact he fell from the tree.


    After this incident, Kaiden got picked on more often by the other children and became an outcast. Gideon was his last friend but he also betrayed him. Years later Kaiden and Gideon once again meet only this time Kaiden was a prince and Gideon was a server at a party. As a revenge for what Gideon did back then, Kaiden passed on a note that Gideon was actually a Hybrid to the management thus making him lose his job and Gideon automatically assumed it was due to Kaiden.


    The Villain Matthew found him and manipulated Gideon into becoming a henchman for him to plot against Kaiden. Of course the protagonist halo saved the day and Gideon was sent into one of the worst prisons for supernatural beings. Due to the fact that he was part Succubus1, the management made very good use of his abilities.


    Nothing else was written so far about Gideon from then on or at least before he transmigrated here.


    ''Fuck¡­ I would have been fine if I was any other cannon fodder but it really had to be this guy?!?''


    Gideon can only silently curse to himself before finally answering Valerie''s question on whether or not he remembered anything else.


    "No¡­ I don''t remember" he sneaks a glance at the boy hugging him. It seems like his answer made his mood worse because the hug tightened.


    "Wuwuwu I''m sorry" he mumbles.


    Gideon was used to coaxing his little sister by patting her back so he did the same for Kaiden and Valerie was really lost for words at the situation. If she tries prying off Kaiden, he will just continuously whine and that might trigger out some of his demonic power which is a little concerning.


    "Um Miss Valerie" Gideon starts and Valerie snaps back to reality.


    "You can call me Aunty Valerie"


    "Miss Valerie" Even the old Gideon never called you Aunty because Kaiden would get jealous.


    "¡­"


    "What is it?"


    "I want to be left alone"


    When Kaiden hears this he immediately looks up at the two wide eyed.


    "No! I don''t want to leave Deon alone! Let me stay here with him!"


    There was a negative aura that started to emit from him and Valerie couldn''t help but back away. She already witnessed one of Kaiden''s tantrums that resulted in him burning down a portion in one of the rooms. If it weren''t for the necklace that Gabriella had given, the entire place would have been reduced to ashes. The necklace was given because Gabby knew that she won''t come back and of course children would get upset. So she placed a spell on it that would calm down Kaiden but lately the tiny magic could not calm down the young boy meaning his powers were getting stronger.


    Gideon knew of this because of course he read this novel for his sister and his eyes stared at the pendant before averting his gaze back to Kaiden whose eyes were turning darker as he looked at Valerie. Gideon raised his hand and lightly smacked Kaiden which made him divert his attention to him and for some reason the dark aura around him lessened.


    "Why did you hit me?!" he frowned at Gideon and the other could only sigh before patting the spot he had hit.


    "It''s because you''re too noisy"


    Another factor why Kaiden turned rotten was the fact no one had disciplined him due to fear.


    "But I-"


    "I''ll let you stay if you are not noisy"


    And with that Kaiden closes his mouth and wipes away his tears. Valerie who had been watching at the side lets out a sigh and slowly lowers her hand away from the pendant.


    ''Can''t you be less obvious next time?''


    "Well then I''ll leave you two then¡­ Kaiden, make sure to go back to your room afterwards. Gideon still needs to rest." And with that Valerie disappeared leaving the two children alone.


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 Chapter 3 - 3

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    It was just Him and Kaiden left in the room. The young boy really stayed quiet but kept staring at Gideon to the point that it was becoming unbearable.


    "If you want to say something just say it¡­" He sighs in defeat and Kaiden opens his mouth to reply;


    "You''re different." He says bluntly and Gideon felt his back suddenly turn cold.


    Did he notice?


    "Back then you wouldn''t even hit me or scold me but now you suddenly did those things" he mumbles and keeps staring at Gideon.


    Gideon clenched his fists underneath the blanket and looked away thinking what he could reason.


    "I didn''t? But you were being too unruly" Gideon blurts out. He''ll just go with the amnesia route once again. At least that way it''s valid why he suddenly acted like a different person.


    "Who are you calling unruly?!"


    "You. If it weren''t for you then I wouldn''t have forgotten my memories"


    "I¡­ I said I was sorry! I should have stopped you from climbing up the tree"


    In the novel, it was briefly mentioned that Kaiden was supposed to grab something from the top of the tree but one of the half-demon boys set up a trap that would make one of the branches snap to a bird''s nest so that the birds would peck him. They didn''t expect Gideon, who was used to climbing, to say that he''ll grab it himself. The spell did not set off when he climbed on that branch but the moment Kaiden insisted that he would grab it himself because he saw Gideon slipping up a bit and touched the tree, the spell was triggered and the branch snapped. Gideon fell and got a head injury.


    Kaiden panicked and used his Holy powers to save his friend but this revealed that he was a Hybrid to the other spectators. Gideon started avoiding Kaiden as well when he recovered. In Kaiden''s Point of view he was abandoned by his only friend when he risked his own life on the line for revealing that he can use holy powers.


    The Current Gideon knew everything about Kaiden but knew little about this Cannon Fodder except the fact that he had a terrible ending.


    "I can''t remember why I had to climb the tree but it''s not your fault" He held Kaiden''s hand.


    "But"


    "Kaiden."


    Kaiden stays quiet again and hugs Gideon again.


    "I was scared, Gideon¡­ I was really scared"


    He felt Kaiden tremble and Gideon awkwardly hugged back the boy. He understands what Kaiden felt. It was the same feeling he felt when he thought he''d lose his sister as well. Gideon''s eyes looked as if he was deep in thought.


    ''How''s Alice now? Will she find my gift for her? Did I really die back then? If not¡­ will I be able to go back?''


    Gideon knew it was already a lost cause. What''s important is that he knew Alice was safe before he ended up in this novel. He cannot dwell in the past anymore but he won''t let himself suffer a horrible life in this world as well.


    "It won''t happen again Kaiden"


    Kaiden did not respond for a moment but soon says;


    "I''ll make sure it won''t. I don''t want to lose you too"


    It''s as if Gideon got stabbed in the heart with those words. It already hurt when he read Kaiden''s life story but it''s something else to see him in front of you saying these things¡­ and besides that¡­ aren''t these words meant for the female love interests? Ugh let''s not overthink, He''s still a child¡­ 8 years old to be specific. Wait¡­


    "Um, Kaiden?"


    "Hm?"


    "How old am I?"


    "¡­ you''re seven"


    "Why did you hesitate?"


    "You''re eight."


    I thought so.


    Gideon started laughing because he found Kaiden''s actions adorable and the poor boy could only blush in embarrassment as a response.


    Later that day, Valerie came back into the room to find Kaiden sleeping next to Gideon soundly while the other child had a book in his hand about the kingdom''s history and the war that took place 8 years ago. She only smiled thinking that the boy probably can''t read the complicated words written in that book and knocked softly on the door to grab his attention.


    "Gideon, I brought along someone to check on your current condition"


    Gideon could only nod as a response because he was worried he''d wake up the other child. He assumed that Valerie had brought Miss Eicher since she had a child with the demon Alister and raised Gabriella''s other child with Matthew. That''s one of the ridiculous plot twists in this cliche novel but of course Gideon will pretend that he doesn''t know about this information. The only people who knew about this so far are; Valerie, Ms. Eicher, Alister, and Gabriella.


    Sure enough, a Lady who looked like was in her mid-30s walked in with a gentle smile.


    "I see that you managed to calm down Kaiden" she softly says while looking at Kaiden with a hint of sadness in her eyes.


    "Nevermind that, If you don''t remember me... I am Lianna Eicher. I''m a human like Miss Valerie Dixit but I have two children who are similar to the both of you"


    "I''m Gideon¡­"


    Wait, what was his surname? Was it mentioned in the novel? Author, you really fucked me over.


    When she noticed that the boy''s words drifted away and his innocent expression was replaced with a confused one, Lianna couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Lemery."


    "Huh?" the boy looks up at her


    "Gideon Lemery, That''s your name"


    "Oh-" thank you miss Lianna you are a godsend!


    "Haist... This is more problematic than I thought if you had forgotten that much"


    "I''m sorry¡­" Gideon mumbled and Lianna shakes her head.


    "Nonsense! Don''t be sorry nobody wanted this to happen. That aside... Will you please give me your hand?"


    Lianna takes out her notebook and holds Gideon''s hand before she starts chanting out a spell. If Gideon was not mistaken, this is a spell to check the balance between our Holy and Demonic powers. Out of nowhere glowing chains slithered out from underneath Lianna''s sleeve and it wrapped around his wrist lightly. Lianna''s expression twitched and stopped the chant when she was satisfied with the results. The chains retracted back and it was as if Lianna was holding her breath because the moment she let go of Gideon she gasped and held her chest.


    "Anna, Are you ok?" Valerie rushed to her side and rubbed her back. Lianna only laughed and opened her notebook to write down her findings.


    "Don''t worry I''m alright but I''ll have to bother you to grab my walking cane from my car later"


    "If you say so, How is Gideon?" Valerie''s eyes shifted onto the child who looked worried for the woman in front of him and she couldn''t help but smile


    ''You still act the same at least..'' is what Valerie thought of seeing him like this.


    "It seems like his Holy Powers are not as strong as his Demon side but¡­" Her words drifted off as she glanced at Kaiden who was still sleeping.


    "It seems like there was another power lingering in him but it''s not that concerning since it''s obviously Kaiden''s Holy Power given you had mentioned that Kaiden panicked and poured out his powers out in public to save Gideon correct?"


    Valerie nodded, "Kaiden was exhausted afterward that''s why I wanted to take him back to his room earlier but he wouldn''t leave Gideon''s side"


    "I don''t mind Kaiden sleeping over here" Gideon decided to butt in on their conversation because it was getting awkward hearing them talk about him when he''s literally right in front of them.


    I know I look like a child at the moment so you don''t mind talking about me right in front of me but I''m actually a man in my 20s back in my world. It''s really embarrassing. But more importantly, I''m starting to feel guilty towards Kaiden about this.


    The two women soon left, now it was just him and Kaiden alone again.


    He did that much for Gideon only to be left behind, I can see why you hated him so much Kaiden.


    "I''m sorry¡­" even if it doesn''t mean anything now or it has not happened¡­ I''m sorry Kaiden for what the past Gideon had done to you.


    "What are you sorry about?"


    "!?"


    Gideon was startled by the wide-eyed Kaiden staring at him with confusion on why he was apologizing.


    "Since when you were awake?" Gideon tried to avoid answering by asking a question


    "Since Aunty Anna came into our room.."


    "My room, if so, why did you pretend to be asleep?"


    "I don''t like talking to them."


    Silence filled the room.


    Since when did you dislike them? It was mentioned that they both cared about Kaiden in the novel during his stay with Valerie. Why is he like this early on?


    "You still didn''t answer my question. What are you saying sorry for?"


    "You were awake the entire time so I guess you''d know what I''m talking about"


    "It''s my fau-"


    "Again it''s not your fault and¡­ '''' Gideon looks at the child helplessly


    "You shouldn''t tire yourself. I''m sorry for making you worried earlier"


    Silence filled the air between the two of them until Kaiden decided to break it.


    "I''ll accept your apology on one condition"


    "What is it?"


    "From now on I''ll sleep in this room"


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 Chapter 4 - 4

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    Who knew that time would fly so fast? It''s been 2 years since Gideon had transmigrated into this world. Unlike the stories under the "transmigration" genre, he had no system to rely on. Meaning he does not know if his actions have consequences in the long run for not following the original plot of the novel.


    At the moment he''s sitting on one of the swings at a park reading about the different types of demons and angels.


    Since he''s a hybrid himself, he needed to learn how to control his powers. But no matter how hard he tries, he cannot use any Holy Magic. Even when healing himself, it''s useless.


    ''Now I see why Gideon managed to pass as a Half Demon with ease.''


    It was a little useless as well to use his Demon powers to its full potential. Well¡­ useless is not the proper term, it''s more like the fact that it is inappropriate for someone his age to use it nor did he have any intentions of using them.


    Everyone in this novel had different kinds of powers but they all fall into specific categories. For Gideon''s case, he fell under the succubus classification. It also confused him when Miss Eicher told him about this during their monthly check-up. He got curious on what kind of a demon he was. Even though Gilbert knew that this cannon fodder had Succubus Lineage, there''s still a chance he would be something else right? That hope was shattered when it was revealed that not only did he inherit that lineage.. He was a succubus himself.


    ''Not even an incubus, BUT A SUCCUBUS!?!?!''1


    He angrily closed his book and placed it on the seat of the swing.


    Why was I on the receiving end.. Fuck I''m not even gay but I''ll be forced to argh!


    He scratches his head in frustration.


    ''No! I will never use that power ever''


    And besides.. As a demon, he had other powers. It just so happened that his specialty is becoming a receiver. With that in mind stops swinging and looks down at his hand. He focused all his attention to try and make a fire.


    ''According to that book, most demons should be able to have pyrokinesis.''


    But that is not always the case and that is exactly the problem Gideon encountered.


    "Why is this so hard?" he mutters


    "Why is ''what'' hard?"


    "Kaiden!" He jolted in surprise to see the protagonist in front of him.


    "Hm¡­" Kaiden hummed and glanced at the book that was placed on the other seat.


    "Nothing I''m just trying to practice using my powers" there''s nothing to hide from him anyways because who knows how long he had been standing there.


    "But you''re doing it wrong"


    Gideon frowned "you don''t have to rub it in my face¡­ anyways is Miss Valerie done?"


    Kaiden shakes his head and picks up the book to flip through it. He discovered that Gideon placed a bookmark in between the pages about Succubus and incubuses. He did not totally understand the meaning of some of the words but he had an idea thanks to Aunty Valerie teaching them. His cheeks were tinted pink and thankfully Gideon didn''t notice it or only thought it was due to the sun.


    "So¡­ how do you activate your powers then?"


    "I focus on what I want it to do" Kaiden calmly closes the book and sits on the swing next to Gideon.


    "That''s what I was trying to do earlier but you said I was doing it wrong!"


    "You are!"


    "Am not!"


    "You are"


    ''Why am I arguing with a child, Gideon did you really regress back into being a child?''


    Gideon sighs and looks at kaiden.


    "What am I doing wrong then?" he softly asks and Kaiden averts his eyes.


    "You''re forcing yourself, not focusing"


    "Aren''t those two the same?"


    "Well it just means that you can''t do whatever you''re trying to do.. Try something else?"


    With that suggestion.. Gideon tried focusing on manifesting whatever to his hand. Nothing happened except-


    "Do you smell that?" kaiden sniffs


    "Smell what?"


    "It smells sweet.." Kaiden states in a daze and looks at Gideon. "You really can''t smell it?"


    Due to the fact that Gideon got distracted, whatever he was doing suddenly stopped and the sweet smell disappeared from Kaiden''s nose. The two children decided to walk back to the market after a while of trial and error. Sadly in the end, Gideon was not able to activate his other powers.


    "I swear I really smelled something sweet!" Kaiden exclaims


    "Stop your nonsense, I almost had it earlier but you distracted me.."


    Gideon was still staring at his hand trying to do what he was trying to do earlier. But alas he failed.


    "Psh¡­ what are you even trying to do now?"


    "I''m trying to make a ball"


    "A ball?"


    "A shadow ball.. I couldn''t do it with fire"


    "Oh like this?"


    And suddenly Kaiden created a ball of a black aura.


    That''s the protagonist for you¡­ being able to create such things with ease..


    Gideon cried a little internally thinking that it was unfair that the protagonist had this Halo around him.


    "Excuse me children.." an unfamiliar voice called out to them.


    Kaiden felt a chilling sensation crawl down his spine and he immediately grabbed Gideon by the wrist and ran away.


    "K-kaiden!?!"


    Perhaps it was by luck but they saw Miss Valerie standing and looking somewhere else as if she was waiting for somebody.


    "Miss Valerie!" Kaiden yells out. Which made Valerie look in his direction to see the panicked young boy dragging along his friend like a ragdoll.


    "Kaiden what''s-" Her words trailed off when she saw the person that was slowly approaching them and suddenly her eyes narrowed.


    "Valerie Dixit, my my.. What a coincidence for us to meet here once again" The Man calls out to her with a smile.


    "Azazel.." She replied.


    Gideon whipped around and saw the tall man standing right in front of them. He had cotton candy pink hair and golden eyes. He was wearing casual clothes that made him look approachable and yet there was something about him that made you want to stay away from him.


    So this is Azazel


    Azazel was Luciel''s Right-hand man and the man who helped Gabriella unconditionally due to his sibling-like love for her. He was the man who helped Valerie keep Kaiden a secret from Luciel. They both didn''t know what Luciel would do if he found out that the woman he loves hid their child from his sight. But Gabriella had her reasons. She knew that she was being used by Luciel. So she might have never anticipated that in the end the man actually came to love her truly. The only sad part here is that when he realized this, she was already gone from his grasp.


    ''Even though he''s a scumbag like Kaiden in Alas¡­ You can''t deny he''s charming even more so in person. That explains why Alice love hi-''


    Azazel glanced at the young Gideon that had been staring at him for a while and smiled. Kaiden saw this and pulled Gideon behind him to shield him from him. Azazel only found the situation more amusing.


    To Gideon''s perspective, this was the only time he actually saw some emotion in Azazel''s eyes. The man looked like he had been smiling earlier but the entire time his eyes looked like it was staring at something uninteresting.


    ''Losing someone you love over and over...not being able to do anything. Is this what happens to you?''


    "And who might these two young boys be?" Azazel once again spoke to Valerie as he bent down to be on the same eye level as the two young boys.


    It was already obvious that he knew who Kaiden was so the question was really meant for Gideon because Azazel found it interesting that Kaiden was overprotective of the young boy.


    "That''s.. None of your concern. What are you doing here in the Western Region? If I''m not mistaken you should be in the central capital helping His Highness?"


    Azazel grinned "Why can''t I visit an old friend?"


    "We are not friends" Valerie sternly tells him and pulls the two children to her side.


    "I''m on official duties, that''s why I''m here" Azazel confesses but the entire time he had his eyes on Kaiden.


    Valerie already saw this coming in the beginning but did it really take 10 years before Luciel found out about Kaiden? What kind of a father is he? He did not even come here himself to confirm it.


    "Oh? Then I''ll take my leave with the children since we don''t want to disturb you any further"


    "Valerie"


    "Azazel, it has been 10 years since we last saw each other. It is way overdue than what we had agreed upon" She angrily retorts before continuing to walk with Kaiden and Gideon.


    "Then what am I supposed to tell him?"


    "Tell him to forget it. I''m sure he only told you to look for me, not stating to bring me back"


    "...."


    And thus Azazel was left standing at the market as the three retreated back to the orphanage.


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 Chapter 5 - 5

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    Gideon was not feeling too well about the things that had just happened. Valerie thought that Azazel had frightened him so she comforted the child and promised that Azazel will never hurt him as long as she is here. Kaiden decided to butt in as well and said that he will even swear an oath to el, in which he received a forehead flick from Valerie and a scolding that he should not take oaths lightly.


    Gideon retreated to his room, locked the door, and paced around in a circle in full panic mode.


    ''Did I change too much of the novel that it is rushing to return to its original plot?!''


    In the original novel, A twelve-year-old Kaiden will meet Azazel in the town market. Valerie stood in-between the two and there Azazel explains that Kaiden needs to return with him back to the capital for his own safety. Valerie at first hesitated but after a few days of Azazel''s pestering, she finally breaks and hands over the child thinking that it indeed would be the best. She gave up Kaiden for his own good because she cannot help him when he was being bullied by the other children or the fact his powers were growing stronger day by day that Gabriella''s Charm ceased to be useful whenever he was upset.


    What she did not expect is that Kaiden would think that his aunt who he had already viewed as his mother figure abandoned him as well.


    So when Kaiden met his father Luciel, the two did not have a joyous reunion, and instead they both stared at each other with bitterness. Azazel and the other subordinates of his father tried their best to raise him but they were Full Fledged chaotic demons that did not fully grasp the importance of values and morals. Kaiden was spoiled rotten and only "took" from people. Never giving back because nobody deserves his favor especially after everyone "stole" everything from him.


    And after that, he ruined Gideon''s life


    He shuddered just thinking about that possibility, not even knowing what actually happens to this character scared him out of his wits. Gideon sat down on his bed thinking about his next move. He didn''t want that ending to happen to him but apparently, he cannot change the plot. He just gave a middle finger to the author back in his world.


    ''Curse you and your shitty writing!''


    Kaiden tried entering the room but the door was locked so he had to knock.


    "Deon? Are you ok? Can I come in?"


    "Ah-" Gideon was caught off guard and he scurried off his bed to unlock the door.


    "I''m alright Kaiden, I was just resting"


    "Why did you need to lock the door?"


    "That''s.."


    "Are you still scared of that man? Didn''t I say that I would protect you? Don''t you trust me?"


    "KAIDEN!"


    Gideon was getting overwhelmed already by the harsh reality he''s facing. Kaiden''s questioning only made his mood worse


    "It''s not that I think you''re weak and it most certainly not that I don''t trust you"


    ''It''s more like I''m terrified of what you''ll do to me''


    "So don''t overthink it, I was just thinking about the way miss Valerie was talking to the man like she knew him for a long time"


    "Hmm¡­ well at first I didn''t know him but when I heard Aunty Valerie mention the name of Azazel, that''s when I realized that he''s Gabriella''s Friend"


    ''In these two years, we never once spoke about your family. It was always about how your day went, new books you read, basically anything else that wasn''t about your family or problems. But hearing you talk about your mother as if she''s a stranger¡­''


    Gideon didn''t feel right about this development but his feelings were set aside as Kaiden continued to speak.


    "They probably made some sort of agreement back then but maybe that Azazel guy didn''t fulfill his end so Aunty didn''t want to go with him"


    "Haist, let''s not think about grown-up problems anymore¡­ what''s important is that you teach me how to use my powers"


    Gideon decided it was best to change the topic because he didn''t want to influence anything in the story. The only thing he wants is to change his ending but it did not mean that he needed to change everything else. Kaiden is bound to end up having his heart blackened whether he wants to or not, so the least he can do is stay on Kaiden''s good side so that Kaiden doesn''t go all the way and destroy everyone.


    ''I''m such a good person,'' Gideon narcissistically thought to himself.


    And so the two boys went back to learning how to control the basics of their abilities.


    Back at the Capital, Azazel had already returned and leisurely made his way to Luciel''s Office. He didn''t even have to knock because he already heard the man say "Come in Azazel"


    ''Ahh... I''ll never know how he keeps doing that''


    Azazel entered the room with a smile and closed the door behind him.


    "I have returned Luciel"


    "Mn, it seems like you failed your task¡­ that''s something that doesn''t happen quite often"


    ''Truly a man who goes straight to the point''


    Azazel still kept his composure and went ahead of himself to open one of the cabinets to grab some whiskey and two glass cups.


    "It''s not that I failed since technically you only told me to go look for Valerie" He said with amusement as he walked up to the man sitting behind his desk that had piles of paperwork next to him.


    "Well I was under the impression you''d also bring her to me considering that''s how you "look" for people" Luciel''s crimson eyes glanced upwards to meet with Azazel''s Golden gaze.


    "Well Valerie is stubborn like an ox, Just like¡­ a certain someone"


    Azazel''s words trailed off. No one dared to mention Gabriella in front of Luciel, not even himself. He poured out whiskey for the both of them to help brush over the topic. But unexpectedly, Luciel still stayed on the topic.


    "Stubborn like Gabriella who still won''t let me have a happy life" he bitterly states as he angrily slams the pieces of paper on his desk before grabbing the glass of whiskey and drinking it in one go. Azazel''s eyes glanced down and saw that the papers he had been holding were all personal letters written to Luciel by Gabriella when they were still "together"


    "It''s been a decade since she left us Luciel, There''s nothing we can do"


    "It''s easier said than done¡­ But I don''t expect much from you since you did betray her once"


    "I betrayed her because she asked me to, the same way she asked you to-"


    Azazel suddenly felt like he was suffocating and suddenly forced to kneel down. He glanced down and saw the blood red energy that already slithered up to his neck without him noticing.


    ''He really wants to kill me!''


    Azazel countered by digging his nails into his palms enough for it to start bleeding and held the snake like energy that was around his neck. His Specialty was Blood Sacrifice, the price of his power was the price of blood. Either it was his blood or others but it was more powerful if he sacrificed himself directly. The Energy Dissipated and he was finally able to breathe.


    "You¡­" He angrily stared at Luciel while Luciel looked indifferent as if nothing happened. With the swing of his hand however, the wound on Azazel''s hand was patched up by the "snake" and it slithered back to its owner.


    This action had basically just said "If I wanted to kill you I would have done so" as if Luciel knew what Azazel was thinking while he held him by the neck.


    "Make sure to have Valerie sent here as soon as possible since¡­" Luciel glanced at the letters once again "I''m pretty sure Gabby hid something from me"


    Azazel had already recovered from the incident and fixed up his attire "I don''t think it''s possible for Valerie to come here, however¡­ I did find something interesting. I''ll monitor it for now and once I''m certain of it, I''ll bring it to you"


    Luciel dismissed Azazel and fixed the pile of Gabriella''s letters before putting them away in his drawers. He''s still a little frustrated by the turn of events. He felt as if Azazel was hiding something from him but at the end of the day he can only wait for the results.


    "Being left in the dark sure fucking sucks¡­" he mumbles as he picks up an actual report by the other nobles.


    ''I guess this is my karma for doing the same to you back then, Ella''


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 Chapter 6 - 6

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    It''s been a while since Azazel showed his face but according to the original novel he should be pestering Valerie to return to the capital with Kaiden. It was getting a little suspicious but Gideon didn''t think about it too much.


    ''For now it''s a good thing because I can watch over Kaiden''


    The moment Kaiden gets sent to the capital to meet his Father, he will no longer be able to see or assess how kaiden is doing. It feels like he''s watching over another sibling but he needs to. Who knows the next time he meets kaiden the guy would want to straight up murder him. He suddenly felt cold and the very person he had been thinking about in the same room looked at him with concern asking if he was cold given he suddenly tensed up.


    "Ah no, I just want to take a walk"


    "Oh! Let me come along" Kaiden got off his seat and was about to walk towards Gideon to hold his hand when Gideon suddenly answers "No". This made Kaiden stop in his tracks and look at Gideon with a pitiful expression that screamed "What did I do?"


    "I just want to take a walk alone. Besides, you still haven''t finished your homework" Gideon pointed to the notebook on Kaiden''s desk.


    Kaiden frowned and accepted his faith, returning to his desk to finish his work. "If you see the big brother that sells the candied fruits, please buy me some. I''ll pay you when you come back"


    "Ah no need to pay me anyways I''m heading out now"


    "Take care"


    Kaiden moved into his room against his wishes two years ago. Thanks to that he learned more about the protagonist, especially things that weren''t mentioned in the novel. Things such as Kaiden being a light sleeper that he can''t even take a piss in the middle of the night without the boy suddenly waking up and asking where he was going. But he did learn that Kaiden occasionally had night terrors. These were the moments he wished he knew how to use his Holy powers because Angels can transfer emotions just by touch and it will depend on the emotional strength to overcome these or else they will suffer. He has not met any other Half-angels besides Kaiden. And the only notable character in the original novel that had Angel Lineage is Rhea but for now, she''s irrelevant.


    After walking for a while, Gideon found himself at an unfamiliar place. He was limited to roam around because of Kaiden but mostly due to the fear of the unknown.


    ''This novel had an SPG genre for more than one reason¡­ I need to go back''


    He quickly turned around and retraced his steps. He suddenly sensed that there was something following him and it made him frightened. Gideon was still a child after all. Even if he was a hybrid, his powers are nothing compared to a full-grown demon.


    ''This was a terrible idea! I don''t want to die again or experience something worse than death''


    "Where are you going little boy?" a man suddenly grabs a hold of his arm. The man had sharp claw-like nails, if he held tighter on Gideon''s arm it would start bleeding.


    "L-let go of me"


    "Hmm? Why? Aren''t you lost? Hey Guys! There''s a lost kid here" The man shouted out behind him and more Half-demons appeared.


    "Don''t worry, we''ll help you get home but until then we will take very good care of you" The man gave an eerie smile and his grip tightened which made Gideon cry in pain. He couldn''t scream for some reason and it''s possible that it''s this man''s specialty.


    ''Someone! Please save me''


    "Even if he''s a succubus, isn''t this classless of you to even go so far to touch a child?" someone from behind Gideon spoke.


    "Hah?! Just who do you think you¡­ are¡­" The predator''s voice suddenly trailed off and he froze upon seeing who it was. Gideon turned around and saw Azazel and another man who was smoking.


    "Amy¡­ it''s not good to smoke around children"


    "First things first, It''s Amias, not Amy. Second, I''m in the out in the open and I''m far from the child"


    "I''m just trying to lighten up the situation but¡­" Azazel glanced at the man who was still holding Gideon "Just how long do you intend to hold onto him, hmm?"


    The Predator and his gang finally recovered from the initial shock to give the two a smile.


    "Even if you two are nobles, you have to wait for your turn" One of the thugs said, which made Amias snap his cigarette holder "oh... My bad it''s just that I hate hearing such sentences"


    The thugs thought that it was amusing to hear these sentences from someone known for a lot of scandals so they snickered at what Amias said. He knew what these low-class half-bloods were thinking so Amias glanced at Azazel as if he''s asking "Can I kill them already?" to which it got replied with a smile "Go for it"


    "Pretty little boy, close your eyes" Amias smiled at Gideon.


    Gideon obliged and shut his eyes. He didn''t dare to open them unless the other two said so. These two were his only options in this situation so he couldn''t help it.


    Seeing the boy obediently follow his order, Amias swiftly cuts off the predator''s arm. The predator screamed in pain and Gideon jolted in fear the moment he heard it. He could smell the blood in the air so he had an idea of what was happening. It made his legs a little weak but he felt like he was lifted and patted on the back.


    "If you''re scared you don''t have to keep acting strong" Azazel murmured as he tried comforting the child then glanced at Amias who was having fun with "punishing the evil do-ers".


    If someone tells him that he went too far Amias would simply smile and apologize for letting his emotions get the best of him. He snapped his fingers and the corpses began to sink to the shadows until there was no evidence of any incident happening in this area.


    "How will I explain this to Arda, She''ll scold me again for giving her more paperwork" Amias whined as he wiped off the blood on his hands with his handkerchief.


    "Well you have a pretty valid reason here¡­" Azazel looked at the child he''s carrying.


    "True, Hey pretty little boy~ you can open your eyes again" Amias says cheerfully.


    Gideon hesitated a bit but he opened his eyes and saw the two were looking at him. One had an indifferent expression while the other had a smile on.


    "I''m sorry for bothering you two" he averted his gaze to the ground.


    "Hm? Ah don''t worry it''s no biggie!" Amias tried to cheer up the child but it seemed like it failed


    "Think of it this way, we need you alive that''s why you''re alive" Azazel smiled mischievously at the child and because of this, he got smacked by Amias.


    "You''re scaring the Pretty little thing even more"


    "The only thing scary here is how you keep calling him ''Pretty Little Boy'', Don''t tell me you''re into that Amy?" Azazel teased and Amias cringed in disgust.


    "Hell no"


    Gideon watched the two banter but it did give him time to assess what just happened to him. So basically he almost got kidnapped if it weren''t for these two. Besides that, he now finally saw how merciless the demon nobles were when it came to killing. Another note was buried in his heart besides staying on Kaiden''s good side, He also needed to act accordingly to their system so he wouldn''t get punished by the Nobles.


    While the two were still arguing about irrelevant matters, it also made Gideon wonder if he had read about Amias in the original novel. Amias was like him, a cannon fodder. But unlike Gideon, Amias was a demon noble who was leaning towards being a Supportive Role to the Protagonist Kaiden. But due to the fact that he had less than a page worth of sentences about him, he was not that memorable.


    ''The Author did not even describe him if I remember correctly''


    In this world however, Amias had long brown hair that was styled up to a ponytail. He had thin almond shaped eyes that were colored in a dark shade of blue. Overall he looked like an ikemen from those japanese visual novel games.


    ''His looks are up to standards with how he acts and who he is in general''


    Amias was an Incubus and could make one lose themselves in Lust if he wanted to. It would explain why Amias was able to detect that he was a Succubus but thankfully once again that his Holy Powers weren''t enough for him to be dubbed a Hybrid.


    Perhaps the two had realized that they were supposed to be interrogating this child instead of arguing with one another, that they finally stopped and looked at Gideon.


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 Chapter 7 - 7

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    "What''s your name Little one?" "What''s your name kid?" The two of them asked at the same time that made them glare at each other.


    "I''m Gideon.."


    "Such a cute name!" Amias beamed "I''m Amias and this idiot is Azazel"


    "Who are you calling an idiot?"


    "Who else?"


    "I''ll ignore that for now. We met a few days ago at the market when you were with Valerie and another kid remember?" Azazel asks Gideon and he nods.


    "You see Little boy, our king Luciel needs to talk to Valerie¡­ By any chance do you think you can convince her to come to the capital?"


    ''You really went straight to the point!'' Azazel thought while looking at Amias a bit flabbergasted.


    Gideon was a bit surprised by the turn of events. He already sensed that these two needed something from him that''s why he was rescued but he never expected it to be like this.


    ''Eventually, Valerie does agree to send Kaiden to his father even without anyone else but Azazel pestering her about it''


    Gideon went over this briefly but the two demons staring at him intently made him feel uncomfortable. Personally, he doesn''t want to send Kaiden over there since he won''t be able to predict what happens to him afterward. He was in a dilemma over this so the stares weren''t helping.


    "Why does Ms. Valerie need to go to the capital?" Gideon still needed to act like his age in this novel regardless if he already knew the reason behind it.


    Amias frowned thinking if this Halfling was stupid or something to question why that human needed to see the king.


    ''The fact that Luciel needed to have us fetch her was already tedious, Azazel is making our lives harder by going to this child instead of directly taking her by force'' Amias swirled his hand, and out came another cigarette holder.


    "That''s for us grownups to talk about" Amias smiles before he starts puffing away at his cigarette.


    "Sir Azazel already tried telling her to come with him a few days ago but she didn''t listen. What more if it was me?" Gideon points to himself and Azazel sighed because it was true.


    "If we tell you why, will you agree to help?" Azazel tilts his head towards the child.


    "You are not going to tell that child anything Azazel! You already know my position is the lowest in our group, I can''t let you have me removed by your stupidity" Amias raged once more before receiving a glare.


    "I am still your superior Amias, you have to remember that. I don''t care about what happens to you, what I care about is results"


    Amias shuts up and his face was red from embarrassment. He knew that Azazel was right, in the end, it''s the results that Luciel cared about. This was why Azazel handled all personal affairs while Amias did the dirty work either by Seducing or Killing.


    "Ignore him for now¡­ Gideon right? What do you say, I willing to swear an oath that no harm will come to you"


    Amias'' eyes widened at Azazel''s words. Swearing an oath is no small matter. It was the same as making contracts between humans. Breaking an oath will severely punish you that can even lead to your death.


    Gideon doesn''t know about the gravity of the punishment for breaking an oath because it was never mentioned in detail by the author. In actuality, there were no such things as oaths in the novel. The entire thing was a concept new to him when he came into this world. He only knows that oaths are sacred. That''s the reason why Valerie prohibits all the children from making oaths in the orphanage. Aside from that, Gideon knows that he can''t refuse.


    ''If this man is willing to sacrifice his own comrade for "results" what more can he do to a child that doesn''t have anything to do with him?''


    Gideon wanted to accept it but say that there is no need for an oath but considering what happened earlier, he disregarded this idea and accepted the deal. Azazel gave him a very vague explanation that goes back 11 years ago when Gabriella suddenly disappeared for a year but she kept sending letters to Luciel. In her letters, she often mentioned that the reason why she disappeared is something important to her and that one day once the war was over, she''ll tell Luciel about it. But a year later she passed away so that promise was never fulfilled.


    "I can only hope that you will be able to help us, Gideon. It is important for everyone and much more for our king" Azazel smiles at Gideon sincerely.


    Gideon had listened intently even if he knew it all. He gave directions to a location he was familiar with and the three went there. He bade them farewell but before Azazel disappeared he gave Gideon an envelope. The envelope had their written oath and another piece of paper that had a set of runes written on it. The boy could not read it but Azazel explained that it was his own spell, if ever the boy needed to talk to him he should burn this paper and Azazel will teleport next to him as soon as possible. It was a one-time use but he will replace it with every time they meet until their contract is fulfilled. Once that was cleared out, Azazel and Amias disappeared with a snap of their fingers leaving only the lingering smoke that Amias had puffed out.


    Before he went back to the orphanage, he passed by the park to see if the man who sold the candied fruits only to see that he had already left. It was late so he compromised by buying Meringue Cookies from the local bakery before going home. Upon return, he was greeted by Kaiden with a hug.


    "Deon! What took you so long?! I was¡­ wait" Kaiden buried his face on Gideon''s neck. The latter blushed out of embarrassment and tried pushing Kaiden away.


    "k-Kaiden! What are you doing?!" Gideon managed to pry him off and Kaiden was looking at him angrily.


    "Why do you smell like fancy cologne and smoke"


    "?!"


    Gideon started sniffing himself and indeed some of Azazel''s smell rubbed off on him. He glanced at Kaiden and saw that the other had a dark expression and the atmosphere of the room was chilling.


    "I can explain-"


    "Then explain"


    ''A child''s temper is something else''


    Gideon began explaining what happened but left out numerous details such as who saved him and about the agreement. Kaiden only frowned and grabbed Gideon''s arm to see that he did have bruises so he was not lying. The boy was close to bursting out in tears but he needed to be angry because his Deon made him worried. With teary eyes he healed the bruises on Gideon''s arm, afterwards, he felt a little bit tired but not enough to sleep. Gideon patted his hair and stated that they''ll talk again about it after he takes a bath so Kaiden could rest up first. Kaiden went to his bed and laid down facing away from Gideon because he was "Angry". Gideon takes this opportunity to hide away the envelope that Azazel gave underneath his mattress.


    After showering and changing into clean clothes, Gideon got tackled by Kaiden the moment he entered the room resulting in the both of them falling to the floor.


    "Deon smells really nice!"


    "GET OFF!"


    "I won''t let you leave"


    "I won''t! Why are you suddenly so clingy"


    "Because Deon almost disappeared today if it weren''t for those strangers helping you! If that happens again then I''ll be alone again and I don''t want that¡­" Kaiden finally bursts into tears.


    "Kai¡­" Gideon called out to him by his nickname and patted his hair.


    "You''re important to me Deon! Nobody else wanted to be my friend, they all wanted me to die because I was different but you.." He finally decided to get off Gideon so that he could breathe.


    "You didn''t leave me even if the other kids started picking on you as well" He mumbled this out and wiped away his tears but it still continued to fall.


    "Aunty Valerie only tells me to ignore them and that''s what I do but it hurts a lot. I don''t understand what I did wrong"


    Gideon sat up and hugged the crying figure. Kaiden had been bottling up his feelings all these times and the idea of Gideon suddenly disappearing was the last straw for him. Gideon hummed a lullaby that he sang often to his Sister back in his old life whenever she had nightmares. The moment Kaiden heard this his sobs got quieter and he listened to this song feeling better. When Gideon was finished singing he just smiled because Kaiden actually fell asleep in his hug.


    ''Ah... I can already feel the pins and needles on my legs but I can''t wake him up''


    Gideon let Kaiden sleep on top of him for a few more minutes before deciding to try and move him to the bed. Kaiden woke up briefly midway and pulled Gideon into his bed.


    "Goodnight Deon"


    Gideon, who was surprised by the act, was now being hugged by a sleeping Kaiden. He sighed internally and adjusted himself to a more comfortable position.


    "Goodnight Kai"


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 Chapter 8 - 8

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    Valerie felt a little anxious about the state of things. When it was getting a little late, Kaiden was already affecting the entire floor with his mood. She tried to calm down Kaiden with the pendant and found out it did not work the moment Kaiden broke the lock on the door. Thankfully she managed to make him wait a few more minutes until Gideon finally returned safely explaining that he had to run to the bakery and wait for the Meringue Cookies to be prepared, that''s why he was late. He had no reason to lie to her so she sighed and told that Kaiden was waiting for him in their room.


    She hesitantly dials up Lianna to ask her how to keep Kaiden in check because the pendant no longer worked. Lianna felt a little scared for Valerie as well and told her that she''ll swing by to check on the pendant if it''s powers truly weakened. If it did, then they can try to find other ways to restore it. It was also possible to do that because Rhea was practicing her Holy magic as well. But if its powers did not weaken, then they can no longer guarantee the safety of Valerie and the children at the orphanage. Valerie thanks Lianna and hangs up on the phone to check on the two boys.


    When she walked to their room she heard a faint singing coming from inside and realized that it was Gideon singing. His song was really soothing to listen to and oddly enough the initial worry she had for Kaiden faded which made her decide to come back later. Perhaps it''s because of the fact that she knew Gideon would be able to calm down that child that she did not worry anymore.


    A few days later Lianna did manage to come over and apologized that she was not able to come as soon as possible because she needed to seal away some of Rhea''s powers to prevent her from being spotted by the Nobles. This resulted in her health declining due to the backlash of overusing her powers.


    "Wouldn''t checking the pendant be impossible in your current state?" Valerie was worried as she assisted Lianna who had been relying on her walking stick to maintain her balance.


    "I brought Rhea over to check, she''s waiting in the car because¡­ You know" Her eyes looked around as if she was checking if there was anyone eavesdropping on their conversation.


    "Ah yes¡­ I''ll help you walk back"


    Valerie and Lianna went back to the car and sure enough, there was a teenage girl inside the car who was busying herself by talking to a bird that was in her palms.


    "Ohh I see¡­ I think that bird did not mean to steal your food. If you want I can give a piece of my cookie but you need to put it in water so it''s easier for you to eat it" this young girl breaks off a tiny piece from her cookies and hands it to the bird. The bird chirped and flapped its wings.


    "No need to come back and give me a gift." She smiled and the bird once again chirped before taking the cookie and flying away.


    "Rhea, what did I say about holding birds?" Lianna scolded the young girl and the girl only smiled at her.


    "I''m sorry but the bird said that he was very cold and hungry. He didn''t look like he was sick either" she said unapologetically and opened the glove box to grab some wet wipes before looking back up at the two.


    "Hello, Miss Valerie! It''s been a while since you visited our home so I pestered mom to take me along instead of having you come over when you''re busy" she pouted but this resulted in her cheeks puffing up.


    This action reminded Valerie of Gabriella since this child had most of her features except for the hair and the eyes. Her hair was Light Brown like her mother''s but it was curly like her father''s. Her eyes were dark blue like Gabby''s but the shape was definitely of Matthew''s. In short, Rhea is a mix of both her parents.


    "I''m sorry for being busy but your mother told me that you were willing to help" Valerie sat in the back seat so it''s easier for them to talk.


    "Yep! She already told me the situation of the pendant possibly losing its power although¡­ I''m not quite sure what''s the purpose of it so I can''t really check properly" she twirled a strand of her hair with her fingers.


    Lianna glanced at Valerie kind of saying that it was not her place to tell about it anyways.


    "It''s meant to help me calm down the emotions of the half-demon children in the orphanage. The caretakers and I are all humans so we rely on this to help prevent their powers to go berserk if ever they are upset" Valerie told Rhea a white lie but the girl did not question it nor find any fault in it because it looked to be true.


    "Oh, in that case, I''ll be able to check! Mama said that it''s my specialty after all"


    She grinned ear to ear. Rhea''s speciality was both Empathy and being an Aligist. These were the specialties of her parents. Aligist was the ability to talk in any language, and that includes animals.


    Valerie gave Rhea the necklace and her face turned serious. Valerie panicked a little due to this.


    ''Did it weaken?''


    "Um¡­ Miss Valerie, so what my mama said to me is that the necklace weakened but this is even stronger than my own powers" she hands back the necklace to Valerie.


    "I''m pretty sure it will continue to work on half-demon children though, especially with how pure that power is. Who blessed it? Can they teach me how to do it?"


    "Rhea!"


    "What¡­ I''m Curious!" she beamed and Valerie was just stiff.


    The pendant was still powerful and yet it no longer worked for Kaiden. It only meant that his powers were now stronger than a simple blessed pendant. She covered half of her face with her hand before moving it to her forehead.


    ''What am I supposed to do in this situation?''


    "Valerie? Are you alright?" Lianna called out to Valerie who was in a daze with a concerned tone. Rhea reached out her hand to hold onto Valerie and sure enough she snapped out of her trance.


    "Ah?" She glanced at her hand being held by the young girl and immediately took away her hand. Although Rhea only pulled out Valerie from her trance and never peeked at what exactly Valerie was dealing with, it was a little worrying because Rhea might find out about her secrets.


    Lianna takes Rhea''s hand and gives her a scolding look that makes the young girl look confused and hurt. She only wanted to help but why was she becoming the bad guy in this situation? But it is rude to suddenly grab onto someone, what more to barge into their heads?


    "I''m sorry¡­" Rhea mumbled and sank into her seat.


    "It''s okay but please never do that again. Anyways, thank you for helping me with this. I need to get back right away"


    Valerie returned and the two started heading back to their place as well.


    "Be honest, did you see anything?" Lianna said in a monotone voice and Rhea was a little terrified.


    "No, I didn''t. I only pulled her out of her trance but I didn''t see anything clearly"


    "If you lied, I''ll ask your big brother to check if you are lying"


    "I''m not! I''m sorry it won''t happen ever again!" Rhea started crying because she didn''t want to burden her older brother who had already started working for the Nobles in order to keep her safe.


    "It''s true, I prove it once we get home"


    "Alright but never do that again Rhea. Miss Valerie is a good friend to our family and she also helped me keep you safe. This is the least we can do to repay her ok"


    "Okay"


    When Valerie came back to her office, she saw Gideon who was about to leave with some art supplies in his arms. The two of them stared at each other until Gideon''s cheeks started to tint red.


    "I um¡­ Kaiden''s birthday is almost close and I wanted to make him a gift" He averted his eyes.


    Now that she thought about it, it was less than two weeks away from October 17. At first she tried to throw him a party but Kaiden did not like it and preferred to celebrate his birthday alone. But for the past 2 years he had Gideon to celebrate his birthday with.


    "Do you want to help me bake a birthday cake for Kaiden?"


    Gideon''s eyes twinkled because he remembered that he used to bake cakes with his mother and sister for their birthdays. Back then, Valerie did not let him help because he was too small. So when this offer to him was made he immediately agreed to it.


    "Alright, we''ll make the cake a day before his birthday but we''ll have to make it a secret. Tomorrow come by my office so we can talk more, this aunty needs to rest first"


    She helped Gideon carry his stuff to his room before retiring to her own room to take in everything that happened today but ultimately her fatigue won her over causing her to fall asleep the moment she laid down on her bed.


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 Chapter 9 - 9

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    It took a while for both Valerie and Gideon to hatch up a plan to keep Kaiden distracted for at least 3 hours without the latter suddenly becoming suspicious of their actions. Initially, Valerie only wanted Gideon to help her decorate but the child kept pestering that he wanted to help with the baking portion. This only made things complicated for both of them but thankfully they did come up with a plan.


    "We''re doing what?" Kaiden looks up at Gideon. He was drawing something but Gideon was not able to see it because Kaiden kept hiding it.


    "A scavenger hunt but I''ll be the one hiding things all around the building so I won''t be able to be with you while you solve the puzzles"


    "That''s unfair, I want to be with Deon to play this"


    "But it won''t be fun if I know the answers already"


    "True" Kaiden pouted and Gideon only smiled.


    "If you do this, you''ll get your gift"


    "Gift?!" Kaiden thought Gideon forgot that his birthday was tomorrow.


    "Uh-huh! Even though your birthday is still tomorrow, if you complete the tasks you''ll get your gift later"


    And that''s how Gideon managed to distract Kaiden. He indeed made a small gift for him so that when he needed to leave for the capital, Kaiden still had something to remember him by that Gideon was his friend.


    Valerie and Gideon started making the cake while Kaiden was roaming around specific areas of the building that helped avoid the kitchen at the back. Thankfully because there were two sets of hands working, making the base of the cake went smoothly and it was possible for it to be finished within an hour.


    "We''ll pop this in the fridge so it can cool down faster¡­ I''ll decorate the cake on my own, I''m worried that Kaiden might bump into the other kids" Valerie pinched Gideon''s cheeks before sending him off.


    Gideon checked the last areas to see if Kaiden had finished but it looked like they weren''t done yet so it meant that he was still doing the other tasks. He was walking to the next area when he almost got hit by a rock when it suddenly stopped a few inches away from hitting his face. He was a little terrified because of what happened but he felt like someone was looking at him at a distance.


    ''Did kaiden stop this ro-''


    Suddenly one of the children screamed in horror and there stood Kaiden staring down at a child who was wrapped in blood-red energy that acted like a snake. In Kaiden''s hands, he held a piece of paper and pencil while the other held a rock. Gideon ran to Kaiden and held the hand that had the rock.


    "Kaiden, don''t hurt him!"


    "Why not?!" Kaiden pulled his hand away but it caused Gideon to stumble and lose balance.


    The anger that was in Kaiden''s eyes suddenly got replaced with worry and he let go of the rock.


    "Gideon, I didn''t mean to-"


    "Let him go!" Gideon looked at Kaiden and at the boy who looked like he was about to pee himself in fear.


    "Tch.." Kaiden clicked his tongue and still wanted to refuse but ultimately gave up.


    The boy ran away in tears screaming that he''s telling Miss Valerie and Kaiden screamed back "GO ON TELL HER!"


    Gideon was scared of the person in front of him


    ''Kaiden was about to bash the rock at that child. Even if that child tried hurting him, it still was not enough to actually kill him''


    Kaiden noticed the terrified look that Gideon held and felt his heartstrings got tugged.


    ''No¡­ Don''t look at me like that Deon''


    "D-deon" Kaiden carefully called out to him while reaching for his hand. Thankfully Gideon didn''t pull his hand away.


    Gideon swallowed his fear. He cannot get on Kaiden''s bad side, he wanted to live. His first time experience in death was already shitty, at least let his death in this world be peaceful.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t mean to scare you. But he tried hurting you and I thought-"


    "Kaiden"


    "I''m sorry Deon please don''t push me away!"


    "Kaiden I''m not pushing you away"


    "Then"


    "But it doesn''t mean what you did was right either. You''ll come with me to Ms Valerie and that bully to apologize"


    Kaiden didn''t put up a fight and walked with Gideon to Valerie''s office to find her trying to calm down the terrified child. The child started panicking again the moment he saw the two of them and Valerie''s worries about Kaiden''s powers started to kick in again. Gideon acted the mediator in this situation because Valerie herself was not helping even though she''s the "adult" in this situation.


    "Kaiden, apologize to charlie" apparently this kid''s name was Charlie. He was a human and was on the assumption that most demons won''t get hurt anyways by rocks.


    "I won''t apologize if he doesn''t apologize for throwing that rock at you"


    "It didn''t even land on Gideon!" Charlie defended himself and Kaiden snapped back.


    "Because I managed to stop it! If I wasn''t then Gideon would be injured again!"


    "You two be quiet!" Gideon snapped and glanced at Valerie who was holding Charlie.


    "Charlie, If you apologize to me I''ll forgive you because you didn''t know better but don''t ever do it again"


    In the end everyone apologized but Charlie called out to Gideon again to apologize before he left and stated that everyone at the orphanage planned on picking on him again especially tomorrow so the two of them should just stay in their room or be with the grown-ups.


    "Thank you for the warning, I''m sorry again for Kaiden''s actions"


    "It''s understandable¡­ He only did that to protect you. Just keep him away from me ok?" Charlie smiled awkwardly before dashing off.


    Kaiden was still sitting inside Valerie''s office being lectured on why it''s wrong to hurt others. Gideon hesitated on entering the room and that is when he heard Kaiden snap back at Valerie.


    "Why is it when others bullied me, you stay quiet but when I fight back you get angry?!"


    "That''s simply because you are better than that and you''re stronger than them" Valerie explains


    "I know but that doesn''t mean they can hurt Deon as well!"


    Valerie stayed quiet because he was right about that. Gideon was suffering as well in silence and it was due to her limited capabilities as a human. But it still cannot excuse what Kaiden attempted to do.


    "But it still does not mean you should harm others Kaiden"


    She won''t back down even if she fears Kaiden a little bit. Kaiden on the other hand thought this situation was funny because it was showing that his aunt doesn''t care about him or Gideon''s wellbeing.


    "Do you even care about me aunty?!" Kaiden yelled


    "Of course I do Kaiden!"


    "Well I never once felt it"


    Everyone was stunned by what Kaiden had stated. Perhaps it''s because Valerie also reached her limit that she argued back.


    "Kaiden, I have spent 10 whole years caring for you. I only want the best for you but you are making it difficult for me"


    "Well I never asked you to take care of me. If you tell me that you promised my mother to take care of me. I have no mother"


    Valerie raised her hand to slap Kaiden but she couldn''t bring herself to do so and only clenched her fist and told him to go to his room. When Kaiden opened the door that''s when they saw Gideon standing there as if he was waiting for them to be done. Kaiden looks down and walks away. Valerie''s eyes were a bit teary but she blinked it away and smiled weakly at Gideon before taking a seat.


    "Is there anything else I can help you with Gideon?"


    "Um.." Gideon entered the room and closed the door behind him.


    "I''m sorry if you heard us arguing. But I''m a little thankful that you''re there for Kaiden" Valerie beckoned for Gideon to come closer. When he walked towards her, she patted his head in a praising manner.


    "Kaiden really cares about you and even if I want to protect the both of you, I can''t. Will I be able to rely on you to help Kaiden?"


    Valerie was very serious in asking this and Gideon hesitated. He didn''t want to be held responsible for Kaiden. What kind of an adult would ask a child who is barely eleven-years-old this question? Clearly Valerie''s rationality is being affected by her stress.


    "I''ll try" He stated and this seemed to be enough for Valerie and she let Gideon sit at the chair in front of her desk.


    "What did you want to say?"


    "Remember that time when a strange man with Pink hair approached us?"


    Valerie''s expression became serious and she sat up properly.


    "Why are you asking me this?"


    "I spoke with him"


    "When did you- Did he threaten you to have me come with him?"


    ''Great¡­ just great! First Kaiden and now Azazel threatening a child''


    "He didn''t! He actually saved me!"


    "Hah?"


    And so Gideon explained what happened 2 weeks ago when he got home late. He left out the Oath part because he felt like it was irrelevant. But of course he can''t exactly act like he knows the whole story.


    "Hmm¡­" Valerie thought about the situation with Kaiden and how she can no longer keep him in check.


    ''Perhaps¡­ it is the best option for him to be raised by his father''


    At least if he was there, his powers could be kept in check by multiple people given he was technically the prince of this new world.


    ''This would have been better but, given the fact of what just happened¡­ he would not want to see me anymore if I send him away''


    A little bit conflicted, she ultimately decided that Kaiden''s wellbeing is more important than her own feelings. She told Gideon that she was certain Azazel left him something to contact him and to cast it a few days after Kaiden had calmed down.. Before he left Gideon proposed that he''ll take the cake later himself to their room and Valerie agreed stating that she''ll prepare some slices in the fridge so it''s easier for him to carry back.


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 Chapter 10 - 10

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    Gideon returned to their room and the room was colder than usual. He frowned and approached Kaiden''s bed. The child hid under his sheets crying and felt like someone had sat down by his bedside.


    "Deon.. is that you?" his voice cracked a bit and Gideon patted him.


    "Yep it''s me"


    "You heard everything, didn''t you?"


    "I¡­" there was no point in lying "yes, I did"


    "I just don''t understand why it''s ok for us to get hurt"


    It was never alright for this child to be hurt. He did not do anything to deserve this kind of life. Kaiden is just like everyone else who wants an equal chance in life to be happy. Gideon slowly took off the sheets covering Kaiden and Kaiden turned around to look at him. His eyes were red and puffy from crying.


    "I didn''t ask to be born like this¡­ am I selfish for wanting to be happy?" Kaiden asked very seriously things children shouldn''t be asking. Gideon shakes his head and wipes away his tears.


    "You''re not selfish for wanting that"


    Kaiden took a hold of Gideon''s hand and placed it against his cheek.


    "Why are you still with me even though the other kids bully you?"


    "Because I''m your friend"


    Gideon smiled and pulled away from his hand, stating that since Kaiden was not able to finish the game¡­ He''ll just give the gift now regardless. Kaiden sat up and received the box from Gideon. Upon opening it he saw it was a little photo album that had photos and drawings of them in the past 2 years. Gideon coughed in embarrassment because Kaiden stared at the gift for a while.


    "I just thought of a gift that would remind you of our friendship"


    "Deon"


    "It''s fine if you don''t like it"


    "Deon"


    "You don''t have to force yourself to say that you like it it''s ok"


    "GIDEON!"


    "YES?!"


    Kaiden only smiled brightly and hugged the photo album close like it was something precious. For him, it indeed was precious, even more than any other thing he owned. It was something Gideon put together for him that included all of their moments together.


    "I really like it, thank you"


    Kaiden''s smile was so contagious that it made Gideon smile as well.


    "I''m glad that you like it"


    Before Midnight, Gideon snuck out to grab the cake slices from Valerie. The moment he returned it was a few minutes before 12 and Kaiden was surprised by the cake. At first, he thought it was from Valerie but Gideon stated that he actually baked the cake and Valerie only helped by putting it in the oven and decorating it. Kaiden felt like this day was too perfect.


    ''This has to be a dream'' Kaiden thought to himself


    Gideon took a bite of his portion and it reminded him of home. He missed his real family but he knew there was no way out of this.


    ''If this was a dream¡­'' Gideon started to think


    ''I wish I won''t wake up'' ''I wish I''d wake up soon''


    The both of them had opposite thoughts that night.


    A few days had already passed since Kaiden''s birthday. Kaiden was no longer aggressive towards Valerie but he didn''t cling to her like back then. He instead clung onto Gideon more which made him feel a little bit awkward sometimes but as the understanding older brother he just let him be.


    ''It''ll pass and besides that, Kaiden will be sent to the capital soon''


    Gideon managed to pry off the clingy brother of his and Kaiden looked like a rejected puppy that had his ears down while he pouted.


    "Go ahead to the Library to the usual spot, I''ll catch up I just need to talk to Miss Valerie"


    Hearing the name, Kaiden''s expression cooled, and nodded. He didn''t want to be around his aunt for now. Kaiden trusted Gideon that he wasn''t faking any moment of the times they were together. Except for that one time when Gideon stared at him with fear. Even if he said that he won''t leave, his entire body was shaking in fear. Both of them were alike but at the same time, they were drastically different as well. The only thing that will prove that they were close was that gift he received that contained proof that Gideon does care about him.


    Kaiden smiled to himself and went to the library to pick out some books to study with Deon.


    Gideon on the other hand, was in Valerie''s office holding up the piece of paper that Azazel had given to him to a candlestick that Valerie lit up for him. Upon contact with the fire, the letter immediately dissipated into a cloud of black smoke. The smoke suddenly swirled and it gradually revealed Azazel who sat on the office chair.


    "Nice to see you again Valerie" Azazel smiled and leaned back on the chair before tilting his head.


    "I should thank you, Gideon, without you it won''t be possible to talk to this lovely lady"


    "Let''s get straight to the point Azazel" Valerie stated before taking a seat in one of the free chairs in her office.


    "Hmm? With him present? Don''t you think it''s unwise to talk about our old agreement?"


    "I won''t be able to go" Valerie admits and Azazel glanced at Gideon as if he was saying


    ''I thought you promised to change her mind''


    "How come?" Azazel glanced back at Valerie and the woman just looked down.


    "Kaiden hates me now. This is why I didn''t tell Gideon to leave yet"


    Azazel hummed and stood up from the chair to walk towards Gideon.


    "Come to think of it, the first time I saw Kaiden in person¡­"


    He patted Gideon''s head and rubbed his hair lightly.


    "He was protecting his kid"


    Azazel turned around and looked at Valerie.


    "I''ll assume that you are proposing that we use Gideon here so that we can have Kaiden cooperate with us?"


    "Yes, you''re correct zel"


    "Haha, you still remember my nickname, Val. Still, that''s evil of you to use a child even if it''s for everyone''s sake"


    Gideon kept quiet during the entire conversation but he already expected this. Valerie was left with no choice and Kaiden''s power was growing stronger day by day. The only ones who can protect him from himself are Luciel and the Demon Nobles.


    "Where will you take me and Kaiden? I thought you said you only needed Miss Valerie to go to the Capital with you?"


    "Hmm yes, that''s originally the plan but your Ms. Valerie and I had an agreement prior"


    Azazel looked at Valerie asking if he could tell this kid the gist of it and she nodded.


    "So you''re an orphan, right? Well, the thing is, Kaiden is not. Indeed his mother died but his father is still alive. His mother was supposed to take him to his father after the war but unfortunately"


    Azazel went quiet but shook his head a little


    "She passed away. His father does not know about Kaiden''s existence and for a while it was alright but it seems like it''s becoming a little too much for Miss Valerie. If I''m wrong do correct me, Val"


    Valerie nods her head and says that everything was correct. She started explaining her side of the story and that she used a blessed pendant that was given by his mother to stabilize his emotions to keep his powers in check. But as of late, the pendant is no longer effective so she can no longer guarantee the safety of anyone if she continues to raise him.


    Gideon stayed quiet and nodded in understanding. He knows all of this because he read it once but now having to bear the responsibility of convincing Kaiden to go with his father was too much for him. In the novel, Kaiden resented Valerie for leaving him in that environment. The novel was written from Kaiden''s point of view so he did not know that Valerie was suffering trying to keep him and everyone around him safe.


    ''Once again I am forced to agree to this but the route this will lead to is the very route I am trying to avoid''


    Gideon frowned and looks up at Azazel who had been waiting for him to speak up on the matter


    "I''ll agree to help you reunite Kaiden with his dad but"


    "But?" Azazel raised an eyebrow.


    "You have to guarantee my safety and I no longer want to be in this Orphanage"


    "Gideon!"


    Valerie stood from her chair and Azazel raised his hand signalling her to stop.


    "Why are you making such demands?"


    He was a little bit curious about what was going through this kid''s head. Shouldn''t a kid his age ask for simple things like food or toys? The things he asked are easy to do but still, he did not expect it from a child.


    "Kaiden doesn''t have a good temper. And he constantly stuck next to me in the past two years. If I suddenly left him especially after what happened between him and Miss Valerie, he would hate me and I won''t be able to handle that"


    Gideon knew he should be acting like a child but he was scared of dying horribly. He just wanted to live quietly from now on. Valerie did not question Gideon''s wishes anymore because what he said made sense. She raised Kaiden in the past 10 years but due to a misunderstanding, he has not spoken to her or even looked in her direction once in the previous days. He may forgive her in the future and just leave her be but someone like Gideon who he had known for 4 years only? If we were to exclude the years prior to Gideon''s Amnesia then it would only be 2 years, still too short to guarantee anything. She did not want to assume the worst of Kaiden but she cannot leave that possibility out when he was about to bash another child with a rock the other day.


    Azazel agreed to swear an oath to keep Gideon safe from Kaiden''s wrath. He also promised that once Kaiden has been reunited with his father, Gideon is guaranteed a comfortable life. Once that was cleared out, Gideon was told that he should fetch Kaiden because they will be leaving now.


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 Chapter 11 - 11

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    Kaiden was getting impatient waiting for Gideon but as soon as he got up, Gideon arrived. He was about to pull the other down to sit next to him but Gideon told him that they needed to go somewhere. He was a little confused but followed behind. Gideon told him to pack up some things because Miss Valerie was being called back to the capital by the king.


    "But why do we have to come along?" he asks midway, packing his important belongings into his bag.


    Gideon said that "It''s because the other kids will definitely be more aggressive when she''s not around".


    Kaiden only nodded and continued packing because he indeed thought that it would be safer for Gideon if they came along. Kaiden was greeted by Azazel and his Aunt who was standing outside the building talking. He ignored the two and only followed Gideon who was holding his hand.


    Azazel took off his gloves and bit his finger and started drawing runes in the air as he mumbled out his spell. A magic circle under their feet suddenly appeared and a flash of light caused them to close their eyes. The moment they opened it again they were in a very big room that had a chair in the middle.


    ''A throne room?'' Kaiden thought because it looked like the one he saw in fairytale books.


    Azazel took them into a study and told them that his majesty would be joining them very soon. Gideon pulled his hand away from Kaiden and walked towards Azazel to whisper something. This action made Kaiden frown and Azazel whispered something back to Gideon before walking out briefly. Kaiden felt a little bit relieved but Gideon did not go back to his seat next to him as if he was waiting for Azazel to come back. Sure enough, Azazel did come back with a Woman. She had her hair tied up in a bun and wore the official uniform of the nobles.


    Gideon suddenly looked back at Kaiden and said "Forgive me Kaiden" before leaving the room with the woman. Kaiden wanted to follow after Gideon but Valerie held back his hand. Kaiden didn''t want to use his powers against Valerie but suddenly he felt weak and eventually he fell asleep. Amias was standing in the corner watching the drama unfold and he couldn''t handle it anymore so he charmed Kaiden so he would fall asleep.


    When Kaiden woke up, he was in an unfamiliar room and he saw Azazel by his bedside reading something. He wanted to hit him and demand where he took Gideon until Azazel overpowered him and explained his situation. Kaiden didn''t care if he was some prince or whatever, what he cared about was Gideon and if he was safe. Azazel only stated that Gideon knew about this and thought it was best if he left Kaiden. Kaiden asked Azazel where his things were and the latter pointed to a table in the room. He then requested that he would be left alone. When Azazel left, Kaiden went straight to his bag and took out the photo album that Gideon had gifted to him.


    ''The entire time¡­ Gideon knew about my situation and decided to keep it a secret.''


    ''The entire time Gideon had planned to leave me''


    The tears continued to fall as he hugged the album.


    ''Did Gideon really think it was the best for me?''


    ''Or was it because he was scared of me?''


    The more Kaiden thought about it, the more his thoughts worsened.


    He didn''t want any of this. All he needed was Gideon and he was content with that. But in the end, he was betrayed by his only friend.


    Kaiden threw the album to the ground and summoned fire in his hand to burn it but he couldn''t do it.


    That day he only wept, wishing this was indeed a dream and that he would wake up back in his room with Gideon who was still sleeping soundly.


    Eleven years had passed and Gideon indeed had lived a comfortable life so far thanks to Azazel. He was placed under the care of Kassandra''s Faction, another demon noble who took care of the monsters that roamed the land during the night.


    At first, Valerie asked him if he was sure about his decision and that she''s willing to come along but Gideon refused to state that she already made a place for herself back at the orphanage. Should the day ever come that Kaiden returns to that place to look for him, she needs to be there to clear her of any suspicion. This meant that Valerie will never know where Gideon will be staying to keep him safe. Azazel offered him the chance to know about Kaiden''s wellbeing seeing that they used to be close but Gideon refused this gesture. He believes that he will regret his decision even though it is in the best interest of everyone.


    He sighed as he was washing up his face in the bathroom sink. Looking up he stared at "his" reflection. No matter how many years he spent in this world, he still could not see this body being his. The Gideon in this world did not have a proper description in the original novel other than having black hair and green eyes so readers portrayed him differently. Right now he was smaller than he was in his previous life and indeed was prettier. He looked like those androgynous models they hire for fashion shows but clearly, he lacked the confidence and the height department.


    ''Besides that, I can''t be seen by Kaiden''


    "My hair is getting longer..." He looked at the mirror. Gideon decided that he should go to a barber to have it cut.


    While deep in his thoughts, suddenly someone knocked on the door.


    "JUST HOW LONG DO YOU PLAN ON BEING IN THERE! I NEED TO PEE" Stephen knocked on the door multiple times before Gideon finally opened it. He was suddenly pulled out and the door slammed shut.


    Stephen was something that humans called vampires. Apparently back then Humans hunted and experimented with the "monsters". They weren''t violent back then and lived peacefully under Kassandra''s care. Because of this, Kassandra''s resentment towards man only grew. One day she saw that there were women who cared for these creatures but a man claimed that these women were witches and started what was called a witch hunt. To save them she turned them into different types of human hybrids of those creatures. They pledged their existence to serve her in the night and thus Vampires and Lycans were born.


    They didn''t actually hate each other, they simply did not work together because they were in different regions, to begin with.


    As for why he was male, Kassandra gave the women the power to turn others they trusted. Stephen found one of the injured and took care of her until she recovered but he was discovered by his village and he was gravely injured trying to protect her. She turned him and since then he''s been by her side. They both claimed it was true love and instead of the "traditional housewife" it was Stephen who stayed at home. Kassandra approved of their union and now gave Stephen the responsibility of caring for Gideon. In a way, they technically adopted him but had a contractual relationship.


    "My bladder was about to explode, You know this is the only bathroom with a functioning toilet" Stephen walked out of the bathroom wiping his wet hands with tissue.


    "Well, who broke it in the first place?" Gideon raises an eyebrow while he fixes up his uniform. He was in the middle of getting ready to leave for work but his thoughts held him up again.


    Stephen blushed because it was due to indecent acts between married couples that the toilet was accidentally smashed when they slipped.


    Gideon laughed and grabbed his helmet from the top shelf.


    "You already prepared the order right?"


    "Yeah, It''s near the capital and it''s the ceremony for the right of succession today so it will be more crowded than usual"


    "Haha yeah, I know that Steph, I''ll be leaving now. Just prepare the other orders for when I come back" Gideon wore his helmet and Stephen only shakes his head.


    "No worries, Theodora told me to close up early because she wants me to attend the ball with her. Take the extra keys if you want to roam around the city" He pointed to the keys hanging in the hallway towards the front door.


    Gideon took the keys and left to deliver the desserts Stephen had baked. He felt a little embarrassed to live with them for free, so he agreed that he would be the Delivery boy once he was allowed to drive.


    Thankfully in this world, it''s still similar to his old home in some way. Humans still used Technology to aid in their everyday lives but since the rise of "mythical" entities, technology has not advanced anymore. But Gideon feels like the true reason is that Luciel is preventing it from advancing so that Humans would not use it to start a rebellion.


    ''I mean as someone who was previously a human, I can understand being terrified entities we once regarded as myths''


    It took him 2 hours longer than usual to deliver the order. He profusely apologized but the recipient did not mind and just said thank you that he managed to deliver it before they left for the parade.


    Gideon was a shut-in ever since he left the Orphanage so he does not know anything going on in this world. He did not speak much at first to Stephen and his wife Theodora but thanks to Stephen''s baking, he eventually opened up. If we were to count his friends, he had none except for those two and Alexander who occasionally stops by the shop to buy sweets for his sister.


    ''Even in this life I barely have friends... Alice, I''m so sorry but big brother is still a shut-in''


    He debated with himself if he wanted to watch the Parade because he did not want to linger in the capital for too long. Ultimately his curiosity won him over and decided to watch it from afar. But even so¡­


    ''THERE''S SO MANY PEOPLE!''


    What was the reason? Gideon was pretty sure that in this world of fantasy, there wouldn''t be a lack of festivals or parades.


    "I heard that the King and Prince will be joining the parade!"


    "What no way! I''ve only seen the king from afar, so this means I get to see his fabled beauty up close?!"


    "Let''s not forget that the main character of this festivities is the prince who will finally show his face to the public"


    "I wonder where he came from, I never heard of the king marrying and having a child"


    A lot of spectators were gossiping and Gideon just so happened to overhear them. He felt goosebumps all over his body at the mention of Kaiden being present in the parade.


    ''I need to get out of here!''


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 Chapter 12 - 12

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    Although it was only a slim chance of Kaiden seeing him and recognizing him. There was still a chance! And it''s not something Gideon was willing to risk.


    He tried his best to get back to his motorcycle but there were too many people blocking his way and because of his below-average height in this world, he was easily swept away by the mob of people trying to get closer to sneak a peek at the royalty.


    ''Fuck this cannon fodder''s body! Even though I took care of this body, It''s barely 180cm''


    The carriage that had the king and prince approached the area Gideon was in. He already accepted his fate and hoped that Kaiden did not recognize him in this sea of people. Since he was already here, he might as well take a peek at what Kaiden looks like now.


    In the distance, two people were sitting in an open carriage smiling and waving. The masses were shocked because the king seemed to have changed over the years and maybe it was due to his son. Even though the king''s charm was blinding, he cannot compare to his son who had a rather forced smile and was waving.


    "Kaiden, can''t you at least be more sincere when smiling?" Luciel whispered to his son discreetly.


    "Why should I? These people are here for you, not for me" Kaiden who was now 21 years old stole a glance from his old man with uninterested eyes.


    Luciel felt his chest tighten because even though the shade was not the same, those eyes still reminded him of Gabriella. Seeing their son like this towards him made his guilt continue to fester in his heart. He let out a quick sigh and smiled at Kaiden. Luciel knew it was his fault in some way and hoped that one day Kaiden would forgive him.


    "It''ll be over soon, just smile a little brighter for me son" Luciel averted his gaze and looked at the people below them.


    Kaiden suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and looked back at the masses beneath them and smiled.


    The women swooned and some even screamed in joy at the sight of Kaiden smiling. Gideon couldn''t take his eyes off him for some reason. He was just in shock that Kaiden grew up perfectly without him, which made him feel a little bit sad. This was what he wanted, wasn''t it? To fully embrace being a cannon fodder in this stupid novel and live his days peacefully? Whatever that feeling is, he just pushed it away and continued to watch the parade. To be more specific, he continued to look at Kaiden. No words can describe how handsome Kaiden turned out to be. It makes sense for him to be this handsome since he is the Protagonist.


    ''If you weren''t the protagonist, I would have complained about why I look more pretty rather than handsome!''


    There was a brief moment that their eyes made eye contact that made Gideon immediately duck his head. He looked around and started to squeeze into the crowd to getaway. Praying that Kaiden did not recognize him.


    Luciel noticed his son was just staring blankly in a certain direction and he glanced in the direction to see nothing.


    "Kaiden, did you see something?"


    "Ah!" As if he was suddenly brought back to reality, Kaiden immediately looks at his father.


    "I just thought that¡­" his words trailed off and he looked back in that direction and felt very sure of something.


    "That?"


    "Nothing" Kaiden finally smiled genuinely for the first time in years.


    ''I just thought that I saw a certain traitor''


    "FUCK! I''M PRETTY SURE HE SAW ME!"


    Gideon managed to crawl to his motorcycle and drive away from the capital. He needed to contact someone. Azazel? No, he can''t be of help during this situation because he''s busy with managing. Theodora? She''s still working as well by guarding the parade in the shadows. Stephen was probably his best choice but he did not want to involve him any further in this mess.


    Gideon drove away and knew that he shouldn''t come back home for a while to keep the two of them safe. He could not guarantee if Kaiden did recognize him since it was only a brief moment for the both of them to lock eyes. Although he now has a better grasp on his powers, it''s still not good enough to go up against Kaiden. At most he can probably deal with thugs since he did not want to experience the trauma he went through 11 years ago.


    Back at the Capital, the ball was about to start soon and Kaiden was still lost in his thoughts ever since the parade ended. Azazel took notice of this since he was one of the event coordinators, alongside Arda who was busy ordering people around to decorate the ballroom to perfection.


    "Your Highness, is there something wrong?" Azazel called out to Kaiden.


    "Oh" Kaiden looked at Azazel and remembered that this was the man who helped that traitor run away.


    To this day Azazel still refused to tell him where Gideon was nor allowed anyone else to aid Kaiden on this specific request. His eyes narrowed and a smile appeared on his face.


    ''I don''t need this guy''s help since I already know Gideon is still residing in the Capital''


    The entire time he searched outside the Capital but never within because who was stupid enough to stay close to their enemy? But at the same time, it was very clever because it meant that Gideon managed to run around under his nose.


    "Oh nothing, I just remembered someone. I don''t need to attend the ball right?" the way Kaiden said it sounded like he was asking for confirmation rather than permission.


    "The king instructed-"


    "I don''t need to attend the ball right?" He repeated the question, now facing Azazel directly. Kaiden did not fear Azazel nor did Azazel fear Kaiden.


    "I suppose you can excuse yourself early but you need to tell your father" Azazel backed down since he can''t fight the prince on this day.


    Kaiden seemed to be pleased with this response and turned away before stating that Azazel should just tell his master himself that he won''t be joining this "stupid ball" since he had no partner anyways. Azazel only bit his lower lip in annoyance but went back to work mode and did what Kaiden had ordered. Luciel was a little disappointed in hearing that his son was once again uninterested in joining him in events. He really wanted to bond with his son and tried doing so over the past 11 years. But it seemed like no matter what, Kaiden already built a wall around his heart.


    Gideon was close to the outskirts of the capital and he stopped driving for a moment to take a break. The sun was setting and although monsters were lurking, They were mostly docile and the Violent ones were the ones in the north to northeast. He squatted on the roadside next to his motorcycle and buried his head in his hands.


    "I was already living a good life so far for so many years¡­" he finally broke down crying.


    Gideon was not able to do this the moment he got sucked into this world because he always had someone next to him. Even in his dreams, this feeling haunted him but he could not cry out. Tears continued to stream down on his face. He was not strong but he had to pretend to be one for his sister in his old life. And even in this life, he needed to act strong because he can''t rely on anyone.


    "I miss my family, I''m so sorry that big brother is weak" he mumbled to himself begging for forgiveness from his real family.


    "I just want to go home, I never asked for this" He mumbled.


    "There you are.."


    Gideon hears an unfamiliar voice and looks up to see a woman in what appears like the capital''s military uniform. She had a brooch that had the Lilith Flower engraved into it meaning she is one of Kassandra''s subordinates.


    "I''m sorry, you are?" Gideon wipes away his tears and stands up to extend his hand in greeting.


    "Emilia, I''m Theodora''s subordinate. She got worried when we received reports of someone going out of the capital at this time" She explained to Gideon who only nodded.


    "I''m sorry Miss Emilia, but I can''t return to the capital"


    "What?"


    "It''s a little complicated to explain but I feel like I will put Stephen and Theodora in danger if I returned"


    With this Emilia started laughing that got Gideon confused.


    "Theodora in Danger? Boy, I''ve only lived for over 500 years now and when I tell you Theo is something else on the battlefield, I mean it. And besides, that''s an insult to our master and her subordinates if one of us is weak" She smiled and Gideon profusely started apologizing for the remarks he made.


    "It''s alright, you''re only worried about her but that''s why I''m telling you this because she also worries about you so please come with me and return to the capital" her eyes softened at the young boy in front of her and she patted his head.


    ''He''s so small, I can see why Theo considers you as her own''


    "Okay" Gideon mumbled out as he nodded.


