A week had passed since the plaza terror incident, and the Plaza of Glory was bustling with activity once again
The carriage came to a halt, and Cale was the first to step out. He extended his hand toward Athanasia, who accepted it with a happy smile. Holding hands, they made their way down the carriage, their steps synchronized and hearts connected.
Hovering above them, the dragon and Zaphyr observed, their presence invisible to the crowd. They exchanged words, acknowledging the passing of time and the changes that had occurred.
"Been a while, hasn't it?" the dragon mused.
Zaphyr nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Much has happened."
As Cale and Athanasia walked through the plaza, the murmurs of the crowd enveloped them. People gazed at them in awe, their whispers and admiring glances a testament to the reputation they had gained.
"It's young master Silver Shield and the Melody Miracle," someone in the crowd exclaimed,
prompting a sweetdrop from both Cale and Athanasia.
Vice Captain Hilsman, walking beside them, couldn't hide his pride. "Ehm hm, how proud," he declared, his chest puffed out.
Both Athanasia and Cale turned their attention to him, intrigued by his statement.
The vice captain continued, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. "It seems everyone is calling you Young Master Silver Light and Young Lady Athanasia, the Melody Miracle."
Athanasia's blush deepened, and she glanced at Cale with a mixture of embarrassment and exasperation. Cale, on the other hand, let out an inward groan at the cheesiness of the nicknames.
Vice Captain Hilsman was undeterred, clearly enjoying himself. "Amazing individuals like you two are bound to receive awesome nicknames," he added, nodding sagely.
Cale's thoughts. "Goddammit," he grumbled inwardly. "Young Master Light? Young Master Shield?
I really wish I didn't have to hear something so cheesy and embarrassing."
He stole a glance at Athanasia, still holding hands, and noticed her reddened ears. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Is she embarrassed?" he wondered, taking another quick look. "Yep, definitely."Cale returns his glance at hilsman
Athanasia thought, Please, stop calling me that.
It's so cringe and embarrassing to hear. I'd rather disappear into a hole right now...
Athanasia let out a sigh and shifted her gaze to Cale, who was engrossed in conversation with Vice Captain Hilsman. She observed their interaction, her mind wandering as she listened to their discussion.
Vice Captain Hilsman chimed in, "I believe it will be best to refrain from drinking since you, Young Master Cale, and Lady Athanasia haven't fully recovered.
Cale's gaze shifted to Athanasia,. He thought, He's right. Athanasia and I are still officially injured and haven't fully recovered yet.
As they continued walking, their steps guided them to a gate where a vigilant guard stood. Recognizing them instantly, the guard greeted them with a nod.
Cale spoke, a hint of his composed demeanor in his voice, "Do I need to show identification for me and my fiancée?"
The guard's response was prompt and respectful, "You may head inside, Young Master Cale and Lady Athanasia."
Cale nodded in acknowledgment, his voice filled with gratitude, "Right, thank you."
Athanasia, standing beside him, added a warm smile and chimed in, "Good work." Her demeanor radiated a sense of appreciation.
The guard replied with a respectful salute, "Yes, sir!"Yes! maam!
The guard watched them go with admiration, feeling honored to have encountered such esteemed individuals.
However, a chill suddenly ran down Athanasia's spine. She turned back to see the guard admiring them, causing her to inwardly cringe. Stop it! I don't want my peaceful life to slip away every minute...
She sighed, her expression revealing her inner conflict.(poor athanasia your peaceful life is already taken..)
Cale noticed her reaction and inquired, "What's wrong?"
Athanasia shook off her discomfort and returned his gaze with a smile. "Nothing."
Eventually, they reached their destination, a gathering where Eric, Amiru, and Gilbert were already seated at a table.
Cale acknowledged their presence, "Hyung-nim, you've arrived first."
A slight wave from Athanasia followed Cale's greeting as she joined him by the table. Taking their seats, Athanasia settled herself beside Cale.
Amiru, her gaze focused on both of them, couldn't help but remark, "There's a piece of news that everyone here has heard. Cale Henituse and Athanasia Levine rejected receiving a medal of honor and instead yielded it to another." She noted their attendance despite their ongoing recovery. "Cale and Athanasia came to attend this ceremony."
A contemplative expression crossed Athanasia's face as she looked up at the sky. Cale, following her gaze, commented, "The day is quite beautiful, as if to reflect our respect for the fallen today."
Athenasia nodded in agreement. "You're right," she added softly.
Amiru observed them with a knowing smile. "I believe it is because of you, Young Master Cale, and Lady Athanasia."
Athenasia looked puzzled and asked, "What?" Her confusion was evident.
Meanwhile, Cale seemed equally puzzled as he questioned, "Me?"
As they interacted with Eric, Amiru, and Gilbert, Athanasia couldn't help but feel a warm connection, almost as if she was surrounded by blossoming flowers.
(imagined athanasia was sitting beside cale)
With a sigh, she couldn't help but resign herself to the situation.
Cale turned his attention back to Amiru. "You're leaving today, right?"
Amiru confirmed, "Yes. You and Lady Athanasia are leaving tomorrow. I'll see both of you again at the territory."
Athanasia nodded and smiled, her anticipation evident. She thought, "I can't wait to meet Witira and Paseton."
Cale responded, "Yes, we wish to see the ocean."
Athanasia's gaze shifted to Cale,
her thoughts revealing her insight, "He has other plans... getting another ancient power."
Amiru remarked, "Right, for the sake of recuperating."
Cale agreed, "Yes, as you can tell."
Cale's thoughts played a different tune, revealing his true intentions. Recuperating my ass,
I'm going so this perfectly healthy body can get stronger. He glanced at Athanasia, confident that she had caught on to his unspoken plan.
