Chapter 17: Expected Yet Unexpected Turn Of The Event

It is getting late. The sun is setting itself to another side of the world, leaving together it's light, leaving their part dark and with the aid of moon sparing them from complete darkness.

It has been 5 hours since Carlos started painting before Catherine came in 2 hours ago. Stopping few 5-8 minutes to rest his hand and observe the surroundings if he did get the details right before going right back in once more. He finished the background completely and the two women in the painting is almost finished. He uses a little fan to blow some of the parts of the paint to speed up the process of drying. He still taking a look at the three women who's voices started to sound more and more audible to him as they all grow accustomed to each other and having more confidence to speak up.

Carlos had listened to them and learned some few things.

He have realized that this side quest Catherine is doing is simple. Coming to the Camiera residence is just the start of the quest, the next part is when she is going to leave. Fortunately, Carlos can make an excuse to leave once Catherine announces her leave as well. Also he needs the leave soon too because the altercation magic has been using his mana slowly but surely and without recharging himself, he might further loses his mana completely and the magic might just wear off right in the middle of his painting session and could reveal is identity almost too immediately. He wouldnt want that so he needs to wrap up quickly. He can leave before Catherine so to give him time to prepare to follow her and see her progress in this side quest.

"Thats it for today for me. Im gonna need to head back home before the sky becomes too dark for me to walk." Carlos announces himself.

The father, Nicolo, stood up from the long hour of reading. He did a little stretch at his back and approaches the painting to see the progress. It is safe to say that he is satisfied with how it is going. He is also amazed with how such little short time of the day, this young painter managed to paint so much.

"This is incredible young man. I must say you had me at first when you came in. Seems like I judged you too quickly." Nicolo gave his compliment to Collin and Collin scratched the back of his head shyly and said thank you to Nicolo.

Before Collin could leave, Alliyah arose from her seat, leaving the other two women behind and approaches Collin hastily with her dressed lifted up to lessen the trouble of her rushing. She placed both of her hands to Collin's forearm. Her hands fit perfect when she gripped them, tip to tip of her fingers touching. She is closer than she needed to be but she did not mind that.

"Tomorrow morning, 9 o' clock, come back and continue to painting, alright?" She said. Hands tightly gripping to Collin's arm although it is not too tight where it hurts. Collin nodded his head to Alliyah as to agree and she smiled at him. How Carlos felt so warm and tight in his chest, seeing his friend in her but he held back the sad emotion for tonight, after all, memories from his real life makes him too sensitive nowadays.

Collin bid his farewell and was escorted outside. Andrei, who was asked to escort him, stand close to him. Carlos couldn't help but tremble silently as he feels Andrei walking behind him. He knows to himself Andrei wouldn't hurt him, only because he is someone right now and not Carlos. However, being with him, he cannot help but fear from a possible thought of having Andrei finding out who he is, thus, walking faster to the door where he entered just to get away from Andrei entirely. He also thought of finishing the painting quickly within three days at the very least so to not stay too long in the Cameira residence just to avoid other interaction with Andrei.

Andrei right now is very tame. He is calm and collected. He is serious and thankfully his face isn't frowning when he is serious. His eyes are

always wander to somewhere else without losing track of the things that needs to be done.

Collin is further escorted to the carriage. Andrei said his farewell to Collin and inserted a few good words to him for being a lifesaver of the family from their grandma. Carlos already knew the reason and would like to know more but if he is to ask now, he is going to ask the wrong person so he didn't say his questions and said his thanks instead before finally closing the door of the carriage. Andrei stood there until the carriage leaves the gate before going back inside the manor, closing the door in the process.

Catherine, who is talking to Rebecca, is very much delighted to know she is very kind to her stepdaughter so much that she did not force herself to be her mother and kept a great relationship with her. She is a very caring woman and Catherine admires that to her. Such a gentle soul leaving in a gentle lady, what a matching pair for embodied spirit.

"Alliyah is very much like her father. She doesn't resemble him and more on to her mother and I think that's a good balance for her. Having to inherit both features of her parents. Though I must admit, sometimes, Alliyah is more mysterious than her father. She became more of that after the incident..." Rebecca kept talking and talking and Catherine indulges herself to the conversation they are having. With Alliyah who is standing near at the painting, observing it. Taking in all the details that were painted there, the two kept continuing to talk about her. She wasn't able to hear them because of how occupied she was looking at the painting.