    Emilia made him hand over the keys to the motorcycle because she saw Gideon crying earlier so he needed to rest his eyes. At first, Gideon was hesitant but did not put up a fight and handed her the keys for her to drive. The two of them started driving back to the Capital and once they had returned home, Emilia gave him her calling card saying "If you feel like you can''t talk to Theodora, you can talk to me instead. You''re family to us now"


    Gideon entered the empty house and absentmindedly said the word "Family¡­" before proceeding to dial someone because he really needed a friend right now.


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 Chapter 13 - 13

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    At this moment, Alexander, who was summoned by Kaiden to go look for the person who tried leaving the capital at this hour, received an incoming call. Kaiden glanced at the person whose phone was vibrating while he was briefing and pursed his lips.


    "I''m so sorry your highness, but can you excuse me briefly to answer this call?" Alex bowed his head towards Kaiden and the prince only rolled his eyes.


    "Alright but you have to be quick"


    "Thank you"


    And with that Alexander left the meeting room and checked who it was calling. Regardless of who it was calling, He would cast a small array around him to prevent anyone else from hearing what their conversation was about.


    "Hey, Why are you calling? I thought you would be at the ball with Ms. Theodora?"


    "Ah, no I stayed back since you know about me and Kaiden"


    "Oh yeah, you did mention that¡­ what do you need?"


    Somehow Alexander had a gut feeling that Gideon was the one who tried leaving the capital.


    "Are you busy? I just need someone to talk to at the moment"


    Alexander was silent for a moment, thinking if he should tell Gideon but there was a chance it wasn''t him leaving.


    ''I''ll just warn him regardless'' Alexander noted in his head.


    "I''m kind of busy but I''ll try to get out of it"


    "If you can''t it''s alright, take care Alex"


    "You too, don''t leave the house for now ok?"


    Alexander ended his call and looked back at the door only to see Kaiden was leaning on it staring at him. He got spooked by this action a little and he took down the array so he could be heard.


    "Your Highness" he called out


    "Why did you need to set up an array? Are you hiding something?"


    Kaiden was suspicious of Alexander given he was Lianna''s son. He had already started working for the capital when he and Gideon had met. But he already learned the hard way that he can''t trust anyone anymore.


    "I always set up an array when I''m on call since it''s my right for privacy" is a simple sentence that answered both of Kaiden''s questions. In short, Alexander meant "why should I tell you?".


    Kaiden''s eyes narrowed and he was about to say something else when someone came up and reported that the person who had tried to leave the capital was escorted back into the capital. When Kaiden asked who it was and where they were escorted, the servant shook his head saying that the Person escorting him was under Lady Kassandra''s faction and they could not approach or see who these were due to the monsters preventing them from doing so.


    "Is that so? Lady Kassandra is attending the ball is she not?"


    "Yes, all of the Nobles are present and are talking with the King at the moment"


    "Hmm, change of plans. Alexander, tell your team that the mission is canceled and you are all dismissed, however¡­" Kaiden walked closer to Alex and placed his hand on his shoulder to lean in and whisper.


    "I know you''re hiding Deon, all I suggest is that you don''t get in my way as well" Kaiden moved away and smiled at Alex who looked like he got shit in his mouth.


    Kaiden waved his hands as he walked away to attend to the ball at the last minute to talk to Kassandra. When Kaiden''s arrival was announced to the ballroom, everyone stopped and was shocked because they did not expect the prince to come especially when the Father already stated that the Prince intended to rest since the parade made him dreary. Luciel walked up to his son and smiled, eyeing him up and down since he was in a different attire but nonetheless it was still presentable.


    "I thought you did not want to attend today''s banquet" Luciel patted his son on the back to gesture him to come along to the other nobles.


    "I changed my mind and I need to talk to Lady Kassandra about something"


    Kaiden gently pushed his father''s hand away and he strode to Kassandra, who was talking to Arda about the current state of affairs within the capital.


    "Lady Kassandra, Lady Arda" Kaiden looked at the two and the two bowed in different manners. Kassandra did a courtesy bow and Arda did the usual bow that men did.


    "Prince Kaiden" the both acknowledged him.


    Kaiden didn''t really care about the Demon Nobles even though they helped in raising him. They were still cunning individuals who had self-interest as their main priority in life. It''s just that his father, Luciel, gave them exactly what they wanted that''s why they still follow him to this day. However, he does not clearly know what their goals were so he can''t get them to be on his side.


    "I need to speak to you, Lady Kassandra"


    "Oh? What do I owe the pleasure to your highness?" Kassandra smiles and Arda decides to excuse herself to give the both of them some privacy. Kassandra spun the glass of wine in her hand waiting for Kaiden to speak up.


    "I overheard that someone tried exiting the Capital at this hour" at the mention of this, Kassandra stopped spinning the wine but still retained her smile.


    "Indeed, but not to worry my women took care of it"


    "So I''ve heard, but what bothers me is who would desperately try to leave during this hour?"


    Kaiden still pushed on the topic and it made Kassandra a little irritated thinking how Azazel managed to drag her ass into this problem.


    "It is common for people to come and leave from the capital so I do not see the reason for your highness to get interested in silly matters" She took a sip from her glass and still continued to observe Kaiden.


    "You''re right, but it''s just that I have a feeling that it''s Gideon trying to leave"


    When Kaiden mentioned that name, it''s as if a bomb got dropped and several people paused in what they were doing. Namely, those people were Azazel, Amias, Luciel, Kassandra, Theodora, and Stephen. Arda and Damien knew of the situation but thankfully they weren''t dragged into this mess so they could only watch from the side and continue with their light banter.


    "Why is your highness still thinking about that Peasant?" When Kassandra called Gideon that derogatory term it only made Kaiden''s blood boil but he still remained calm.


    "The word Peasant seems to be outdated but I won''t blame you since some of us are youngsters who aren''t aware of how derogatory that term is"


    This also implied that Kassandra was old and it made her face stiff.


    Azazel decided to butt in because it was getting out of hand and called out to Kaiden. When Kaiden heard him, he smiled and turned in his direction.


    "Azazel, just the man I wanted to talk to"


    "Your Highness¡­"


    "Be honest, did you try to help Gideon leave again?"


    "No your highness, I''ve been aiding your father with the banquet the entire time. Why are you still bothering yourself with that child?"


    "Well that''s none of your concern anymore"


    Kaiden grew tired of this, but it only confirms that it was indeed Gideon trying to leave. It''s just that none of the nobles were in it and were also preventing him from leaving.


    ''I wonder why, maybe because they think Deon would betray them since that seems to be a habit of his''


    When the prince left the hall, Stephen turned to Theodora and got a look from her telling him not to leave yet. Even though both of them were extremely concerned for Gideon, their faction was already under suspicion. They can''t expose themselves if they want to protect themselves and Gideon.


    Gideon busied himself with baking cookies that night and had a feeling that someone was inside the house. He readied his hands if ever someone pounced on him and to his surprise it was Amias who appeared. He keeps forgetting that Amias and Azazel can teleport with ease as long as they are familiar and welcomed to the area they were trying to go to.


    "I thought you would be at the banquet?" Gideon lowered his guard, he trusted Amias to some degree.


    "I was, so how did you get yourself caught after 11 whole years of hiding?"


    Amias wanted to smoke but he knew that he can''t smoke in this house since he''ll get a beating from Kassandra. So instead he went for the cookies that Gideon made and ate one.


    ''Tasty''


    "I was delivering orders earlier and got stuck in the crowd during the parade. Kaiden must have recognized me but we only locked eyes for a few seconds"


    "That''s quite a weird way to say that you were curious about how Kaiden was doing and you accidentally exposed yourself"


    "?!" Gideon almost coughed out the cookie he was eating.


    "I hit the nail right on the head?" Amias grinned and took another cookie to eat.


    "Drink water, while you''re at it get me something to drink as well¡­ anyways the prince had been looking for you non-stop in the past 11 years. But the thing is, we don''t know why"


    Gideon handed Amias a glass of water and drank from his own cup to clear his throat.


    "Isn''t it obvious? He hates me and wants me dead"


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 Chapter 14 - 14

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    "Actually at first that''s what we thought but that''s the treatment we get from him"


    "Care to explain?"


    Amias proceeded to explain that for the past few years Kaiden showed passive-aggressiveness to everyone in the capital. Gideon states that he was already like that prior to living in the capital and Amias just shook his head.


    "Kaiden was looking for you all this time, right? But whenever we try to say that you''re no longer relevant in his life, he gets angrier" Amias still continued to eat up the remaining cookies and Gideon just didn''t mind at this point.


    "But that still doesn''t explain why you say it''s different"


    "I''m getting to that, so Kassandra earlier called you a peasant but as a response, Kaiden insulted her by calling her old. In a way, he was defending you. This is not the first time he did this that''s why everyone is just confused on why he''s hell-bent on looking for you like he wants to kill you but at the same time gets angry when someone else insults you"


    Gideon was silent, not because Kassandra called him a peasant since he''s already met that lady and knew that''s just her way of speaking to other nobles. The fact that Kaiden defended him was odd indeed.


    Amias looked like he wanted to say something else but he was unsure of it so he dismissed that idea for now.


    "I just went here to tell you this because I''m constantly the person overlooked in that hall" Amias sighed and took the last piece of cookie from the tray.


    "That being said, you need to be careful. There''s a chance Azazel will swing by once he finds the opportunity to do so. Maybe he''ll relocate you to a different place, hopefully not mine though because someone like you will not survive there"


    "Why not?"


    Gideon raised an eyebrow and after seeing Amias slowly revealing a smirk, he already knew what Amias meant. He shook his head profusely and his entire face was red.


    "Looks like you already know the answer. Thanks for the cookies, I''ll take my leave now"


    Amias snapped his fingers and a flash of light appeared. Amias disappeared leaving a thank you note with his number on the chair he was sitting on previously.


    ''It''s probably one of those cards he leaves for-''


    Gideon shuddered not wanting to think about Amias'' sex life but internally he thanked the man for the warning.


    "So Kaiden was looking for me the entire time but at the same time, he would defend me¡­ Kaiden, just what do you feel towards me?"


    Gideon muttered to himself and proceeded to make another batch of cookies because it was all eaten up by an uninvited guest.


    When Amias returned he was greeted by Azazel who had been looking for him the entire time. He explained that he quickly visited Gideon to give a heads up on the situation. Azazel frowned because this only confirmed that Gideon did try to leave the capital. Amias whispered the reason why and even Azazel was a little confused by it.


    "How on earth would Kaiden recognize him just at a single glance?"


    It was the one thing that bothered Amias and Azazel that night but now they were certain that they can''t hide Gideon from Kaiden. Amias just smacked Azazel on the head using his Cigarette holder since he was now allowed to smoke again.


    "This is why I still call you a dumbass for swearing an oath!" He puffed out at Azazel.


    Even though he insults Azazel like there''s no tomorrow due to jealousy, You can''t blame him for being worried for his own comrade.


    "The kid wouldn''t agree without it and I never expected that the prince would be this obsessed" Azazel whined while he rubbed the back of his head.


    "I mean Azazel can handle the oath right? At most he''ll just receive spiritual backlash but that can be healed in a few decades" Damien decided to butt into their conversation which was followed by Arda


    "No! That would mean his workload would be passed onto me and I''m already stressed out by how much you keep killing demi-humans, Damien"


    "What? It''s part of my job to keep order even if it means I need to dirty my hands a bit and you can always pass it onto Kassandra"


    "Ah... I''m already busy with managing the creatures of the night and keeping the monsters that pests (humans) made with their experiments" Kassandra comments from the side.


    "Then that leaves" Damien looks at Amias and then looks back at Arda.


    "I send my condolences to your sleep schedule in advance" Damien patted Arda''s shoulders.


    "WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Amias got angry at Damien and the two started their daily bickering once again.


    "Ahh, you guys are so lively again" Luciel decides to butt in as well and this resulted in all of them shutting up and bowing down their heads in respect.


    "Oh no just continue but I did overhear what you guys were discussing and I won''t allow Azazel to be crippled for a few decades even if it means that Kaiden will finally be satisfied. Make sure to deal with this efficiently and don''t forget our main goal"


    Everyone nodded and the short unexpected meeting was dismissed.


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 Chapter 15 - 15

    Over the past few weeks, Gideon was hidden away in the house. Stephen and Theodora didn''t want to do this but they worry the moment that they step out they will be caught by Kaiden. But Gideon''s worries weren''t on that matter, instead, he spent those days thinking about just exactly what Kaiden wanted out of him. He can''t cross out the possibility of Kaiden wanting to kill him just yet so he doesn''t dare to seek out the protagonist just yet.


    "I''m nothing but a cannon fodder in your story, Kaiden¡­ After all these years you''re still chasing me when you should be chasing the real villain"


    On that thought, Matthew still had not made his move. In the original novel''s plot, he sabotaged the announcement of Kaiden''s Return to the public but instead it was Gideon who stirred up problems. This made Gideon''s mouth run dry.


    ''Perhaps the novel is assigning me the parts where Matthew should have appeared because I did change some of the plot points. But still-''


    It still meant that Gideon was a villain in the end even if he did not do anything. Just his existence alone was enough to ruin the protagonist''s life one way or another.


    ''This sucks''


    Gideon finally got out of his room and was greeted by Theodora who was walking down the hallway in her uniform. He suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Emilia and felt the embarrassment surging within him again.


    "Are you ok Gideon?" The poor boy looked like he saw a ghost or something.


    She was aware that she did look ghoulish due to her complexion and red eyes but this was the first time she saw Gideon like this.


    "Y-yes, don''t worry I just remembered something! Are you heading to work now aunty?"


    "I am, someone needs to fend off the sudden swarm of monsters up north so I''ll be gone for a few days. Stephen also left earlier today to deliver orders for today"


    "So that means I''ll be alone for a while?" Gideon felt a little sad about this and Theodora only patted his head.


    "Yeah, so make sure to stay inside. I haven''t heard any news of the prince''s movements since the ball"


    Theodora went on with her usual reminders. Gideon only sighed and gave her a smile because she reminded him of his late mother. He felt the urge to hug her to which she was caught off guard by it but eventually hugged him back.


    ''This boy rarely shows affection but obviously craves it'' Theodora thought to herself and finally left the house.


    Gideon decided that he''ll read some books and maybe watch the news. As he was entering the living room, he heard the door click.


    "Aunty, did you forget something?" No one answered so it made Gideon tense up


    Footsteps down the hall can be heard and Gideon was about to run when he couldn''t move.


    "What about you? Didn''t you forget something?" an unfamiliar voice spoke.


    Gideon looked down and saw the familiar blood-red energy wrapping around him and slowly making its way up to his neck.


    "Why are you suddenly quiet?" Kaiden crossed his arms and walked to Gideon''s side so he could take a good look at him.


    "I''m pretty sure you still recognize me since you did runoff during the parade" He smiled at Gideon. The snake-like power was already wrapped around his neck and it''s only a matter of time before Kaiden decided to kill him.


    "Kaiden" Gideon spoke and this made the prince smile. It looked sincere and felt all the more sinister because of that fact.


    "Hello Gideon"


    "What do you want?"


    Gideon tried to move around but realized that the more he moved, the more Kaiden tightened it. Kaiden stopped smiling and straightened up his body while looking at Gideon from head to toe. He wasn''t hearing the words he wanted and thus he grabbed Gideon by the neck and slammed him to the floor.


    At the very same time, Azazel was speaking to Luciel due to urgent matters. Every single one of the nobles got bombarded with work. At first, they thought this was possibly the work of Matthew to weaken their defense. But Azazel noticed that the prince was not around so he rushed to Luciel to report and look for the prince. Until suddenly he vomited blood and felt his knees give out.


    Luciel''s eyes widened and he rushed to Azazel''s side to heal him but the latter was already losing consciousness due to blood loss.


    "L-Luciel"


    "DON''T TALK ANYMORE" Luciel shouted as he poured out his powers to Azazel. He was not willing to lose another person he cared about. Azazel shook his head and glanced at the pool of blood.


    ''Gideon¡­ if he dies, I''ll definitely die. This should be enough.''


    Azazel tried to teleport the both of them to where Gideon was residing and to his surprise the array broke. His eyes widened and realized that Kaiden had most likely set up an array to prevent anyone from teleporting there. He chuckled and thought that Kaiden did listen to the lessons they gave to him before finally passing out.


    Back at Theodora''s place, Gideon was close to passing out due to Kaiden strangling him. Earlier he managed to break free by making Kaiden temporarily hallucinate thus making him dissipate the energy wrapped around him. Thankfully he could heal himself a little bit and he tried to run away since he knew he was no match for Kaiden. Unfortunately, he broke free from that small illusion quickly and he caught Gideon once again.


    "Running away only proves you''re guilty of something" Kaiden states as he lets go of Gideon to let him breathe. He did not want to kill him but it was more like he was demonstrating the fact that Gideon can no longer run away and any attempt is futile.


    Gideon coughed and healed himself a little. If he continues to use his powers, he''ll pass out at this rate. Kaiden grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to the front of the coffee table. He threw Gideon on the floor while he took a seat on the sofa before he looked down at his "old friend".


    "My patience is slowly running out so you better start begging if you want me to consider forgiving you"


    "..."


    "Still not going to speak? Or did you really forget what you did to me? Heh, compared to me, you had it good" Kaiden leaned back on the sofa and looked around the room.


    "You actually had people who cared for you and not your status"


    His eyes looked desolate as he spoke these words and Gideon could only look at him with guilt.


    "Kaiden, I should have never done that to you"


    "What exactly did you do to me?"


    Kaiden looked back at Gideon. He was really insisting on the fact that Gideon acknowledges the pain that he inflicted on him. What he was doing to Gideon is nothing compared to what he felt.


    Gideon sighed and realized that he cannot run and that Amias lied. Kaiden was going to kill him earlier but just wanted him to confess. He was stupid as well for not giving a proper explanation back then but he did not have the time to tell Kaiden the reason. Since he had the opportunity to tell him now, he should explain it to him now, right? He only prayed that Kaiden would actually listen.


    "Kaiden, about what I did in the past I did not mean for it to happen. I noticed that Ms. Valerie was having trouble with keeping everyone safe especially when you''re getting stronger day by day. Without anyone else teaching you how to control it, you''ll put yourself at risk as well."


    "Hmm, Azazel and the others already told me this"


    "Then why are you still angry at me?!"


    Perhaps it was a wrong decision for Gideon to raise his voice because Kaiden suddenly kicked the coffee table that was in between them to the side in anger.


    "YOU BETRAYED ME! You promised you would stay by my side! And yet you left me all these years alone with no proper reason why"


    "I already gave you my reason!"


    "It still does not explain why you needed to leave! I would have returned to my father with no problem if you were there with me"


    Kaiden gritted his teeth in anger, a part of him was hoping that there was another reason for this but you can''t entirely blame him for not being logical due to his resentment.


    "You still don''t understand it" Gideon muttered and it made Kaiden scoff at the remark.


    "What else is there to understand from that logic? Would big bro Deon care to elaborate?"


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 Chapter 16 - 16

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    Gideon stared at Kaiden flabbergasted. Anyone who thought about this logically would realize that it was in the best interest of everyone to have Kaiden be united with his father. He took a deep breath before he started to explain it in a much clearer light.


    "The reason is simple, I did not belong there"


    "What?"


    "Your father and the others only wanted you and Ms. Valerie to come to the capital, I was just an extra"


    ''Literally, I am just an extra in your story Kaiden'' Gideon thought to himself.


    "That''s it?"


    "That''s it."


    "Heh"


    Kaiden leaned back into his seat and covered his bemused expression with his hand.


    "Just an extra¡­ even so you could still have stayed with me. Give me a much better reason Gideon, even if it''s a lie"


    "The agreement was only for you to go back. Even if one of us insisted, I won''t get the same treatment as you"


    "Oh? How come? Why are you so sure it would be like that when you didn''t even bother to try"


    "Because I was only kept alive for that very purpose"


    Kaiden fell silent for a moment when he heard that sentence. Indeed he did say that Gideon could lie his way out and this was just a silly idea that came up so he can consider letting him live. But when Gideon spoke those words, it made him wonder if it was the truth or a lie. Seeing Kaiden fell silent Gideon continued to speak.


    "Back then, I was about to be taken away by demi-humans. Azazel and Amias showed up just in time to save me and Azazel told me to convince Ms. Valerie to go with him to the capital"


    Kaiden still did not respond to him and thus Gideon took this as a sign for him to continue.


    "I asked why and Azazel was about to discuss the reason why, when Amias tried to prevent him from doing so. But it resulted in Azazel threatening Amias. Now tell me, if I were to reject his request even after rescuing me, would I be able to live? The most they could do is indeed leave me alive, but abandon me in that area where my fate is left unknown"


    "Gideon"


    "If it''s still not clear enough for you, They would not care about what would happen to me. Even if I came with you to the Capital, I will never be welcomed!"


    "Then you should have told me this back then!"


    "Then what? You''d protect me from them?"


    "YES! I promised I would protect you as long as you promised to stay by my side"


    "Kaiden, be logical here. You were a child back then who could barely keep their powers in check"


    Kaiden really felt shitty with this entire thing. All this time he held a grudge against Gideon for going back on his word. He still could not forgive Gideon for leaving him but the truth was that his friend did not betray him and only chose the best option for the both of them.


    "I know I said you could try to lie your way out of this but I just want to ask if what you told me is the truth"


    "It is the truth, you can ask all the people involved. They might have different versions but we will all have one truth in common. The king only asked for you and Ms. Valerie"


    Gideon still felt his body aching a little. He was not able to fully heal himself to stay conscious even though he knew he had no chance against Kaiden no matter what he does. For now, Gideon only waited for Kaiden to respond to him because the latter was staring at him. Although it does remind him of their brief childhood together, it was not the time to reminisce. Kaiden instead got up and walked towards Gideon.


    At first, he thought ''This is it, I''ll die.'' He was about to use his last bit of powers to defend himself but instead felt the body ache go away.


    Kaiden just healed him. Gideon''s eyes widened and he was about to ask him something but the words were stuck in his throat. Kaiden didn''t wait for him to speak and was about to leave.


    "You don''t need to hide anymore, I''ll let this go but" He stopped in his tracks as if he was thinking about something.


    "You still need to make up for all those years you avoided me"


    Gideon was confused about what this meant but Kaiden was already gone and Theodora''s living room was a wreck.


    The moment Kaiden returned to the Castle, he was still conflicted about the entire situation and needed to get to the bottom of it to verify Gideon''s claim. But before he could do any of that, he was greeted by Alexander who looked panic-stricken by seeing the Prince.


    "Your Highness, The king has requested- no demanded your presence as soon as possible. He is currently tending to Lord Azazel''s condition in the Caduceus Wing"


    "I see, I''ll go there now"


    "Your Highness before you do"


    Alexander stopped Kaiden who was about to go to the king. He saw Kaiden as a little brother and looked out for him even if it was ordered by the king directly since he was indeed one of the few who had Siblings that are close to Kaiden''s age. So knowing about the current situation, he can''t help but be worried for him but at the same time, he was panicking about the current state of Gideon that he needed to ask.


    Although he guessed half of it back then, Kaiden was sure that Gideon and Azazel had an agreement. And hearing that Azazel was being treated by his father directly meant that Azazel swore an oath and possibly it was regarding Gideon''s safety.


    "Gideon is safe, I left him in one piece. Do bring him here sometimes, He won''t admit it but he likes to be around people" He briefly stated this to Alexander and left to see his father.


    Alexander was left there standing with a confused expression that the other guards that were patrolling the grounds saw him and had to snap him out of his daze. Alexander saluted and excused himself while muttering to himself.


    "What exactly did you mean by that, your highness" he mumbled before going back to help out Lady Arda with her work.


    Kaiden arrived at the Caduceus Wing. Till to this day he had yet to explore this huge castle that his father made. According to Azazel, his mother loved fairy tales during her time living as a human. She joked that she once dreamt that one day she''ll be able to live in a castle somewhere where there are mountains and beaches not far from it. His father had this castle built in her memory. That''s the reason why even though he saw in other regions they had tall and grand buildings, they still chose to make this their place of retirement.


    "Father I''ve returned" Kaiden made his way into the private room that was assigned for the Nobles.


    Luciel still had his back facing Kaiden and Azazel was sitting on the bed with a ghastly complexion.


    "Your Highness" he spoke but his voice was still a little weak.


    "Stay quiet Azazel, you still need to rest" Luciel cuts in to prevent him from wasting more of his energy. Azazel only smiled awkwardly and nodded.


    Kaiden walked closer to the two and saw that his father was focused on healing Azazel. His expression was similar to the one he would have whenever his mother was mentioned. He did not know what to say since he was not really close with the both of them. It was Luciel who broke the silence filling the room.


    "Did you plan this?"


    "Pardon?"


    Kaiden had an idea of what his father was trying to say but of course, he''s done making assumptions so he''ll wait for the other person to tell him what they meant.


    "Having the monsters attack the northern part of the capital as well as have demi-humans wreak havoc in the other regions"


    Luciel stopped healing Azazel because he was already tired. Kaiden walks up to the other side of the bed and starts healing Azazel. Since he was half-angel, it was less consumption of his powers and it was more efficient.


    "Did you do all of those just to get back at that child who left you?"


    Luciel was trying his best to stay calm despite his fury. It can be said that before all of the things that happened, He and the Nobles started as an odd bunch of friends who shared a common goal to live their life to the fullest and never to betray one another. Even though their ideals started to change, they remained comrades. Azazel in particular was the first person who stood up for Luciel and the common friend he had with Gabriella. He already lost his love, he does not want to lose his closest friend as well.


    "I did not do any of those and simply took the opportunity to sneak out" Kaiden bluntly states that it even made Azazel cough because it meant that he terribly misunderstood Kaiden.


    ''To think I thought you were that despicable..'' Azazel thought to himself and glanced at Luciel who still looked indifferent.


    "Your Highness" Azazel speaks out once more and to his surprise, his voice is no longer weak. Kaiden indeed was superior in power compared to them.


    "Gideon is fine. I only punched him but I healed him up" Kaiden once again says honestly that it made the situation even more awkward.


    "You are aware that Azazel had sworn an Oath to keep that child safe in exchange for your safety right?" Luciel stared dangerously at his own son that looked up at him straight in the eyes.


    "I was not"


    "Weren''t you wondering why we kept Gideon from you?" Azazel spoke up again to stop any conflict.


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 Chapter 17 - 17

    Kaiden stopped healing Azazel since he was pretty much fine now and needed to rest up to replenish his powers.


    "I was but I was not sure which one of you swore an oath. I did not expect it was you" Kaiden glanced at Azazel who suddenly averted his gaze.


    "Ah, well that child was bright enough to make a deal with the second most influential person in the entire capital at that time" on the thought of Gideon, Azazel suddenly realized that he did not suffer a terrible backlash from the oath.


    "What happened to that child?" He asked the prince curiously and Kaiden just shrugged.


    "I may have used a little bit of force to make him speak. That being said, your oath is now broken right?"


    "Ah yeah" that also meant he no longer had to protect Gideon from Kaiden. Even though it was good news, he still can''t help but feel a little conflicted.


    "But it does not mean that you can now kill him, your highness"


    Kaiden showed Azazel a genuine smile and shook his head. He had no intentions of killing him, if he did he would have done that earlier. Azazel took a note of this expression and looked down feeling a little bit guilty because he knew that it was partially his fault that those two had to be separated.


    "Ehem" Luciel coughed to make his presence known in the room and the two immediately looked at him confused. Maybe it was a wrong decision for him to catch their attention but he couldn''t help but feel left out.


    "I apologize for the troubles I caused you father" Kaiden took the initiative and lowered his head deeply showing his sincerity.


    "You should be apologizing to Azazel as well"


    "Ah, no need for that your highness! It was my fault as well for"


    "Apologize to Azazel" Luciel cuts Azazel off and Kaiden looks up at him then moves his gaze towards Azazel.


    He hesitated a little towards apologizing because Azazel was one of the reasons that he and Gideon were separated. But if it meant that their conflicts would end and they could start anew, he was willing to suck it up for once. Kaiden did not lower his head but he still apologized. Azazel was willing to take this because it would be insulting if the prince he was serving lowered his head to a servant.


    Luciel and Kaiden left the room so that Azazel could rest. On their way back, glanced at Kaiden who was still staying quiet about the ordeal. Although Kaiden was at fault for risking the life of Azazel, he did not mean it because he did not know who it was who had an agreement with Gideon. And none of this would have happened if they didn''t force Kaiden to be in this position.


    "Father, I have one question"


    "What is it?"


    "Were you the one who prevented Gideon from coming along with me?"


    Luciel thought about what to say to Kaiden about this. He couldn''t speak his thoughts directly because they were in the hallway. He still could not rule out the possibility of spies in his faction. But it seemed like the moment Kaiden does not hear a proper answer, he''ll leave them without hesitation. Luciel still needed to rest to replenish his energy from desperately trying to save Azazel earlier but he still temporarily set up an array to keep anyone from hearing them.


    "In a way I suppose?" he finally speaks and Kaiden narrowed his eyes


    "Why?"


    "I only asked to know what Ella was protecting that time she disappeared, nothing else"


    Kaiden gritted his teeth in anger. Gideon was right, his father only asked for him. Even if he did manage to convince everyone to have Gideon remain by his side, there were no guarantees for the safety of his well-being. Indeed Gideon did choose the best option for everyone''s convenience.


    "So all this time you held resentment towards everyone because of this?"


    "It appears so" Kaiden sarcastically adds and Luciel just sighed.


    "Why is he more important than the people who genuinely cared for you all these years?"


    "I could ask you the same thing about Mother"


    The area became quiet and Luciel was caught off guard by the statement. It was almost the same as declaring one''s love.


    "Kaiden, are you in love with him?" Luciel asked curiously.


    That may be the reason why Kaiden was not one bit interested whenever Amias offered him to tag along in his debauchery but who would have thought that his son was playing for the other team. Not that he was against Homosexuality but then again it would explain the irritable glare his son gives to the women that try to pursue him. One time Luciel asked Amias to check if Kaiden was Asexual but to his surprise, he wasn''t. For the longest time, they couldn''t really put a finger on why Kaiden was not fancying anyone but now it makes sense.


    "What nonsense?!?" Kaiden blushed a shade of red.


    "He was the first person who actually cared about me without any sense of obligation, that''s why I got angry and needed an explanation but everyone kept getting in my way that it made me even more furious!"


    It looks like his son still has not realized his feelings. Like father, like son indeed. Luciel felt at a loss and pinched the bridge of his nose out of stress. He sighed and looked at his son.


    "If you say so. Do you have any other questions?"


    "No" Kaiden''s ears were still pink because of the sudden question his father asked.


    "I see, I''ll have some of Azazel''s works transferred over to you because Arda will overexert herself at this point. If you need help, ask me directly. The Nobles need to rest"


    Luciel took down the array before going straight to his office to clear up some of his paperwork and hope that Damien has returned from his expedition for briefing. Kaiden, on the other hand, went to Arda''s office to pick up his workload only to be greeted by a "Corpse". Arda was just lying face down on her desk in an unsightly manner as if she died.


    "Lady Arda?" Kaiden called out.


    ''Did she really die from overwork? How will I explain this to my father?'' His concern was elsewhere when he remembered what his father just asked him.


    "Huh, what?" Arda raised her head and saw the Prince standing in front of her. She immediately sat back up and took off her bun to redo it.


    "Prince Kaiden, what brings you here?" She asks as she finishes tying up her hair.


    "My father said to have some of your workloads transferred to me"


    "What?" Her cellphone on her desk that she rarely touches vibrated and upon checking it was Luciel telling her to pass her work to his son.


    "I see, I''ll have someone delivered it to your room once I''m done sorting them out accordingly"


    Kaiden was left with no choice but to leave and return to his room. A few moments later someone knocked on his door and handed him some documents to look over at and on top of it had a list of instructions on how to do them.


    ''That woman is seriously a workaholic and a perfectionist'' He thought to himself before going to his desk and sitting down to go through it.


    Midway into working he suddenly remembered what his father said and he had to pause. His face turned red again and he was deep in thought.


    "Do I actually feel that way towards Gideon?"


    He needed to sort out his feelings. Maybe he''ll figure it out once he spends time again with Gideon. He''s scared to assume things and what''s scarier is the fact that if he is indeed in love then what? Would Gideon accept it?


    "WHY THE FUCK AM I THINKING ABOUT THIS ALREADY" Kaiden shouts and aggressively finishes his works and reviewing over it numerous times to distract himself. It was not enough so he called Arda and requested more work.


    For the first time in years, Arda had little to no paperwork left for the week that she finally had a vacation.. And it was all thanks to their prince who looked like he may have drunk some alcohol because of how red his face was when the servant delivered the workload.


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 Chapter 18 - 18

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    When Stephen returned in the evening, he was surprised by the state of the house. He did not know what to say due to shock but the first thing he muttered was "Theo will murder me". He said those words with fear in his eyes. Gideon had to explain the entire thing slowly to Stephen and the latter looked like he was about to faint any time soon.


    "So¡­ Prince Kaiden barged in here the moment Theo left for the frontlines and harassed you"


    "Not exactly like that though-"


    "HE NEARLY CHOKED YOU TO DEATH, THAT BASTARD I''LL MAKE HIM REPAY" He angrily spat and Gideon had to pat him on the back.


    "Uncle Stephen"


    "DON''T UNCLE STEPHEN ME GIDEON!"


    Gideon frowned and then coughed to correct himself,


    "Steph, He''s still the Prince and He healed me anyways after. I''m pretty sure he just had to vent out his anger"


    "Do you really disregard yourself like that always Gideon?"


    "Ah?"


    The question Stephen had asked him made him stop and think about it for a moment. He never really considered himself in situations like this. The moment he does, it''s always problems after problems that he just decided not to be a bother. He just wants to live his life at ease. But at the same time, He''s accepted that he may die at any moment due to this character''s destiny. He already died once, what''s the worst that could happen the second time around? Stephen waited for his answer but saw that those green eyes were still staring at him at a loss that he couldn''t help but hug the boy.


    "Gideon, please put yourself first before others. You don''t deserve any more pain" he patted his hair and Gideon just stood there not knowing what to do.


    "I''m sorry"


    "Haist just don''t do it again"


    He moved away from the hug and inspected Gideon from head to toe. Indeed he was back to mint condition as if nothing happened. If only the same thing could be done to the house.


    "I suppose we can get a new house?"


    He was already considering relocating somewhere else in the capital because their location was exposed. Now that their house had a hole in the floor, that may be the best option.


    "A new house suddenly? Can''t we just have the floors replaced?"


    "We can but I''ve been considering moving anyways, and Theodora always travel a lot to the north so it would be easier for her if we were to move to the northern region of the capital"


    Technically they could just move out of the capital but Theodora would still need to come back every other day to the capital to report. It would just be illogical to move away.


    Stephen shows Gideon a bunch of houses and the prices of them were enough to make Gideon cry. Stephen noticed Gideon''s expression and he states that the benefit that Theodora gets in her position is that she can have any house she wanted but it was strictly limited to one.


    Gideon can guess it''s because her job is life-threatening and it''s the most that the Capital could repay for her service. While they were still browsing, a house caught Gideon''s eye. It was similar to his old childhood home in his previous life. Viewing it made him remember all the times he and his family would spend together. There was an instance that reminded him that his dad carried him on his shoulders and ran around despite being tired from working.


    "You''ve been staring at this house for a while now, Do you want to move here?" Stephen tilted his head to the side and Gideon immediately shook his head.


    "Ah no, I was just reminded of something back when I was a kid"


    Stephen shuts up realizing it might be rude to ask him about it. No one really knows about Gideon''s past before entering the Orphanage at the age of 7 years old.


    They settled on a split-level house mixed with Cottage style that was located up north. Stephen called Theodora to tell her about the news and proceeded onto calling some of Theodora''s colleagues to help with paperwork.


    A week had passed since the incident and Kaiden thought about visiting Gideon now that he knew where he lived. He was sitting inside of the meeting rooms since he had briefed a few squads in regards to


    "But I can''t really just pop up there, especially after what I did last time¡­" Kaiden paced around the room thinking of a reason to go there.


    ''Wasn''t the side of the house a bakery shop?'' Kaiden thought to himself and decided to just go there under the guise of buying goods.


    He did a terrible disguise of wearing a mask and a hat to hide his identity and snuck out of the palace to see Gideon. The moment he arrived, however, surprised him. The place looked desolate as if they already left the place for some time. He just stood in front of the house and one of the owners of the house next door saw him.


    "Oh the family already moved out a week ago"


    "Ah?" Kaiden glanced at the person and it was an elderly human male.


    "I said the family that lives there already moved out a week ago, they even gave away desserts to us before they left"


    "Is that so? Do you know where they live?"


    The elderly man was surprised and felt a little suspicious about the stranger so he shook his head as a response and said he did not know and immediately went inside the house to give Stephen a call about the situation.


    Kaiden felt a little bit angry because he thought he and Gideon were fine. He thought that he might have scared him still and wanted to smack himself. Since the place was abandoned, he might as well explore the place to see where Gideon grew up in all these years. Upon entering he saw that there were a few boxes still that have yet to be picked up meaning Gideon and his new "family" weren''t exactly done with moving. That or they intentionally left the items.


    Kaiden kept roaming around until he heard the front door open and close. He raised his guard and hid to see who it was. Gideon on the other hand, was already close by this place to pick up some of the remaining items when Stephen called him that Kaiden was most likely there. He rushed to arrive because he needed to explain that he wasn''t hiding or anything and that he wasn''t able to tell him about the sudden move due to the fact he didn''t know how to contact him. Kaiden saw that it was Gideon and did his best to suppress the urge to demand an explanation on the matter. What surprised him was the next course of action that Gideon suddenly did.


    "I know you''re here Kaiden, Let''s talk"


    Kaiden got out of hiding and held onto a poker face while removing his terrible disguise.


    "Oh you''re brave to call me out"


    "Before you misunderstand the situation, remember you did destroy the living room and that''s pretty much the reason why we had to move"


    "That¡­" Kaiden''s eyes widened a bit and he immediately composed himself. Indeed he was at fault for that.


    "And even if I wanted to tell you that we were going to move, I don''t have your contact"


    Kaiden''s embarrassment went past the roof as his cheeks started to have a layer of redness. He got angry at Gideon for no reason again and misunderstood his actions. He mentally cursed at himself and wanted to disappear. Gideon saw the funny expression Kaiden had and resisted the urge to laugh but he couldn''t.


    "Stop Laughing!"


    "I''m sorry, but I couldn''t resist"


    "Ugh" Kaiden rolled his eyes but in the end, he smiled a little because Gideon''s smile was contagious


    "I''m sorry for suddenly barging into your place uninvited" Kaiden took the initiative to apologize.


    "Ah no need, but what brings you here?"


    Kaiden stared at him for a moment as his mind went blank due to the sudden question. He already had a plan before he went here but it''s as if that plan suddenly vanished.


    "Um, to be honest, I have no idea myself" He blurted out honestly and Gideon was a little surprised.


    "Oh, then are you free to help me bring these boxes to the new house?"


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 Chapter 19 - 19

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    There was an awkward silence that filled the room in Gideon''s new home. Kaiden''s eyes were staring straight back at the man in front of him. Stephen was glaring at Kaiden while Gideon was awkwardly shifting in his seat.


    "To what do I owe the pleasure of his highness visiting this servant''s humble home?" Stephen sarcastically, not even bothering to hide his resentment.


    "I am merely visiting an old friend who happened to be under your care" Kaiden smiled but the smile did not reach his eyes at all.


    Gideon glanced back and forth between the two and let out a few coughs to catch their attention. The first cough was ignored so he coughed louder and Kaiden was the first one to break from the staring contest.


    "Our place is still a mess, unfit for his highness! We can just talk another day" Gideon tried to reason out and Kaiden shook his head.


    "Well I can help you unpack your things"


    "Kaiden please" Gideon started to whisper hoping he''d get the idea.


    "Gideon I insist" Kaiden whispered back.


    The two kept bickering back and forth on why Kaiden wanted to help and why he shouldn''t. Kaiden was trying to piss Stephen off more all the while spending more time getting to know his old friend once again. But the man could no longer tolerate these two children whispering in front of him.


    "THIS SERVANT CANNOT HAVE THE CROWN PRINCE DO MY WORK FOR ME"


    "And the servant cannot order this crown prince around"


    The room felt like it dropped to a few degrees and there was killing intent between the two men. Gideon immediately stands up and puts himself in the middle of the two.


    "Uncle Steph, If you don''t want our prince to help clean up then I''ll just tag along with him to somewhere"


    "No!" Stephen hates this idea even more. To leave Gideon alone with Kaiden is like handing a bunny to a fox.


    "Then I''ll just help you out"


    Kaiden stood up from his seat and walked to a box that was labeled "Attic". Carrying it he started to walk out and Gideon had to rush after Kaiden. Stephen was left alone in the living room and he immediately held the bridge of his nose out of stress.


    "Kaiden put those down. I''ll put them up the attic"


    "I''m already carrying them, the most you can do is lead me there"


    "There''s no point in arguing with you"


    Gideon gave in again and led him to the area that had the door to the attic. He tried reaching for the string to pull down the Ladder but the string wouldn''t fall like usual. He had to jump to grab the string and pull it down. The moment he turned around, he caught Kaiden trying to hold in his laughter. He frowned and grabbed the box from Kaiden to put it up in the attic himself.


    "Hey I told you I was the one who will put those away" Kaiden stopped laughing and Gideon got a little fed up.


    "Well I didn''t want you to help out-"


    His foot slipped and felt like he was falling until suddenly he wasn''t anymore?


    He opened his eyes and saw that Kaiden had caught him and the box that went flying was just floating in midair and slowly it floated up into the attic and the door closed.


    "You ok?"


    Kaiden was still holding Gideon by the waist, their faces were close to each other. Both of their hearts were beating fast. Gideon immediately composed himself and moved away from Kaiden.


    "Yeah, I''m alright!" His face was red due to the embarrassment he just had received.


    "Let me see your foot"


    "No no it''s not hurt" it was. "and even if it was, I''ll just heal it myself"


    There was silence between the two of them again and Gideon murmured something. Kaiden blinked in confusion and walked closer.


    "Did you say something?"


    Gideon frowned "I said thank you!"


    He just felt so flustered about the situation because of how stupid it was. How did he even slip, what kind of clich¨¦ novel was he in? It dawned on him for a moment and his expression became even worse upon remembering that he indeed transmigrated into a clich¨¦ novel.


    Kaiden felt a little helpless at Gideon since he didn''t know how to respond to someone who said "Thank you" with an expression that looked like he stepped on shit.


    "No Worries, Is there anything else you need help with?"


    Gideon is not going to go through what had happened earlier so he gave up and said that he just needed to sort out his things in his room while the rest will be handled by Stephen and him. That''s one way of preventing a Royal Murder Crime Scene from happening in this house.


    Kaiden, on the other hand, felt a little nervous at the same time excited.


    ''Calm down Kaiden, Calm down Kaiden'' he internally chanted to himself as Gideon led him to his room.


    "It''s still a mess, I mostly need you to help me put away the things inside that box on that shelf while I assemble my desk"


    Gideon pointed to a box and a bookshelf near it. It was an easy job and Kaiden didn''t say anything else and went ahead to open the box. The box had some frames, knick-knacks, and books in it. Upon taking out the frames, it was a diploma and other school-related certificates. The name of the school looked like it was a community college and apparently, Gideon took up Hotel and Restaurant Management.


    "You went to a community college?"


    "Why didn''t you go to Imperial College instead? Even if you had terrible grades, I''m sure with Theodora''s position under Kassandra you would be able to enroll"


    "Well, it''s simply because I was trying to avoid" Gideon stops mid-sentence upon realizing what he was about to say.


    "To avoid me. Don''t worry, I thought about it and it does make sense why you avoided me. To be honest maybe if I was allowed to speak with you then maybe you didn''t have to go through all that"


    Gideon was a little quiet. Indeed he would have been able to explain it properly if he was given the opportunity back then. But everything was being rushed to the point he was panicking as well. He placed his focus back on assembling the desk because of how unsure he was on what to answer. Kaiden seemed to pick up that he didn''t want to push this topic so he went ahead to put the items the way he would in his room.


    "What else do you need help with?"


    Gideon was already done with setting up his desk. He didn''t have a desktop since he uses a laptop that he saved up from his "salary" working in Stephen''s Bakeshop. Another thing is that he didn''t have that much stuff due to the fact he already got used to living a minimalist esc lifestyle in his previous life. He would spoil his sister with everything and only buy the necessities for himself.


    "That''s about everything. I can''t have you put away Stephen and Theodora''s stuff or else we''ll just go over the same situation earlier"


    "I''m well aware of that, then can we just talk like old times?"


    "Oh um, sure? You can sit anywhere you want"


    The sudden request made it feel awkward for Gideon. Kaiden took a seat on his office chair while he sat on his bed. He wasn''t sure what to talk about with him.


    ''He''s close to Alice''s age and you technically read most of his life in the past you can do this Gideon''


    "So how''s life going for you so far?" Gideon started with small talk. This way he can maybe find a topic out of it.


    "Not much, I didn''t know that you had Azazel bound to an oath so it almost killed him"


    Gideon''s eyes widened in the sudden news. Usually, Amias would come to visit him in Azazel''s place to notify or check on him but this was during the time where their oath was still active. Now that it was broken, he had no news about Azazel after it was broken. He never really understood the consequences of breaking an oath but now he does.


    "Is he alright?!"


    Even if Gideon''s character was a pawn in this novel''s chess game, the time he spent in this world made him attached to the characters. On the other hand, however, Seeing Gideon worry about the very man that got them separated made Kaiden furious. He kept his expression neutral and his powers in check to prevent another misunderstanding.


    "He''s fine. The King was there to help him and I healed him as well. You''re so worried, are you two close?" He raised an eyebrow at Gideon and Gideon didn''t know how to react.


    "I just feel like it''s my fault that''s why I''m worried"


    "He willingly swore an oath. It''s his fault for not fulfilling the terms"


    This conversation was getting a little bit negative and Gideon was not liking it one bit. But it did say a lot about how Kaiden''s character is still similar to the original novel. Even though he was no longer a cannon fodder with how many encounters he had with the Protagonist and the supporting characters, there was no guarantee that he was no longer a villain.


    ''Even if the novel forces me, I won''t let all of my efforts so far go in vain''


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 Chapter 20 - 20

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    Kaiden stayed quiet as he studied Gideon''s reactions to the things he had said. He wondered what was so special about Azazel that Gideon managed to forget Kaiden was still talking to him and didn''t even bother replying. With every passing second, Gideon did not respond, that''s how many times he''ll beat up Azazel.


    Back at the castle, Azazel suddenly sneezed. It got Luciel''s attention and thus he handed him some tissue. They were having a meeting on the last known whereabouts of Matthew''s Faction.


    "If you''re still feeling unwell, you can excuse yourself"


    "No, It''s more like someone is cursing at me" He glanced at Amias and the latter narrowed his eyes.


    "What are you looking at me for? If I''m going to curse you, I would have said it directly to your face idiot"


    "Who are you calling an idiot?!"


    The two went on to argue with one another and thus the meeting was dismissed.


    Back at the two men who were having a staring contest. Gideon realized that Kaiden must have been waiting for him to say something so he immediately snapped out of his thoughts.


    "Ah sorry I was just thinking about the oath, I didn''t expect that the punishment would be that severe"


    "Pardon? Oaths were always like that, did you not know that?"


    Gideon shook his head innocently and Kaiden showed a shocked expression.


    "YOU UNKNOWINGLY MADE AN OATH NOT KNOWING THE CONSEQUENCES?!"


    Kaiden''s sudden outburst made Gideon stay quiet because he knew full well that he was in the wrong for making rash decisions. Upon realizing what happened, Kaiden sighed.


    "I''m sorry¡­ Fuck I was supposed to be making up to you- What am I even doing?" Kaiden sank into his seat and covered his face in shame and frustration.


    ''So Gideon could have died one way or another if their oath made it to be like that¡­''


    Gideon was at a loss with what to do or say. He could not understand what Kaiden was apologizing for when it was his fault now.


    "Kaiden, I''m sorry for making things hard for you I-"


    ''I what exactly? I have no idea how to comfort you because of how quickly you keep changing your mind and mood''


    Gideon only reached out and patted Kaiden''s head. The action startled him but he still kept his face covered as Gideon patted his hair like old times. This alone was enough to comfort him but it also made him even more frustrated at how he could have lost this forever. He calmed down his heart and uncovered his face to look at what expression Gideon was making. He was frowning, almost like he was unsure if his action was appropriate.


    "I''m not a kid anymore" he jokingly says and Gideon stops and turns his head. His ears were tinted red.


    "Hmmph, I know that... but it worked didn''t it?"


    "What worked?"


    "You''re not upset anymore" Gideon was still avoiding his gaze due to embarrassment because who on earth wanted to be treated like a child?


    Kaiden chuckled a little and thought ''so that was what you were trying to do''.


    "Yeah it did, Thanks for that Deon" the nickname casually rolled off Kaiden''s tongue and realized that it was too late to take it back. He just committed to it and waited for what Gideon''s reaction would be.


    The Nickname tugged at his heartstrings. Because whenever he heard that he would remember the child that was screaming out his name in confusion as he left. He looked at Kaiden and opened his mouth to reply.


    "It''s the least I can do¡­" He still can''t bring himself to call him ''Kai'' since it would mean that he was disregarding the misdeed he had done. "Kaiden"


    Kaiden kind of expected that Gideon would not call him by his nickname. No one could put it against him so he only nodded. He was certain Gideon would not seek him out of his own volition but he still wanted to make up for all the years they lost. And perhaps make up to the fact that he did terrorize his only friend into not living to the best he can.


    "Are you free tomorrow?"


    That was sudden.


    Gideon got caught off guard by the question. Why is Kaiden suddenly asking about his schedule?


    "Well, I don''t have any plans besides looking around for a new job. I can''t necessarily rely on Stephen and Theodora all my life"


    "Oh, I see" Kaiden was a little disappointed to hear that Gideon was busy.


    Gideon took notice of Kaiden''s slight change in tone. ''Did he want to invite me somewhere? But why though?''


    "But I can do that on another day instead, why are you asking?"


    Kaiden immediately perks up again. He could tell that his Deon was still the same guy that was very nice to him even after all the things he did.


    "You haven''t explored the entirety of the Capital because of me right?"


    Gideon didn''t know what to answer because both answers felt wrong to say. By agreeing, it would mean he was antagonizing Kaiden. But if he denies it, he would be lying to Kaiden and perhaps disappoint the protagonist.


    ''I feel like I''m walking on a landmine when I''m with you''


    "I explored some areas but I haven''t seen most of it" he went for a 50-50 answer.


    Kaiden smiled brightly at the answer. It was exactly what he wanted to hear! Now he had a reason to take Gideon away from that annoying fly that called itself Stephen. He tells Gideon that he will pick him up tomorrow in the morning to tour him around. Gideon saw him out of the house and Stephen kept nagging at him for agreeing to hang out with the prince.


    "What if he decides to do something to you?! I can''t be there to protect you Gideon"


    Gideon rolled his eyes at the man and helped unpack the remaining items that were in boxes. He did consider that Kaiden may have been pretending just now. But Kaiden already had his chance earlier when they were alone in that room as well as the confrontation they had last week. If Kaiden wanted to kill him, he could have done so.


    ''It''s not like I haven''t experienced death already. But he looked like he was genuinely happy when he said thank you earlier''


    Stephen was still not done with his yapping about how dangerous Kaiden was. It''s like Gideon was not aware of this, that''s why he kept reminding him of the things that the prince was capable of.


    "I''ll be fine Steph. if Aunt Theo heard you right now, she''d make fun of you for being a worrywart"


    "Ugh! How dare you" Stephen found the word Worrywart offensive.


    "I''m just sure that he wouldn''t do anything to me. He already had the chance twice and yet I''m still in one piece right?"


    Stephen backed down even if he felt like the entire situation was off. He knew he couldn''t stop Gideon and besides that, their agreement was technically called off the moment the Oath Azazel and Gideon had been broken. By all means, he could just technically ditch the kid but He and Theodora grew attached even though Kassandra said not to.


    "Just make sure you''ll be in one piece ok?"


    "I promise, Don''t worry about it too much you''ll get wrinkles"


    "I don''t age Gideon"


    "Is it because you suck on helpless maidens in the night?"


    "Haha¡­ I only drink the ones I get from the blood bank. I''m not some savage monster Gideon"


    "I still have no idea how your body works, to be honest, all I know are the stereotypes humans wrote about you"


    Stephen frowned knowing exactly what those stereotypes were and thus he had to explain how immortality worked for them.


    Vampires in this world can consume regular food just like everyone else. But being an immortal meant that they also have to drink or eat the flesh of humans. Mostly it''s because of Kassandra going "Humans treated my precious creatures like they were monsters and killed them to either sate their needs when they already have numerous sources of food. Let''s see how they''ll like it if their kind is forced to eat itself to survive!".


    Gideon was horrified by that reasoning. Then it technically meant that Kassandra was punishing everyone who turned into Vampires was it not?


    Stephen could tell what he was thinking and did a so-so gesture.


    "I don''t mind it. Before I turned, I also thought that Theodora and the others were monsters but I was wrong. Yes, we do need to drink blood to continue living but Kassandra has given more blessings to us than sufferings. It''s only her resentment to humans so we do not mind carrying that burden to serve her"


    Stephen also stated that if you asked the others of his kind, all of them were experiencing near-death situations at the hands of humans before they turned. So their situation was indeed a blessing in disguise of a curse.


    And thus Gideon''s initial knowledge of vampires and his impression of Kassandra changed that night.


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 Chapter 21 - 21

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    The next day, a knock could be heard downstairs and Gideon rushed down to answer it before Stephen could.


    "Someone''s excited" Stephen sarcastically says as he walks by.


    Gideon didn''t immediately open the door and shot a look at Stephen. The latter only rolled his eyes and came closer to Gideon to pat him on the head.


    "Take care and don''t stay out too late. If anything happens, just call me"


    Gideon was reminded of how his dad would always do this to him whenever he was about to go to a friend''s house. Stephen did not know about his feelings but he was really thankful to be able to experience this sort of thing again. He could only hope that his sister Alice was doing okay.


    Stephen finally leaves him alone and that''s when Gideon opened the door to a¡­


    "You are?"


    There was a stranger wearing a hood instead of the prince who promised to pick him up personally. The stranger was confused for a second and realized something before taking off his hood.


    "Sorry, It''s me Kaiden" The moment the hood was taken off, his appearance faded into Kaiden''s natural blond hair and lavender eyes.


    "Oh! How did you do that?" Gideon was really curious and he walked closer to examine Kaiden.


    ''It changed the moment he took off the jacket''s hood, maybe it''s the jacket''


    Kaiden blushed a little the moment Gideon walked closer to him. Gideon looked really good today even though he was just wearing a simple sweater, jeans, and sneakers. Kaiden on the other hand was wearing a button-up shirt and the jacket on top. He also had simple jeans and sneakers. At a glance you could still tell it was the high quality ones.


    Gideon was fiddling with the texture of the jacket when Kaiden coughed a little to get his attention. Upon realizing that he was technically committing sexual harassment by suddenly grabbing Kaiden''s clothes, he backed off.


    "I''m so sorry! I was just curious"


    Kaiden shook his head lightly with a smile and altered the magic on the jacket by a bit so that it no longer affected Gideon when he put on the hood.


    "I''ll tell you about it on the way, I brought my car" He pointed to a car behind him and Gideon felt like he got punched in the stomach upon seeing what it was.


    It looked similar to the luxury cars in his old life. At this rate Kaiden was flexing his status and thus he could only frown a little before glancing at Kaiden. Kaiden blinked and tilted his head in confusion on why Gideon was upset. Does he dislike this kind of car? Should he have brought a different one?


    He and Gideon got into the car to leave for their destination. It was at this moment he noticed Gideon''s expression, it was a weird one that you can''t tell if he was judging it or not. Gideon kept looking around in awe but at the same time, he just feels like he''s not worthy of sitting inside one of these even despite back then his father did own a fancy car when he was a kid.


    "Um, do you dislike this kind of car?"


    "What? No. The car is nice, really nice if you ask me"


    "If you like it then, I can give it to you"


    The idea of getting a car gave Gideon a scare because he feels like he''s taking advantage of Kaiden. And besides that, he didn''t want to be in debt even more towards him than he already is.


    "No no! I''m fine with my scooter, anyways where are we going? You''ve been driving for a while now" He glanced outside and they''re still in the capital. The area was still familiar to him.


    "It''s a surprise" Kaiden kept his eyes on the road as he continued to drive.


    The car was silent except for the quiet hum of the engine. Maybe it''s because of the expensive car but Gideon didn''t feel any bumps or whatnot as Kaiden drove. Kaiden didn''t bother turning on the radio since for him the music was terrible. But he could tell Gideon was finding it a bit stuffy. They drove for a while more until they reached the checkpoint going to the southern region of the capital. Kaiden didn''t bother to lower the window and perhaps the guard was already made aware of the arrangements that he lets them pass.


    Gideon fell asleep sometime during their drive and in his dream, he was standing in an unfamiliar field of flowers. He heard someone calling out his name. He looked around and saw a familiar face in his dreamscape.


    "Alice¡­" He called out softly, his eyes felt watery.


    "Deon, why are you crying?" Alice walked up to him, nothing changed about her.


    He tried to reach out to her but he felt restricted. He could not reach her but he felt Alice hold his face as she wiped away his tears.


    "Don''t cry anymore Deon¡­ I''m here" she smiles at him.


    Gideon could no longer hear the words Alice was saying. Slowly his dream faded into nothingness and there he heard Kaiden''s voice calling out to him.


    "Gideon, don''t cry anymore"


    He felt Kaiden wipe his cheek and slowly he fluttered his eyes open. His vision was a bit blurry and his face felt wet. He was still unsure if this was a dream or reality that he grabbed Kaiden by the wrist.


    Kaiden was surprised by this and let go of his face. Gideon was still adjusting himself a bit and had also let go of Kaiden''s wrist. He was awake, this is reality and he just grabbed Kaiden rashly again.


    "Sorry"


    "It''s fine, there''s tissues in the glove box I think? I won''t ask if you don''t want to tell but we arrived"


    Gideon looked around and he did not recognize the area at all. The area looked like it was heavily influenced by Mediterranean revival thus only meaning one thing, they were in the southern region of the capital. He opened the glove box and there were tissues in there that he used to wipe his face.


    "Why did you pick this area?"


    "Weren''t you born in this region?"


    This was the first time Gideon heard about the original cannon fodder''s origins. Nobody dared to talk to him about his background. Most also assumed that he forgot about his past due to the head injury incident 11 years ago. So he took that opportunity and continued living on pretending that he forgot about it when he never knew about it in the first place.


    "I must have forgotten about it when I hit my head back then"


    Kaiden was silent for a moment because he still knew that it was his fault why Gideon got into that accident. It even changed Gideon''s personality but no one noticed it except for him.


    "I''m still sorry about that"


    "Haha no need, I also thought it was a good thing that I forgot don''t you think?"


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Well I''m alone now, so there must be a reason for that. I don''t want to know why so I''ll just leave it at that"


    He might not know why this cannon fodder was alone. But for him personally he knew that it was due to some freak coincidence that got him to transmigrate here. He should have either lived or died when he got hit in the head by those perverted teens.


    "We shouldn''t be talking about this, I thought you were going to tour me around?"


    Gideon quickly changed the subject and the two got out of the car to explore the town they were currently in. Kaiden wore his hood but now he could still clearly see that it was still Kaiden.


    "I think the magic on the hood is gone"


    "It''s still working perfectly fine, if it wasn''t then everyone around us would have bent on their knees"


    Now that Kaiden mentioned it, the people continued to ignore them as if they were any other person roaming around.


    ''Kaiden must have changed the condition of the hood then?''


    "How did you do this? I thought your specialty was concentrated energy and healing?"


    "It is, but it''s Amias'' power"


    Kaiden explained that the moment he returned after his surprise visit yesterday, he called for Amias to ask about something. He requested something that could conceal his appearance so he could roam around freely. Of course this request came with a price and that being said Kaiden now has more workload to do the moment he returns. On the question of why Amias would still agree, no one knows. Perhaps he had an idea that he was meeting up with Gideon or the fact that it meant that he can commit debauchery without consequence.


    "I never knew he could also do that"


    "Neither did I since all I know is that he could teleport and fuck around with people both figuratively and literally"


    "Pfft" Gideon bursts out laughing at the insult. Although it was rude, it was nothing but the truth.


    "Oh yeah, what should I call you? I know your hood can hide your appearance but what about your name?"


    "You can still call me Kaiden. Even if they recognize the name, they won''t recognize my face"


    "True"


    The two walked around and talked about the things they found interesting in their exploration of the southern capital region. Kaiden bought some of the things Gideon liked from the stalls such as local street food and handcrafts being sold as souvenirs. Gideon felt a little tired so he sat by a bench. Perhaps it''s because he absentmindedly stared at a family that was buying a flower from a child that Kaiden excused himself to buy some flowers from the kid.


    "Why did you buy this?" Gideon asked


    "Didn''t you want it? You were staring at it for a while now"


    "Oh, thank you. I''ll pay you back for everything"


    "No need for that, I took you out here so I''ll handle everything"


    "Kai-"


    "You two look like a wonderful couple! We have a promo in our restaurant for couples if you would like to avail" a teenage girl butted into their conversation and held out a flyer to them.


    ''what'' Gideon stared at the teen that was smiling brightly.


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 Chapter 22 - 22

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    Gideon choked on his own words the moment he heard those words. First things first, did he look that feminine? Second, there was no way in hell are they were a couple let alone be gay.


    "I think you''re confused but we''re not¡­ He''s not.." He stuttered trying to explain their situation.


    To be honest, in the eyes of the public they did look like a couple. Kaiden was paying for everything Gideon liked. And they spoke with each other as if they were close. Anyone would confuse them for a couple indeed and the cherry on top is the fact Kaiden just bought flowers and handed them to Gideon.


    "O-oh!" The girl exclaims but Gideon couldn''t even let out a sigh of relief when she spoke the next set of words.


    "Don''t worry! Everyone here in the southern capital are fine with same-sex couples! I did not expect you two to be one cuz you''re so pretty"


    Gideon''s face was just terrible and he could not even respond anymore.


    ''What does Kaiden think of the situation? Surely he would be offended because he was confused for a homo''


    Gideon glanced at Kaiden. He smiled at the girl and accepted the flyer saying they''ll look into it. The girl nodded happily and ran off to pester other people who looked like they were tourists.


    "I think we should go home" Gideon suggested and Kaiden turned around with a confused expression.


    "Why?"


    "Well people are now confusing us"


    "Who cares?"


    "I care, I''m used to those kinds of comments but"


    ''but I have no idea about you''


    Kaiden smiled, he knew Gideon was worried about him but his worry was not needed. He folded the flyer and tucked it into his pockets. Weird enough it didn''t feel offensive to him. Usually he''d get angry when Amias joked about this sort of stuff to him.


    "You don''t have to worry about it too much, I don''t mind it"


    "Really?"


    He and Gideon continued to walk around the area as they spoke with one another. Gideon still can''t help but overthink because he was a little worried knowing Kaiden''s personality in the novel.


    ''Damn I should have those magic hoodies as well to make myself look manlier''


    "It''s amusing to experience that"


    "Pardon?" Gideon pondered on what that sentence meant.


    "People wouldn''t dare assume those kinds of things if I wasn''t in disguise"


    "Believe me it''s much better that way"


    "Well, it''s a nice change of pace. No one is pretending to be nice to you just because of your status and power"


    When Kaiden said that, Gideon was surprised. Who knew that Kaiden was feeling this sort of thing? He always assumed that Kaiden would strike those who dared to oppose him. The more he thought about it, the more Kaiden''s words made sense.


    People pretended to be nice to him even in the novel because they feared him.


    Even he was putting up a nice act even though deep inside he was scared.


    Indeed nothing changed from the novel.


    Gideon felt pity for him. Maybe it''s because he''s also reminded of his past where their uncles pretended to be nice to them up until they met their downfall by those very people. The feeling of being alone, unsure if the people around you are truly on your side. It''s sickening to the core.


    When Gideon read the novel, although you could justify most of Kaiden''s actions due to his past, you were never given a detailed explanation on his emotions. You''d see the words "He felt troubled by the amount of rumors circulating and thus he ordered those who spoke against him to be thrown out". But you never actually understood how he felt troubled. On what was actually going through his head.


    "What if I was pretending as well?"


    Kaiden stopped walking and Gideon accidentally bumps into him. He backed away and looked up at the tall guy in front of him.


    "What if I was pretending to be nice to you?" He repeated his question


    "I highly doubt that you''d need to pretend that you''re nice when it is the truth"


    "Why would you assume that?"


    "Because you''re the only person brave enough to ask that"


    Kaiden considered this fact. That Gideon is only with him today because he was terrified of being disliked by the prince. Who wouldn''t? Servants would see that he had an awkward relationship with the king who was trying to be a father to the point of spoiling him rotten. Not only that but the mere fact that he disrespects the Demon Nobles out in public just proves his powers were more powerful than theirs. There''s one thing that Demons respect above everything else, and that is power.


    But Gideon was different. Even as a kid, he didn''t care about who you are and where you''re from. He was respectful to everyone and would scold those who went out of line. Kaiden felt like he and Gideon were similar to some degree.


    That''s the reason why he wouldn''t doubt Gideon''s kindness to him right now. Even if it was indeed due to fear. Gideon can still say no and run away, Kaiden would not chase him anymore since he already spoke out his side. Yeah maybe he''d be pissed but not to the same extent of wanting to kill him like in the past.


    "And even if you were pretending, I wouldn''t mind because it means I just need to change whatever impression you have on me"


    The entire thing was already going smoothly if Kaiden didn''t add that comment. Gideon raised an eyebrow.


    "If I was then how would you even change it?" He indulged Kaiden since he didn''t have any topic to talk about.


    "I don''t know, maybe take you out to eat at the restaurant from earlier"


    Kaiden waved around the flyer and once again Gideon felt like he got punched in the stomach.


    "That''s for couples only!" Gideon angrily states but his face was red.


    "Eh? Well you''re pretending to be nice to me so you might as well go all the way and pretend to be my partner for today"


    Gideon''s lips trembled in anger like a feral cat. To think he was empathizing with this shameless fellow just a little while ago.


    Kaiden seems to be satisfied with Gideon''s reaction and takes a hold of his shoulders to walk to the restaurant.


    "L-let''s walk like normal people!" Gideon snapped because they looked absolutely ridiculous with this setup.


    "Hmm? But we gotta look like the part going in there"


    "DO YOU THINK COUPLES WALK AROUND LIKE THIS?!"


    Gideon''s sudden outburst made people look at them and they started to gossip between themselves. The action just made Gideon even more embarrassed as he mentally cursed himself for being an idiot. He had his head down but his ears were visible. You can clearly see that he was blushing red from embarrassment.


    Kaiden bursts out laughing and Gideon had to suck it up because it was indeed his fault now.


    "Just take my hand so we can get this over with," he whispered angrily to Kaiden.


    Kaiden was still smiling and he gently took Gideon''s hand and walked into the Restaurant.


    To the middle-aged lady who was managing the front, the two looked like a loving couple that had just gotten into an argument. She saw the commotion earlier and couldn''t help but silently laugh as it happened.


    ''What a lively young couple ah¡­. How great must it be to be young and in love again'' the lady couldn''t help but reminisce of her younger self.


    "Hello, someone out front gave this flyer out¡­ we would like to avail it"


    "Oh that''s for couples only" the lady teased.


    Kaiden raised the hand that was holding Gideon''s.


    "We are a couple"


    Gideon turned even more red at the action and statement.


    ''It''s not true so you shouldn''t be embarrassed. You started this by asking that dumb question just calm down''


    The lady couldn''t help but giggle a little saying that she was only teasing the two and called out to someone. The teenager from earlier showed up again and smiled brightly.


    "I knew it! Mama these were the guys I was talking about earlier"


    "Oh my this small fellow is a guy?"


    "Yes?!" Gideon finally responded. He knew that he was short but he wasn''t THAT short.


    "I''m sorry but you''re just really pretty, oh Sofia lead them to a table and give them the menu"


    The teen girl named Sofia led them to a table and handed them a menu.


    "As stated in our flyer, if you avail this set you''ll get a free side dish. Everything here is homemade by the best cook" She confidently points to her mother who was about to go into the back before taking out a notepad to jot down their order.


    "Mn, we''ll avail that set, and do you want anything else darling?" Kaiden was milking the situation and Gideon still can''t get used to it.


    "Maybe some water" he was feeling unwell now.


    Sofia wrote everything down on her notes before smiling and disappearing to go to the back which Gideon assumed to be the Kitchen area.


    "Do you know how much I want to punch you right now?" He smiles fakely at Kaiden as he whispered that threat


    "I could tell because of the death grip you have on my hand"


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 Chapter 23 - 23

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    Amias was suddenly called in by Luciel to return to the castle immediately. He assumed it''s most likely due to the prince and he immediately regretted helping him out. ''Man if you''re going to sneak out, you could have done it more discreetly'' he thought to himself as he teleported. Upon entering Luciel''s office, he took notice of the serious face the king had and began to mentally prepare himself for a scolding.


    "Do you know why you''re called here?"


    "I may have an idea but I''d still like to know anyways"


    "Hmm, take a seat first and take a look at these"


    Amias took a seat at one of the chairs in the office and Luciel walked up towards him and handed him a folder. Upon opening, it was profiles of Amias'' underlings who were deemed missing in action.


    "You''re wondering why I''m showing you these profiles. Well I''d like to ask you to explain yourself"


    Luciel flicked his wrist and several images flew from his desk and levitated in front of Amias. Several of the photos showed that some were still alive and in hiding. The one that particularly caught his eye was the one with the previous prisoner that had escaped. It was an Angel that Matthew sent over back to attack one of their bases but got poisoned and thrown out by his men since he can no longer use his powers.


    "I¡­"


    "You reported that these soldiers were either massacred in the ambush 25 years ago or gone missing and yet why did I get reports of their sightings near areas where Matthew is most likely to be hiding?!"


    "I did! But those reports were only submitted to me by these very people and when they went missing during one of their campaigns I wasn''t able to check since everything was happening quickly. You should know this Luciel!"


    Luciel angrily scratched his head in frustration which resulted in it becoming a mess. He redid his hair tie and fixed his breathing. Amias was right, none of them left their stations and they were all under his watchful eyes. Besides that, unlike Azazel who willingly followed Luciel and left Matthew''s faction, Amias was one of the many that Matthew cast out and even tried to kill for being different. But since El was still around at that time to keep Matthew in check, Demons were spared their lives at the cost of becoming the Villains in the eyes of the world.


    ''Amias has no reason to betray us and neither did those demons. So how come these photos exist?''


    Someone may have been purposely trying to sabotage them from within. This was the only logical explanation in this scenario. Thankfully Luciel learned to be rational rather than act upon his emotions like last time. Amias can see Luciel''s frustrated expression and he could not help but sigh.


    "I have already devoted my life to serving you ever since I was cast out. I have no plans of betraying you since we share a goal in achieving that long-forgotten paradise" Amias began to recite his true feelings. He rarely shows this side to anyone since it''s the same as lowering your guard.


    "Paradise is far from being achieved if Matthew continues to plot against us" Luciel comments and Amias nods in agreement.


    "I will look into this matter immediately and interrogate those who were included in the campaign"


    "It''s a bit impossible for them to remember those details Amias, what I would like you to do is something else. I''d like you to tell me why you gave my son a charmed jacket and where did he go off to?"


    "About that¡­"


    Amias proceeds onto explaining the situation between him and Kaiden. He wasn''t sure either where Kaiden went but he was certain it had something to do with the child Gideon that he had obsessed over. By all means, he''ll support Kaiden if ever he feels feelings for that child since it would probably be more beneficial for everyone if that was the case.


    Luciel on the other hand felt like he was aging despite the fact he didn''t age. His son spent 11 years with him but had not been this clingy to him in all those years. And yet he was clingy to a young boy he had spent what? Two? Three years? Thinking about the situation made him rethink the initial reason why he had called Amias for.


    "Amias, Go find Valerie Dixit once again and do a background check on Gideon"


    There was too much mystery that shrouded that child and it might be the link they are looking for.


    Kaiden and Gideon were still on their fake date. The food was not bad. Although there were people back in the castle that cooked better than this it was still different eating it with someone. Gideon quietly ate his soup. It was an onion and meat broth soup that had bread and cheese on top. The Mother and daughter duo were watching them from afar, gushing with one another.


    "How is it?" Kaiden asks and Gideon puts down his spoon to answer.


    "It''s good soup"


    "Not to your liking?"


    "Not exactly that it''s more like"


    Gideon glanced behind him and immediately the two ladies looked away. He already felt their stares and could overhear some of their conversation that would make anyone blush.


    ''Just how shameless are the people in this novel?''


    "Aren''t you just cute for being shy"


    "Just who the hell are you calling cute?!"


    "Shh they might find out"


    It''s rather the opposite really. The two giggled at how much of a hot head this person was and how that conflicts with his physical image. It had a charm to it that drew people in and made anyone tempted to enrage him further to see his expressions.


    Gideon bit his lip and angrily finished the remaining of his food. Kaiden savored every bite of his pasta with a grin, he felt very satisfied seeing Gideon blushing red and angry. It sounds terrible if you put it that way but for him, it was kind of like revenge in his own way. No one gets hurt and he''s entertained, a win-win situation for everyone!


    After paying for their meal, the mother-daughter duo gave them a coupon telling them to come back next time and they''ll get a free dessert.


    ''Hah? Next time? Like that''ll happen''


    "Are you still angry?"


    Gideon ignored Kaiden''s question and looked into the paper bag that had the things he bought from earlier. Well to correct himself, the things Kaiden bought for him. He mentally started to count how much these items cost.


    Seeing that Gideon was still ignoring him, he took it as a yes.


    "Be honest, do you hate me? If you don''t answer I''ll take it as a yes"


    "I don''t hate you, Kaiden" Gideon immediately answered.


    ''I never had, never will. I am only terrified''


    "Then why do you seem like you won''t accept anything from me?"


    "Eh?"


    "You got even more upset when I made you pretend to be my partner¡­ Wait, do you have a partner already?!" Kaiden''s eyes widened at the realization that he did not put Gideon''s relationship status into consideration.


    ''You''re really making things harder yourself between the two of you, Kaiden'' He thought to himself.


    "I don''t have a girlfriend"


    "A BOYFRIEND?" wait does that mean Gideon really is-


    "NEITHER!"


    Gideon was a mess. This man managed to make a fool out of him every second. Why did Kaiden suddenly care about his love life? This was just pure chaos all in a span of a few days of being with the protagonist.


    Kaiden responded with an "oh" and nodded his head in acknowledgment. So Gideon was single and he didn''t ruin their now recovering friendship. He mentally sighed in relief and suggested that they would go around more since they only explored one part of the Southern Capital.


    Gideon refused, he already wanted to go home now. He knew that the longer he stayed with this protagonist, the more ridiculous things would get. He did not have a thick face to withstand all that shame.


    ''It''s enough adventure for this poor soul. Have mercy on my dignity''


    "Nah, you''re spending the rest of the day with me"


    "Kaiden, it''s already four in the afternoon¡­ by the time we get back to Central, it would be late"


    "Then we can just stay here for a few days"


    "No"


    "Why not?"


    "Kaiden, I know you want to be on good terms with me again but you can''t force me to stay here with you. I''m really thankful for today but please be considerate of my feelings on the matter."


    Kaiden was silently staring at Gideon to the point it made him bite his tongue for talking too much. It''s not like Kaiden will hurt him out in the public right? If Kaiden dares to do something then he could just run away and call Stephen to pick him up.


    "You''re right, I''m sorry. I''ll take you home now as promised"


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 Chapter 24 - 24

    The drive back was deadly quiet except for the occasional stopovers at checkpoints. Gideon was not sure of what he did wrong. He only said the truth, didn''t he? Hell, this kid tried to kill him just a week ago. He looked down at the things Kaiden bought for him. Perhaps it was guilt? Or the fact that he remembered the things that happened in the novel but he suddenly felt sad for Kaiden.


    ''This child did not have a single friend.''


    Gideon would have said that he knows how he feels but realized that back then he had Alice, in this world he had Stephen and Theodora. But Kaiden? He really didn''t have anyone to look out for him that wasn''t out of a sense of responsibility or fear. The car stopped and that''s when Gideon realized that they were in front of his place already.


    "Well we''re here," Kaiden says, to Gideon, he sounded unamused.


    Gideon opened the car door but the moment he was about to step out, he went back in and closed the door. This action confused Kaiden and thus he raised an eyebrow at Gideon.


    "I''m sorry" Gideon starts and Kaiden sighed while shaking his head.


    "No no, I''m the one who should be sorry. You were right, I wasn''t considering your feelings on the matter."


    "Let me finish talking first"


    Kaiden stops the prepared apology speech that he had been going over the entire car drive. Technically he had already readied himself for Gideon to tell him to stop visiting since there was no reason. And not only that he did terrorize him, what sane person would continue to hang out with him? He was prepared to hear all of that but he heard something else that surprised him and even made him close to tearing up.


    Gideon told him that he was only surprised by everything but it didn''t mean that he was pushing him away either. Continuing to explain that he really had fun today and that he would like to hang out again with Kaiden sometime once they''re free since they were friends. He topped that off with a goodnight and told Kaiden to message him once he''s home before getting out of the car and walking into the house.


    Kaiden waited until Gideon got into the house before driving away only to pull over by the side after a few blocks. He was close to crying because he was really worried. Gideon still forgave him even after everything. How could someone be so kind? He had every reason to resent Kaiden and yet he didn''t. Gideon had no reason to pretend and the entire day they spent together already confirmed it.


    "I''m still his friend, how¡­ why?"


    He stopped questioning it. What matters is that he won''t let Gideon go this time around.


    When Gideon entered the house, he saw Stephen on the sofa angrily drinking red fluids from a wine glass. There were empty blood packs in front of him.


    "It took you a while to get home"


    "I texted you the moment we were on the way back and when we entered the checkpoint to here"


    "I know but why did you go back in his car the moment you two arrived?"


    Gideon forgot that Stephen had a keen sense of hearing so he probably heard the car arrive and waited for him to come inside. Gideon scratched his head and said that he paid for the stuff he bought. He then showed the small bag full of treats and trinkets. Stephen knew that he was dodging his question but he decided to let it slide since Gideon was a good kid.


    He cleaned up the packets and sat with Gideon to talk about how his day went. Gideon didn''t include all of the small details like the fake date scenario. He spoke about everything else and Stephen had some mixed responses here and there. He finally lets him go and tells him to clean up and rest.


    "I''m way too old for this shit" Stephen muttered to himself the moment Gideon left and drank the rest of the blood in his glass.


    Gideon took a shower and the moment he came back to his room, he saw that his phone had a notification. Kaiden had texted him something a few minutes ago.


    Kaiden: I''m back at the palace.


    Kaiden: *Sent a yawning sticker emoji*


    Gideon snorted because who knew the protagonist was the kind of person to send sticker emojis to someone. He thought of what to send and he took a quick photo of himself on his mirror with his phone blocking his face so only his pajamas could be seen. He sends that to Kaiden and texted back.


    Gideon: *Sent a photo*


    Gideon: Sorry I just saw this. I was getting ready for bed, rest soon when you can. Good Night! :)


    Gideon did not receive a reply and just assumed that Kaiden probably went to bed already or that he was working. A prince does have a lot of duties and the fact he took over some of Amias'' load means more work. How he does it is something Gideon would not know.


    At the castle, Kaiden was not able to see the reply from Gideon because he was called to his father''s office the moment he arrived. He was included in the briefing of Kassandra''s Unit that had just returned after blocking off the monsters in the north. Some eyewitnesses stated that there had been a person that they spotted near the monsters. According to them, the person appeared to be speaking to the creatures but no one could verify who it was since it was mostly passed around as gossip in their village.


    "Well Matthew indeed was an Aligist, meaning he could speak in any language"


    Luciel began to ponder on how to verify this piece of information. Because if it was indeed true that it was Matthew then it would make sense for why there are now coordinated attacks. But it would not make sense because he would have done this back then so why now? It also brings up the next theory that there is another Angel or quite possibly a Demon who has a different kind of ability that allows them to speak with the monsters.


    Kassandra had a scowl while her subordinates continued to report to the Father-son duo. These so-called monsters were glorious creatures that she once took care of and yet it was only due to mankind that they got corrupted. Well only the Human men, the females were kind hence why she took them as her underlings. She glanced at Theodora who was explaining the rest of their plans and let out a tired sigh.


    "This is enough for today, you all just got back recently. Take this time to rest first and come back once Damien returns with his reports"


    Luciel took notice of Kassandra''s mood and swiftly dismissed the meeting. He wanted to speak to his son originally but suddenly Kassandra came in with her second in command. He knew Kaiden was tired from his trip today and so he could only let his son rest.


    ''Being a father and a ruler is quite difficult'' He thought to himself and wondered how El even managed to look after him and Matthew back then.


    Theodora was still glaring at Kaiden on their way out of Luciel''s office. He already noticed it earlier when they were briefing earlier and now that it was done it was even worse. He turned in her direction and smiled at her.


    "Does Miss Theodora need something from me?" He asks out of nowhere.


    "What does the prince want with my servant?" Kassandra is known to be overprotective of her girls and she stepped forward to "shield" Theodora from Kaiden.


    "Well Lady Kassandra, your servant had been boring holes into my head the entire time with her gaze¡­"


    "Don''t you flatter yourself too much prince" Theodora side comments and Kassandra shoots her a look.


    "I wasn''t implying that. Oh yeah since you''ll be returning to your place, please tell Gideon I had fun playing around with him"


    Theodora gritted her teeth which caused her fang to be partially visible. Her kind does this as a threat and thus Kassandra immediately grabs her hand to calm her down.


    "I''ll make sure to remind my servant, Good night my prince" Kassandra answered for Theodora as she bowed her head and walked away with Theodora in tow.


    Kaiden only smiled in amusement since it was back to being fake friendly again. When he came back to his room he checked his phone and saw that Gideon had replied to him. Upon opening the chat, he saw that Gideon had sent a photo as well. Perhaps it was not a good idea to open the photo because he was caught off guard by it. It was Gideon in a dark gray pajama set.


    His collarbones showed a bit and it was enough for Kaiden to feel like he was looking at something scandalous. He had to reply with another sticker that was going to sleep. Totally not because he wanted to bury that into their chat history.. He closed his phone and placed it on his nightstand and cleaned himself up as well thinking about the phrase "Out of sight, Out of mind" over and over.


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 Chapter 25 - 25

    Gideon woke up to ''lively'' chatter outside his room. It looked like it was morning already and he checked his phone for any new notifications. Flicking away the useless ones, he checked his conversation with Kaiden and saw that he was left on seen. He didn''t have any hard feelings about it but that''s pretty rich coming from a guy who was so clingy.


    He got out of bed and changed out of his Pajamas before heading out. The chatter suddenly died down the moment he opened the door and thus he knew something was up. Upon taking a peek into the living room, he was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders. Theodora checked Gideon from head to toe and even spun him around that got him dizzy.


    "A-Aunty?!"


    Gideon was close to feeling sick, everything was still spinning. Since he wasn''t physically hurt, he can''t necessarily heal himself so he just felt really bad. Theodora stopped checking him and suddenly hugged him and patted the back of his head.


    "I missed you so much, Gideon! When I heard about what happened last week, I wanted to rush back here and punch that bastard" Theodora gritted her teeth in anger, and Stephen in the background was nodding his head in agreement to punching Kaiden.


    "N-no!" Gideon collected himself and slowly things were no longer spinning.


    "I''m fine! You don''t have to go to such lengths! But I thought you won''t be home for a few months?"


    "Why are you asking me that? Don''t you want me around?" Theodora frowned and Stephen in the background squinted his eyes at Gideon.


    ''Is he trying to communicate something telepathically?'' Gideon thought to himself.


    Since Gideon was a Demon, most of Stephen''s and Theodora''s abilities don''t work on him and that includes Stephen''s telepathic abilities that only work on humans. Regardless of that, he can guess it''s due to his question.


    "I didn''t mean that¡­ I was only wondering"


    "I know, I know" she sighed before continuing "Well the others are still in the front lines but I had to go back here briefly with Lady Kassandra. I''ll be leaving the next night once again."


    Gideon blinked, maybe it''s because he''s been here for years now that he would sometimes forget that this world was a novel that he had read and that it wasn''t a dream. He tried to recall the book but all he could remember is that Kassandra died in the front lines. He couldn''t remember what the details were exactly, maybe it''s this scenario. He felt a little scared, if Kassandra dies then it means Theodora would also-


    "Gideon?"


    Gideon snapped out of his thoughts and realized he had been squeezing Theodora''s hand tightly that it looked like he broke some of her fingers. He panicked and let go immediately to heal her up.


    "I''m sorry! I''m sorry!"


    "No no! It''s ok it didn''t hurt that much, but why did you suddenly freeze up like that? Is it because I was going to leave again?"


    Gideon finished healing her hands and he nodded slightly at her question. The response made Theodora''s heart tremble and she pulled Gideon into a hug.


    "It pains me to leave the both of you here" she motioned for Stephen to join in their group hug to which he did.


    "Can we at least see you off tomorrow? Not just here but in the Castle?" Gideon suggests.


    Perhaps he may be able to visit Azazel or Amiad and try to persuade them to change their course of action. The world no longer followed the original plot since he did not end up being hated by the protagonist but it still did not guarantee the safety of the other cannon fodders such as Stephen and Theodora. Theodora hesitated but eventually agrees after seeing how worried Gideon was.


    "But you have to promise me you won''t go anywhere else while we''re there. Just stick to Stephen the entire time"


    "About that..."


    Stephen butts into their conversation and explains that he can''t come along since he has his fair share of work as well. Ever since they moved, they had a backlog of orders as well as those that were already paid for so he needs to rush those. He apologizes since he rarely sees his wife as well. Theodora frowned realizing that she would have to leave Gideon alone in the castle if that was the case and she did not like that one bit.


    "I suppose we can ask Alexander to tag along with you," she says to Gideon before finally letting him go.


    Theodora went on to give a brief talk about her experience in the front lines. She left out confidential information and mostly focused on the things that she saw. Rumors were spreading in the towns nearby the area that there were demons who could control the monsters. Gideon was surprised by the news and asked for more information but Theodora said that they had no other information about it.


    This made Gideon think about the novel again, was this ever mentioned?


    He ended up leaving the two alone because they needed privacy and since it''s now deemed to be safe for him to wander about, he left the house. Gideon went to the local shops and he saw a familiar Brunet in one of the stalls. This was his chance and he walked in that direction.


    "Fancy seeing you here Amias"


    "I should say the same, though it would have been nicer if you had waited for me to finish talking to this young gorgeous lady"


    The lady behind the counter blushed which got the male employee becoming overprotective that he told her to go to the back.


    "Oh another eye candy" Amias winked at the Man and he got flustered.


    Who knew Amias swung both ways. Gideon just had his mouth agape and Amias used his cigarette holder to close his mouth.


    "Careful, a fly might enter. But are you shocked because I flirted with a man?"


    Gideon nodded and Amias grinned.


    "Relationships shouldn''t be limited to one''s gender. Who is there to say that a man cannot lie with another man and vice versa?"


    Although what he was saying is the truth, Gideon still felt embarrassed over the fact that they''re having this conversation, to begin with. He needed to change the topic asap!


    "What are you doing here?" Gideon asks to which he got a reply;


    "I''m working"


    "I never knew that flirting is a part of your work"


    "Haha well, how will I be able to use my powers if I don''t commit debauchery? This reminds me, you''re part succubus and yet I don''t sense you have any sexual desires.. how are you able to control yourself?"


    It was indeed very odd, and of course, a lot of people would start to question Gideon about this. It was scary as if Amias was trying to pry something out of him. Something he didn''t even know to begin with.


    "Ahahah I don''t know, maybe it''s because my Human side is more superior? I can barely make illusions remember?"


    No one can know he''s half-angel. That''s the reason why he got discriminated against in the first place.


    "Hmm you do have a point, but still, are you sure you''re not broken anywhere?" Amias technically asked him if he had Erectile Dysfunction. He felt insulted and wanted to smack him but before he could, Amias moved away as if he sensed danger.


    "Easy easy, Anyways it was nice chatting with you. I''ll be off to work again!" He walked away waving his hand.


    "Work my ass..." Gideon muttered to himself before continuing with his stroll.. He plans on staying out for an hour more because no one knows what the couple back in his place were doing.


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 Chapter 26 - 26

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    The day started with Stephen rushing and kissing Theodora on the lips. He kept repeating that Theodora should come home safe and sound. Theodora on the other hand would smile and nod, saying that she will come home because he was waiting for her. He finally left and Gideon went ahead to approach her. She patted his head once again and still was amused over the fact that he only reached up till her eyes and the fact that her boots had heels made her even more taller.


    Gideon ignored the fact that Theodora might have been thinking that he was small when he wasn''t THAT small.


    The two set off to go to the Palace after lunch. They both were taking the bus because Stephen took the family car to deliver. This gave them the opportunity to talk more before they part again for who knows how long. Ever since Kaiden no longer posed a threat to Gideon''s life, she had been pestering him to make more friends.


    "You are turning twenty-two in a few days and yet you still have no friends!" Theodora scolded him and Gideon''s weak points were attacked with those words.


    Even in this world, he had this sort of antisocial barrier with everyone and only limited the people who can go past this barrier. But there are some people that didn''t respect that barrier and would directly go past it to talk to Gideon. Such a person could be called the Prince of that world, Kaiden.


    "I''m still upset, I tried reasoning with Lady Kassandra if I could stay a few more days but alas I can''t neglect my duty"


    "It''s okay aunty, we can always call once you have free time"


    This suggestion brought a smile to Theodora''s face and this was one of the many moments that she thanked this "curse" of immortality. She thanked Lady Kassandra for letting her live to meet people such as Stephen and Gideon.


    There were some specks of white that fell from the sky. It made Gideon stare out of the window and so Theodora glanced behind her and saw the weather.


    "Would you look at that, the first snowfall of the year"


    The two of them arrived at the Palace and it was already evening because their rides got delayed due to the unexpected change of weather. This meant that Theodora has to swiftly say her goodbyes. This is because she needs to go to the meeting with the others before going to the teleportation array. Luckily Alexander mentioned that he was on his way and that he was only held up by a few errands by Lady Arda.


    "I''ll be going now Gideon, here." Theodora gave her rose-shaped brooch to Gideon.


    "I''m not sure how long Alexander will take but if someone approaches you and asks you for identification, just show that pendant"


    Gideon nodded and Theodora guided him to the Library. She said that everyone who works here is allowed access to this Library. Since he was here as her family, he is still allowed to read within the library as he waits. She kissed him on the forehead before taking off and Gideon felt a little fuzzy. Theodora keeps reminding him of his mother.


    Sure enough, when Gideon entered the library, it was worthy of being called a Royal Library with how many books there were. There were staircases that went further down that he wasn''t sure how many floors were there just looking down from where he was. He was guessing it had 10 floors.


    ''Don''t these Demons get tired from walking down- oh there''s an elevator¡­ wow this Library is fancy as fuck''


    He explored the floor he was in and realized that it was mostly random books. Nothing specific really as they ranged from regular cookbooks to literature that was vastly similar to his world. So he could assume that the more he goes down a floor, the more knowledge it contains. Gideon went down five floors and realized that the six-floor to the seventh had a barrier. He held up his hand against the barrier and to his surprise, his hand passed through. But he immediately retracted his hand because he felt like it was a trap. And so he backed away from the set of stairs and decided to explore the fifth floor instead.


    Most of the books here were written by Demons and those who are bound by a contract. So It was a little rare to find nonsense books like the ones from the first floor. There were books on the different classifications of Demons as well as a general book about how to control their powers.


    "These look like the books Valerie lent to us as kids¡­" he mumbles to himself while he looks through the titles of the books.


    Perhaps Alexander was the one who would pick up books for them and lend them out under his name. Such a reliable person he is, that Alexander.


    He took a few books that he found interesting. They were mostly about the history of Demons in this world. There were tables and chairs in the middle of the floor as well as a Hanged Portrait of a Woman. Now that Gideon was looking at the Portrait, he got curious. He placed down the books on one of the tables and walked closer to the Portrait. The woman looked very beautiful with her wavy black hair and sparkling blue eyes. It looked like she was actually there smiling at you.


    Gideon didn''t have to guess who this was because it was already obvious that this was a Portrait of Gabriella. Although she passed away before this castle was built¡­ How did they manage to paint her a portrait?


    "The artist I commissioned struggled a bit with capturing her charm. But no matter how many times they did it, no one could come close"


    A voice suddenly spoke next to Gideon which startled him. He could have sworn that he was the only person on the fifth floor compared to the other floors that had people reading here and there. Upon looking to his side to see who it was, he was suddenly lost for words.


    "Did I startle you?" Luciel asked him gently.


    "N-no your majesty"


    "Please just call me Luciel since we''re the only ones here"


    ''LIKE HELL I WOULD''


    Gideon just felt like Luciel was the cause of the barrier allowing him to pass through. Was he testing him? Gideon couldn''t tell. He''s only relying on what he remembers from his sister''s rants regarding the first series.


    "Luciel is a manipulative asshole! He didn''t even realize that he loved Gabriella till the end! If it weren''t for him she would still be alive"


    This was one of the few things Alice would scream in the first week when Gabriella died. She really went through five stages of grief in that period of time over a fictional character. At first, Gideon didn''t really get it but he loves his sister too much to scold her about it so he just understood it instead. And that led him to his situation of being transmigrated in the very novel they read.


    "You''re quite the shy type" Luciel glanced at the books on the table near them.


    "I see you''re reading up on our history" he walks to the table to pick up some of the books.


    "You know these books left out some details, there are more accurate ones on the lower floors" the way Luciel spoke these words is as if they were laced with a hint of sweetness that can tempt a person.


    Gideon shook his head a little to get rid of that temptation. He could tell this guy was trying to pry something out of him.


    "Ah no your majesty, I''m fine with those books. I just need to pass the time while I wait for someone"


    "Oh, you''re waiting for someone? Who is it if I might ask?" The question itself was innocent but the vibe Luciel was giving off was something else.


    "A Family friend¡­" Gideon answered and Luciel smiled.


    "I was asking for his name not the nature of your relationship with him"


    Those words made Gideon feel breathless. He was terrified right now. What did he do? Why was Luciel like this towards him? And how did Luciel know that the person he was waiting for was a male?


    There were so many questions running through his head right now. The first novel was set in Gabriella''s point of view, and the second novel was set in Kaiden''s. Both novels couldn''t portray Luciel''s Personality because one was deeply in love with the person while the other despised him to the bone. Which was the truth?


    A person came rushing down from the staircase. Luciel turned around to see who it was to which is why it also caught Gideon''s attention.


    "Sorry I''m Late- Oh, was I interrupting something?"


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 Chapter 27 - 27

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    To everyone''s surprise, the person who arrived was not Alexander. It was the price himself, Kaiden. Even though Gideon loathed the fact that it was this person, he had no choice. At this point, Luciel was more terrifying than Kaiden.


    "Oh nothing, I was just offering to your friend Gideon that he should read the ones on the sixth floor since it had more information"


    "How would you know his name when you have never even seen him"


    "..."


    Luciel fell silent. His "friendly" expression was no longer visible and instead, it was replaced with a poker face. He had been caught red-handed by his son that he was snooping at his own son''s private affairs. His son looked at him like he had touched something he shouldn''t. Luciel was pissed because just what was it about this Halfling?


    Kaiden wasn''t in the mood to play games with his father so he walks past him and grabs Gideon by the hand. Luciel didn''t stop him because if he did then he would make things worse between them.


    Earlier, Kaiden had passed by Alexander who kept anxiously tapping his foot as he waited in front of Luciel''s Office. He had already finished up most of his work since he did an all-nighter due to a certain situation last night. Alexander saw Kaiden and his face lit up a little.


    "Your Highness! Have you seen the king?"


    "He''s not here?"


    He also needed to pass on some of his works to his father. Where the hell is he? Didn''t his father have meetings to attend to? Kaiden could have sworn that today is Kassandra''s departure so it wouldn''t make sense for the king to suddenly disappear. He assumed that Alexander was anxious because he was under Azazel. That being said, his workload consisted of important matters directly issued by the King himself.


    "I haven''t seen the king, otherwise I would not go here"


    Everyone knows about the strained relationship he had with his father.


    "Ah.. yes... It was a stupid question for me to ask" Alexander replied and perhaps he couldn''t help but worry too much. "Your Highness! Can I be rude right now and ask for a favor?"


    Kaiden''s gaze turned cold and he straightened his back before replying "What is it?"


    "Is it alright to leave these documents for you to pass onto the king once he returns? I have something really important to attend to"


    "Are you suggesting that this "something" is more important than the king himself?"


    "No no! I was¡­" Alexander pursed his lips and ultimately gave up. He muttered an apology to Theodora before raising his head to look Kaiden straight in the eyes.


    "Your Highness, I was supposed to escort Gideon today around. He''s currently waiting in the Royal Library, and I worry that something might happen to him. I know I cannot leave my duty so I''ll just ask you to please go to Gideon in my place in the meantime"


    Kaiden didn''t even hesitate to start walking in the direction of the library. Alexander just cried inside but hoped that the King would return soon so he could catch up with the two.


    When he had arrived at the library, he couldn''t sense Gideon at all and assumed he was on the lower floors. Upon descending to the fourth floor, he could sense his father''s presence. He frowned and rushed down to the next floor and saw Gideon''s terrified expression. He was trying to mask it with a smile at first but Luciel said something and it made him hold his breath. Kaiden yelled out to him and approached the two.


    And that''s how he ended up dragging Gideon away from his father. He pulled him into the elevator, still not letting go of his hand.


    "Kaiden?" Gideon called out to him but Kaiden was still not speaking to him. He was only going to ask if he could let go of his hand. But upon remembering the situation he was in earlier, he kept quiet and even squeezed his hand.


    The doors opened and Kaiden gently pulled him along to somewhere. Some people immediately looked down the moment they saw Kaiden. They did not dare to take a peek at the prince and this made Gideon feel a little bit better because he was a little embarrassed getting dragged around by Kaiden. He looked down at Kaiden''s feet to keep his face hidden.


    After a while, they entered a room without knocking and Kaiden spoke up;


    "Arda, have someone prepare some food for our guest. Damien, look after him for a moment. I need to sort something out with father"


    Kaiden had let go of Gideon''s hand and upon glancing up he saw a woman with a dark hair color that would remind the person who saw it of twilight scenery. It wasn''t unusual for demons to have different hair colors and certainly this wasn''t his first time seeing purple but still it was beautiful. She had her hair up in a braid and it flattered her honey-colored eyes. This was Arda, the second in the ranking among the Six Demon Nobles.


    Next to her was a man who had a muscular build but it added to his appeal. He looked pretty intimidating to Gideon''s perspective and that''s probably due to the sharp contrast between them. This person was Damien, He is ranked third among the Six Demon Nobles. He had dark brown hair and besides his size, the other unique thing about him was the fact had two different eye colors. A phenomenon is otherwise known as Heterochromia. His right eye was gray while his left was a light blue color, both of them are usually seen in Angels so it was surprising for a Demon to have both eye colors.


    "Eh? Your Highness, you can''t possibly-" before Arda could finish speaking, Kaiden already left the room. He didn''t even need to reply because this action already said it for him. "I said what I said, Do what you are told".


    Arda sighed and glanced at Gideon, looking up and down, before contacting one of her subordinates to fetch some Iced tea and other specific snacks such as Macaroons, cookies, and ham sandwiches. It was very specific, almost as if it''s her snacks.


    "If I''m not mistaken, you''re Gideon, right? You certainly didn''t grow that much" Arda compiled the papers in her desk before putting them away in one of her drawers. Gideon didn''t know how to respond to that and smiled back at her politely.


    "Yes, I am Gideon"


    "Hmm, anyways this was certainly unexpected of you to drop by especially when everyone here is currently busy with their work" She narrowed her eyes at Gideon and it made him gulp in nervousness.


    Damien broke the tension by chuckling.


    "You most certainly have a way with children, Arda" Damien side commented at Arda''s actions.


    "and you have a way of suddenly interrupting while I speak"


    "Hehe so anyways, this is the infamous Gideon?" Damien walked towards Gideon and the man was close to being half his size.


    "Infamous?" Gideon suddenly asks and Damien leads him to one of the sofas to sit down. Damien sat across from him and motioned for Arda to sit next to him. She glared at him but she sat up from her desk and still sat next to him.


    "Well your name is certainly well known around these parts but not for the proper reasons"


    "You''re known as the "bastard who betrayed the prince" here" Arda cuts off Damien and Damien nearly choked on his spit.


    "ARDA!"


    "What? He''s aware of the situation himself. There''s no point in beating around the bush, I''m only entertaining you because I was ordered by his highness. He did not tell me to act nice, and he''s not a child Damien"


    "It''s alright Lord Damien" Gideon prevented the two from fighting each other. Arda is pissed off because of Kaiden throwing him at them especially when they were supposed to be working. He lowered his head and twiddled his thumbs. "I''m aware and I can''t do anything about it because it was the truth"


    Damien smacked his hand on the low table in front of them and it surprised Gideon. He looked up and saw Damien''s serious expression.


    "I wasn''t there when it happened but I heard it enough times from the others during meetings. You can''t just put all the blame onto yourself. The Prince was just childish to see that you were not at fault"


    "Damien" Arda calls out to him.


    "Arda, how would you feel if everyone constantly blamed you for betraying someone even though the situation called for it?"


    Arda stayed silent and Gideon was a little lost at what''s going on with the two. Were there any instances of betrayals in the original novel? There was only one situation that he could think of but that was-


    "I know how you feel Damien, and I know you''re empathizing with this kid but you know that''s why we have to focus on our work to prevent that from happening again. No one blames you for what happened to him"


    "Yeah because everyone placed the blame on Amias and that ruined him. Can''t you see that''s the same situation right now?"


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 Chapter 28 - 28

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    Kaiden went back to the library to see if Luciel was still there but he no longer felt his powers there. And just basing off the fact that Alexander was still outside his office waiting for his boss to return, He wasn''t there as well. There was one other place that Luciel would visit in his free time and that was the greenhouse. Kaiden walked to the garden area and followed the pathway that led to the greenhouse.


    He was correct, Luciel was standing there looking at several flowerbeds. He was even using his powers to cut off the weeds that began to grow around. Those very flowers were planted by Gabriella and whenever she was staying in Luciel''s previous manor, she''d often take care of them. Luciel had the flowers moved here so that he could preserve Gabriella''s Memories because these were more willing than their kin.


    "Just what the hell did you do to Gideon?"


    Luciel already sensed Kaiden coming here but he only bothered to turn around now and greet his son. Kaiden''s expression was dark, filled with hatred. Luciel always wondered if this was his karma since those eyes always reminded him of Gabriella.


    "I didn''t do anything to him. We were just talki-"


    "Bullshit. You threatened him, otherwise, he wouldn''t make that face"


    Or be willing to come with me at least.


    "Why do you care so much about him Kaiden? I''d understand if you just had a little crush on him but isn''t this taking things too far?"


    "TOO FAR? ARE YOU HEARING YOURSELF? YOU FUCKING TERRIFIED HIM"


    Kaiden gathered all of his powers and tried to attack his father. Luciel only sighed as he was already used to Kaiden''s outbursts in the past and dealt with it like usual. To his surprise, however, Kaiden overpowered the array he had set up and thus he was forced to put more of his strength to deflect his son''s attack.


    ''He got stronger..''


    Azazel heard the commotion nearby and teleported to tackle down the attacker. He was surprised it was Kaiden and he had to adjust his hold to prevent Kaiden from being hurt.


    "KAIDEN! CALM DOWN!"


    "HOW AM I GOING TO CALM DOWN IF HE THREATENED GIDEON"


    "HE IS THE KING AND YOUR FATHER"


    Kaiden was breathing heavily but his father only looked down at him with a serious expression. Luciel didn''t say anything as if he was deep in thought and later sighed before motioning for Azazel to get off the young prince.


    "I''m not putting this against you, Kaiden. But understand this, My actions were for your safety. That friend of yours is of unknown origins" Luciel began to explain the situation and before Kaiden could retort the last sentence because he also had a copy of Gideon''s data. "Yes, he does have a file that states he''s from the southern capital region. Upon checking further, he was only found there."


    Kaiden was angry and confused. He kept listening to his father''s explanation regarding Gideon''s unknown background and how there were even forgeries of his documents. He had every right to be suspicious of him because Kaiden, his son, is personally involved.


    "Father, even if all of that were true, he is still my friend. Don''t act like you''re not a hypocrite when you lied the entire time to my mother" Luciel pursed his lips because Kaiden had hit the nail on its head.


    "He was the only person who had been honest to me or at least wasn''t forced to be kind to me. Don''t meddle with my private affairs, I can handle myself" Kaiden warned Luciel before walking out of the greenhouse.


    Azazel was concerned if Kaiden was okay but he couldn''t leave his friend as well. He called out to Luciel and the latter started speaking;


    "He got stronger"


    "Pardon?"


    "Kaiden. He got stronger. I just didn''t show it but I had to put in more effort in suppressing his powers than usual"


    Wasn''t this good news? but at the same time...


    "I''m concerned that he would go out of control if he continue to let his emotions get the best of him" Luciel sighed again and went back to the flowers that remained unharmed.


    When Kaiden finally returned, Gideon didn''t look like he was doing alright. He was quietly sipping his iced tea while Damien suddenly stopped speaking midway. He was talking about the job of a Demon Noble and several other basic stuff about their system. Arda had her tablet in her hands and it seemed like she was reading a file that was recently sent to her. Although it looked like nothing was off, it was merely Gideon''s expression that angered Kaiden further.


    "Did I miss something?" Kaiden asked sarcastically.


    "Ah Kaiden" Gideon snapped out of his trance and finally noticed his presence.


    "Not really, your highness. The food got delivered some time ago and I suppose Damien is entertaining our guest" Arda took a sip of her drink after speaking.


    Damien glanced at Arda before responding "I was just telling him about the castle"


    "I see, I''ll speak with you two later. Let''s go, Gideon, I''ll show you around"


    "Okay"


    Gideon placed down his drink before thanking the two. Kaiden led him outside and walked beside him. He was slowing down his pace so that Gideon would be in the front.


    "What happened?" Kaiden asked out of concern and Gideon was unsure of it himself.


    Earlier, the two started arguing about a situation that involved Amias. As a reader, he had not known about this, and perhaps this was written after he got sent into this world. The book was still ongoing at that time after all.


    "Um, what did Amias do?" Gideon asked hesitantly and Arda looked at him with offense.


    "This does not involve outsiders... Argh! Look at what you made me do Damien!"


    Arda sighed and then a knock could be heard. A servant came in and brought in the refreshments that Arda had asked for. Arda went to her desk and took her tablet to review some materials. Perhaps Gideon was looking away in shame for too long that Damien started to feel bad. He called out to him and started to talk about himself instead.


    "They were arguing with each other but stopped when the food arrived. L-lord Damien then talked about himself and not long after that you returned"


    "Oh, I see"


    Kaiden sensed that it wasn''t the full story. He wanted to take Gideon to the Garden to help him relax, he couldn''t because his father was still there. Instead, he guided Gideon into the Ballroom. Gideon''s eyes sparkled at how beautiful the empty room was and wondered what it would look like if there was an actual event.


    "Come over here, Gideon"


    Kaiden motioned for Gideon to follow him. After feeling around a specific area of the wall, a click could be heard. Kaiden pushed the wall and it revealed a hidden pathway. He motioned for Gideon to enter and the other hesitantly went in before Kaiden followed from behind. He closed the secret entrance and suddenly there was only darkness. Kaiden created fire embers and blew them away that it looked like fireflies dancing in the dark. Slowly the pathway was lit up by his power.


    "Father got this place and renovated it to match Mother''s fantasy. It came with these secret paths and I''m pretty sure he''s aware of it but just didn''t bother to care" Kaiden spoke as they walked in a certain direction.


    "I claimed this place for myself and now I''m the only one who can use it"


    Kaiden gently held Gideon by the wrist and walked down further the path. there was an area that looked like it had a large space but it was too dark to see. Kaiden snapped his fingers and slowly there were magic stones that he had placed around the area that began to light up. It revealed a secret hideout that had some cushions and a makeshift shelf.


    Why does the prince have to hide in such a place?


    As if Kaiden had read his thoughts, he began to explain. "Back then, I didn''t like my lessons. So I tried hiding to escape it. I found this place and I''d just stay here"


    Kaiden sets down a blanket and patted the cushions before throwing them on top and sitting down. Gideon sat down next to Kaiden and looked at the shelves.


    "Those are some books that I like reading" Kaiden reached out to a book and it was a romance novel?


    "I didn''t take you for a guy who would read those" Gideon suddenly blurted out and Kaiden grinned.


    "Oh? What did you think I would read?"


    Gideon realized he had spoken too much and by chance, he suddenly noticed a familiar album in the corner. He grabbed it and flipped through the first page. It brought a sense of nostalgia to him.


    "You still have this" Gideon murmured as he examined the album he had given 11 years ago.


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 Chapter 29 - 29

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    Kaiden just watched Gideon flip through their old memories together. Even though Gideon wasn''t looking at him, he smiled at him. He softly responded, "Of course, it was made by Deon after all". The sudden mention of that old nickname tugged a few of Gideon''s heartstrings.


    Lately, he has grown more comfortable around Kaiden. But there was still uneasiness in Gideon''s heart regarding their relationship. Although it was great that Kaiden didn''t resent him, his reasons for befriending him still are unclear.


    He closed the photo album and handed it to Kaiden. Kaiden must have misinterpreted what this meant and suddenly asked him what was wrong. Of course, Gideon won''t tell him that he was doubting his actions towards him. He shook his head while slightly waving his hand saying that there was nothing wrong. Kaiden didn''t seem to believe him so he sighed and answered that he was still bothered by the two demon nobles arguing.


    "You''re curious about what Amias did?"


    "Yeah¡­ He was sort of like a friend through the years"


    Kaiden frowned but he knew it couldn''t be helped. He still felt a little bit annoyed because Gideon calls that man a friend.


    "How should I start with this¡­ Ah. How many Demon Nobles are recorded in the Capital''s history"


    "Six"


    "How many have you met? Five right?" Gideon nodded at Kaiden''s question. This wasn''t really mentioned in the original novel nor did Gideon look into the minor details if it was indeed written there.


    ''You don''t mean!?''


    "The Fifth Demon Noble, Yohann, was reported to be dead during an investigation he and Amias were conducting around 15 years ago"


    Gideon covered his mouth in shock. Now it made sense why Damien said those things. Everyone probably blamed Amias because he lived. Just because of that? But didn''t Damien mention that the situation called for it?


    "What did Lord Damien mean by "The situation called for it"? He mentioned this to Arda earlier"


    "I don''t particularly know the full story but I think it''s because Yohann held up an array all by himself to keep the corrupted monsters at bay while Amias retreated"


    Hearing the details made Gideon visualize just how gruesome his death might have been. It was either one of them dying or both of them dying. Indeed the situation did call for it.


    "Prior that, Amias already had several issues and that includes one of their hostages escaping and one of the bases he established got ransacked by Matthew"


    This meant that all of those issues piled up onto his plate. And right now his life is a Jenga tower with missing pieces already. One major mistake and it''s game over.


    "To be honest they all got problems but yeah the treatment he got was unfair compared to the others and that''s mostly due to Kassandra''s influence"


    "What did he do to Lady Kassandra?"


    "Yohann was her younger brother. They''re twins."


    ''That explains a lot''


    Gideon once had siblings and understood the pain Kassandra had gone through. Even if two siblings fought, they always somehow find a way to make up with one another. Especially if it''s only the two of them left. The eldest would do what they can for their younger sibling.


    The atmosphere of the hideaway was heavy due to their topic. The two talked more about other stuff before Gideon told Kaiden that he wanted to go home already and Kaiden gladly led him out of this hideout. They ended up at one of the hallways that goes into the ballroom they had been in earlier. Kaiden called for Alexander who was supposed to be the original tour guide since he assumes that the man finally finished his work especially with how long they had been spending together. This way Gideon can return safely and Alexander doesn''t get scolded by his superior for leaving Gideon alone.


    Kaiden thought about today''s events and decided to go back to Arda''s office. To his surprise, Damien was about to leave the office and the man who had been the topic of the day was walking towards them. Amias was surprised to see a lot of people gathered by Arda''s door and they all had complicated expressions. Damien forgot to close the door and it bothered Arda that she stood up and patted him.


    "Hey what are you loitering around my door for?"


    She noticed the Prince and Amias were outside her door as well and she lowered her head in respect to Kaiden. Everyone stood there in silence. No one dared to speak first but Kaiden was also unsure if he should speak since Amias was here. Amias broke the silence by coughing and handing a folder to Arda.


    "I was told to also give you a copy of my work. I don''t know what''s with you three but I''ll be taking my leave. Byee!" Amias quickly turned around and disappeared into a cloud of smoke to avoid getting involved in their business.


    Kaiden frowned and looked at the two nobles telling them to go inside right now. The three will have a discussion regarding the issue earlier. Damien wanted to leave so bad but alas he was too late.


    Amias was teleported in another hallway and he let out a breath and leaned on the wall. He''s been using his powers lately and he hasn''t gotten laid for a while now so it''s taking a toll on his health. He shook his head lightly and thought that he should borrow one of the cars they have here.


    On his way to the garage area Amias had passed by several subordinates under the other nobles and they all just looked at him with distrust. There was another rumor spreading around that he was helping the enemy and even if it was proven false you still can''t deny the fact that it was still his fault. His fault for being too weak and letting other people die for him.


    Amias takes one of the keys even without permission because Luciel wouldn''t care and even if he did, it was Amias. The person who was stationed in the garage rolled his eyes and Amias merely chuckled.


    "If you want to keep your eyes I best suggest you stop" he smiled back at him and twirled the keys in his hands.


    The drive back to his place wasn''t that bad since it was nearby. Unlike the other Nobles who had mansions, he opted for a condo unit that he had already owned for years now even before this war ended. What was the point of moving to a bigger place when it''s only him managing himself. No one was willing to work under him.


    "Home sweet home.."


    Amias muttered as he walked towards his couch and threw off his coat and undid his shirt. He let out a tired sigh again and stared at the ceiling contemplating on what he should do about his problem.


    ''I can probably fuck the sisters that live downstairs again but ugh''


    He scratches his head and randomly remembers the weird encounter he had with Kaiden, Damien, and Arda. Seeing those three reminded him of a past he tries to forget. Especially when Kaiden is close to Yohann''s Height.


    ''shit...''


    Amias wasn''t in the mood anymore to even think about his problem down there. Sometimes he just thinks about what the others say, especially Kassandra. He still remembers that scene like it was yesterday. Amias was rushed to Caduceus Wing for the treatment of his wounds. He was still a little shocked and refused to stay put.


    "DAMIEN, PLEASE LET ME GO BACK TO YOHANN" He gripped Damien''s arms, almost digging his nails into his skin. Damien bit down on his lower lip and shakes his head.


    "Amias, we can''t¡­ he''s already gone"


    "NO HE''S NOT GONE PLEASE HE''S STRONGER THAN ME BUT HE CAN''T STAY THERE ANY LONGER PLEASE EVEN IF IT''S JUST YOU PLEASE!" Amias tried to get out of bed. He has to go, Damien wouldn''t know where the place is. He''ll just use the last of his powers to teleport them close enough and they can just run there.


    "AMIAS! YOHANN IS GONE!"


    He took a hold of Amias'' shoulders to stop him from getting out of bed and that''s when they heard something snap. Damien turned around and saw that Kassandra and Arda had arrived. Kassandra was holding the door handle and when she heard what Damien had said, she accidentally tore off the area that had the handle. She saw red, she was going to murder Amias.


    Prior to Amias being rushed into here for his wounds, Kassandra already felt the string that attached her to her brother snap. That''s why she rushed here as soon as she heard that Amias had returned. She already knew something happened to her brother but when she came in here, she got something way worse than what she was expecting.


    "I''LL KILL YOU!"


    Kassandra rushed towards the injured Amias and Damien had to block off the first attack since none of them were prepared for this. He got slightly injured and Arda tried to pull her away.


    "WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE FOR YOU?! WHY?! GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER! HOW DARE YOU LIVE!"


    Kassandra continued to resist Arda and Damien had to help Arda in taking Kassandra away from here before she harmed Amias.


    "YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! AND FUCKING LET ME GO! ARE YOU GOING TO JUST ACCEPT THIS?! YOHANN DID NOT DESERVE TO DIE! He¡­"


    Kassandra started breaking down crying but she was still trying to resist the two. Her shoulders were shaking as tears continued to stream down. She was a vain person who took pride in how she looks but all of that was set aside. She shakes her head and kept mumbling


    "Yohann... Why why"


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 Chapter 30 - 30

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    A few days before that traumatic event, Yohann had called out for Damien and Amias to hang out with him. He was concerned for Amias especially when he overheard that rumors were flying around regarding the incident 7 years ago. And what''s worse is the fact Luciel was not in the right state of mind back then.


    "HOW COULD YOU MESS UP LIKE THIS?"


    "Luciel please calm down"


    "DON''T MEDDLE WITH THIS AZAZEL. AMIAS HOW CAN YOU FUCK UP THIS BADLY?"


    Everyone was present in the meeting while Amias was just scolded by Luciel after the report. Not only a year prior that his troops were ambushed and killed, but the fact that several of their prisoners managed to escape.


    Of course, it wasn''t entirely Amias'' fault. The guards who were supposed to be doing their job were all brutally massacred and thus the prisoners managed to escape.


    Amias was just looking down, quietly accepting every insult that was thrown at him.


    It may have been a mistake if Luciel was placed as the leader especially when he''s mourning over the loss of his beloved.


    "Luciel that''s enough" Damien steps up and Luciel glances at the other man in front of him before looking back at Amias then at Azazel.


    "It wasn''t his fault. He was still investigating the matter of how his team got discovered. Be logical here Luciel" Yohann also jumped in to defend his friend and immediately Kassandra took a hold of his hand and gave him a look to stop it


    Luciel just sighed and sank into his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose.


    "It was under all your command Amias... I''m just frustrated"


    "I know" Amias replied, he was trying to mask his emotions and of course his closest confidants would know that he was upset.


    "I''ll just pass on a different task to each one of you. Kassandra and Arda, try to see if surveillances are salvageable and look for witnesses"


    "Understood" Kassandra and Arda bowed their heads and left. But before Kassandra would leave, she glanced back at her brother and smiled.


    "And.." Luciel looks at Amias "You''re the fastest among everyone. You and Yohann will scout this area"


    Luciel laid out a map and pointed at the north-eastern region. Prior to this, Damien had returned from the east and gotten information that Matthew had a base in the XU area in the north-east region. Amias assumed that this should be handled by Azazel and Damien given this was an important mission. This meant Luciel was still giving him a chance.


    "Damien and Azazel are also assigned to this task. I suppose the four of you don''t need me to explain further? Since I''m pretty confident in everyone''s capabilities. Once you''re done return asap, I don''t have all day to wait for you"


    All four of them left the room and Azazel told them that he''ll contact the three later since he needs to smack some sense into their boss again. Yohann sensed that Amias was still not doing well so he invited the two to the plaza that was still slowly being rebuilt.


    It''s been five years since the war ended and Humanity finally realized the existence of supernatural beings. Luciel first ordered full control of all facilities and a halt on the production of weapons of mass destruction. That also included research facilities and thus each item must be approved by him or the Demon nobles before distribution.


    "What''s the point of coming here"


    Amias looked at the hotdog on the stick that Yohann had bought him. The latter had already bought several snacks and was munching on them. Damien was also eating his share of snacks. Several humans were looking at them. Some had curiosity in their eyes, some had awe, but most had feared.


    "Well I thought you were upset"


    "That''s a nice thought but I''m fine don''t worry about me"


    "That''s the same thing you said when my sister dumped your ass centuries ago"


    Amias pursed his lips and Damien accidentally choked upon hearing that. Well, Yohann was telling the truth, Amias really sucks when it comes to concealing his feelings. One look at him, you can tell he was hurting.


    "Do you really have to bring that up?" Damien asked when he finally recollected himself.


    "Of course. It''s my job" Yohann grinned mischievously and Amias felt shittier as he played with his food.


    "If you''re trying to make him feel better you''re doing a shitty job" Damien argues.


    "Alright alright jeez, I know you two had something going on but don''t rub it in my face"


    "WHAT!? NO!?" Amias suddenly bursts out with his cheeks tinted.


    Damien was just in shock from the statement. They really didn''t have anything going on but hearing it still was embarrassing.


    ''Did it really seem like that?''


    While Damien was still overthinking about it, Yohann was chuckling. His goal was mainly to get Amias'' mind off the situation earlier and he was successful.


    "Fine fine I believe you, but seriously don''t try to hide the fact you''re upset. We''ve known each other for so long now, lying to me is impossible and you know that" Yohann took another bite of his food and waited for Amias to respond to him.


    "I understand that Gabriella just passed but I don''t know¡­ Ever since Luciel has been emotional over the tiniest mistake and even if it wasn''t my fault or at least, entirely, he would just blame it on me for being too weak"


    A brief memory of that scene played in his head.


    Amias was tasked with looking for Gabriella since Luciel was facing off Matthew. He already found her earlier but was forced to teleport her away somewhere because of a sudden encounter with someone. He passed on the message to Alister and Azazel who was the closest to where he threw Gabriella.


    "TAKE CARE OF HER! I CAN''T PROTECT HER OR ELSE SHE''LL DIE WITH ME"


    Alister responded to him that he''ll protect her while Amias fended off the opponent.


    After a while, the enemies suddenly retreated and cheers began to erupt around them. Amias was in disbelief because they won. Some of the Angels they had been fighting had surrendered after realizing that they were abandoned.


    Amias immediately tried to contact Alister but there was no response. He contacted Azazel and that was the person who delivered the news to him.


    Gabriella was indeed teleported near Alister and Azazel. But the two were fending off the Angels who wanted to back up Matthew as he fought with Luciel. They thought they had the upper hand but suddenly Matthew brought out a familiar relic with him.


    It was El''s Sword.


    He swung the sword at Luciel and he managed to deflect the killing blow but he still got flung away and knocked unconscious due to the impact. Gabriella ran out to the field and used her powers to shield Luciel. Matthew was surprised by the sudden appearance but he had already swung the sword. The Sword could nullify the opponent''s powers at the expense of their own.


    Gabriella''s shield broke and red dyed the field.


    Matthew was in shock that he dropped the weapon. Gabriella clutched her bleeding chest and used her powers to get him out of her sight. He was stronger than Gabriella so he only got flung a couple of feet away from her. Azazel yells at Alister to protect the two from Matthew. But due to unknown reasons, Alister and Matthew spoke a few words to each other and immediately Matthew ran off and Alister disappeared.


    Azazel could only watch the situation as Gabriella was healing Luciel in her dying breath.


    Was it really Amias'' fault?


    He was not able to protect his friend but even if he was able to do his task¡­ would have they won the war?


    Wasn''t it Alister''s fault for not looking after her?


    What happened to him?


    So many questions ate him. Their supposed celebration turned into a mourning period. Amias couldn''t even show his face to Luciel during those days. Azazel and the others would reassure him that it wasn''t his fault but did Luciel think the same?


    "You''re so deep in thought" Yohann suddenly spoke as he took away the uneaten hotdog from Amias and took a bite from it.


    "Thinking doesn''t suit you, Amy"


    "Amias"


    "Lighten up Amy. Give him more time, nobody blames you"


    "Yeah right, if you heard the other demons they''d gossip like it''s some kind of scandal" Damien butts in and Yohann just sighed forgetting that this idiot was with them.


    "I''d hear them sometimes, they''re getting cockier because of how Luciel is treating me"


    "Well we could always beat them up" Damien suggests and Yohann hits him.


    "There''s a reason why Arda hates you"


    "She hates me?"


    Yohann could only sigh before smiling again at Amias.


    "I promise that after our task everything will be alright"


    Sadly though, that promise was not fulfilled.


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 Chapter 31 - 31

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    Kaiden actually wondered about the things his father had said earlier this week. He already had an idea that some parts of Gideon''s documents were forged for his own safety. Such as his race being written as Half-Demon only because births of Angels need to be supervised in any case Matthew uses this as an opportunity to raise an army.


    "That would make sense" he mumbled to himself as he recalled the last time he hung out with Gideon to the South of the Capital.


    Gideon came to the orphanage at the age of Six turning Seven. Aunt Valerie was actually surprised when one of the adults that worked there came back from their vacation with a child. Valerie demanded to know the reason because the southern capital is a very far location here that requires teleportation magic or else it''ll take you several days by boat.


    "Surely there are orphanages there! Why did you have to bring this child here?" Valerie left kaiden''s side for a moment and checked up on the child being carried by the staff. She noticed the child had several bruise marks and was extremely thin.


    "Nobody knows who he is and where he''s from but all I heard from the other people there is that this child would steal food and that''s why some of the owners would beat him up"


    Valerie took pity on the child and asked why he was still asleep. The staff explained that they casted a sleeping spell and would only wake him up when they''re going to tend to his needs because he had sea sickness.


    "Aunty" Kaiden walks up to Valerie and tugs on her uniform.


    "Oh Kaiden, Aunty needs to help this little boy first. Can you wait for me?"


    Kaiden blinks at his aunt and looks at the boy that was sleeping in the arms of the other person. His eyes sparkled because he could sense that this person was like him. But he noticed the bruises on his neck, arms, and legs. Who knew if he had more under those rags he wore as clothes?


    "A-Aunty" Kaiden calls out teary eyed.


    "Kaiden! Why are you suddenly crying?"


    "He has lots of booboos wuwu can Kaiden help?"


    Valerie sighed and patted Kaiden''s head. This child really took after Gabriella even though she''s no longer here. She smiled telling him that she''ll take care of him and that he could just wait for him to wake up. Fortunately for Gideon, Kaiden was stubborn. He said "No" and went straight to the sleeping child and held out his hand.


    He managed to heal himself one time when he scraped his knee while he was playing with the other kids. Maybe he could do it again..


    Maybe-


    Gideon shifted uncomfortably in his sleep and the two adults were about to stop Kaiden with whatever he was doing but they noticed that the bruises on Gideon began to fade away. Valerie saw her fair share of Kaiden''s powers and they''re all destructive. This was the first time she saw him do healing magic. Sweat began to bead up on Kaiden''s forehead and he felt a little weak so he stopped. He stumbled a little bit but Valerie managed to catch him.


    Kaiden woke up and saw that he was in the infirmary. He turned his head and saw in the other bed was the child sitting up while looking out the window. His clothes were changed and he no longer had bruises on his neck but he still had some bruises on his hands and face. He felt a little upset that he wasn''t able to heal him up completely but he was a little glad that he helped his aunty in some way. When he sat up, the bed made noise and it startled the other kid and immediately he held up his arms in a defensive position. Kaiden was surprised and blinked in confusion.


    "Why are you scared?"


    The child did not respond and still watched Kaiden''s every move.


    "I won''t hurt you, I promise! I''m Kaiden, what''s your name?" Kaiden smiled brightly and it seemed like this tactic worked because the child lowered his hands.


    "Gideon"


    "Does Gideon feel better now?" Gideon was hesitant to answer this question because he didn''t know the intention but he still nodded. Kaiden was pleased with this.


    "Yay! I did it!" Kaiden exclaims and proceeds to tell him that he tried to heal him even though Valerie said he should wait until Gideon woke up.


    The entire time Gideon was just surprised to know that this kid helped him even though he was a total stranger.


    Gideon didn''t really cooperate that much with anyone besides Kaiden and the other adult who fed him food. When Kaiden''s weekly checkup with Lianna happened, that''s when everyone discovered that Gideon was also Half-Angel.


    At first he was scared and took a pen as a weapon from everyone else but Kaiden revealed to him that he was also the same. Gideon was hesitant but this person healed up his wounds. He noticed that some of his scars also disappeared and it must be the work of this Kaiden kid. Since then he stuck with Kaiden and they became close friends.


    Kaiden sighed as he remembered their childhood and indeed Gideon''s background was mysterious. Even the fact he had a total personality change when he hit his head. Regardless, it did make Gideon more likeable and trustworthy. Whatever past Gideon had must have been terrible for him to be on guard constantly. Maybe it was for the best that he did forget that.


    Still, it did make him curious on how one would easily forget everything. Yes he did get into an accident but won''t he still feel any form of familiarity?


    "Well I''ll just find out about that one day"


    .


    .


    .


    "Happy birthday Gideon!" Theodora says out loud in their video call.


    She tried to call Stephen earlier so that she could greet him as soon as 12 am struck but she was sent out by Kassandra to scout the area. So she ended up calling him around afternoon already. Stephen took the day off so he could celebrate with Gideon.


    "Thank you Aunty" Gideon smiled at Theodora and she just felt like her heart melted whenever she saw this boy smile.


    "How I really wish I was there with you two but I''m still busy with work. But enough about me! What about you Gideon? You''re twenty two now! Do you have anything you want?"


    "Yeah. If you don''t have one in mind right now, you can just tell me later" Stephen chimed in while he messed up Gideon''s hair. Gideon only laughed and pushed away Stephen''s hand.


    "I''m not a kid anymore Steph"


    "Well compared to us you''re definitely a child" Stephen argues back and Theodora only laughed as she watched the two.


    "I guess¡­ I just want you to return soon, safe and sound" Gideon admits and he scratches his nose in embarrassment.


    Theodora and Stephen were surprised but her features softened and now really wanted to run back just to hug this adorable child.


    "I will Gideon and-" Theodora stops speaking and looks off camera and some mumbles could be heard but it was still hard to comprehend. Just based on her expression, it was not good news.


    "I have to go, I''ll call back when I''m free again. Till then please take care ok? Love you!" Theodora hung up the call before the two could reply. Only their reflection on the screen could be seen.


    "It must be urgent" Gideon tried to cheer up the obviously upset Stephen.


    "Yeah, I just hope that she''ll be able to rest soon. Being in the front lines is tiring work"


    "Have you been there?"


    Stephen nods and explains that everyone had to be present during the war that happened around 20 years ago. They mostly focused on the monsters that Matthew suddenly brought with him while the Demons dealt with the other Angels.


    Listening to this gave insight to Gideon because he never read the first book and only listened to his sister ramble about it. There was a lot of information that was slowly being filled in by the very characters that weren''t even mentioned as much.


    "I don''t really want to talk about this Gideon since this day is supposed to be about you" Stephen had a grim expression but he still tried his best to smile.


    Maybe those memories were bad.


    "Ah yeah"


    Honestly they keep repeating this same routine ever since he moved in with them. If one asked what he did in his past life during his birthday? He''d celebrate it with his younger sister by eating her favorite cake and taking a day off just to sleep. She''d cook him meals that were sometimes delicious and sometimes just edible. When he got thrown into this world, he had to act like a child but he never asked for anything as usual and would let everyone else do whatever they wanted. It''s just that lately, he got more curious about the lore of this world so he got more chatty about it.


    That being said¡­


    Gideon realized there was someone who would message him at night asking him what he''s doing but wouldn''t reply again the moment he responds. That person has yet to greet him but Gideon only rolled his eyes.


    Alexander however texted him "happy birthday". Besides him, Valerie also messaged him a photo saying happy birthday. There were several others as well who greeted him but these were the people whom he added back then but never spoke with one another.. He texted them all a "thank you" and to his surprise the person he least expected to text greeted him.


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 Chapter 32 - 32

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    Damien had greeted Gideon via a text message. He wondered where this man even got his phone number. But he didn''t press on that thought anymore and replied a thank you message to him. A few minutes later Damien texted him again telling him if it is possible for him to not attend the Winter Ball for the sake of his well-being. He furrowed his eyebrows and replied that he didn''t even receive an invitation so he shouldn''t worry. Stephen noticed his expression and asked what was wrong.


    "Ah it''s nothing, Damien greeted me"


    "Damien?"


    "The Demon Noble, Damien"


    Stephen had to pause himself for a moment because just when did those two interact and why did the rumored "most violent" Demon Noble decide to greet his unofficially adopted son a "happy birthday". Too many questions flooded his head that he forgot to ask Gideon what he wanted to eat for dinner later.


    "I''ll be in my room Steph"


    "Ah.. oh sure sure" Stephen nodded and watched Gideon disappear from his sight.


    Stephen may not be able to read Gideon''s thoughts but he could still see the messages on his phone from his position. That child that Azazel brought to them was a peculiar one. Somehow every important or High Ranking Demons are drawn to him. Just exactly what does he have? Hell, he doesn''t even show any interest in being in a relationship with others despite the fact being a succubus.


    "Knock knock~" A familiar voice echoed and Stephen immediately glanced to his right and saw Amias. His expression turned a bit sour because whenever Amias was around the atmosphere suddenly turns into an uncomfortable one.


    "First of all, there is a front door. We wouldn''t put that for no reason. And Second, what are you doing in my house?"


    "Stephy my dear" Stephen suddenly cringed at the endearment, Amias just smiled and continued speaking.


    "As Usual, the King formally invites the Baecker family to attend the upcoming winter ball that will be held later this month" Amias hands Stephen an envelope that contains the invitation.


    "I''ll make sure to attend"


    Stephen suddenly recalls the text message that Gideon had received earlier from the Demon Noble Damien telling him that it would be best if he did not attend the ball. Does it mean that Gideon is also invited? But Gideon is not included in their official register as part of the Baecker Family.


    Seeing that Stephen had no intention of opening the letter, Amias took the liberty of swiping it from his hand and opening it for him. The Envelope contained two Letters versus the usual one letter.


    "That pretty boy you call your son is also invited"


    "He doesn''t need to attend that Ball" Stephen glances over his and Theodora''s invitation.


    "King''s Orders"


    Stephen did not like the sound of that. He expected that the prince would be the one who would invite Gideon. So hearing the fact it was the King''s Orders meant something was up. He obviously can''t ask Amias why is that so he only gritted his teeth.


    Amias placed his hands together and suddenly remembered the other reason why he went here. He snapped his right hand and there appeared a paper bag. It was a rather large bag and he only had a smile on his face.


    "Gideon is in his room, right? Tell me which room it is"


    Amias grabbed the invitation meant for Gideon and walked past Stephen, slightly bumping him by his shoulder. This was his way of showing that he''s still above them regardless.


    "The room on the left" Stephen answered and was left alone once again.


    Amias walked up to Gideon''s door and knocked two times before entering. Gideon was surprised by Amias'' appearance. He was about to ask for the reason why he was even here when Amias showed him the letter. It was a black piece of paper that was folded in half and its letters are written in gold. The outside of the letter had the crest of the Royal Family.


    When he had opened the letter, there it was written:


    "His Highness of this Kingdom, Luciel Lux Ferre requests the presence of Gideon Lemery to attend the 20th Annual Winter Ball this coming December that shall be held in the Royal Castle located in the Central Capital."


    It was short and direct to the point and possibly handwritten directly by Luciel himself since he''s certain no one would use the word "request" in this type of letter. This was an order written in the guise of an invitation.


    "I wasn''t expecting this sort of news any time soon"


    "What are you talking about? You keep interacting with the prince and my fellow comrades, of course, you''d end up getting invited"


    "Well I know that not just anyone could attend this"


    "And you should also know that we don''t hand invitations personally just for anyone"


    Gideon pursed his lips, a bit nervous that he might have pissed off Amias. If there''s one thing this man hates, it''s being degraded. Whether it was intentionally or unintentionally. Amias might have just brushed it off because he showed Gideon the paper bag that he had been holding.


    "What''s this for?"


    "Oh it''s nothing~ Obviously you can tell this is a gift for you"


    Gideon looked at the paper bag again and Amias made an expression that screamed;


    What are you going to keep having me hold this for you?!?


    He took it from him and took a peek to see that there were two boxes inside it. It was one small one and one large one. Gideon offered for Amias to sit down while he opened this "Present".


    In all of his years in this world, Amias would only greet him with a text. Nothing more, nothing less. So this year was really eventful to the point the plot of the original novel did not even retain itself anymore. Everything is just left up to fate.


    He opened the large box first and it was a Black Suit that had a tinge of maroon when the light hit it directly. The fabric and the craftsmanship of the suit are that of the usual clothes he''d see Amias would wear. Even though it looked simple from afar, upon closer inspection you''d see it has a brocade pattern. In the box, it also included a rich periwinkle-colored tie to complement the suit.


    "Amias I.."


    "Open the other box before you say anything" Amias popped a candy into his mouth. He wanted to smoke but out of consideration, he did this instead.


    Gideon did exactly as he was told and opened the smaller box and it revealed a tie pin that had a Sapphire gem as its design. Everything that was just gifted to him was in his style choice but more elegant and luxurious.


    "Happy Birthday! Before you say shit again, I''ll have you know that the ball has a dress code. And over the past few years, I''ve spoken with you, you have no sense of style"


    He was planning on giving a heartfelt thank you speech to Amias but immediately retracted that sentiment when he heard that. Gideon''s face was terrible as he put away the gift that he had just received.


    "Well thanks for the compliment and kind consideration in gifting me these" he sarcastically gave his thanks and Amias was pleased himself. He reached the goal of pissing off the birthday boy so he''ll stop here now.


    "With pleasure! Just contact me if everything fits, I just based on your measurements from that one chick I banged the other day."


    "WHAT?!?"


    "Bye!!" A dark fog suddenly appeared and the moment it disappeared, Amias was gone with it as well.


    I SWEAR TO GOD I WOULD HAVE PUNCHED YOU ALREADY IF I WAS NOT SUCH A WEAK-ASS CHARACTER!


    Amias reappeared in front of Luciel''s door and knocked twice before entering. To his surprise, he discovers that Prince Kaiden was also in there giving his report to his father. Amias hesitated on whether or not he should say that he had completed his task while Prince Kaiden was present.


    "I see, good job Kaiden. Amias, report." Luciel turned his attention from Kaiden to Amias. This was his go signal to report despite Kaiden being here meaning Luciel has no intentions of hiding the fact that he is suspicious of Gideon.


    "I''ve handed the invitation to Stephen Baecker and Gideon Lemery for the Winter Ball"


    "Good good, you''re dismissed"


    Amias disappeared and Kaiden did not leave his father''s office. He was surprised to hear Gideon getting an invitation just after what his father had done yesterday.


    "What are you planning to do, Father?"


    "Whatever are you talking about my son?" Luciel grabs the glass of whiskey he had by his desk.


    "You literally just told me that you don''t trust Gideon and yet you''re inviting him to attend the ball. Is this one of your sick jokes?"


    "You''re taking this way out of proportion. He''s technically under the care of the Baeckers and he is your friend is he not?" Luciel placed an emphasis on the word friend and Kaiden just scoffed and stormed out of his office.


    Luciel didn''t have any malicious plans towards Gideon. He was curious to know what that boy was exactly. Especially after learning from Amias and the schools he had attended that it seems like Gideon did not have any sexual relations despite being a succubus but is still able to use demon powers.


    "Gabby, where did I go wrong?"


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 Chapter 33 - 33

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    Kaiden took out his phone to call Gideon. But before he could, he hesitated. He was greatly concerned for him, but at the same time, he didn''t want to overstep his boundaries again. He didn''t fully recover from the time he got called out by Gideon. Although he didn''t hate him, he still cannot rush things. Maybe he had been loitering by the hallway that Azazel approached him.


    "Your Highness, I just wanted to ask if you can spare me some of your time today. We need to pick out the outfit you''ll be wearing for the winter ball"


    "What makes you think that I''ll attend this year''s ball when I never showed up for the past ones?"


    "Please. I''m no longer asking as the Right Hand of the King. I am now asking as the friend of your mother and father."


    Kaiden was not speaking for a moment. He thought of something when Azazel blurted out those words.


    "Was it your idea to send an invitation to Gideon today?"


    "What? It already got sent out? we only spoke about it today..."


    Kaiden now felt even more upset. He''s aware that they would have meetings for every event. From the decorations to the invitations, everything is discussed between the King and his nobles. Azazel, along with the other Demon Nobles, is aware of this. Meaning they did not oppose the idea of inviting Gideon. What benefits are there to it to invite Gideon to this ball? Clearly, there were none.


    "I''ll attend this stupid ball just to make sure you guys don''t do anything to Gideon if ever he attends... Oh instead just send a note to Gideon telling him not to attend"


    "Why don''t you do that yourself?"


    "What?" Kaiden was surprised by the fact that Azazel suddenly refused his order.


    "What I meant by that, why don''t you talk to him yourself? Is it not his birthday today?"


    "It''s Gideon''s birthday?"


    The two stared at each other dumbfounded. Azazel could have sworn Kaiden is a tad bit obsessed with Gideon. Yet, he did not know it was his birthday today? Meanwhile, Kaiden was surprised that it was his birthday. Gideon always acted like it was any other day back then. Maybe Kaiden is just looking for excuses right now because he really did forget today''s occasion.


    Now he''s even more pissed off. That bastard Amias visited Gideon on his birthday?


    "Fine I''ll do it, you can just pick whatever. I''ll be heading out"


    That was a first. Kaiden is known to be choosy with his outfits. Especially that one time during his 18th birthday where he was supposed to wear a matching suit with his father. Kaiden not only show up late in his own banquet but also wore a different suit that drastically clashed with Luciel''s color scheme. Well, Azazel isn''t an asshole, he''ll just pick something that compliments them both.


    Kaiden left the castle and rushed to Gideon''s new place. Knocking on the door he just heard someone whine inside before the door opened. Stephen answered the door with an "I''m so fucking done with your shit" expression.


    "Your Highness, as far as I am concerned one of your subordinates already went here earlier. Is there another reason for you to be here?"


    "I''m just here for Gideon-"


    "He never stated guests... Gideon is resting at the moment. I''m sure you have his information already so you could just call later"


    The way he worded made it sound like Kaiden did a background check on Gideon. Well, he wasn''t wrong, everyone had information on everyone. Although Kaiden wanted to get angry because Stephen was rude, the latter was in the right.


    "My Apologies, I''ll just come back later"


    "Your Highness, I''ll be blunt for a moment so pardon me for saying these things. But have you ever considered just leaving Gideon alone? Not only did you terrorize him for half his life, but now you also got him involved with the other Demon Nobles." Stephen paused briefly while glaring angrily at Kaiden who was not responding.


    "We both want Gideon to be happy right? but how is he going to do that when you keep showing up? You can''t just pretend that nothing happened. You don''t know how many times I wanted to..." Stephen stopped himself from speaking further because he would be threatening the prince.


    If you weren''t the prince I would have already killed you. How many times did I have to hear Gideon cry in his sleep... on how he keeps begging for his life.


    "So please, although I would like for Gideon to skip the ball, we''ll be attending. If you desperately need to see him then be patient"


    "I understand, have a good day" Kaiden calmly says to Stephen. The latter bowed down his head before shutting the door on Kaiden.


    "I already had enough for today..." Stephen says and walks to the staircase to see Gideon who had been eavesdropping on the two.


    He already knew Gideon had been there for a while. That is why he paused for a moment because he did not want to concern Gideon. He walked up a few steps and patted Gideon''s head.


    Gideon knew of Stephen''s concern for him. And he''s actually thankful that Stephen spoke up for him. No words can express how much he is grateful to be with him and Theodora.


    Kaiden was on his way back to the castle. He couldn''t help but think of the things that Stephen told him.


    I messed up big time, didn''t I? Did Gideon hate me deep inside? Was he only trying to appease me?


    He should not overthink about it, to be honest. He could just ask Gideon about these things. Of course, Gideon did not hate him. Gideon was the one who told him that they were still friends. He just needed time.


    They both needed time.


    Upon his return, he was greeted by Amias and Azazel speaking to each other. The two bowed down and greeted the prince. The two would look at each other, signaling for the other to speak.


    "What is it?" Kaiden asks getting a bit tired with these two.


    "It''s regarding your outfit, we were thinking of letting you wear either black or blue" Azazel reports.


    "If you pick Black you would be matching with your father" Amias side comments.


    "Was that information relevant?" Azazel whispers at Amias.


    "Knowing the prince, it is. Also, I would really suggest blue that you would pick the color blue" Amias states.


    "Why?" Kaiden felt like Amias knew something he did not.


    "Well, Gideon''s accessories would complement yours" Amias smiles mischievously.


    He already had an idea that the prince has a thing for Gideon. Well, he is indeed pretty like a girl. Too bad Kaiden already marked his possession over him. This was annoying because if he didn''t then he might have had fun with the lad.


    "And you know this?" Azazel raises an eyebrow at Amias and the latter just kept smiling as he plays with a strand of his long hair.


    "I gifted him those accessories"


    Kaiden felt like he got kicked in the stomach. Not only did he get a reality slap from Stephen, but he realized that he was not able to give a gift to Gideon for his birthday. The mere fact this guy in front of him manage to hand him something felt like he was losing in a race.


    "I''ll keep that in mind, Azazel, go for the blue one" at the end of the day, he still does not want to match with his father.


    "I will take note of that your highness, come on Amias help me out"


    "Alright Alright" Amias follows Azazel as they took their leave.


    Kaiden now vowed to himself that he will definitely not lose to anyone. Especially to that flirty bastard who sticks to his father lately. Wait now that he thought about it...


    Amias is busier than usual. He also keeps sending direct reports to the King instead of Arda.


    "That mother fucker is taking advantage of his "closeness" to Gideon" Kaiden muttered to himself.


    That explains everything, he really can''t trust anyone here. The fact that he thought those two would consider Gideon''s safety given they protected him from himself.


    Kaiden felt like an idiot right now. He is the one constantly left in the dark. Even back then, the situation was like this.


    "Don''t worry Deon, I will take care of these pests for you"


    ----


    "Achoo" Amias sneezed while he was going through the suits that Azazel picked out.


    "Don''t get your germs all over the clothes"


    "I couldn''t help it, someone was probably cursing me again"


    "Isn''t that normal for you Amy?"


    "I don''t usually sneeze like this Azzy"


    The two glared at each other for using feminine-sounding nicknames.


    "Anyways, I heard that the invitation already got sent out"


    "It was" Amias takes out a royal blue suit that had golden embroidery.


    Yep, this definitely would suit him.


    "I thought we all were against it?"


    "We are but I can''t go against the King''s Order now can I?"


    Azazel fell quiet, he already saw Luciel writing the "invitation". He just didn''t expect he''d ask Amias to deliver it asap.


    "Just be careful around Kaiden now Amias"


    "The king chose me because I''m not that big of a loss if Kaiden did try to kill me. I''ll be fine Azazel"


    Azazel wished that Amias wasn''t this hard on himself but what he said was the truth. He sighed and picked out a blood-red pendant that suited the colors of the jacket that Amias had picked out.


    "Perfect" Amias beamed and Azazel only nodded.. He was still worried for Amias, Gideon, and Kaiden.


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 Chapter 34 - 34

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    News reached Theodora''s ears that Gideon had been invited to the Winter Ball. She suddenly threw the phone that she had been holding in a fit of rage. Emilia had just entered the room where Theodora was currently residing. Seeing the situation, she had planned on leaving and coming back again later but suddenly Theodora called for her.


    "What is it Emilia?"


    "I came here to report that there had been suspicious activities in the borders. Colin and his team came back to find that some of the monsters had retreated"


    "Retreated? Where''s Colin?" the faster she''s done with her tasks here, the faster she can return home. If all else fails, she''ll try to convince her Lady to watch over Gideon for her. Theodora has faith in her husband being able to fend for himself as he is also in the same faction as her but not Gideon.


    Theodora and Emilia met up with Colin, the captain of the Lycan Division. Although it is true that Lady Kassandra despises men, she still gladly took over her deceased brother''s divisions. He was a tall man who had black hair, brown eyes, and a tanned skin that was a huge contrast to the Pale to light skintones that vampires had. Colin had been discussing with his subordinates, perhaps it''s regarding the report Emilia had given to her.


    "Colin" She called out to him


    "Theo" He responded and dismissed the other Lycans to leave the room.


    "Emilia had mentioned to me that the monsters were retreating? Does this mean they show sign of intelligence?"


    "yes and not entirely" Colin had laid out the map of the Northern Region and their current base had been marked on the map. There were areas that hand been crossed out with red markers indicating that there were concentrated amounts of monsters in that area as well as other markers that indicated if the area had been cleared out and made into a temporary retreat for the front liners.


    "I and several others went to this area" Colin pointed to a part that was on the right side of the map. Theodora''s team had went to the left side, discovering that the area they had thought to have monsters had been cleared out already.


    "There were monsters that attacked us but suddenly we heard a weird howl. Immediately all of them retreated and when we tried to follow them, we got attacked by holy magic. Several of the wolves got killed and we lost them in the process to prevent further loss."


    "Did you report this to her Lady Kassandra?"


    "I haven''t, she still can''t look at me properly when I tried approaching her last time."


    Theodora sighed and looked at the rest of the markers before grabbing the marker nearby. She drew a circle at several approximate areas basing on the previous scouting reports and the current situation.


    "I''m fairly certain that there would be hordes here and here. But we can no longer handle this on our own given that we are now being attacked by whom we can speculate to be Matthew''s Resistance members"


    They were no match to pure blooded angels. She couldn''t blame Colin for retreating instead of pursuing because they would just lose more men if they tried. Theodora clenched her fists realizing that she won''t be able to come home now.


    "I''ll report this to Lady Kassandra once she returns and I''ll suggest for us to merge with Lord Damien''s team since it now involves Matthew"


    "I''ll do my best to support you with this Theo"


    "I know that Colin. I just hope that things back in the capital would be fine."


    .


    .


    .


    Gideon had already put on the suit that Amias had gifted him. He was a little unsure of how he should do his hair so he went out to ask Stephen. To his surprise, Stephen was definitely dressed for the occasion by having his Light brown hair swept up to the side and he wore a dark green suit. He glanced at the hallway and saw how Gideon looked. It reminded him of the first time Gideon went to prom and thus he got a little bit teary-eyed because this child was growing up.


    "Are you crying?"


    "What?" Stephen immediately looked away and quickly wiped his tears before Gideon could notice.


    "I''m not crying. Also, your hair is so messy..."


    Stephen walked towards him and used his fingers to brush up Gideon''s hair. He frowned because it wasn''t cooperating so he had to go around the house first looking for something. When Stephen came back, he had bobby-pins and quickly fixed up his hair.


    "Once we arrive there, just stick next to me alright? If it''s not possible, at least just remain in my sight" Stephen sighed and grabbed their invitations.


    Gideon followed Stephen to the car and the two drove off to the venue. He kept thinking of what''s going to happen in the ball. Perhaps he was just nervous because he has never attended this huge of an event. He just laughs at himself because even though he wanted to live quietly at the sideline away from the protagonist, here he is on the way once again to the main story points.


    What happened to this arc again? I know my character is supposed to attend there as an employee but right now I''m a guest. I''ve been in this place for so long I can''t remember the details of the book anymore.


    Gideon could only hope that things would go well.


    The two safely arrived there and Gideon was in awe with how many guests were here. It was a mix of Demons, Humans, and Angels. Well to be fair, the winter ball was meant to be a celebration of peace for all races. But Gideon just did not expect the volume of guests. There were even people outside just looking in. The rest of the capital were holding street festivals since they couldn''t attend the Winter Ball themselves. It really was the festive season.


    The two showed their invitation to the demon who was guarding the entrance. As soon as the demon saw Gideon''s invitation, they kept glancing at him. Their Arrival was announced but everyone else was too busy to even bat an eyelash at them. Well, he knew exactly what the staff was thinking thanks to what Damien had told him a while ago. Gideon sighed, fully knowing that their opinions will never change.


    Aren''t I the victim here?


    "Gideon, as much as possible don''t talk to anyone you''re not familiar with here." Stephen warns Gideon. He would have grabbed Gideon by the hand like old times but he was an adult now.


    "Why''s that?"


    "Considering there are three races with each of their own hidden agendas and your unique status in this kingdom, there will be those who will manipulate you." Stephen bluntly states with irritation written on his face. A wave of concern hits Gideon as he thought of the fact that Stephen had blurted this out loud.


    "Stephen, the others can hear you..."


    "Then let them hear me, it''s not like they''re not thinking maliciously of me right now are they?" He lets out a fake smile and it wasn''t helping Gideon''s feelings right now.


    "If they decide to act just because of a few words then that would mean I was right"


    Stephen continued to make risky statements that could be counted as a threat as glanced at one of the servants that had been serving wine to several of the guests. The servant immediately ignored the others who had been asking for a glass of wine and went straight to Stephen to hand him one. Stephen takes another and pours half of it into his glass before handing it to Gideon.


    "While you''re here, just enjoy the food at least. That''s the only good thing here"


    Stephen glanced to his side and noticed Lady Kassandra was staring at him with mixed emotions. He himself felt conflicted and thought of his wife holding down the fort in the front lines while their boss is here socializing. It''s not like their Lady liked it any better but of course, Stephen is still pissed.


    Gideon walked to the buffet and couldn''t help but think that this scene was familiar.


    Oh yeah, Gideon was a server in this party right? Then..


    This would be the party where Kaiden exposes his identity as a Half-Angel, just like him. People are still wary of Angels despite the fact that Luciel had been trying to make amends with them. Most of the time they''d be left alone but there are still those who would go out of their way to harrass an Angel for the sake of "revenge". And because in the original story, Kaiden pushed the hatred for Angels even more... Gideon ended up becoming a villain.


    But that won''t happen anymore.


    Gideon had been spacing out for a while that Damien managed to make his way next to him. He had a disappointed expression and next to him was Amias who was all smiles.


    "You''ll burn a hole at that dish if you keep staring at it" Amias playfully states before handing Gideon a serving.


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 Chapter 35 - [Bonus ] Mini Theater #1

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    Once upon a time, there was a kingdom in a faraway land. The Crown Prince at the time fell in love with a commoner but the King and Queen did not approve of this relationship. He decided to run away to live with his love and the two of them had two wonderful children.


    The title of "Crown Prince" got moved to the Prince''s brother. But suddenly one day, a fortune-teller came to visit the King and Queen. The Fortune Teller told the two that disaster will be brought upon the kingdom the moment they pass, only the rightful heir can prevent this. Hearing this, they only laughed stating that they do not need to worry since they still have their prince. It was only the Crown Prince who felt threatened by his older brother.


    The previous crown prince had already established a small magic business because his wife was actually a Magician who specialized in potions rather than spells like the norm. But this meant that commoners had better access to magic given it was exclusive for nobles and royalty only.


    The Crown Prince thought that his older brother was planning something with this and decided to send a dark magician to get rid of the previous crown prince. His wife had learned of this and the two tried to hide their children in a hidden tower that used to be her hideaway. The Wife told her son who was the eldest the truth of his father''s origins. She gave him his father''s brooch that would prove his right as the rightful heir to the throne for when the time comes.


    "I''ll take care of Alice" Gideon cried as his mother kissed the two children goodbye.


    Alice thought that her mother would only be gone for a few days but Gideon knew that she will no longer return. It was hard to accept but he needed to be strong for his little sister.


    Years had already passed and they already grew accustomed to living in that tower. Gideon would often leave the tower to go to the nearby town and sell the medicine that he and his sister would make. If their Mother knew that Alice had inherited her skills in potion making and could even perform basic magic spells, she would be the proudest mother out there. Gideon sadly only knew how to make medicine since he had a magical affinity in him for some reason.


    When he returned to the tower, he did not find Alice anywhere and thus he panicked. He had even dropped the basket of food he had brought for the two of them as he ran out looking for her. He was worried that she would get attacked by monsters given they were deep in the magical forest. After running for a while, he saw there were several footprints left behind. He thought it was his sister''s and decided to follow it.


    Following the footprints, he went deeper into the magical forest. He found himself in the outskirts of an "abandoned" castle. He never heard of a castle in the Magical forest, let alone see this while he was following the footprints. It''s as if this castle just popped up out of nowhere.


    "Alice?" He called out looking around outside the castle.


    Maybe she''s inside?


    The door was open but there was no one there. He continued to call out for his sister until he heard a door slam. Gideon jumped in surprise and looked behind him. There was a person well... it looked like a person at first but Gideon saw that this person looked like a monster. It had a long tail, claws, and horns. Maybe it even had a horrifying face given it used a mask to cover it up.


    "Who are you?! why are you in here? Were you the one who stole the pendant?!" The monster spoke and Gideon gulped in fear.


    "No! I am just trying to look for my sister"


    "Do you think I''m a fool?"


    "No, I''m telling the truth"


    Gideon tries to explain but he was already grabbed by the wrist. He was dragged into a dungeon despite trying to explain multiple times that he was looking for his sister. The monster muttered something along the lines of "These humans keep coming in and out like they own the place". Gideon was upset, he had no idea what rose that monster was talking about.


    A day or two already passed and Gideon was already starving. The Monster that locked him in there didn''t even give him any food or water. He was only living off the remaining water and snacks he had on him. In the silence of the night, with only the light of the moon to illuminate his prison cell, someone called out to him.


    "Psst! Hey Human" a tiny voice called out.


    Gideon looked around and did not see anyone else but suddenly a shadow-like person appeared from the darkness. He made a little wave and it spooked Gideon. Perhaps if this shadow had a face, he would be smiling at how funny the human looked.


    "Hello human, I''m Amias"


    "What do you want from me?"


    "I believe I should be the one asking you the questions" This figure twirled something and it looked like it might have been its hair.


