'Today was hectic.' Bella thought, staring at Lucas with her chin on her palm.
Just a few hours ago, this grandpa-in-child-form in front of her had managed to stabilize Athanasia's Mana. Something that the great magicians from all over the world couldn't do.
Claude, who was initially skeptical of this child, became calmer since Athanasia's condition was said to have improved and was no longer in a dangerous position. Felix was also charmed by this little genius.
'If only they knew this guy is a swindler.'
"Please enjoy, Master Magician." Hannah, one of Athanasia's maids, said with a friendly smile full of gratitude at the man-child in front of her.
Lucas replied with an innocent smile that Bella is sure he had polished off so well. "Thank you, Miss."
Bella couldn't help the twitch at the corner of her forehead seeing all that.
They were currently in the dining room at the Pearl Palace, the place where important guests used to stay when visiting Obelia. The little Magician was exhausted after he worked so hard to stabilize the Youngest Princess Obelia, so the Emperor gave him one of the rooms in the Pearl Palace for him to rest.
And Bella's role here? As a pick-up guy for the little Magician, of course.
"The Emperor loves his daughter very much, doesn't he?" Bella heard Lucas commented as he cut the steak with his knife and fork. "He didn't even hesitate to kill his daughter's holy beast the second I said it was the main reason his daughter fell into a coma."
Oh, yes. Bella remembered clearly what had happened a few hours ago.
Lucas explained that the reason why Athanasia's Mana became unstable was Athanasia's little pet whose whereabouts Bella just found out yesterday. A black and blue dog-like creature that actually is a holy beast, a creature made purely from Atanasia's Mana.
Claude became livid when he heard that. He immediately gripped Athanasia's pet by the neck, intended to kill it.
"Had it not been prevented, he could have killed his own daughter with that action." Lucas said, this time chewing a grape on the plate.
Lucas immediately refrained the Emperor at that time, explained to him that by eliminating the creature, Atanasia's condition would only get worse. Bella and Felix also helped to calm Claude, until he finally released Blackie from his grip.
'I wanted to smack his head right then and there,'
Bella had to keep reminded herself that Claude was the Emperor, and it would make her head fly if she dared to smack him on the head.
Just realizing about something, Bella's jewel eyes turn to stare daggers at Lucas. "Since when did I allow you to speak informally to me? Do you want your tongue to be cut off for being disrespectful toward the member of the imperial family?"
Lucas only raised an eyebrow, his ruby eyes looks amused. "Are you really going to do that? I don't think so."
"Oh," Bella summoned her sword with magic, a trick she had recently learned from Matteo. "Are you sure about that, hm?"
"I'm sure because I know you know who I really am. Your sister must have tattled to you already." Lucas said nonchalantly. "You know that only I can cure your sister's current condition, and you wouldn't risk your sister's life over something as trivial as 'disrespect towards the member of the imperial family'."
"So you're aware," Bella stabbed her sword into the palace floor beside where she sat, ignoring the indication that Lucas thought that Athanasia had been gossiping about his existence to Bella.
Lucas snorted, "maybe no one noticed, but I can see that hate look of yours very clearly. You may be quite good at hiding it from other people, but not from me."
Bella smirked. If he already knows, then there's no need to pretend in front of him anymore, right?
Lucas took one of the grape from the plate in front of him again. "I was quite surprised the first time I saw you."
Bella tilted her head at Lucas' words.
"I can't believe that you sisters are the same." Lucas chewed his grape. "Tell me, is it a hereditary condition that makes you both remember your past lives? But I checked your father is not like that, though."
Bella didn't answer. She just put her usual poker face.
"You're not surprised." Lucas commented. "So you know about the fact that your sister remembers her past life? Can I assume she's the same?"
"Nah," Bella objected. "She doesn't know that I know about her situation, and she doesn't know that I'm just like her."
"And it looks like you intend to leave it like that." Lucas chuckled. "You two sure are interesting. I don't think I'll be bored if I stay here for a little longer."
And for the first time, Bella didn't resist the urge to throw something at Lucas' face. And a green apple became the object of the throw.
•••
"What's this?"
Leo stared at the paper in front of him in disbelief.
"Paper, don't you see?" Bella replied. "The word 'document' can be used for this too."
"I know..." Leo sighed. He rubbed his face tiredly, then looked back at the paper in front of him. "But why...?"
"Why?" Bella repeated. "Didn't you say that you wanted to become a Healer?"
"Really?"
"Don't pretend to forgot," Bella grabbed the document in front of them, then hit Leo on the head with it. "You told me yourself that becoming a Healer was your goal since you knew you could heal. Isn't that the reason why you know all too well about all kinds of medicine in Obelia? You might be late for the Academy, but you can apply an internship at a clinic. Once you think it's enough, you can take the test to register yourself as a legal Healer in front of the Law of Obelia."
Leo subconsciously licked his lips. "I can't afford that, though."
"Don't be ridiculous, Leo. You have a Princess from the greatest Empire on the continent as your friend. Take advantage of that."
Leo snorted at that. "Did you just advise me to take advantage of you?"
"Yep," Bella nodded. "To achieve your goals, you must take all the opportunities that lay in front of you."
Leo still unconvinced at Bella's words. He stared intently at the table in front of them, seem to be thinking very hard about what they had just talked about.
Bella who saw that just sighed softly. She then grabbed Leo's clenched hand, make the young man look back at her.
"Leo," Bella began. "You are my precious friend. You were there with me when my mother's gone. You always helped me when I was in trouble. You always healed all the wounds I got from a fight. You are part of my family in this world, Leo."
Leo blinked slowly. "Your family...?"
"Yeah," Bella smiled. "You've helped me a lot over the years we know each other. And now it's my turn to repay all of that to you. So please don't hesitate to accept it, Leo."
"I don't think everything I did was enough for what you just gave me." Leo muttered.
"I don't approve you belittle yourself like that." Bella objected with a sharp glare. "After all, this is all for me too, you know. If you officially become a legal Healer, you can become my personal Healer. And just so you know, the salary of a personal Healer is huge, especially for an Imperial family member like me."
"So in the end, I'll come back to you again, huh?" Leo chuckled.
"That's right..." Bella beamed.
Leo smiled back. He then raised his hand and gently stroked the top of Bella's head. "You're my family, too, Bella."
"I know, Leo." Bella's smile mellowed. "I know."
•••
Hi, I'm back!!
Finally, exams is over and I can breathe without feeling guilty because I feel like I didn't study enough.
Lucas finally show his annoying true self. And an old oc made reappearance.
Do you all forget about Leo?
Shame on you, he is one of my favorites here in the story... (: