Don´t forget I´m here

When I was returning to my seat with the members of the council and my friends I dispersed the crowd that had watched the fight. I also bid farewell to Einar and promised to meet again sometime. On my way back Carin and her cronies were walking alongside me.

"You did a good job, little brother. Now, after many years, the Yatra household will have a higher title of nobility. This is a great achievement to add to your list. Feel proud about yourself"

Carin playfully punched my arm and flashed me a smile. I received her gesture with a smile of my own.

"If that can help everyone in the Yatra household, then I´m happy I could be of help. You can count on me any time, sister"

The face of my sister blushed and quickly turned to the other side.

"What a cheeky little brother you are..."

""Cheeky brother!"" Said both of her cronies while giggling at me.

"By the way, sister, who are these ladies?"

Carin suddenly realized that she had forgotten to introduce her followers. She stopped in her tracks and picked both girls from their hips. They didn´t resist at all and allowed my sister to pull them closer in a hug.

"This one on my right, is Ling Yua"

The girl on her right side had a small face and delicate features. She had black colored hair that was combed with the shape of a bum. I noticed some straps covering her neck and wrists with dragons and foregain symbols. Her eyes were bright green. Like the leaf of mint.

"Nice to meet you!" 

She waved her hand as if she was scaring a fly away.

I didn´t notice before, but now that I´m listening more attentively, she has a certain accent that makes her words sound larger.

"The one on my left, is her best friend, Lei Fang"

The other girl had characteristics similar to Ling Yua. The most noticeable difference was that Lei Fang had her eyes closed all the time. Her hair was also black, but hers was shorter compared to her best friend's. She had a necklace with a tear-shaped jade stone that had symbols unknown to me. 

"A pleasure, little brother"

She also waved her hand, but her movement was much gentler compared to Ling Yua. She also had an accent, but it was much less perceptible.

"They are both my friends and kind of my guards" Said Carin with a confident grin and a proud chest.

I was a little taken aback by this introduction, but I let the feeling flow and responded to the girls.

"Nice meeting you both, I´m glad my sister has two wonderful friends like you"

Carin blushed again and released her cronies. They both took a step forward and stood before me with their lips curved upwards.

"She is our master, we have decided to follow and protect Miss Carin from anyone who tries to harm her"

"We swore that once we return home, we will present Miss Carin to our clans as our master. We will always stay by her side"

I looked at Carin in search of a response to the words of the women, she just sighed while scratching her head.

"It´s something from their homeland. They come from the other side of the continent where nobles send their children to foreign lands to look for a master to serve. Apparently, their parents thought it would be best for them to find someone here rather than there"

"The other side of the continent...?"

I vaguely remember something like that being mentioned before in the original story, but the author never gave it much development since the plot of the story happens in the kingdom of Asphyxia. 

I guess I don´t need to worry about that for the moment...

"I see... I guess it´s something similar to what I have with my personal maid..."

When she noticed I was calling her, Jasmine gave us a puzzled look.

"I can always count on her, and she can always count on me. We protect each other and move forward, as a team"

Her eyes peeled and her face blushed, she didn´t say much but a "Thank you, master" and a nice bow. She didn´t express it, but I think we all knew how she felt.

"Heh, I wonder if it´s the same... Anyway, I´ll call you again another time, if you need anything, you know where to find me"

Carin left just as she arrived, like a fucking sandstorm. Both of her cronies waved their hands at me for a last time and followed their master.

"... What a peculiar group..."

"I guess now you know how you look from the outside, master"

"Hmm... Is that so?"

"Yes..."

After that short exchange of words, we resumed our way back to our table. I felt the fingers of Jasmine grab the back of my sleeve, but I didn´t bother to push her away. At least until we arrive, I´ll let her do whatever she wants.

*

Once we got to the table I was received by a jumping Isabella. She embraced my body as soon as she saw me and kept jumping up and down with a wide smile on her face.

"That was amazing! You beat that senior and that disgusting noble! You were so cool!"

Her enthusiasm was comforting, I felt as if my little sister had acknowledged my efforts. I gently returned the hug and caressed her head.

"Thank you, Isabella. It makes me happy that you think that way, but... How did you know I fought another noble?"

"Well, you should take a look at the sky you cut every so often" Said Nicholas while pointing at something.

When I followed his finger I saw a tiny metallic ball floating in the sky with the wings of a wasp. There was a lens zooming in and out at my face from the center of that floating piece of metal.

"What are those things?"

"Some of the most recent invents from teacher Madely. She made these after your fight at the entrance ceremony to keep an eye on the whole campus" Explained Amanda from her seat.

"I see... So she did..."

My face unconsciously frowned after hearing that name. I think I was being too honest with my feelings because everyone was now staring at me.

"Donipi, by any chance, you don´t like teacher Madely?" Asked Anna with a worried face.

"I... Let´s just say I´m not a big fan of hers..."

Isabella let go of my body, but she grabbed my hand between both of her palms.