    "I''m only looking for my sister"


    "You''re the only human here and that being said..." It seems like this Amias person remembered something and started to walk away. Gideon clung to the bars and called out to whoever''s out there saying that he was only looking for his sister.


    Amias however comes back with another person. Unlike him who was only pitch black, this person was similar to the monster that dragged him into this Dungeon. Except this person had pink hair and a different mask.


    "Azzy, what do you think?"


    "He looks like a commoner. He won''t do." this "Azzy" person tells Amias this in a cold manner to which he got replied with a hit on the shoulder but it looks like it didn''t even do anything.


    "Our time is almost up and you''re still being picky?!"


    The pink-haired guy stayed silent for a while before a rumble could be heard. Gideon has not eaten for days now.


    "Pitiful..." The pink-haired guy muttered sarcastically and Gideon''s face had a tint of red due to embarrassment.


    "I-I''m not hungry" he tries to say but his stomach betrayed him and had let out another growl.


    "Hmm, this won''t do" Amias mimicked "Azzy" and twirled his hand to reveal a set of keys.


    "Amias!" The man tried to stop Amias from opening the cell but he had already unlocked it.


    "We can''t let him die now, can we Azazel?" Amias state as he walks up to Gideon and held out his shadowy hand.


    The latter hesitated on grabbing it so Amias just went ahead to grab him by the wrist and pulled him up. Amias was taller than Gideon so he had to look up at the area where there''s supposed to be a face but there''s nothing but pitch darkness.


    Amias led Gideon out of the Dungeon and into the kitchen. To their surprise, they were greeted by a man who had a mask that looked like a pig. He was actually surprised to see them that he dropped the food that he had been eating. They were pastries.


    "Yohann! What are you doing at this hour..." Azazel began as if he was still trying to think of what to say.


    Yohann did not answer but instead took out a tiny notepad and began writing. He then showed them what he had written. The penmanship was elegant as if it was written by a skilled calligrapher. The note stated that he was hungry and did not want to bother his sister so he decided to sneak into the kitchen.


    Gideon wanted to ask why Yohann wouldn''t speak but did not bother to ask. Thankfully, he had common sense and assumed that Yohann was mute. But it also made him curious about the situation of these people. One had been covering his face with a mask, the other was just pitch darkness, and now this person with a pig mask was not being able to speak.


    Azazel continued to scold Yohann and the two would continue exchanging letters on the spot. Amias chuckled and tugged on Gideon''s sleeves before handing him a pastry from the cabinet that Yohann had been rummaging through earlier.


    "Feel free to eat those for now. Once you''re done, you can roam around the halls but don''t try to leave or else the young master will know" Amias advises Gideon to which he nodded as he hesitantly takes a bite from the pastry. It was very tasty.


    Gideon left the room and looked around and noticed that there were ruined portraits of what looked like a family. Just based on the clothes of the child whose face was ripped off on the portrait, it looks like it was a very wealthy family.


    Of course, he was not going to obey what that mysterious being had told him. He needed to find his sister! Gideon found himself in the Castle''s Garden. While he was roaming around, he found this one wildflower that his sister had been looking for.


    "It''s just a little flower and there''s tons of it here. I''ll just take one" Just as he picked a flower, a voice spoke behind him.


    "I knew that you were a petty little thief the moment I saw you"


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 Chapter 36 - 35

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    Gideon was startled by Amias who suddenly handed him a plate. He gave back the plate to Amias unconsciously to which the latter started laughing. Damien had to cut in and grab the plate before handing it to the server.


    "Well, I''m glad you''re here! And you''re even wearing the suit. Do you like it~?" Amias asked with a cheeky grin and Gideon didn''t know how to respond. Damien flicked Amias'' forehead to which he got a "YOU BRUTE!" statement from a now pouting Amias who had a red mark on his forehead.


    "He wouldn''t wear it if he didn''t like it" Damien stated and inspected Gideon from head to toe before nodding as if he was pleased.


    "But it does suit, Gideon. You did well Amy" Damien complimented Amias before patting his hair. Amias, on the other hand, took offense to the action and whined before gently pushing his hand away.


    "Of course~ When I met Gideon back then, he was really pretty that I thought he was a girl at first. I mean he''s still pretty but it can''t save his shitty fashion sense especially when he doesn''t fix his hair"


    "Man and here I thought you were complimenting me but thanks" Gideon sarcastically replies to Amias'' "constructive criticism" before taking a sip from his wine glass.


    "Aren''t you too young to be drinking?" Damien asks and Gideon answers back that he was twenty-two. Damien raised an eyebrow but Amias decided to cut in once again by stating that he was the one who picked out Kaiden''s outfit for tonight''s event. This got Gideon''s attention as he quickly forgot about the fact that Amias had insulted him earlier and asked when Kaiden will show up.


    "He''ll show up soon enough"  especially after hearing the announcement of your arrival. That''s the reason why Damien and Amias immediately looked for him. Damien was here to look out for Gideon since he viewed him like he was a tiny rabbit. Whereas Amias was there for surveillance in any suspicious acts from the kid.


    "Ohh" Gideon pursed his lips and twirled his glass. He was sort of waiting for Kaiden to talk to him after Stephen''s Confrontation. But days passed and not a single text was sent to him. He felt a little bit guilty even though he should be celebrating since he''s been waiting for the moment Kaiden finally leaves him alone. And yet, here we are.


    Kaiden really loathes attending these sorts of events. For him, it was a joke because he''s forced to put on a facade that he and his father are close to each other. Luciel was beside him speaking to Azazel and Arda one last time. Perhaps it was regarding something with the event. He had already heard the announcement of Gideon''s arrival and had been itching to speak to him. He needed to clarify things with him.


    Maybe it''s guilt? I don''t know...


    Kaiden felt a pat on his shoulder and saw his father smiling at him.


    "You look good today" Luciel complimented him and Kaiden looked away while lightly brushing off his hand.


    "Thanks"


    "NOW ENTERING, HIS HIGHNESSES KING LUCIEL LUX FERRE, AND PRINCE KAIDEN LUX FERRE" Azazel announces as Arda opens the door for the both of them to reveal the grand hall that is filled with different races. The Angels, Humans, and Devils all greeted the two by putting a hand over their chests and bowing down saying the phrase;


    "Greetings to the Light of this Empire"


    The two royals sat on their thrones. There was one throne that had a few bouquets placed next to it. This would have been Gabriella''s Throne if she had survived. Luciel began his speech to celebrate this remarkable day where all races were united.


    "Of course, none of this would be possible without the sacrifice of our people" Luciel stayed quiet for a moment to mourn for those who passed. But after that, he motioned for Kassandra to come. Kassandra walked to the two and handed them two wine glasses to which Luciel immediately raises his.


    "A toast to another year of peace!" Everyone cheered on and raised their glasses before taking a drink.


    "I''ll be talking to a few people now. Make sure you dance with someone alright?" Luciel looks back at Kaiden who was tapping his fingers on his seat.


    "Sure" Kaiden replies casually and Luciel patted his son''s hand before taking his leave to go down to speak to the representatives of Humans and Angels.


    Kaiden stood up from his seat and quickly swept his eyes across the room. There were several girls who had been trying to catch his attention but he quickly spots Gideon who looked like he was being annoyed by Amias. Seeing that face, Kaiden couldn''t help but smile. Azazel walked up to him and lightly elbowed the prince.


    "Fancy anyone today?" Azazel followed Kaiden''s gaze and saw the three by the buffet table.


    "Ah... well you may interact with him once you have a dance with someone"


    "Can''t that be Deon?" Kaiden looks at Azazel who scratched the back of his neck.


    "You know you can''t do that given your status right?"


    Being reminded of his status as "Prince" made his mood sour. It was the root source of why the two of them had this huge misunderstanding between them.


    If only I wasn''t the prince.


    Kaiden thought of how Gideon helped him forget that he was one. When he was with Gideon, he could be himself. No need to worry about his image or what the others would say.


    "Just one dance right?"


    "Just one my prince. After that, you can talk to Gideon for as long as you want." Azazel reassured him and thus Kaiden sighed and glanced at the women who had been waiting for him.


    "Who do you suggest?"


    "I''d recommend that you would dance with someone who is from our faction for formalities and familiarity. The Humans and Angels wouldn''t know how to coordinate with you" Azazel suggests and so the pool choice immediately becomes smaller because there were only a few brave souls who still seek out the prince despite seeing his temperament.


    "Alright, thanks Azazel"


    Kaiden noticed this one succubus who grinned at him. He saw her once during his training. Since she was a Succubus, she would be skilled in dancing as well. But after this, he''s wiping his hands clean. The woman had black hair that faded into dark blue and wore a galaxy-themed slim fit dress that hugged her curves perfectly.


    "Your highness" She bowed down lightly and this showed off her chest area. Kaiden noticed this but immediately moved his gaze up to her face.


    "May I know your name?" Kaiden smiles fakely and puts out his hand for her to take.


    "Aleia" She took a hold of Kaiden''s hand and he moves it up to his lips to place a gentle kiss.


    "Lady Aleia, would you like to dance with me?"


    "With pleasure" She smiled and walked hand in hand with Kaiden to the middle of the hall to dance.


    The music suddenly changed and Gideon had been distracted by Amias making weird conclusions about his Highschool life. Damien had been looking at the direction of the group of people. He didn''t have to move close to see what was happening but the vast difference in his height with Gideon meant that the lad couldn''t see.


    "Wait, what are they watching?" Gideon asks the two Nobles in front of him. Amias knew what it was since it was already discussed with them by the king earlier. Damien simply answered "Dancing".


    Gideon nods but he was curious about the people that were dancing so he walked around to look for a space in the crowd. When he finally manages to find a spot, he was surprised by the view.


    It was Kaiden, smiling gently as he danced gracefully with this beautiful woman who looked like the stars fell on her. Her hands were on his jacket that went well with his hair and his pendant complimented his eyes. The two of them looked like a match.


    Gideon was just in awe, he thought this woman must be one of the female leads back then because of how pretty she was. And of course, it''s no wonder that Kaiden looked like he was enjoying his time.


    When the song had ended, the guests began to clap their hands and the two bowed to one another. Kaiden escorted her back to a table and it seems like the woman had spoken a few words to him on the way. Gideon was about to look for Amias or Stephen to accompany him when suddenly the lights died.


    The people inside began to panic a little and "What''s going on?!" began to echo throughout the hall. There were suddenly a series of coughs as an ominous fog slowly started to spread and a few bodies started to fall.


    "EVERYONE COVER YOUR FACE AND EVA- AHHH!" a staff member tried to warn the people of the poison gas but suddenly his neck got bitten by a black monster-like creature. It had the skull of a goat on its "head" but it had a much larger mouth beneath it. It had sharp claws and it was double the size of a regular person.


    Damien pounced on it and using a dagger that he had kept hidden and stabbed the area where the skull was located. The monster wailed in pain and shook off Damien, sending him flying.


    Luciel rushed to Damien''s side to check on him but suddenly the monster from earlier that was injured tried to attack the two. Azazel suddenly appeared and sliced off the "neck" to which it rolled off to the side and a black substance spilled on the ground. The monster collapsed and Azazel flicked of the sword he had created using his blood since it was already filthy. The sword melted back into liquid form.


    "There''s more being teleported in. Someone had set up an array in the hall." Azazel reports.


    This was what Gideon forgot in the original story.. This was Matthew''s Ambush.


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 Chapter 37 - 36

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    Damien moaned in pain as he sat up. He was rubbing his shoulder before stretching. "Fuck that hurts, but I''ll be fine. Zel, these are different from the usual ones me and Kassy encounter"


    Kassandra had just jumped on one of the monsters before it could reach one of the guests and slammed it on the floor. Her arm turned grayish with a horrifying structure but at the slight shake of her wrists, it slowly returned to its normal form. Her dress had already ripped in the middle and so she made a scoff before stomping on the head of the monster to keep it down.


    "Yeah these are more annoying" Kassandra angrily states.


    Amias had already done his job of setting up an array around him and the guests to keep the poison gas at bay. Meanwhile, Azazel had been protecting him from the monsters that had been targeting Amias.


    "Then we should be more careful. ARDA WHY ARE THE GUESTS STILL HERE?!?"


    "SOMEONE PLACED A SEAL ON THE DOORS, I''M STILL TRYING TO REMOVE IT"


    "Fuck" Azazel glanced at Luciel who had been looking in a certain direction. He knew Luciel already found the source of the array.


    "Damien, give me back up. Kassandra keeps the guests safe until Arda can break the seal. Azazel, make sure Amias keeps the array up"


    All of them nodded and quickly went to work. Amias at the moment suddenly remembered Yohann and felt his chest tighten because this situation was similar to that of the past.


    "Calm down Amy, just keep the array up and we''ll be safe. We''re all here." Azazel reassures him before placing his focus back onto defending Amias.


    Luciel manifested his powers to form a pattern over the area where the monsters were crawling out of and to his surprise, the seals were all over the place and stacked with one another. It seems like they had multiple inside personnel set this up while everyone was distracted by the dance.


    "This damn angel..." He muttered angrily before breaking one of the seals of the array.


    "Breaking this will take hours. Change of plans, I''ll help Arda break the seals on the door." As he was speaking a monster tried to attack him and he sent it flying with his powers.


    .


    .


    .


    It was a little hard to see with only light from outside illuminating the hall through its windows. Gideon was terrified of the situation because he realized that he had been alone. He couldn''t see Stephen and the other people would push him away due to panic. There were Demons and Angels already arguing with one another.


    "YOU ANGELS PLANNED THIS DIDN''T YOU?!" The demons roared at the angels and the latter refuted by arguing back "HOW DARE YOU BLAME US?! SOME OF OUR PEOPLE DIED, DO YOU THINK WE ALSO WANT THIS?!?!"


    That being said, being a half-and-half made Gideon out of place. The room was already chaotic with the monsters just randomly spawning in. Now adding to that are the Races fighting with each other.


    "ENOUGH" Arda stomped her feet and an invisible power forced the two groups that were going neck and neck to one another to get separated.


    Luciel rushed through the group like they weren''t there and went straight to Arda''s side to help her with the door. In a short while, a loud thud could be heard. It seems like Luciel punched the wall next to the door.


    This wasn''t good, Gideon and everyone else was locked in as Luciel and Arda tries to free them. With each passing second, the body count of both the guests who turned into soldiers, as well as monsters, increased. Gideon felt his throat run dry with the bloodshed in front of him and he tries to retreat into one of the more quiet spaces of the hall to avoid being pushed to the front.


    To his dismay, he wasn''t alone.


    A monster had spawned there. Compared to those who were getting in via the main portal, this one was different since it was quiet. Gideon had not noticed it until he suddenly felt something wet grab his ankle. He fell on his back and hit his head lightly the moment the monster pulled his foot.


    "ow! huh- AH!" The Disoriented Gideon saw the horror before him and the creature retracted his long tongue. The Saliva from the tongue felt like scalding hot water and that alone helped Gideon regain his wits due to the excruciating pain.


    "HELP ME! ANYONE PLEASE!" A Figure quickly dashed into his view and had sliced off the monster''s tongue swiftly.


    The monster wailed and due to the noises of Gideon''s panicked screaming as well as the monster''s the Guests became more frightened. There were several monsters crawling quietly in the darkness and pouncing on them just like Gideon''s experience.


    Kaiden went to Gideon''s side and immediately tried to heal up the injured ankle but the monster tried to pounce on them. Kaiden''s holy power was redirected to the monster by mistake and his arm got scratched. The monster began to seize up and Kaiden took this opportunity to carry Gideon into one of the hidden corridors to retreat.


    .


    .


    Azazel noticed the situation on the side earlier. He was about to rush in when Kaiden jumped in himself and saved Gideon. His focus went to the monster that was seizing up. The Monster stopped moving and collapsed on the ground like it was a blob of gelatin. Soon something light peeked through the piles of black substance but a certain color caught his eyes.


    He didn''t bother stabbing the monster that was attacking him and instead kicked it away before rushing to the area.


    "What is it Zel?" Damien asked when he noticed Azazel with a concerning expression rushing over to one of the corpses of the monsters.


    Azazel pushed away the black substance to see if he wasn''t imagining things. It was a person, and it wasn''t just any person. He couldn''t form any words as his face was just pure shock as his breathing sped up.


    It was Yohann.


    Azazel moved away so that Damien could see what he was looking at. Damien dropped his weapons and staggered a little bit in shock.


    "KASSANDRA, EVERYONE DON''T KILL ANY OF THE CREATURES"


    "What?" Kassandra looks up at Damien, confused, but saw his expression and followed his sight. Her surroundings suddenly quieted down, it was a familiar sleeping face to her.


    "YOHANN!"


    "Yohann?" Amias was taken aback by the sudden call of that name that he nearly slipped up.


    Another monster tried to gang up on Amias and Damien simply pushed them back instead of killing them. Kassandra wanted to rush to her brother''s body but there were still monsters that were trying to kill her.


    "Kassy, focus on the task first!" Damien shouts at her and to which she pursed her lips and helped him push away the monsters while others were trying their best to do so as well but they were dying more quickly since they can''t attack back.


    "Azazel! Is he alive?!" Kassandra desperately asks and the entire time Azazel had been checking everything on Yohann.


    "Yes! He''s just unconscious"


    Luciel finally took off half of the seals and left the rest up for Arda to tackle with. He quickly rushes to Damien''s side instead of Azazel''s and used his powers to capture a few of the monsters that were closing into the guests.


    "At best try to capture them. But if it''s unavoidable, kill it!" Luciel ordered his servants and they all went into work once more.


    Amias was just staring at Azazel who was wrapping Yohan up in his coat. He immediately carries Yohann over to Amias'' side since it''s the safest location. With this, Amias had a better look at him. He was thinner and he had chapped lips. His mouth was bleeding a little and Azazel explained that he got his tongue cut off earlier. This drew the conclusion that even in their monstrous form, their original bodies are affected.


    "But he''ll be alright right?"


    "We''ll see after"


    Azazel only frowned since there were some things definitely wrong with Yohann right now. But he could only thank Kaiden for his accidental attack on him.


    "The best right now is that he''s here, safe and sound."


    He could only hope those two are alright since he saw Kaiden slip into his hideaways. Azazel knew of the pathways but it was one of Kaiden''s secrets he kept for him. They can handle it here anyways. But there was also something amiss with the Prince.


    "Did you notice something with Kaiden?"


    "I think so... I''m not sure" Amias admits.


    .


    .


    .


    Kaiden stumbled a little as he ran down the hallway carrying Gideon. Gideon felt Kaiden was burning up a little and he already healed himself up a little bit to make his ankle manageable. To his surprise, Kaiden suddenly stopped and almost dropped him. Gideon was surprised and he immediately got off Kaiden and supported him till they reached the small hideout Kaiden had. Kaiden flicked his wrists as Gideon helped him sit down by the cushions.


    "Kaiden are you alright? You''re burning up..." Gideon at first thought it was the wound on Kaiden''s arm that caused this reaction. But suddenly Kaiden tried to lean in and kiss him.


    "?!?" Gideon suddenly moves away from Kaiden''s face.


    In the realization of his actions, Kaiden suddenly pushes Gideon away.


    "I didn''t know what came over me! I didn''t mean to..." Kaiden''s breath hitched and he winced in pain.


    Gideon realized what was happening. Maybe it was just because of small context clues but this was a scene in the original story.. This part involved our protagonist getting put under a very specific spell and it was broken by one of the Female Leads.


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 Chapter 38 - 37

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    Most readers would not expect the following because the original author did not take note of this. But what if they found out that one of the female leads was actually in cahoots with Matthew and the rebels?


    That was exactly what happened in both the original and the current world that Gideon resided in.


    Prior to the winter ball, Aleia is a part of Damien''s division of soldiers. Originally she was under Amias'' Division but due to previous mistakes, Luciel transferred a portion of his men to Damien. Aleia was a part of this, well... she pretended to be a part of it.


    She was left for dead once by her team and Matthew became her saving grace. He showed her the powers that she was actually capable of and with this, she joined the enemies. Matthew had instructed her to injure herself and pretend to be locked up in one of their camps, help a few "prisoners" escape, and return to the capital a hero.


    His plans went smoothly and Aleia was welcomed back with open arms and no suspicions. She was even given the title of Team Captain. That being said, she now had the authority to choose who she wanted under her team. She picked out the spies that came with her, saying that she grew close to them. Everything was going precisely as planned.


    But of course, Aleia also had her own desires. She desired the prince ever since she became a soldier. But the prince never looked at anyone to her disdain.


    "I want him to beg for me." She tells Matthew and he laughed.


    He hated that bastard since it was an eyesore to him. But he knew how much Luciel cherished the child and so he granted her wish.


    "You need to be able to be in close contact with him to put this charm on him. After that, recite this spell" He showed her exactly what kind of spell it was. Although she already knew these kinds of spells, she did not have enough powers for them.


    "I''ll lend you some of my powers, but you have to make sure that the others would not be noticed while they set up arrays"


    "I promise you, my lord" Aleia tells him, eyes full of determination.


    She did her best to conceal the cheeky grin she wanted to show. Oh... Just thinking of how Kaiden will be in pain with each passing second of not being able to touch her. It makes her body shiver in excitement.


    When the date of the ball finally arrived, her team went to work. She may have been stepping in random places, but she was actually dropping the talismans she had hidden. The talismans would disappear without a trace but with a snap of her fingers, they will all activate. Her team switched with the staff originally in charge of the door by means of persuasion.


    "You look like you''re tired, don''t worry I can take it from here" One of her members tell the staff.


    "Greed is a Demon''s weakness" That is what everyone says.


    Oh, how lucky was she? The Prince himself took the initiative to dance with her. And the fact that she was his partner for his first dance of tonight meant that he was interested in her right?


    Wrong.


    He may have been smiling at her, but to her that smile was fake. And the fact she was a succubus herself, she had not felt one bit of attraction from him. He was doing this for shows. This pissed her off that she finished tracing the spell on his body. Now all she needed to do was activate the spell.


    The Dance was finished and as he was escorting her, she whispered the incantation to him.


    "What?" Kaiden was dumbfounded by the set of words she blurted out of nowhere.


    "You misheard me? I was asking if you wanted to take me somewhere else"


    "Oh. I''m sorry, but I''m not interested" Kaiden replies coldly and pulled his arm away from her grasp before turning away to look for someone.


    Aleia frowned and snapped her finger that causing the lights to die down. The arrays were activated and now the monsters started pouring in. Now the next part of her plan was for her to get attacked by a monster. Regardless if Kaiden refused her just now, the spell had already been activated. He wouldn''t refuse her if she called out for him.


    Chaos erupted and a monster indeed targeted her. She ran around and yelled out to Kaiden;


    "Save me, my prince!" but someone else also yelled out.


    "HELP ME! ANYONE PLEASE!"


    Instead of going to her, Kaiden ran to someone else on the other side of the room. She could have sworn that Kaiden would still go to her and not to another man. Especially when he''s charmed unless...


    "This fucking faggot..." she muttered and tried to defend herself from the monster.


    Who would have thought "pure love" still existed in this twisted world?


    Aleia did not have a weapon at hand and only relied on her strength and agility but that was not enough. Soon another monster joined in the fun and its fangs managed to dig into her leg.


    "ARGH!" She screamed in pain and she tried to kick the monster off but another one managed to pounce on her and bit her arm. She wailed around in pain using her free limbs but this brought the attention of more monsters to go to her.


    How did it end up like this?


    Everything was going according to plan...


    Aleia tried her hardest to fight back against the monsters but they simply overpowered her. Slowly she was torn into pieces until she was no longer identifiable. The other spies within the guests watched her get eaten alive by their own monsters since she did remove the protective charm placed on her by Matthew. That was the only thing that kept those things from attacking them. One spy secretly reports it back to Matthew.


    The moment he heard of the news, he only laughed. The other Angels that he had been talking to also heard of the report.


    "Rapeh, have you heard of this saying? A Demon''s weakness is its greed" Matthew asks his second-in-command.


    "I have heard it but I never fully understood it until now" Rapeh replies.


    "Well, who cares if that demon dies."


    "But they also reported that the plan failed-"


    "Did it really?" Matthew looks at Rapeh with wide eyes, almost psychotic.


    "I- Could my lord relay the report so I may understand better?" Rapeh was sweating bullets, he never meant to question Matthew.


    "I don''t care if a few of my pets would die. But we now caused the "peace treaty" between the three races to falter. As well as the fact that Luciel''s men would start to suspect one another"


    "So you''re trying to break them up from the inside" Rapeh nods in understanding what Matthew was thinking.


    "This is why you''re my favorite" Matthew caressed Rapeh''s cheeks with a smile.


    Rapeh smiled back at him and Matthew''s smile immediately disappeared. His expression was changed with one that of revulsion as he slapped Rapeh. The subordinate accepted this and his cheeks were tinted red as his expression turned into a lewd one.


    "Get out" Matthew shouted at him.


    "Y-yes" Rapeh bowed and disappeared from his sight.


    Matthew immediately wiped his hands clean. He knew full well how Rapeh felt towards him.


    "Disgusting..." he mumbled to himself. But that slap would motivate that pervert to work harder. Either way, it is still good to stimulate that fellow to keep his loyalty intact. Just keep the fellow around until he can manage without him.


    "One day, I''ll get rid of you all and everyone else will realize how filthy this world is"


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 Chapter 39 - 38 (r18)

    Gideon did not know what to do in this situation. This was meant for the female leads in the original novel.


    THEN WHY DID I GET INTO THIS FUCKING SITUATION?!?


    Kaiden was just breathing heavily due to the pain of the charm. He was delirious at this point but he still pushed Gideon away.


    "Just stay in that corner until I get this over with"


    He won''t be able to do that. The charm works like an intensified version of an aphrodisiac. Even if Kaiden relieved himself, it still would not work. It''ll only wear off if he has sexual intercourse with someone or 24-hours passed. The question is, would Gideon even be able to leave this place unscathed or untouched in that time period?


    "Kaiden, I''ll go out and look for help"


    Gideon tried to escape before things get worse. He had already forgotten the entire scene when this happened in the original story. Perhaps he skipped over this part since he wasn''t interested in reading smut. Something prevented him from leaving the area and he turned around to see Kaiden angrily looking at him.


    "It''s dangerous out there!" he shouted angrily.


    Gideon jolted in fear and Kaiden realized what he had done. He was already covered in sweat from trying to keep himself under control. But with each passing minute, it''s getting harder to stay sane. He clenched his fists and bit on his own hand.


    This made Gideon even more concerned. He couldn''t handle seeing Kaiden in pain. He hesitantly approached Kaiden and pulled on his hand to stop him from hurting himself further.


    "what should I do..." Gideon kept muttering over and over.


    Kaiden''s outfit was covered in blood from earlier and he wore a lot of layers. Perhaps it was contributing to his uncomfortable situation. Thus, Gideon began to strip off some of those layers to help somehow?


    Kaiden took hold of Gideon''s wrists and slammed him onto the ground. His hands were above his head and the first thing Gideon remembered was that his sister was in a similar situation like this. It was terrifying.


    Kaiden saw Gideon''s expression and was taken aback. He loosened his grip and immediately backed away. His expression was terrible, just how could he do that to Gideon?


    "I''m sorry I''m sorry I didn''t mean to"


    Gideon sat up and he didn''t know what to do or what to say. Perhaps in those last few moments, he realized that Kaiden couldn''t control himself so he couldn''t blame him entirely. But the fact that Kaiden even managed to regain his composure when the charm should continue to worsen as the minutes pass.


    "What can I do to help?" Gideon blurted out


    Kaiden was surprised by the question. He could have sworn Gideon would have hated him even more and would have left by now. Yet, he''s still here and he''s even asking what he could do to help.


    "C-can you sit close to me?"


    It was a simple request and Gideon complied. He was about to sit on the side when he got pulled down to sit in between Kaiden''s legs. Gideon froze up for a bit but he didn''t mind anymore, he dug this grave himself.


    "Um, Deon..."


    "yes?"


    "Is it alright if I hugged you?"


    Gideon hesitated and nodded. He then slowly wrapped his arms around Gideon''s waist. He already managed to hold this waist once back then but right now he noticed how slim it was. Gideon felt Kaiden bury his head on his shoulder.


    In this close proximity, Gideon could hear Kaiden''s heavy breathing. This was not helping him at all. He knew Kaiden was trying his best to hold back right now.


    "Deon, It really hurts," Kaiden said softly and Gideon just felt really guilty.


    Was this charm or whatever contagious? Why was it hot?


    Kaiden''s hands were definitely not staying put. This was not what he asked for but Gideon could only gasp.


    "Kaiden what are you- hah.." he covered his mouth. He just felt shame right now.


    Kaiden didn''t even strip him. One hand was under his shirt, while the other was in between his thighs. Gideon tried to move away from the hands but only ended up moving closer to Kaiden. He felt something hard behind him and realized that it was Kaiden''s dick.


    Shit, I let myself get carried away.


    But a part of him was still unsatisfied and guilty for making Kaiden this way. They were already too far from stopping so he will just accept his fate. He turned his head and Kaiden immediately kissed him. Gideon tried pulling away from the kiss but Kaiden held the back of his head gently. It was just enough to keep him from getting away. Gideon turned his head and glanced down.


    "Kaiden I''ll just help you with something else to get this over with" He states as he catches his breath.


    Kaiden lets him go and waits for whatever Gideon was planning to do. But for Gideon, he was thinking about how he should even do this. He knows how to do it to himself but he never imagined doing it to another person, let alone that person be Kaiden.


    He tried to copy what Kaiden did to him earlier. He stroked him and Kaiden''s breathing hitched. Gideon thought he did it wrong and asked him if he accidentally hurt him. Kaiden shakes his head, flustered, saying that Gideon should continue.


    So he did but he noticed it was still not enough. Kaiden was not showing any signs that it was working. He needed to do more than this.


    Gideon unbuttons Kaiden''s pants, and it revealed a weapon.


    Christ, just how big is this?


    He took a deep breath before leaning down. Kaiden held him by the shoulders to stop him before he could come even more closer. He didn''t want to force Gideon onto this.


    "You don''t have to-"


    "Just shut up" Gideon angrily says opens his mouth to try and sloppily try to suck him off.


    Kaiden lets out a moan and that gave a little boost to Gideon. It meant that he was doing a good job. He was actually getting into it himself. Kaiden already had his hand on Gideon''s head.


    He''d occasionally lick from the sides then go back to toy with the tip. And whenever he did that, Kaiden''s grip on his hair would tighten. To tell you the truth, he did not dislike it. Murmurs of his nickname "Deon" kept coming out of Kaiden as he sucked him off.


    Is this still not enough?


    As he thought of this, he thought of grazing his teeth while he sucked. The moment he did that, Kaiden gasped and Gideon immediately felt fluids shoot down his throat. He tried swallowing most of it but he spits out Kaiden''s dick as he coughs.


    The charm wore off and Kaiden started to sober up. He was met with a Gideon who had a messy appearance, his expression was in a daze.


    "I didn''t mean for this to happen!" Kaiden spoke as he fixed his clothes and pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket to wipe off the mess on Gideon''s face.


    "ah... it''s alright"


    "It''s not!" Kaiden whined as he rushed to clean up Gideon. He couldn''t look at him straight in the eyes.


    Gideon is not speaking, is he in shock?


    What else would he be feeling?


    of course, he would be in shock.


    You practically forced him into this.


    He definitely hates me even more.


    I won''t be surprised if he disappears again.


    Kaiden just kept beating himself up as he continued to wipe Gideon''s hands.. The moment he was done, he took Gideon by the wrist and walked down the hidden pathway.


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 Chapter 40 - 39

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    The two began to walk down the path again after fixing their appearances. Gideon was glad that Kaiden looked like himself again. But for some reason, he, himself, was not. His throat felt extremely dry after they finished. It''s as if he was walking in a desert for days and he got one drop of water.


    He glanced at his wrist that was still being held by Kaiden as he guided him. The two of them didn''t speak as they walked. They would turn a few corners here and there until Kaiden stopped. He turned to look at Gideon but upon seeing that the other person was looking at him, he immediately averted his eyes. Gideon was disoriented so this action confused him.


    "step aside, I''ll open the exit" Kaiden finally spoke after so long.


    Gideon nodded and felt a chill when Kaiden lets go of his wrist.


    ''Was this pathway always chilly?''


    Kaiden''s hand may have been warming him up the entire time.


    The Prince swept his hand across the wall he was facing. This action somehow activated some sort of spell and an outline of a door appeared. Kaiden pushed the door and it slowly opened.


    The sudden bright brought discomfort to Gideon''s eyes. When it finally adjusted, he could see that they were near the Castle''s Gardens. Kaiden was the first one to step out and he did so by pushing away some of the plants that had been blocking his way. Gideon followed after but perhaps due to the slight injury on his ankles, he almost tripped if it weren''t for Kaiden catching him.


    "Gideon, what''s wrong with you?!" Kaiden slightly panicked and Gideon shook his head.


    "There''s nothing wrong. I just feel a little chilly" He was looking for warmth and since he was being held by Kaiden, he tried to lean closer. However, Kaiden moved away from him and instead wrapped him with his coat.


    Kaiden was still perplexed by the situation when Amias came rushing into the scene calling out to him.


    "Your Highness, Your father..." His words faded as he saw Gideon''s situation. Amias looked from Gideon to Kaiden who coughed and helped Gideon stand on his own.


    "Is he looking for me?" Kaiden walked towards Amias while the latter kept glancing back and forth between the two men in front of him.


    "He is. Um..." Amias can easily detect these sorts of things and Kaiden looked like he was avoiding Gideon.


    "I''ll head over there, can you take Gideon to Stephen?"


    "I haven''t seen the guy around, but-" Amias dashed towards Gideon who suddenly collapsed. He called out to Gideon a few times before placing his hand on his forehead. He checked Gideon''s state and was a little confused.


    ''Wait, he''s not half-human... he''s half-angel. But he doesn''t exhibit any angelic characteristics, how is this...''


    Then again we had another example of a half-angel and half-demon right in front of him who is a polar opposite in terms of his powers and conditions.


    "What''s wrong with him?!" Kaiden was panicking once more, there were so many things happening to Gideon in just a day. First, the attack. Second, the "incident". And now, this?!


    "Calm down, he just needs to rest."


    "You didn''t answer my question"


    "That''s because I have no clue as well okay?! How the hell was I supposed to know he''s not half-human" Amias snaps at Kaiden and carries Gideon in his arms.


    "While you''re on your way to your father, go ask the others to head to the Caduceus Wing. I''ll see what I can do to help him"


    Kaiden hesitated in leaving Gideon to Amias but it was his actions that did this to him. And thus, he swallowed whatever argument he was about to throw out and nodded.


    Amias walked the prince quickly walking out of the scene. He couldn''t help but sigh and run to the Caduceus Wing to help Gideon get treated. Gideon was sort of slipping in and out of consciousness as he ran and asked;


    "Kaiden?"


    "He''s busy with things. I don''t know how you two got into ''that'' situation but I need you to tell me how to help you"


    Gideon didn''t respond and it seems like he had fallen asleep once more. Amias reached the building but right now everyone was busy trying to treat the rest of the injured. On his way to the more private rooms, he saw Azazel down the hall.


    "Azazel!" Amias called out to the Azazel who was busy looking at some papers. Azazel looked up and saw the person Amias was carrying and immediately rushed over.


    "What happened to Gideon?" Azazel placed his hand on Gideon''s forehead and also discovered the same situation that Amias had seen. Amias didn''t have to wait for a follow-up question since his expression already said a lot.


    "His body is not used to having this much energy in him. I have no idea how to help him because if I tried to draw out his powers, his other half would react negatively"


    "We shouldn''t talk much about this here... Let''s lay him down somewhere first" Azazel took Gideon from Amias since the latter looked like he was about to faint anytime.


    Well considering the fact he had to over-exert his powers earlier to save everyone from the poison gas. His condition, other than his bandaged up hands, was better than him. The two removed Gideon''s coat and shoes before placing him on a bed. They saw the mark on Gideon''s ankles but it seems like it was already healed.


    "Has he shown any other issues on the way here?" Azazel asked and Amias shook his head.


    "He hasn''t, he woke up briefly to look for Kaiden but fell asleep again. He doesn''t seem like he''s hurt or anything"


    "Well back when we were also teaching him basics to his powers, he''d also feel sleepy right?"


    "Yeah" Amias slowly realized the point that Azazel was trying to say.


    "Maybe that''s his other half trying to stabilize his powers..." he says the theory and Azazel nod in agreement.


    "Exactly. Maybe sleeping is what helps activate that side of his, otherwise even when he''s awake... it''s undetectable"


    "what do you propose to do?"


    "Just leave him be. He''s not hurt, if anything he''ll feel better once he''s awake" Azazel sighed and leaned on a wall looking at the sleeping figure.


    "You''re going to report this to Luciel, Am I right Amias?"


    Amias didn''t bother denying it. Even though he cares about Gideon to some extent, he can''t disobey orders. Azazel just shakes his head and took out his phone to type something.


    "Who are you contacting?"


    "Valerie, she hid about this and she''ll most likely get persecuted since it''s illegal to hide about these cases you know..." Azazel taps the send button after warning her about it. There could only be so much that Azazel can do regarding this situation.


    "The Prince knew about it as well, she won''t get that much of a punishment if he gets involved and he definitely will" Amias walks to one of the cabinets in the room.


    He opened them and took out brand new gauzes as well as some antiseptics before walking to Azazel. Azazel looked at Amias weirdly before handing out his hand that was bleeding again.


    "So unfair..." Amias muttered as he unwrapped the dirty bandage.


    "What is?"


    "We have shitty consequences like this. Like we can heal you at times but when you use your powers, we can''t?"


    "At least yours it''s not that lethal" Azazel watched Amias clean up his wounds.


    Amias paused for a moment before unboxing the fresh gauze to wrap his hand. He wasn''t wrong, the worse that could happen to him is that he gets weak enough to succumb to illnesses.


    The two were suddenly startled when they heard a groan coming from Gideon. The person, however, just shifted his position to a more comfortable one before going back to dreamland.


    "I''ll go back to assisting the others. There were a lot of casualties" Azazel states the moment Amias was done wrapping his hand.


    "Oh um" Amias called out to the person that was about to leave the room.


    "Hmm?"


    "What about Yohann? How is he?"


    "He... There are people monitoring him and Kassandra is there to make sure he''s alright"


    Amias nodded and lets Azazel finally leave. He took a seat and moved it closer to Gideon''s bed. Just when he was about to relax, Kaiden entered the room.


    "Prince Kaiden" Amias greets the person once again.


    Kaiden went straight to Gideon''s side and checked his condition. He wasn''t in any pain and it looked like he was getting better. A sigh of relief left his mouth before he straightened his posture to look at Amias.


    "What did you do?" He asked. Kaiden was suspicious of this man sitting in front of him.


    ''If he dared to touch Gideon inappropriately while I was away I''ll-''


    "I didn''t do anything.. Did you see any remnants of my powers on him? No? As I said, he just needed to rest. What about you? What did you do?"


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 Chapter 41 - 40

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    Gideon woke up in cold sweat in an unfamiliar place. He looked around but to his dismay, the room was too dark to see anything. The bed he had been lying on was hard and cold. Could you even call it a bed? It was more like...


    "Floor..." Gideon''s voice was sounded terrible. It was as if he had been screaming for days and was not given enough water.


    "Oh my! is the sleeping beauty finally awake?" Someone spoke out loud in the dark area. It seems like it was empty except for the two of them because of how their voice echoed in the darkness.


    "It''s very rude of me to keep talking like this in the dark" A snap of his fingers suddenly lit up the place and it brought pain to Gideon''s eyes.


    "It''s very amusing to see you in this state" he spoke out and Gideon''s vision gradually came back and saw the person in front of him. His pupils shrank in surprise and he visibly shook.


    "How have you been? Gideon Lemery~" Kaiden smirked.


    Gideon tried to approach him but something around his neck prevented him from coming closer to the metal bars that divided him from Kaiden. He raised his hand to touch it but to his shock, his wrists were bound by chains. He had a collar around his neck and it only lets him within a few feet in this tiny cell.


    "Why am I here..." he mumbled. Gideon could have sworn that he was outside in the palace garden with Kaiden and Amias. Kaiden at that time even lent him his jacket, so why is he-


    "You''re seriously asking that? What did you hit your head again?" Kaiden asks coldly making Gideon snap out of his thoughts. He looked at Kaiden very innocently and this made Kaiden even more furious.


    "You... You can''t remember?" Kaiden speaks out slowly.


    "I''m afraid so..."


    "HAHAHA!" Kaiden bursts out laughing and it made Gideon feel goosebumps all over.


    "You know how to make a funny joke Deon~ Since you made me laugh, I''ll fill you in then?" He smiled as he said these words. The smile didn''t look genuine at all, even the laugh from earlier was scary.


    "Harassment of the Crown Prince, Forgery of Documents, Hiding your true identity, Colluding with the enemy, and so much more that makes me want to personally kill you... However, that would be too easy" As Kaiden explained to him the reason why he ended up in this situation, something in Gideon broke. He just stared at Kaiden with disbelief thinking;


    ''So I still couldn''t escape this ending?''


    Kaiden waited for a response but it seems like the other person was in shock.


    "Interesting.." he says and with another snap of his fingers, a figure appeared next to him.


    "You called for me, your highness?" Alex appeared next to Kaiden and immediately kneeled down to show respect. Kaiden brushed him off and pointed to Gideon.


    "Have him flogged again, it seems like his crimes weren''t deeply rooted into his bones enough. If he resists again, let the guards have a go at him" Kaiden smiled cruelly thinking of Gideon asking him for mercy.


    Alex glanced at Gideon. This man oftentimes barked curses at him and spat blood at him when possible. This man... was apparently capable of making such a face. A face that showed pure fright and hopelessness. Was this the same man he dragged to the capital''s square to humiliate numerous times but still managed to retaliate with much vigor? Alex couldn''t help but hesitate a little and Kaiden took notice of this. He took hold of Alex''s shoulders and dug his nails.


    "Why are you hesitating? Are you forgetting that he''s the reason why your mother and sister died?"


    Being reminded of this, whatever pity Alex had for Gideon immediately disappeared. Rage could only be felt. He opened the cell door and went inside to grab a hold of the chains that bounded Gideon.


    "Ack!" Gideon lets out a choked-up sound as the collar around his neck got violently pulled and dragged him out of the cell.


    He held onto the collar to help him breathe to some extent. Did he really kill Lianna and Rhea? Gideon asked himself but he couldn''t remember doing such a horrible thing. His vision started to blur once more due to the lack of air. Before everything turned dark, he could remember Kaiden softly telling him;


    "Sweet dreams"


    .


    .


    .


    Gideon woke up again in a cold sweat, panting as if he was trying to catch his breath. He looked around and saw that he was in a rather comfortable room. There was light from the window and it seems like it''s close to sunset. His hands immediately went up to his neck and he didn''t feel any collars binding him. His wrists were also not bound by chains. A sigh of relief left his mouth and he tried to get out of bed.


    A door opened and an unfamiliar man with silver hair walks in. This was the first time Gideon saw this man or else he would have remembered such a person. There were only a few young-looking people in the capital that had silver-white hair. But something about this person made him stand out from the rest even more.


    "You must have had a nightmare" the person spoke out and he apparently brought water as well since he placed a glass of water on the nightstand next to Gideon''s bed.


    "I... yes" Gideon must have been so shaken earlier that the other person noticed it.


    "Don''t worry, it wasn''t real. Drink up, sleeping for that long can dehydrate you" The man smiled and Gideon grabbed the glass.


    "How long was I asleep?" He asked before he started drinking.


    "Three days" when the man answered, Gideon almost spat out his drink.


    "T-three days?!" Gideon says in surprise and the man takes out a handkerchief from his pockets and gave it to Gideon. He lets out a small thank you as he wiped his mouth.


    "It''s no problem, just rest more. I''ll call someone to serve you properly" The man was about to leave when Gideon called out to him.


    "Um, what''s your name?"


    The man stopped as if he was thinking about giving out his name. Gideon felt uneasy and wanted to apologize for asking but suddenly the man answered with a smile.


    "I''m Eliam, but just call me Liam. Take care Gideon"


    "Take care.." Gideon says as Liam leaves the room.


    ''Huh? Why does he know my name?''


    .


    .


    .


    Eliam went out of the room and walked down the hall. He saw Yohann''s room and Kassandra sleeping by his feet. She was slightly shivering and so he went into the room and placed his jacket over her.


    "Don''t worry, he''ll be fine now" Eliam says as his ice-blue eyes glanced at Yohann who was struggling in his sleep. With a wave of his hand, the horrible nightmares were replaced with happy memories.


    "I''m sorry for letting you suffer" Eliam frowns, he knows he should meddle around like this but he can''t help seeing these kids in this state. He lets out a sigh and he walks out of the room. He saw Kaiden, who was heading for Gideon''s room, as usual, notice him.


    "Who are you" Kaiden knew most of the people that work in this area and that this area is strictly off-limits for visitors.


    "I''m just a friend" Eliam will never be hostile to anyone because even if they try to kill him, they can''t succeed. That was the unfortunate truth of his existence.


    "You didn''t answer me" Kaiden tried to use his powers to attack him but nothing happened. He became even warier and took a step back.


    "I don''t recommend showing your face to Gideon right now. He''s awake but he''s still shaking a little. Just ask for Azazel or Damien to go in your stead." Eliam walks past Kaiden and gave him a pat on the shoulder.


    When Kaiden looked back, Eliam had already disappeared.


    "Your Highness" Kaiden was surprised because when he looked in the other direction, he saw Damien and Azazel walking towards him.


    "Did you see that person?"


    "Hmm? What are you talking about?"


    "A person with... with.."


    strange... He couldn''t remember what happened. He could have sworn he was talking to someone and that''s why he didn''t immediately go into Gideon''s room as usual.


    "I think I''m not feeling well, can one of you go check up on Gideon for me?" Kaiden pinched the bridge of his nose.


    The two were confused and Azazel tells Damien to check up on Gideon. He, on the other hand, went to Yohann''s room and saw the two sleeping. It seems like the two of them was having good dreams, making Azazel smile in relief.


    .


    .


    .


    "You''re awake!" Damien greeted Gideon who he saw was staring out the window.


    "Lord Damien..." Gideon was surprised to see him here and the man laughed.


    "I told you to just call me Damien. How are you feeling?"


    "I''m fine but did I really sleep for three days?"


    "How did you know you were out for three days?"


    "A servant... " something prevented him from saying the description of Eliam and so he instead said "who brought me a glass of water told me"


    "Oh, that may have been the person Kaiden saw passing here..."


    "Kaiden is here?" Gideon was still terrified from his nightmare. Even though Liam reassured him that it wasn''t true, he was still scared of how realistic it felt. He gripped his sheets as a fearful response.


    "He visits you all the time to check how you''re doing. He was really worried when you collapsed and kept bugging us to "fix" you up" Damien ranted and realized that he was supposed to keep this a secret "oops... ahaha pretend you didn''t hear that from me"


    Gideon blinked in confusion.


    "What?"


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 Chapter 42 - 41

    Gideon stared at Damien flabbergasted. He didn''t expect Kaiden to be so... caring. Especially after what happened last time. Kaiden seemed to have been avoiding him after what they-


    Gideon''s face turned red upon remembering what happened.


    Damien noticed his complexion and looked away awkwardly. It would seem like Gideon finally recollected his memories. Not going to lie, even Amias had a hard time trying to hide what happened. Although it wasn''t mentioned to them at all during the meeting, it was pretty obvious how Amias and Kaiden dodged questions related to Gideon. Even more so, Gideon himself just confirmed their speculations by blushing out of nowhere.


    "So... You said Kaiden went here today?" The tips of Gideon''s ears were still red. He was playing with the handkerchief that Liam had given him to calm his emotions. Since he already said it earlier, Damien didn''t bother hiding it anymore;


    "If I''m not mistaken he visited you earlier this morning. And He would have visited you just now but he said he was feeling unwell"


    "He''s unwell?" Gideon suddenly felt worried for Kaiden.


    During the entire time, he had been taking care of him. He felt embarrassed that he was this helpless. And perhaps there was a ball of guilt inside of him building up for thinking that Kaiden would end up the same as the guy in the original story. He knew that no matter how much he wishes it, their paths are bound to converge at one point.


    "It''s not that serious like yours. He just needs to rest, focus on yourself first" Damien stretches his arms and pats Gideon''s head. Gideon just lets him do so until the man tells him that he needs to go.


    "wait before you go! can you tell Stephen that I''m alright? I don''t want him to worry" Gideon held Damien''s sleeves and he just nodded.


    "I will just rest more for now" Damien left the room, and Gideon was left alone again.


    He thought about his nightmare from earlier and how he couldn''t tell anyone about Eliam. There were a lot of things that didn''t make sense now. Why did he suddenly have that kind of dream? What did the original Gideon do again?


    Trying to think about it too much made his head pang in pain. There was this weird buzz that could be felt whenever he tried to remember the rest of the novel. It''s like there''s a wall blocking him telling him that he needs to unlock certain conditions first.


    "But back then I could remember just fine... wait-" a flash of worry suddenly hit him and he tried to remember his sister and family. It was a little bit hazy but he could remember Alice and their parents. As well as the most important part, that he died and he got sent into this world.


    What was the reason though?


    Why him? and why this character?


    .


    .


    .


    Amias groaned as he was forced to work with Arda in sorting out paperwork ranging from "Hospitalization Costs" to "Threats of calling off the treaty". Arda herself was not in the best mood since this issue. After all, Luciel scolded her for trying to use her powers to unseal the door as well as using it to separate the Angels and Demons from fighting with each other.


    "How are you able to survive doing these things?"


    "I use my head instead of my mouth to work" Arda sarcastically comments as she smiled fakely at Amias who had less work than her.


    "Hey!" Amias whined and decided to shut up to prove a point to Arda that he can work quietly.


    Arda wanted to hum happily because Amias was stupid enough to fall for her taunts.


    ''Finally peace and qui-''


    Damien walked into the room. Arda knew her peacetime will never come until this shit gets solved.


    "What are you doing here Damien?"


    "I''m here for Amias"


    "Hmm?" Amias who finally focused on his work got distracted once more.


    "Why did you keep avoiding telling me the full details of what happened to Gideon?"


    "Because the prince requested that we''d leave him alone. That also includes information that his highness did not disclose to anyone else"


    "Man you can just say if they banged or-" Damien''s face made contact with a folder that Amias used to slap some sense into him. Its contents flew out and fluttered in the air.


    Arda got fed up and stood up. She took the folder from Amias and grabbed the two by their ears. The two kept saying "Ow!" as she pulled them out of her office and tossed them out in the hallway.


    "IF THE TWO OF YOU ARE GOING TO FIGHT DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE!"


    The doors were slammed shut leaving the two men on the floor trying to recover from what just happened.


    "I''M DONE FOR!" Amias suddenly blurted out and grabbed Damien''s shirt to start shaking him.


    "LUCIEL TOLD ME TO HELP OUT ARDA BECAUSE I CAN''T VISIT YOHANN! SHE''LL DEFINITELY TELL HIM ON ME AND I''LL BE PUNISHED" Amias stopped talking because he noticed two of Damien''s buttons on his shirt were shaking. It suddenly flew out and hits him on the face. Amias fell to the ground and maybe he was only imagining it but he was bleeding as well?


    "AMIAS!" Now you had a semi-unconscious man who laid on the ground with a nose bleed and another man who was almost half-naked.


    Azazel, who was about to pick up some of the finished works to send over to Luciel''s side, saw this ordeal. He knew that there was something going on between these two but he didn''t expect them to be this bold.


    "I know we''re all demons here but you guys could have done this in private"


    "IT''S NOT LIKE THAT!" Amias suddenly became conscious and sat up seeing Azazel looking at him with a weird expression.


    "The button on my shirt suddenly flew out and hit him on the face. It''s my bad." Damien explains and Azazel glanced at his chest. Indeed there were missing buttons on his shirt.


    "No need to explain it to me, but clean up the both of you" Azazel turned around and knocked on Arda''s office door before entering and closing the door behind him.


    Amias was quiet, he looked like he was really upset about the situation. Damien stood up and held out a hand to help Amias up as well. Amias took it and muttered a "thank you" to him before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke. Damien couldn''t help but frown knowing that he made Amias upset.


    .


    .


    .


    Gideon had finished eating his dinner a while ago. He wondered just how long was he going to stay here. He had asked the person who delivered him food if he was allowed to roam the place. After much considerations, they allowed him to do so. He wasn''t wearing his suit anymore, and instead wore comfortable pajamas that definitely did not suit a patient and some comfortable slippers. First, he walked around his room and there were first aid kits here. There were also snacks and water that the servant from earlier brought in for him. He looked around more and his things were nowhere to be seen.


    "maybe Kaiden has them" he mumbled. He didn''t want to face Kaiden but it would be terrible to do that to the person who saved you and nursed you to health.


    And so he left the room and looked around. There weren''t any other patients in the nearby rooms. All but one that was two rooms away from his. He took a peek from the door since it had windows in it and saw that there was a man inside. He was patting the person who was sleeping on his side. He must have sensed that someone was looking at him and immediately looks in Gideon''s direction. Gideon wanted to hide but he was caught, the guy''s senses were fast. He puts a finger to his lips making a "shh" pose and Gideon nods. The man smiled and Gideon smiled before waving goodbye.


    "I shouldn''t be bothering their privacy" Gideon lets out a sigh as he continued to walk around.


    He hasn''t been in this part of the castle and to his guess, Kaiden never thought Gideon would end up here in the first place. Gideon noticed that the area where he was confined had fewer people. He drew that conclusion because the more he explored, the more patients he saw. It was depressing, their conditions weren''t the best as well.


    "Sir you can''t be here" said a person who must be a nurse in this area.


    "Oh, I lost my way..." Gideon replied to the nurse.


    "Which area did you come from?" She looked at him up and down because his attire looked that of a patient but his clothes were more comfortable.


    "I don''t know. I was trying to look for Kaiden"


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 Chapter 43 - 42

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    "You mean Prince Kaiden" The nurse was surprised when this person casually she was just lost for words. How daring this person was to disrespect the prince like this?!


    "I suppose?" Gideon murmured a few words saying "Kaiden never told me if I should call him prince though"


    The nurse never felt more ashamed to see such a person. But suddenly a thought flew into her head.


    "Are you perhaps Gideon Lemery?" His black hair and green eyes fit the category. However, most of the staff imagined him to be someone as tall as his highness. Besides that, they also imagined him of having a plain face but this person in front of her was rather... adorable?


    "Yes, that''s me. Can please help me find kai-er... his highness, the prince?" Gideon awkwardly corrected himself after confirming his identity with the nurse. The nurse was just in shock, who knew this was THE Gideon Lemery.


    The nurse scratched the back of her head and looked around. She was supposed to be on duty and focus on taking care of the patients. But then again, Gideon Lemery is a patient himself. She remembered a brief moment from two days ago. The prince personally had been taking care of Gideon despite the King''s opposition to this idea. He would be bringing his work into Gideon''s room just to say "I''m still working, don''t worry about it". Eventually, of course, The king managed to persuade his son to leave the Caduceus Wing.


    "If he needs anything, bring it to him. If by the off chance he does look for me, you can bring him straight to me. And if I hear any complaints from him, I''ll have your heads served to the dogs" Kaiden used this threat to everyone single nurse in the Caduceus Wing.


    It''s not like they were already bombarded with stress right? Haha... This was a wet towel to their already depressing mood with how many good people got injured during the ball.


    "It would be my pleasure to help you, Sir Gideon" the nurse bowed her head a bit just so that she could hide her frown momentarily.


    The nurse led the way to which part of the castle Kaiden stayed in. They had to exit the building for a brief moment to go there. The nurse didn''t offer a coat or jacket to Gideon and continued walking. Gideon shivered a little bit due to the cold air of the night hitting him. He wanted to ask if he could borrow a blanket but whenever he was about to speak, he felt embarrassed. They entered another part of the castle but the nurse stopped after a few feet in.


    "Unfortunately, I cannot bring you directly to him since I have no authority" The nurse actually did have authority, but she just did not want to guide him any longer.


    "That is unfortunate... not to worry it''s alright! You''ve helped enough, could you at least tell me which room I should look for?"


    "If I remember correctly, it should be the door on the left side of the second floor. You''ll be able to find it quickly since there''s only one staircase in this building" The nurse bid him farewell and left.


    Indeed there was a chance of finding Kaiden in that room. But who knew that the nurse may have lied a little and that room is actually Luciel''s private study? Meaning the chances of seeing Luciel instead of Kaiden was higher. Gideon felt a little bit conflicted because he did not know if the nurse had told him the correct information.


    "It''s still better than nothing right?" he mumbled to himself and walked up the staircase.


    When he was upstairs he looked in both directions and the nurse messed up. There were several doors so how could he know which one.


    ''Perhaps it''s the first door'' He thought to himself and walked up to the door to knock.


    His knocks were met with silence. Gideon waited for a little bit before knocking again. Still, there was no answer. Should he knock more or look somewhere else? While he was trying to decide, the door opened and it was not Kaiden who greeted him.


    "I was wondering which uninvited guest decided to knock on my private study and to my surprise, it was you" Luciel looked down at Gideon who was in shock. The nurse lied to him!


    "I was just..."


    "You''re looking for my son, right? He''s busy at the moment but if you want you can wait here for him"


    "Thank you but I think I should just go"


    "Nonsense! you''re a patient, and do you think I''ll let you walk back in the cold?" Luciel used his powers to gently bring Gideon into his study.


    Gideon yelped in surprise because his body suddenly felt like it was flying. He was placed down on a chair and opposite him, Luciel sat down. It seems like the king had been drinking just based on the half-empty bottle of whiskey and the glass with a few melted cubes of ice.


    "I would offer you a drink but you look so sickly so I won''t"


    Gideon''s face turned sour and he tried to hide it with a smile as he replied "Thank you for your worry, your highness but I don''t drink alcohol"


    "I have some water here" he twirled his hand and Gideon didn''t know that Luciel just used his powers for something useless as fetching a glass of water.


    "I''m fine-Oh thank you" A glass of water slid into his fingertips and Luciel drank from his own glass.


    "I''ve been meaning to talk to you ever since my son pulled you away from me. I''m still curious about some things."


    Was it just Gideon or did the glass he was holding become colder. He placed the glass of water on the table next to him. He looked back at Luciel who had been staring at him with those piercing red eyes of his. Gideon knew this day would come again but he didn''t expect it to be this soon.


    Luciel was a little bit amused at how this kid looked like a kitten that was shaking in fear. He already heard most of the details about Gideon from Amias. He wanted to see the kid for himself but Kaiden kept blocking his way from doing so. Who would have thought that the person would bring himself directly to him? He held out his hand and brought it close to Gideon''s forehead. Indeed, Amias and Azazel weren''t lying when they said Gideon was not half-human.


    Gideon had held his breath when Luciel placed his hand on his head. He knew what Luciel was doing and that his secret had been exposed. But even if he tried to hide it, he did not know how to escape from his grasps. It was only when Luciel removed his hands was he able to breathe freely again.


    "I already know that your origin story had been forged. But I didn''t expect you would be a half-angel..."


    "I''m sorry" Gideon lowered his head. The only thing he can do right now is begging for mercy.


    "Why are you apologizing? Did you do something wrong that you need to apologize?"


    Gideon pursed his lips and stared at Luciel with disbelief. Yeah, he was stupid right now to apologize when he hasn''t done anything wrong. Maybe unconsciously he felt apologetic for simply existing.


    Luciel thought about something for a while but he was updated on everything that occurred after the ball. Gideon was still one of the suspected personnel that had let this incident happen but Damien testified that the kid was innocent. It was rare to see that guy testify for anyone other than the nobles and Luciel. And besides that, Kaiden insisted that he was innocent but his son would not elaborate what happened to him and why he and this person disappeared amidst the chaos.


    "Stop shaking so much, I won''t hurt you" Luciel laughs as he takes another sip of his whiskey.


    "At least I''ll try not to because I promised someone to be fair to everyone" he added that to his previous statement. It was hard for Gideon to reply to this man. Not only was his presence overwhelming, but he also looked a lot like Kaiden.


    "Then why do you want to talk to me?" Gideon slowly says and Luciel lets out a chuckle.


    "I just wanted to ask you directly since my son and advisers won''t tell me"


    "Ask me directly what?" Gideon tilted his head in confusion.


    "What happened to you and Kaiden during the Winter Ball Incident?"


    Gideon was sure that he wasn''t drinking this time around but he still choked. He wasn''t expecting this question to suddenly pop up. Luciel wouldn''t be asking this if Kaiden was honest about it.


    ''Why did you leave the explaining to me?!''


    "Ahh... er... Hmm... I- I actually don''t know where to start explaining" Gideon stuttered nervously.


    ''Which sane person would tell "your son got poisoned so I had to give him a blowjob" to this person''


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 Chapter 44 - 43

    Luciel just waited patiently for this person in front of him to answer. But to his dismay, Gideon just kept saying "well... Um... How do I begin". He got a little fed up and responded;


    "Start from when the lights suddenly turned off"


    "o-okay" Gideon took a deep breath and lets out his explanation:


    "So what happened was that I got attacked by one of those creatures and Kaiden rescued me. He carried me somewhere and we hid there"


    "Why did you have to hide?" Luciel leaned closer to Gideon to pry out the answer. The closeness made Gideon gulp in fear.


    "Kaiden was... cursed"


    "If Kaiden got cursed then I would have seen it. Cursed how?"


    "He just got cursed... and the reason why he''s okay is because I"


    "You?"


    "Absorbed his essence" He tried to make up a bullshit explanation as to why the two of them had to hide in the first place.


    "So let me get this straight, Kaiden got cursed and the reason why he''s alright now is that you "Absorbed his essence"? Is that why your powers are now more powerful? Which half did you use to "absorb" it"


    "N-neither side"


    Luciel stared at Gideon while Gideon was averting his gaze. It was awkward and the man opened his mouth.


    "Did you-"


    "DEON! I heard you were looking for me!" Kaiden barged into the room and walked up behind Gideon''s chair.


    "Kaiden..." Gideon called out to the person that he and Luciel had been talking about. Even though it was this person''s fault that he got into this situation, he was also thankful that he showed up.


    "Father, if you wanted to ask Gideon about the incident you could have just asked me instead" Kaiden smiled at Luciel.


    "Heh, then I wouldn''t have known the exact truth of what happened... and besides that, you were already given a chance to explain but you dodged my question" Luciel smiled back at his son. He knew that his father had already figured out what happened between him and Gideon. A blush appeared on his cheeks and Kaiden grabbed Gideon''s wrist to pull him away.


    "We''ll talk about this later Kaiden" Luciel says to the two before they left the room.


    He lets out a frustrated sigh and instead of pouring the whiskey into his glass, he straight up drank from the bottle.


    ''These kids...''


    Kaiden brought Gideon to his room. He immediately grabbed Gideon by the shoulders and inspected him from head to toe, checking if he''s still in one piece. This action reminded Gideon of Theodora and Stephen checking on his condition whenever they heard he got into a fight. He couldn''t help but laugh a little because of that little thought of his. Hearing his laughter, Kaiden was confused but he couldn''t help but sigh.


    "I went to check up on you but the nurses told me that you went out looking for me. Why didn''t you bring a nurse with you to guide you? You''re lucky I found you in time because I have no idea what father could have done to you" Kaiden still had his hold on Gideon and he squeezed him a little bit.


    "And I am thankful that you did find me in time" Gideon smiled as he raised his hand to remove himself from Kaiden''s hold.


    "You worry me a lot" Kaiden said helplessly and Gideon didn''t know how to respond to that.


    "You didn''t answer my question though. If you wanted to look for me, why didn''t you ask someone to call for me?"


    "I did and they brought me to this building. They also told me that your room was on the left side of the stairs but who knew they were lying to me and sending me to the lion''s pit" Gideon frowned as he rubbed his arms. He was still cold and Kaiden took notice of this.


    To be honest, when Kaiden first heard that Gideon went alone, he got so angry at the nurses. How could they just let a patient out in the night? Seeing Gideon in his thin pajamas without a coat to warm him and hearing the explanation on how he ended up in King Luciel''s Study only made him even more frustrated.


    ''They think they can just disobey my orders because I''m only the prince'' Kaiden was filled with murderous intent. Perhaps the nurses thought he was only joking when he said he''d feed their heads to the dogs.


    Gideon sensed the murderous intent and grabbed Kaiden''s hand. He squeezed it the same way Kaiden did earlier. Kaiden feeling the hand squeeze was surprised. Gideon didn''t care if he was surprised, just as long as he wasn''t going to kill anyone because of him then it''s good.


    "Calm down Kaiden"


    "I am calm, but um... does this mean you''re not upset with me?" Kaiden looked down at his hand that was still being held by Gideon. Gideon lets go of Kaiden''s hand and turned away.


    "Who said that I was upset?"


    "No One"


    "Then why did you assume that I was?"


    Kaiden then realized that he just assumed things again. He felt so stupid right bot but he''s also relieved to know that Gideon wasn''t angry at him. He couldn''t help but laugh at himself.


    "Kaiden?" Gideon was confused why this guy startled chuckling.


    "I''m sorry I''m sorry... I just thought you''d be upset because of what you had to do when I was "poisoned" as you said" Kaiden smiled at Gideon and Gideon felt his face get warm.


    ''of all the parts he could overhear, why that part'' He was red as a tomato especially when he got reminded of the incident.


    "I-it''s fine, you were in trouble and you needed help..." Gideon mumbled while still avoiding Kaiden''s gaze.


    "Actually, now that I thought about it, I thought you were the one upset with me"


    "Why?" Kaiden moved to peek at Gideon''s expression right now but the other person was still avoiding him.


    "Well you suddenly kept moving away from me so I assumed that you felt disgusted"


    "No no! I just thought you were uncomfortable with me!" Kaiden tried to clarify this misunderstanding.


    "Then you''re not disgusted with me?"


    "I would never be disgusted by you! I thought you were disgusted with me"


    ''This was a terrible confession'' Kaiden immediately thought and turned his back on Gideon.


    Gideon didn''t want to continue this topic any longer. At least it was clarified that neither of them was disgusted by one another. Now to go back to the main reason why he was looking for Kaiden...


    "Do you know where my things are?" Gideon asks Kaiden who was still trying to recover from his embarrassment. He needed to contact Stephen and Theodora. He knew those two would be very worried especially when he was out for 3 almost 4 days.


    "I have them, they''re over here" Kaiden walked to a cabinet and pulled out a drawer. He took out Gideon''s suit from that day as well as his wallet and cellphone.


    "I wasn''t able to charge your phone since we have different phones..." Kaiden apologizes as he hands Gideon his things.


    "Ah... That''s a pity" he wanted to contact his guardians as soon as possible. Noticing his mood, Kaiden panicked a little.


    "But! I can ask a servant to get a charger tomorrow morning"


    "That would be nice" Gideon smiled, knowing that Kaiden was trying to comfort him.


    "Yes, so don''t worry about it"


    "I won''t. Thank you, I just needed these" Gideon sounded like he was about to leave. And Kaiden was right, he was walking towards the door.


    "Where are you going?" Kaiden asks.


    "I''ll return to where I was staying. It''s getting late."


    "Right it is getting late. I can''t let you go out in the cold especially in those clothes. If you''re tired, you can rest here"


    Gideon blinked and Kaiden scratched his head in embarrassment.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be staying up to finish some work. If I get sleepy, I can just sleep in another room if that''s what you''re worried about"


    "No no, I can''t possibly take your bed. I''ll just head back-"


    "You want to head back to the place where the workers nearly sent you to your death?"


    Gideon hesitated. Kaiden wasn''t wrong there. Although they did feed him dinner, they did lie to him. And as Theodora told him, trust no one here. Right now, Kaiden was the only person he could trust.


    "Then, I shall impose on your kind generosity... But I can''t just hog your bed! And besides that, you have a huge bed" Gideon points to Kaiden''s king-size bed.


    "I''ll just stick on one side of the bed, if you''re really worried just put a pillow in between. And besides, we slept together when we were kids"


    Kaiden mentally screamed thinking ''BECAUSE WE WERE KIDS BUT IT''S DIFFERENT NOW''. He knew if he still refused, Gideon would go back on his word and return to his room.


    "Alright if I get tired, I''ll sleep on the bed"


    "No ifs. You''re not working"


    "huh?"


    "I can''t sleep when someone else is awake in the room. It feels weird, You''re sleeping with me"


    ''DEON PLEASE HAVE MERCY ON ME''


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 Chapter 45 - 44

    Kaiden and Gideon lay on the bed awkwardly. It was Gideon who insisted that Kaiden should share the bed with him and rest. But who knew it would be this hard to fall asleep?! Gideon glanced at Kaiden who was staring at the ceiling.


    "Can''t sleep?" Gideon asks him.


    "I really can''t leave my work undone" Kaiden says out loud in an exasperated manner.


    "Why not?"


    Kaiden turned to face Gideon. Even though there was some distance between the two of them, it was still close enough for Gideon to hear Kaiden''s breath. Gideon gulped and Kaiden couldn''t help but smile at him. To him, Gideon looked really lovely tonight and he wishes that he could stay like this.


    "Well I promised my father that I would finish all of them as soon as possible" He briefly explained to Gideon who was still confused. Gideon knew Kaiden wouldn''t promise anything without anything in return.


    "In exchange for what?" Gideon stared at him with wide innocent eyes. If Kaiden were any more closer, he might be able to count Gideon''s long lashes.


    "Your safety" Kaiden reached out to push away a few hair strands from Gideon''s face. Gideon didn''t mind since he was more interested to know about the agreement.


    "They... all know about my identity right?"


    "They do"


    "What was supposed to happen while I was unconscious?"


    Gideon did not want to know but he has to. He needed to know in order to know why this guy was trying to protect him. He needed to know why he was willing to throw away his comfort for someone like him.


    Kaiden hesitated at first to tell him what was supposed to happen. He didn''t really care about the punishment he was going to receive for hiding this fact from the others. He also didn''t care if his Aunt Valerie was going to be punished, well at least he thought he didn''t care. But hearing that Gideon was supposed to be subjected to interrogation in the dungeons? He couldn''t stay put. He felt like it was his fault, to begin with. No matter how many times Gideon says that it''s not his fault, he can''t help it. Thinking of that made him reach the conclusion;


    ''I really care about him''


    "You were going to be interrogated like a prisoner of war. I won''t go into detail about how they do it but just know I won''t ever let you get hurt"


    Gideon lets out a burst of laughter and Kaiden was surprised. He did not expect Gideon to respond in this matter.


    "I can''t believe I''m hearing this from the guy who chased me down all these years" Gideon jests with him. What response did Kaiden expect? That Gideon would accept this gladly? Regardless, if it means that he''ll be able to see him laugh like this... he would accept any criticism.


    "Just think of it as my atonement for terrorizing you all those years. But I''d still chase you around you know?"


    Gideon wasn''t sure of what message Kaiden was trying to throw at him. He grabbed one of the pillows and blocks Kaiden''s face.


    "Ah, we should really sleep" Gideon says as he turns around so that his back would be facing Kaiden. Kaiden put away the pillow, he had a smile on his face as he says "Good night, Gideon". Little did Kaiden know, Gideon felt flustered by his words.


    ''What exactly did you mean that you would still chase me around'' He frowned as he hugged the pillow.


    ''This smells a little bit like Kaiden...'' Those were his last few thoughts as he dozed off.


    .


    .


    .


    Gideon woke up to light hitting his face. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the other side of the bed was empty.


    "You could have at least woken me up" he frowned as he stared at the empty spot.


    "You were sleeping so comfortably" Kaiden suddenly answered.


    "WAH!" Gideon nearly had a heart attack when he heard Kaiden speak.


    ''BESIDES THAT WHY IS HE?!''


    It seems like Kaiden just got out of the shower and was shirtless with a towel around his neck.


    "W-why are you shirtless?" Gideon stuttered out a question. Wait, they were both guys... why is he so flustered? Maybe it''s because-


    ''WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT INDECENT MEMORIES AGAIN?!''


    Gideon wanted to punch himself. He thought that he finally snapped after that incident and now seeing Kaiden half-naked was enough to remind him of that. His face felt warm and besides that...


    ''WHY IS IT UP?''


    "I just took a shower, are you alright?"


    "yes!" Gideon answered, he still was hugging the pillow.


    "Your face is red, do you still have a fever?" Kaiden tried to walk closer to him and Gideon internally panicked even more.


    "N-No! I just feel a little warm, I just need to wash my face" Gideon states as he moves away from Kaiden little by little up until his back hits the headboard of the bed.


    "You sure?" Kaiden was wondering why Gideon was panicking out of the blue.


    "Yes yes... Um, I just wanted to ask about the favor from last night? regarding the phone charger"


    ''Please let me change the topic!!''


    "I haven''t asked for it yet since I didn''t want to take your stuff without permission. I can-"


    "Yes! Please do it right now" Gideon smiles at Kaiden. He needed to shoo Kaiden away so he could run into the bathroom.


    "um okay? The bathroom is that way, I''ll come back in a little bit" Kaiden pointed to a door before he walked up to a drawer to grab a shirt. He was buttoning it up as he walked towards Gideon''s side again to grab the cellphone and then he left the room.


    As soon as Kaiden left, he immediately ran to the bathroom and locked the door behind him. If he just had clothes to change in, he would have cooled off in the shower instead of...


    "Ugh"


    The thought of him needing to do something indecent this early in the morning made him shudder in disgust.


    .


    .


    .


    "You''re in an awfully good mood this morning Kaiden" Luciel who had managed to catch Kaiden on his way back to his room.


    Luciel heard that Gideon did not return to his room after last night''s encounter. Meaning Gideon slept in Kaiden''s room. Otherwise, why would his son be in such a good mood?


    ''That half-ling really using his succubus side to his full potential'' It pissed Luciel off to see his son be used like this.


    "If you''re thinking I did something indecent, I didn''t." Kaiden rolled his eyes in annoyance as his father walked next to him. He had to stop walking before walking any further.


    "My son is so smart to catch on to what I was thinking... Then why are you so happy?"


    "Because I get to be close to Gideon"


    Luciel just looked at Kaiden who was dead serious as he spoke of this. He couldn''t help but think;


    ''If I was like this to Ella, then would I still have her? Just like how Kaiden managed to save that kid from death multiple times?''


    Luciel just smiled and patted Kaiden''s head like a little kid. He didn''t mind if his hair was still damp, Kaiden rarely let him be touched by anyone.


    "I just hope you''re making the right decision. But I''m here to ask you something else Kaiden" Luciel removed his hand from Kaiden''s head and takes out a handkerchief to wipe his wet hand.


    "What is it?"


    "When are you planning to tell your friend about his Guardian''s current situation"


    Kaiden opened his mouth to say something but he immediately closed it. He did not know when was the best time to tell him about Stephen''s Condition.


    "You know if you keep on delaying it, he''ll only resent you for not telling him any sooner. Especially when time is precious nowadays"


    "I know... I plan on telling him today, I know that he wanted to ask why his guardian hasn''t visited him at least once"


    "If you can''t tell him, you can always have someone else tell him the news"


    Kaiden frowned and started walking. That idea was horrible, it would only look like he had been deliberately keeping him here. But his father was right, he needed to come clean soon.


    When Kaiden returned to his room, Gideon was looking out of the window. He heard the door open and he turned around. Kaiden couldn''t help but smile whenever he saw Gideon''s face. How can he tell this person about that? But again, he needed to be honest.


    "Thankfully one of the servants had the same phone as you but apparently this is an old model, why haven''t you changed phones?"


    "Even though Stephen and Auntie Theo gives me "salary" from helping around the bakeshop... I didn''t really think I need to get a new phone when my current one is still functioning"


    A sigh left Kaiden''s mouth and he plugs the phone for it to charge. While that''s doing its thing, he needs to talk to him.


    "Gideon there''s something I need to tell you about Stephen"


    Read novel fast updates at novelhall.com

 Chapter 46 - 45

    Gideon saw Kaiden''s serious expression. A wave of worry suddenly hits him and he immediately yelled out "What happened to him?!". Kaiden''s expression did not change and he motioned for Gideon to sit down on the bed. Gideon was shaking a little bit but he still reluctantly obeyed Kaiden''s order.


    "What happened to him Kaiden?" Gideon asks again slowly. He was trying his best not to get angry or think of the worst but he could not help it.


    "Calm down first. Just know that I did not have any intentions of hiding this from you but I kind of knew that you would react like this"


    Gideon did not respond and only waited for what Kaiden needed to say. The other person sighed and began explaining.


    "During the attack, Stephen got heavily injured. His arm got bitten off and he had several wounds on his chest"


    It was as if a bucket of ice-cold water got dumped onto Gideon. His words were stuck in his throat. He was hoping that there was a miracle right now. That his wounds could be healed. They both promised Aunt Theodora that they will stay safe and wait for her return.


    "As you know that the abilities of those monsters are constantly changing and we can''t exactly pinpoint its weaknesses other than decapitating it. But another fact we know is that its fangs secrete this liquid that nullifies our powers. Both holy powers and demonic powers have nothing against what we call their venom"


    "S-so what you''re saying is that he cannot heal himself nor anyone can?"


    "That is correct"


    "Haha..." Gideon started to sob. Did this mean that Stephen is dead?


    "Since Lady Kassandra insisted, she would use her power as well as other angels to try and experiment. For now, he''s still breathing but I can''t necessarily say he''s alive"


    So Stephen is now in a vegetative state with no hope of waking up. Because of Kassandra''s promise to Theodora to take care of her husband while she fights, the best she could do is keep him alive until she returns. Even if it means that he won''t wake up or that she constantly drains her energy, she''ll still try to save him.


    Gideon was still crying and Kaiden hesitated to comfort his old friend. He reached out and patted his shoulder. To his surprise, Gideon suddenly clung to him and cried even more. Kaiden placed his hand on his back and began patting it, trying to soothe Gideon.


    "I''m sorry for not telling you sooner" Kaiden said in a hushed tone and Gideon shakes his head.


    "n-no it''s hic- not your fault" Gideon continued to cry.


    Kaiden moved away and began wiping away his tears. This action reminded him of when they were kids. Back then it was Kaiden who cried a lot and Gideon would be the one rubbing his tears away. He even remembered the time Gideon sang to him that made him fall asleep and have good dreams.


    ''If only I could do the same to you right now''


    "Steady your breathing Gideon. You might faint at this rate"


    Gideon nodded and sniffed a lot as he tried to calm down. His vision blurred earlier due to his tears but right now he can see Kaiden''s face more clearly. Kaiden also had a solemn expression. Gideon was thankful right now that Kaiden was here.


    "Are you feeling slightly better now that you got that out?"


    Gideon knew Kaiden was treating him like a child right now by coaxing him. But he wouldn''t dare admit that it was actually working. He nodded and Kaiden smiled sadly at him.


    "You can visit him once you feel better. For now, you should just rest more. You also got injured remember?"