"Is it alright to know? The whole story? About what happened to her and what Carlos did to her?" Catherine, whos been so curious ever since then hearing the incident from Rhyden's mouth, cautiously asks the stepmother without sounding so persisting and respecting her boundaries to the informations from what happened.

Rebecca inhaled deeply and so did her exhaling the air. Her eyes drifted off to Alliyah subconsciously after hearing Catherine's permission. "The only thing you need is how that evil child drifted my husband's baby girl away from us. It took her almost a year to reconnect with us. We thought we were going to lose her the same way our neighbor's daughter died from a traumatizing event." She said. Her eyes hadnt left Alliyah. "That boy... though I can sympathize on what he is going through, the way he is being treated by his family is not an excuse to do something to her. I cannot let that happen again, especially when she started going to school again, in the same section as him-- can you believe it? How could they put them together!? I swear I dont understand that school sometimes. If that boy tries to do something to her again, I will not hesitate to-- God is the only one whos knows what I am going to do to that boy." Her blood boiling, hands clenched together so tightly Catherine fears that Rebecca's long nails will hurt herself. Her face flushed red with rage, her smooth forehead wrinkled from frowning. Such a gentle woman yet the cause of Carlos to Alliyah made her express so much emotions she cannot contain herself properly. Her voice still remained soft however.

"I see..." Catherine sat back to her chair, processing what Rebecca had just told her. She feels worried how one person can inflict so much damage that it affected the whole family. She knows what they say against Carlos are true and the Carlos she met is conflicting those ideas in her head, making her more confused. She is curious of everything about him.

The wall clock hits 7 o' clock and Catherine had to leave, telling Rebecca she cannot stay longer for she needs to go back. Rebecca did not stop her and asked her to come back tomorrow for an afternoon tea which Catherine delighted from the invitation and gave Rebecca a kiss on the cheek before leaving the room. Alliyah escorted her out the same Andrei did to Collin and see her off when she got on a carriage. Alliyah did like her company as well so she isnt against with her stepmother inviting her tomorrow. She looks forward to see her again by the next day in hopes of continuing the conversation they were having earlier.

In the carriage, Catherine quietly sat inside with her eyes looking out the window. The road the coach is taking her is the same way where she took before arriving to the Camiera residence. She didnt know how it is at the night until she is taking this road by tonight. Only the road is visible and the rest is pitch black.

Amongst the darkness, Carlos follows the carriage. On a broom, he used it to fly around as a transportation for himself to get around the moving carriage. He trails behind and keeping himself hidden, never going upfront and keeps himself at the Blindspot whereas Catherine nor the coach can see him. Having confidence with the darkness, he cared little about being seen while still being careful.

He knows what is coming.

After leaving, Catherine was offered a carriage to get her back to the manor where she and her aunt stays together. While the carriage is moving, in the night, where not even a light can be seen, it is the perfect time for those who lurks in the shadow to make a move. Their horses soon catches up from behind with weapons prepared in their hand. With a plan to ambush, they did as what they have planned and attacked.

Arrows fly through the direction of carriage. With them moving, it is a little hard to get a direct hit and missed their shots to hit the coach and the two horses attached to the carriage. Startled by the flying projectiles, the horses became agitated and started to run frantically. Losing the rhythm of the two horses as they guide the carriage and it became ragged as they run. It rattled inside the carriage and Catherine knew something wrong. So, she peeks out the window and sees multiple figures moving in the shadow. An arrow flew directly at her, hitting the window. The arrow pierced through it and thankfully it didn't completely go through. Half of it's body got stuck from the outside with the sharp pointy iron almost hit Catherine into her head.

Grasping the full situation, she knew she can't sit idly inside the carriage and play the role of a damsel in distress, especially when only her is the one who's capable to do something against the attack.

The coach tried to get the horses on track and make them gallop through the dark road. With his eyes clear, he treaded through the path carefully while rushing. He didn't think too much and only knew to himself he needed to be faster and not let those shadows get to them.