Amiru and others thoughts shifted, predicting the aftermath of today's events. "After today, another rumor will probably start to circulate amongst the nobles – the development and investment for a military base at the northeastern coastline."
As they both smiled, their shared understanding and camaraderie apparent, Gilbert chimed in, "We are in your care, Young Master."
Amiru echoed his sentiment with a smile, "Us as well."
Suddenly, on the grand stage, the king's commanding voice resounded, capturing the attention of all present. Athanasia and Cale both turned their gaze towards the king as he began to address the gathering.
"Gathered back here today to show that we will not cower under fear," the king's words resonated through the plaza, emphasizing the unity and resilience of their people.
As the king spoke, Venion approached Cale, his presence drawing their attention.
Cale acknowledged him, his tone polite, "What is it, Young Master Venion?"
Athanasia, catching sight of Venion's arrival, smiled slightly, her thoughts momentarily distracted. "Ah, I forgot about him,
Venion's inquiry followed, directed towards Cale and Athanasia's decision to decline the medal of honor. "I heard that you and Lady Athanasia have declined the medal of honor. Are you and Lady Athanasia not going to regret it?"
Zaphyr and the dragon voiced their sentiments in . I want to kill him, they seethed.
Athanasia, her frustration building, couldn't help but think, I want to punch him.
Cale, who had overheard the dragon and Zaphyr's reactions, had an inner dialogue with them. Please calm down. Don't kill him here, he urged, his gaze shifting slightly to Athanasia. He could tell that her smile was forced—a facade to mask her annoyance.
Rising from his seat, Cale decided to address Venion's inquiry head-on, his voice confident. "Why would we regret it?"
Athanasia chimed in, her tone resolute. "The fact that we all managed to survive is enough for me and Cale."
Venion's response was succinct, and his understanding apparent as he said, "I see."
Cale, with a mischievous glint in his eye, added a touch of humor. "Yeah, and also, it's because I'm too shy to walk up there and receive the medal."
A small smile tugged at Athanasia's lips, realizing that Cale was enjoying taunting Venion.
As the king concluded the ceremony, his words held a promise. "This will conclude today's ceremony. However, this great king will never forget this moment, so that I never forget these heroes."
a flower to honor those who had fallen, Athanasia's thoughts turned inward. She prayed silently, her heart heavy with the weight of those they couldn't save. "There were still some who died, even when I used my ancient power. I'm sorry I couldn't save you all."
Cale, attuned to Athanasia's emotions, reached out and touched her shoulder reassuringly. "Athanasia, don't think too much about it. It's already done, and you've saved many lives. Don't carry that guilt."
Athanasia turned her gaze towards Cale, a genuine smile gracing her lips. "Yeah, you're right," she sighed, a sense of relief washing over her.
The following day arrived, marked by a sense of calm after the events at the plaza. In a quiet room, three mysterious balls caught the dragon's attention.
"What is this for?" the dragon inquired, peering curiously at the peculiar objects.
Cale explained with a casual tone, "It's for destroying whirlpools."
A resigned sigh escaped Athanasia upon hearing Cale's response. She had grown accustomed to his unusual explanations.
"Cale," Athanasia addressed him, her voice carrying a hint of affection.
Cale turned his gaze to her, a fond smile tugging at his lips. "Yes, love?"
A gentle smile adorned her face as she thought, He's been calling me love, darling, when we're alone... but I'm not complaining.
Athanasia informed Cale of her plans, saying, "I will go to the library for a moment."
Cale nodded in acknowledgment, allowing her to proceed with her intentions.
As Athanasia left the room accompanied by the invisible Zaphyr, she made her way to the library. Her purpose was clear: she sought to uncover any information about the mysterious being she encountered in her dream.
Within the library, Athanasia perused history books and other texts that could potentially hold relevant information.
She meticulously selected a multitude of books and settled at a table, ready to delve into her research. Zaphyr floated beside her, observing her efforts.
Zaphyr voiced his skepticism, "You're going to read all of that?"
Athanasia's smile remained unwavering as she replied, "Yes."
With determination in her heart, Athanasia embarked on her quest for knowledge, spending hours engrossed in her studies.
Meanwhile, in the room shared by Cale, the dragon, Hong, and On, Cale grew increasingly aware of Athanasia's prolonged absence. Concern crept into his mind, and he sighed before deciding to take action.
The dragon questioned his motives, "Where are you going, weak human?"
Cale's response was simple, "To the library."
Curiosity piqued, the dragon continued, "Isn't that where the human girl went earlier?"
Cale affirmed with a nod as he made his way to the library. Upon entering, he was met with a heartwarming sight: Athanasia nestled among a mountain of books, her form relaxed in slumber. Zaphyr was also resting nearby.
Cale couldn't help but sigh, his affection for Athanasia evident as he observed her peaceful sleep. He approached her quietly, taking in the sight of the books that surrounded her.
History? Why is Athanasia reading that? Cale wondered silently. He had noticed her peculiar behavior—how she seemed to hide something whenever she woke up from her unconscious state. However, he hadn't pressed her for details, respecting her decision to keep it to herself.
With gentle care, Cale lifted Athanasia into his arms, carrying her in a bridal-style embrace. Zaphyr stirred awake and followed behind them as they made their way back to their room.
Once inside, Cale gently laid Athanasia down on the bed, his actions infused with tenderness.
He leaned over to plant a gentle kiss on her forehead before settling beside her. Fatigue soon claimed him, and he succumbed to sleep, his presence of a comforting presence by Athanasia's side.