    Gideon remembers that but his injuries weren''t as bad compared to Kaiden''s. On that topic, Gideon immediately checks Kaiden''s arm and saw that it barely had a mark.


    "I only got scratched at that time, I wasn''t bitten but I wouldn''t say that my arm doesn''t hurt"


    "I''m sorry"


    "Why are you apologizing- haist... You should wash up. You can use my old shirt, hold on" Kaiden walked up to several drawers looking for the smallest clothes he owns.


    "Here you go, there''s also clean towels in the bathroom. Just use one of them, after that you can rest more"


    Gideon took the spare clothes and did what Kaiden told him to. That really did help him feel better.


    .


    .


    .


    "Theo?" Emilia called out to Theodora.


    Theodora refused to leave the tent unless she was going to meetings. She initially wanted to join the fights but by Kassandra''s orders, she is to remain in camp.


    "What?" Theodora asks Emilia who now came into her view.


    Right now, to Theodora, her powers are a curse. She kept trying to hurt herself, hoping that she would just die but her powers kept healing her. As if it was telling her, you can''t die just yet you are bound by a contract. She devoted her life to her Lady Kassandra but meeting Stephen gave her life another purpose. And even having Gideon as her adopted son added more bliss to her long life than she had for the past hundreds of years.


    To hear what had happened during the ball was enough to scare her. But hearing that Gideon fell into a coma and will face consequences later on when he wakes up for hiding his identity as well as her Husband slowly withering away? It was enough to drive her insane.


    This was why Kassandra forced her to stay, even resorting to using the binding spell of the contract that she had never used in a long time.


    "Lady Kassandra wante-"


    "To hell what Kassandra wants. She broke the one promise I begged her to keep. And now she can''t even give me the mercy of dying?"


    "Theodora!"


    "EMILIA WHAT''S THE POINT OF LIVING RIGHT NOW?"


    Emilia felt a pang of pain in her chest when she heard Theodora''s voice crack as she asked those words. Indeed what''s the point of living? After hundreds of years, she still had yet to find her purpose. Theodora found hers and lost it.


    "I don''t know the answer to that but I knew Stephen"


    Seeing that Theodora wasn''t saying anything meant that she was listening.


    "I knew that he only wants to see Theodora happy. And that if he knew he was the reason why you''re like this, he would be upset"


    "heh" Theodora lets out a small laugh because Emilia was correct. Stephen was that kind of guy.


    "What I was trying to say earlier was that Gideon is now awake" Hearing this gave hope to Theodora.


    "And that you are to return to the Capital. Lady Kassandra ordered this and that you are off duty until further notice"


    And here Theodora was just cursing Lady Kassandra earlier. Now that she calmed down, she could see that this was the best thing Lady Kassandra could do for her.


    "Please don''t blame Lady Kassandra, she''s trying her best to save Stephen but right now you need to be there with him and Gideon" Emilia walked closer to Theodora and hugged her friend. Theodora was like her older sister and she can''t handle seeing her in this state.


    "What about the mission here?" Theodora asks Emilia and she only smiled. She tucks away the scarlet hair strands from Theodora''s face. Such a pretty face like hers shouldn''t cry like this.


    "There will be a change in the plans so a few groups will remain here while the rest, especially those injured, will return to the Capital for further orders. I''ll be staying here since I am the next in command after you and Lady Kassandra"


    "But won''t it be lonely?" Theodora frowned and Emilia continued to smile.


    "I have Colin to bother, go off now and pack up. I''ll help if you need me to?"


    "No need, Thank you Emilia"


    Emilia left the tent and speak of the devil! Colin appeared in front of her.


    "Colin"


    "Emi"


    "Why are you here?"


    Emilia glanced down at the letter he had been holding. It had Lady Kassandra''s seal and seeing Theodora was still unfit for briefing, she''ll take over once more.


    "Our old master is conscious"


    "Yohann?"


    Colin nodded and Emilia smiled at him.


    "Isn''t that a good thing?"


    Colin looked like he wanted to say something else but he ultimately decided not to. He put away the letter into his pocket and took out another note.


    "Ever since the attack, there had not been any sightings. But more and more people are disappearing and some are showing up deflated without blood or organs..."


    Emilia could tell what Colin was trying to imply and that''s the reason why he was holding an informal meeting right now.


    Their faction was under suspicion of the murders of these humans. I mean who else needed blood to survive in this world?


    "This is a dangerous accusation Colin" Her blood-red eyes stared at him as if they were glowing.

 Chapter 47 - 46

    "I''m not accusing you of anything. That note I gave to you is something I confiscated from my team. It seems like they''re planning on trying to catch your clan in the act" Colin pointed to the note that Emilia took stubbornly.


    Her red eyes still looked at Colin with suspicion. She opened the small paper note and it''s a planned-out map of where to take their "suspect". It looks like they planned on silencing said person while making it seem that they were attacked by the monsters.


    "Why should I believe you?"


    "We came from the same village"


    "Even more reason for me to not believe you. Aren''t you forgetting that they branded me as a witch in your history?"


    "And I never once believed it"


    "yeah right..." Emilia scoffed and Colin just looked sad. She put away the note on her person.


    "Under Lady Kassandra''s orders, I was going to around 30 members but since you gave me this note... I''ll just minimize it to 15 or 20. The lesser the better. It''ll be hectic but at least I can watch over them easier"


    "That''s a good idea" Colin nodded and Emilia crossed her arms.


    "Minimize yours as well. Our manpower will be replaced with Lord Damien''s troops anyways. That way they can''t execute what they had planned"


    Colin smiled and nodded. "I will"


    Emilia sighed and smiled as well. She walked up to Colin and raised her hand. From a distance, it would look like she was about to choke him. But instead, she slid her hand to his nape and pulled him downwards. She kissed him on the lips and then on the cheeks before whispering something that can make anyone blush.


    "Don''t work too hard ok?" Emilia tells him before running off.


    Colin walked back to his area and a few of his subordinates spotted him. They wanted to talk to him but they were lost for words. Their leader, who always had a serious expression and would only loosen up when he was drunk, was covering half of his face that was red as a tomato.


    .


    .


    .


    "I haven''t seen Lord Amias around" Alex blurted out to Damien who had been unfocused the entire time.


    "Ah? ah yeah..." Damien answers to his subordinate who was helping him plan out their route once they set off.


    "Did the two of you fight?"


    "Fight? I don''t think so. He suddenly just-"


    Damien kept thinking about that scene yesterday. Amias was never the person who actually cared if he was flirting in broad daylight. Even if it wasn''t the case, why was his face like that? Why was he so upset.


    The last time he saw Amias make a face like that was when he refused to save Yohann. After that incident, Amias pretended to still be fine around Damien. But a person can sense if they are not needed.


    Sensing that his rude questions made Damien''s mood worse, Alexander kneeled and lowered his head.


    "I would like to apologize for making the Lord''s mood terrible. I will accept any punishment from you"


    "No need"


    Damien may have a terrible temper, but he wasn''t the type to lash out for no proper reason. He knows Alex was just concerned for him, rather than being angry he''s actually thankful that he was still worthy of concern.


    Alex raised his head and Damien was smiling sadly at him. Alex felt awkward because he knew that his Lord was upset. But how can he help him?


    "If there''s anything I can help the lord with, please ask away"


    ''Help? Do I look like I need help?'' Damien thought about the offer. Maybe he did need help.


    "What do you do if your friend was upset with you but you don''t understand why?" Damien hesitated in asking this.


    "It depends, what happened between the two of you for him to be upset"


    "I was asking something and he made a fuss about it. We both got kicked out and he started shaking me until a button from my shirt flew at his face"


    "That..." Thankfully Alexander raised a little sibling and he now mastered how to mask his expression.


    ''LORD DAMIEN I''M SO SORRY BUT THAT SOUNDED TOO RIDICULOUS TO HAPPEN''


    With a straight face, he replied "Maybe it was the thing that you asked that made him upset?"


    "No rather... he looked upset when Azazel saw the both of us and said that we should do it somewhere private"


    Alexander''s willpower to not laugh is being tested with this situation.


    "So, Lord Azazel "caught" the both of you in a rather unsightly state and assumed something else. Did you try explaining?"


    "We both did but Azazel looked uninterested to hear it. After that, Amias wouldn''t look at me properly"


    "Maybe Lord Amias was upset that he got misunderstood? But then again, everyone had been misunderstanding him for so long... Oh my apologies, it''s a slip of tongue"


    "No you''re fine, we''re aware of that actually" Damien leaned back on his seat.


    Actually, he knew exactly why Amias was upset. He would see the interaction between him and Azazel. It was the same expression he had when he was still with Kassandra.


    Amias liked Azazel.


    Of course, a lot of them knew that Azazel liked someone. They just didn''t know who since this crush apparently lasted for a thousand years now. They once asked about it and Azazel just laughed and said that the person they liked had someone else. It looked like Azazel never noticed his feelings and Amias kept it like that.


    "I''ll just give him time, for now. If I try to talk to him he''ll just get angrier" Damien states as he gets out of his chair and went to the door.


    "Gather the rest of the troops. Kassandra''s team will be making their trip back soon, we can''t waste our powers on long-distance teleportation arrays"


    "Yes and shall we be setting off in vehicles?"


    "yeah and we can do short-distance teleportation arrays in between to shorten the time to arrive"


    "I''ll relay this to the rest for preparation"


    Yeah... Amias needs more time. And in the meantime, Damien was determined to look for the reason on how Yohann ended up like that.


    .


    .


    .


    Gideon ended up spending another day in this castle but this time he was in Kaiden''s room. At first, he insisted to go back to his room but Kaiden refused. Then he asked if he could just use a guest room since there''s bound to be one here. There were but Kaiden still refused. The rooms were far from his room and he made it very clear that the servants here had a terrible impression of Gideon.


    "Even if I assigned the least problematic servants to you, the king and other nobles can still meddle with my affairs." is what Kaiden said.


    In other words, the safest spot is being next to Kaiden. Well, it was not that bad being next to Kaiden. Because he was upset, Kaiden offered him delicious food and allowed him to do whatever as long as he stayed in that room.


    Kaiden was working in his room instead of the private study. He thought that it would be best to keep Gideon company even when he''s working but...


    ''I CAN''T FOCUS''


    He tries his best to not look at Gideon or even think of him. But who would know that Gideon looked very adorable in an oversized t-shirt and pajamas?


    ''I could have sworn those were already small but why is it still too big on Deon?''


    Gideon was playing with his now-charged phone when he noticed Kaiden had been staring at him intensely. He looked around to check if he did something wrong. Assuming that it was because of the messy bed, he immediately started to clean up.


    "What are you doing?" Kaiden asks Gideon, still staring at him.


    "I''m cleaning up my mess?"


    "You can just leave that for now"


    "Oh but then why are you staring at me?"


    Kaiden coughs and realized that he was staring at Gideon. But he couldn''t help it ok!


    "It''s nothing, I was just wondering why you''re so thin. Did the nurses starve you as well?"


    "No no! I''m just naturally thin?"


    "I don''t like it, you should eat more. This is why you''re short"


    "Excuse me! I eat on time and I eat a lot. And I''m not short, you''re just very tall ok"


    "Gideon, your height is closer to the average height of the women in the Capital. For a man, you''re pretty short"


    Gideon was frowning and couldn''t make a come back to Kaiden''s statement. He was right, even Theodora was taller than him.


    ''I wasn''t this short in my previous life''


    Kaiden laughed when he saw the pouty face of Gideon. He wanted to tease him more but he knew the next thing he would receive is a pillow to his face.


    "Don''t worry, it''s just height. A lot of us may be taller but that doesn''t make us a better person" Kaiden reassures Gideon and he checks the time on his phone. It was around 3 pm so it was still early to consider dinner. But Kaiden needed to make up for teasing Gideon.


    "Do you wanna visit Stephen?"

 Chapter 48 - 47

    Kaiden took Gideon back to the Caduceus Wing. And as Kaiden expected, some of the nurses were avoiding eye contact with the two of them. He grinned in confidence because of how proud he was of himself. Earlier while he was waiting for the phone charger, he thought that he would pay a visit to the Caduceus Wing for "surprise inspection".


    "I still can''t believe the Gideon that the prince would curse out was just a tiny kid" said Nurse A. She was the nurse who "guided" Gideon last night.


    "Really? I imagined him to be close around the prince''s height" said Nurse B. He was the one who is in charge of reporting anything related to Gideon directly to the prince. By asking this, it meant that he didn''t watch over him.


    "I mean they did separate when they were kids" Nurse C was a half-human half-angel androgynous person. They were the one in charge of feeding Gideon. It looked like they didn''t hold any bias and rather just wanted to do their job properly.


    "You''re right. I also wonder why his highness allowed him to stay here. Like... I thought you hated his guts or something?" Nurse B states as he sips his cup of coffee.


    "Well, he is half-succubus and half-whatever... He probably used his abilities." Nurse A was a half-angel and half-demon who did not manage to awaken her demon blood. So you can say that she''s a regular ol'' human.


    "I just found out about the Half-succubus thing... wow" Nurse B was just in shock at how hot the tea was.


    "I would suggest that we should just go back to work"


    Nurse C cleans up their mess and walked away. They remembered that the prince warned them to treat Gideon nicely. Even if they didn''t like the kid, they''ll just follow orders and keep their mouth shut. And besides, after interacting with Gideon they could say he was not at all bad. He was just awkward and a bit lost but that''s expected since he''s in the castle filled with people who dislike or hate him. When they stepped out of the breakroom, they saw Prince Kaiden leaning next to the doorway.


    It seems like the prince had been eavesdropping on them.


    They pretended to not see anything and continued to walk. They knew that the prince would let them go since they did their job and did not say anything.


    "They''re such a wet rag... But tell me, more" Nurse B tugged on Nurse A''s sleeve.


    "Well it was in his records and how else would he still be here? He definitely charmed the prince and even dared to use the prince''s name casually"


    Nurse B gasped and blurted out "That''s so shameless!"


    "What''s shameless is the fact you two took my words lightly and even started to gossip" Kaiden walked into the room and the two suddenly went quiet. Whether it was due to the fact that they got caught or Kaiden''s powers were suppressing them, the fact remains that they are now lowering themselves.


    "M-My prince, we did not expect you to be here" Nurse B stuttered out and he received a slap from Kaiden. The prince didn''t even infuse any of his power, it was just a regular slap and yet Nurse B''s face was already bruised. Nurse B did not dare to look at the prince and held his cheek.


    "Hmmm? Just because you did not expect me to be here, you can now talk shit about Gideon?" Kaiden grabbed Nurse B''s race roughly and made him look at him.


    "No, I didn''t mean tha-" Nurse B''s face was white as a sheet. His mouth was bleeding and it seemed like something dropped to the ground near Nurse A. She looked at it and she was close to peeing herself in fear.


    Kaiden had cut off his tongue.


    "I was thinking of taking your hearing since it seemed like you love to hear about gossip. But you were too noisy and I accidentally cut your tongue instead" Kaiden pretended to coax him like a child.


    ''This was an accident?'' Nurse B thought. How fucked up are you to call that an accident?!


    "Just take this as your warning and never show up in front of me or Gideon. Got it?" Kaiden smiled and Nurse B nodded before running off. Even though he had lost his tongue and his job, he was still alive and that was enough.


    "Now what about you" Kaiden turned to Nurse A who was still shaking in fear and avoiding eye contact.


    "What cat got your tongue?" Kaiden grabbed her face and forced open her mouth.


    "Weird, you have your tongue and I could have sworn you were talking about how Gideon used a charm on me. Explain to me more clearly, how much of a Vixen the person I tasked you to take care of."


    "Have mercy" Nurse A began crying and Kaiden lets go of her face.


    "Mercy? How can you still have the fucking audacity to beg for that? ah well, let''s say I''ll let this incident slide" Kaiden smiled like an angel. And before Nurse A could recover and say her thanks, he immediately follows his statement with another question.


    "But what should I do when you tried to freeze him to death last night as well as trick him into going to my father''s study?"


    Nurse A lowered her head to the ground and continued to cry while "apologizing" and begging for mercy.


    Kaiden kicked her to the side and shook his head.


    "Why are you apologizing to me? shouldn''t you be apologizing to Deon"


    Nurse A spat out blood. She continued to grovel and instead of "My prince forgive me, please have mercy" it was "I''m sorry sir Gideon"


    "It''s amazing how you can see a person''s true colors when they''re on the verge of death" Kaiden squatted down and looked at her dead in the eyes.


    "Not one bit of what you said was genuine right from the beginning. You already messed up the moment you made him uncomfortable and I warned you" With a smile and a hand gesture, the once white breakroom got painted with red flowers.


    He did not have any dogs but he knew Kassandra did.


    He called for the other nurses and they saw the scene. They all lose color in their faces as Kaiden asks them to grab her head and feed it to Kassandra''s Dogs.


    .


    .


    .


    "What''s so funny?" Gideon asks Kaiden who suddenly just laughed a little.


    "I just remembered something"


    "What was it?"


    "That time when you tried to make a snowman but the snowman fell on you instead"


    "w-what?! that was years ago!" Gideon smacked Kaiden. How could he still remember that?


    "well, it was really funny. I look forward to making another one with you" Kaiden smiled at Gideon.


    It might be due to the cold weather that he felt warm all of the sudden.


    "Then... once the snow is thick enough" Gideon shyly states.


    "So it''s a date?" Kaiden leans closer to Gideon and the latter suddenly panicked hearing the word "Date"


    "WHAT DATE?! DATE YOURSELF!" Gideon smacked Kaiden again. Kaiden just accepted all of it and even joked that Gideon can be executed by harming him. Thanks to that, he suddenly stopped.


    The two of them reached the area where the injured are currently residing. Since Stephen was only a spouse of Theodora, he could only be in the general ward rather than the private ones where Gideon stayed.


    "There''s a lot of injured here..." Gideon blurted out


    "Yeah and they''re just going to keep increasing especially when Kassandra called for a retreat"


    "Wait does that mean Aunt Theo is returning?" Gideon suddenly whipped his head towards Kaiden and the latter nodded.


    "It wouldn''t make sense for them to continue staying there until they die. Damien is taking over the mission instead"


    Kaiden and Gideon stopped in front of a covered-up area. Kaiden pulled the curtain away and inside there laid Stephen who is still unconscious. He spoke to one of the nearby nurses to ask about any improvement but sadly there were none.


    Stephen only had one arm and his chest had bandages wrapped around. He was also hooked to a life support machine and while looking around Gideon noticed that there was a barrier around Stephen.


    "Kassandra put that up"


    "Why?"


    "To prevent anyone from harming him further as well as to protect the array she made underneath him. That and that machine that humans mostly used are the only things keeping him alive."


    "Then... I can''t even hold his hand?" Gideon was tearing up again. Stephen didn''t look like he was in any pain at all. It just goes to show that Kassandra did her best.


    "I''m sorry Gideon" Kaiden offered Gideon some tissues and Gideon accepted them.


    "I also tried to heal him but it seems like there''s something missing and I can''t fully help him. If I force it then I might hurt either myself, Stephen, or the both of us" Kaiden began to explain some parts he didn''t bring up earlier since it all happened when Gideon was unconscious.


    Since Gideon could not hold Stephen''s hand, he held Kaiden''s instead.


    "I don''t blame you Kaiden, I just want to thank you for being here with me"

 Chapter 49 - 48

    Azazel was on his way to check up on Yohann when he saw Amias standing near the door. He didn''t see Amias earlier when he went to Arda. He only assumed that the guy either went off to commit debauchery or do some of Luciel''s dirty work. So it was a surprise to him that he saw him here.


    "You''re not going in?" Azazel asks Amias who suddenly tensed up due to being startled.


    "You startled me Azazel"


    ''Azazel?'' Perhaps he got used to being called Azzy that hearing his full name from Amias sounded off.


    "Did something happen?"


    "No there''s nothing. Kassandra is busy talking to Yohann inside and I just wanted to take a peek."


    Azazel thought that maybe Amias was upset. Maybe it was that he remembered what happened in the past and he still couldn''t face the two together. Azazel reached out to Amias but the latter instinctively avoided his hand.


    "I''m sorry" Azazel suddenly apologizes and Amias shook his head.


    "No, it was just-ah" Amias suddenly made himself disappear the moment he heard Kassandra was walking to the door.


    When Kassandra opened the door, all she saw was Azazel.


    "Was Amias here?" Kassandra looked around and she could vaguely sense Amias'' presence.


    "No, I was talking to a nurse earlier. I just wanted to tell you that Damien will be heading out tonight." of course, Azazel won''t make things between the two of them even more awkward.


    "Thank you. Do you want to come in?" She tilted her head to the side.


    Azazel had heard of Yohann regaining his consciousness yesterday. But due to circumstances, the other nobles were not able to make a visit.


    "Will Yohann be alright with it?" Azazel was still hesitant since no one knew what he had gone through when he was gone.


    "I think so. He hasn''t shown me any discomfort except when the nurse came in to hand us his food."


    Kassandra and Yohann were talking at that time when a nurse knocked at the door. Kassandra told them to come in and the moment the nurse walked into the room, Yohann tensed up. With every step that the nurse took, his grip got tighter and his expression worsened. Kassandra ultimately had to stop the nurse and tell them to leave the food right where they were and walk out. Only when the nurse had left did Yohann manage to breathe.


    This made Kassandra assume that Yohann was alright with seeing unfamiliar people at a distance but the moment they come closer to him, he will panic. Then perhaps someone familiar to him, like herself, should be able to approach him.


    Kassandra stepped to the side and motioned for Yohann to look at her. She called out to her brother and showed Azazel.


    "Yohann, Do you remember Azazel?"


    Yohann stared at Azazel for a moment before smiling and nodding. Seeing her little brother''s smile, Kassandra also smiled and slowly guided Azazel into the room. So far Yohann was still fine so this meant that her theory that those people he''s familiar with can interact with him.


    "We were just trying to recall some stuff that happened when we were young" Kassandra tells Azazel as she pulled a seat for him and she grabs another for herself. Yohann nodded and Azazel felt a little bit awkward since it was only Kassandra speaking.


    "I see um... is he always this quiet?"


    "Oh he can talk but..." Kassandra looked at her brother who smiled at her once again.


    "I''ll just assume this but I think he mixed up his memories from his time being... cursed and his time with us here. And because of that, he can''t entirely remember everything"


    With that being said, it could mean Yohann still remembers that his tongue got severed even though he was healed and could talk. Azazel was the person who saw Yohann so he knew of the situation and he immediately whispered to Kassandra.


    "Does that mean he''ll be scared of the prince?"


    "I''m not quite sure since I haven''t seen the prince visit him when he got conscious"


    Azazel moved away from Kassandra and looked at Yohann. Yohann had been staring at him intensely before grabbing the notepad and pen that Kassandra had placed next to him. Kassandra moved from her seat and sat next to Yohann''s bed while asking him what he was writing. Yohann didn''t bother to hide it since he was almost done but Kassandra laughed a little.


    Azazel was confused as to why this woman was giggling and then Yohann flipped his notepad.


    "Why is your hair pink? I remember it being light blond"


    "I..." Azazel didn''t know how to respond to that. Meanwhile, Yohann was still trying to figure out what was up with Azazel''s ridiculous hair color.


    Kassandra on the other hand was trying to stop laughing. "I did ask him the same thing a while back" she said in between her laughter.


    Upon hearing his sister''s response, wrote something again. Kassandra was not able to see what it was since Yohann flipped it immediately.


    "Did Amias and Damien do this to you?" Yohann was pouting since he missed those two troublemakers. He thought;


    ''That''s unfair, I would have made his hair green instead of pink since girls still like pink-haired boys''


    "Yes and No. Amias and Damien did this to my hair the first few times but I got used to seeing my hair be pink so I dyed it myself"


    "Oh, so that''s the story" Kassandra stopped laughing the moment she heard Amias'' name and sat back on to her seat.


    "Yeah" Azazel''s cheeks were a little red since it was embarrassing to admit that he grew to like the color.


    Yohann wrote something as a reply since he could tell Azazel was embarrassed.


    "I''m used to seeing it light blond but it looks nice on you"


    "You''re still nice" Azazel mumbled and Yohann motioned for him to come closer.


    Azazel followed and to his surprise, Yohann touched his hair.


    ''It looks like cotton candy'' Yohann thought as he touched Azazel''s hair.


    "umm?"


    Yohann stopped and wrote down what he thought of earlier. Seeing the note just made him sigh. He went back to his seat and spoke more with the two before bidding them farewell. Yohann wrote another note asking Azazel to come visit with the other two nobles tomorrow.


    Azazel was unsure of what to answer to that. He looked at Kassandra as if he was asking for permission. Kassandra glanced at Azazel then at her brother who seemed to be confused about the silent conversation that his elders were having.


    Kassandra thought about it for a while before sighing in defeat and nodding. Seeing this, Azazel now replied.


    "Damien is busy with missions but I can bring Amias with me"


    Yohann felt a little bit disappointed that Damien was busy. But it was still good that Amias was going to visit him. He misses his friend dearly and he remembered that he made him upset with something.


    Something... during a mission?


    It hurts a little to try and remember.


    Because of that, Yohann stopped trying to think about it. He''ll just ask Amias what he did wrong and apologize for it. Amias was nice to him and tells him if he was in the wrong.


    Kassandra walked with Azazel out of the room and when the door closed, only then did she speak again.


    "I can''t be in the same room with Amias and Yohann"


    "I know"


    "Then you know what I''m trying to say here?"


    "That I should watch over Yohann? yeah. But if you''re that concerned, it''s better for you to stay with him"


    "And what? have Amias freeze up around me again? Earlier I know he was out here talking with you. I''m still pissed that my brother had to go through shit because of him but I had to accept it. I don''t hate him as much nowadays since Luciel did explain to me that Amias did try to get help for my brother otherwise it would have been the both of them"


    .


    .


    .


    She remembered that night when Luciel slapped her when she demanded that Amias should get executed. He knew what she was going through, even right now he still continued to mourn. He knew he screamed at him and insulted Amias at one point so he''s aware that he''s a hypocrite right now for punishing Kassandra who had done the same.


    The only difference between the both of them is that Luciel wanted Amias to know his pain not to know death.


    "I''ll let this slide since I''m also at fault here for assigning this mission to them. I did not expect this chain of events so don''t see it that I sent them to their deaths." Luciel lowered his hand and walked back to his desk.


    "I''ve heard from the others as well as their subordinates, Amias did try to save Yohann. You should remember that Amias is the weakest of the two. Even if he stayed there to help Yohann escape, then it would have been the both of them" Luciel poured some vodka into his glass and walked back to Kassandra before handing it to her.


    "The both of them did their best in their situation. Your brother died a hero, so instead of forcing the person he saved to die.... Honor his death instead"

 Chapter 50 - 49

    A day passed and Gideon once again spent the night in this place. He now knows Kaiden''s routine in the morning but it will take a while before he gets used to Kaiden suddenly just appearing out of nowhere without his shirt.


    "Would it bother you if you wore a shirt?"


    "If I wore one right now, it''ll get soaked" Kaiden replies and Gideon just rolled his eyes. He got off the bed and grabbed his slippers.


    "Where are you heading this early?"


    "I just want to check up on Stephen"


    "The snow is thicker now you''ll freeze up if you go out right now" Kaiden points to his window.


    The glass had frost on it and there were some snow patches on the windowsill.


    It always made Gideon wonder how he''s not freezing right now despite wearing a few layers. An explanation for it was that Kaiden had really good control of his fire powers that he is practically a walking furnace. That may also explain the suffering Kaiden had to go through when he woke up to Gideon snuggling behind him. He managed to get out of bed without waking up Gideon.


    ''It''ll be weird for me to bring it up and It''ll be embarrassing for him'' he thought to himself as he suppressed the urge to gush about that experience. When he saw Gideon earlier it was as if he was looking at a sleeping cat with how he clutched onto Kaiden''s shirt with one of his hands.


    "Oh ok" Gideon frowned and instead walked towards Kaiden.


    "Can I see what you''re doing?"


    "Yeah but you''ll get bored" Kaiden laid out the papers on the table. Gideon stood next to him and bent down to look at the papers.


    It was import and export transactions from different regions, some cities asking for more budget, other divisions asking for more manpower due to rebellions, and a lot of other things. How can someone as young as Kaiden do these kinds of work? Seeing Gideon''s perplexed expression made Kaiden chuckle.


    "I told you it''s boring" Kaiden repeats and Gideon shook his head.


    "More like complicated. Why are you dealing with these already?"


    "These don''t even reach half of what Arda reads through weekly. They gave me a mix of easy and extremely complicated tasks to see if I''m fit to take over Father"


    With how much Luciel is trying to incorporate his son into every meeting and event, some would speculate that he''s planning on abdicating the throne. The only thing stopping him from doing so is the fact Matthew is still out there plotting revenge.


    And besides that, it''s not like Kaiden will accept the position. As far they''re concerned, Kaiden never showed interest in this. You can say that he''d prefer to live normally like he did in the past but that''s impossible due to his circumstances.


    Hearing about Arda''s workload made Gideon shudder and sent a prayer for Arda. How is she still sane especially when the nobles and prince is like this?


    "Why are you suddenly quiet?"


    "I was sending prayers to her"


    "Arda would rather have a human sacrifice sent to her you know?"


    "Human what now?"


    "You know how she has to use her life source for her powers right?"


    Gideon did remember that Arda would not use her powers since everyone would scold her for doing so. And that reason being was the fact that the consequence of using her powers was that her life source gets drained with every use.


    "Back then she didn''t have to worry about it since there were those who worshipped her as if she was God. They would offer her their life and she''d protect them in return. But Matthew and company killed off her followers. I''m not really sure why she''s sticking around father but that''s what I know so far"


    "Should I even know this?" Gideon asked in a low voice. All of it sounded like classified information since not everyone knew the backgrounds of the Nobles. If one knew then it''ll be easy for them to know their weaknesses.


    "It''s fine. Another thing I kind of theorize is that Arda doesn''t like using humans for her powers as well so a human sacrifice can also piss her off" Kaiden grinned mischievously and Gideon began to shake his head profusely.


    ''Nope! definitely nope! And it''s not like I''ll plan on killing anyone in the near future'' Gideon panicked in his head.


    "I''m just joking" Kaiden moved a few of the papers and there were memo notes underneath them. He took a hold of it and showed it to Gideon. He thought that it might help with Gideon''s situation.


    Arda passed on the memo Kassandra had for Gideon since he was the next of kin of Stephen and Theodora. The note states that Theodora shall be returning today by lunch and that Gideon should meet up with Kassandra.


    "This..." Gideon glanced at the note a few more times and Kaiden shrugged.


    "She''ll probably talk about Stephen''s current condition with you and Theodora. Just wait for your aunt to come back before heading to Kassandra"


    Kaiden picks up his pen and scribbled something on one of the papers. That scribble was actually his decision to send soldiers to the eastern region to aid in the rebellions there. As well as adding on an additional note that a trusted member or perhaps a noble themselves should attend because of the latest controversy of moles within their faction.


    "I''ll do that but Kaiden?"


    "Hmm?"


    Since Gideon did work in his past life in an office, the most familiar to him was the import and export reports. It''s been a while since he did this sort of work but it''s like muscle memory for him. Gideon pointed at a specific importation of vegetables from the north.


    "These aren''t in season nor are they from that region but how come they got imported from there?" Gideon knew how to cook a little so he would know the types of vegetables and which regions they come from.


    ''That and the fact most of the things here are also in my old life. The author of this world is really lazy to think of a new species'' he roasted the author in his thought process.


    "I see.." Kaiden was actually impressed Gideon had an idea on these.


    "What about these?" Kaiden handed him another paper that came from the West Region.


    Gideon looked at them and then asked for the old reports as well. Kaiden complied and handed him those as well.


    "There are irregularities with the encoding, it seems like there may have been smuggling involved" Gideon wondered where some of the funds went as well as why did the capital pay so much for something that isn''t worth that value?


    Kaiden grinned and used his powers to grab a seat for Gideon.


    "I wouldn''t have seen that... would you help me?"


    .


    .


    .


    "What happened? Where''s Amias?" Kassandra asks Azazel who was the only one who appeared.


    "I only passed by him earlier and told him to visit Yohann. He said okay and went off somewhere" Azazel scratched his head in frustration since he didn''t totally understand what was wrong with Amias lately.


    "And Damien already left last night so we wouldn''t know where that guy went"


    "Exactly"


    "Have you asked Luciel?"


    "No, and I''m not really in the mood to get more workload" it may be a curse of Azazel to get more work whenever he visits Luciel.


    "Neither do I" Ah so it seems like Azazel isn''t the only one.


    It may be the reason why Arda has a lot of work. The two also sent their prayers to her.


    "So what now?" Kassandra asks Azazel and he frowned.


    He''s supposed to be one of the smartest here and yet he feels a little bit stupid. But suddenly an idea popped up in his head.


    "We can ask Yohann?"


    "We''re looking for Amias because we need to bring him to Yohann and you want to ask him where Amias is? Are you sure you didn''t hit your head during the incident?" Kassandra poked Azazel''s forehead and the guy brushed off her hand.


    "They were friends right and somehow Yohann managed to bring Amias back then when the guy was upset"


    "True...We can''t be sure if Yohann remembers but we can try" Kassandra covered her mouth to think about it and then she walked back into Yohann''s room.


    "Yohann, Azazel is here but we don''t know where Amias went"


    Yohann waved at Azazel before grabbing his notes and replying to his sister.


    "Is he upset again?"


    "I think so" Azazel answers and Yohann pondered for a moment.


    He was trying to remember the places where Amias would usually go but some felt fuzzy. He lifted his pen and wrote a few places. They were all mostly common places that a Noble wouldn''t go to.


    "Never took Amias to be the guy to go to these places"


    "Well, he did have to sleep with people for his powers to work properly"


    Yohann frowned hearing his sister''s statement. Although it was true that he needed to do that, Amias didn''t go to these places just to look for hook-ups.


    "Amias isn''t that kind of guy" he writes and Kassandra felt a little bit guilty.


    "I''m sorry Yohann" She says as she goes next to him to hug him. Yohann just lets her hug him and he looks at Azazel.


    "I''ll look for Amias" Azazel says to the two and Kassandra suddenly spoke.


    "No, let me do it instead"

 Chapter 51 - 50

    Kassandra made her way to the areas that her brother had listed. She really had doubts that Amias went here just because. But seeing her brother being upset about it... She couldn''t help but feel guilty a little.


    Looking at the list, if Kassandra was being honest, she felt like this list was actually her brother''s go-to area. Just looking around won''t help her look for Amias. Time was valuable to them right now.


    "Excuse me" Kassandra began to ask several stalls asking if they had seen Amias and to her dismay, they all said they haven''t seen him.


    This kept going up till she reached the last area on the list. It was a simple bookstore in the eastern part of the Capital.


    Kassandra looked up and down the building before walking in.


    "Welcome to the storeeee" a little boy carrying a few books came into Kassandra''s view.


    "oh uh..." Kassandra doesn''t do well with children so she''s rather lost on how to interact with him.


    "Dad is talking to a customer right now. If you need help looking for a book, just tell me instead. I''m Mark" The little boy, named Mark, introduced himself.


    "By any chance, the customer looked like this?" Kassandra took out her phone to open a photo of Amias. She showed it to the boy and the boy looked up at her and frowned.


    "N-no! That person isn''t here." The little boy stuttered, trying to lie to Kassandra.


    "Ah so he is here..." Kassandra looked around and before she could walk a few steps deeper into the building, the boy blocked her way.


    "He''s not!" The boy held his arms up.


    Kassandra just looked at him and thought ''It''s not like you''ll be able to stop me''


    "Lying isn''t good you know?" Kassandra tells the boy as she grabs him on the back of his collar and raises him up.


    "Put me down, you bully! DAD!"


    "yES! What happened?!" A man with glasses and grey hair ran from the backroom to the front. The moment the man saw Kassandra, he immediately bowed down.


    "L-lady Kassandra, what brings you here?" The man didn''t dare to look up at her.


    The kid in her grasp suddenly gasped and looked down. He never knew that this person was Lady Kassandra, and not only that he offended her.


    "Amias is here right?"


    "Oh Um"


    "You do know the penalty of lying to a noble right? Answer me now. Where''s Amias?"


    "I''m right here, just put Mark down" Amias appeared behind the man and patted his head.


    "Get up Allan, I''ll talk to her" Amias smiled at the man and the man glanced between the two nobles. It seemed like he was hesitating about something but his son was still in Kassandra''s grasps.


    Kassandra did put down the kid and the kid ran to his father. She motioned her head towards outside to which Amias responded with a sigh. He turned around to the two and apologized before walking outside. Kassandra followed after him and with her arms crossed she asked him;


    "What''s your relationship with him?"


    "Is that what you think of me? I bang everyone I meet up with?" He turned around glaring at her. Kassandra was at a loss for words. He hit right on the head of the nail. Seeing Kassandra like this made Amias laugh.


    "I knew it" he sneered before continuing "Did Yohann tell you about this place?"


    "He did" Kassandra finally recovered herself since it was something that involved her brother.


    "He recommended this place. Telling me that if I needed to talk to someone I can just go here but the place got converted into a bookstore."


    "Is that so then... what was this place back then?" Kassandra asked and Amias replied with a straight face


    "A Psychiatrist''s office."


    Kassandra did not know what else to say. She didn''t expect Amias to go to such a place especially when he never really showed any signs of being severely affected.


    By all means, she thought he was arrogant and a horrible person for being able to "move on" so quickly. But it turns out, he never did move on. He only knew how to mask.


    "Don''t you dare pity me because of this alright? Anyways what''s up? why did you look for me? As far as I''m concerned, you of all people don''t care about me." He took out his phone to check the time and felt a little bit disappointed since it was a little before lunchtime and most of the time he spent right now could have been used for his session with Dr. Allan.


    "Yohann wanted to see you today, I was hoping that you would stay there for lunch since I''ll be busy"


    "You''re busy and yet you''re here? it doesn''t make sense"


    "It''s because..."


    How do you apologize to a person? She wants to apologize but a part of her keeps telling her that she doesn''t have to. That Amias was the one at fault so she is not required to apologize.


    Amias did not understand Kassandra''s antics today but he knew how much of a sucker she was for her brother. So he will assume that she''s only here because of her brother, not because of anything else.


    "You don''t have to answer. You''re out of time right? I think I can still teleport us back to the castle. I''ll just sleep with someone later" He says those words so casually that it would frustrate a person.


    Kassandra must have been spacing out when Amias called for her again.


    "Sheesh my hands are clean" He had his hand out for a while already.


    "I''m sorry" even if it''s like this, she will use this opportunity to apologize.


    Amias seemed like he didn''t expect to hear an apology from Kassandra so he just stared at her for a while. He grabbed her hand and looked away.


    "Just stop assuming things about me" He says before focusing his powers on teleporting the both of them back.


    .


    .


    .


    "Those two are certainly taking their time" Azazel says to Yohann.


    Yohann only laughed and wrote on his notepad that he was actually happy that Kassandra and Amias were talking now. Azazel shrugged as a reply since those two barely spoke to one another after Yohann''s disappearance.


    Yohann patted Azazel''s shoulder and showed him a few notes.


    "If I''ll be honest, I feel like I''m a burden to my sister. I don''t remember much of what happened to me and when I try to remember it... it hurts. I don''t want Kassandra to suffer because of me."


    "Yohann... Don''t worry you''re never a burden to her. She was just worried and thankful that you are back here. By all means, just take your time to recover, no one is rushing you"


    Yohann''s mouth twitched a little since he was trying to prevent himself from crying. But those tears fell when Amias entered the room.


    "I..." Amias was confused about what to do since Yohann suddenly cried the moment he entered the room.


    Azazel scratched his cheek and stood up.


    "I will stay outside. The both of you need catching up to do" Azazel smiled at the two of them since he already spoke enough with Yohann.


    "Are you sure about that?" Amias hesitated and Kassandra took a peek into the room. She looked at Azazel and nodded.


    "I''m very sure. Just call for me since Kassandra will be doing some work" Azazel left the room.


    Closing the door behind him, he glanced at Kassandra who had a serious expression.


    "That face doesn''t suit you"


    "Was Amias... always like this?" Considering the fact she did try to date him years ago... maybe he was different from how she views him nowadays.


    "He changed a lot when Yohann disappeared. But I do hope that his old self would return, that being said" Azazel glanced at Kassandra "let him find himself again"


    "Yeah don''t worry. We spoke a little earlier, even if it was sloppy I learned a lot" Kassandra took off to greet her returning soldiers. Azazel just watched her disappear into the distance and he snapped his fingers to activate a small privacy array in Yohann''s room.


    "That should let you two have a heart-to-heart moment" Azazel murmured as he leaned on a wall to wait for them to finish.


    .


    .


    .


    "Yohann..." Amias handed Yohann some tissues and he accepted them with a smile.


    Amias glanced at the notepad next to Yohann and felt upset. He thought he was healed? how come he couldn''t speak?


    Yohann looked at where Amias was looking and he takes it to write something;


    "No matter how much they healed me, I can''t speak"


    Amias clenched his fists upon reading that sentence.


    ''Why did Yohann have to suffer like this? it should have been me''


    Yohann grabbed Amias'' hand and it brought him back to reality. The other person had been staring at him with sadness. He reached out and began wiping off Amias'' tears.


    "Oh?" Amias was surprised that he was crying and he tried to move away to wipe it on his own but Yohann refused to let him go.


    "I''m fine, Don''t worr-" Amias got cut off by Yohann''s hand. He was frowning at Amias since he really hated hearing Amias say those words. He opened his mouth and he felt frustrated because no matter how much he tries, he can''t speak. So for now, he just mouthed his words.


    You''re not fine. Don''t say that.


    Even without hearing, Amias could still hear his voice in his memories.


    "Yeah, you''re right.... I''m not fine. I''m sorry Yohann"

 Chapter 52 - 51

    Kassandra estimated that her troops would arrive in the barracks area in a few minutes or so. She stood by the viewing deck of the area and there were several demons and angels nearby training.


    "Lady Kassandra, it''s an honor to see you here again as well. Would you like us to grab you a seat?" One of the trainees stationed there asked her. She smiled and shook her head.


    "What kind of leader would I be if I greeted my soldiers sitting down?"


    The trainee swooned at her "coolness" and could only hope that in the future they would be assigned to her.


    "THE ARRAY HAS BEEN ACTIVATED, ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF THE NIGHT DIVISION!"


    Night Division belonged to Kassandra. The nobles all have their own army of soldiers under different division names. Shadow belonged to Amias, Crimson belonged to Azazel, Sparks is under Arda''s command, and the last division named Frost belonged to Damien. The Night Division is originally split into Dusk and Dawn. But when Yohann disappeared, Kassandra took over the Dawn Division and merged it with her own to create the Night Division.


    "WE GREET OUR MOTHER OF THE NIGHT!" The soldiers who appeared on the array bowed down to show respect to Kassandra. Unfortunately, there were those who could barely speak or move due to their injuries. Kassandra noticed these and quickly made orders.


    "And I greet my children of the night. Send the heavily injured to the Caduceus Wing to be treated as soon as possible. Those with minimal injuries, go to the medical bay instead to minimize the occupants in the Caduceus Wing. Each Captain of the 8 Phases from the Dusk Division, present yourselves in the Meeting Hall for briefing. That''s all!"


    Kassandra turned around and made her way to the meeting hall to wait for them. When the door opened, there were only 2 captains and 1 member of Team 2 that entered. Kassandra was about to say that they''ll wait for a few minutes when Theodora beat her to it.


    "My Lady, This is all of us. Team 2''s Captain stayed behind to guide the reinforcements. Team 5 and 8''s members got wiped out. Team 6 and 7''s captains got severely injured while protecting their members." Theodora was the Leader of Team 1 which consisted of the weakest members. Because of the fact that she soon became unfit to lead, her team members were left to idle. But this also prevented their deaths just like how Team 5 and 8''s fates were.


    "Will you be calling for the captains for the Dawn Division? Briefing us only may lead to arguments between the Vampires and Lycans" Team 3''s Leader, Yuri, explains to them.


    Kassandra looked at him and she could see that he was actually injured since his arm was in a cast. She may have infused them with demonic powers to make them similar to that of a half-demon. But going up against those monsters of experimentation makes them equivalent to regular humans. Remembering that her brother was once like those creatures, she couldn''t help but feel disgusted all the more with Matthew''s rebellion.


    "I''ll be meeting with them separately as well since Emilia did tell me about the current situation you are dealing with... Yuri, how''s your injury?"


    "My arm broke and because that area got bitten by those creatures, I cannot recover like usual. I apologize for becoming useless" His arm was only collateral damage if it meant his team escaped the ambush while they were still up north.


    Kassandra glanced at the third person in this room. He was not a captain and so Kassandra had to remember for a short while.


    "You are Levi right? from Emilia''s team?" Kassandra asks and Levi nods.


    "Yes, I am also the one who forwarded several messages of her Lady Kassandra to Emilia and Theodora"


    "Good good¡­ You shall be the new leader of Team 5. Yuri...Theodora... recommend me another member suitable to be the new leader of Team 8 as well as train Levi to be up to your standards"


    "My Lady?!" Levi was surprised by the sudden promotion. Yuri and Theodora bowed and responded with a yes.


    "Good, you guys are dismissed. Yuri call for the Dawn Division''s captains. Theodora, stay here for a moment since I need to talk to you briefly before the others arrive"


    "Certainly my Lady" Yuri and Levi left the room. Which only leaves Kassandra and Theodora alone in the Meeting Hall.


    "You know what I will be discussing with you right?"


    "Yes, my Lady" Theodora already prepared herself for this while they were preparing for departure. Kassandra knew what this child felt since this was the same thing she had gone through once.


    "Your husband Stephen... he was a brave soldier. It is my fault for not being able to protect him as promised since I had to protect everyone else in that event. Stephen''s contribution will not be taken lightly since he saved multiple guests. Right now, I''m still trying to see what I can do but at most I can only keep his heart beating"


    Theodora sucked in a breath and clenched her fists. She was a soldier herself, so she knew the sacrifices that had to be made in this occupation.


    "I won''t blame you if you hate me right now. But please know I cannot keep his heart beating forever" Kassandra placed out her hand, intending for Theodora to take it.


    Kassandra rarely did this and the moment Theodora did take a hold of it, she showed her condition to her. She only had about fifty percent of her powers and although it would get replenished under the moonlight, the rapid loss still couldn''t account for it.


    "If I continue to do this, I will die. The majority in the Dusk Division are connected to me in some form. If I disappear, they will all suffer the consequences of living past the capacity of a human''s life"


    In other words, they all revert to becoming human and the years they''ve lived up to will catch up with them.


    "I understand my Lady. I''m sorry for letting you suffer" Theodora fell down on her knees, she was shaking.


    ''I thought I was prepared for this'' She thought as she started to sob.


    "There''s something I can do, however"


    "W-what is it my lady?" Theodora asked in between her sobs.


    "I might be able to bring back his consciousness briefly by forcing my powers. I can also ask the Prince for help since I know Gideon would like to be there as well. It would be enough to say your goodbyes"


    Theodora was now faced with two options. One option was to keep Stephen alive at the cost of Kassandra slowly decaying as well. The other was to wake him up one last time then let him rest finally.


    "I... would you allow me to speak to Gideon about this first?" This was selfish of her to ask for more time but Kassandra allowed it. She even hugged Theodora and stroked her cheek.


    "Take your time my child. After my talk with the Lycans, I''ll be staying with my brother in the Caduceus Wing. I wanted to talk to Gideon about this as well but I suppose it is better for you to do so"


    .


    .


    .


    When word reached Gideon''s ears that Theodora had arrived, he couldn''t be more in a rush to meet her. He wanted to hug her and apologize for not being able to keep her promise. He felt really guilty about the entire situation.


    "Slow down, you might slip"


    The two of them were walking outside on the way to the barracks. Compared to Gideon who had been wrapped up in layers of warm clothes, Kaiden only had a few layers since he could just warm himself.


    Gideon looked back at Kaiden and slowed down his walk. He cupped his hands and blew on them to warm them up.


    "Cold?" Kaiden saw his actions which made him ask this question.


    "A little" Gideon responded and Kaiden took his hand.


    "What do you mean a little, you''re ice cold... Here let me" Kaiden leaned down and blew on his hand. He could have warmed it up using his hands still but it would be faster to do the same as well.


    Perhaps it was the cold winds hitting his face and that''s why Gideon''s face was red.


    "Thank you"


    "No Problem, here.. you might slip on that part" Kaiden didn''t let go of his hand and continued to hold his hand on the way to meet with Theodora.


    "Gideon?" a soft voice echoed and there Theodora stood with an umbrella.


    "Aunty?"


    "It is you!" Theodora rushed to him and hugged him. Kaiden who had been holding his hand was immediately tossed to the side.


    "Are you ok? Why are you out in the cold? I''m sorry I can''t warm you up. Are you still feeling unwell?"


    "I''m fine I''m fine... I asked Kaiden to take me to you so I could greet you in person"


    "ah, I see..." Theodora glanced in Kaiden''s direction with malice in her eyes as she shielded her baby from this wolf in sheep''s clothing. Kaiden raised his hands in defense with a smile.


    "Let''s all talk somewhere warmer" Gideon spoke up to break the tension.


    "Good idea"


    "Good idea"


    The two spoke at the same time and they immediately went back to having a staring contest.


    ''What''s going on with these two'' Gideon thought to himself.

 Chapter 53 - 52

    The three of them ended up in a spare meeting room. Kaiden had been sitting opposite the two, while Theodora kept rubbing her hands to warm up Gideon. Kaiden had the servants prepare the fireplace to warm up the room. This made Gideon a little bit confused since the entire time Kaiden would simply use his powers to warm up a room. When he asked about it, Kaiden smiled at him.


    "Well I can''t use my powers constantly or else I''ll get weak" Kaiden glances at Theodora who was still staring at him intently as he spoke to his Deon.


    "Don''t you know that staring is rude Ms. Theodora?"


    "My Apologies, my prince. I''d like to ask if I may speak to Gideon alone?"


    "No" Kaiden flat out refuses and Gideon looks at him.


    "Kaiden..."


    "What? I already let her use a room in this place"


    "Kaiden, it''ll only be short." Gideon frowned and thus Kaiden rolled his eyes.


    "Fine. I''ll let you speak for 5 minutes" Kaiden stood up and left the room.


    Theodora was quite impressed with how Gideon managed to talk to that blockhead. Even the King has a hard time refusing the prince in that short amount of time.


    "Gideon, did he threaten you to stay here or something?" Theodora squeezed his hands and rubbed the back of it with her thumb.


    "It was nothing like that. I was supposed to be imprisoned for questioning but Kaiden intervened and that''s why I''m stuck with him" Gideon explains the gist of his situation to his adoptive mother and Theodora frowned.


    "He could be lying to get your trust."


    Gideon shook his head and smiled. He remembers how Kaiden took care of him in these past few days. And the fact that even the others tried to hide it from him.


    "I doubt it"


    "Gideon..."


    "I trust him. We just both misunderstood the situation but now it''s alright. Please have faith in my judgement"


    Theodora could only purse her lips. It was a rare sight to see Gideon be this stubborn other than getting support from her and Stephen. Such an independent person was willing to be dependent on the person that once tried to "kill" him.


    "I... I will trust your decision. But the moment he does something, don''t hesitate to ask me or Lady Kassandra for help. I promise that she will help you even if she''s quite the uh... unique speaker" Theodora was referring to how Kassandra easily looks down on the weak and would call them degrading terms such as "insect", "Peasant", etc.


    "I''ll keep that in mind" Gideon paused for a moment before continuing "I''m sure you''ve heard of Uncle Steph?"


    Theodora had a bitter smile on. She was close to crying again as she nodded.


    "That''s the other thing I want to talk about with you since I have spoken to Lady Kassandra"


    "Oh yeah, she was also calling for me" Gideon mumbled and Theodora patted his head.


    "You no longer have to speak with her since she told me everything"


    Theodora seemed to be hesitating in explaining what Kassandra had offered to her. She already had chosen since she was reminded of what Emilia had told her prior to going here the moment she saw Gideon.


    She wasn''t going to throw everything and drag everyone else with her refusal to accept the reality of things.


    She carefully explained everything to Gideon. From what those monsters do to them to the fact that Stephen is a lost cause. Although it was hard to admit that last part, she needed to be strong. Otherwise, everything that Stephen had done for her would be in vain.


    "and with that... Lady Kassandra had given us two options. Either we continue to wait for a miracle while Lady Kassandra uses her powers to keep him alive. Or she goes all out one last time to wake him up for a short while to say our goodbyes. I''m certain that she only gave the first one to make me feel better but I know it''s too late."


    Gideon had lost the colors in his face. He can''t help but wish that he had heard wrong. Was there any indication of Stephen''s death in the original? He couldn''t remember those details due to how many years had already passed. But nothing went according to the original anyways right from the beginning. He kept clinging to a false hope that he knew something of the future but the future always kept telling him that it was because of him that the story had changed already.


    "Then, what did you pick?" Gideon asks slowly and Theodora was silent for a moment.


    "She wants to pick the first option but she knows the correct choice is the second" Kaiden spoke up.


    Their 5 minutes were long finished but he still waited outside the door. He could hear everything they spoke of in those additional minutes he gave to them. Theodora was still keeping quiet since she could not refute what the prince had said since it was the truth.


    "In my opinion, it''s the best option. The first option will only make everyone suffer. At least with the second option, you three could talk one last time." Kaiden returned to his seat and Gideon continued to hold Theodora''s hand.


    "Is that so?"


    "I''m afraid so."


    Kaiden also knew of this since Kassandra had already approached him prior. There was no guarantee that she would be able to do what she claims so she asked him for help. Given that he was a mix of Angel and Demon, this may have been the reason why Yohann managed to turn back into his old self despite the long-term and possibly lifetime side effects.


    "Then I''ll agree with the second option" That way no one would suffer and Stephen can finally find peace in this chaotic world.


    Theodora squeezed Gideon''s hand again. She was such a coward for not saying it directly and the prince even had to say it for her.


    "if you need me to send word right now of your decision, we can. I''m pretty sure Kassandra herself wants this dealt with as soon as possible given she''s putting herself on the line right now." Kaiden offers to the two and Theodora nods to his proposal.


    Gideon was unsure if he should be happy that Theodora was not disagreeing with Kaiden. Because this would mean that they would have to say goodbye so suddenly. His heart was not prepared and he didn''t know what that was like for Theodora who had been with Stephen for hundreds of years now.


    .


    .


    .


    It was almost sunset when Kassandra and Kaiden finished preparations for the family. They were kind enough to move Stephen into Gideon''s old room to give them some privacy. After a while, the two beings stood on both sides of Stephen.


    "My Prince, will you do the honors?" Kassandra held out her hand and Kaiden took a hold of it.


    "Certainly" His eyes seemed to have turned into a more vivid shade of violet as he used his powers.


    Kassandra felt the sudden force pass into her and had beads of sweat form on her forehead. She can''t get unsteady now, she needed to focus.


    Just like how she would infuse a dying human to become a Vampire, she channeled her power as well as Kaiden''s powers into Stephen.


    This was a huge risk since they are not certain if this would work but then suddenly they hear Stephen groan a little.


    Kassandra''s eyes widened realizing that it did work. Then maybe... Maybe they could- ah?


    Kassandra suddenly felt weak. She knew that she won''t be able to handle it but it was good enough that her Theory would work. They just needed more and then maybe the others could be saved. Just a little more... Let him last longer...


    "Lady Kassandra!" Theodora caught Kassandra who had suddenly fallen backward. Kaiden rushed to Kassandra''s side and she had a fever.


    Who could have known that a devil could still have a fever? But then again, he himself would suffer like this when he was a child and that''s due to the fact he could not control his powers.


    "She pushed herself too much. She needs to rest and replenish her powers but... I think he should come to his senses in a bit." Kaiden carried Kassandra in his arms and looked at the two worried figures in front of him.


    "with his injuries, 10 minutes or less" He bowed his head to send his condolences before leaving.


    Another groan could be heard from Stephen and Theodora rushed to his side.


    "iubi?el1?" Theodora suddenly called him in a different language. But for some reason, Gideon seems to understand that it was an endearment.


    "Baby1?" Theodora continued to call out to Stephen in a worried tone and slowly he opened his eyes.


    "My love1?" Stephen quietly calls out to her. His eyes swept the room and he saw Gideon by his side.


    "Deon, you''re safe. I looked everywhere for you... I''m glad" He smiled as he spoke in English now, trying to raise his hand and pat his head. Gideon''s tears began to form in his eyes. He nodded as he grabbed the hand and kneeled down to put it on his head.


    "Yes I''m safe Ste-" He paused and corrected himself. Tears continued to fall. "I''m safe Dad"


    Stephen smiled and it seems like he wanted to laugh but it was too hard for him.


    "I never expected to hear you call me that... Thank you, my child"


    Stephen moved down his hand and wiped off Gideon''s tears. He knew these two performed some miracle that allowed him to stay for a little while longer.


    "Gideon, Just know that I''ll always look out for you and that I''m proud to be able to call you my son" Stephen wanted to hug Gideon but his chest started to hurt once more again. So he needed to talk to Theodora now.

 Chapter 54 - 53

    "My love" Stephen gently called out to Theodora.


    He wanted to use his other hand to wipe away those tears on her pretty face. But alas, he could no longer feel it. That''s right, his arm got ripped off. It''s still lucky that he could still see her even if it''s a little while.


    "Yes, baby?" Theodora wiped away her tears and leaned in to touch his forehead with hers.


    "Do you remember the first time we met?"


    Theodora''s eyes softened. Who wouldn''t remember this man shining brightly in that cold winter?


    "Of course I do"


    .


    .


    .


    It was around 300 years ago when the two of them had met.


    Theodora had gotten injured by those monsters and is currently hiding in this shack. To add more to her pilling plate of problems, the village that she had been residing in for the meantime branded her as a Witch. It was utterly annoying of them since she had been careful in the past 3 years whilst building up their trusts. Their reason was that ever since she entered the town, the men there would suddenly disappear one by one. The next day, they would appear as if they''ve been drained of their blood. No one could guarantee what made them like this since it seemed to be the work of a monster.


    Thus the village elders decided that it must be her work. Condemning her to be a witch and giving her the punishment of being burned at the stake.


    It was true she was the source of some of those deaths but she would only hunt once every few months since one human can last her for so long. So it meant there was another being hunting in the region. And so she escaped her prison cell. Theodora even took the liberty of hunting down that monster that was killing all of those people.


    ''If only I didn''t get attached to those villagers... then I wouldn''t have gotten these injuries''


    This wasn''t the first time that she got branded as a witch but she still kept hoping that there were humans like her who had a consciousness to know between right and wrong.


    Before she became a subordinate of Lady Kassandra, she had been a simple village girl with a tomboyish side. She was considered the beauty and she would help with everything. Even with hunting, she would try to help.


    It was by the off chance she discovered this magical creature. It was a huge creature that looked similar to those wolves that would hunt their livestock. The only difference, this one had sharp piercing gold eyes and wings. Its claws also looked longer and more dangerous. But instead of the usual growls, it only stared at her.


    "Theodora!" someone called out but when she turned back, that creature was gone.


    ''Must be my imagination''


    She got engaged to a man from her village. But while she had been hunting out once more, the wolf monster appeared. Only this time, it was closer to her than ever. Her breath hitched as this creature smelled her. The creature opened its mouth and it spoke to her.


    "There are boars in that direction" The creature pointed with its head. "Do not come near this place again, it is dangerous for you human"


    Theodora was mesmerized by the creature and despite its warnings, she would visit it. It said that its race was called Draco Wolves. Back then, under Lady Kassandra''s blessings, they were allowed to soar the skies but now the humans started to hunt them for sport.


    "That''s terrible!"


    Theodora who had also participated in hunts felt guilty. There were those in her village that would hunt more than what they needed and that resulted in the animals would migrate farther into the forests.


    The Draco Wolf she befriended told her that their Lady told them that all humans were evil. But the Draco Wolf believed that there is still good in this world. Just like her.


    On the wedding night of Theodora... The man whom she believed to be good, tried to force himself onto her. When she screamed, the Draco Wolf she befriended suddenly crashed into her house and killed the man.


    Villagers saw the scene and Theodora desperately told the Draco Wolf to run away. It hesitated but it thought that it would put its human friend in more danger.


    But to its surprise, the following day the villagers tied Theodora at a stake. Throwing rocks at her and calling her a witch before burning her.


    The Draco Wolf wreaked havoc and took Theodora''s body to Kassandra asking her to save the human.


    "You wish for me to save this human? But it is already crossing the borders of life and death. Not only that but you got injured for it... why?"


    "I believe that there are some good humans in this world. If you cannot save her with your powers, then I shall give up my body"


    "Nonsense. I don''t want my child to disappear for another" Kassandra gave a small portion of her powers to this human. She hasn''t done this but her child was willing to beg for its life.


    "If it overcomes the power I gave it and pledge its life to me then consider your wish granted"


    "Thank you mother"


    She might be dying that''s why she''s remembering memories from 200 years ago on how she even ended up becoming this unknown creature. Was she still a human? or Was she a monster now?


    "Bark!" a dog started to bark and it seemed like it was scratching at the door.


    "Finn! What are you barking at?" A man''s voice could be heard and Theodora immediately backed up but she hits something behind her that made a noise.


    The man outside quiets down and then suddenly the door bursts open. The man had been holding a shovel and saw her.


    "Who are you? Why are you on my property?" the man''s brown eyes glared at her. Her red eyes trailed down to his neck.


    ''if I drank now... I''ll be able to heal''


    "Wait..." The man noticed the trail of blood leading up to the woman and a wave of worry hits him.


    "Are you alright?! Gosh, you''re a trespasser but I can''t just argh!" It seems like this man didn''t want to clean up a dead corpse on his property. This is why they ended up inside his house.


    The man diligently wrapped bandages around her waist.


    "I''ll try to get a doctor to check up on you as soon as possible but this should be enough to stop the bleeding" He tells her and she just can''t help but wonder why this person was helping her without reason.


    "W-What''s that stare for? I know it''s shameful for a man to touch a woman he just met but you need treatment and"


    "You don''t have to call for a doctor"


    "But your wound is so severe!"


    "I dislike doctors" If a doctor saw her and took her pulse, he would notice that she is not normal. But she can''t just leave this wound alone.


    "Then?"


    "if you have medicinal herbs instead, please use those" Theodora smiled at this man. She would have just eaten this man but she remembered the kindness that Draco Wolf showed to her.


    "Alright. Where are you from? You don''t seem like a lady from any nearby villages" In his mind, she was too pretty to be in a poor area.


    ''She might be a runaway noble''


    He was preparing simple porridge when he suddenly had that thought and he grimaced at his cooking. Hopefully, it suits the Lady''s taste.


    "I''m from Suta Mair"


    "But that''s so far?!"


    "Yes, I was traveling when I got injured"


    "I see.." The man offered her the porridge and Theodora stared at it for a while before eating.


    "It''s delicious... Thank you, sir?"


    "Stephen" The man introduced himself. "Please drop the Sir, I''m not a noble. I''m just a simple bread maker. The shack you hid in was actually my tool shed for getting wheat"


    "Oh, I''m sorry if I dirtied it" Theodora lowered her head and Stephen waved his hand.


    "It''s alright, you were trying to take shelter from the cold winter. What about you?"


    "Hmm?"


    "What''s your name?"


    "My name is Theodora"


    Stephen thought about her name and smiled.


    "That name certainly suits you" That name meant God''s Gift. She indeed looked like a gift from God. Theodora looked to the side and muttered a thank you as she continued to eat the porridge. It''s not like she needed to eat these but why is this man''s porridge tastier than those she has eaten in the past?


    Stephen allowed her to stay in his house for a while. He would bake loaves of bread in this cold winter while Theodora stayed upstairs in his room to slowly recover. They would be lying if they said that they didn''t grow close as she stayed there.


    Winter passed and Theodora''s wounds were still bad.


    "I just noticed something" Stephen leaned by the doorframe


    "Hmm?


    "Why don''t you go outside when the sun is out?"


    "Would you believe me if I said I was a monster who can''t stay in the sun?"


    Stephen was taken aback by this sudden question but he laughed. It was a stupid question.


    "Tell me, what''s the actual reason"


    "I''m allergic to the sun. I get sunburnt faster"


    "I see" That indeed was tedious. Especially when she was still a patient.


    The time continued to pass and Theodora was slowly getting weaker. Stephen was concerned and he couldn''t get the doctor because Theodora would refuse.


    "You''re going to die at this rate Theo!" Stephen held her hand.


    Theodora smiled sadly and patted his hand.


    "I won''t die don''t worry"


    "How can I not worry?!" Stephen began to cry "I''m afraid that I have fallen for you and I can''t stand seeing you like this"


    Theodora was in shock to hear this but she knew that if she told him the truth, he would hate her.


    "Remember when I asked you ''What if I was a monster?''"


    "This isn''t the time to joke Theo!"


    "What if I told you I needed to drink human blood to get well?"


    "What?"


    "Would you still tell me that you love me if I was a monster that drinks the blood of humans?"


    Stephen stared at her and he suddenly lets go of her hand.

 Chapter 55 - 54

    ''Hah... I knew that you would''


    What Theodora didn''t expect was that Stephen would grab a knife and slit his arm


    "STEPHEN!" the blood trickled down his arm and Theodora''s throat ran dry. She was suppressing the urge to bite him these past few months and now it became really hard.


    Stephen placed his arm closer to Theodora''s mouth. "Drink it. If you''re going to get better then drink. I don''t care if you have to drink human blood but you''re not a monster"


    Theodora hesitantly accepted this and found herself lost the moment she began to drink. It seems like the mood between them also improved since that night became long for both of them.


    Theodora was no longer sickly and was happy that Stephen accepted her entire being. She would help him in his baking business since she was not allowed to leave the house. Stephen would be the one to insist that Kassandra should drink his blood but she was concerned that he would get weaker. And so they compromised that she would drink his blood once a month.


    ah... Having a live human is better than a dead one.


    And this human was someone she loved and this Human loved her back. She could only hope that these days would last longer. They even married informally and just signed the papers.


    "Where''s the miss?" The village chief asks Stephen while handing back the marriage certificates.


    "She''s at home, she''s very sickly" Stephen lied and rolled up the paper.


    "is that so?" the village chief looked at him suspiciously as Stephen left to return.


    The happy days of the couple continued. During the daytime, Stephen would sometimes leave to deliver orders. Theodora would sit by the window, embroidering while she waited for his return. Sometimes she would bake more goods to be sold. And sometimes she would play with Finn the dog. Those days were suddenly put on hold when Kassandra suddenly appeared with another man that looked like her.


    "You''re certainly having a good time here" Kassandra says as she looked around the shabby room.


    "M-My Lady" Theodora kneeled.


    "Did you forget that your purpose of life was to serve me?"


    "I have not forgotten that but this human saved me and he even takes care of me"


    "Really now? I certainly doubt his intentions" Being reminded of what the Draco Wolf told her made her frown since the one in front of her used to be a human as well.


    "He knows that I''m not human but he still shows me love and warmth that I haven''t felt in the 200 years I have lived for" Theodora smiled as she remembered Stephen''s warm smile.


    "He''s still a human. He''ll grow old and eventually die. This is why I keep telling you to refrain from becoming attached. Your sisters and I are deeply concerned for you if that time happens"


    "I won''t give up on him. I will not cast him aside nor will I forget my duties. I will be there when you call me" Theodora declares and Kassandra looks at the man and he smiles.


    "Have more faith in your servant sis"


    "ugh... anyways, that''s all. I just came here because I''m concerned. Contact me once you''re tired with playing around" Kassandra snapped her hand and the brother-sister duo disappeared, leaving flower petals fluttering in the air.


    Theodora had been distracted by Kassandra''s sudden appearance that she didn''t notice that someone had climbed up one of the trees behind their house. This person had been one of the Village Chief''s people ordered to spy on the mysterious wife of Stephen. The lad would appear with questionable bite marks on different parts of his body. He would say it was either a mosquito or his dog that bit him.


    "You''re certain with what you stated?!" the village chief was shocked.


    "Yes! The woman suddenly disappeared leaving only flower petals. I think that may have been the devil Lili that the neighboring villages heard from the religious sects" The spy that was sent out earlier reported to his chief.


    "Then it would be safe to assume that Stephen''s wife is a witch connected with the devil... That would also explain the bite marks on him"


    The village chief seemed to be planning something. Because one day, Stephen ran into their room to pack their items in a rush.


    "What''s going on?" Theodora asks and Stephen made her hold the bag.


    "Remember when I said that villagers seemed to be avoiding me? well, it turns out that the elders declared that I married a witch. So we have to leave now!" Stephen explained while he continued to grab important things.


    "RELEASE THE WITCH STEPHEN!" Voices roared from outside and the two of them could hear the aggressive banging on the front door.


    "Shit... They''re already here..." Stephen cussed and he opens the window of their room.


    "I''m confident that you can jump from high places right?"


    "yes but what about you?" Theodora asks. Maybe she could carry him on her back as she runs.


    "Don''t worry about me, I''ll buy you some time. If we leave together they might catch up since they have horses." Stephen ties up the bag and wraps a cloak around Theodora.


    "I won''t leave you, I can handle them don''t worry"


    "Theo... I don''t want you to become a monster." The front door suddenly opened and Stephen pushed her towards the window. "I''ll talk to them somehow, now go!" Stephen continued to push her and he went out of the room.


    "Gentlemen"


    "Where''s the woman?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Since Theodora had recovered tremendously, she can now use one of the few abilities that were bestowed upon her. Kassandra asked her what she desired and she replied "I want to be able to hide in plain sight". She was given the power to become invisible but she was only invisible to humans. So in a way, this was her manipulating their brains into thinking that she wasn''t there.


    "Didn''t you get married earlier this year?! Where is she? Is she behind that door?"


    "I did get married but I did mention that my wife was sickly. She already passed."


    "Bullshit! I saw her talking to the devil!" the spy shouted and the crowd roared in anger.


    "He must be under the devil''s influence!"


    "All the more reason to kill that bitch!"


    Stephen stood his place guarding that door. He knew that Theodora will hesitate to leave him so he needed to make sure she had enough time.


    "Step aside!" A man grabs Stephen and he punches the man.


    "You dare enter my house without permission and slander my deceased wife over one person''s testimony?! Where''s your evidenc-" Stephen also got punched. Actually, the term punch wasn''t enough, he was beaten. And Theodora heard everything happening behind that door.


    The door opened and Theodora stood there in the middle of the ceiling quietly.


    "Search the room! She might be hiding here. The others, run into the forest. She''s still a woman so she can''t go so far!" The Village Chief declares and the men continued to destroy their home.


    "She''s gone I tell you!" Stephen yells and he got kicked in the face forcing him to spit out a mouthful of blood.


    Theodora wanted to kill everyone here.


    "So why don''t you?" a devilish whisper could be heard.


    But Stephen didn''t want me to become a monster.


    "But will you watch him die?" The voice asks her.


    "Chief she''s really not here!"


    "Burn down the house! She might have put demonic curses in this house"


    "What about Stephen?"


    "Leave him. He''s a lost cause"


    The villagers went out of the house and had threw their torches here and there. Only then did Theodora jump down and rush to Stephen.


    "Stephen, wake up. I''m sorry I wanted to kill them but you told me not to I''m sorry" Theodora continued to apologize.


    "You want to save him?" The voice spoke out


    "Yes, he saved me but why can''t I do the same?" She was crying out and the owner of the voice appeared before her. It was Kassandra.


    "I observed what this man would do... he surprised me since he chose you over his life even though you can survive a petty witchhunt. I''ll grant you another power, you can turn him into a monster like you but you know the suffering that comes with it"


    "T-Theo..."


    "Stephen!"


    "Do it" Stephen spits out more blood and Kassandra gave not only Theodora but the others like her the ability to turn another.


    She carried Stephen out of the burning house and into the very forest that those villagers went in. Lady Kassandra had given her blessings to both of them as well as to kill those bastards that hurt her beloved.


    "I''m sorry Stephen but I have to do this" She tells him as she placed him down in a safe area. Stephen groaned in pain.


    Theodora frowned before leaving to "Hunt down meat". When she returned, Stephen was still in pain. While licking off the blood from her hand, she sat down next to Stephen to move his head onto her thighs. She deliberately injured her arm the same way he did to her once and forced him to drink her blood. At first, he unconsciously would try to reject it by trying to push away her arm. But eventually, he relaxed and continued to drink.


    Theodora was content with this and began humming a song.


    .


    .


    .


    Remembering those distant memories of the past, the two of them can''t help but cherish each other more. Stephen kissed her gently on the lips and then he started to hum the same song that she hummed to her that night.


    "You remember that?" He asks weakly.


    "Of course, I remember everything"


    "then sing it with me" He closed his eyes as he said this.


    The both of them started to hum as they reminisce about the past. It may have been Stephen''s imagination but he feels like he was back in that day. When he woke up he saw Theodora smiling at him as she stroked his hair.


    "If you''re still tired, you can sleep more"


    Hearing this Stephen lets out a sigh of relief before smiling. Hearing that made him sure that everything will be alright.


    "Baby?" Theodora stopped humming when Stephen no longer sang with her. There was no response.


    She leaned in to give him one last kiss on the forehead before ultimately sinking down to her knees once more to cry.

 Chapter 56 - 55

    Theodora chose to stay with Stephen''s body. When Gideon would ask if she needed space, she nodded. Respecting her decision, Gideon left the room. He wished he could have called Stephen "Dad" sooner. If he knew that he''d leave so soon...


    "Hic..." Gideon sobbed.


    This feeling, he hasn''t felt this in a long while. This was the same feeling when he found out his real father died. Back then he couldn''t cry in front of Alice and their mother only mourned in silence. But that silence took over her mind.


    A domino effect that started because of one death.


    Till now Gideon carried those pains of his old life. Even in this new one, it still haunts him and reminds him of his past. Back then he was powerless because he was only human.


    ''But why couldn''t I save him?''


    He hated himself for not being able to use his Angel lineage. Was he even an Angel to begin with? Just what the hell is Gideon Lemery? Why couldn''t he help Stephen the same Kaiden helped them?


    This just goes to show that there was still a difference in power.


    ''An unnamed Angel and an unnamed succubus... What kind of sick joke is this author?''


    An existence that gives an unfavorable impression from society despite its prince being the same kind. But also a useless thing if Gideon can''t even heal others.


    "It''s been a while Gideon" a familiar voice spoke up and upon looking up it was Amias and Azazel.


    Wiping away his tears, he took a deep breath and greeted the two.


    "Good Evening my lords"


    "You just unlocked a portion of your full potential and you''re already flattering me" Amias teases him but Gideon knew that these two saw him crying.


    Azazel was the more rational one between the two and lowered his head.


    "I''m sorry for your loss"


    Angels and Demons can sense when a life passed away nearby. But it''s more sensitive towards Demons since they would use their souls to replenish or increase their powers. While Angels make sure they pass safely onto the reincarnation cycle. Gideon only hoped that Stephen could pass.


    The reason was that Demons weren''t allowed to reincarnate.


    No one knew why nor did the ones in charge of guiding the souls could explain. It may perhaps be a sick decision made by their old leader, El. Who knows? But no one knows if the part-demons would be subjected to this punishment.


    ''I hope not''


    "Thank you... What are you two doing here? I thought all of the nobles were busy? At least, that''s what Kaiden told me"


    "Oh, we are. We''re just visiting an old friend" Amias replies with a smile and Azazel nods.


    "Perhaps El is still looking out for us but Yohann, Kassandra''s brother, returned"


    "I see" At least something good came out of this incident. Maybe that''s why Amias looks better than usual.


    "Do you want to meet him? Kassandra is with him right now"


    "Amias, did you forget that he''s not allowed to meet outsiders?" especially earlier when Kaiden brought in Kassandra...


    When Kassandra collapsed with a high fever, she refused to go anywhere else. She demanded to go to her brother''s room instead. Kaiden, who was still a little indebted towards Kassandra for helping Gideon, followed her request.


    Amias and Azazel were still in there talking to Yohann. It seems like Amias'' mood improved a little when he was reminiscing about the happy past with his old friend. Kaiden knocked on the door before opening it.


    "What happened to Kassandra?!" Azazel suddenly stood up from his seat. Amias was surprised since Kassandra looked fine earlier when they met so how come she looks so sickly?


    "She overused her powers. She needs to rest but she insisted on going here instead" Kaiden explains and he looks up in Yohann''s direction.


    Yohann''s expression wasn''t any better than the two. In fact, he looks like he saw a ghost and he started to shake. Amias noticed this and suddenly held Yohann.


    "Yohann, what''s wrong?" Amias was greatly concerned but Yohann covered his mouth with his hands. He shook his head and stared at Kaiden with fear in his eyes.


    Kaiden heard that the monster whose tongue he cut off turned out to be Yohann. And due to trauma, he''s having lapses in his memories. But he''d still remember a few things here and there.


    "He remembers me from the ball" Kaiden answers as he placed down Kassandra on the couch available in the room they were in.


    "Even if I explain it, he''s still scared of me" It''s funny because he''s been told that he looks like his father so there was a small chance of Yohann not being terrified of him. But maybe it''s still the energy he gives off that made it recognizable to Yohann.


    "I''ll take my leave immediately but I just want to thank the two siblings for their contribution to this kingdom. And although I have never met Yohann before, please know I won''t cut off tongues for no reason and I apologize for doing so" Kaiden said those words before leaving. When Kaiden left, only then did Yohann calm down.


    "Couldn''t he be more careful with his words?" Azazel sighed in frustration and watched Amias help Yohann calm down.


    "As he said, you have never met him. But he''s the son of Luciel and Gabby. He''s an honest man and the person who helped you return back to this form. We were panicking during that event and we didn''t know back then how to deal with those... things. So it was really by chance that he saved you" Azazel continued to explain to Yohann. It will take a while for Yohann to get used to other people, most especially the prince.


    If Luciel knew of this, he would probably be upset to know that one of his comrades is afraid of his own son.


    Back to the present, that was the reason why Azazel was concerned to have Gideon meet with Yohann. Nobody knows which memories he remembers.


    "Was he the man in the room a few doors down from mine?" Gideon asks and Amias nods.


    "Yeah, that''s him. Did you already see him at one point?" Well, they did know that Gideon snuck out at night.


    "He smiled and waved at me one time when he caught me looking in the door window. I didn''t notice it was Lady Kassandra sleeping there because it was dim"


    "Oh, well then that''s good to hear!" Amias beamed. In his mind, Gideon would be a good person to introduce to Yohann despite being a prime suspect in the incident. When Kaiden explained what Gideon had to do, it made Amias sure that he wasn''t involved. Meaning to say, he''s willing to take the same risks as Kaiden did since he cares about him.


    "Amias, Yohann is just really a social person but it doesn''t mean that he''ll be fine with strangers"


    "Before Kaiden went in, there were nurses that knocked but Yohann did not show any interest."