"It´s fine, not everyone is ready to accept us, we just have to be patient and do what is right"

Her words were encouraging at the point that I felt myself drowned in her serious eyes. I nodded with an ironic smile "You´re right..."

Following this mood, the rest of the table shared our smiles and resumed their conversation from before I had left.

The moment I sat down I felt the gaze of the person across from my position. Verónica was staring at me with her head resting on her hand. Her eyes were sharp and an ominous aura was surrounding her. Taking into consideration all this data there was only one conclusion: She was pissed about something. But what?

The moment our eyes met she started to move her lips without making any sound.

Meet- me- la- ter- af- ter- school...

I received the message and nodded with a drop of cold sweat sliding down my forehead. My throat got tighter the moment she changed her behavior to join the conversation the others were having. That control of her emotions was terrifying, even I had trouble hiding my displease when something bad occurred, but she seemed to master the art of putting up a facade.

Both my respect and fear for my lady increased in equal quantities.

The rest of our lunch ended without issues, we all went to the rest of our classes and concluded the lessons as we were supposed to, I asked Jasmine to do some errands for me and bid farewell to Isabella. She looked like she wanted to spend some more time together after school, but I had already made some plans. She understood the situation and wished me good luck with a typical bright smile of hers.

Now that I was alone my duty was to find the person I loved ASAP.

I fused with the shadows and explored the main building in search of Verónica. She usually has to stay with the council once classes are over, so the most logical place to look first was there.

I dodged the guards walking around to make sure all students had left the facilities and reached the student´s council room. The moment I arrived the members of the council were just leaving. I took advantage of their exit and slid under their feet to enter the room.

"Hya?!"

"W-What is it?!"

"Di- Did anyone feel a sudden breeze?!" Screamed Berenice as she pulled down her skirt.

"Huh? The windows are closed though..."

"I´m sure it was just your imagination, Berenice"

"I- Is that so? Well... If you say so, Miss Verónica..."

"Huhu... Well then, we´re leaving, Verónica, don´t take too long in your... business"

"I won´t, your highness. Please be careful on your way home"

After they shared their goodbyes and the door closed, I popped out of the shadows and sat on the edge of the desk that Verónica was using to sign some documents.

"So... You wanted to see me?"

"..."

Verónica put down her pen and crossed her arms under her chest as she rested on the back of her chair. She was looking at me without saying a word.

I felt shivers run down my spine and quickly stood from the desk. I was unsure of what to do next... If I apologized, it wouldn´t look meaningful since I don´t even know what I did wrong... And if I joked about it, there was a high chance that I would make Verónica even angrier...

What´s left for me to do...?

"... Did I do something to offend you, my lady?"

Yes, the only reasonable answer for this moment was no other but to be honest and ask for the reason, that´s the best I can do with my current skills.

"You really have no idea? Not in the slightest?"

"..."

Her questions were like daggers piercing deeply into my flesh. I was beginning to feel desperate, but I tried my best to overcome the feeling and started to think about what could I have done for this to happen.

My memory immediately sent me to Jasmine and her warning.

"Don´t be too nice with girls! Especially with Isabella!"

I´m sure the line wasn´t exactly like that, but the idea was close enough. 

I checked my luck with fear growing inside my stomach.

"Is it about Isabella? Was I being too careless?"

"..."

Verónica suddenly left her chair and grabbed me by my tie. Then she pulled me to the couches and pushed me down as a red blush covered her cheeks.

"You are always letting her hug you! Even now you have her smell! And that maid too! They are always making approaches and you let them do it!"

I was shocked, I had never seen this needy and jealous side of her. I felt as if I was being granted a unique view of a person. I was given a glance at a window to her heart. Great pleasure and happiness swelled inside my chest as she pierced me with her eyes.

"I... I´m so sorry... I had no idea you felt like that... It´s just that, I don´t see any of them in a romantic light... I-"

"I KNOW THAT!"

"??!!"

She interrupted me mid-tense. If there was anger on her face before, now there´s guilt.

"I know you would never cheat on me... I know you won´t betray me... And I know how much those two matter to you... I know... I know but..."

Tears suddenly started to fall from her ruby eyes. I felt my breath escape out of my lungs and my heart stop for a second.

"I don´t like it! You´re mine! If you´re letting them do those things, then give me the double of love!"

She wasn´t ordering, or asking me. It felt more like a plea. Like a desperate cry for help.

I snapped out of my trance and pulled her body closer into a tight embrace.

I´M SUCH A FUCKING IDIOT!!!

"Domi...?"

"I´M SORRY! I´M SO SO SORRY! OH GOD! I´M SORRY VERÓNICA!"

Now the one in tears and wails was me. I desperately apologized to her with all the force of my lungs. I stuck to her body as close as I could because I feared she might just go away if I let go. She froze in her place for a second, but when she realized what was happening she responded to my actions with a tight grip of her own.

We stayed there embracing each other with tears and pain for what it felt like centuries. Neither of us wanted to separate even a mere inch during that time. 

On this day, I discovered just how painful love can be...