Catherine summoned her staff with a built in blade to make it a pole arm.  She chanted a protection magic around the carriage to protect it from projectiles but only projectiles can it deflect as it is what that magic is for specifically. She then opened the carriage door bravely and enchanted her staff with mortal detector, having it to point directly where the enemies are (aimbots but magic so it's not cheating) before firing a simple fire ball. With her buff skill, the fire ball she casts to attack the enemies is stronger than normal and so, the enemies that were hit by it are easily disturbed and lower their defense. She also manages to make their horses go wild from fear and become uncontrollable with the riders having trouble to calm them down, causing them to fall down and gets to be left behind by the others.

Few of the ambushers became so bold enough to get closer when they figured that with arrows and crossbows are not gonna cut it. They passes the barrier Catherine made since it isn't a barrier to prevent everything from getting inside and only flying projectiles. Reason for this is because it is faster to cast than casting the perfect shield which would have taken Catherine to cast longer and could have put their lives at stakes at that moment if she were to be a second late from casting the barrier or else the horses would have been hit.

The coach from the outside uses a baton and uses it to defend himself and the horses. Catherine, who peeked out from the door so risky, she pointed her staff at the ambushers who are too close and fire at them. She succeeds on hitting them but there are more of them to make them keep coming.

Carlos, at the back, hidden from both parties, flying sneakily. He knows that will happen but he did not try to do anything to prevent it from happening. Not because he doesn't want to which he did wanted to stop but this side quest is something that must need to happen. Though side quest, it is connected to the main story therefore, if he were to stop it from happening, the story might go off the script and become unpredictable, even worse, the goddesses might sense what is happening. It is too early for them to be awaken thus, Carlos did not try to do anything. However, he is providing support for Catherine. He applies weakening effects and debuffs to the enemies, making Catherine capable of finishing them in one go. And the enemies who are now getting closer and closer to the carriage, he sends out basic magic attacks towards them and sabotage them from hitting Catherine, hitting them from behind.

"Where the hell is Rhyden? He is supposed to be here by now!" Carlos muttered under his breath while trying to catch up to the speed of the running horses. Riding a broom uses magic and everything he is doing right now uses magic. It uses mana and his mana is slowly running out. Plus, the disguise, he still haven't taken off the altercation magic despite it uses his mana slowly since this afternoon. He cannot take his disguise off yet, right when he is secretly involved in one of the quest of Catherine's

One of the enemies managed to get so close to the carriage and Carlos wasnt able to defend against them right when it approached at a spot where it is beyond Carlos' vision. He is at the blind spot and took the chance to take a hit. The coach, who is alarmed by this, uses his baton to deflect the attack to protect the horses, however, when he did, the enemy turned to his way and attacks him instead. He groaned loudly yet bravely raises his baton, ignoring the wound that opened up across his shoulder and swings to attack which successfully hitting the man in all black. He fell from his horse. His body then got trampled by the horses of his own group right when they were following up behind the carriage, unable to turn back to check up on him because the objective that were assigned to them are much more important than one's own well being.

Catherine took notice of the coach's cry of pain at the front and quickly worried for him, quickly throwing off her own safety and get to the coach at the front. She took a risk of getting out of the carriage despite the moving speed.

Her staff were put away in a magic space and she grappled herself on the side of the carriage and gets out. Her straining grip made sure she wouldnt fall off and climbs her way to the front. Almost falling off when another one got so close to her. Thankfully, her accident of having her hand slipping off saved her and her body swings to a different side and sees the enemy that tried to strike her. She gave him a harsh kick and he falls off immediately, meeting the same situation as the other guy.

Carlos can see how many enemies tried to take advantage of Catherine showing herself out in the open and curses at her out of worry. He sends out magic attacks and disrupts their movements. Few fell off from their horses and some fell along with their horses. He scoffs at them before going for another. He makes sure he doesnt overdo it or else Catherine might notice.

As he flies through with a broom at such speed, something came along with him with much greater speed.

Just as when Carlos felt a relief, he was attacked from behind with an unknown force, causing him to fall off from his broom. Because of the speed, his body flew off before hitting the ground, causing a threatening sound upon the impact that his body made from his fall and he fell unconscious.

This figure who now arrived, kept itself in the shadow before revealing his true identity, none other than the protagonist himself, Rhyden, came crashing through the formation of the ambushers and attacked them one by one. He did so quickly, the enemies did not know what hit them and had no time to react. All they knew is that one of their own is falling so suddenly.

Finally grasping the situation, the enemies found out they are being attacked by another party, yet this party is only one person. Thinking of him as a pest because of his quantity no more than one, they underestimated his skill and tried to get him off the trail. Not realizing the actual threat they are facing, Rhyden had all the means to defeat all of them so easily.