    That was true, and Kassandra already told him that Yohann would immediately feel uncomfortable if the person continued to walk closer to him. Would he take the risk as well? But never mind that! Is it really fine for Gideon to socialize when his adoptive father just passed?


    "I think we should do that at another time. I can''t leave my mom alone for too long. I''m just letting her come into terms with this situation" He smiles sadly and waves his hand as a gesture of refusal.


    "Aw... alright but I also offer my condolences to you and Theodora. I''ll help with Arda''s work so if you need help or someone to talk to, just visit her office to look for me" Amias also bowed his head slightly to respect the dead.


    "Thank you as well Amias"


    The two nobles left after speaking a few more words to Gideon about the situation in the Castle. They also recommended that Gideon should stay clear of other staff members here. "You''re still under suspicion but you managed to escape temporary imprisonment thanks to the fact you''re a patient and a guest" they said.


    Yeah, he should definitely keep this in mind.


    Gideon went back into the room and saw that Theodora had pulled up the blanket to cover Stephen''s face.


    "It''ll be hard to accept it but I think I''ll be fine. We also moved houses so I guess that''ll also help since I haven''t been in that house for too long" she speaks out softly and looks at Gideon.


    "Will you also be calling me mother soon?" She smiles sadly as if she''s trying to make fun of the fact that Gideon did call Stephen "Dad".


    "Only if you want me to but you do feel like a mom to me" Gideon explains as he walks up to Theodora and hugs her.


    "Theodora, Aunty, Mom, or whatever. You can choose, as long as you''re willing to be with me then it''s fine" She wrapped her arms around him as well and patted his back gently.


    "Why are you implying that I would leave you? and besides... Dad... said that he would still be looking out for us"


    "Yes, you''re right that''s why we''re both proud of having a son like you"

 Chapter 57 - 56

    Despite the fact that it was New Year, nobody in the kingdom celebrated in order to honor those who passed during the incident of the winter ball. Nobody expected it since it was already the twentieth year without any issues. But alas, they did say that all good things must come to an end. The nobles were still busy trying to make amendments to the peace treaty they have with the Angels who chose to surrender. But they can''t also dismiss the fact they are suspicious.


    Even though they wanted to honor the dead, they can''t hold a funeral as well since it was too much of a risk. Especially when Damien, one of the strongest lines of defense they have, went to the north to deal with the invasion of these monsters because Kassandra wouldn''t be in the right state of mind if she went there instead.


    Luciel had given those soldiers who passed away a right to be buried in the heroes'' burial grounds. Although pure blood Angels and Demons prefer to have their bodies cremated, the half-bloods wanted this sort of treatment.


    Gideon and Theodora watched as Stephen was placed in a casket and later buried. They both said nothing during the duration of it but afterward, Theodora suddenly spoke.


    "I plan on returning to the battlefield"


    "What?" Gideon turned to her in surprise. Didn''t Lady Kassandra send her back in order for her to rest?


    "I thought you were ordered to rest for now? Aren''t you overworking yourself?" Gideon tried to reason with her but it seems like she already made up her mind.


    "I can''t stand around doing nothing when those bastards who killed Stephen are out there" She gritted her teeth and tightened the hold on her umbrella.


    Gideon just listened to her declaration helplessly and could only support her. But is she really going to be ok?


    Despite Gideon needing to stay in the Palace for some time, Kaiden and Kassandra managed to make arrangements to allow him to stay at home. With that being said, it now requires Kaiden to visit him from time to time to check up on his condition.


    Theodora suggested the proposal to Kassandra that she should be allowed back in the frontlines but it was Kassandra who refused. They both made a compromise and now Theodora will spend most of her time training the new recruits in order for their division to get back on their feet.


    .


    .


    Days passed on like this and finally, most of the work is done. Now, all that''s left is to solve this godforsaken incident on how it happened in the first place. Though it''s nice to get the people who were held hostage back, they can no longer risk letting them return to work even if they beg for it. But they also cannot let them out since they might target the innocent people that live in the capital. And so, Arda and her team had to make arrangements of their settlement until proven that they are safe to assimilate with the public. That being said, they''re still imprisoned but in a far better condition than they were in originally.


    "Lady Arda, King Luciel wishes to speak with you" one of her servants peeked their head into her office.


    Despite being a full-fledged demon, Arda was now suffering from sleep deprivation resulting in heavy eyebags. And the fact that she was drinking coffee non-stop did not help with her health as well.


    Arda rubbed her eyes and fixed up her hair, even with her sickly look she was beautiful. She made her way into Luciel''s office and there was the bastard who overworked her to death. He had been sorting out her work as well and choosing wisely to know the best course of action just based on the paperwork that she had provided him. This let them prosper for 20 years already.


    "Am I the only one that works here and that''s why you keep calling for me?" Arda snaps at Luciel and the man looks up at her.


    "No, but you''re the most efficient one since the rest are always lacking in this department" Luciel used his index finger to poke at the top of the mountain of paperwork that Arda had submitted to him.


    "What is it this time? if it''s another full-scale project involving the prince, just pass that on to Amias instead. If it''s for monetary means such as Export and Import, pass it on to your Son. If it''s military, give it to Azazel or Kassandra. They all give it to me once they''re done with it to review anyways" She bluntly states that no matter who passes their work to, it always ends up in her hands first before she passes it to Luciel.


    "I''ll have that in mind, what I actually want you to do is fieldwork"


    "Isn''t that a job for either Azazel or Amias since it''s those two you always send out?"


    "Yeah but I''ll have Azazel take over your job first since I want you to take a break while you''re out in this mission"


    The king... was asking me to take a break?


    "Pardon me? Did I hear you correctly?"


    "I want you to investigate our old territories before we settled here in the capital. We did move a lot and left unnecessary items such as paperwork there. It''s not much value to us but I think to some like Matthew, it is. Just check if our things are still there and while you''re at it, do some sightseeing for yourself"


    "Luciel, I can''t tell if you''re telling me to do extra more work or something since in the end I still work there"


    "You don''t have to actually read the old paperwork. You just have to check if they''re still complete. You have a good memory, right? and with that being said, you can recall everything up to the last letter."


    For others, this gift was a blessing. But for Arda, it meant that she could remember every hardship she went through vividly.


    "Yeah I do"


    "Well, that''s good. Do that, you can bring a few of your soldiers with you to keep you safe. As much as possible I don''t want you using your powers unless it is a life or death situation"


    "Don''t worry, I won''t" Arda smiled at Luciel, because to her it is funny to hear this in a concerned tone when he puts so much work.


    "Before you leave, just hand over the workload to Azazel and rest for a day or two."


    Oh, so she can rest before she leaves for work again?


    "As you wish Luciel"


    When Arda left the office, Luciel sighed and remembered the time he recruited her to join his side.


    Arda was a carefree soul who loved to interact with all living things. But what she disliked was the fact that she had to use their life forces as her fuel for her powers. She found this group of humans who planned on killing this child for them to eat due to starvation. But she stopped them and granted them food and knowledge in exchange for animal sacrifices. She never once revealed her appearance to them and would always wear a hood to cover half of her face.


    The humans suddenly asked her why she needed these animals and why can they take back the corpse for them to eat?


    She answered with a smile,


    "Although in your eyes I am a god, I am merely their servant. I may have extraordinary powers but it comes with a price"


    "What kind of price?" a human child asks her.


    Arda lets out her hand and a flame suddenly flickered from it.


    "For this flame to be as bright as the sun, it could only be fueled by the strength of my soul" she spoke.


    Maybe the child misunderstood the sentence but it already got the idea. Their god needed to have souls in exchange for power.


    "But why do you need one constantly?" Another chimed in and Arda answered honestly.


    "Animals have a weak soul and I don''t mind it. If it means that the children here are well fed afterward, then I won''t complain"


    The elders thought about her words for a while and decided that they should offer their lives to her since she does the same for them. When she saw the dying human that was brought in, she paled.


    "W-why?"


    "Our Sun, He was dying already and wished that his life would be sacrificed to you instead"


    The human who was bleeding profusely from the attack of the other civilization bowed his head in respect towards Arda. She hesitated but did not want to put his death in vain. So she did what they wished for and absorbed his soul.


    The human suddenly fell to the ground and when Arda used her powers once more, it was brighter than ever.


    ''What kind of sick joke is this?'' she thought to herself and extinguished her flames.


    "May his soul be guided to the afterlife" the humans cheered but only Arda was quiet.


    Every soul that she consumes, they are lost forever.. Never to be reincarnated.

 Chapter 58 - 57

    When Arda left, a mountain of work appeared on her desk that forced Azazel to stay indoors to finish them all. He suddenly missed the days when they didn''t have this much work. But they can''t help it, they can''t trust people with important information.


    "Arda, so I just want to- Oh where''s Arda?" Kaiden, who just went straight into the room without knocking, was surprised to see Azazel sitting in Arda''s chair.


    "Luciel sent her out on a mission and while she''s at it, he made her take a break" Azazel stretches his arms out before fixing his posture.


    "Are those the import and exports of commercial goods?" Azazel noticed the stack of papers that Kaiden had been holding.


    "Yes. But I can have it directly given to my father instead" his eyes slightly shifted to the pile of paperwork on the desk.


    "No, just hand it to me. I have to double-check it first before passing it with the required paperwork for this as well" Azazel explained the workflow of Arda and skimmed through Kaiden''s work.


    Once he was done, he fixed up the stack of papers again and stared at Kaiden. It''s very unlikely that he managed to finish all of these quickly with concise information added in every report.


    "What... no... Who helped you finish this work?" Azazel asks and Kaiden threw him a question before answering.


    "Why? Is it wrong?"


    "No, in fact, it''s flawless. Indeed you could have just submitted it directly to Luciel. Now answer me, was it Gideon?" Well, Gideon is the only other person that Kaiden would allow near him when working.


    "It was"


    Hearing the confirmation made Azazel be astonished. These looked like the works of someone who had already been in the field for years now. But as far as he''s concerned, Gideon''s work was mostly chores given by the late Stephen.


    "Well, even if it''s flawless. You are aware that you just broke the rules and let an outsider see our confidential papers?"


    Even if Gideon was temporarily cleared of suspicion since his alibis, Kaiden the prince and Amias, vouched for him. It was still a forbidden thing to do to show him this information.


    "I know" Kaiden smiles and Azazel narrowed his eyes.


    "You... you''re intentionally dragging in Gideon into this?"


    "I wouldn''t say that I''m dragging him in. More like, I''m letting him choose his own path while I supervise"


    "Kaiden, we don''t care much about your feelings towards him but I''d like to be rude right now and say that you''re insane. We already suffered a sudden loss of personnel and yet you suddenly murdered a person and dismissed another"


    "Would you rather have someone who blabbers false rumors running around the capital?"


    "Of course not, but what I''m saying is. Control yourself Kaiden. You claim to be different from your father but you''re repeating the same mistakes he had done when it came towards Gabriella" Even if it sounded like he was putting Luciel down, he needed to slap some common sense into this kid before it''s too late.


    Gabriella even asked him to hide her because she was scared of what Luciel would do to her when he finds out that she was pregnant.


    "Zel, I know Luciel doesn''t love me and that he''s only using me" Gabriella looked up at the sky and watched the stars.


    For Azazel, it looked like those stars were in her eyes. Yes, you''re right. He''s only using you.


    "I''d like to ask a favor but before I say the reason behind it, please promise me that you''ll agree no matter what"


    "I promise"


    Gabriella smiled and took a deep breath to collect her thoughts to form her words.


    "I''m pregnant with his child. What he will do so I just want to hide for a year. Once I give birth, I could only hope that he''ll accept this child instead of me"


    Azazel felt like his world crumbled. How could this lovable person say those things? But then again, she was right. It was during these moments that he wished that it could have been him instead of Luciel in her heart.


    Recalling those memories just made him pity the prince in front of him.


    "What I''m saying is... if you like a person, give them their own choices. Don''t limit their paths just for your satisfaction"


    "I won''t" Kaiden left the room and Azazel went back to his usual work.


    .


    .


    .


    "To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit my prince?"


    "Since when did you start to use flowery words? It doesn''t suit you at all Gideon" Kaiden suddenly comments and Gideon smiled awkwardly.


    "ever since I got nagged by a few of your servants for calling you by your name" He answered honestly and Kaiden laughed before he takes a sip of the glass of water that Gideon gave to him earlier.


    "Just ignore them. They''re only bothered because they don''t have the qualifications of doing so"


    "Then what are the qualifications?" Gideon raised an eyebrow and this made Kaiden smile brightly.


    ''Qualifications is that you are Gideon'' he wanted to say that but of course, he did not.


    After the brief conversation earlier with Azazel, he thought about those words of advice that he gave to him. Was he really repeating the same mistakes as his father? He kept insisting that he was different from his father. And yet, it seems like as time passes he becomes more and more like the king. Kaiden hated this idea.


    He thanked Azazel mentally for giving him a reality slap to get his shit together.


    "I haven''t seen your guardian lately... hasn''t she come home?" Kaiden looked around the place and Gideon sighed helplessly.


    "Mom is really determined to train the new recruits to be able to get back into the battlefield. It was only thanks to Lady Kassandra that she manages to come home during the weekends"


    It was quite a sight to see Lady Kassandra carrying Theodora with one arm.


    "So it''s "Mom" now..."


    "Yeah, I wished I could have called them those early on but it''s too late to regret it." Gideon pushed away a few locks of hair that were on his face.


    "Just make the most of what you have right now" Kaiden suddenly blurted out and Gideon smiled as he nodded.


    "yeah I will"


    The two sat in silence for a few moments. Gideon felt a little uncomfortable since Kaiden had been staring at him. This wasn''t the first time they were alone together but why is he just staring?


    "Is there something that matters?" Gideon asks and Kaiden looked away.


    "There''s nothing I was only wondering how you managed to figure out my work so quickly... I know they taught some of it in school but it wasn''t as good as what you did"


    It seems like Kaiden was getting suspicious of Gideon.


    "Well I helped manage the income of the bakery back then and I would read a lot of books remember?" He was lying through his teeth and even if it was somewhat true, it still did not answer the question. Kaiden nodded when he heard his answer.


    ''Did he accept that?''


    "Sometimes I forget you''re close to my age because you often feel like you''re older than me" Kaiden spoke out his thoughts before putting down the glass of water he had been holding.


    ''Oh no, he already figured it out. That I''m not the original owner of this body. Even though I try to keep him on my good side nowadays, would all of that effort go to waste?''


    "What do you mean by that?" Gideon hesitantly asks and Kaiden leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed.


    "I just think you''re really smart and mature? If anything, you might be more suited to being the prince since you''re good looking as well"


    Gideon blushed. Was he supposed to take that as a threat or as a compliment? He was certain that he looked pretty average compared to the other people in the capital. And he lacks a lot in the height department for men that he''s often mistaken for a female.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I just do what I think is right for me. And I''m not that good-looking compared to you" He avoided Kaiden''s gaze and Kaiden tilted his head.


    "You think I''m good-looking?"


    Gideon coughed and fixed his posture. "I think everyone such as Amias and Lady Kassandra, are good-looking people"


    "You think they''re good-looking? but they look pretty average to me?"


    "That''s because you see them every day"


    The silence was suddenly so loud that Kaiden had to cough to break it.


    "Anyways, I''ll take my leave since I have to help Azazel with work. If you want to visit the palace, send a message first so I can make arrangements"


    "No no you don''t have to!" Gideon shook his head and waved his hands. This made Kaiden smile at the sight since Gideon looked really cute.


    "I just want to make sure that nobody hurts you" and with that, he bade him farewell to go back home.


    Gideon was stuck wondering why would Kaiden go that far to make sure that nobody hurts him.

 Chapter 59 - 58 (R18)

    There weren''t any incidents since then. Rumors would fly around that the palace had been busier than ever since they are trying to get to the bottom of this. Despite being powerful beings, they still thread cautiously since nobody knows just what Matthew had prepared.


    "I know it''s not my place to ask but... Why are you here again?" Gideon watched as the prince of this world is eating the pastries he had intended for himself.


    "Do you keep forgetting that the deal was for me to visit here so I can check up on you?" Kaiden raised an eyebrow.


    That deal was that he is allowed to stay at his home now but he will be sent a guardian to observe his actions. It just so happened that person was the Prince and he brought paperwork with him. Intending to work here while he observed Gideon.


    "I know but I thought I was already cleared of suspicions?"


    "You are, but your condition is still unstable. Although there are guaranteed to be Half-Demons and Half-Angels... none of them showed the same symptoms as you. So who better to take care of you than me?"


    All that''s missing is for Kaiden to declare that he''s the perfect mixed race. Gideon couldn''t help but roll his eyes and he turns on the TV to skim through channels. While he was doing this, he can''t help but think of what Kaiden said that there''s bound to be others like them. But the only reason why they''re refusing to step forward is because of the treatment they will receive.


    Angels and Demons still have some bit of reservation towards one another in the Capital. But in other areas, especially in the west where they were raised, Demons still looked down on Angels. This ended up making the term "treat them like angels" have another meaning... "Treat them like trash".


    Only Kaiden was excused from this treatment since he was the prince. Anyone else would be subjected to harsh criticism since they will be forced to take a side. And not only that but it is not guaranteed that everyone will treat you nicely even if you did choose a side. Take the original Gideon Lemery for an example. Since he didn''t know exactly how to use his Angel side nor did he have any interests, he chose to hide that. That is how the original Kaiden used this to his advantage to take revenge for the suffering he had gone through before it was revealed that he was a prince.


    Gideon suddenly stopped on one channel where they had been discussing the incident during the winter ball. They explained the incident but you could tell that they left out a lot of information. It was either they didn''t know or they chose to omit it.


    "Even the first woman who caught the prince''s eyes met a tragic fate during this incident" the news anchor wept and the other one next to her patted her shoulder.


    "what?" Kaiden looked up at the tv.


    The images of all of the people that passed away showed. It was indeed Aleia, one of the female protagonists. Gideon felt guilty because not only did he take away the supposed "bed scene" of the protagonist but it might have led to her death as well. Would that mean, if Kaiden had not saved him then their positions would be switched up?


    "There were so many casualties... I didn''t expect her to be on that list as well" Gideon blurted out and he noticed that Stephen''s image was shown briefly. He sighed sadly remembering him.


    "Do you know her?" Kaiden asks him since he noticed that Gideon suddenly felt down.


    "No, but I just feel like it''s a shame since you did like her"


    "Who said I liked her?"


    "What?"


    Kaiden didn''t like Aleia? But that was the female protagonist? He even asked her for a dance so how could he not like her?


    "But you danced with her?" Gideon repeated what he thought and Kaiden had a confused expression.


    "Just because I danced with her, does not mean I like her. I just needed to keep up my image since it was the winter ball... Why does it matter to you if I like her?" Kaiden moved closer to Gideon and Gideon slowly backed up in his seat until he had no space to retreat from.


    "You''re close" Gideon says


    "were you upset because you thought I liked her?"


    What?


    Why would he be upset?


    Rather why should he be upset? He just felt like he was stealing spots that were originally meant for those women and indirectly causing their misery with his included.


    "No, why should I be?"


    Kaiden backed up, looking a bit unsatisfied with the answer that he received from Gideon.


    "I just thought that it was a pity for her to die so soon. Who knows, you two might have hit it off" Gideon muttered as he fixed his posture.


    "What''s with you trying to insist there''s something going on in-between me and a dead woman?"


    "I''m not! I was just exploring the what-ifs. Why are you upset about this?" Gideon suddenly turned the questioning to Kaiden.


    "You really... never mind. It seems like you''re also fine today, I''ll see if I can visit in another day" Kaiden gathered his things and stormed out of the place.


    "What''s with him? is he on his period or something" Gideon comments when Kaiden had left.


    .


    .


    .


    That night, Gideon suddenly woke up in pain. He once again felt the cold floor and could not see anything. Was he having the same nightmares again? Well, now he can expect that the original version of Kaiden would appear in front of him to berate him.


    But there was a difference this time in this dream. This time his lower body hurts like hell and he could barely move.


    "Oh, you''re still conscious after all that?" Kaiden suddenly spoke out in the darkness. And with a snap, a few lights opened but it was still dim.


    There was another difference now, Kaiden was not outside the prison cell. But he was also in it while squatting down to observe Gideon.


    "I guess you really can''t fuck a succubus to death now can you? or is it just because those soldiers are too weak?" Kaiden took out some gloves and wore them before touching Gideon''s face. He moved his face around to observe his tired face when he noticed the other guy still up down there.


    "Who knew you''d be happy to see me" Kaiden mocked Gideon''s erection.


    "Well you already got cleaned up so I guess you''re not that dirty to toy with"


    Kaiden pulled Gideon close to him and kissed him. Although it was forced, it definitely had more skill compared to the first time Kaiden kissed him. He could taste some blood and that could be because Kaiden his mouth to open and even bit his tongue. Despite this, Gideon could melt in this kiss and he leaned forward to drown in this more. Sensing this, Kaiden suddenly pulled away from the kiss.


    "You''re getting a bit too greedy now don''t you think? I''m only trying to help you out since you can''t exactly do that when you''re this weak" Kaiden moved closer to Gideon and placed him on his lap to make him lean on the prince.


    Was it just because of this dream that Gideon felt delirious as if he was actually there and experienced the fatigue that the original went through? And besides that, why did the original Kaiden do this to him? Was this another one of his tortures? But this didn''t seem to be like one...


    "Don''t expect that I''ll do this constantly since I still want to kill you" Kaiden clarifies and used his left hand to touch Gideon.


    "hngh!" It must be that this Gideon was still sensitive from the previous punishments that even a simple squeeze in his inner thighs was enough to give him pleasure.


    "Such a perverted person... The more you act like this, the more I forget that you''re a guy since you act like a slut" Kaiden murmured and used his free hand to push Gideon''s face towards him to kiss him.


    Kaiden began to fondle his dick. He wasn''t quite sure if it was because of that or it was because of the kiss that he would moan. Everything felt good but it was too good. It''s like he could lose his mind if this continued. Kaiden pulled away from the kiss and left Gideon with his mouth open. He wasn''t in the right state of mind. Kaiden raised an eyebrow seeing this expression and fastened his pace in giving Gideon a handjob.


    "I''m a-about to-" Gideon moaned out as he felt like he was about to climax any time soon and Kaiden still remained silent.


    When Gideon finally came, he was out of energy and he fainted in Kaiden''s arms. The prince who had been quiet the entire time took off his gloves and his jacket to make a temporary bed for Gideon. He placed him down there and sighed.


    "If only you didn''t do those things" He said out of frustration.

 Chapter 60 - 59

    Gideon woke up in cold sweat from that horrible nightmare. He just had a dark twisted expression because he could not tell why he kept dreaming of that parallel universe. And the fact that even his underwear was soiled got him to feel even more disgusting with himself.


    He quickly got out of bed and began to change his clothes. He even changed the sheets because he just felt really dirty right now. But even then, he still had uneasiness in his heart.


    "It''s just a dream, Gideon... it''s just a dream" he chanted to himself multiple times.


    It was just only a dream but what terrifies him is the concept and the possibility of it becoming a reality. He knew that the original Gideon Lemery did have his ending omitted into a few words of "They made use of his succubus side". It was expected but still having it experienced first hand was something else.


    He couldn''t stay in this house today. Kaiden might visit today as well and he really wishes that he doesn''t see him.


    "Ugh the real person isn''t even at fault" he says out of frustration.


    He left the house and went into the shopping district. Perhaps being around more people will help him clear up his head. Since it was still winter, there weren''t many people who are excited to go out. You would see a few kids playing in the streets building snowmen and having a snowball fight. While you see adults flocking to cafes and bars to warm themselves up.


    He decided to check out a cafe instead of a bar. The idea of drinking during broad daylight can alone make Gideon utterly disappointed in himself. Upon entering the Cafe, there was a line to the register and the cafe seemed to be packed. Maybe he will just grab a coffee to go and drink it someplace else. When it was his turn to order, the barista told him to wait for a moment and yelled out a name.


    "I''ll just have a latte to go" He orders and the customer whose name got called earlier suddenly spoke.


    "You can share a table with me if you want"


    Upon looking to see who spoke, Gideon recognized this person instantly. It was the guy who gave him water after his first nightmare. It was Eliam.


    ''But it was a different name that was called earlier...''


    "If you don''t mind then I''ll take up that offer"


    Eliam smiled and pointed to one of the booths by the window. It was the comfortable chairs and Gideon thought inwardly that he must be lucky because those seats are always occupied.


    "I''ll just bring your order to you sir" the barista tells Gideon which was strange since he had been calling the customers to go to him instead but now he''ll be the one to hand it to him?


    "Alright thank you" Gideon followed Eliam to his table and sat down.


    Eliam seems to have ordered coffee as well. As he sipped his beverage, Gideon just observed him quietly. Somehow Eliam protrude some kind of aura around him and yet everyone around him treated him as if he was just a random bystander.


    "It''s been a while since I last saw you in the Palace" Eliam puts down his macchiato and smiled at Gideon.


    "yeah, I have cleared already so I can freely roam around again" Gideon smiled back to Eliam.


    "But you still don''t look well though? Did something happen?"


    "Ah? Oh no, it''s nothing. I was just thinking of something" Gideon lied that it was nothing. Everything that happened yesterday, as well as his dream last night, bothered him.


    "If it can help, I can listen to you. I was told that I gave good advice"


    Could Gideon confide in this person? After all, he was still a stranger nonetheless. But it feels like this turmoil inside of him would just worsen if he doesn''t.


    "Well, I have a friend who kind of fought with his other friend. This friend of his was rumored to have liked this girl but that girl unfortunately passed. So my friend commented that it was a shame since they did look good together. Then his friend suddenly got upset and when my friend tried to explain that he was only exploring the what-if scenarios. His friend suddenly walked out on him without explaining why he was upset to begin with."


    Gideon ultimately decided to lay it out to Eliam under the guise of it happening to his friend and not him. He still continued to debate if he should ask about the nightmare but Eliam suddenly responded after trying to process what Gideon had told him.


    "Well, I think the other friend had his valid reason as to why he got upset. A lot of people get upset when people assume how they feel" Eliam traced the rim of the coffee cup that he had been drinking from.


    "It''s just a misunderstanding between the two of you so I believe that if you apologized- Oh I''m sorry. If your friend apologizes then things would go back to how they were" Eliam continued and Gideon sighed since the guy still figured out he was talking about himself.


    "You''re right, I''ll just tell my friend to do that" Gideon lowers his head.


    "Clearly that''s not all of your problems right?" Eliam asks him and Gideon looked to the side to observe the people. Should he talk about it?


    "I just don''t know how to word it"


    "You don''t have to tell me the contents of it. Just how you feel towards that problem of yours."


    With that being said, Gideon finally decided to tell Eliam about his nightmare. But clearly, he will omit what happened in this nightmare.


    "So my friend- Ah screw it..." Gideon muttered and gave up the whole "my friend" thing he''s trying to do when Eliam clearly knows it''s his own problem.


    "So yeah I kind of had this nightmare of me and my friend. He did something" Gideon recalled it a little bit and went silent before continuing "terrible to me. And I don''t know... I know it''s not real but it felt true and I hated it" He clenched his fists and his eyes started to water a bit. "It feels disgusting and the worse part is that I''m blaming it onto him when he didn''t do anything"


    He did do something but he never had done it in reality. But his dream was too vivid that it felt real. No matter how Gideon tries to chant that it''s just a dream, his feelings say it''s not. Eliam grabbed the tissues on the table and handed them to Gideon for him to use.


    "I know we had a misunderstanding yesterday but still this is too much" He cried. He was pretty sure that the people around him were staring at him. Probably making gossip at how this pathetic guy was crying in a cafe as if it looked like he was breaking up with his boyfriend or something. Eliam covered his mouth and lowered his gaze to the side.


    "-overdid it..." Eliam mumbled to himself


    "huh?" Gideon didn''t hear the entire thing.


    "I said that you might have stressed yourself too much about your other problem that it manifested into this nightmare as if you''re trying to look for a reason to get back at him for suddenly getting upset with you"


    "I don''t think so... I would have just spoken to him about the other issue but this thing happened and I feel sick thinking that he''d visit me anytime he wants to and I can''t do anything about it. It''s kind of reminding me of that nightmare constantly and I don''t want anything to do with him anymore" Gideon continued to cry and then out of nowhere Eliam holds out both of his hands.


    "I seriously don''t know how to comfort people but I do this to the kids that cry in front of me" he explains and Gideon was still sniffling.


    "d-do what?"


    "A magic trick. I can guarantee that it''ll make you forget that you were crying"


    He clapped his hand and when he opened it, there was a gem on his palm. He overlapped his hands and the gem was suddenly disappeared. He leaned in and it seems like he was about to grab something behind Gideon''s ear. His hand touched Gideon''s temple instead and he snapped his other fingers in his free hand.


    "huh?" Gideon suddenly felt like he was in a daze.


    "Hmm?" Eliam going along with this trick of his continued "You suddenly stopped speaking, what were you about to say?"


    "What was I about to say?" Gideon seems to have forgotten a portion of their conversation.


    "You were crying telling me about how the prince suddenly lashed out on you and walked out."


    "I was?" Gideon touched his cheeks and strangely enough, he is crying. He also didn''t feel that upset with what happened yesterday but it seems like there''s something that he couldn''t remember.


    "Yeah, I said that it was a misunderstanding. If you explained that you didn''t mean any ill intentions, then maybe you two can reconcile" Suddenly the Barista from earlier brought Gideon''s Latte.


    "If you two don''t reconcile, I''ll make sure to help you" Eliam smiled but something about that smile was unsettling even though it looked innocent.

 Chapter 61 - 60

    Eliam and Gideon split ways when Gideon finally calmed down and finished his coffee. Gideon offered his number to Eliam in any case that the guy wanted to talk to him more. He did this because he could easily open up about these kinds of problems to him. So it''s kind of comforting to know he could talk to someone without reservation.


    Gideon decided to go home now since he didn''t have anywhere else to go. But to his dismay, someone had been standing outside, waiting for him. His heart started to beat fast and he couldn''t breathe a little. Why is that?


    "Gideon, where the hell did you go?" Kaiden noticed him and walked towards him. Since it was cold, he was about to grab Gideon''s hand when the other person suddenly stepped back.


    "I just went out for a breather" Gideon placed his hands into the pockets of his jacket.


    Kaiden was still confused as to why Gideon suddenly avoided him.


    ''Ah, maybe it''s because I did yell at him yesterday and walked out''


    He actually wanted to walk back in and apologize for being stupid. But he felt embarrassed to do that since he was making a fool out of himself during that moment. And thus, he decided to actually just go home and continue his work there. If he had known it would cause an impact on the freshly formed bond they had after so long, then he would have just accepted being a fool.


    "I see, but you should have told me that. So I could have just taken you out someplace else and-"


    "No, it''s fine. Just leave me alone. You see that I''m fine right?" Gideon gestured to himself and Kaiden tried to move closer to him and Gideon just backed off.


    "Please, just leave Kaiden. I''m tired."


    He didn''t really understand why he felt like there was an overwhelming pressure of danger emitting from Kaiden. Back then he was even fine with sleeping in the same room as Kaiden but why does it feel like he had done something terrible when he hasn''t. Kaiden pursed his lips before replying "Alright, take care Gideon". He then walked around Gideon and left. It was only Gideon who got left standing there.


    ''Well shit''


    He and Kaiden were supposed to clear this whole thing up and reconcile just like what Eliam had suggested. He felt like there was something very wrong with him the moment he saw Kaiden. Gideon went into his house and took out his phone. He thought of apologizing to Kaiden for his sudden outburst. But instead of texting Kaiden, he texted Eliam instead.


    Gideon: Hey liam it''s gideon... I may have made a grave mistake


    The moment he sent that he noticed that Eliam has already seen it and started typing. Gideon did not wonder why this guy responded so fast because he had been too busy overthinking everything.


    Eliam: What did you do? Also, do you get home safely?


    Texting Eliam made Gideon feel like he was texting a superior or something. It was a little nerve-wracking but it''s required of him to report it.


    Gideon: I did but my friend came to my house and I kicked him out


    Eliam: Why would you do that?


    Gideon: He made me feel uncomfortable


    .


    .


    "Oh that''s not good" A white-haired man suddenly blurted out loud.


    "What''s not good?" The other person suddenly asked and the man just smiled.


    "It''s nothing, I''m talking to a friend. Shouldn''t you go back as well?"


    "But I still haven''t gotten an answer. Are you on our side or their side El?"


    Eliam, who was also called El in the past, held out a hand to gesture "Wait".


    Eliam: Well if you''re uncomfortable it''s alright that you kicked him out. What did he do?


    Gideon: Nothing


    Eliam paused realizing that even if he erased Gideon''s memories, the emotions he felt were still present. How should he fix this...


    Eliam: That is... quite the problem.


    Gideon: Yeah. I wanted to say I''m sorry but I''ll look stupid if I do it right now that''s why I wanted to ask what should I do?


    Eliam remembered that someone was still waiting for his answer as well. After making a quick reply to Gideon that he should calm down himself first and try to assess the situation, he glanced at the other person.


    "I''m on ######''s side" Eliam answers truthfully and the other person furrowed their eyebrows. They couldn''t understand the words that Eliam suddenly said.


    "Who?"


    "They''re nothing of your concern. But if you and Matthew managed to mess with them, just know that I won''t sit quietly and watch" Eliam usually had a smile but right now he narrowed his eyes at the other person who had summoned him for no reason.


    "I... I understand" The other person answered with cold sweat running down their back. So this is what it was like to see El angry.


    .


    .


    When Kaiden returned, he went straight to Azazel''s temporary office which was Arda''s office. Azazel had been sleeping since he had already gone through half of the work for the next 3 months.


    "Azazel wake up" Kaiden knocked on the table and Azazel groaned.


    "Can''t you at least let me sleep more?" Azazel muttered before raising his head to yawn as he stretches his arms.


    "I think I fucked up" Kaiden suddenly admitted and grabbed a seat for him to rest on.


    "Oh, so you finally realized... Oh I mean is that you finally realized that you definitely creeped the fuck out of him" even with that clarification, it did was not helping.


    Kaiden tried to remember all of the things that he did wrong. Even if he did walk out on Gideon, it wouldn''t show that reaction. It was as if he has done something so inhumane.


    "It might be that..." He mumbled to himself and Azazel raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    "But how... I definitely hid the incident and the body was fed to the dogs1 " Kaiden continued. Azazel, on the other hand, grabbed a notebook and rolled it up before hitting it lightly on Kaiden''s head.


    "NOT JUST THAT YOU DUMBASS, YOUR OVERALL PERSONALITY IS A DAMN RED FLAG" Azazel was literally smacking some sense into him.


    "oW OW! STOP!"


    "IF YOU DON''T REALIZE HOW STUPID YOU ARE THEN HOW WILL YOU CHANGE?"


    "I''M SORRY I''M SORRY!"


    The two of them went on like this for a few more minutes before Azazel got tired again. Kaiden definitely has a bump on his head from all of that smacking.


    "So Gideon finally snapped and kicked you out?"


    "Yeah, and his reaction towards me made it look like I did something inhumane to him"


    "I mean you did do something inhumane for him without him asking for it" Azazel continued to bring up the murdered nurse since they all had to make excuses for this crazy prince to the next of kin of that person.


    "He wouldn''t know about it and it seems like it''s something else but I don''t know what because he doesn''t want to see me"


    This scene seemed familiar to Azazel.


    "Why do I feel suddenly bad Azazel?"


    "What do you mean Luciel?"


    "Like I get it that I invested a lot in Gabriella but I don''t know... why would she just suddenly disappear like that. Even if she''s sending letters, I feel terrible. And even if I ask why she left, she won''t answer. Does she not want to see me?"


    Azazel wanted to punch the guy in front of him. Gabriella already had her feelings sorted and finally was aware that this man had been using her. But this man also had the audacity to feel hurt just because she wanted space.


    "Instead of wondering of the whys, just work on the hows. How are you going to fix this?"


    This was the same answer he gave to Luciel back then. It was thanks to this that Luciel finally realized what Gabriella meant to him. And now, he could only hope that it makes Kaiden realize Gideon''s feelings. If anything, Gideon was really something to keep sticking to the prince. Even if Kaiden threatened him, Kaiden isn''t going to force him physically. Well, at least that''s what he thinks. That''s because Kaiden always had Gideon''s interest in mind.


    ''Although it is too much'' Azazel thought to himself.


    "Work on the hows?" Kaiden repeated what Azazel had suggested.


    "Yeah, because I doubt Gideon will tell you why. Give him a little bit of space. You can also have Amias go there and keep him company" Azazel suggested and he noticed the prince''s murderous aura again. "Company as in talking like friends. I swear you''re just going to worsen the situation if you make Amias break their friendship off"


    "I wasn''t planning to"


    "I may have not seen you during your childhood but we practically raised you during your teen years and I know that you were planning to"


    Kaiden just averted his eyes and Azazel sighed.


    "Let Gideon go for now. Let him clear his head and reach out. I''m sure he''s already used to your presence around that the moment you do so, he''ll also wonder why. That way you can also work on yourself"

 Chapter 62 - 61

    After the whole fiasco that happened a few days ago, Kaiden no longer visited Gideon. Even though it made him feel comfortable that Kaiden is no longer around, Gideon can''t help but wonder what happened to him. Kaiden wasn''t the type who would just go back on their word especially when it was he who kept insisting to be together.


    "knock knock" Someone said those words as they knocked on the door.


    Even without opening the door, Gideon could tell it was Amias. He walked up there and opened the door for him.


    "It''s a surprise you''re using the front door this time. What are you doing here?"


    "Yeah well, you were on the way so I thought I''d drop by."


    "Come in, it must be freezing" Gideon closed the door after letting Amias in. The guy rubbed his arms through his jacket.


    "Not that much, Damien when he''s drunk is something else... He managed to freeze up the beer I was drinking" Amias jests with Gideon and looks at him from head to toe.


    It did not seem like he was in bad shape from the incident or the other favor that he got called for here. Prior to him actually showing up here, the prince actually called for him for a request. He was busying himself with work since it piled up, even more, the moment Arda went out on a mission.


    "What did the great prince need me for that he called for me?" Amias leaned on the doorway with his arms crossed as Kaiden checked on his phone from time to time.


    "I need you to check up on Gideon for me for a little while. Don''t worry, I''ll have your schedule cleared up so you are free to do whatever you want afterward" Kaiden clasped both of his hands together and lowered his head a little to show that he really needs this favor.


    It sounded like a sweet deal. It''s a win-win since Amias did want to see the little bastard and check up on his well-being. Maybe even take him to visit Yohann. The guy already got sent home to  Kassandra''s place so he hasn''t seen him for a while now and he misses him. However...


    "Why? what happened between the two of you?"


    Amias wondered because Kaiden seemed like he was head over heels for Gideon while the kid wasn''t aware of it. He was rather sure that Kaiden would do anything in his power to impress Gideon and not fuck up in the process.


    "It''s a long story. But can you do it or not?" Kaiden asks him once more.


    "Well, I can do that... Anything else?" He twirled his hair in-between his fingers.


    "Try finding out why Gideon got upset with me" Kaiden shyly asks.


    He knows it is in some way cheating to know why but he really can''t do anything. He had his hands tied behind his back. And the very person who did that was himself because he did not want to worsen the situation.


    And that brings us back to the present. Amias felt like Gideon''s place wasn''t entirely complete without the father figure vampire literally hovering behind him. But hey, at least it is nice to know that Gideon is very much loved.


    "It''s a little bit late to ask but how are you Amias?" Gideon walks to the thermostat and made the place warmer so that Amias would warm up quicker.


    "I''ve been good. Thankfully things quieted down back at the Palace so now I have free time. What about you, how have you been doing lately?" Amias went ahead and walked into the living room to sit down and relax but before he stepped on the nice carpet, he did take the time to remove his snowy boots and walked barefoot.


    It''s the first time Gideon saw Amias'' feet and who knew he had nail polish on. Amias noticed Gideon staring at his feet and grinned.


    "Didn''t take you for a feet guy" Amias teases him and Gideon''s face turned red as he frowned.


    "IT''S NOT THAT! I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT IT" Gideon angrily defended himself while Amias laughed his ass off.


    "Hahaha! Don''t worry I know I know. I sometimes sleep with this lovely girl downtown who runs a spa. If you want, I can hook you up with her"


    "A-MI-AS" Gideon angrily said his name per syllable and Amias just continued to laugh.


    "I meant for a spa treatment!" He immediately saved his ass and Gideon quieted down.


    "What did you think I was pertaining to?" Amias asks and Gideon suddenly grabbed a cushion from the couch and threw it at Amias'' face.


    "JUST STAY HERE WHILE I GET YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK" he stormed out of the living room and a few moments later came back with some juice.


    "This looks suspicious, are you sure you''re not trying to poison me?" not that he doesn''t trust Gideon, he just wanted to tease him more. Gideon scoffed at him.


    "If you don''t want to drink it then don''t" He replies as he takes a seat next to Amias.


    "Sorry, I was just messing with you" Amias smiles at Gideon but he was still frowning.


    "Just dial it back a little. It''s giving me a headache" Gideon rubbed his temples and Amias nodded.


    "I''ve actually been meaning to ask you... you don''t actually look well to me. Well I mean, physically you don''t have any problems but it seems like you haven''t had proper rest"


    He''s such a hypocrite for mentioning these since these are also his issues but he had more concern for others than his own well-being. And besides that, Gideon was younger than him. A few days of not sleeping properly won''t kill Amias but what about this kid?


    "I just have a lot of things in my mind right now. Don''t worry about it too much" Gideon dismissed his concerns immediately and Amias shook his head.


    "If you say that then I''ll start to worry even more"


    Gideon went quiet. He kind of had this feeling that the only reason why Amias is here right now is because of Kaiden. But there was also a chance that he wasn''t here for that reason since he hasn''t brought up anything involving the prince. More specifically, it''s mostly him trying to have fun and maybe comfort a hurting friend. He chose to believe it was the latter since Damien did say that Amias kept getting misunderstood even though his intentions are good. Perhaps that''s why his patience for this character became longer.


    "You''re right, I''m sorry. I just can''t help but feel overwhelmed by everything that''s happening since for the past few years it was quiet. The start of the year was quite hectic no?" Gideon smiles.


    Amias couldn''t help but pat Gideon''s back. When he did this, his complexion slightly changed a little but he immediately changes it back.


    "Just tell me if there''s anything or... anyone... that''s bothering you. Even though I am not the best person for this kind of thing, I''ll try"


    "Haha... thanks Amias, I really appreciate it"


    Amias stayed over for a few hours to hang out. There were only a few things that these two had in common but it''s thanks to Amias'' easy-going personality that even when he''s with a boring person like Gideon, he still manages to have fun.


    "I''ll have to take my leave, I still have a date tonight" Amias puts on his boots again and fixed his appearance to make the whole date situation more convincing.


    "Even in this weather?" it was snowing harder outside. Gideon would have already offered Amias the guest bedroom to stay in if it was needed.


    "Well in cold weather like this... you can use each other''s bodies to warm up~" Amias smirks and Gideon cringed.


    "Ugh gross don''t even start"


    "haha Alright, bye Gideon~ I''ll also tell Kassandra to drop off Theodora here so you''d have company" And with that Amias left the house.


    It was quiet again and it made Gideon quite lonely. But it was refreshing to have Amias visit him. He would hope that Amias could visit again sometime in the future. And besides that, he''s curious about Lady Kassandra''s brother, Yohann. Amias did promise him to have the two of them meet up.


    .


    .


    Amias returned to the Palace to quickly do a report to Kaiden. But before he did that, he made a quick stop to the barracks to have Kassandra send Theodora back home. He knew that the kid was actually really lonely during these times but was just too stubborn to admit it.


    "I''m back Kaiden" Amias barges into Kaiden''s study to see the prince working on the documents that he originally was supposed to work on.


    "How did it go?"


    "It was fine, his condition seems to be stable but I think he just needs more company that''s all" Amias thought if he should report his other findings but he feels like this is something he shouldn''t say to anyone even Luciel.


    "I see, you can go now"


    "Thanks" Amias left the room.


    It was intentional that those faint traces were left on Gideon. He wanted someone to know.. El wanted someone to know that he has returned.

 Chapter 63 - 62

    Gideon may have been dozing off but he suddenly got brought back to a distant memory in the past.


    "Deon, are you ok?" Alice asks him and Gideon blinked.


    Was he seeing this correctly? Is this really his sister in front of him?


    "Aren''t you going to explain to me what happened next?"


    Oh no this... this seems like a very convincing illusion.  One that is based on a conversation he and his sister had. It was his day off and his sister was staying over for the week since she felt stuffy in her dorm. If he remembered what he said back then correctly...


    "The Prince sent off Kassandra to the north to aid in the fierce battle. But no one would expect Matthew himself participated in the battle. That''s the chapter update so far"


    The next few chapters confirmed Kassandra''s death alongside many of her men. This was the start of Luciel''s slow descent into madness.


    "I hope she''s alright. I like her character" Alice suddenly started to worry since most of her favorite characters are getting killed off. Is the Author alright? did someone hurt them? Why are they killing so many characters?


    "Knowing the author, it''s a fifty-fifty chance" Gideon continued and pinched his thigh to check if he was dreaming or not. It did not. His expression dropped a little but it''s nice to see Alice again even through a dream.


    "I have a question for you Ally... What do you think of the prince?" He wasn''t sure if this dream Alice would even give him a proper question.


    The person in front of him actually pondered about it for a moment. She kept making different facial expressions as she thought.


    "I don''t know. For me at least, I just think that his life is kind of sad. Like he is heavily misunderstood and he never asked for any of the things that happened to him"


    "But he did a lot of terrible things"


    "I know and I''m not excusing his actions either. But you can''t really blame him when the only time people take you seriously is when you''re at your worst. He can''t obviously let himself get pushed around but he did take it too far with his whole revenge agenda"


    It was well said. If you did consider everything in the novel, all Kaiden wanted was a normal life with a happy family and friends he can depend on. But both of those were either taken away or the opportunity disappeared.


    Considering the way he''s feeling right now, Gideon suddenly asks;


    "If he hurts you in some way, would you forgive him?"


    "Well that depends on the severity of what he did and if he apologizes"


    "let''s say he made you do something you hate but he sincerely apologizes for it"


    "As long as it''s sincere and he promises to never do it again"


    "Really?"


    "really"


    ''You''re too kind for this world Alice but at least I know that I raised you right''


    "But still it''s a weird thing to be asking if I should forgive prince Kaiden if he hypothetically hurts me" Alice laughs and Gideon closes his eyes and nods.


    "Thanks for answering, I heard what I needed to hear"


    "Anytime" That was the last thing he heard when he suddenly woke up to his phone ringing.


    Gideon grumbled and reached out for it to see that it was Amias calling him. He swiped the screen to accept the call.


    "Hmm?" He was still in a daze so he couldn''t comprehend the fact that he did not say hello and instead hummed into the call.


    "Good morning to you as well Gideon. I was wondering why you weren''t answering your door, turns out you''re still asleep"


    "you''re downstairs?"


    "yeah, and my ass is freezing out here"


    Gideon suddenly dropped the call and made his way down to open the door. Amias had his hair braided today and he wore a scarf and turtle neck to warm his neck. But really it looked like he was desperately trying to hide those very obvious hickeys on his neck that peeks through when he stretches his neck to the side.


    "Hey! I was going to ask if I could eat here but seeing you just got up, let''s just eat out. My treat!"


    "Oh no it''s alright"


    "I insist"


    There was a saying that it would be rude to say no to free food especially when it''s being insisted. And that''s how they ended up driving downtown. Gideon wondered why they had to go so far since there were decent restaurants near his place anyways. But as it turns out, Amias had another agenda.


    "We''ll head to Yohann''s favorite place. We''ll eat there and buy some take-out for him"


    Gideon should have dressed more nicely if he knew that he was going to be meeting another person.


    When the two arrived, the place was jammed packed with people. There were some people who were alone and hogging an entire table for themselves. Gideon offered to look for a seat while Amias ordered food for the two of them but he immediately refused.


    "How would I know what you want and what you don''t want? Don''t worry about our table. I''ll be able to get us seats" He confidently smiled at Gideon as they waited for their turn to order.


    They had a lot of offers on their menu but Amias managed to order with ease.


    "I''ll just order the beefsteak with fries on the side and for the kid... uh what do you want Gideon?"


    Gideon just went with the same order as Amias since he didn''t really know if the other dishes here are tasty.


    "You sure? You can try their barbeque chicken as well"


    "no, I think I''ll be fine with just one order"


    "Alright, Anyways those are the orders we''ll be eating here. I''d like a separate order for the take-outs"


    "Certainly, what will they be having?"


    There was a mini menu on the countertop that allowed those with difficulty seeing the menu above to see what they served. Amias placed his finger and slid it across the list of dishes. It seems like both Gideon and the cashier were confused since Amias didn''t say anything else. That was until the manager noticed them.


    "i-it''s you lord am-"


    Amias shot him a look and made a "Shh" sound. It seems like Amias disliked people finding out he was one of the demon nobles. It''s not like he''s hiding his identity but it''s just common decency for people to let each other live their own lives unless the other person is asking for attention.


    "Yes, it''s me. Is your cashier new here, Tim?" Amias asks the manager who was apparently called Tim.


    "Yes, I''m terribly sorry. Let me take over first" he tells the cashier and he began ringing up the order.


    "I''ll just clarify it''s still the same right? one of everything except for the desserts, drinks, and extras right?"


    Gideon nearly choked upon hearing the order. Amias nodded and handed over what appears to be a black card. He had only seen those kinds of cards in movies but this one looked even more extra. Amias whispers that the card is only exclusive for the nobles, the prince, and the king.


    The black card of black cards.


    "I s-see" Gideon felt like he''ll cough out blood if he hears more about the extravagant life of these book characters.


    "Do you need me to find you a table?" The manager asks and Amias glanced to the dining area. He smiled as if he saw something and looks back at the manager.


    "No need for that"


    "Ah..." The manager only smiles as well as he rang up everything and handed back the card to Amias. He also gave him two table numbers.


    "Thanks, Timmy~" Amias winked at the manager who suddenly grumbled but it seems like his ears turned red a little.


    The two of them walked around. There were really no tables available. Gideon was about to ask Amias if they can just have their food for takeaway. But the guy suddenly stopped in front of a table. There were two girls having a study session with food on the side.


    "Hi, I know you two gorgeous ladies are busy with studying but unfortunately we can''t find a table... can you two be a sweetheart and let me and my good friend here share a table with you?"


    The two girls suddenly froze up and the other girl tapped her friend if she minds it. The other girl leaned in and whispered "I mean... Look at him! would you not let him sit with us? He''s kinda cute...". Amias only smiled brighter when he heard this but pretended to be unaware of what they are talking about.


    "S-sure! We don''t mind sharing" one of the girls replied and scooted to make space for the two new guests. Amias placed their numbers on their tables and glanced at the schoolwork these two were working on. It seems like they were busy studying up the classifications of Angels and Demons.


    "There''s a lot of people here lately which is good..." Amias notes to Gideon before turning to the girl next to him.. He''s not into flirting with minors but at most he''ll just act friendly with them so they won''t be as uncomfortable while the two waited for their food.

 Chapter 64 - 63

    "What''s your name? I''m Amias and that''s Gideon"


    Gideon deep inside just thought of how sketchy Amias looked right now. Even though he did not lie about their names, he still felt bothered about this.


    "Hey, Amias..." He called out but the girl beside him spoke.


    "I''m Isolde and that''s Marie"


    Gideon just did a facepalm mentally. Didn''t their parents tell them that telling strangers their names is a bad idea let alone the fact they''re talking to strangers in the first place?


    "Isolde... That has a lot of meanings you know? There''s the Ice ruler and there''s also She who is gazed upon" Amias tilted his head to the side a little bit to adjust his scarf.


    "She who is gazed upon? what does that mean?" Isolde suddenly asks. Amias chuckled and replied in a low voice.


    "That means a beautiful lady"


    Isolde suddenly turned red and Gideon couldn''t help but kick Amias'' leg lightly while shooting him a look to stop it since they are kids. Amias just waved his hand a little bit and mouthed "I know I won''t".


    Their food arrived soon and the manager noted that their take-out orders will take a while. To which is why they already served them their dine-in orders. Amias continued to bother Isolde and Marie about their lessons and turns out they were still in high school.


    ''All the more reason to avoid suspicious-looking adults''


    The two of them studied in a public high school for scholars which impressed Gideon. But again, even with all of that book smart in them, they still lack street smarts.


    "Demons are easy to memorize since we have a lot of classmates who are part demons themselves or they know someone who is" Marie explains and Gideon did think the same especially when you look at the majority of the student population in schools.


    Even if there was no law to segregate the races, it''s more of a quiet issue. That is because no one brings it up nor makes any actions to solve this issue.


    These girls may not have seen Amias often or he had actually changed his looks with his powers without Gideon knowing. But thanks to this, he managed to hear more about this very specific issue.


    "You don''t have Angels in your class?" Amias asks and Isolde was the one who responded this time.


    "We do but they''re only the Sanatios1 and Adfectus2. Cantus3 and Sapientias4 are quite rare so we easily forget their subclasses as well"


    "Well if you think about it... Angels and Demons are quite similar" Amias took a bite of his meal before washing it down with his drink.


    "How so?" Gideon now wondered what Amias meant by this.


    "They were both created at the same time since you can''t have a "Perfect" being while having "good" and "bad" traits. But even if that was done, it was a fail. Angels still wanted to commit terrible actions while there are Demons who are soft-hearted."


    He had a point because if that was not the case then perhaps the storyline of the previous book would have played out differently. The two girls decided to leave since they still had to do some things and they thanked Amias for his help with their studies.


    "Reminds me... What kind are you Gideon?" Amias pushed his plate to the side and leaned on the table.


    "I''m actually not sure"


    "Really? you never once tried to figure it out?"


    Gideon did try back when he was still a child but he was not a proficient healer like Kaiden nor was he able to speak numerous languages or go into one''s thoughts.  He explained this all to Amias who was quite interested.


    "Have you ever considered that you might be a Cantus?"


    "Haha if I was then that''s a waste. I can''t sing, unfortunately rather... I sing terribly" Gideon laughed sarcastically as he ate his fries.


    "I''ll be the judge of that once I hear it" Amias confidently states.


    "Like I''ll let you hear it" Gideon shuts him down.


    The two left the restaurant once they were done preparing the meals that Amias ordered for take-out. It still bothered Gideon how many these dishes were to the point that he also had to carry two of the paper bags of take-out.


    He actually asked about it once they were back on the road. Amias said that Yohann''s powers not only change his physical appearance drastically but also cause him to get hungry more easily. It was also the reason why he''s not skin and bones whenever he uses his powers.


    "I''m not actually sure if he still eats this amount of food but it wouldn''t hurt to try" He comments as he makes a few turns on the road.


    They slowly entered a private subdivision and soon a villa came into Gideon''s view. He was just in awe of how big the house was from the outside. Let alone what that could look like on the inside.


    "The other neighbors here must be surprised to have Yohann as their neighbor..."


    "Oh no, almost all of them are Kassandra''s personnel. She provides them properties as part of their compensation for joining the army"


    All of these are just homes for her workers?! They''re even bigger than their current house right now.


    "Even the place you''re sleeping in belonged to Kassandra. She''s very generous to her men since they''re out there risking their lives for her instead of her"


    Amias began to park the car on the side of the road. He continued to explain that Luciel grants them a lot of properties since technically at this point the entire world is within their grasps. If one day one of them wished for a country, Luciel will see it done.


    "What about your place? is it similar to this?"


    "It''s... not."


    "What''s yours like?"


    "A condominium unit. I''ve had it before the war broke out. Luciel actually insisted that I should move but the sisters that live on the other floors are hot" Amias laughs as he opened the door for Gideon. His response to that was merely an eye roll.


    "Then what about the others?"


    The two walked to the Main Building entrance and it seems like the workers there were already notified of their visit because of how speedy they were in greeting them and guiding them in. One of them even took the bags of food from Gideon.


    "Yohann lives with his sister since they both don''t see the purpose of them separating anyways. Damien also has a similar compound to this one for his men as well. If I wasn''t mistaken, Azazel opted to give his land to some of those that got displaced during the war" He still thought of how "nice" it was of Azazel to give that up and opt for a place in the Palace instead.


    "What about Lady Arda?"


    "If I remember correctly... She has a small house in the countryside but she can''t even take a break which is why she already has her own bedroom in the palace as well"


    The two continued to chat about the mundane part of the noble''s life up until they reached Yohann''s room. Amias told Gideon to wait with the servant for a moment and went inside the room after knocking on the door. A few moments passed when Amias opened the door and showed Gideon to Yohann who was standing by the window.


    "Gideon, meet my good friend Yohann. Yohann, this is the kid that I took care of while you were gone"


    Yohann scribbled something quickly and flipped his notepad.


    "You sure that isn''t just your kid?"


    "I always use protection. Anyways don''t just stand there Gideon, come in" Gideon was suddenly pulled in by Amias and he ordered the servant to leave the food by the table in the room.


    Yohann''s nose could already smell the food and knew that it was from his favorite shop. Who would have known that the restaurant would still be open?


    "Stop sniffing around like a dog and just get one if you''re hungry" Amias tells Yohann.


    On the other hand, Amias was actually impressed that Yohann wasn''t shaking like usual whenever there was a stranger breathing the same air as him. Gideon grabbed Amias'' sleeve and whispered a question.


    "Why can''t he speak?"


    "Oh um..." Amias glances at Yohann and it seems like he already prepared a letter for those who ask the same question over and over again.


    "It''s because my tongue got cut off once. Even though I now have a new tongue, I still can''t talk no matter what. The ones who were in charge of healing me noted that this was a psychological issue because I can still remember certain memories I wish I could forget"


    "Oh, I''m sorry. I feel insensitive for asking" Gideon lowered his head and because of that, he did not see Yohann waving his hands as if he''s saying it''s alright he doesn''t mind it.

 Chapter 65 - 64

    Yohann quickly writes a reply and motioned for Amias to show it to Gideon.


    "Gideon, look" Amias pointed in Yohann''s Direction.


    Gideon first looked at Amias before following to where he was pointing. There he saw Yohann''s writing, although rushed, it was still nice to look at.


    "You don''t have to be sorry. You were only curious. If anything I should be the one apologizing to you"


    The last portion of the sentence made Gideon think about it for a moment before remembering that Yohann used to be one of those monsters. Then it means... Yohann was the one who attacked Gideon. Seeing how Gideon''s eyes widened in surprise, Yohann was not surprised and lowered his head to apologize. Gideon panicked when he saw Yohann lowering his head towards him. It just felt absolutely wrong of him to do so.


    Amias just watched this game of charades between these two occur for a few moments before he decided to butt in.


    "I think everyone gets it that they''re both sorry for their own actions... Yohann, have you eaten? Gideon and I got you snacks"


    If Yohann had animal ears, those would have already perked up the moment he heard the word "Snacks".


    "I have but I still have room for more"


    "You sure?" As far as Amias is concerned, he only knows that Yohann can no longer use his powers. That is why he thought Yohann''s appetite would turn back to the equivalent of a human.


    "Of course, I was honestly considering having our kitchen prepare some meals for us just in case the two of you had not eaten, and yet here we are with you suddenly surprising me with a meal" Yohann writes down and Amias tells Gideon to grab the bags of food.


    He hands the two bags to Amias and the latter proceeds to pass it towards Yohann. That person looks like he had received good news especially when those eyes sparkled at the burger that was included in the take-out order. Yohann puts the bags of food down and reached for his notepad.


    "You don''t have to write it down anymore Yohann, I already know what you''re going to say thank you may or something along the lines but it''s not that big of an issue for me" Amias smiles and guides Gideon to sit down with him in one of the sofas in this room.


    Yohann continued to take out all of the food and it looked like Doraemon taking numerous things out of his tiny front pocket.


    "You''ve been awfully quiet" Amias tells Gideon.


    Truthfully, Gideon was a little overwhelmed with everything that is going on right now. First was the sudden outing for lunch, the second was the high school students, and now the third was Yohann having a large appetite. Oh and let''s not forget the fact that Yohann was the cursed monster who tried to eat Gideon during the Winter Ball.


    "I''m sorry, I don''t really have much of an idea to talk about with you guys"


    "Oh, then if you want, we can talk about yours and Kaiden''s current relationship"


    Gideon goes deadly quest as he tries to think of an explanation for what happened to their "friendship".


    "We just got into a heated argument, I''m not particularly sure which one made me upset but I don''t think I can face him for a while"


    ''Meanwhile, the prince is having me, spy, on you since he himself didn''t know what he did wrong, and funny enough, you both are feeling the same thing'' Amias could not help but think of this when he heard of Gideon''s problems.


    "Is that so?" Amias asks as his eyes went to watch Yohann happily eating a few of the meals that he brought.


    "Yeah, at first I thought you might be going here to keep me in check or something. But that doesn''t seem to be the case and I want to thank you" Gideon smiles at Amias and little did he know that everything he just assumed was the truth.


    "N-no problem, as long as Gideon is no longer upset then I''ll keep visiting you" Amias declares which made Gideon smile wider.


    The day ended on a good note. Yohann and Gideon were more comfortable with each other now. Amias wanted to give himself a pat on the back for knowing that those two will definitely get along with one another. But still, he cannot forget what he had promised the prince.


    "Gideon, I actually wanted to ask you something"


    "Hmm?"


    "You mentioned that you and the prince are not really on speaking terms for a while but does this mean that you intend to talk to him sometime in the future?" Amias carefully chose his words so that he does not get identified as a liar by Gideon.


    "I guess? since how will we apologize to one another? but for now, I don''t know how to approach him" Gideon was in a good mood and that is why he is more honest than usual.


    "So... if Kaiden apologizes to you, would you be able to talk to him face to face?"


    That question was kind of similar to the Question that Gideon had asked in his dream earlier that day. Perhaps it was a prophetic dream? Or maybe deep inside he actually wanted someone to ask that question but a lot failed to do so. It was extremely lucky that Amias decided to actually ask about it.


    "Maybe. It depends if he''s being serious about his apology. I know I''m demanding a lot since I"m also at fault but I can''t help it... Now that I thought about it, he did numerous unforgivable things towards me which I try to excuse"


    "But even after all that, and let''s say that he was serious, will you still forgive him?"


    Amias was relieved to know that Gideon was aware of Kaiden''s toxicity and maybe this situation between the two of them would help change that spoiled bastard understand boundaries. But he still felt nothing but concern for this kid in front of him especially hearing his reply before he got off the car.


    "I would"


    Amias wanted to punch Kaiden and ask who was the succubus? Was it Gideon or was it Him? How did he manage to keep Gideon wrapped around his finger?


    He just loathed this feeling of discomfort and worry and it got significantly worse the closer he got to the Palace. When he arrived, the prince actually greeted him in the hallway.


    "Amias, it took you a while to arrive" Kaiden glanced at his phone and it was quite late at night.


    "I didn''t touch him if that''s what you''re concerned about. And even if I did, I''m sure you''d know given the fact you practically put a tracker on him with your powers"


    "It''s not a tracker. It''s just in case he gets severely hurt and no one can help him" He explains.


    This is actually how he managed to find out that Gideon was the person watching him a few months ago at his Birthday Parade. He placed that sneaky trick onto Gideon when they were kids where he put a few of his powers onto Gideon when he was asleep and had that activate in case he gets really hurt. But it seems like Gideon has not gotten hurt the same way he did when he fell from the tree and hit his head in the past so this spell did not activate at all.


    Amias couldn''t help but just scoff at Kaiden''s half-assed explanation. It was pretty much the reason why Gideon became off-limits. The equivalent of what Kaiden did to Gideon without his knowledge was placing a Hickey somewhere it wasn''t too obvious to the naked eye but could be easily seen to those who are interested in him.


    The two began to walk down the hallway and it seems like they were on the way to the greenhouse which is also referred to as Luciel''s private garden. Did the prince have business with his father?


    "Anyways, that aside. I just had him meet up with Yohann"


    "Why would you do that?"


    "Because I thought they would end up as good friends and I was right?" Amias had a confused expression. Does he need to explain everything word per word to the prince?


    "They became friends?"


    May whoever listening to Amias have mercy on his patience. Regardless, they arrived and Luciel was not in sight. There were some flowers that started to bloom under the moonlight and what stood out were these flowers called Casa Blanca Lilies. They were one of the many flowers that Gabriella liked.


    "Yep but I''m sure you''re more interested in hearing other things than that"


    "You know me so well Amias" Kaiden sarcastically replies and he observed the flowers.


    "Was there anything else for you to report?"


    "There is and it''s about what Gideon feels about the situation going on between the two of you"

 Chapter 66 - 65

    "So... All I have to do is apologize?"


    "You have to be serious about it as well as stop your creepy ass antics. Gideon already found out about most of it and admitted to just excusing it, probably because he was afraid that you would hurt him"


    Amias had told Kaiden everything earlier regarding what Gideon felt about their situation. And he even gave a few extra notes on what Gideon might have felt uncomfortable with. It was several key factors that Kaiden needed to understand.


    "You need to understand Gideon''s personal space, you can''t always stick close to him and you shouldn''t really force him even if you''re the prince. But I''m not saying that you should avoid him altogether like what you''re doing right now. I can tell Gideon got bothered by it"


    Amias even wanted to add the "even felt guilty when he shouldn''t" but they should talk about it with one another since it is no longer his area to pry in.


    "Another thing is that you need to stop trying to be the "hero" in his life. Gideon is a full-grown adult and I''m sure that''s the reason why you find him attractive as well is it not?" Amias poked one of the flowers growing and Kaiden''s ears turned red at the tips.


    "What do you mean by that exactly?"


    "You silenced a lot of people when they spoke badly of Gideon. You practically nursed him yourself while he was still unconscious when you did not have to. You keep doing a lot of things for him when he can fend for himself. He''s not someone who needs to be taken care of or protected"


    "But if I don''t do that then"


    "Then he''ll figure things out. If he needs help, he can ask for it"


    Kaiden sighed in defeat realizing that both Azazel and Amias were right. The problem was really him trying to protect his precious person who never asked for protection. And because of this, he made that person feel terrorized instead of protected. Which forced that person to escape from his grasps and confide in other people instead.


    "I can have him visit the palace in a few days under the guise Theodora isn''t resting... well she really isn''t" But vampires don''t really need rest if they keep drinking blood which she is since it''s more abundant and accessible here in the Capital.


    "This way you can try to meet with him, just talk to him personally to ask what you did wrong and apologize for it" Amias rewrapped his scarf around his neck.


    "If you can, that would be nice" Kaiden plucked a lily and played with its petals.


    It is still amazing how everything in this greenhouse is in bloom regardless of the season. All of that is thanks to Luciel working with several angels to create this place. The plants here will continue to live for as long as he is still alive to appreciate them.


    Kaiden looked rather woeful in his current state. Amias thought over the fact that El took interest in Gideon but then again he just told Kaiden to stop being overprotective of the boy.


    ''Should I tell him?''


    Maybe he could tell it vaguely instead of directly so Kaiden could pick up on the pretense that it''s nothing serious.


    "I''d just like to say another thing before I go"


    "What is it?"


    "Even though I did tell you to not be too overprotective of Gideon, I do not mean to leave him alone entirely"


    "You''re telling me this because?"


    "No reason. I''m just saying that if there''s something off and Gideon just brushes it off... try to at least protect him from a distance without hurting anyone. I''ll be taking my leave, I still have to meet with someone else" Amias bowed before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.


    Kaiden was not sure if he understood what Amias was trying to say earlier but what he got was that there might be someone who is a threat. But it seems like both Amias and Gideon are unsure if they are really one.


    .


    .


    "I don''t understand what the lady wants with this abandoned place since the owners left it years ago"


    "I''m aware of it"


    "No you don''t understand, there were rumors of it being haunted"


    "In this world where Demons and Angels, as well as other creatures, exist... do you think ghosts will scare me?" Arda laughed when she heard that warning from the man who drove her to this place using a tiny jeep.


    "You... You do have a point" the man hesitated to reply and watched her as she goes past the gates with ease and into the abandoned mansion that got taken over by greenery outside.


    "May the sun of this kingdom watch over that young lady" The man whispers to himself before driving away.


    The place that Arda had arrived at was one of their past residences. The outside of the mansion looked terrible but the inside was not that bad with the exception of dust being everywhere.


    "Now... time for work"


    Arda walked into a few rooms to check if their old files were still here and while some were still there, there were some that got destroyed by age. When was the last time she was in these rooms? It''s been what? 30 years? Or was it more? Who cared, all she knew was that she was old.


    She entered Luciel''s old room and checked some of the files there. Compared to the rest of the building, this place was protected by Luciel''s array.


    "Huh?"


    Arda looked all over and could not find several of their boxes. Those files weren''t that particularly important since it was reports and profiles of some of the soldiers. But it was still concerning because no one should have been able to take those easily without notifying them.


    Was this the reason why Luciel made her check?


    But it wouldn''t make sense to have her check everything instead of going here straight away. Was he unsure of which location got accessed?


    "No..."


    He wasn''t aware that they got broken into since the array was still active. Meaning the person who went in here is was someone familiar to them.


    "Just how many moles do we need have to lure out?" Or maybe it wasn''t a mole since there had been sightings of "Deceased" soldiers popping up here and there.


    Arda took several things and placed them into her bag before getting out of that place. She took out her phone and called Luciel''s number.


    "It''s a surprise that you called me. I thought you were enjoying your break"


    Arda couldn''t help but roll her eyes at Luciel''s remark but she did have more time to rest compared to when she was still in the Palace.


    "Luciel, I just want to clarify something. Did you send me out here because you sensed something off?"


    "Go on" Luciel urged her meaning he already knew and just wanted to hear Arda explain it to him for confirmation.


    "And it was by someone who is a part of our faction seeing the place did not blow up" That was the connected array to the first one that sensed if a person was a part of Luciel''s side or an enemy.


    "Correct. That will be your next job, Arda. Find out who it was" Luciel tells her and the call suddenly ended.


    "Luciel? LUCIEL?!" Arda was surprised that she suddenly got hung up on.


    Just how is she going to figure out who the culprit was? Was it not easier for them to assume it was a traitor?


    "Because it wasn''t a traitor nor it was someone from Matthew''s side" someone suddenly answered and when Arda looked around there was no one there.


    A frown appeared on her face and she texted Luciel for permission to destroy this place before she leaves. A few moments passed and he responded with "Just take what you think is still viable before you do so".


    Arda already had done that earlier since she planned on checking it with their current records to see if it was still consistent with that of the past.


    She placed her hand on a specific location in the lot to activate the explosive array that was supposed to activate when the intruder went in. They only had this option in case of an immediate evacuation and they needed to cover their tracks.


    "Who knew I''d be able to do this again after so long" She mumbled to herself before she began to count from 180 down to one while walking away from the lot,


    "100..." She was out of the gate already.


    "10...9..." She was already somewhat at a distance from the Mansion as she began to countdown to the last second.


    "3...2...1"


    Suddenly the windows exploded and fire could be seen spreading inside the mansion rampantly. This was their way of making sure no one gets hurt but the wanted results are still achieved.


    After that day, the people were surprised that the Mansion could barely stand on its own.. Everyone began asking one another regarding what happened because no one heard the explosion nor did the fire spread anywhere else.

 Chapter 67 - 66

    Lately, Theodora had not been home for a few days already. It started to worry Gideon given that they had yet to recover from the loss of a loved one. And thus, she may have been overexerting herself when she got sent back here to rest. He texted Amias if it was possible for him to contact Lady Kassandra and ask her to force his mother to come home.


    A few moments passed and he had yet to receive a response from Amias. However, someone else messaged him that day. Upon checking, it was Eliam asking him if he had made up with his friend.


    Gideon: I haven''t spoken to him since I kicked up out.


    Eliam: Really? That''s unfortunate... :( He hasn''t contacted you after that at all?


    Kaiden had never contacted him afterward. And even Amias, who kept bugging him with surprise visits, did not have a single message from the prince. It was a weird feeling of guilt and perhaps longing since he had already gotten used to Kaiden asking him how his day went.


    Gideon: No I was unsure if I should message him and if I did, what would I say?


    It took a while for Eliam to respond and at the same time, a notification popped up that Amias has responded.


    Eliam: In any case, I still feel like you two should settle this face to face rather than a message since you can still misinterpret words through text.


    This was the second person who mentioned the phrase "face to face".  The first person, being Amias, was asking if Kaiden were to apologize sincerely then would he be able to face him? Now Eliam is suggesting that if he planned on apologizing, he should do it in person. They both had their own points. Would he be able to face Kaiden and apologize?


    He then suddenly remembered the dream he had the other day about his sister. How that person would be able to forgive Kaiden despite knowing his character in the original story. Of course, she did say that it would depend on the severity of his mistake but in this case, Kaiden didn''t do it directly himself. It was more like a manifestation of Gideon''s fears.


    He got around to checking Amias'' text and saw what he replied.


    Amias: SLR! I got busy lately thanks to the situation here in the palace. In any case, I won''t be able to actually meet up with Kassandra since she''s also busy herself. If you want, I can just have someone pick you up and you can bring your mom home yourself. How does that sound?


    He also sent an emoji sticker where the rabbit was laying on the floor deflated and it was wriggling to show life.


    Gideon thought about it.


    "Going to the palace..." He mumbled to himself.


    If he went there, he''s bound to see Kaiden. If he saw him then maybe that guilt and longing he felt would go away. And he''d be able to apologize and ask Kaiden if it would be alright that they still stay in this situation of not talking to one another for a little while longer without any ill-meaning behind it.


    And so he began to reply to the two he left on read.


    To Amias: Is that so? it''s alright and if it is ok for me to go there then sure. I''ll wait for your reply.


    To Eliam: Thank you for your advice, I''ll do that. I actually plan on going there today.


    Gideon was determined to get himself together and this was the start of it!


    .


    .


    .


    "Interesting..." Eliam covered his chin with his phone as he thought about Gideon''s plan.


    Who knew that the kid would move this quickly? Well, he did manipulate his dreams a lot.


    "Although I don''t really want to do that"


    Eliam glanced to his side, Arda had frowned and immediately looks in his direction only to see nothing. Eliam had already disappeared from that spot. He had been following Arda and making sure this mission of hers goes smoothly.


    "But I suppose he does need a little push"


    .


    .


    .


    "Gideon agreed to come to the palace today" Amias glances at Kaiden who almost dropped his mug of coffee upon hearing those words.


    "Today?" He placed the mug on the table before he breaks it by accident.


    "No, tomorrow- OF COURSE TODAY. Anyways... What exactly am I doing here again? I thought Luciel called for me and not you"


    "Oh he did, he just personally picked up someone. He should be back by-" The door opens "now"


    Luciel entered the room with Damien and behind them were followed by Azazel and Kassandra. Amias pursed his lips upon seeing the three people he had been avoiding for a while now.


    "Welcome back to the Capital" Amias greeted his friend out of obligation. Damien frowned a little bit before replying thanks.


    "Unfortunately Arda is still out and I have no plans of putting Yohann back on the job" Luciel suddenly spoke up.


    "Kaiden, would you like to lead today''s meeting?"


    Kaiden, who was still thinking about Gideon, couldn''t help but sigh since this is still part of his agreement.


    "In any case, I''d just like to have Amias arrange something first regarding a private affair"


    "Granted, Amias do what you need to do first"


    "Ah it''s not much, I''d just like to borrow one of Damien''s men. Specifically, Alexander Eicher" Amias bowed down to Luciel and Damien suddenly whipped his head to Amias'' direction.


    "What do you need him for?"


    "Damien. It''s a private affair of my son. Once again, just do whatever Amias since we have to start"


    Damien did not push it anymore and had let Amias walk out of the room to arrange for the pick-up.


    "Anyways! Let us start, prince" Luciel clasped his hand.


    .


    .


    .


    It''s been a while since Amias'' last response that there should be someone on their way to pick him up now. To be honest, Gideon could have just gone there himself via commute or his scooter but he didn''t know how to refuse Amias since he was already bothering him when he''s busy.


    "I should probably make it up somehow to Amias for being too nice" Gideon muttered to himself.


    Suddenly someone rang the doorbell. Gideon yelled out to say that he will be there soon and finished double-checking the entire place to make sure it was locked. He put on his gloves, coat, and wrapped a scarf to his neck to make sure he doesn''t freeze up. Upon opening the door, a pleasant surprise greeted him.


    "Alex!" Gideon beamed and Alexander bowed his head a little bit.


    "Hey, I''m here on behalf of Lord Amias to pick you up"


    Who said Amias was unreliable when he was able to get one of Gideon''s trusted people here? Alex guided Gideon into his car and started driving to their destination.


    "I''ll really thank him later once I get there"


    "If you can, currently all of the present demon nobles, as well as the king and prince, are having a meeting since the Frost Division had returned"


    "Frost Division?" Gideon asks since he had no idea about their rankings and such. All he knew was that the nobles had their own divisions but not the names of said divisions.


    "Lord Damien''s Division, where I''m from" In fact, he was one of the 6 captains.


    "I see, I only knew that there were divisions but not the names"


    "Ah well, it''s not that important for civilians to remember those things so I didn''t expect much"


    "Why shouldn''t it be important? You guys are keeping us safe. You deserve recognition." Gideon argued and Alex couldn''t help but smile. When there was a stop sign, he reached out to ruffle Gideon''s hair.


    "H-Hey!" Gideon pushed away Alexander''s hand.


    "I''ve been meaning to do that since I saw you. And thanks for thinking that way"


    Gideon was more than a kid that his mom used to check upon. He was a friend who was close to being his brother. He''d always think that if his sister wanted to date someone, it should be someone like Gideon or better yet... Gideon himself. But of course, that''s just his wishful thinking.


    The two arrived in the Palace in a little bit and Alexander got called by another soldier who had been expecting him by the parking area.


    "Talk to me" Alexander tells this person and Gideon followed behind Alexander.


    "Lord Damien asked us to cooperate with Lady Kassandra''s team to see their improvement if they can replace the remaining men up north"


    "Noted. Go up ahead, I''ll follow after" The other soldier disappeared and Alex turned to Gideon.


    "I''m assuming that their meeting had already ended. You wanted to meet with Lord Amias right? He should be by Baphomet Building which is the main one that has the Library connected to the nearby Ballroom. You can ask one of the guards stationed there to take you to him and if no one takes you seriously just mention "Alexander Eicher, 1st Captain of the Frost Division" or Miss Theodora''s position"


    "I''ll keep that in mind thank you"


    "No problem, just give me a call if there''s an issue"


    Gideon watched Alexander rush to the barracks area and thus he took a deep breath in before heading over to his impending doom.

 Chapter 68 - 67

    Gideon has not been in this place for quite a while now. He still couldn''t get used to the idea that people actually chose to live in these kinds of places. It''s like a government office... well it is in a way but the fact it''s also a residence.


