8 Take Responsibility

Maya had collapsed where she stood. Her lips were quivering while her body was shaking uncontrollably.

Kaylus put on a cheerful smile and walked to her, acting as if nothing had just happened. He stood in front of her and offered Maya his hand to help her stand up.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently.

Maya looked up, tears in her eyes. As if the gentle treatment coming from Kaylus acted as a catalyst, she burst into tears and jumped into Kaylus's arms, knocking them both down to the ground.

"Tss," Given the opportunity for some sympathy, Kaylus winced slightly from pain despite feeling completely fine, albeit his muscles were a bit stiff.

Hearing this, Maya immediately tried to sit up, trying to push Kaylus away, but before she had the chance to, Kaylus embraced her tightly as if he thought if he let go she'd run away.

The two were now sitting on the ground. Kaylus started to stroke Maya's hair, who continued to weep.

"Shh, it's okay. You are safe now. Everything is alright." He comforted her as Maya cried, but his mind wasn't idle.

'I thought the shaking and fear were just an act, so I had to check. But her heart rate is clearly heightened. I would have thought the princess of a clan that has a matriarch would be strong and fearless. Is she weak, or is she a genius actress? Foxes are associated with being shrewd, so I can't dismiss any possibility.'

After several moments of repeating similar things over and over again, Maya finally calmed down enough to speak.

Speaking into Kaylus's chest, she said, "I… I thought I was really going to die. I have never felt unsafe like this in my own home."

Kaylus kept the same cheerful expression, but internally his eyebrows were raised. 'Maybe it's not that she is scared but just shocked? That would explain why her heart rate increased. I still have my doubts about her being scared. I'll have to play along for now. She can't be that simple…'

Kaylus decided to play along, with what he perceived to be crocodile tears. He grabbed her shoulders gently and slightly pushed her away, then he took his right hand and gently but firmly flicked her forehead.

This act shocked Maya, she became wide-eyed and her quivering mouth opened even more. She touched her forehead and looked at Kaylus bewildered at what just happened.

"Silly little fox. While I did say that it's your life and you're free to do with it as you wish, I didn't think I had to specify that losing your life is not permitted while I'm around. As long as I'm here, I am on your side and promise that nothing will happen to you."

He continued to smile and wiped the tears from Maya's sparkling eyes.

"So don't worry any more, I won't let you die just like that. Even if you weren't my saviour too in a way, I still wouldn't let the life I saved go to waste. So don't ever think about dying. Okay?" He beamed

Maya's breathing hastened and she did something, that even someone as perceptive as Kaylus couldn't have predicted.

She swiftly wrapped her arms around his neck and proceeded to kiss Kaylus. Kaylus was taken aback momentarily but in the next moment, he decided to go along with it.

'She took the initiative so it would be wrong to push her away at this point.' He thought to himself as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, simultaneously letting her do the same.

The two kissed passionately, their tongues intertwining as if they were in a life-and-death battle, but after some time the two broke apart, a bridge of saliva forming between the two as they breathed heavily, their faces rosy from what just transpired.

Both of them had a satisfied and happy expressions, all the fear and anxiety that was present on Maya's face was now nowhere to be seen.

Maya went back to hugging Kaylus tightly which he reciprocated, her arms wrapped around him like a python while her head rested on his chest. She had the warmest and happiest smile that Kaylus had seen from her so far.

She then gently started to whisper, just loud enough for Kaylus to hear.

"Just so you know…"

"Hmm? Just so I know what?" Kaylus asked while looking down at Maya.

She loosened her grip on him and looked into Kaylus's eyes.

"That was my first kiss, so you better take responsibility for it…"

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for his response.

'Cute. Should I tease her a bit?'

"Responsibility, you say?" He asked as if he was thinking about something, rubbing his chin as he did so.

"Mhm." Maya shook her head.

"I see. But…" He then brought his fingers up to his lips and touched them.

"...That was my first kiss too." Hearing this, Maya became wide-eyed again, not expecting that response.

"And seeing how you kissed me first, shouldn't you be the one taking responsibility for me?" He asked with a teasing smile.

Hearing this, Maya smiled as if she had just received the greatest gift imaginable.

She shook her head up and down, tears of joy welling in her beautiful and sparkly ruby-like eyes.

"Yes, that's fine too. I'll take responsibility, so remember that you're mine now." She continued to smile with nothing but pure unadulterated joy on her face.

"Hehehe," Kaylus chuckled.