Catherine saw Rhyden's arrival and rejoices to his presence in the battle. She had the coach to stop the carriage and soon came to a halt. She aids him quickly by applying her buff using her skill and Rhyden felt the buff flowing through his body. He gained more confidence to go up front to the enemies. Face to face he fought them. His levitation magic has yet to fail him and will not fail him with Catherine as his support. He changes his position after defeating another enemy.

These ambushers are easy like ants but also unending like ants as well as they just seem to keep showing up for eternity.

"Tsk" Rhyden clicked his tongue in annoyance as he watches the enemies regain in quantity.

Carlos, who had taken such a fall, finally opens his eyes from losing his conscious when he had taken the hit. He opens his eyes and felt his whole body hurts, especially his left shoulder and left side of his body, the part where it took all of the hit from the fall. He moves his body and the pain is overwhelming that made him cry out.

He turns his head to look around to see what has happened and what is going on in the current situation of the quest. He sees two figure in the middle of a surrounding enemies. One with a sword and one with a pole arm and knew the story had finally aligned, yet he sacrificed his own well-being which he later found out it was pointless and unnecessary when this scene is bound to happen, after all, the wheel of fate continues to move and makes sure that every thread of fate is in order.

This time, he tries to get up once again and fails once again. His left side not only hurts but also feels heavy and weighing him down. He laid straight on his back and rolls to his right side and get up that way instead. He pushes his right hand to lift his body up and it worked. Sitting up straight, he gets to see his own situation. His disguise, the altercation magic had wear off. His hair is back to the normal color of the minor villain Carlos' hair and so are his eyes. When he get to see it, he told to himself he needs to leave quickly or else he will be found out. While the two is still busy, Carlos did his best to run away, unfortunately, not even getting up can he do it, let alone running.

His body out of mana. He cannot cast a healing magic to at least heal a small portion to ease his pain. When he tried to at least try to see if if there is still little left, it backfired to him. In an attempt to use magic without mana, his chest aches and felt a cramp in his stomach including his head throbbed in pain. And that was the last chance for him, slipping everything away from his fingertips before he fell unconscious for the second time.

The two protagonists panted from exhaustion right after defeating every one last of the enemies. Rhyden looked back at Catherine who stood close to the carriage and see for himself just to know if Catherine is alright. Seeing her panting in sync with his rhythmic breathing, the two smiled at each other. The worry that held their lungs so tightly had finally let go.

"Are you alright?" He asks. Catherine gave out a small giggle before replying to him by saying "I'm the one who was ambushed but it seems like you look worse than me." She jokes which Rhyden made a chuckle from her reply.

Rhyden's relief was short lived when he remembers the other figure who flew from the distant who seems to be sending out magic attacks. He thinks that person could be one of the ambushers since he is too attacking and staying in the shadows so he did not think twice of hitting him.

He looks around in the dark to see a figure of shadow far off the road and there he spotted a broom from a long distance. He walks to it and Catherine checks to see if the coach is alright.

She runs to him and sees the coach is already patching himself up with a cloth. She didn't hesitate to heal the coach with a strong healing magic and quickly did the coach feeling the pain is slowly disappearing and relieving from the wound that is closing itself. He thanks Catherine so much and shook her hand but then he remembered his place and quickly retracted his hand away from the neighboring kingdom's princess and apologizes for his impudent action. Catherine was quick to dilute his treatment to her by saying it is alright and there is no need to be stiff at himself in way to respect her and her position and wishes to treat her the same as how he would treat his masters back at the Camiera Family.

"Making someone respect someone to the point it's choking them is never good for me because it'll be the same for me too. Someone being so strict to themselves just to respect me, makes me choke because I feel like I don't have the freedom of being treated with a smile." She says to the coach which the coach felt quite touch. For someone who belongs in a high position wishes to be treated just like everyone else in a way where no one is forced to lower their head to another and be treated as equal like how god created them to be.

Rhyden got to the person who fell from the broom. The same broom that is now broken is in his hand and walks to the unresponsive body whose identity has yet to be revealed. He moved the body around and because of the darkness of the surroundings, he cannot see properly and so, he drags the body closer to the road where the street lamps are stationed. And by then, did he finally realized who is the person he is dragging.