    ''I did live in a big house as a kid but this is too much''


    Gideon saw some maids cleaning the halls and he approached them.


    "Hello, if it''s alright can I ask for directions?"


    The two maids seem to be surprised that someone suddenly approached them. Most of the people who come to the palace are accompanied by someone. They looked at one another before determining that this person looked too awkward and skinny to be suspicious.


    "Depends on who you are and where you are trying to go" one of the maids responded to him and Gideon nodded.


    "I''m Gideon Lemery, and I need to look for Pri-" Gideon stopped thinking if he should ask for Kaiden immediately. Was he really prepared to talk to Kaiden?


    The two maids were already in shock once more to hear that this person right in front of them was Gideon Lemery. They remembered what happened to the nurses that treated him terribly and looked down upon him. The maids held their hands and gulped.


    "S-Sir Gideon, are you perhaps looking for Prince Kaiden?" They asked with a smile. If only Gideon knew that their backs were slowly getting drenched with sweat due to nervousness.


    "No no... I wanted to ask about Lord Amias. Do you know where he is? He was the one who had me go here"


    "Lord Amias should be with the remaining Lords and his Highnesses in the King''s Office"


    "Didn''t their meeting just end a while ago?" The other maid whispers and she suddenly realizes her mistake.


    "Oh actually... we''re not quite sure Sir Gideon" The maid lowered her head and Gideon sighed not knowing how to respond to the two confused maids.


    "It''s alright, I just did not want to bother him directly, in any case, they are still in the meeting" Gideon bowed his head a little bit and the two Maids bowed back to him as a response before skedaddling away to avoid any issues with him.


    Gideon was a little bit aware that it was due to Kaiden that the staff here is afraid of him. It was a little bit better than the previous treatment where they would straight up act rudely towards him. But of course, it would still be best if they acted normal without any malice or fear behind it.


    He texted Amias to ask where he was and the bastard did not even check the message. Gideon wanted to scream inside since he had no idea where he should go and he did not want to face Kaiden immediately.


    ''At least let me gain confidence and allies first''


    He was still in the middle of his melodrama when suddenly a familiar voice called out his name.


    "Is that you Gideon?"


    Gideon turned around and it was Azazel. Azazel looked like he just got back from war with how haggard he looked compared to the usual.


    "Azazel... Thank god I saw you"


    "Just exactly who am I supposed to thank?"


    Right... at some point the current nobles were worshipped as gods by humans.


    "Nothing nothing just an expression... Um by any chance do you know where Amias is?"


    "Ah..." It seems like Azazel suddenly remembered something as he averted his eyes to the side. That or he realized something.


    "What is it?"


    "I actually made Amias take over several of the work I need to be done since I haven''t rested as much as you can see"


    Gideon took a quick glance up and down once more and replied "I can tell".


    Azazel laughed a little and rubbed his eyes.


    "In any case, I''ll just take over Amias'' position here... What did you need from him?"


    Azazel placed his hand on his hip as he waited for Gideon''s response. He was also wondering how did that bastard manage to convince Gideon to come here to the palace when the kid looked like he wanted to go home already.


    "I''ll just talk about it with him at another time. I''d just like to ask where Lady Kassandra is since my mom still hasn''t come home for a few days already"


    Azazel raised an eyebrow before shaking his head.


    "Alright, Kassey is with Damien. I''ll take you there before I head to my room" He responds and tilted his head in a direction before they started walking.


    On the topic of the room, Gideon couldn''t help but suddenly ask about that. Azazel seemed to be taken aback by the sudden question on whether or not he had a room in the palace. He responded that all of them had a room here in any case that they had to stay overnight and could not return to their respective homes. He himself apparently had not been home for a while now since the war ended but he did not mind it since he gave some of his properties for orphanages.


    Gideon who was connecting the dots with his story assumed that he gave the place where Kaiden and he grew up in. That would also make sense as to why Azazel knew where Kaiden was but it was still a mystery as to why he only decided to show up a few years too late.


    ''Is it to avoid suspicion from Luciel that he was in cahoots with Gabriella when she went into hiding?''


    Who knows? The current "plot" right now strayed far from the original that Gideon can no longer rely on it.


    Azazel continued to rant about how Luciel overworked him and Arda and the only reason why he''s still managed to survive is that Arda took most of the paperwork while he took most of the fieldwork. It was for a reason since Arda was banned from using her powers but right now Luciel swapped their work.


    "It''s been a while since I sat down and actually read a lot of words, Even now I think I can still see words" He sounded like he was about to drift off somewhere with how tired he was.


    ''He sounds like me who had to go through school for the second time in this life''


    It was absolute hell for Gideon to relearn the terms in different subjects as well as new history since this world was still different from his original world. But in this world, he was blessed to actually pursue college since he had to give that up to raise his younger sister.


    "I think I know how you feel"


    The both of them sighed and Azazel stopped walking when they reached a corner. This was near the King''s Office, where they all had a meeting earlier. Azazel intentionally stopped here in any case that Kaiden was still in there. Azazel left early compared to the rest because he had nothing more to discuss with them.


    "I think it would be best if you stay here while I go in and excuse Kassandra if she''s still in there. But I''m certain they''re still discussing some things" Azazel still knew that he needs to keep things confidential even though he just ranted about his work life to this kid.


    "Alright, thank you" Gideon smiled and watched Azazel knock at the distant door before heading inside.


    Only a few moments passed before Gideon felt a familiar warm presence nearby. Truly, he won''t be able to avoid him in this place. He couldn''t help but laugh at himself before taking in a breath and glancing behind him. His heart still beat rapidly in fear? anticipation? excitement?


    "Gideon..."


    "Kaiden"


    Kaiden glanced to the door nearby before looking back at Gideon.


    "Can we talk somewhere else?" after asking that, he discreetly bit his tongue wanting to smack himself for being impatient when Azazel told him to fix himself first before facing Gideon. But how could he when he hasn''t seen him for so long?


    Gideon had to consider it first since he still had this unknown irrational fear for Kaiden. but he suddenly heard something like a whisper behind his ear saying: "Don''t worry, he will never hurt you". He quickly looked behind him to see no one was there and he glanced back at Kaiden.


    "Sure... But somewhere out in the open" He didn''t want to talk in a private room or in an enclosed area. He did not know why but it made it harder to breathe.


    "That''s fine with me, Let''s talk in the Garden" Kaiden started walking away and Gideon slowly followed after the prince.


    "Sorry I kept you waiting Gide...on..." Azazel who just exited the room was confused.


    "You sure he was here?" Kassandra, who was behind him also looked around the hall and saw no evidence of Gideon being there.


    "I swear I left the kid out here"

 Chapter 69 - 68

    Gideon followed Kaiden into the Palace Gardens. The bushes were covered with a layer of snow. But the brick pathway looked like it was shoveled by the servants constantly. It looked like it was a winter wonderland with how beautiful the scenery was. But going back on the agenda at hand...


    "So, what did you want to talk about?"


    Gideon stopped his voice from shaking too much as he asked this question.


    ''Don''t worry, he will never hurt you'' that was what the voice from earlier told him.


    Well, the voice was right in a way. Kaiden has not hurt him in any form except for that one time when he confronted him right after hiding from him for so long.


    "It''s regarding what happened a few weeks ago. I''m pretty sure you got angry at me for suddenly walking out on you when it was just a misunderstanding"


    Kaiden looked at Gideon straight ahead. He actually wanted to retreat and apologize that he just impulsively dragged him out here when the person obviously does not want to see him to the point of waiting out in a corner in case he was still in that room.


    It really was a miracle that Gideon is here and is right in front of him. Just as long as he would hear him out as well as find out why Gideon did not want to see him last time. Kaiden looked down a little bit and saw Gideon''s shaking hands.


    Was it from the cold? or from fear of finally knowing what kind of person Kaiden was?


    The last time he saw Gideon shake like that, he disappeared for 11 years. Would he disappear again this time around?


    He could prevent it now but he wouldn''t be any better than his father who manipulated his mother. Kaiden would indeed still see Gideon around but he will never see that bright smile of his if he keeps acting like this.


    "It''s fine, it was my fault anyway for trying to insist something just because of baseless rumors" Gideon rubbed his arms with his hands and looked down at Kaiden''s feet.


    "Then... why did you suddenly kick me out last time?"


    Gideon did not speak up. Rather, he pursed his lips further. He actually didn''t know but he just knew that he felt like Kaiden was going to do something the moment they were behind closed doors. It was a terrible thought to someone who was trying to tell him that he could have just said that he needed a break from things and even offered to go somewhere.


    "Are you... Are you afraid of me?"


    Kaiden''s voice sounded so sad that it was kind of making Gideon guilty that he was. Gideon turned his head to the side, refusing to answer directly. Seeing this, Kaiden lets out a sarcastic chuckle and covered half of his face with one hand.


    "I''ll just take that silence as a yes. And I deserve it, truly" Kaiden licked his lower lip to wet it as he nodded and looked around for a moment to take in the situation.


    "I''m sorry Kaiden" Gideon couldn''t help but apologize since he didn''t even want to be afraid of Kaiden. They were fine just a while ago, what happened?


    "Don''t be. It''s just hah..." Kaiden felt like he was about to cry to hear that the person he was supposed to protect was now afraid of him.


    He can''t force Gideon to not be afraid of him. He shouldn''t. He really shouldn''t.


    "Gideon... Deon" Those tears just started to fall on their own and Gideon stared at him helplessly.


    "Like I said I really deserve this but it hurts so much to hear it be true. What can I do to fix it? I want to fix it!" Kaiden insisted and Gideon was startled a little bit when he suddenly shouted that he wanted to fix this situation.


    "I don''t know. I truly don''t know what you should do" Gideon answered.


    Kaiden wiped away his tears and marched forward to Gideon. He was surprised by Kaiden''s actions and tried to back away. But this attempt was in vain for Kaiden already took a hold of his hand. The following series of events was enough to push away everything that Gideon had felt towards the prince.


    Kaiden knelt down on the ice-cold ground. His hand was warming up Gideon''s cold hand. He had his head lowered that it showed his neck. This position looked liked as if he was in total surrender.


    "K-Kaiden get up, the ground is cold-"


    "I, Prince Kaiden Lux Ferre, the son of King Luciel Lux Ferre, swear an oath" Kaiden began and Gideon''s eyes widened.


    "Kaiden stop it"


    "I swear that I shall protect Gideon with the best of my abilities and that I shall never harm him with the intention of Malice" Kaiden continued to put this life-bound contract onto himself and Gideon knelt down as well to grab a hold of Kaiden''s face.


    "I DON''T ACCEPT THIS KAIDEN!"


    This was simply too much! Although it guarantees that Kaiden will never hurt Gideon unless Gideon tells him to do so. And in the case that Kaiden wanted to hurt him due to malice, he would suffer the consequences of the oath for trying to do so.


    That simple but dangerous act was alone to wave that looming fear over his heart and even managed to move it a little bit. What did he do? Why was he deserving of this?


    Kaiden, with puffy red eyes, stared into Gideon''s and smiled.


    "Too late, I already finished the oath"


    A one-sided oath is just asking for death.


    "Why?"


    Kaiden took off Gideon''s hands from his face and covered them with his to warm it up.


    "To prove a point. That I will never hurt you"


    "I meant why would you do that for someone like me?"


    Gideon wasn''t used to people sacrificing things for him since he was always the one who sacrificed a lot for others.


    "Would you believe it if I said that I''m fine with having no one else except you?"


    It was now or never. This was what Kaiden thought.


    "That I''d go insane if you were gone? well I guess I have already gone mad since you disappeared from my sight for quite some time"


    Was Gideon hearing this correctly?


    "When you left, I felt like I lost a part of me. And now that I found you again, I don''t want to lose you again"


    Is he...


    "Gideon, My dear Deon... The reason why I got angry when you tried to pair me up with others is that I don''t need them"


    saying that-


    "Because you''re all I need"


    "Kaiden..."


    "It''s stupid I know. You don''t have to respond to that. I just want to stay a part of your life. Whether that would be a friend or a comrade or a brother or..." Kaiden suddenly laughed and shook his head. "I just hope you understand what I mean"


    "I understand it''s just that, I''m a little surprised by this" Gideon had a faint tint of red in his cheeks, it could be because of the cold weather. They are sitting outside in the cold after all.


    "Then stop asking why I do these things for you. Just accept them as is, if you don''t want to then don''t accept it. I won''t force it but please just let me indulge once more... please don''t kick me out of your life" Kaiden squeezed Gideon''s hand a little bit.


    This was all too sudden for Gideon. If anything, he really can''t deny that Kaiden just swore that he will never hurt him. And now he''s confessing out of nowhere? Just how chaotic was this situation was. For all he cared, Gideon was preparing his last words but who knew?


    "S-since when?"


    "Huh?" Kaiden tilted his head to the side in confusion.


    "Since when did you feel like this?"


    Gideon''s face started to turn redder by the minute. Kaiden realized what Gideon was asking and even realized that he was holding his hands. He immediately lets go and stood up to turn around. He was trying to hide his burning cheeks as well.


    "S-Since we were kids I think?" He put out his hand once again for Gideon to grab a hold of to stand up.


    "That''s a long time" Gideon took hold of Kaiden''s hand and stood up, brushing away the snow that caught onto his clothes.


    "Yeah... So am I still allowed to stay friends with you?"


    "But wouldn''t that a little... awkward?"


    Now that Gideon thought about it, didn''t they just do some-


    Oh, there goes Gideon''s wild imagination and he was red as a tomato.


    "I promise I won''t do anything unless you allow me to do so"


    "Then fine... But for a while just don''t visit my house. I still need to process this alright?"


    Kaiden''s eyes widened and he did his very best to suppress the urge to scream and jump around in joy. Although his love confession just got rejected, he could still stay friends with Gideon.


    "Yes don''t worry, I''ll only go there if you allow me"


    "DON''T MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I''M FORCING YOU TO DO ALL OF THESE!"

 Chapter 70 - 70

    Gideon''s initial plan of trying to make things less awkward seems to have backfired because the two men in front of him started arguing instead. After hearing Amias'' refute to his statement, Damien lets out a scoff.


    "I was only expressing my opinion, Amias"


    "Oh is that so? did I ask for it?"


    "What''s fucking wrong with you?!"


    "I should ask the same thing!"


    The two continued to argue and Gideon felt skittish. He felt like he might have been the one who triggered this. But Kaiden suddenly tapped his hand and it surprised him. He looked at Kaiden who had a look of concern.


    "Hey, you alright?"


    "n-no? can''t you do anything about those two?" Gideon pointed to Amias and Damien who were still yelling at each other and bringing up past issues.


    Amias brought up how Damien was such a slob that he and the others had to constantly clean up after him. Meanwhile, Damien brought up how Amias constantly threw away his opportunities. If you look at it, Damien was only arguing out of concern-


    "I don''t give a fuck about those opportunities! What I''m pissed about is the fact you keep pushing these onto me! Do I look like I want it?"


    "I''m pushing them onto you because you can do more than what you are as of now!"


    Amias suddenly felt like laughing "Oh ho ho, are you saying that I''m lacking as of now? Well I''m sorry if that''s the case because I never even wanted to be in this position"


    "Why are you such a fucking coward?!" Damien suddenly bursts out and Amias suddenly stopped laughing.


    "You keep accepting every insult that hits you but you don''t have the courage to even fight back! It just makes me pissed whenever you-"


    Amias suddenly threw the first punch and it landed right on Damien''s face.


    "AND WHOSE FAULT DO YOU THINK THAT HAPPENED?! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Amias yelled at Damien who also punched Amias.


    "Ah! please stop fighting..." Gideon panicked as he watched the two go neck-in-neck with another.


    Kaiden, out of nowhere, pulled Gideon to his side. Gideon was about to make a fuss about it when a bottle suddenly smashed to where he was seated. He couldn''t help but keep his mouth open in shock because he didn''t expect that. He looked at Kaiden who had an uninterested expression, it was an expression that said he''s seen this happen several times.


    "Don''t bother trying to stop those two, once they''re at it they won''t stop until one of them is unconscious"


    ''But in terms of power... isn''t Damien the stronger one?''


    Kaiden must have read what Gideon thought because he shrugged. He stood up and dragged Gideon out of the room since it reeked of blood and alcohol already.


    "If you want to go to Mrs. Theodora, you can go now. I''d escort you but I have to follow my father''s orders and wait for him"


    Gideon was still unfamiliar with the palace so he refused and said that he would wait for Kaiden. Kaiden was surprised and couldn''t help but smile softly before handing Gideon a handkerchief from his pockets.


    "I really can''t go and I can''t have you witness that anymore" Kaiden gestured to the door where Amias and Damien were still fighting.


    "But how would I know the way?" Gideon innocently asks and suddenly Kaiden took Gideon''s hand that was holding the handkerchief. He kissed the hand and Gideon blushed before pulling it away from him.


    "What are you doing?" He asks but then he notices that the handkerchief was trying to fly away so he gripped onto it tightly.


    "I''ll guide you using that handkerchief. If you accidentally let go of it, it''ll try to go back to you. But if you don''t hold onto it again, I''ll go immediately to you just in case something happened. This will only be active within the Palace and you can go home without returning it" Kaiden explained to him clearly and Gideon blinked as he tried to absorb all of that information.


    ''But was it truly necessary to kiss my hand?''


    He was still frustrated over that fact but he mustered out a "Thank you" instead before taking his leave. Kaiden watched as Gideon''s back slowly disappeared from his view and lets out a sigh.


    "It''s a surprise you actually obeyed me" Luciel spoke from behind Kaiden. The prince didn''t even bother to turn around and simply answered


    "You did say it''s a special day" Kaiden repeated what his father had said earlier and Luciel laughed a little.


    "You''re aware that unless you put up a sound array... I''d hear everything you say in this building right?" Luciel crossed his arms and glanced at the door, just like right now he could hear those two going at it by screaming:


    Amias: IF YOU REALLY CARED ABOUT ME THEN YOU SHOULD JUST SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!


    Damien: ARE YOU HEARING YOURSELF? YOU SOUND RIDICULOUS RIGHT NOW.


    "I''m very much aware of that, father"


    "Then you couldn''t bother yourself to set up an array while you threw yourself into a one-sided oath?"


    "If I did that then he wouldn''t have trusted me"


    "Kaiden"


    "You''d do the same if you were given the option back then no?"


    "Can you just listen to me?"


    "No. I''m old enough to make my decisions and choose who I want to be with"


    "Yeah you are but you''re forgetting that you''re my son and you have an obligation. Kaiden you..."


    Luciel didn''t know what to say. Actually, he did, he wanted to say he was concerned for Kaiden and that he shouldn''t risk his life for these sorts of things. But how exactly should he say this when his son would only refute his arguments.


    "I am your son. And I know my obligations even though I never wanted to do those said obligations. So at the very least, just let me have this"


    Kaiden began to walk away but Luciel''s sudden question made him stop for a moment.


    "What if you regret it? What if one day you start to hate him enough to kill him? Then what?"


    "Then I''ll regret my choices once that happens which is never"


    Right... He''ll have to die first before Kaiden starts to hate Gideon.


    Luciel sighed since he knew that it was already too late to even argue about this. And if he continued to do so, he''d only further strain the relationship he has with his son. He didn''t like Gideon Lemery, not even a little. But his son liked the boy and his subordinates seem to show some interest or concern with this kid.


    Even he, himself, actually had some interest in Gideon but it was more on curiosity on who exactly the kid was. But just from earlier, he looked like an awkward person. No different from those he sees in the streets every day. The door suddenly bursts open and Amias had a bloody nose and bruises on his face. Luciel wasn''t sure whether it was due to the bruising and anger but Amias'' face was red.


    .


    .


    When everyone had already left the room, Amias and Damien still kept arguing and fighting.


    "Can you stop being fucking immature Damien?!" Amias Threw the bottle at Damien who instinctively dodged it.


    "But aren''t you the one who is throwing the first punches here? Can''t I defend myself?" Damien argued back and Amias felt ticked off and tried to kick the guy on the side but Damien caught his foot.


    "Stop it"


    "I''ll only stop if you stop being an asshole"


    "What did I even do wrong?!"


    "EVERYTHING! YOU KEEP BOTHERING ME! ARE YOU MY MOTHER OR SOMETHING?"


    "I''M YOUR FRIEND THAT''S WHY I''M CONCERNED"


    Amias teleported behind Damien and put him in a chokehold.


    "If you were my friend then you should have known me already! But you keep getting in my way and you-"


    Amias got cut off the moment Damien threw himself forward that was enough for Amias to fly off and land on his face. He raised his head up and his nose was bleeding more than earlier when Damien elbowed his face. He was about to get up again when Damien pinned him down.


    "Stop it already!"


    Damien''s situation was more or less some bruises on his face. Amias found it unfair since he was going all out but it was only a clear indication of who was superior between the two of them. He gritted his teeth and resisted. He managed to free one arm and he elbowed Damien in the side. Damien crouched in pain and it was enough for Amias to totally break free and switch positions with Damien.


    "Why can''t you just leave me alone?! Isn''t it enough that I got ostracized by most of the citizens to the point I can''t even go out and be proud to be a noble myself?!"


    "That''s exactly why I can''t leave you alone!"


    "Why? tell me the actual reason and not the bullshit "I care about you because you''re my friend and you can be better than this" because clearly, I can''t so tell me what is it? Do you despise me?" Amias sneered


    "I don''t despise you"


    "Then what?"


    "I like you"


    "what?"


    "I like you so much that it hurts. I like you even if you like someone else. I like you even if you had to flirt with other people. I just like you and I can''t handle seeing you just accept the pains that you encounter. I won''t mind it if you hated me just as long as it meant that you''ll be happy"


    Amias suddenly lets go of Damien and exited the room. He even saw Luciel outside, seems like he was waiting for the two to finish arguing. He didn''t say a word and walked past the king.


    "That fucking idiot" he muttered.

 Chapter 71 - 71

    Gideon reached the barracks with ease and the handkerchief in his hand flapped happily as if it was congratulating him. A smile showed up on his face and he rubbed the soft cotton. He didn''t know if Kaiden could hear him as well but he brought the handkerchief close to his mouth and whispered "Thank you". After that, he folded the cloth neatly before tucking it into his pocket and walking around.


    There were several people sparring with each other while the others were practicing with their weapons. Gideon wondered why some still used swords, daggers, and bow and arrows. But he didn''t think about it too much since he needs to look for his mom.


    He saw this one guy in a cast, guiding some of the people in sword training. The Soldiers were trying to slice down what appears to be large stone dummies. Some were able to slice the dummies in half but the others fell backward from the vibrations of the sword.


    "SWING HARDER! YOU BARELY NICKED THEIR NECKS WITH THAT STRENGTH! I THOUGHT YOU GUYS WERE DEMI-HUMANS!"


    One of the soldiers, specifically this one male one, was crying already and the guy walked up to him.


    "You... Hand over your weapon" He calmly put out his hand and waited for this soldier to hand his sword over.


    The crying trainee hesitantly handed it over because everyone knew once you hand over your weapons, you''re out of his team and you better find someone else to be your captain.


    Upon receiving the weapon, he shifted his position a little bit and lightly swung his sword at the dummy. At first, it looked like it didn''t even hit the dummy but he tapped it with the sword and it turned into tiny brittles.


    The trainee whose sword was just taken from, suddenly got his sword tossed back to him.


    "I expect that by tomorrow you''d be able to repeat what I just did," The man tells him and the trainee started to cry more and he even bowed his head.


    "YES CAPTAIN LEV I WILL NOT FAIL YOU!"


    Everyone was surprised, he just got a second chance from the strict Captain Levi.


    "Alright that''s enough, everyone gets back to training-oh?"


    Levi was in the middle of shouting his commands when he noticed Gideon who had been staring at him. He thought it was just any other trainee that had been staring at him but he didn''t expect it was a random civilian. He approached the small person and upon walking closer he was surprised that he was smaller up close.


    "Can I help you?" He asks the "kid".


    "Do you happen to know where Theodora Baecker is?"


    "Depends on who''s asking" Levi narrowed his eyes as he tried to identify who this was and whether or not he was a threat.


    "I''m Gideon Lemery, her adopted son.." Gideon answers honestly and the trainees who were eavesdropping suddenly stopped and looked at Gideon.


    ''Seriously?! This kid is Theodora''s adopted son?'' That''s what they were all thinking.


    "Really? but you don''t share the same last name?" Levi sniffed Gideon and could smell alcohol and blood from the kid and backed up.


    ''What on earth was this child doing drinking in broad daylight and even bringing a faint scent of blo- wait this blood smells familiar... Lord Damien?''


    Levi was just utterly confused with the situation when Theodora came running into his view and hugging the lad in front of him.


    "Giiddeeeooonnn! my baby~ I missed chuu" Theodora kissed Gideon on the cheek but after that immediately sniffed his neck and hands before frowning.


    "When I heard from Lady Kassandra that she had to leave you alone there, I wanted to smack her but she''s still my lady. Oh and Lev, Thanks for looking out for my son even it was just briefly"


    Theodora held Gideon''s hand as she pulled him away, intending to show off her prized possession to the rest of the Captains that they had appointed and to firmly declare: "IF YOU MESS WITH MY SON, I''LL BREAK YOUR NECKS"


    "That''s her son..." Lev was still recovering from the initial shock that he smelled Lord Damien''s blood on this kid. And to even see that Theodora, the woman with an ice-cold personality, who kicks out her own men the moment they fail her practical test, could act like that. Did the pigs finally fly?


    .


    .


    "How were you able to find this place without a guide?" Theodora brought Gideon to her area where she had been training new additions to her team since most of her team got promoted to Team Captains and Vice Captains.


    Should Gideon mention the charmed Handkerchief in his pocket?


    "Kaiden taught me the directions" Well, he did... just not in person. White lie #1.


    "I knew that you were quite smart than what you let others perceive you as but weren''t you in a bad relationship with the prince for some time now?"


    "It was just a misunderstanding. We talked it out already" No. They did not in fact talk it out. Kaiden managed to avoid all of that by submitting into a one-sided oath to prove a point. White lie #2.


    "I''m just concerned, Gideon. Even if I''m a subject of his highnesses, the prince may have some hidden agendas with you"


    "He would have already done so if he did. Don''t worry about it too much mom" He did have a hidden agenda. The prince was into him and he even indirectly rejected Kaiden because he did not know how to react to the sudden oath and confession in one go. White lie #3.


    ''I am so sorry mom'' Gideon guiltily thinks to himself as he thought about the lies he just said right now.


    "Even if you say that, I''ll continue to worry" Theodora sighed and looked at her trainees.


    They all looked solemn and were pretending that the two of them did not exist. They were all "focused" on their training that Theodora placed the whistle that was around her neck to her mouth and blew. Gideon cringed a little bit to the loud sound of the whistle. Anyone would be alerted by that thing.


    "Just how long are you going to delay your greetings?" The warm and full of worry Theodora was no longer seen in that brief moment when these words were spoken out.


    The soldiers gulped and greeted their captain. Lady Theodora, the bloody thorned rose of Kassandra. Known for her cruel methods of getting the job done in the first 200 years of her service to Lady Kassandra. She only softened up after getting married to Stephen but her strict regime still remained and this was the reason why most of the current captains are worthy of their positions.


    "Someone up there blessed us and allowed my son Gideon here to visit me while I train your incompetent asses. Seriously, do I have to repeat myself that you should immediately go back into your formation and greet your commanding officer?" Theodora glared at her trainees and Gideon tugged at her sleeves.


    "yes, baby?" her gaze suddenly turned soft the moment she looked at Gideon.


    "I think they''re exhausted... and so are you. I already asked Lady Kassandra if you can come home with me and she said yes"


    Theodora narrowed her eyes and Gideon just stared at her determinedly. She frowned a little bit before sighing in defeat.


    "You hear that? My son was nice enough to grant you guys the mercy of taking a break. Don''t get used to this because there are no breaks on the battlefield. Be sure to return here tomorrow at 9 am sharp"


    Usually, Theodora demanded them to meet up at 3 am so this was really something when she allowed them to rest up till that late into the morning.


    "THANK YOU LADY THEODORA AND THANK YOU YOUNG LORD GIDEON!" The soldiers immediately ran off in different directions to head to their resting areas.


    "Y-Young lord?" Gideon was surprised by the sudden honorific he got from the soldiers.


    "awww my baby is a young lord" Theodora patted Gideon''s fluffy hair and he blushed.


    "I''m not young..."


    "My soldiers are still older than you and if you''re going to compare yourself to me you are like a baby to me"


    "Mom" Gideon frowned and Theodora laughed as she hugged Gideon while she took him to the Area where Alexander was stationed.


    "Just let me have this~" Theodora mumbles to Gideon. She was really exhausted but she didn''t want to show it to anyone except Gideon.


    "Alright" Gideon softly replied.


    When the two of them arrived, the soldiers there were surprised to see that the vicious Lady Theodora looked like a clingy child... And was clinging to a literal baby-faced man.


    "Can I ask where Alexander Eicher is?" Gideon asks the nearest soldier and the person glanced at Theodora who opened her eyes a bit and glared at him. He felt goosebumps and said that he''ll fetch him quickly before running away.


    "Why did he run away?"


    "Who knows?" Theodora laughs a little.


    Alexander quickly arrived and saw the situation.. He helplessly offered to drive the two home and that concluded today''s chaos.

 Chapter 72 - 72

    Some time passed and Gideon was getting comfortable once more with the idea of Kaiden speaking to him. Of course, he still had his reservations towards this newfound attitude of Kaiden. It seems like he was somewhat bolder than before. But!


    ''Isn''t this too much?!''


    "Woah... when I was going to deliver these, I never expected it to be these" Amias, who had bandages on his nose, poked his head from behind.


    Earlier today, Amias suddenly appeared with a huge box and bouquet of flowers in his hands. Gideon was about to ask what the occasion was when he remembered it was Heart Day. It was this world''s equivalent of Valentine''s day since they changed out of all of the occasions after the reveal of the existence of Angels, Demons, and Monsters. It would be illogical of humans to continue worshiping them using the wrong names when they already revealed themselves.


    "Are you sure it''s really meant for me?"


    "Of Course, is there another person in this world named Gideon Lemery?"


    "Did you even bother looking into that?"


    "Nope"


    Gideon sighed as he took out the handwritten note that blatantly states right in the front with neat writing "Don''t open until Amias leaves"


    "pshhh so secretive"


    Amias tried to reach for the letter but suddenly felt a strong power just smack his hand. A bruise appeared on the back of his hand that looked like it was hit with a whip or something. For Amias, this was very familiar since it looks exactly like Luciel''s powers.


    "He really is something..." Amias laughed as he rubbed his hand.


    Gideon placed down the letter and took a bag of cold peas for Amias to put on his bruise. This man already got into several fights in the past few days. To the extent that Gideon himself wants to smack some sense into this guy. Like, are you some sort of masochist?!


    ''Maybe he is''


    A shudder could be felt down Gideon''s spine as he looked at Amias with a disgusted expression. Amias already knew what he was thinking and rolled his eyes.


    "I''m not that kind of person. Even when I''m in bed, I don''t enjoy that as much. Like there was this one time that I thought this girl was innocent given she was a virgin but turns out she was extremely kinky and the next day my ass still hurts" He was brutally honest and Gideon shook his head.


    "Alright ALRIGHT! Stop oversharing!" Gideon was red from hearing all of that.


    "Haha then don''t take me like I''m a pervert. I rather like vanilla" Amias shrugged.


    "Tsk! I swear¡­" Gideon gave up on scolding Amias since he''ll just continue to overshare about his "bed" stories.


    "I''m just saying! And it''s not like you''re innocent yourself, especially with your situation with the prince"


    That blatant reminder of that fateful day was enough for Gideon to turn into a walking stoplight with how red he was right now. He knew that Amias would be able to tell what went on that day with the two of them without even them saying. And that was all due to the fact that Gideon could not control his powers.


    "I-it was one time and it was a life or death situation with me"


    "If you say so¡­" Amias plopped down the couch as he took a rose from the bouquet of flowers that he brought.


    "Is that also from Kaiden?" Gideon recovered a little bit when he saw the roses and Amias shook his head.


    "It was actually from the King. The roses here are from the Royal Garden"


    The king sent Gideon a bouquet of roses? Oh dear, did he already find out about the situation between him and Kaiden?


    "Did it also come with a card?"


    "Yeah, and it also came with the same seal" Amias began to explain but he suddenly muttered "I swear those two are so similar that I wonder why they don''t get along"


    Gideon will pretend that he did not hear it but he can''t help but feel curious about the notes. Of course, he can''t just kick this guy out of his place. Even if Theodora was here, it would be rude to suddenly kick out a guest when they took the effort to deliver these.


    So instead he thought of just asking how Amias was doing before kicking him out.


    "I''ll just open these later"


    Gideon placed the letters on the side and took the chocolates from the box. All the while he was avoiding looking at the other extra stuff such as the random magic stones and books in there. It''s also worth noting that it''s amazing for Amias to be able to carry all of these with one hand.


    "Do you want some?" He took a piece of chocolate for himself and ate it. Amias looked at it before hesitantly taking one. Looks like this one is safe to touch.


    ''Paranoid much?'' Gideon thought


    "Thanks" Amias smiled as he popped the chocolate into his mouth.


    "No problem¡­ I just wanted to ask how you''re doing lately"


    "Oh um¡­" Amias was suddenly put on the spot with that question that he almost choked on the chocolate.


    He thought about it for a while. Well, clearly he still has not recovered from the fight-confession he had with Damien. The fight was enough for him to be in shock for a while but the sudden confession was something else. He avoided talking to Damien and Luciel seemed to be enjoying this situation since he often calls him while Damien was with him.


    And to make matters worse, his broken nose was due to Damien accidentally putting in his powers when he elbowed him in the face. Because of that, he cannot have his nose healed asap and he has to actually wait for it to recover normally which should take less than a month for him. But that was still devastating enough for him because he can''t pick up anyone with a broken nose.


    Maybe this is why he went from a Demon Noble to a Delivery and Errand boy of the royals until further notice.


    "I think I made enough lemonade with the lemons that life threw at me"


    Gideon understood the saying and frowned. He remembered that Damien and Amias fought. That is why he''s concerned for this friend of his.


    "Your situation back then"


    "I and Damien have not spoken since that day. Did he bother you? You can ignore it for now. I don''t want you to get dragged into this"


    "He didn''t, but why did you two fight in the first place? And don''t say it''s not my place to ask when you asked me last time about my fight with Kaiden"


    Amias did ask Gideon about that back then and he trusted him enough to talk about it. Then should he also trust Gideon?


    "It''s really nothing serious"


    But El is watching this kid. What is Gideon''s relation to him?


    "Are you sure?" Gideon asked with a tone full of worry.


    Gideon doesn''t seem to have any ulterior motives¡­ yet.


    "It''s just something petty. It''ll pass eventually"


    "If you say so"


    ''Right, if I say so'' Amias thought to himself before deciding to take his leave. He still can''t shake off the new suspicion he has for Gideon especially when there''s such a being that''s watching over him.


    "Oh before I leave, can I ask you something?"


    Sometimes El manages to manipulate someone enough to forget about his existence entirely.


    "Yeah what is it?"


    "Have you spoken with a strange person lately? like... you feel like you forgot something after meeting them?" Amias can''t directly ask if Gideon had met with El because that''s one of El''s powers. He''s able to prevent people to talk about him.


    "hmm..." Gideon thought about it and there was indeed this one time when he was with Eliam.


    "Yeah, I met up with a friend and for some reason, I started crying. I don''t know why I was crying and why I had this fear towards Kaiden"


    "What?! why didn''t you tell us?" Amias was surprised. Then did El manipulate Gideon into fearing Kaiden?


    "Oh, I''m not sure. I mean he was the one who suggested that I should make up with Kaiden and assured me that it was just a misunderstanding" Gideon quickly reasons and now this brought up a new wave of questions within Amias.


    So it wasn''t El that manipulated Gideon into hating the prince? What exactly is going on? He could have sworn that it was El''s powers that he sensed on Gideon.


    "Do you remember his name and what he looks like?" Amias asks


    "Yes, um... why are you asking me all of this?"


    Right, it would be suspicious to ask everything right at the get-go.


    "Ah, nothing nothing... I was just curious about who''s this friend of yours since he was the reason why the prince and you are closer than ever"


    Gideon blushed and with a frown, he replied "What are you talking about? If you''re going to leave just leave already"


    "haha, Bye Gideon"


    When Amias left, it was thanks to his teasing that he realized El''s goal. It wasn''t making Gideon fear Kaiden. Rather it was to push them together.


    What kind of weird-ass shipping method is this?

 Chapter 73 - 73

    When Amias left, it was only then Gideon glanced back at those letters that were on the table. It was quite hard to choose which one to open first. But he ultimately decided to open Kaiden''s letter first. The start was quite simple;


    "Happy Hearts Day Gideon. I''m sorry if I wasn''t able to send these in person since I wasn''t sure when I''m allowed to visit you. Especially when your mother actually glares at me when I visit Lady Kassandra for some things. I hope you like the chocolates and the magic stones. I got those stones from the previous trade in the eastern continent if you remember the documents you helped me with. Those magic stones are said to have different effects when you place them near your bed. The violet one helps with nightmares since I remember you having troubles with sleep. I''d like to ask if you wanna hang out sometime? Maybe today? or Tomorrow? just message me once you''ve read this. Take care always~ Yours Truly, Kaiden. P.S. If Amias did try to reach for this letter and got himself hurt, don''t feel guilty about it. I already told him earlier that he can''t open the package or else. "


    It was quite long and it seems like Kaiden really put his thoughts into compiling this gift. This made Gideon''s heart skip a little. There was another note that acted as a manual for the magic stones and it was clear as well as straight to the point with the colors being its guide and it shows what magical benefits they emit.


    "These are the same as those healing crystals back in my world..."


    Gideon put away everything and picked up the violet stone. He raised it up against the ceiling light and it shone brightly. It reminded him of Kaiden''s eyes and that alone was enough for him to blush again and place the stone back into the box. Right... there were the flowers that were sent by the king as well as a card that comes along with it.


    Gideon picked up the card and opened it.


    "Did you know that flowers have different meanings as well as their colors? At first, I found these little things bothersome but it was my love that showed me a whole new meaning to this cute hobby of hers"


    Luciel must have been talking about Gabriella here. In the original, she helped out with the gardens of the church she often volunteered in.


    "And since it is heart''s day, I thought I''d send you a bouquet to express my feelings to you. It ought to be best if you were the one who deciphered my message. Of course, this can still change but I have no guarantee when so I only say best of luck to you and to my son - Luciel"


    Upon glancing back at the flowers, Gideon couldn''t help but frown. At a glance, they look like a wonderful arrangement of flowers. They are truly beautiful to look at but his curiosity got the best of him and he searched up the meanings of each flower present in that bouquet.


    Pink Roses had three meanings: Gratitude, Grieving, and Congratulations.


    Orange Lilies meant Hatred, Pride, and Disdain.


    Yellow Carnations means Rejection and Disdain.


    If Gideon wasn''t mistaken Luciel just outright told him "I hate you". And with the added note of "Best of luck to you and to my son", it seems like Luciel knows about Kaiden''s feelings towards him. A frustrated Gideon messed up his own hair and let out a groan. Gideon rejected his son so why?


    "Ah, is it because I rejected Kaiden?" Gideon suddenly realized this but also thought that either way, Luciel would probably send this bouquet regardless of what he answered.


    Still, there were the "Gratitude" and "Congratulations" meanings, so it must mean Luciel was also thankful in a way that Gideon rejected Kaiden.


    Thinking back about Kaiden, his note said to send him a reply once he''s finished reading it. And that was what he did. He began typing a few words-


    "Kaiden, I read your letter..." is what he had written so far


    He shouldn''t think about Luciel''s taunts for now since Kaiden did tell him that he would protect him...


    Wait...


    ''WHY DO I FEEL RELIEVED THAT KAIDEN IS GOING TO PROTECT ME?!''


    "Ah!" Gideon accidentally sent his unfinished message to Kaiden.


    The phone suddenly vibrates and Gideon almost dropped his phone. He catches it and saw that Kaiden has responded to his unfinished message.


    Kaiden: It''s been a while since we last chatted but...


    Kaiden: Are you upset with the present? Did I go overboard?


    Argh! They''re having misunderstandings again due to Gideon''s stupidity


    Gideon: No No! I really liked your present, I wasn''t done typing when my hand suddenly slipped and it sent the message.


    Kaiden: Is that so? That''s a relief! I was about to apologize for it.


    Kaiden proceeded onto sending a laughing sticker as well as a nervous sticker. Gideon smiled since it was nice having to talk to someone like this casually.


    Gideon: Regarding your offer, we can hang out tomorrow if you''re free.


    Kaiden: Won''t your mother get upset?


    Gideon: not really since she''s still busy training her recruits. She''ll be home tonight but gone by tomorrow morning. You can pick a place and we can just meet up there.


    There was some pause with their interaction. It seemed like Kaiden was trying to decide where they should go. Well that was what Gideon assumed when in reality, Kaiden was trying to decide whether he should offer that he''ll pick up Gideon from his place.


    ''But wouldn''t that be too much? I need to build up his trust first again so that he''ll be comfortable around me and maybe even share the same feelings that I have one day''


    Kaiden blushed at the idea of Gideon confessing to him that he likes him too.


    "My heart can''t take this" Kaiden fanned shrank in shame as he drowned in his Gideon Fantasies.


    He was focused on imagining what Gideon would wear that time and what they would do. Maybe they would even intertwine their fingers as they hold hands and walk. Oh! such bliss~<3


    While Kaiden was busy with that, his phone actually vibrated and a notification showed up:


    Gideon: Are you busy rn? Just message me the address and the time. Thank you again for the gifts. I''ll make sure to get you something in return as well as thanks.


    The moment Kaiden was done with his imaginations, he remembered that he was actually talking to Gideon. He recovered himself and checked his phone. Fuck! he let himself get carried away with his daydreams. Well, it was nice to think about it but that won''t happen until he improves the current situation.


    ''Tomorrow... Where should they go?''


    The last time they went out, they went to the Southern Capital. Maybe they should go Further down south? However, that would mean they have to travel more and he wasn''t sure if Gideon would agree to that.


    He settled for an outing to the western region of the capital instead. Those parts are known for their beautiful mountain ranges as well as the Architecture of their buildings and Art in general. He''ll just ask Gideon in case they do stay overnight due to unforeseen events if he''s comfortable with that idea. Otherwise, he''d scratch the entire idea and just go for a stroll here in the capital.


    Thinking about this alone was hard and Amias was still not here. So it''s time to bother Azazel and ask about his opinion. Since it was sure as hell that Kassandra would not help him and maybe would even snitch this idea to Theodora. Damien had not been interested in talking to anyone. So the last resort would be Azazel. Yes, his father was out of the question.


    "Azazel! I have something to ask of you!" Kaiden barged into Azazel''s room without warning and the guy, who had been resting for some time after Luciel realized that he was overworking his buddy, woke up with a terrible expression.


    "What the fuck... What time is it? I thought Luciel said I can take a break until I''m fine"


    "Yeah he did, this is personal"


    Azazel shifted his face into his pillow but his whines could still be heard


    "Is this something about Gideon?"


    "Yes, I''d like to ask what should I do... Gideon agreed to go on a date with me"


    Silence befell the two and Azazel slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes.


    "I''m sorry what?"


    "Not exactly a date, but he agreed to hang out with me alone so... you can say it''s a date"


    Azazel had a complicated expression upon hearing this bullshit that Kaiden served him in the middle of his sleep. But he knew that Kaiden wouldn''t leave him alone until he gave a satisfactory answer.


    "What you should do is just ask Gideon what he wants"


    "I can''t cause I accidentally forgot to reply to him so he must have thought I already have something planned"


    "Isn''t Amias or Damien a better option for this?"


    "Amias is not here yet and Damien won''t talk to anyone unless it''s his soldiers"


    Azazel wanted to kick Kaiden out right now so badly.. But hearing about Damien''s situation made him wonder just what happened with those two that they''re acting like this? In the end, Azazel heard Kaiden''s initial plans and flushed those down the toilet, and suggested a whole new plan.

 Chapter 74 - 74

    Kaiden sent the time and location of their hangout rather late into the night. To the point, Gideon already thought that something had come up so their hangout would be moved to another date. Kaiden had messaged him to meet him by the town''s plaza at around 10 am which wasn''t such a bad idea in his opinion since this was the usual time they met up in the past.


    Theodora didn''t put up a fight... Well, she did.


    "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU''RE GOING TO HANG OUT WITH HIM?!"


    "It''ll only be for a short while!"


    "Even if it''s short, I''m not leaving you alone with him. I''ll take a leave of absence tomorrow so I can watch over you"


    "Mom please"


    "Gideon, I''m just worried"


    "I tell you for the last time that he will definitely not hurt me" Gideon thought about this but he knew Theodora still won''t feel at ease. Maybe it would be a good idea to tell her about the oath.


    The two sat down together and Gideon started the explanation. He intentionally left out some details and made some on the spot. Since it won''t make sense if he just mentions that Kaiden made a one-sided oath for nothing.


    "You''re telling me that the prince swore an oath to protect you and to never harm you because he thinks of you as his family?"


    Yeah, only he didn''t see Gideon as the brother like in the past but rather the wife-


    "Yeah, that''s the reason"


    "Is this the truth?"


    Gideon looked straight into Theodora''s bright red eyes and said "It is" but not all of it


    "Alright, I''ll allow you to meet up with him. But if he does mess up, I won''t hesitate to go up against him. Even if he''s more powerful than me."


    "That won''t happen"


    After that discussion, Theodora went to rest before leaving early in the morning the next day.


    Gideon had arrived a few minutes before the scheduled meet-up and checked his messages. The last message that Kaiden had sent to him was that he was already on his way. Gideon types that he was already there and will wait for the prince to arrive. All the while he received a message from Eliam.


    Eliam: I''m glad that the two of you had made up.


    Gideon had texted Eliam prior to this meeting that Kaiden and he had already made up. It was thanks to his advice that they did makeup after all. But what bothers him still was the fact Amias was trying to find out who he was.


    Gideon: By any chance do you know someone named Amias?


    Eliam: Do you mean the Demon Noble? Lord Amias? Yes, I know of him since he is our world''s Demon Noble.


    Gideon thought it was a stupid question since almost everyone knew of the Demon Nobles. Some knew them by name rather than face since it was not always that they showed their face to the public.


    Gideon: I see


    Eliam: Wait, by any chance are you in the town''s plaza?


    Gideon was surprised by the sudden question since he didn''t mention to Eliam the location of the meet-up with Kaiden. Was he nearby?


    Gideon: Yes. Why?


    "I knew it was you" A voice suddenly spoke behind Gideon and it surprised him to the point he almost dropped his phone.


    "Oh Gosh! You surprised me" Gideon turned around and saw Eliam with a surprised face and his hands up.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to. It was also a pleasant surprise to see you here" Eliam spoke in a sad tone as if he was whimpering and Gideon shook his head.


    "No no, it''s alright. It''s also a nice surprise to see you here" Gideon smiled at him to reassure things.


    "I''ll take it that you''re meeting with the pri-" Eliam''s question was cut off by Gideon''s hand blocking his face.


    "Shh! You shouldn''t openly say that here in public"


    Eliam blinked in surprise since it was the first time that someone was bold enough to cut off his words.


    "Yes, I''m meeting with my friend here. Refer to him as my friend ok?" Gideon continued to explain and Eliam smiled. Because of his smile, Gideon realized that he had still been covering his mouth and that''s why Eliam had not responded.


    "Ah! I''m sorry"


    "No it''s alright" Eliam laughed and looked to the side. He knew that Kaiden had already arrived here for a while now and was just looking at him attentively.


    "Do you know who that is?" Eliam pretended to be fooled by the spell that Kaiden had over himself. He pointed in Kaiden''s Direction which made the prince surprised that he got noticed.


    "Who?" Gideon followed where he was pointing and saw Kaiden looking at him.


    "Oh! It''s him" He waved at Kaiden and signaled for him to come closer.


    Kaiden obediently followed Gideon''s guide and when he was close enough he got a good look at this person who was talking to Gideon for a while now. It bothered him because it seems like the two of them were close.


    ''Even more closer than me and Deon were...''


    It seems like he found another rival to Gideon''s affection. Gideon on the other hand did not know what to call Kaiden in front of Eliam. Even though he knew Eliam was aware that he and the prince were friends, he was still unsure what Kaiden would feel about the situation.


    "This is the friend I was meeting up with... Kai... This is my friend Eliam"


    Gideon awkwardly used the childhood nickname that he once called Kaiden. Even Kaiden was surprised by the sudden use of this nickname since he could have sworn that Gideon wouldn''t call him that anymore. It''s annoying that it was used as a cover-up but it was still nice to hear it from Gideon.


    "Nice to meet you, I''m Eliam" Eliam put out his hand and waited for Kaiden to take it.


    "Likewise, I''m Kai. I thought it was just us meeting up?" Kaiden glanced at Gideon as if he was the culprit and Gideon furrowed his eyebrows.


    "What? that is the plan"


    Eliam laughed a little as he watched the two who were in front of him. Though it seemed rude, he just couldn''t help but be amused.


    "Please don''t misunderstand, I just bumped into my good friend Deon here"


    Kaiden felt like something inside him cracked a little when he heard this Eliam guy call Gideon by that nickname. Was this the guy Amias was warning him about?


    "Ah?" Gideon was surprised by the use of that nickname. He didn''t really expect it to come from Eliam but I guess that was the nickname you would get from his name. He would really dislike it if someone called him "Gid".


    "Is that so? Since you two are close friends, I want to get to know you sir Eliam. Would you like to join us?" Kaiden smiles at him.


    "Wouldn''t I be imposing on your planned date"


    "It''s not a date" Gideon suddenly butts into the conversation that these two were having.


    Although Kaiden was aware of that, he couldn''t help but feel rejected again.


    "Yes, it''s not a date, that''s why you can join us. We''ll be having lunch anyways. Come join us, I insist" Kaiden firmly says the last part with a smile that almost sounded like a threat rather than an invitation.


    The corners of Eliam''s lips raised into a smile and he nodded.


    "I suppose it would be rude if I continue to refuse your offer. And besides that, I had nothing to do anyway... it might be fun to tag along"


    It seems like Gideon right now was air to these two men. He didn''t really expect that Eliam would tag along with them. Should he be happy or disappointed? The three of them walked together but Kaiden pulled him to the side and placed himself in between him and Eliam. He was about to make a fuss about it but Kaiden''s hands were warm and it kind of made Gideon blush that they were holding hands that he didn''t notice that Kaiden was glaring at Eliam while the latter continued to smile. Their situation looked very strange to the public''s view.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, the receptionist asked for their reservations. Kaiden leaned in and whispered something and the receptionist''s expression went from suspicion to surprise to a smile


    "I see, Mister Lux. You originally had a reservation for two but you wish to change it to a table for three. It just so happened we have a free table, I''ll take you there"


    "Wow... How lucky that there was a free table" Eliam suddenly spoke out loud and the receptionist laughed.


    "Yes yes... who would have known"


    Gideon knew that Kaiden had this reserved under his actual name and that''s why they were able to get a table this quickly.. Something told him that this lunch was not going to be a peaceful one.

 Chapter 75 - 75

    "Is that your full name? Kai Lux?" Eliam flipped through the menu as he asked this question. He wanted to tease these two since he knows that it''ll only bring them closer at a faster pace. Even if it means that they''ll suffer a little bit.


    "It is" Kaiden was supposed to sit in front of Gideon but he didn''t want this guy to be next to him. And so, he''ll just bear with the idea that Gideon is facing Eliam.


    "That''s interesting to hear"


    "What''s interesting about it?" Gideon got curious regarding this because it looked like Eliam was having fun with his thoughts. Kaiden was not as interested to talk about himself so he drank the water that the waiters provided him.


    "Hmm..." Eliam held his chin to think about it before explaining it "Well it sounds similar to our Prince''s name. Kaiden Lux Ferre"


    A choking noise could be heard and Kaiden covered his mouth to cough a little bit. Thankfully it was only a little bit of water or else he would have made a fool out of himself just now.


    "I-Is that so?" Kaiden asks and Gideon beside him starts patting his back to soothe his breathing.


    "Are you alright?" Gideon was worried and Kaiden nodded his head to indicate that he was.


    "Were my thoughts that surprising to hear?"


    "Hah... no, I just got surprised because someone like me shouldn''t be compared to the prince"  Kaiden smiles at Gideon and whispers a thank you for his care.


    "What''s so wrong with that? Isn''t being a prince a nice thing? You''d have power and fame. A lot of people dream of becoming one... don''t you share the same thoughts?"


    Gideon thought that Eliam wasn''t wrong. A lot of people, especially children, would dream of becoming a prince or a princess. But Gideon saw how busy Kaiden can get and that''s why he knew that being one had a lot of responsibility. And for an introvert such as himself, Royalty isn''t something he wants.


    Kaiden was already the prince. So Gideon wondered what Kaiden would answer regarding this question.


    "I don''t" Kaiden answers.


    "Oh? Why?" Eliam leans onto the table with a surprised expression. It seems like this wasn''t the answer that he had been expecting.


    "Even if you had power and fame, it would be a harsh and lonely path. You won''t know who you can trust since everyone just wants to use you. And you won''t know if someone is genuinely nice towards you. There''s always doubt for hidden agendas here and there"


    Gideon was speechless. Kaiden had once told him that it was nice that nobody was pretending to be nice. At first, Gideon thought he knew everything about it but hearing this other answer made it clearer as to why Kaiden was happy that day to say that he knew Gideon won''t pretend.


    ''How could you have been so sure that I''m not pretending to be nice to you back then?'' Gideon looked down at his hands and felt like his heart skipped a beat. Who would have so much faith in him like that?


    "The way you speak sounds like you experienced it first hand" Eliam continued to probe the topic but he already got the outcome he wanted just by doing a quick glance at Gideon.


    "Haha. I''ve seen enough of the prince during his public appearances to guess that much. But enough of me, I invited you here to ask some questions myself"


    "Go ahead"


    "How did you meet Gideon?"


    Gideon suddenly snapped back to reality as soon as he heard his name get involved in that question. He could have answered it but when he looked at Eliam, he smiled at him as if he was saying "Don''t worry I''ll answer it"


    "I met him back when he was recuperating after the incident in the Palace"


    "How come I didn''t see you during the event" Kaiden was suspicious of this guy and his reasoning as to why he got close to Gideon.


    "Because I didn''t attend. I only came afterward to check up on some people that did attend"


    Gideon thought Eliam was a staff in the wing. He wanted to ask about it but he felt as if there was someone telling him "Just go along with it". Was it Eliam telling him this?


    "Who were those?" Kaiden asks and Eliam glanced at his phone. He spent way too much time here that he''s missing out on some things he needed to do. But knowing this kid, he won''t be able to leave without giving an answer.


    "Aleia Thompson. She was a friend of someone I used to take care of. He wanted me to check up on her but sadly I found out that she had passed" Eliam explained to Kaiden. Kaiden was familiar with that name. That was the girl he danced with and the reason why he argued with Gideon in the first place.


    "Yeah, and when I was on my way back I heard some nurses talking about Gideon here. I wasn''t sure why they were acting the way they were and they thought I was a staff there and asked me to bring him water since he would wake up anytime soon"


    Gideon remembered that the staff there was actually like that towards him. Then Eliam must have been telling the truth. But what was that feeling just now? It was strange.


    "And I suppose that''s how we ended up as friends? Am I right Deon?" Eliam suddenly placed the spotlight on Gideon and Gideon nodded since most of it was the truth anyway.


    "Yes, that''s right"


    Kaiden was still not satisfied with this. Especially when this guy had the balls to call Gideon "Deon" again. But before he could ask any more questions, Eliam placed down the menu and gave a sad smile.


    "I''m terribly sorry but I have to take my leave. I would have stayed here to chat more but I have to be somewhere else. Thank you for the talk. Deon, Kaiden- Oh I mean Kai" Eliam corrected the last part since he still had to go along with this, and Kaiden''s eye twitched and nodded.


    "Take care Eliam"


    "I''ll just message you again" Eliam tells Gideon before taking his leave.


    Now that the two of them were finally alone, Kaiden turned to Gideon.


    "He''s really suspicious, Gideon..."


    "Oh come on. You saw that he''s not bad"


    "I''m sorry but something about him just rubs me the wrong way"


    "Kaiden... It''s bad to judge someone you just met"


    "So we''re back to full names now?" Kaiden smiled at Gideon


    A blush suddenly appeared on Gideon''s cheek and he lightly smacked Kaiden''s arm.


    "Don''t change the subject"


    "haha... I suppose you''re right. But if he does something funny, don''t hesitate to tell me ok?" Kaiden lowered his head a little bit to look pitiful in front of Gideon. And it seems to have worked since Gideon turned to the side and pouted while saying "Fine"


    "We''ve been talking here for so long and yet we haven''t ordered anything... Is there anything you want?" Kaiden asks him and Gideon realizes this. He felt embarrassed that they hogged up a table for so long without ordering anything. And besides that, one look at the menu he didn''t want to order anything expensive.


    "Can we eat somewhere else?" Gideon sheepishly asks Kaiden while hiding behind the menu.


    Kaiden frowned. He asked Azazel where was the best place to eat and the guy recommended this place. Perhaps when he gets back, he''ll have a long discussion with Azazel on how he nearly fucked up.


    .


    .


    "Why do I feel like someone is talking shit about me again" Azazel suddenly muttered and Kassandra ignored him.


    .


    .


    "Where do you want to go?" Kaiden asks Gideon.


    The two of them already left the restaurant and the manager of the place approached them first and asked if none of the food was to their liking. Kaiden was the one who answered that it was not that but rather he wasn''t hungry. The manager did not stop them and let them leave. It was still better to let the prince do what he wanted than to anger him.


    "Can we just eat some Mcbee?" Gideon asks him and Kaiden hasn''t heard that name in a while. The last time he ate that was when they were kids.


    They would have that when they did well on their exams and Valerie would even buy them extra nuggets if they didn''t get into fights.


    "Sure why not" Kaiden and Gideon walked together to go to the nearest branch and thankfully it wasn''t that full.


    "By the way... Did you put another spell on you like last time?"


    Kaiden was looking around the place. It changed significantly over the years from childish to a modern sleek look.


    "Yeah. It''s a little different since I didn''t exactly change anything with my look. Just how the people I don''t want to see me would perceive me" A look at the menu made Kaiden frown since some of the things he ate in the past were no longer there.


    "I see.. Anyways, let''s order. I''m starving!"

 Chapter 76 - 76

    The two of them ended up ordering cheeseburgers and chicken nuggets. It was strange for Kaiden to be eating these again especially when he usually ate meals that seemed to have come from a 5-star restaurant. It was like a refresh of his childhood memories. Although the cheese on the burger tastes a little bit funky, it somehow works?


    Noticing the complex expression on Kaiden''s face, Gideon coughed to catch his attention. It seemed to have worked since Kaiden looked up at him and asked him if he was alright.


    "Rather than me... You look like you ate something terrible. I mean back then we used to eat this but your taste changed over time did it not?" Gideon felt a little bit guilty since it was he who wanted to eat here. It was one of the foods he''s comfortable with since he won''t feel that guilty to eat as much as he wants to.


    A chuckle could be heard and when Gideon looked back at Kaiden, the prince had been laughing.


    "Yeah, it''s been a while since I ate these but I don''t find them disgusting. I just remembered it tasting differently in the past" Kaiden explains as he takes another bite to look like he was proving a point that he did not find the meal unappetizing.


    "O-oh! Yeah, I think it''s the cheese" Gideon wiped off his mouth with a piece of tissue to hide his embarrassment of assuming things once again.


    "I knew I wasn''t imagining it" Kaiden mumbles as he moves the cheese away and takes a bite into the burger. But after doing so, it seems like he regretted doing that and tore off the cheese and still ate it.


    "What the hell... It tasted better with the weird cheese" Kaiden frowned and Gideon laughed a little because he looked like a little kid throwing a temper tantrum over something so little.


    "What''s so funny?"


    "You" Gideon honestly answers and Kaiden was surprised by this. Well, it wasn''t all that bad. If he gets to see Gideon smile and laugh freely, then he''d be willing to be a fool for him.


    "As punishment for laughing at me, I''ll steal your chicken nuggets" Kaiden grabbed the box of nuggets and the sauce. Gideon helplessly watched and whined a little about it.


    "Give it back"


    "No, you seem to be enjoying this more than my company" Kaiden stubbornly says as he takes one and dips it into the sauce that Gideon had been using.


    "Careful that''s-" Gideon tried to warn Kaiden but the prince had already taken a bite. In an instant, he pursed his lips and scrunched up his nose a little. "Spicy..." Gideon sighed and pushed Kaiden''s cola. urging him to drink.


    The prince downed that cup and let out a heavy breath.


    "H-How could you eat something like that?"


    "I can handle my spices. I never knew that the guy in front of me couldn''t" Perhaps it was thanks to Gideon''s past life as well that he still had an attachment to spicy meals. It''s one of the many things he bonded over with his sibling.


    "I can handle my spices, I just accidentally got a chili in the sauce"


    Gideon nodded along and stole his nuggets back to eat. Seems like he just traumatized the prince with his chicken nuggets sauce choices.


    .


    .


    The two of them left the joint and Kaiden no longer wanted to go through with the plan he came up with Azazel. He just walked with Gideon up until they got to an Arcade. All things considered, he was still a young man at heart who had to grow up fast. Gideon had been the same but he was now given a chance to cherish his youth once more.


    "Want to go in?" Gideon asks Kaiden and Kaiden looks away. It seems like he was embarrassed that he got caught looking in an Arcade where kids and teens would play.


    "It''s for children..."


    "Who said that? If you want to go there, then let''s go" Gideon now took the initiative to grab his wrist and pull him into the Arcade''s direction.


    This was Gideon''s chance to make it back to Kaiden by showing him a good time. He didn''t even let the guy pull out his wallet and already paid for a pack of tokens. He split the tokens between the both of them.


    "Gideon, I think this is embarrassing" Kaiden says with a light tint on his cheeks since he didn''t expect Gideon to be like this.


    "What''s so embarrassing about having fun? Tell me which one you want to try out? I haven''t played in these places since high school" Gideon looked around with a glint of excitement in his eyes. For Kaiden, he couldn''t tell which one of them was the excited one.


    They went to try playing hoops to earn tickets and Kaiden won more tickets due to his height advantage. He could have sworn he heard Gideon mutter "I swear, I''ll cut down your damn legs you walking tree". Next, they played this shooting game, and once again, Kaiden outperformed him. He would have been able to go to the next level if he did not throw the game upon realizing that Gideon had long died.


    Kaiden explains that he had training and he didn''t mean to make Gideon feel upset in any way. But Gideon wasn''t going to give up, he had to show that he''s not mediocre. The next thing he dragged Kaiden into was a Karaoke booth. If anything, he knew that he sang decently according to his batchmates back when they would do karaoke.


    "uh..." Kaiden scratched his head.


    He didn''t expect Gideon to have a competitive side. He was amused but right now he was faced with a difficult situation. Kaiden didn''t know how to sing. He knew the tones and would hum along but he never sang in front of anyone. You can say that this is his weakness.


    "You can pick any song" He already had some songs in mind and was prepared to go all out.


    "Can you go first?" Kaiden asks him and Gideon shakes his head.


    "No, I want you to go first. I haven''t heard you since and I''m curious" Gideon hands Kaiden the list of songs and its codes for the machine.


    Kaiden knew he wasn''t going to be able to get out of this. And thus he went with this one song he heard a few times.


    "A winter''s story?" Gideon was surprised by the song choice and Kaiden breathed in and began to sing. It wasn''t terrible, you could actually say that he was a decent singer. His voice was a little shaky in some parts but it was still good.


    Kaiden wouldn''t do this just for anyone. He specifically chose this song because it conveyed how he felt towards Gideon. Maybe that''s why he was able to sing. When the song ended, the two of them stared for a while until the machine suddenly made a cheering noise and showed the number 87 on the screen.


    "Oh wow... You did great Kaiden" Gideon congratulated him while clapping his hands. Kaiden handed him the mic.


    "Thanks, now you sing"


    Gideon inputted his song. It was a song called Seasonal Road. He breathed in and started to sing. What Kaiden did not expect was that the moment Gideon started to sing, he would be pulled into his song. He could vividly imagine the scenery of the lyrics and could even feel the emotions that Gideon was conveying.


    It was a song of loss and longing to return somewhere or someone. Kaiden couldn''t help but be moved. He wanted to hug Gideon and ask him why he would sing such a sad song. But you can''t even tell it was a sad song with how he was singing. When the song ended, silence fell in the booth until the machine gave Gideon a score of 95.


    "wow..." Kaiden could only muster those words and Gideon placed down the microphone.


    "What did you think?"


    "Why were you singing such a sad song?"


    "Ah... was it really sad?" Gideon wondered, he knew that some parts of it were sad but it wasn''t entirely sad. The singer longed to reach something or someone and Gideon felt something similar when he thought about his life. All he wants is that those people around him would be happy and that way he would be happy as well.


    "But it was beautiful. I felt as if I was listening to a story rather than a song. I honestly think that the machine is broken because you should have scored higher"


    Gideon laughed and excited the booth first without looking back. Kaiden followed after him and he noticed that Gideon was blushing.


    "Do you like getting complimented?"


    "W-what?!" Gideon looked back and the moment he did he was surprised that Kaiden''s face was so close that he backed up immediately.


    "I asked if you like getting complimented" Kaiden repeated his question.


    "I mean... anyone would like to hear nice words from time to time" Gideon fixed his composure and checked how many tokens he had left.


    "I still have a few more tokens. Do you want to spend it on the claw machine?" Gideon decided to change the topic and Kaiden agreed.


    The first few attempts were terrible to the point they were now using Kaiden''s remaining tokens as well. But on his last attempt, suddenly by a miraculous stroke of luck, Gideon managed to get the Shiba Inu plushie. He beamed in excitement and coughed when he realized he was acting immaturely. The day ended with Kaiden taking him home and taking a certain secret to his grave.. That secret being, it was Kaiden''s doing that Gideon won the plushie.

 Chapter 78 - 77

    warning: triggering topics such as torture, suicidal thoughts, insanity, and cannibalism are mentioned in this chapter. Please skip this chapter if you feel uncomfortable reading such topics. Feel free to skip to Chapter 79 (Will be updated tomorrow) since this is a two-part chapter.


    -YOHANN''S POV-


    Everything felt like a dream just now. Like none of it existed. And that I was still stuck in that god-forsaken place. What exactly did I do to receive this kind of punishment? Tell me exactly what it was El. Why did you abandon us?


    "He''s showing some side effects to the potions"


    A voice echoed in my head. Whenever I hear it, another follows.


    "Just as long as he doesn''t die, continue with the experiment" said the other.


    I hated that voice. Sometimes that voice would pretend to care about me. But the next moment he''d be screaming at me blaming me for everything.


    "YOU DEMONS TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM US! YOU CORRUPTED THIS WORLD" said that voice.


    It was painful. Their experiments. It was very painful.


    They made me kill my own kind. They also made me kill innocent people. Even the children, no one was excluded. Whenever I try to end my own life to stop this suffering, they come back and patch me up.


    "Now now Yohann... Your sister and friends would be upset if they found out that you did those things"


    "Lord Matthew, please don''t touch something so dirty"


    "Rapeh, this much is alright. I can''t have him die"


    Right... My name was Yohann.


    The reason why I ended up here is that I held back a horde of those monsters. Just enough for Amias to be able to escape. Otherwise, he''d be also here, or perhaps he''d be dead. Amias was a kind soul but he''s not as strong as me. I knew that and that''s why I stayed behind. Because I knew Amias would try to get help but it seems like the others already gave up on me.


    Don''t worry Amias, I know you tried. You looked so devastated when I forced you out of that place. I''m sure they were concerned for your well-being. I just hope that my sister would understand and won''t be too hard on him.


    "I want to try something on him"


    When Matthew said this, I knew it wasn''t anything good. I squirmed away in this tiny prison cage but I could only go so far. I''m still within his grasp. Matthew noticed this and it made him feel amused.


    "Yohann! you''re still responsive. I thought after feeding you all those sinners would make you turn into my pets" Matthew crouched in front of me.


    The mush he had been feeding me. They were the corpses of the people I killed.


    "Please kill me" I managed to stutter out.


    How was I even able to speak in the first place? I''m this deformed creature now...


    "Hah... In your dreams. Right now you''re my prized possession. It''s because of you I managed to learn more ways of making more sinners like you into something more useful" It''s funny how all of Matthew''s words sound convincing. Am I that insane now? That I''d believe this scum''s words?


    "What about humans then?"


    "The moment you vermin crawled the earth, you corrupted them. But now they''re able to be reborn into a new form free of your filth"


    "The Half angels..." I wonder how he treats them. They may be half-human but they''re still half-angels.


    Matthew leaned in closer to the case and in a soft whisper he said:


    "An abomination that should never exist"


    The way he said these words with ease. It makes one''s skin crawl. And the fact he even uses half-angels as servants with the promise of a bright future. Only for that future to be a fake and they either turn into food or they turn into monsters like me. He was turning me into a monster under his control. He is the true monster between the two of us.


    Thinking about it, back then you weren''t like this. What exactly changed?


    "Enough talking. We have work to do" Matthew stood up and motioned for something.


    A servant walked towards him carrying a bunch of knives and a bunch of half-demon children. My eyes widened in shock. No matter how many times I''ve seen them, I still cannot fathom how Matthew is able to do such a thing towards innocent little children.


    "We''ll be playing a game since these kids managed to fool one of my servants in order to escape. But alas, their attempt was futile" Matthew grabbed the chain that was connected to the metal collar around my neck. I was like a dog.


    He locked it on the ground and added a spell to prevent it from breaking. Afterward, he walked up to my cage and opened the door.


    "Don''t try any funny business again. I''ll set off that collar and make you writhe in pain for the next few days"


    A shiver crawled down my spine. This damn collar had multiple layers of spells. One was to prevent me from using my powers. Another spell was to add pressure to my body. It''s a burning sensation that makes me want to claw myself in order to relieve the pain. But the last spell was to prevent me from hurting myself. I can hurt others but if I tried it on Matthew or his servants, they would activate the second spell.


    "Ok back to our game. Each child here will get a knife. The goal of the game is to be able to present to me his anatomy" Matthew pointed at me. What did he mean by this? Is this it? Am I finally going to be able to die?


    "But the catch is.." Matthew approached me and kicked me in the stomach. I fell on the floor and shook a little from the sudden kick. He may have broken one of my ribs.


    Matthew called for another servant of his and that servant saddled on top of me and held the collar. They added a new spell and Matthew looked amused. The servant got off and said that they were done.


    "Very good" He patted the servant''s head and told them to go look for Ari to get a reward. The servant rushed out happily. Matthew''s expression turned dull as he approached me. He had a knife in his hand and he swung down.


    Pain.


    He just chopped off my fingers in one swift move.


    I screamed in pain and I wanted to bring my hand close to me but Matthew grabbed my wrist and showed it to the kids.


    "Look closely"


    I felt something cold and slowly my hands recovered. In just a few moments, my fingers were back as if nothing happened. If it weren''t for the decapitated fingers on the floor nearby, I would have thought I was hallucinating again.


    So this is what he meant by "Present to me his anatomy"

 Chapter 79 - 78

    warning: triggering topics such as torture, body horror, gore, suicidal thoughts, insanity, and cannibalism are mentioned in this chapter. Please skip this chapter if you feel uncomfortable reading such topics. Feel free to skip to Chapter 79 (will be updated tomorrow) since this is a two-part chapter.


    "He will heal himself. So you have to be quick. And I recommend leaving his head for last, because... of course if you take out his head then he''ll be dead. That is... unless you take his head apart piece by piece." Matthew let go of my hand and stood up.


    "The person who will be able to do that can escape. I swear an oath that I won''t interfere in their escape" As he said that, there was a sudden gush of pressure that blew us as if there was wind in this dungeon. He swore an oath. At least one of these kids will be safe if I let them kill me.


    Matthew may have seen my expression and he smiled as well.


    "But the thing is, will you stay sane enough to hold on to that wish? I''ll just add that this mister can kill you as well. I''ll come back tomorrow, I better see his corpse laid out here" Matthew walked away and sealed the door on his way out.


    The children stared at me with horror and I wanted to comfort them. As soon as I raised my hand, they flinched and held the knife against me.


    "I won''t hurt you. I''d do it myself but I can''t hurt myself. I want you guys to escape since I know I have no hope" I approached the children and held the knife that was pointed at me. If I apply pressure, it''ll start to hurt and the third spell will activate. It''ll make the knife fly away and it could hurt one of the kids.


    "B-but!"


    "You know me right?" I asked the children and they looked at each other. Only one of them raised their hand.


    "What''s my name?"


    "You''re Lord Yohann right?"


    "That''s right. I''m sure you''ve heard the things I''ve accomplished with my friends"


    The child nodded and started to cry. The other children were taken aback to know my identity. It seems that I may have made their hopes of escaping diminish by saying that I was one of the demon nobles. A demon noble and yet is powerless against Matthew. Pathetic.


    "But Matthew swore an oath that he won''t hurt you if you try to escape once you''re done. So please, just do this"


    The children began dissecting me. I held in my screams or I''d bite on one of the dirty clothes that were provided to me. They tried their best but they aren''t as swift as Matthew. I could feel everything and it was close to that burning sensation of the second spell on this damn collar.


    "P-please do it faster" I don''t know how long I''ll be able to hold out if they keep this pace. They only had my hands and forearm. They needed to get my shoulders and my feet.


    Slice


    Slice


    "HGNN!" I was shaking in pain. I feel like I was going into a seizure at this rate.


    The children were crying as they did this and apologized for hurting me. I tried to smile and tell them it was alright since their safety is what matters more to me. They continued with their sloppy work.


    ''will you stay sane enough to hold on to that wish?''


    I will try. I need to. They''re too young. I''m willing to be the guinea pig. They need to-


    Slice


    Slice


    "ARGH!" I cried as they sliced off the tendons in my leg.


    It hurts so much. I want to die.


    Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Just kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. Please kill me. It hurts so bad. It really hurts.


    It-


    This time it was a stab. It seems like they already got used to slicing me into pieces that they''re going for the kill and went straight at my chest. I grabbed the child who was on top of me but I couldn''t push him off since I needed to stay strong.


    "He''s healing much faster now!" Another child said and now I realized why it started to hurt more than it did at first. This was cruel torture Matthew, I''ll hand it to you.


    "What are we supposed to do" another one asked and the child on top of me looked me dead in the eyes and said;


    "Then we have to work faster. Please bear with it sir" The child emotionlessly told me and stabbed me once again.


    They became more brutal and it hurts even more. Are they even dissecting me or are they just intentionally torturing me?


    "P-ple-" My neck got stabbed and sliced.


    "I got his throat"


    I made a gurgling noise as I choked in blood. What happened to those children from earlier who were crying and apologizing?


    To be fair I asked for this.


    This went on for a couple more minutes? hours? What was the concept of time?


    I just know that I heard something snap.


    .


    .


    Matthew returned to the dungeon the very next day as promised. It seems like the sight of the situation made him really happy because he grinned.


    "I told you that you won''t be able to hold on to that wish"


    Matthew approached the emotionless Yohann. It seems like he''s dead inside. He wasn''t responding and the light in his eyes was no longer there as he stared at the mutilated corpses of the children.


    "Good boy Yohann. I suppose you''re hungry from all of that hard work. Go ahead, eat them. That''s your reward"


    Yohann crawled towards that pile and as he ate, Matthew did his usual routine of experimenting with spells to make Yohann into a monster like the rest.


    "Just continue working hard and I''ll continue to treat you" Matthew patted Yohann''s head and Yohann stared at him and nuzzled towards the warm hand.


    "Yohann"


    .


    .


    "Yohann! Are you alright?" Kassandra shook her little brother awake. He had been groaning as if he was in pain and was crying.


    Yohann opened his eyes. He was no longer in a small, dark, and bloody dungeon. He was in a wide and bright bedroom that was familiar to him.


    He was no longer on the cold floor. He was instead on a comfortable bed.


    He was no longer alone, his sister was right in front of him worried.


    Yohann cried, he wanted to say how grateful he was to be able to be here once more. He was thankful that he got out of that nightmare.


    -END OF YOHANN''S POV-

 Chapter 80 - 79

    "So how did the date go?" Alexander whom Gideon had not seen for a while decided to drop by.


    It was a pleasant surprise since the last time he saw him was when he drove him home. He felt a little guilty because he had been using Alexander as a private service shuttle when he could have just driven using the family car.


    "It wasn''t a date!" Gideon placed down his plate. The two of them had been eating some light snacks that he prepared in a rush.


    "I mean you just told me that the prince confessed to you and you agreed to "hang out" just the two of you. Hell I''m even surprised that Ms. Theo allowed you to go out with him"


    The flow of events dawned upon Gideon who had been having a lot of fun lately around Kaiden. Even the bold confessions and flirting that Kaiden had been doing were getting to him. He really had no idea what dating is to the point he wasn''t aware until Alex here pointed it out several times.


    "We have done this several times in the past already. It doesn''t mean anything..." Gideon tried to refute Alexander but the guy raised an eyebrow.


    "You have gone on a date with his highness in the past as well? and not only that but several times?"


    "We''re not dating!"


    "I pity his highness suddenly" Alexander side commented and Gideon couldn''t have helped it and made a weird expression.


    "Just whose side are you on?"


    "Well I can''t exactly answer that since I''ll hurt both of your feelings" Alexander answered truthfully and Gideon sank in his seat.


    Yeah, he''d be charged with treason if he openly declared that he was against the prince. He already did that once in the past but the king overlooked it because he had no interest in me.


    But it was a little different now since Kaiden was now actively putting everything off because of Gideon. To the point, Luciel got intrigued. What was special about an old friend from a shabby orphanage.


    "But don''t you have some feelings for his highness? I mean if you really disliked him then you could have just refused these things"


    Alex had a point. Kaiden did also mention that he could reject his advances and draw a line between them that they are nothing more than friends. But it was also Gideon who allowed Kaiden to step over that line from time to time.


    Did he have such feelings for him?


    Seeing Gideon was taken aback and was now heavily brooding, Alexander sighed.


    ''These kids... ''


    "I-if I did..." Gideon started to speak and Alexander was surprised at what he was looking at.


    Gideon had his eyebrows furrowed together as if he was deep in thought, maybe even confused, with a blush spread out on his face as he averted his gaze to the side. He was stuttering his words as if he was nervous.


    "If I did develop a little... feeling...h-how could I be sure it''s that?"


    ''Oh. My. Gosh...