"Shouldn't that last line belong to me?" Kaylus winked, teasing Maya some more.

"I guess I have no choice now, except to win tomorrow"

"Hihihi." Maya giggled at what Kaylus had said, and the two returned to merely sitting in each other's embrace.

While the two hugged, Maya mumbled something Kaylus couldn't pick up.

The two sat in their own world, blissfully unaware of the trio of rats, watching the entire scene from the start.

.

.

.

Moments before Kaylus saved Maya from the training dummy, the trio of rats discussed the events that were about to transpire.

"Did all the preparations proceed as planned?" Nemo asked sternly.

"Yes, young master."

"That's right, my lord."

Tom and Jerry answered simultaneously.

"Haaaa." Nemo let out a long and heavy sigh of relief.

"That's good to hear. Soon I'll no longer see that annoying pest around my woman." Nemo scowled.

"Don't worry, my lord. Everything will soon return to its rightful place." Jerry stated.

"Mhm, that's right, young master." Tom agreed.

"Yes… You're both right. After tomorrow everything will be as it should."

"It looks like it's about to begin."

"Perfect. It's now time for Maya to become injured and feel despair. Only when everything seems to be at its bleakest will I step in to save her." Nemo declared with a sinister grin.

"That should teach that ditzy woman that she will only be safe as long as she remains by my side."

At that moment the fight between Kaylus and the training dummy started.

"What?!" Exclaimed the trio in shock

"How can he control his weapon so accurately with his mana?" questioned Tom

"...And what about his movement? How did he reach the princess so swiftly?" added Jerry

"...Will you two shut it?" growled Nemo

"It's nothing impressive, even I could move at that speed" sneered Nemo.

Tom tried saying something, but Jerry elbowed him to keep quiet and spoke instead.

"That goes without saying, my lord. We were just shocked that a nobody like him could mimic a fraction of your power." Jerry expressed with a smile.

"Ha, a fraction of my power, you say? I don't think he even amounts to that. In my eyes, he did something you could expect from a little child."

"Apologies, my lord. My eyes seem to have failed me. I beg your forgiveness for being ignorant." Jerry bowed his head, begging Nemo for forgiveness.

"It's fine. Just make sure it doesn't happen again." Nemo said dismissingly.

Tom and Jerry had been spying on the pair for the past few days. Jerry decided not to tell Nemo that until recently, Kaylus couldn't control his weapon so accurately or move at such speed, not to mention the power of his kick that followed soon after.

The three continued to watch the brief but intense fight with the utmost focus.

"Looks like he is getting injured, but not nearly enough," Tom said absentmindedly.

Jerry elbowed Tom once again. But this time, he didn't stay silent.

"Ow. What was that for?"

He looked over at Jerry, who had an irritated expression and gestured with his eyes towards Nemo.

Tom set his gaze on Nemo's face only to see his furious expression. Nemo was grinding his teeth from rage, mumbling incoherent things.

Jerry attempted to calm his master down. "My lord, even if you cannot play the role of the hero tonight, wouldn't this be enough to make tomorrow's fight that much easier?"

"And when you defeat him tomorrow with ease, wouldn't that make you appear even stronger and more heroic in the princess' eyes?"

Nemo took a few deep breaths calming himself.

"Mmm. That could work too." Nemo agreed.

Unfortunately, things in life rarely go as planned, and ever since Kaylus had shown up, Nemo felt as if he had suddenly lost the main character status.

As Nemo calmed down, something happened that no one present could have expected.

Maya threw herself into Kaylus's arms. That alone was enough to cause Nemo to see red. If not for the fact that he'd have his revenge tomorrow, he might have attempted to kill Kaylus, right there and then.

Then Maya kissed Kaylus. At the same moment, Nemo, blinded by rage, tried to jump out at the couple and slice them both to shreds. If not for Tom restraining Nemo and Jerry swiftly, knocking his lord out, he would have committed a monumental mistake.

Jerry had Tom grab and carry their unconscious master, and the three promptly left the wholesome scene.

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A/N: Hey, thank you for reading. If you enjoyed it make sure to vote for this novel with your power stones. It helps keep me motivated and helps the novel in the algorithm (or so I've been told)

If you want to see more also be sure to add it to your collection. Only around 22% of you who have read this so far have added it to your collection so it would be nice to see that % go up.

I have left some BIG hints when it comes to Maya and her personality in this chapter. Has anyone figured it out yet or will it remain a secret till the reveal? Let me know in the comments :p

Thank you for reading

-DontLookPls