"Carlos..." His face turned sour and bitter. His hand clenched tighter around Carlos' collar as he drags his body on the ground. Uncaring of Carlos' situation.

He reached the carriage and set Carlos near to it, having his back placed against it. Catherine saw that he came back and see to what he brought and was shocked to see Carlos' unconscious body. She gasps and approaches his body but Rhyden blocked her with his arm. She didn't proceed and asks what happened to him so worriedly. This bothered Rhyden because she shouldn't be worried, especially when this bastard is an accomplice from the attack (he is not, unfortunately, Rhyden thinks that he is.)

"He was flying right behind your carriage and sending out magic attacks. He is one of them, Im sure." He firmly told Catherine. No doubt, no hesitation. He said it with full confidence.

Catherine on the other hand, had some realization when Rhyden mentions Carlos sending out magic attacks when clearly she wasn't attacked by any. The ambushers were all using weapons and none of them were magic users, nor used any magics against her however, she did notice that some few lights flying across her but never hit her, seeing from her peripheral view and some of the enemies miraculously having accidents, eliminating themselves out from their plan. Not only that, she felt an aura covering the enemies yet none of them were stronger despite the ominous color of the aura. Those with applied of aura seemed weaker than those without the aura.

"There is something more to it." She says to herself which Rhyden heard it but did not respond to it with his eyes glued to Carlos, unknown to how much in trouble he is right.

"What do you think he was doing?" She asks and Rhyden flat out responds "What else could you think he's doing. He must be one whos behind. If not, then he's an acquaintance. Because there is no way he is here coincidentally. Not ignoring the fact he was attacking as well."

Catherine couldnt say anything else in defense of Carlos. With no explanation why Carlos is here, Rhyden's conclusion can stand against him, therefore there is no way for Catherine to try and say something otherwise. She stands there trying to think of something.

"We should take him in." Catherine said and Rhyden looked at her almost too immediately. Catherine almost stammers but maintained her calm demeanor and formed her words flawlessly. "Let us say that is the case for now but until we get the right answer by interrogating him could we truly get to know the real reason behind why he is here."

Rhyden had no objections although he have some second thoughts regarding taking Carlos with them. It is the only way could they find out and what Rhyden is worried about is actually where Catherine is planning to take Carlos in but he did not ask. He lets Catherine take the lead.

Rhyden takes Carlos up in his arm and carries him inside the carriage where Catherine awaits. He places Carlos to the opposite side of the seat before taking his place next to Catherine. The carriage then soon to move with the horses galloping on the dark calm road.

---

*Yawns*

"When will this class ever end?" I rested my head with my hand under chin, supporting the weight of my big brain because I am smart but can never wrap my head around how did the shrimp fried this rice. Some things are just hard to explain and I think I have realized that not all things need to have an explanation.

It is the last period of the class and this lesson just feels like its been for forever and keeps continuing to unending discussion that I feared the words that are being spoken might etched in my brain forever that I will recite it on and on like a crazy person repeating a word again again like its a chant.

"2:30 pm" says on my smartwatch. Oh how I am so excited for the next 10 minutes to pass so the teacher can finally stop talking and have us dismissed already. I can see other students to my side are yawning as well and the others are secretly falling asleep. Others are already asleep but since most of them are in the back, some of them can get away with it. Not me, especially when I am sitting at the front.

I fixes my wide thin framed glasses in hopes to at least make me focus on the blackboard, unfortunately, it is ineffective and it will never be, right when Im at the verge having my head banging on the desk because I can no longer support it and the tiredness is getting more and more to me. Hoping it will not happen although the drowsiness is overwhelming.

"Sit properly!" I heard the voice of my teacher. It seems like she has caught on to us students who are growing bored of her lesson and simply getting so sleepy around her class but my eyes are already closed and I dont know what kind of expression she has in her face.

"Aiden!"

I immediately crack my eyes open to answer to my teacher.

"Yes?" I said out of instinct whenever I am caught sleeping.

"Oh! Youre finally awake." instead of the voice of my teacher responding to me, a different female voice responds. Her voice is so mellow and sweet but holds a tone of someone who's bright. She is looking at me with her golden eyes and I stared back at her dumbfounded.

"..'am Catherine..." I whispered, but the young woman in front of me heard me and tilted her said, asking me if Im alright. She is looking at me as if she is the one I called.