    GIDEON IS SUCH A CLUELESS IDIOT''


    Alexander was a little frustrated at how his friend was lost with his feelings. He couldn''t help but while mentally on how Gideon literally grew up with one of the most known lovers in the army. Those two were well known to the soldiers with how sticky everyone would feel just by looking at them gushing about how they love each other from their hair strands to their toenails.


    He had to chant that he shouldn''t disrespect the dead inside his head just now and apologized over and over to Stephen.


    ''I''ll pay respects to you Sir Stephen''


    Alexander coughed a little and took a deep breath.


    "Well... Hmm..." he thought about it for a little while "When you see him, how do you feel?"


    "Normal?" Gideon answers and Alexander facepalms himself.


    "Is it wrong? Am I supposed to feel something?" Gideon panicked seeing Alexander suddenly facepalm himself.


    "No no, my question was too vague. Um... when you don''t see him, how do you feel?"


    "When I don''t see him?" Gideon repeated the question and Alexander looked up at him and nodded.


    "Well, I don''t see him all the time anyway since he is the prince but..."


    "But?"


    "Sometimes I miss him?"


    It seems like Gideon does have some sort of feelings but it''s not all there yet.


    "When you two went on a da-" Alexander saw Gideon''s expression and immediately changed his words "went out, did anything in particular happen? I mean you won''t beat yourself up if there wasn''t. Do you mind telling me what you two did?"


    Gideon spoke about the events of the date. From the surprise meeting with Eliam to the Karaoke and to the trip home. He didn''t explain everything in detail since it would be too much. Just where they ate, if they talked, and what they did. No more than that.


    "You said that the prince said something and it made your chest hurt?"


    "Ah yeah"


    "Hurt how? Did he say something terrible?"


    "Not really- I just remembered something he said to me in the past as well about me. It wasn''t bad but I felt like my heart stopped for a moment. Like there''s something tingly as well"


    "Have you felt like this in the past as well?"


    "I have... Is it something serious?" Gideon showed a horrified face and Alexander pursed his mouth to prevent himself from laughing. He took in a breath and asked again.


    "I can''t exactly say what it is unless you let me know what he said. Is it ok for you to share the details of at least one time where you experienced this tingly sensation?"


    "It was also from our hangout the other day..."


    "Oh, it wasn''t just one time that day?"


    "Let me finish!" Gideon scolded Alexander and he nodded as he showed an ok hand sign.


    "h-he" a blush crept up his face again as he recalled that moment when he finished singing.


    .


    .


    Gideon noticed that Kaiden had been staring at him and suddenly asked him why he sang a sad song. It was strange however, others won''t notice it was a sad song since Gideon would put emphasis on the happy parts of the song. And when others sang it, it was also the same feeling. But Kaiden noticed the sad part more. He was about to ask more about why Kaiden thought it was sad until:


    "But it was beautiful. I felt as if I was listening to a story rather than a song. I honestly think that the machine is broken because you should have scored higher"


    Those words made his heart stop again. And something was tingly. He was unfamiliar with this so he suddenly laughed it off and went out of the booth.


    He was going to calm himself for a quick second before retorting it with:


    "Haha I knew I was better at something"


    But


    "It was beautiful"


    Those words echoed in his head. Now his heart didn''t stop for a moment, instead, it started to beat faster.


    .


    .


    "It''s nothing serious, it''s..." should he say it directly? But if he did then Gideon will probably feel awkward since he just rejected Kaiden and suddenly he''s into him?


    "It''s?"


    Well, nothing good will come out of it if they continue to beat around the bush.


    "You''re developing some feelings for him."


    Oh...


    Gideon lowered his head and placed his hands together.


    ''I''m so fucking stupid''


    "G-Gideon?" Alexander was shocked by the sudden shift in the mood. Wasn''t it good that Gideon had feelings for the prince as well? Why is he like this then?!


    "Hmm?" Gideon didn''t raise his head.


    "Isn''t it good that the feeling is mutual?"


    "It''s not that Alex"


    "What is it then?"


    Gideon raised his head and he was crying. Alexander made a squeak and panicked even more.


    "Have I truly gone insane? Last time I just told him that I had no feelings whatsoever but now you tell me I do"


    Alexander coughed and corrected Gideon "I said you were developing feelings for him. There might be some now, yes but you should know that these things change from time to time. Sometimes you may like a person but over time those feelings would either get stronger or weaker. So in your case, it got stronger. There isn''t particularly any wrong with liking someone so you shouldn''t beat yourself up like this"


    "But how will I face Kaiden now?" and besides that, how was Kaiden able to show his face around Gideon without feeling embarrassed or flustered.


    "Just face him normally. Don''t you miss him from time to time?"


    Alexander was right, Gideon did miss Kaiden a little bit.


    "You don''t have to tell him that you like him anything immediately. Even if the feeling is mutual, it''s still bad to rush into these things. Just take your time and tell him once you''re ready" Alexander took the tissues from the table and handed them to Gideon as he patted his back to comfort him.


    "When will that be?" Gideon wiped away his tears using the tissue that Alexander handed him.


    "Nobody truly knows. It''ll just be a feeling" Alexander smiled at him and Gideon sniffled a little.


    "How do you know so much about these things?"


    "I- uh..." Alexander blushed a little bit before clearing his throat.


    "I actually have a person that I like myself. But I haven''t introduced them to my family so it''s not official yet"


    "I see... I hope things go well between the two of you though"


    "Yes thank you but! Going back to our topic, just continue spending time with the prince. You don''t have to do anything except be yourself"


    Alexander''s visits were always helpful to the clueless Gideon. He should really visit Mrs.. Lianna in the future to thank her for raising his good friend.

 Chapter 81 - 80

    It''s been a while since Arda was able to make a report back to Luciel. She had burned down several of their old bases after examining them. Several of which she discovered were stolen. It was annoying since it meant more work for them to discover who the mole is. But at the same time, it was amusing because it meant fun. She hasn''t gotten her hands dirty in almost two decades.


    "You know it''s getting annoying how you keep following me for the past few days" She calls out to the stranger that she sensed.


    But there was no answer. In fact, she felt that the presence itself disappeared. It was too suspicious and so she didn''t move and listened to her surroundings. Only the whistling of the wind to the leaves brushing against each other and the distant noises of cars could be heard.


    "You aren''t going to answer back?"


    There was still silence. Arda sighed and mumbled an apology out of the blue.


    "Luciel, I know I promised not to use my powers"


    She let out a breath and snapped her fingers. The lush green grass that she had been standing on slowly decayed along with the trees around her. Her brown eyes started to glow into a gold shade as she chanted an ancient spell. Suddenly a gush of fire burned around her, forming a circular pattern on the ground. She extended her hand and from her palm, a small fire took the form of a humanoid being.


    "M-My Sun!" The flame grew bright as it saw Arda.


    "Hello Anshul, have you and your siblings been well?" Arda brought the flame close to her and rubbed its face with her other hand.


    "Yes, but we all missed our goddess dearly... you never called for us"


    "Remember that I cannot summon you guys freely or else I''ll hurt myself" She showed a sad smile and the flame suddenly lowered its intensity and turned blue as if it was sad.


    "I know and we don''t wish that for you, My Sun"


    "Don''t be saddened Anshul... Go on, do the task I have assigned you"


    "With pleasure!" The Flame jumped down and it slithered around the forest.


    It caught some of the trees on fire but beyond that, it never burned any further as if there was a barrier preventing it from doing so. It was Arda''s doing, she knew Luciel would get angry at her for using her powers so she might as well replace the energy she used from her surroundings. Anshul was one of her early worshippers who became a part of her heart''s fire. As long as she is alive, they can act as independent demons and be summoned anytime. They live within her and so she does not have to speak much when it comes to ordering them upon summons because they are linked to her.


    The flame went back to her and hopped up and down like a child. Well... Anshul was indeed a little boy when he was dying and offered his soul for her disposal.


    "My sun, I sensed someone very strong here. It''s familiar but I can''t exactly point out who"


    "It''s alright, you have done your best. Go on, return to your siblings"


    "I will miss you, my sun!" Anshul dispersed into sparkles and the flame was no longer there.


    Arda''s eyes returned back to normal. It''s a pity that many of her flames were the souls of young children. And it was all because Matthew ordered the other humans to massacre her people for worshiping "the devil".


    She dialed Luciel''s number and made a temporary silencing array to keep anyone from hearing her report.


    Luciel picked up and the first thing he said was "speak".


    "I think Matthew had someone tail me. Most of the camps I''ve been to have been ransacked and it seems like they were slowly taking out important information to prevent suspicion"


    "How can you be sure about that?"


    "I had to use my abilities but don''t worry. I burned a small part of a forest to replace the amount I''ve used"


    There was a moment of silence before a heavy sigh could be heard from the other side.


    "Come back as soon as possible. I don''t want you doing anything reckless like this again"


    Arda frowned and gulped "Yes my king. My Apologies"


    "Apologize once you''re here" Luciel hung up on the call.


    Arda put away the cellphone and took down the array. She knew that she was at fault for doing something that reckless.


    While walking away from the area, she suddenly felt something. She stopped and a little flame showed up in front of her. Her gold eyes widened in surprise since it was the first time one of her flames forced itself to come out.


    "My Sun! My Sun! I''m sorry for showing up but Anshul forgot to mention something" This tiny flame was Aiden. It tried its best to remain small so it wouldn''t use too much of her powers.


    "What is it, Aiden?" Arda asks worryingly and the flame flies off in a direction.


    Arda ran after it and saw that there was a package left there that was hidden. Maybe that''s why Anshul did not notice it at first.


    "This! I don''t sense anything bad from it but I sense someone strong left it here"


    "I see, you did a good job Aiden. Tell Anshul that it''s ok, your brother might be crying and I don''t want that"


    "Thank you My Sun! I will continue doing my best!" Aiden flew into Arda as if it was going for a hug. Arda opened her arms to welcome the flame and the flame dispersed as well into sparkles.


    With those children safely away, she took a look at the box and saw that there were several of the missing files from their camp within it. And on top, there was a note.


    "I apologize for not being able to show my face. I intended to give this to you directly but I felt like it was not the time yet. So instead I leave this here along with a small gift as an apology since I know you used your powers to find me."


    Just touching the note was enough for Arda to know who left the note and she couldn''t help but grit her teeth. But along with that touch, she felt a pleasant cold power stream into her as if it was making up for the lost life force from earlier. She couldn''t help but scoff.


    "How long do you intend to play this game, El?" Arda took the package and walked back into town.


    She was still frustrated by the situation and didn''t notice that she bumped into someone. Arda immediately apologized in the local dialect but before she could walk away;


    "For as long as I need to"


    Arda looked back and saw no one except a woman who was walking away. She knew that voice from anywhere and it was El.


    ''For as long as I need to... Is that your reply to my question?''


    She noticed another note in her hand when she bumped into "El" and opened it. It was coordinates to a location up north. If she remembers correctly, these were some of the parts that Kassandra''s men were scouting. She had a bad feeling about this and thus she called Kassandra. It took a few rings and before Kassandra could even speak when she picked up, Arda already spoke.


    "Kassey, I know I''ll sound a little strange but send reinforcements to these coordinates" She read out the numbers on the paper.


    "Ok ok, but what''s wrong"


    "I... I''m not really sure but I got some information and I feel like it''s something bad"


    "Alright. I''ll prepare to set out, come back soon"


    The call ended and Arda began ringing another number that she loathes calling.


    "What is it?"


    "Amias, could you have someone from your division come here and pick me up? Before you whine, it''s Luciel''s orders" It wasn''t really but he did say return as soon as possible.


    "Luciel''s orders? Where are you?"


    Arda explained the location and before she knew it, Amias appeared right in front of her.


    "I said someone from your division" Arda ended the call since it was pointless to talk on the phone when the person is here in person.


    "Not everyone can teleport this far out this quickly you know? It''s also taxing on me to do this myself" Amias placed his phone in his pocket as he shrugged.


    Arda noticed the bandage on his nose and asked about it but Amias didn''t respond to her question. She made the assumption that Damien and he fought together again. This made her mentally roll her eyes since she knew that Damien had a petty little crush on this fox. Whenever he''s drunk, he''d babble about Amias which is why she finds it stupid that Amias is dense to notice it.


    The moment they teleported back to the capital, Amias suddenly fell to his knees and coughed up blood. He overexerted himself just like what he said earlier in regards to sending someone to take her back asap.


    "I''ll carry you to the Caduceus wing" Arda was about to grab Amias but he held up a hand and wiped his mouth.


    "Go report to Luciel, I''ll be fine. Just tell him I have to take a break for a few days"


    "A-Alright, rest well"


    Arda walked away and went straight to Luciel to apologize and report the return of El.

 Chapter 82 - 81

    Winter is finally over and Summer is just around the corner. A new season meant a fresh new start for many people. That also included Gideon who finally made it clear that he was developing feelings for the protagonist of this novel that he had transmigrated in. He had already long forgotten the plot of this novel due to it straying so much from the original.


    Like damn who would have known Kaiden would fall for a man let alone that man being Gideon who was originally the cannon fodder villain of this novel.


    "Would you mind explaining how you two became close?" Kaiden, who was driving to Lady Kassandra''s place asks Gideon who was in the passenger seat.


    Kaiden had asked Gideon out once again but Gideon had already made plans to visit Yohann. Apparently, Lady Kassandra was suddenly heading out on an expedition to the north the moment it was announced that Arda had returned. Yohann got a little lonely and so Gideon offered to go over there. What they didn''t expect was that the prince would make an appearance in Gideon''s residence asking if he wants to hang out.


    That led to the current situation of the two.


    "Well, Amias kept insisting that the two of us had a lot in common. And it was really nice to talk to Yohann"


    "Ok, but what''s with the pastries in the backseat?" Kaiden kept his eyes on the road but used his right hand to point at the back. There was a lot and it made him slightly jealous because Gideon never gave him this much.


    "Yohann mentioned that he wanted to taste my baking skills since I mentioned that my dad taught me some to help out in the shop"


    Kaiden nodded but his expression looked a little displeased. Gideon noticed this and even though he didn''t want to bring it up first, he suddenly asked:


    "Did you also want me to make you some?"


    "What made you think that?" Kaiden stubbornly says.


    "You don''t? Okay then..." for a moment Gideon thought Kaiden was jealous so he felt a little disappointed.


    "Hey" Kaiden slowed down at a red light and looked at Gideon. "I never said that I didn''t want you to make me some pastries. Don''t be upset with me"


    "Aish! I''m not upset because of that! I''m upset because you''re so confusing" Gideon puffed up his cheeks in annoyance and Kaiden poked it before he started to laugh.


    "KAIDEN"


    "haha! we''re almost close" Kaiden started driving again but he spared a glance at Gideon and smiled at him "But I look forward to getting them"


    Gideon stopped whining upon seeing that face and faced away to look out the window.


    ''Shit... Calm down He''ll notice''


    He tried to hush his rapid heartbeats. If Alexander didn''t point out that he was falling for Kaiden then he would have thought that he had an illness. And with that, he would have made a fool out of himself and Kaiden would have a field day.


    Just as Kaiden said, they were indeed close and soon enough they arrived at Kassandra and Yohann''s place.


    The servants rushed out and lined up to bow down. The head of the staff, a butler, stood in front waiting to greet them.


    Gideon was the first one to get out of the car and the butler approached him.


    "Sir Gideon, we had been expecting you but..." The butler glanced at Kaiden who also got out of the car and glanced at a servant as he raised his car keys, basically ordering him to attend to his car.


    "You don''t have to prepare that much for me, just tend to Gideon''s needs" Kaiden grabbed the pastries at the back. Gideon noticed this and rushed to Kaiden.


    "I''ll handle it" Gideon tells Kaiden and the prince only raises it up, using his height to his advantage.


    "Don''t worry about it" Kaiden tells Gideon with a smile and Gideon got angry and scolded Kaiden for bullying him.


    The servants slowly walked up to the butler and whispered.


    "Isn''t he the prince? h-how could that person argue with him?"


    "I don''t know, when Lord Amias brought him over it was already strange because the Lord had also been tending to him"


    "You all should know that it isn''t the proper place and time to gossip about the guest when they''re in front of us" The butler scolded the servants who immediately went back to their positions.


    "My Prince and Sir Gideon, let us go. Lord Yohann had been waiting for a while now"


    Kaiden ignored the servants earlier who were gossiping about them since it wasn''t all that bad. At most, it was actually beneficial since Gideon''s status was raised in their eyes.


    ''Good. Just as long as you don''t look down at him'' He thought with a smile and Gideon tugged his sleeve.


    "Do you think Yohann would be ok? I mean he was only expecting me and not you as well"


    "I think it''ll be fine. And besides, he needs to get used to my presence"


    "What?" Gideon asks but the butler butts in and says that Yohann had been waiting in the reception room and apologized if they weren''t able to prepare for the prince''s arrival. Kaiden tells him that it was ok and the butler opens the door. Yohann was inside drinking tea and the moment he looked up, his eyes widened. Just like everyone had been repeating, Kaiden''s presence was a surprise.


    "Hi Yohann, I''m sorry for suddenly bringing along Kaiden" Gideon was the first to break the tension and Yohann gulped and wrote "It''s alright. I was just surprised that''s all" on his notepad.


    Kaiden noticed the notepad and said, "You''re still not able to speak?"


    Yohann pursed his lips and shook his head. The butler who had yet to leave spoke out to explain that Yohann''s condition was psychological but he was able to speak a few words such as his name as of late.


    "Is that so? I hope for your recovery since I''ve heard you were one of the best from my father" Kaiden tells Yohann who looked like he was uncomfortable with something.


    "Our dear guests, please take a seat" The butler ushered them to sit on the sofa opposite Yohann''s and they politely obliged.


    Gideon noticed Yohann''s hand that was holding the teacup shaking a little bit and asked out of concern if there was something wrong. Kaiden placed the boxes of pastries on the table and sighed.


    "It''s because of me, I''ll just make you two uncomfortable if I stay here" He looked slightly annoyed. How will they be able to have a decent conversation one day if this guy continues to feel scared? Of course, Kaiden understood it because it was like this with Gideon back then but how will they be able to fix it if the other side refuses to do something about it.


    "Kaiden.." Gideon called out to the man who was about to leave.


    Something stopped Kaiden from leaving and upon glancing at who grabbed his wrist, he was surprised to see it was Yohann who stopped him. Yohann was still shaking a little but he had a determined look on his face. He opened his mouth-


    "Stay... please" It was a little quiet but since no one was speaking in the room, it could be heard by everyone.


    Even the butler that was supervising them was surprised.


    ''T-two words in one go?!'' If the butler tells Kassandra about this, she would jump in joy but immediately get pissed off because she wasn''t there to hear it.


    "Are you sure about that?" Kaiden asks Yohann and the latter nods.


    "Alright, you can let go of me now" he glanced down at his wrist and Yohann realized that he was still holding on to Kaiden.


    Yohann was blushing a little bit due to embarrassment. He bowed and clasped both of his hands to show that he was apologizing.


    "Don''t worry about it too much," Kaiden smiled softly.


    Gideon, who had been watching this scene unfold, felt something uncomfortable in his chest. He should have been cheering on as well and been happy that Yohann spoke a little. But why was he irritated instead? He might have to ask Alexander about it later. He wasn''t irritated at Yohann, rather he was irritated when Kaiden smiled softly at Yohann.


    Yohann returned to his seat and pointed to the pastries before writing his message;


    "You really kept your promise! Thank you Gideon!"


    Yeah... Gideon wasn''t pissed at Yohann since he still managed to smile and nod as he pushed the box towards Yohann.


    "They''re not the best but I really hope you would like them"


    Kaiden returned to his seat next to Gideon but he felt like he was suddenly unwelcomed. He poked Gideon and got a sharp "What?" from him. The prince raised his hands up in defense and asked if he was alright.


    "Oh... I''m ok"


    ''Just what was that?'' Kaiden asks himself.


    It can''t be that Gideon is jealous?

 Chapter 83 - 82

    It''s been some time since Yohann and Gideon were busy talking to one another about the past. Yohann would explain how he and his sister had so many magical creatures at their disposal. And Gideon would be intrigued because those were only folktales back in his old life but of course, he did not say anything about that.


    Meanwhile Kaiden...


    He was just left to the side to drink the tea that was prepared for them. He couldn''t even taste the pastries because Yohann had already gone through them. Only the butler noticed his presence and would refill his cup with more tea.


    Yohann finally noticed the prince again and he wasn''t shaking as much anymore. He only motioned for Kaiden and wrote a note on a spare paper:


    "I''m sorry for not accommodating the prince"


    "Oh no, it''s quite fine. I understand since I did visit on a whim. Just continue talking"


    But Yohann felt that there was something wrong. Especially when Gideon who came with Kaiden was downright ignoring the prince now. Gideon had been reading through his rough explanation and drawings of their pets as if Kaiden didn''t speak.


    "G-G" Yohann''s voice was shaking a little bit as he tried to call out to Gideon. Gideon heard this and looks up and sees Yohann''s struggling expression.


    "Yohann? Don''t force yourself, what is it?" Gideon placed down the notes and placed all of his concern in Yohann''s state.


    Yohann shook his head and tries to speak.


    "Gideon.... prince..... not... ok?" The demon noble really wanted to voice it out instead of writing it. This was the most he spoke out in a day and it was a little tiring for him.


    "Me and Kaiden?" Upon asking that, Yohann nodded a lot. He looked at the two intensively and Kaiden opened his mouth a little bit before explaining.


    "Don''t worry about it too much Yohann, we''re ok" He says with a smile before taking a sip of his tea.


    Yohann looks at Gideon''s expression and it was pretty easy to read him since he wore his thoughts on his face. Gideon was not ok with Kaiden about something. A thought dawned upon Yohann and his eyes widened.


    ''Gideon likes the prince! He probably got jealous because Kaiden was being considerate for me''


    Yohann had hit the nail on its head. Not even Kaiden or the butler was able to pinpoint what it was. He gave a sad smile to Gideon. The prince will definitely have a lot of encounters that are far worse than what he just did. He wanted to speak out more but it seems like he can''t force it out anymore. Maybe later?


    So instead he wrote a note:


    "Shall we all go out? I haven''t visited the city ever since I have returned"


    When they read it, the first one to react was the butler.


    "Absolutely not! The Lady ordered us to keep you safe and I-" He was cut off by Kaiden''s hand being raised.


    "If the Lord wishes to go out then we shall. But of course, I will contact my father regarding the matter and we all know he often agrees to whatever I wish" Kaiden confidently states out loud that the butler couldn''t help but frown. Yohann was in awe of how confident Kaiden was but Gideon here felt all the more jealous towards Kaiden''s actions.


    ''Calm down Gideon... he''s just being considerate'' He thought to himself.


    "I... I see. Then I shall leave the lord''s safety to you, Prince Kaiden. But I am still required to report this to Lady Kassandra"


    "You may. Let''s all get ready to leave" Kaiden stood up and offered a hand to Gideon.


    Gideon looked at it for a while before sighing and taking it. In the end, he was still weak to Kaiden acting nice to him. Especially when he remembers that Kaiden only acts genuinely nice towards him. When Yohann saw the situation he felt like he had done the right choice of suggesting a mini outing.


    ''May this day be fruitful!''


    .


    .


    They all arrived at the city where Gideon and Kaiden often went around. Yohann still brought his small notepad and a pen but he also brought a phone. The Butler from their home insisted on him bringing it and dialing him just in case he accidentally strays away from the two. But a key factor that the butler forgot was that Yohann did not know how these kinds of phones work. The last time he owned one was a flip phone since he didn''t have the need for fancy phones, unlike the others. He just believed that it''s only important to send and receive messages. And maybe sometimes make a phone call.


    The teaching was now left to Gideon since Yohann suddenly ignored Kaiden when he was about to offer him how to use the device.


    "You just tap on this app and tap the plus button, that way you''ll have a new note. And when you tap the blank page, the keyboard will automatically pop up like so" The two was sitting in the back of Kaiden''s car and Kaiden was sitting in the driver''s seat, waiting for them to finish.


    Yohann was intrigued by the device. So not much changed from the old phones except for the setup and the addition of other things.


    "I think that should sum it up. You can ask someone else to teach you for the rest but what I taught you should cover most of the basics"


    Yep! The only important thing here was that Yohann should be able to text and call them when needed. Yohann nodded and typed something onto his new phone.


    With a smile, he showed a "Thank you :)" to Gideon.


    ''He even added an emoji...''


    "Ok let''s go! Is there anywhere that you wanted to check out, Yohann?" Gideon asks Yohann and he thought about it for a few seconds before typing that he wanted to check if the food stalls that he visited were still there.


    "O-oh... of course, let''s do that!" Gideon was surprised since they had already eaten prior to leaving and yet Yohann still wants to eat. Amias wasn''t kidding when Yohann had quite the appetite despite his thin structure.


    The three exited the vehicle and two of them had terrible disguises. One wore a face mask only since he should be able to blend in given nobody had seen him for more than a decade. While the other had to wear a cap and face mask because he was too striking.


    "Can''t you cast a spell on yourself like before?"


    "Only Amias could do those kinds of spells unless you know? You''re half-demon yourself and you can make illusions as well"


    Right... that was the specialty of his demon lineage but Gideon didn''t know how to make it project to others only and not to them. That spell was too advanced for someone with his skills.


    "If I did that then I might get tricked by myself and I''m not confident I''ll be able to have it up for the entire time that we''re here" Gideon scratched his cheek and awkwardly looked away. He really should practice his powers and be more confident in himself from time to time.


    Kaiden lets out a "pfft" sound before rolling his eyes and fixing his cap to hide his blond hair. Despite having other blonds in the world, Luciel''s and Kaiden''s hair was quite unique. They gave off a gold shimmer that was worthy of their surname "Lux Ferre" meaning Light Bringer.


    The three went around and most of the stalls that Yohann looked forward was gone. Turns out that the sudden disappearance of the Demon Noble who was their regular had quite the effect on the public. The reason why they found out about this is that there were a few stalls that were still doing well.


    "Aiyah... When Lord Yohann stopped visiting. Everyone got concerned and even went to the capital to ask about his whereabouts. But the King and his sister made the announcement that Lord Yohann was no longer allowed to go out. Some believed that he had perished because the last time we saw him he said that he was going to be busy protecting our kingdom" The lady was wrapping up the candies that they had ordered.


    "What about you?" Kaiden was the one inquiring about the disappearance of the stalls but it was Gideon who asked this question.


    "Well, I believe that the Lord may have gotten injured in some way which is why he was no longer allowed to go out as he pleases. That''s easier to believe than the rumors of him being deceased"


    "You have a point" Kaiden finally spoke before sparing a glance at Yohann who had been quietly listening to the lady he used to talk to a lot.


    For him, he was amazed to see that this lady changed a lot. She was in her 40s back when he would visit her but now she has a lot of white hair.


    "That young man behind you two..." The lady started to speak and Yohann was a little surprised.


    ''Did she recognize me?''


    "You remind me of Lord Yohann a lot. What''s your name?"


    Yohann couldn''t respond and he touched his throat. It was Gideon who joined their conversation and answered for him.


    "He''s a friend of ours but he can''t speak"


    "I see... My mistake haha. Lord Yohann was quite an outspoken child but it seems like I just really miss him. I added another candy, it''s on the house"


    The three gave their thanks as they left but to Kaiden and Gideon''s surprise, they heard soft whimpers from Yohann.. After being brainwashed into nobody loving him, he just felt overwhelmed by the love that he is receiving now.

 Chapter 84 - 83

    The three continued to go around the city and it was a fun day for everyone. When it ended, Yohann gave Gideon a hug that Kaiden couldn''t even do anything about it except watch. But deep inside he was actually raging going "I HAVEN''T HUGGED GIDEON FOR SO LONG WITHOUT FORCING MYSELF AND YET YOU MANAGED TO HUG HIM?!"


    Yohann on the other hand whispered


    "Good luck with Kaiden"


    That made Gideon surprised and he pulled away from the hug. Yohann only smiled and waved his hand at the two after saying that he had fun today and that they should hang out again sometime. The two got into the car once Yohann went inside his place and the drive back was a little quiet for a brief moment until Kaiden spoke.


    "What did Yohann tell you?"


    Gideon''s eyes widened and he looked outside the window. It was already a shock how Yohann noticed that he was developing feelings for Kaiden but-


    ''I CAN''T TELL YOU THAT!''


    "Ah erhm...  It was something we talked about in our messages"


    "What was it?"


    "It''s a secret" Gideon firmly says as he covered his face with his hand to prevent Kaiden from noticing his slightly red face.


    Kaiden lets out a hum as if he was just agreeing with it but not believing it. He knew that back then when they were kids when Gideon would lie, he looks to the side or he would touch his mouth in some way. Just right now, he''s doing both.


    "Did you at least have fun?" Kaiden changed the topic. If Gideon was bold enough to lie to him right now then he shouldn''t press on it anymore. Gideon will eventually tell him about it anyway.


    "I did" Gideon answered. Thankfully Kaiden changed the topic or else he would be stuck trying to explain-


    "Then why were you upset with me earlier?"


    Ah, fuck.


    He wasn''t able to escape the interrogation now that they were alone.


    "I''m... not actually sure" He looked down at his knees. He was saying the truth. He just felt like his chest started to hurt and looking at Kaiden just made it worse.


    Kaiden glanced at Gideon and he wasn''t doing any of his mannerisms just now. Meaning he was saying the truth.


    "I thought we were already ok" He says in a slightly annoyed tone. What else did he do? It seems like he''s walking on eggshells every day around Gideon.


    "We are" Gideon replies and Kaiden scoffed.


    "Well, it doesn''t seem like that. Earlier you were ok but suddenly you became sour"


    "The only reason why I got pissed is that you were smiling a lot at others!"


    .


    .


    .


    What?


    Gideon realized what he had just said and looked away once again and covered his face.


    "I... I didn''t mean that. I don''t really know why I got angry at you" Lies.


    Kaiden had to slow down the car and park it to the side for a moment.


    Okay okay, let''s just collect our thoughts for a moment.


    So Gideon got angry at him for smiling a lot at others. And now he''s lying badly to cover that fact up. Does that mean Gideon was indeed jealous?


    Kaiden needed to check and unbuckled his seatbelt before suddenly leaning up close towards Gideon.


    "K-Kaiden?!" Gideon turned redder the moment Kaiden did this.


    He wasn''t really trying anything, in fact, their faces were still quite far but it was enough for Gideon to panic.


    "Do you like me as well?" Kaiden asks him and Gideon was staring at him with wide eyes.


    "I..." He gulped. Alexander just told him that he was still forming feelings. But why was his heart beating so fast?!


    "You?" Kaiden leaned in closer and he could now hear Gideon''s breaths.


    Shit...


    Kaiden felt like he''ll get crazy just from hearing those soft breaths.


    "little" Gideon answers and he pushed Kaiden back to his seat.


    Kaiden was surprised by the honest answer. Even if it was just a little, it meant he had a chance. He just needed to make that "little" into "a lot". He held the hands that were on his chest when Gideon pushed him away.


    "Then what should I do to make that into a clearer answer?" He asks softly and Gideon felt like his entire body was just burning up due to embarrassment.


    A faint sweet smell suddenly appeared out of nowhere and Kaiden had to let go of Gideon''s hands.


    "Gideon, I''ll have to open the windows for a moment and step out"


    "Huh? why?" Gideon was surprised. Did he make a mistake?


    "You see..." With every second Kaiden was inhaling this sweet smell, he felt like he''ll give in to his desires. With a flushed face, he says "You''re unconsciously using your powers, I might do something if I don''t go outside"


    ''Oh? Is that why I felt hot all over?''


    Kaiden could guess what he was thinking and he rolled down the windows and opened the door.


    "I''ll wait for you to calm down first then you can give me an answer once I take you back home ok?" Kaiden tells him that and he steps out of the car to take a fresh breath of air. If Amias didn''t warn him about that then he would have done something terrible to Gideon then and there.


    But Gideon just said that he had feelings even if it was little. It was already like a taste of victory for Kaiden.


    This summer, he''ll definitely make Gideon fall for him more.


    Gideon who was left inside the car took a few breaths. The fresh air from outside would hit his face and it felt extremely cold. Well, Winter just ended so the air would still be cold. And perhaps the fact that he was blushing added more to that.


    He just prematurely confessed to Kaiden. He buried his face in his hands thinking about how stupid he must have looked just now.


    But...


    Kaiden didn''t push him away or think that he was a weirdo for rejecting him and now suddenly saying that he liked him. In fact, he even asked what he should do to get a clearer answer. This meant that Kaiden knew he was still confused with his feelings and respected that. He didn''t even push that Gideon liked him.


    "man..." he muttered.


    ''What did I truly do to deserve this?''


    .


    .


    Kaiden took him home after a while and asked again what he should do and Gideon answered that he wasn''t sure yet. Maybe act normally? To which Kaiden laughed and kneeled down.


    "Let''s just start dating. Isn''t the purpose of dating is to find out if you really like the person?" Kaiden proposed and Gideon felt like he was burning up again.


    ''This was really bad for the heart''


    Kaiden laughed and asked him again. This time Gideon gave in and said:


    "Sure... we could date"


    "Great!" Kaiden beamed and hugged Gideon. This much should be fine right?


    Gideon was surprised by the sudden hug but he could feel Kaiden''s heartbeat was quite fast.


    ''Just like mine...''


    He felt fuzzy now. Like something was tingling in his stomach. It wasn''t uncomfortable in fact it was... quite nice.


    He hugged back the prince and they stayed like that for a while until they heard a cough from behind.


    Turns out that Theodora was home early and heard the entire thing.


    The prince laughed awkwardly and yelled out "Well would you look at the time! I gotta go! I have a lot of work to do. I promise that I''ll just call you later, bye-bye Deon!" Kaiden suddenly ran off to his car and Gideon was left standing there with his mother.


    "You have a lot of explaining to do Gideon" Theodora starts and Gideon nods.


    He knew that he fucked up just now but it felt a little bit thrilling. He was excited about Kaiden''s promise that he will call him. Ahh is this what dating feels like?


    "I know I know..." Gideon answers as he followed Theodora inside.


    The two sat down and started to talk about what happened today.


    "As far as I remember, you only told me that you will go to Lord Yohann''s and Lady Kassandra''s place. How come you came home with the prince just now?"


    "The prince suddenly visited and I couldn''t send him off because he offered to drive me to Lord Yohann''s place..."


    Well that was one thing out of the way... now-


    "Then what was that whole ''What should I do for you to answer me more clearer?'' and the whole ''Let''s start dating!''? Would you mind explaining that to me as well Gideon?"


    Theodora being angry was scarier than Stephen being angry. Gideon gulped and looked down.


    "The prince actually confessed to me that he liked me since we were kids..."


    "Figured that one out already, what else?"


    "I... um.. I also like him. That''s why Kaiden asked me out so that I can figure out my feelings if I really like him the same way"


    Theodora, the overprotective mom, felt a little irritated.. Why Gideon? I thought you were smart and bright to know that the prince is not a good match with you. I can happily accept that you are gay but why the prince?!

 Chapter 85 - 84

    No words can express how happy Kaiden was on his way back to his home. He kept replaying those words in his head


    "Sure... we could date"


    Kaiden''s smile became wider. If a person saw his face, they would be freaked out with how creepy he looks just now.


    When he finally arrived back at the palace, the first person he was going to greet was Azazel to rub it in his face


    "HA! GIDEON LIKES ME"


    But he was instantly greeted by several people running here and there. Clearly, there wasn''t any reason for them to panic like this. It just made him wonder that he pulled one person to the side.


    "M-My Prince!" The male servant yelped in surprise.


    "What''s going on?"


    The servant gulped and breathed in to calm himself.


    "The king called for the preparation of a meeting as well as..." the servant wasn''t sure if he should be the one to tell the prince about it but the prince was holding onto him quite tightly that he had no choice but to answer in a quiet manner. "The possibility of a huge scale attack"


    Kaiden''s eyes widened. It was only recently that Matthew launched a surprise attack towards them but isn''t it too soon? Are they that confident that they will attack once again?


    "I am not sure of the entirety of the order. I was just tasked to pass on the word to prepare for a meeting with a special guest"


    "A guest?"


    The servant nodded and when Kaiden inquired who the guest was, the servant told him that he had no idea but he needed to prepare lavishly according to the king. Kaiden finally lets the servant off and the man is finally able to breathe.


    Kaiden made his way to meet with his father directly to ask about the situation. Prepare for the possibility of a huge scale attack but also prepare lavishly for a surprise guest? Is this some kind of joke? The prince didn''t bother knocking on the door and entered his father''s office.


    Luciel was talking to Arda, who was kneeling down on the floor. Her cheek had a large bruise and Kaiden could already tell that Arda got slapped. Earlier today, Arda returned under Luciel''s orders. Kaiden didn''t think much of it when Kassandra immediately left when she returned and only left to meet with Gideon but who would have thought the situation would turn out like this.


    "Kaiden, I thought I told you to knock when you''re entering my office?"


    "I just got back from going out with Yohann..." Kaiden didn''t dare to bring up Gideon at this moment. It would only bring harm to his future lover.


    "I got your message earlier but I wasn''t able to respond. I hope that Yohann is well?"


    Even though that sentence was that of a worried person, Luciel''s expression and voice had no trace of worry. In fact, it was so icy that even Kaiden felt some pressure from his own father who he always stood up against. Maybe it''s because he didn''t expect that he''d see the day Luciel would punish one of his men since they''re all competent.


    "Y-yes, He is doing well and resting now"


    "That''s good. Now, can I ask what you want for you to suddenly barge in here?"


    "I just wanted to ask regarding the current situation since everyone outside seems to be in a rush"


    Luciel looked at his son as if he was debating whether or not he should talk about this with him now. But Kaiden will eventually take over his position when he decides to rest, it would be better if he experience hardships now so that something similar can be avoided in the future.


    "I''m sure that even prior to the education you''ve received when you went to me... You''ve heard of El at least once in your life. Am I correct?"


    That name, although it wasn''t mentioned all of the time it was known by everyone. El was once the leader of both Angels and Demons. He was like a supreme being that you can''t even categorize into any of the races. If the humans worshiped the Angels and Demons by calling them gods then El would be the god for both Angels and Demons. But one day, there were some unforeseen events that occurred. El no longer dealt with matters personally and you could say that he gave them freedom of choice.


    Demons and other creatures like Humans started to act more like themselves and the Angels who remained true to El''s original wishes opposed those who went against it. El, who got tired of them arguing and no longer heeding to his words, disappeared without a trace.


    ''And that led to my own mother''s demise because they blamed her for having done or said something because she was the last person to speak with him...''


    "Yes, I know of him. Very much since Aunt Valerie talked about the history and how things ended up like they are right now"


    Not really. He had to find that out for himself the moment he stepped foot in this place. Valerie only told him that Gabriella was a pacifist and as much as possible she wanted to attain equality for everyone.


    "And for that, I''ll thank Valerie once again for taking care of you. But going back on topic, he has returned" Luciel sat down on his chair and didn''t even offer for Arda to take a seat or dismissed her. She must have done something to receive such punishment but then again this was a light punishment for their kind.


    "He has returned? How did you find out?"


    "I didn''t, she did. And the reason how is that she went against her promise to never use her powers unless necessary" Luciel explains and Arda lowered her head. She knew that she was in the wrong and Luciel was angry for her sake.


    Kaiden knew of Arda''s situation and could now better understand why his father was pissed. He won''t put his nose in matters that he isn''t involved in.


    "I see... Is that why you''re preparing for a meeting?"


    "That is the reason. To be honest, El could be here without me knowing" Luciel leaned back on his chair and stared at the ceiling before loudly exclaiming "Because that''s how omnipotent he is. Am I right? You don''t have to answer since I already know you''re just laughing your ass off watching me complain about you"


    Kaiden didn''t know how to respond to this. Is that how powerful El was? And another note, he knew that his father was carefree sometimes but this was just another level. His father acted like a rebellious child.


    "It''s seriously annoying how he could have done something to prevent everything" Luciel closed his eyes and breathed in before opening his eyes once again to look at Kaiden. "But then again if he did prevent it, then you wouldn''t be here so I''m kind of glad that he didn''t do anything"


    Kaiden was surprised by Luciel''s words. He would have expected that Luciel would miss his mother more than he cared about him. He couldn''t help but feel... warm? Honestly speaking maybe this is just something he had been waiting for his entire life. His father stopped mentioning his mother and noticed him for being him.


    "I see..." Kaiden murmured and Luciel didn''t press on the issue any further.


    "Another thing why everyone was in a rush is because Arda got a heads up from El. I already sent Kassandra out but I told her to leave the recuperating soldiers here, for now, to avoid the situation from last time. It seems like El is on our side" Luciel says and Arda nodded from the side to confirm everything he just said.


    "I''ll be discussing again with the others on the movement of Matthew and how he might not be the only one with the ability to control those things."


    ''Perhaps I''m not the only one with a kid...'' This thought is constantly haunting Luciel whenever that rumor of another person being able to talk to those creatures pops up in their discussions.


    But in the event that it was true... Who is his kid? That psychopath who was obsessed with Gabriella, just who was able to seduce him?


    "That pretty much summarizes the issues we have right now, do you have anything else to ask?"


    "Regarding the issues? none. But I''d like to request for Lord Yohann to return here"


    The request made Luciel wonder what was going in his son''s head to request that. Especially when Kassandra insisted that Yohann still needs to recover and it seems like there was no chance of him being able to use his powers as he did in the past. Even Arda was confused about it that she was the one who asked in Luciel''s stead.


    "Kassandra insisted that Yohann should recover first before doing anything and besides that, he won''t be able to do anything without his powers"


    "Lady Arda, Father... Yohann seems to be fully recovered already. Although we cannot actually determine if he could use his powers or not, I could personally vouch that he could still be of use to us and it would greatly benefit him as well"


    "How?"


    "Yohann got to speak more when he kept forcing himself to interact with me, a person who traumatized him. I know it sounds terrible but after that, he no longer shook when he was interacting with me. It seems like he was also gaining his memories back slowly which is why he was able to stand me now"


    "Kassandra didn''t mention about him gaining back his memories..." Luciel spoke out. It seems like Kassandra was now trying to hide her brother to prevent anything from happening again. Even to the point of lying about his condition. "Fine, I''ll grant your request but if you''re wrong then I''ll have to punish you for endangering one of my men"


    "Yes, I will accept that"


    "Good. Tomorrow I''ll have him brought here during the meeting, you may leave now"

 Chapter 86 - 85

    The very next day, Yohann was indeed brought to the palace under Luciel''s orders. They haven''t informed Kassandra of this decision because they knew she would run back the moment she heard of this. Yohann was a little surprised by the sudden order but he was also thankful since he felt like he was useless staying in.


    "Welcome back Lord Yohann" Azazel was the one who greeted Yohann by the door. He acknowledged Azazel by lowering his head and smiling.


    "I''m glad to see that you''re looking healthier than before. Do you still remember the way to the meeting hall?"


    Yohann thought about it for a moment and nodded to indicate that he does remember. Even if he remembered or not, Azazel would still guide him there just in case. And so he smiled and told Yohann to lead the way. Yohann felt thankful that Azazel had faith in him and he led the way.


    When they arrived, nearly everyone was present. And by that, it meant that Kassandra was not here.


    "It feels a little different to have Yohann back but it''s the good kind of difference. Yohann take a seat"


    ''If Yohann indeed have his memories then he would remember that he was seated in-''


    In the middle of Luciel''s monologue, Yohann took a seat on Arda''s row which was Luciel''s left side. And to be more specific, he was one chair away from Arda because that seat belonged to his sister. Luciel was impressed because Kaiden was right. He spared a glance at Kaiden''s direction which was directly opposite him. Kaiden smiled and shrugged.


    "Although I wish to celebrate Yohann''s return, we still have a lot to work with. Arda, you may take the lead" Luciel motioned for her and Arda stood up to begin her briefing.


    "As some of you know, I was tasked to check up on our old bases. We left notes that were deemed useless for us because we were confident that our place would not be infiltrated by outsiders. But unfortunately, it was still taken by a traitor"


    A lot of them felt uneasy, there were only a handful of people who could enter the barriers with ease. Most of them were in this meeting room but the rest had already died. It was either one of them or someone who they proclaimed as deceased. Arda did a quick glance at Yohann but proceeded.


    "However, we shouldn''t point fingers. The best so-"


    Yohann raised his hand to speak. He would have written it instead but it would take a while so he sucked in a breath. Ever since he was forcing himself to interact with Kaiden despite his uncomfortableness, this triggered other terrible memories. He remembered everything Matthew had done to him and that''s why Kaiden slicing off his tongue when he was still corrupted gave him a horrible impression upon the prince. It triggered his trauma towards Matthew. So rather than being scared of Kaiden, he was terrified of Matthew. But this also brought back other memories, such as his sister''s happiness, his friends, and his happiness as well.


    "Yohann, you have something to add?" Arda was the one who asked Yohann because she got cut off just earlier.


    "It was me" Yohann says slowly.


    Although Arda had a hunch it might have been him considering he was here alive, she still hoped it was someone else who had proof of betrayal such as Alister. Everyone else in the room felt hurt because they knew Yohann wouldn''t do such a thing unless he was forced to. Luciel''s expression was still aloof and he lets out a sigh.


    "I won''t force you to recall your memories or to speak up. I''ll brush it off for now considering you weren''t in the right state of mind when you did those things"


    "yes, you''re right but I can tell you what Matthew used those for"


    Luciel''s face changed. Arda now sat down since the focus was now on Yohann.


    "You can write it down" Arda pushed her tablet towards Yohann but he ignored it.


    Matthew had done worse to him and he relieved those memories a second time. But it was because of that he managed to get over the psychological trauma of Kaiden''s action that he clearly remembered as necessary for him to do so. If he didn''t do it then he would have already injured Gideon who was now his friend.


    "I can talk fine now. Just slowly" Yohann gulped down his nervousness and explained.


    "Matthew would stay close to my cell since I was his "prized possession" at that time. So I''ve heard of the reports his men told him. They would use our old plans to compare it with our current strategies" Then Matthew would show the reports in front of Yohann who already lost control of his body but his consciousness was still in there, trapped to see everything that he had done and was done to him.


    Yohann gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he remembered one incident after Matthew showed him reports, he got ordered to "check" several orphanages to look for a child. But we all know how that ended.


    "Take Yohann to a guest room. You have greatly contributed already" Luciel ordered because Yohann was hyperventilating in front of them. He was clearly having a panic attack as he tried to force himself to remember.


    "He was looking for Gabby''s child" Yohann managed to blurt out as he caught his breath.


    "What?" Kaiden was quietly listening to the entire discussion since he didn''t need to include himself but who would have expected this turn of events?


    Luciel gritted his teeth and asked, "Why?". He didn''t want to push Yohann but hearing that Matthew was looking for Kaiden back then...


    Yohann couldn''t speak anymore due to his tears and he shook his head to answer Luciel.


    "Call for someone to calm him down" Luciel pinched his nose and it was Damien who walked out the door to call a servant. Amias got out of his chair and went to Yohann''s side to rub his back and soothe him.


    "I''m sorry" Yohann blurted out in between his sobs and Luciel shook his head.


    "It was never your fault Yohann. Don''t apologize"


    The servants finally arrived and Amias said that he''ll go with them. Luciel agreed and let the two go out.


    "Who would have thought this would happen..." Azazel spoke out and Arda sighed.


    "Let''s proceed with the meeting. Just fill in Amias later" Luciel sank down in his seat.


    Arda coughed and stood up again once more to repeat the report she was trying to do. Since they had discovered the culprit of the stolen data, the case could be closed but Arda brought up the winter ball incident. She theorized that it wasn''t just Yohann and there was a chance that Alister was still alive since he was only deemed missing.


    Alister was Damien''s subordinate, and that''s the reason why Alexander was in his division. Alexander never showed any treachery and even knelt down and offered himself to take the punishment of his mother because she was put under suspicion thanks to Alister''s actions. Damien could remember what Alexander told him;


    "Alister, my father, had a stupid agreement with Matthew because I couldn''t control my powers. My mother had nothing to do with it"


    Damien watched this 12-year-old boy stand up to him. Even though he was shaking because of fear, he still protected his mother. Damien could only sigh and agreed to have the case looked over once again to prove Lianna''s innocence in the matter. Indeed they were acting rashly since it was a sensitive time for everyone who lost a lot especially Luciel.


    "Given Yohann became one of those monsters, I won''t be surprised if Alister was turned into one as well" Azazel agreed to Arda''s suggestion.


    "If he turned into one then I want to be the one who personally kills him" The room turned chilly when Damien declared this and Luciel was about to lift his hand to hit him with his powers as a warning when Arda flung a piece of paper at Damien.


    "Calm down. You''re going to freeze the others here" Arda exclaims.


    If anything, the only person who will freeze up here is Azazel.


    "Sorry"


    "It''s fine. Another matter is that- oh welcome back Amias"


    Amias who had returned frowned at the cold room and rubbed his arms as he went back to his seat. He apologized for being late and informed the people that Yohann is now resting. Luciel thanked him and continued with his announcement.


    "The reason why we are preparing for a surprise meeting is that El has returned"


    The only ones who were surprised by the announcement were Azazel and Damien which made Luciel suspicious.


    "Amias, you know?"


    "For quite some time now"


    "Why didn''t you report it to me?" Luciel knew that El wouldn''t allow people to speak about his presence so he was not really angry.


    "I couldn''t. You know that I would tell you guys immediately if I could" Amias lied since he could but it involved Gideon remembering how Luciel gave him an order. He couldn''t bring himself to report it.


    If Gideon is proven to be a threat, eliminate him.


    "Alright. Arda, continue where I stopped"


    Arda continued to explain the rest of the details that Kaiden had already heard from Luciel yesterday.

 Chapter 87 - 86

    Everyone got dismissed when the meeting ended. Kaiden decided to pull Amias to the side and dragged him off somewhere. He sets up an array to keep things confidential before asking.


    "Why are you dragging me out all of the sudden?" Amias asks and Kaiden breathes in.


    "Is El the guy you were trying to warn about before?"


    Amias pursed his lips. Would he be allowed to speak about it?


    "He is" Even Amias was surprised that El allowed him to speak of it.


    ''What exactly are you planning El?''


    "How did you find out?!" Kaiden got greatly concerned.


    Never mind Matthew looking for him in the past. Why was El hanging around Gideon? What was Gideon''s connection to that guy? Things were already going smoothly between the two of them so why did Gideon get involved in this situation?


    "El left traces on Gideon. I tried asking Gideon about it but either he doesn''t remember or cannot say. That''s how El does things around here"


    "I see. I''ll try to ask him about it instead of you"


    "You can actually leave it, my prince"


    "What?"


    Amias sighed. He knows it sounds stupid since he did warn Kaiden about El taking an interest in Gideon. But it was also El who pushed these two into a corner that forced Kaiden to swear an oath and confess his feelings. He''s indeed a strange matchmaker.


    "As far as I am concerned, El didn''t do anything to Gideon. It''s best not to test his patience"


    He had a point though. El had never done anything to Gideon yet. And it was indeed the best to not test someone as powerful as him.


    "So I''ll just let this be for now?"


    "Why do you think I stayed quiet when his return got announced?"


    Kaiden realized the point Amias was making. If it was known that Gideon had some sort of interaction with El, then he would be placed under a lot of suspicions again. Kaiden wasn''t aware of what exactly his father ordered from Amias but he had a vague idea. That idea is removing any threats.


    "Thank you" Kaiden lowered his head a little to show how grateful he is to Amias for protecting his Deon. Although he gets jealous over the fact Amias is quite close to Gideon, he''s thankful that someone also cares about Gideon.


    "No problem but I hope this can stop you from acting all jealous when I hang out with Gide- Oh yeah, you definitely have to be the one who hangs out with Gideon" Amias suddenly changed his words and shifted his posture because of how Kaiden was glaring at him. He realized something and asked away.


    "How are things between you and Gideon?"


    Kaiden originally intended to boast about it last night but things got hectic. He didn''t think he should talk about it yet because of how serious the atmosphere was in the palace. But since Amias brought it up-


    "Oh, we''re dating"


    Amias'' eyes widened. "WHAT?! WHEN HOW?"


    "What do you mean how? Of course, I asked him" Kaiden answered as if it was a matter of fact.


    Amias was about to ask more when he looked to the side and noticed Azazel staring at the two of them from outside the array. He looked like he was judging the two well... to be fair, they look stupid from the outside. Kaiden only used a silencing array and not a private one so they would look like they''re speaking without sounds. Kaiden took down the array with a swift movement of his hand and now Azazel could be heard.


    "It took you a while to notice me" Azazel answered and Kaiden shrugged.


    "I''ll be off" Kaiden says and Amias grabbed his wrist.


    "Oi, where the hell are you going! You have a lot of explaining to do"


    "The only explanation there is... is that the feeling is mutual. Even Yohann supported it" Kaiden pulled his wrist and went off his way.


    Azazel just looked between the two and Amias motioned for him to come closer. He whispered the details since Luciel might hear.


    "HOW?!"


    "EXACTLY"


    They actually had a feeling that Gideon would eventually fall for Kaiden given how pushy the prince was. But they didn''t expect it to be this soon. Kaiden smiled smugly as he recalled Gideon''s expression that day.


    "I should call him"


    .


    .


    A few more days had passed and the palace was now prepared for both the meeting and a surprise attack in case there was one. All that''s left is to call out for El for him to arrive. Luciel, who had not seen the guy for so long, didn''t know how to put his feelings about the matter into words. He sighed because El had always told him that his decisions were correct but what about now? Was he still doing a good job?


    Damien approached Luciel and informed him that Kassandra had sent word that she arrived back at the northern region''s camp but she had already set off to go to the coordinates. Turns out a few of her men had not returned since their last expedition and nobody knows where they ended up. There had been no word after that.


    "Reckless as ever when it comes to her men..." Luciel muttered.


    "Well we can''t do anything about it because we''re also like that"


    Arda was at the side waiting for orders while she sorted through the work that Azazel had done while she was away on her tablet. Her cheek had some bandages and it was still a little swollen. This could be easily healed but it''s a waste of powers and it was her punishment. Although embarrassing, it was still better than any other punishment.


    "Arda, come here" Luciel calls for her, and she lowers her tablet and walks up to him.


    "Yes?"


    "Where are the others? Even though this meeting doesn''t require their attendance, I just want to check"


    Although it wasn''t really her job to do that, Arda always had her ways of finding people if Luciel required it. However, if the person is on the same level as her it gets tricky especially if they''re hiding themselves. In this case, the people in question could be easily found since they''re not in hiding.


    "May I use my powers? since I do have excess from Lord El''s "gift". It''ll be faster if I do that"


    Luciel''s eye twitched a little because Arda just got punished for using her powers without permission and now she''s asking him if she can use them again?


    "Denied. I''ll just assume that Azazel is resting since I overworked him, the same goes for Yohann. I''ll leave finding Amias to Damien since you two have things to talk about. And my son..." Luciel was doing hand gestures for every person he mentioned but he suddenly paused when it came to Kaiden. "I''m sure he''s with that kid"


    Arda lowered her head as a response. "I''m sorry, my king. For acting imprudently and not thinking the obvious"


    "Don''t do it again. Remember, the only time you''re allowed to use it is if you''re in a life or death situation but as much as possible you are not allowed" Luciel sternly scolds Arda.


    "And this is why I would always tell you that you''re doing a good job when it comes to leadership" someone suddenly butts in and this presence was enough for the servants in the room to lower their gazes at the floor as if they were not worthy of seeing this person. Only Damien, Arda, and Luciel were allowed to see this person and they were surprised.


    "I would have arrived here a few days ago but since you guys insisted on preparing for our meeting, I just chose to wait until you''re done. But haist, why do you still argue" El held his cheek and frowned.


    The man had white hair and ice blue eyes that had a tinge of gold if you looked closely. This was El. But not everyone saw a man, they would also see him as a woman and sometimes even a child. This all depended on his mood, but the current form he has is the one he often uses whenever he meets with the three.


    "Lord El..." Damien and Arda lowered their gazes as well but Luciel remained to stare at El.


    "I still can''t get used to you guys calling me Lord. Back when you were small children that I made, you would call me Papa or Father" El smiled and approached the two. He first went to Arda and held her chin to make her look at him. He tilted her head to the side to look at her cheek.


    "This must have hurt..." He said softly and blew a breath on it. It was a cold sensation for Arda but her cheek no longer hurt. El used his other hand to peel away the bandage on her cheek and it was as if nothing happened.


    "There!" El beamed and pats Arda''s head.


    "You''re really pretty so you should take care of yourself more. This also goes for you two" El turns his head to look at the two. He now decided to walk up to Damien and look at him up and down.


    "Back then you were only up to my knee, who would have expected you would be taller than me" This sounded weird since El was all-knowing and constantly told Damien when he was younger that he will grow to be big and strong so he has to protect those he holds dear.


    "And that leaves.... you" El stops at Luciel.

 Chapter 88

    "Luciel"


    "My Lord"


    Hearing such honorific come out of their king''s mouth, the servants present can''t help but feel even more inferior to the point they seem to be like ants.


    "Just refer to me as El, since you''re the one who is in charge here now. Since you did prepare lavishly for this meeting, let''s not be so tense and let the unrelated people here leave"


    Luciel ordered for the other people in the room to leave and that only left the four of them. Talking about El was one thing but having him in front of you is something else. Should he ask why El suddenly disappeared? Why did he appear just now? There were so many questions in Luciel''s mind right now.


    "I can already tell you have a lot of questions. Unless you want me to sit down for a couple of hours explaining something you cannot understand, then I best suggest we don''t discuss my disappearance"


    Just as they remembered and said, El is all-knowing. It''s impossible to have a secret around this guy. But it''s still something to be able to talk to someone as if you don''t know everything about them.


    "My Apologies"


    "Don''t worry, I didn''t read your thoughts. Your expression just said it all" El laughed a little.


    Luciel didn''t even have that sort of expression. He held a poker face the entire time. It was quite hard for the others who heard his statement to believe his words.


    "As for why I returned just now... I got a friend" El smiled and sat down on a stool from who knows where he got it. Luciel decided to sit down as well so the only ones who remained standing were Damien and Arda.


    "A friend?"


    "Yes. That friend of mine will definitely change the flow of things"


    For Luciel and the others, they could not understand what El meant by this. El always told them that things are predestined for everyone. What they don''t know is that it was outside of his control and only assumed that he was letting this "destiny" take its course even if it meant death for several people.


    A friend of El that will change the flow of things was the equivalent of a being on the same plane as El. If there was another person like that, what would be the concept of right and wrong? the concept of good and evil? What good would their "free will" be if, in the end, they are subjected to this person''s idea of a "perfect" future? In the end, they''re truly just pieces in El''s game.


    "But you shouldn''t be concerned about it too much. It''s actually in favor for many of you and because that person cares about many people from this faction... I decided to help you guys a little bit by tipping some information. This isn''t my declaration of my siding with you, I''m on my friend''s side" El continued to explain and Luciel frowned a little bit.


    "Can we know who this person is?"


    "No. In the event you find out who that person is and do something to them, I won''t hesitate to retaliate"


    The three of them felt chills from this warning. Even if they had some curiosity about who this person was, El wasn''t a force to be reckoned with. Everything they worked hard for can disappear within seconds with a snap of his fingers.


    "Does Matthew know of your return?"


    "He was the first one who dared to summon me after so long"


    This irked the people in the room. For years they''ve been looking for that man as well as acting each other indirectly. All of that was for what? But then again El was someone who can just appear anywhere at any time.


    "Does that mean you also gave him information regarding us?"


    "The most I would do is tell him the chances of his plans failing but otherwise, the people I actually helped were yours. Don''t press on the matter anymore Luciel. You know that my hands are tied, I can''t answer everything. If I did, everything would be for naught"


    Luciel pursed his lips as he clenched his fists. El knew where Matthew is and some of his plans. Everything they wanted to know was with this person and yet they''re not allowed to know.


    "How''s your son by the way?"


    The abrupt bring-up of the topic made Luciel pause for a moment.


    "He''s fine, I think he''s with his "friend" right now" Luciel awkwardly said the word "friend" because he knew Kaiden had feelings for that kid.


    "Friend...? haha" El whispered this and laughed a little bit at how things were flowing. Indeed this will be a good show to watch.


    "If you need something from him, I can have him return here at once"


    "Oh no! I wouldn''t dare ruin their moment right now. I just wanted to hear about him from your perspective"


    Luciel was still stuck on the whole "ruin their moment right now" part. What did El mean by that? But still, El asked about Kaiden from his perspective. He needs to answer first before asking him what he means.


    "Kaiden... He actually reminds me of Gabriella from time to time because of his attitude"


    "Gabriella, that child..." El smiled sadly.


    If he had any regrets, it was letting that girl die when she wasn''t supposed to.


    "He''s stubborn like her but that''s also a good quality of his because he firmly believes in what he''s capable of. Just like his mother. But sometimes he''s really stupid about it."


    "But I do think that he got some of that stubbornness from you instead, Luciel" El jokes implying that Luciel was also stupid and Damien had to keep himself quiet despite the urge of wanting to laugh. Arda shot a look at Damien and sighed when the guy looked away.


    "I believe he''s a good kid. He just... needs affection I suppose? as well as proper guidance. Both of which, I failed to give to him early on that''s why he''s like that" Luciel admits his faults as a father and as a lover because this could have all been avoided if he properly expressed his feelings back when Gabriella was still alive.


    El explained that it''s alright to make mistakes as long as he was aware of them. And that what he should do now is strive to be better. And from the way that he was seeing things, Luciel was actually on his way to becoming a good father.


    "Just talk to your son more, not about the kingdom but just about the two of you"


    Luciel was surprised to hear another praise from El. Well, he was their father figure when they were born and they held no grudges against him even after his actions. So the advice that he was just given is definitely something he should take note of.


    "I''ll keep that in mind. Thank you, El"


    "No problem. Do a favor for me and take care of each other ok? You guys only have each other now and I don''t want to see one of you get hurt" El held a look of concern as he took his time to glance at the three.


    "We will" Luciel hesitantly answers because he wasn''t exactly sure which one of them should speak up at that moment.


    "Before I go, here" El stood up and held out his hand for Luciel to take. The moment he did, Luciel felt something within his palm.


    He flipped it over and it was a small dagger of some sort of metal that had some sort of magic on it. But this kind of magic was all too familiar to Luciel because it was what caused Gabriella to die. Damien and Arda got distracted by the dagger in Luciel''s hand because, by the time they looked up, El was no longer in sight.


    "That''s..."


    "Something that I regret" Luciel''s grip on the dagger tightened.


    "Find out what kind of spell it has. It''s the reason why our powers weakened"


    Well, to be frank, you could sense it had holy powers on it just from a glance but it had something else. Knowing the core of this magic will let them level the playing field. This might be the last thing that they''ll get from El since he did say that he wasn''t on their side. But what was the reason why he suddenly gave this to them? That''s something Luciel and the others won''t figure out any time soon.


    They were about to leave and call for clean-up when Luciel remembered something and halted Arda.


    "And also... Schedule a meeting for me with that Gideon kid and my son"


    Arda blinked for a moment. What happened to the whole "talk to your son more" advice from El?


    "I... shouldn''t you be the one who brings that up with the prince and not me?"


    "Figure something out" Luciel walked away and Arda grimaced because of displeasure due to the fact that she had to carry out this order.


    "You could always just pass it on to someone-" Damien was behind Arda and she suddenly turned to him.


    "That''s a great idea! You do it!"


    "What no-"


    "Good luck talking to the prince!" Arda waved her hand as she walked away.


    "I was going to suggest passing it over to Azazel...." Damien mumbled as he watched her walk away as well.

 Chapter 89

    Kaiden had snuck out on the day that his father planned on summoning El. What good would there be if he stayed there? Especially after confirming with Amias that it was El who bothered Gideon.


    ''I need to be with Gideon in case he does something''


    That is what he thought and because of his surprise visit. He actually had to stay some distance away from Gideon''s place. It was still bothersome that Gideon lives with Theodora. Maybe once they''re deeper into their relationship, he''ll bring up the idea of moving out of their current homes and just live together. He rang Gideon''s phone and waited for him to pick it up.


    "Hello?" Kaiden hesitantly greets the person on the other end. He has to make sure it''s Gideon he''s talking about before he blabbers about being nearby.


    "Hey. Why are you suddenly calling? Aren''t you busy around these hours?" it was confirmed that it is Gideon on the other side of the call. But still, maybe Theodora was listening to them.


    "Is Theodora there?"


    "Oh no, she''s back at the palace training the new recruits- wait, don''t tell me you''re coming over?"


    "Can''t I?"


    There were some indistinguishable noises on the other end of the call. But before Kaiden could ask if Gideon was ok, the other person caught his breath as if he was in a rush.


    "Sorry, I almost dropped the box I was carrying. Um, I don''t think it''s suitable right now because the place is a mess. We''re putting away some of dad''s things and keeping a few items as memorabilia" Gideon laughed as he lowered the box that he was carrying just now. The box contained some of Stephen''s clothes since he and Theodora agreed on putting things away little by little so she could cope and eventually move on. Kaiden was kind of quiet on the other end which made Gideon check if the call was still there.


    "Kaiden?"


    "I''m here, just thinking of something. Wanna sneak out?"


    "S-sneak out?"


    What were they? Teenagers?


    "Yeah, let''s go anywhere you want to go. I''ll wait in front of your place"


    "Kai-" The call ended and Gideon couldn''t help but sigh. Although they are officially dating, it''s still all too fast for him. Gideon ended up texting Kaiden to wait a few minutes as he changed into more proper clothes and got out.


    Kaiden had a face mask and a cap on as he leaned his back on his car as he waited for Gideon outside. When he looked up at Gideon, you could tell he was smiling ear to ear.


    "Hey Deon"


    Kaiden was now able to confidently call Gideon by his old nickname and the latter felt flustered a little.


    "Hey Kaiden"


    "Let''s go?" Kaiden opened the door for Gideon and waited for him to go inside.


    Gideon got in the car and Kaiden went around to hop in the Driver''s side. He took off the mask and hat.


    "Where off to? We already went to the Arcade and hung out in a fancy restaurant. Then we also went to the food district but I don''t really want to consider that as part of our experience since we had Yohann with us at that time" Kaiden recalled the last time they went out and Gideon did realize that they went to a lot of places.


    Almost all of his firsts were with Kaiden and it''s a bit thrilling. He never got greedy and just went with the flow, heck he''ll prefer the easier and cheaper option. But right now, Kaiden was giving him a chance to do whatever he wants without consequences.


    "Let''s just... go to a park"


    "Really?"


    Gideon nodded and Kaiden took out his phone to look for a place.


    "What kind of park?" Kaiden asks.


    "A regu- um.. Surprise me" Gideon paused when he was going to say a regular park because he realized he wouldn''t even know what to do there with Kaiden. The prince only raised his eyebrow and shrugged.


    "Alright" was the last thing he said before he started driving.


    The drive was not so quiet. The two would talk about the things that happened to them recently as well as play some games such as "I spy with my eye" whenever they were at an intersection waiting for the red light to turn green. When Kaiden announced that the two of them had arrived, Gideon was surprised that Kaiden took the time to drive this far just for this.


    "I thought I said a park, I didn''t mean an amusement park"


    "Why? I thought you said we were young anyways so let''s act like it or... you don''t want to be here?"


    Gideon went to a similar place back then with his classmates but he never enjoyed it because he kept reminiscing about his old life. He and his sister would go to an amusement park when he got a salary bonus by the end of the year and even though they''ve gone numerous times there, the experience just reminds them of home and the time when their family was complete.


    "I did say that and I also told you to surprise me"


    But he really has to let go if he wants to stop hurting.


    Even if he already lived a life before, in this life, he should enjoy it. Even if he had already gone there before, he''ll consider this as his first time having fun.


    "What about your appearance?" Gideon asks Kaiden since he would look really suspicious if he had gone out in a mask and cap like usual.


    "You''ll just have to deal with it then since, I don''t want any more rumors of me dating anyone else besides you"


    Gideon blushed when Kaiden said that and turned to unbuckle his seatbelt and open the door.


    "Shut up" Gideon tells Kaiden as he shuts the door closed when he gets out, cutting off the laughter coming from Kaiden.


    "That guy really..." he muttered to himself and Kaiden got out of the car with only his cap.


    "I''ll take it off once we''re at the ticket booth. That way we don''t get swarmed immediately" Kaiden was still smiling, it seems like he has not moved on from seeing Gideon''s flustered face.


    "Fine, let''s just get going" Gideon''s cheeks were sort of puffing up in annoyance and he started walking away.


    Kaiden locks the car and catches up with Gideon. He sneakily grabbed Gideon''s hand and Gideon paused for a moment. The prince was actually expecting another violent reaction from Gideon but to his surprise, the other person actually squeezed his hand back. This alone was enough for Kaiden to feel flustered and suddenly shut up. Gideon won that round, he''ll give him that.


    When they arrived at the entrance, the cashier had to do a double-take to make sure it was actually the prince in front of him. Although the cashier insisted that they should just enter for free, Kaiden still paid for the fees before getting the wristbands.


    "Here''s yours"


    Kaiden handed Gideon the other wristband and even helped him put it on. The people from the side, like the cashier, did a double-take and realized it was the prince.


    "Are you sure about this?"


    Gideon kept noticing the stares that Kaiden was getting. He was just a little bit concerned if Kaiden would suffer consequences for his rash actions.


    "It''ll be fine. I still have the right to have fun when I want to" Kaiden tilted his head to the side to motion that they should head in. Gideon didn''t dare to take Kaiden''s hand right now in the heated eyes of the public. Kaiden didn''t force him and just let him be but he would ask what they wanted to do first.


    "I um.."


    "Deon?"


    "Yes- Ah?"


    Kaiden covered his eyes for a moment and whispered; "Don''t mind their stares"


    "I''m just worried"


    "If you mind it that much, do you want me to make them look away?"


    "Don''t do anything rash, Kaiden"


    "Then would you stop worrying too much? like I said, it''ll be fine" Kaiden took off his hand and Gideon''s eyes had to readjust themselves.


    "Just look at me and the things you want. If you want something, just tell me. If something bothers you, tell me as well. I don''t want you to be uncomfortable" Kaiden pinched Gideon''s cheek and smiled.


    This gained some "aww" and gasps from the small audience that they had garnered just for standing close to the entrance. Of course, there are some negative reactions but Kaiden''s voice seems to be drowning them out.


    "Now, let''s get out of here before security scolds us. I may be the prince but I still don''t want to talk to anyone else besides you" Kaiden ushered Gideon away into the amusement park.


    "Don''t rush!"


    Kaiden only laughed as a response before adding "Let''s have fun Deon!"


    Who knows what kind of magic spell Kaiden used on him but Gideon seems to have forgotten that there were other people around them.

 Chapter 90

    The two started on the small rides and slowly worked their way up into the big rides. The only thing they didn''t expect was that Gideon would get motion sickness from one of the rides. He had to sit down while Kaiden was about to explode at the conductor for not warning them.


    "K-Kaiden, don''t worry I''m fine" Gideon states as he holds in the lunch he ate earlier from going up.


    "But you got sick!"


    "no no, I kind of expected this that''s why I''m not mad"


    Actually, Gideon had motion sickness in his past life. It was Alice who dragged him into this kind of ride and they found out the hard way the moment Gideon almost collapsed. In this current life, Gideon hoped that he no longer had motion sickness. Who would have known that he would still have it?


    "If you knew, then why did you get on?"


    "Because we were both having fun and it seemed like you wanted to try it out" Gideon admits.


    He saw Kaiden''s sparkling eyes the moment he saw this one ride called the pirate ship. And it was confirmed the moment they got on that monstrosity that Kaiden was thoroughly enjoying it while he was suffering on the side. If it meant that Gideon would see this side of Kaiden more often then it should be fine for him to suffer a little.  Kaiden sighed and suddenly carried Gideon.


    "K-Kaiden?!" Gideon panicked and would have already pushed himself off Kaiden if he wasn''t so weak right now. The people who had been staring at them, because of the prince, were also surprised. They knew Kaiden Lux Ferre was strong but seeing it in person is still something.


    ''Lunch, you failed me''


    "We''re going to go home now" Kaiden says seriously as he walks past the people who immediately steered clear out of his way.


    ''No! Then their first official date would have been a disaster!''


    "No-"


    "You''re sick"


    "No." Gideon covered Kaiden''s eyes because it was the only thing he can do that was pretty harmless.


    But what he didn''t expect was that Kaiden would continue to walk. This got him a smack in the head from none other than his dearest Deon. The people around them gasped and held their breath. Who would dare smack the prince on the head?!


    "Ow.. what was that for?" Kaiden pouted at Gideon whilst the other was just looking at him angrily.


    "I swear if you don''t put me down, I''ll stop talking to you"


    With that threat, Kaiden carried Gideon to a resting area and created a privacy barrier that made them look like someone else and no one could hear what they were talking about.


    "Don''t treat me like this Gideon" Kaiden whined and Gideon rolled his eyes.


    "If I didn''t then you would have dragged my shame along with you. I''m fine now... Maybe I just want water"


    "Alright, just wait here" Kaiden once again put on his cap like it''ll help him hide his already known presence before taking down the barrier. But before he left, he gave Gideon a glass stone.


    "Break this if something happens. I''ll know immediately" Kaiden kissed Gideon''s hand and walked away to get refreshments for Gideon.


    Gideon watched him walk away and he sighed. Now that Kaiden was gone, reality dawned upon him once again. That there were a lot of people who had been watching them intently earlier. How there was a mix of good and bad impressions. And that the bad ones were mostly towards him.


    "Excuse me?" Someone approached Gideon and he should have expected this.


    "Yes?" Gideon wasn''t required to speak to anyone but it''s just him not wanting to be rude in general.


    "The other seats are taken and the bench you have is quite big, can we sit here?" The man gestured to the woman next to him and it looked like they were a couple.


    "Sure" The bench wasn''t their property anyways and it''s not that hard to scoot to the side.


    "Thank you" The man gestured for the woman to sit down and Gideon could overhear some of their conversations.


    "I''ll be quick, you just have to keep an eye on him ok Ari?"


    "Ok master"


    Gideon felt like he was hearing something he shouldn''t have and his eyes widened.


    ''IF YOU GUYS ARE INTO S AND M1 AT LEAST KEEP IT IN THE BEDROOM''


    He was looking away awkwardly wondering when Kaiden was going to come back and the guy walked away. The woman glanced at him and smiled.


    "Hello"


    "Oh? um hello" Gideon replied and ended it there. It''s not a requirement to talk to someone you''re sitting next to in a public area right?


    "I''m Ari, what''s yours?"


    "Erhm..."


    Ari seemed to notice his awkwardness and laughed at herself.


    "I''m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. You don''t have to tell me your name. It''s just that... you look familiar to me" She says and Gideon responded with an "Oh".


    "Yes, that''s why I wondering if I know you from somewhere"


    This woman can''t take a hint that Gideon was not interested in talking to other people.


    "This is the first time I''ve spoken with you" Gideon flatly replied to stop whatever this Ari lady thought of him.


    Ari giggled and said "And yet you''re very familiar to me" with a smile.


    Although it all seemed innocent, there was something off-putting with her overall person that Gideon couldn''t put a finger on it.


    "I''m back"


    "Have you finished what you needed to do?"


    "Not really, someone bothered me. Let''s just go Ari"


    Gideon wondered why this guy looked familiar to him. He had loose curly blond hair and sky blue eyes kind of like an Angel. He had a face mask which made Gideon think that he might be a germaphobe or he''s sickly. Maybe the latter is more believable because of how pale his skin was.


    "Alright, Matthew"


    Surely not?


    Surely this man isn''t?


    "Hmm?" The man called Matthew glanced at Gideon who suddenly stopped breathing for a second and he tried to calm himself down.


    Ari noticed that Matthew was looking at Gideon and she patted his arm.


    "Oh sorry, I just thought he seemed familiar"


    "Funny, I also thought the same thing" Ari states and says what Gideon told her.


    "But this seems to be the first time I spoke with him"


    Matthew glanced at her and it seems like he was surprised that Ari spoke with Gideon. He was about to ask something when he sensed someone was coming.


    "We just got mistaken. Let''s go, Ari"


    "Kay!" Ari and Matthew disappeared into the crowd. It was only then that Gideon managed to breathe properly.


    Was that Matthew?


    Who was that Ari person?


    Why was he familiar to the two of them?


    There were so many questions in Gideon''s mind that he didn''t even notice that Kaiden had returned just now and was now waving his hands in front of him.


    "Earth to Gideon, are you there?" Kaiden asks and Gideon blinks.


    "Huh? oh I''m sorry" Gideon massaged his forehead a little bit.


    "Are you sure you''re ok? You look terrible right now" Kaiden was very much concerned for Gideon''s well-being because he looked very pale just now. As if something spooked him.


    "I''m..." Gideon wanted to ask questions but they''re in public. He''s scared that there would be a possibility of Matthew watching him still.


    "Let''s go somewhere else. I think we''ve played around for a while now"


    "Yeah, we should leave. Do you want me to carry you?"


    "No!" Gideon flatly refused his offer immediately.


    Whoever is up there listening, why is all of this happening to him?


    "Fine, do you at least want to hold your hand?"


    Kaiden placed out a hand for Gideon to take. Gideon looked at it and took it without answering. Kaiden''s hand was very comforting for him that easily made him forget about his worries from earlier.


    The two left the amusement park and Kaiden drove them to somewhere that was near the outskirts of the city. Gideon asked him where they were going and Kaiden replied that it was a secret place. When they stopped, they were by a cliff that overlooked the entire capital. Because it was already close to nighttime, the view looked breathtaking.


    "I wasn''t planning on taking you here this soon but you looked like you needed some fresh air"


    "How did you find this place?" Gideon asks Kaiden and the prince shakes his head.


    "It wasn''t me who found this place. It was my mother"


    Well, that was unexpected. Especially when Kaiden yelled at Valerie one time that he doesn''t want to have anything to do with his mother anymore when they were kids.


    "She had letters for me and my father. In her letters, she said that this place would clear her head from worries while she was carrying me and how this was her secret hideaway" Kaiden spoke fondly of her and Gideon listened to him.


    "Father also knows of this place but he wouldn''t dare go here because he knew that he was the reason why mother hid all the way here. But he was still stupid enough to make this place the Capital just to fulfill her wishes of living here with me and him once things were ok"


    "I see..." It''s interesting to hear all of this from Kaiden''s perspective. In the end, Kaiden seems to long for Gabriella.


    "So, I use this place to my heart''s content. Especially when I was looking for you back then. I''d go up here and think where you would have gone"


    Gideon awkwardly laughed. Those days were pretty rough...


    "So if you have any problems, just come up here and let it all out. I''m sure that''s what mother would have wanted for the both of us"


    Gideon knew that this place was only for Kaiden and Luciel but he got included. He couldn''t help but feel flustered and the cold wind that was hitting his face wasn''t helping at all.