"How are you? Are you alright?" She asks and I nodded, hesitating to speak to her.

I swear I only fell asleep for like... few seconds? Why does it feel like I slept for hours?

I refuse to answer to her further questions regarding my well-being. Having to just woken up, I usually need time to load everything up like a computer.

This woman in front of me have a very long violet hair and she is wearing  an attire like a uniform. The skirt length reaches just above her ankle and her shoes are high-cut slim boots with about 2 inches heels. She looks very resembling to the character in a game I have played before. Is she playing a cosplay?

"Carlos? Are you listening?"

What? Carlos isnt my name?

"Y-you got it all wrong... My name is..."

Ack! Urgh...! My head. It hurts. There was a sharp pain in my head. I felt like it went through my mind and everything seemed static for a bit. After that, nothing more... like it just passed by. What was that...

"Carlos... Your name is Carlos...-- Oh no! Dont tell me the fall was so harsh!" The girl who was sitting next to the bed I am lying down in which I had just realized up until now, gets up and walks to me and boxed my ears and moved my head around to see if there's anything wrong with it.

Carlos...

Oh right...

So I guess I am still here...

Trapped in a fantasy world

A fantasy that I fear it will be my new reality

Maybe it has been from the start and I was just scared to accept it

Scared to accept that this world is my new reality.

"Urgh, Im fine Princess Catherine. Please let go of me. There's nothing wrong, I feel fine!" I told her with an annoyed tone. After hearing that, she drew herself away from me while still looking over to my head just to see if there is really nothing wrong. Her eyebrows are knitted together because of the worry.

"Where am I? What am I doing here?" I asked impatiently, looking around the room. It is a little bit smaller than Carlos' room but I would say that this has better atmosphere in it. The bed is the same size but I dont feel so comfortable in it despite it has the same softness as the one in Carlos' room. Maybe its because I am not familiar with it?

After checking the room, I checked my myself and sees my arm is is bandaged heavily with four sturdy sticks attached to the bandage to keep my arm straight no matter how much I move it.

Crap... I cant hide this one from Julien.

"Youre in Mhitterey third manor, the one I am staying in." Catherine answers not long after I asked her a question. Upon noticing me seeing my injury, she swallowed and firmed her voice and asked me a question. "What are you doing behind my carriage last night? Are you involved with them? Are you one of them?" The deliverance of those questions felt like a bullet hitting me directly, right when I am vulnerable and injured right now.

So I was caught wasnt I? I cant just tell her I was there because I had foreseen everything, it will make me look more like one of them further. In the story, Carlos is not involved-- at least, not yet because he will be. In the middle of the story.

'Why are his clothes the same as the young painter back at Mrs. Rebecca's house?' Catherine thought to herself, eyeing in such anticipation to Carlos who lies down on the bed. She can also see a paint stain around his sleeves and his hands were too stained with paint when she watched the nurses treat his broken arm.

"Rhyden told me you were attacking my carriage. Did you really do that?" Catherine asks me further. Adding one more question I cannot answer truthfully.

Catherine then suddenly walks over to the door that was half open and peeks over outside between left and right before closing the door quietly and locks it then proceeds to go back right where she was standing. She looks at me with a look in her eyes I cannot explain. Its like... she is... looking down on me? But her eyebrows are still furrowed. Is she worried about me? Which is it?

"You were helping me there werent you?"

What?

"Im sure of it. There is no way those guys wouldnt have hit me when clearly they outnumbered me and the coach with me. Those guys were hired killers so they must have been professionals and me, someone... who barely have enough experience, couldnt have possibly defeated them all." Catherine hit me with all of it. She runs to my side that I was startled. I pushed myself back away from her and she only leaned in just to get closer to me again. "You were helping me. They wouldnt have been so easy to defeat if it werent for your weakening charms you applied them with. I know what those are, I can see them. Dont take me for a fool because I am not!" She insisted herself onto me. Her voice is loud yet quiet still to not hear from the outside door.

I couldnt answer her so I stared at her only with my tongue tied and lips tightly shut as if they were too knitted. Why cant I think of a lie right now...?

"I... I cant let them know I helped you..." I mutters, hoping she would not hear properly and tell me to repeat it so I can brush it away and force her away from me.

"What do you mean you cant let them know?"

Fuck...!

"Because...!" Shit... this route of the choice of my words is making me look like I know who's behind it which I do know! But I cant let them know that. I cant let them know that everything is just a simulation created by a human outside of this world and their story is already written and I know how everything goes. Okay... here goes another impromptu. "I was helping you... but in secret, because I cant let them know. If they did... s-something bad might happen... You knowing that I helped you is bad enough already..."

I can hear my heart beating in my ears. My throat feels so tight. Its hard to speak.

I lowered my head to let my hair fall to hide my face and to block my view from seeing Catherine. My hand placed on my broken arm and caressing it to ease the tension in myself.

"Who are they?" She asks.

"I cant tell you."

"Are you involved?"

Not yet. And it is also true I cant let them know, the main villain especially, that I helped Catherine or they might think I am on her side and will prevent me having me by their side to do their evil schemes. I need to be on their side to follow the next events that should happen. With her finding me out because I was too careless already changed the outcome of the story and I dont know what will be the changes so I need to be even more careful, even though I my best everyday make sure the story is aligned to the original.

Despite that the quest I helped her with is just a side story, that side story is required to be finished because it is linked to the main story. I already fucked this one up. I cant take anymore chances. I need to do better.

"No. But its going to be hard if I did get to."

With no sight of Catherine, I only listened to the things she did. She sighed deeply and the shadows that loomed me over has been lifted. She moved away from me and walked somewhere around far right of the room, walking over my bed. I heard her open a cabinet and I thought there might be something she is doing so I lifted my head and see what she is doing. I see her at the distance rummaging around the cabinet and not too long she pulls out a bottle and returns to me.

"I told Rhyden that I will be taking care of everything, so, at least, please pretend I gave you a punishment so he wouldnt be so suspicious of you. He strongly believes you were one who are behind  the attack. And here, take this." She hands the bottle and gives it to me. I reluctantly accepted it. When I finally took the bottle in my head, her free hands then quickly catches my hand and holds it tightly. "If you ever need help, please, dont hesitate to tell me."

What the... this is so out of character... She shouldnt be this nice to Carlos. She shouldnt have taken me, Carlos in the first place and have my injury treated. In the game, some of her voicelines expresses how she thinks how much of a jerk Carlos is and questions Carlos' moral quality. She has never been this kind to Carlos which is why sometimes I feel scared whenever I see her, not because I fear her but because she hates Carlos from what I know in the game. She is one of my favorite character and having your favorite character hate you is such a heartbreak.

Seeing Catherine so nice to me is-- well-- truly heart warming but it worries me because this is not how it is supposed to be.

"Oh please. Princess Catherine shouldnt worry about someone. Especially when that someone is a person like me, you know?" I cant have her like me but I also dont know how to make her dislike me. Im going to have to figure that out.

I gave her snarky smile and pulls my hand away from her. It is a good thing that her grip loosened that I was able to get my hand out of her hand cage. "Just because I did something good to you doesnt mean we're friends, Princess. Didnt your mother ever told you that not all people who do good things are good people?"

"I--... Im not very close with my mother..." She retracted herself. She wanted to appear bright still yet I can see her light is getting a little bit dim.

"Hm, no wonder." I carelessly replied with no care whatsoever.

Catherine had a change of expression. I saw her face lit up with red but held herself back. Her hands found themselves to her skirt and holds on to it tightly. "It seems like you are already fine. Surely you can walk. I will have a carriage prepared for you to take you home so you can rest there with no disturbance." She said.

Huh... that was easy. Finding a topic which I can clearly tell she wouldnt have a conversation with someone and that is her mother. Yeah, its all coming back to me now.

She is sending me off as soon as possible and a relief for me.

She did as what she have said. Even still now she is kind enough to see me off when I got on the carriage she prepared for me. Before I lose my sight of her, she had the same look. It seems like she got something in her eyes whenever she looks at me and there's something with the way she is staring at me. I dont feel any hostility from her and that feeling is far too possible to happen but there's is just a feeling I dont know and seems like I will never get to understand and I hate it. I hate it whenever she looks at me like that. Peeking over the classroom door, looking at me across the table at the cafeteria, walking in the hallways, almost every time she gets to see me, she always have that look. A part of me wants to appreciate it however, something in my chest that could never just want to receive it properly and misinterpret it as something especially when I dont know why is she looking at me that way.