Leona had been melting in his embrace until he started explaining what happened to him.

By the time he arrived at the underground lake her grip on him had tightened considerably.

She pushed him away when he mentioned that he woke up at the bottom of the lake without water surrounding him.

“Idiot! You said you wouldn’t lie to me!” she pouted.

Faust was at a loss. Leona could see it. She giggled and shook her head.

“Sorry Faust, but that’s impossible. You must have hit your head somewhere and dreamt that.” She continued and Faust sighed.

“Just wait for what I am about to tell you next…” he said, explaining how his body had healed and he could see in darkness.

By now Leona has realized he wasn’t kidding with her. Her face warped from an annoyed pout to surprise and finally to amazement.

“… and then I walked out of the forest… before seeing this little angel cowering on the ground before me.” He touched her nose with one of his fingers, and she failed to dodge it.

She giggled, winding herself to escape his arms, but all efforts were stopped by another kiss.

‘I’m so glad she believes me. Nobody else will.’ Faust thought and then had a frightening thought.

“Leona, if Lucon and your father catch wind of it, what would they do with me?” he asked her a bit unsure.

She immediately caught wind of his mood and pondered before answering:

“People wouldn’t believe you even if you told the truth. You shouldn’t tell anyone for now.” She rubbed his back with her hands and smiled at him.

“I’m glad I have you. But I fear we won’t be able to be together in the open.” Faust scratched his head.

That caught him a frown and a pout from his lover.

“I know, I know. But we need to keep it secret.” Faust sighed.

Leona was about to speak, and Leona was about to say something when Faust added:

“Your parents shouldn’t know either! We can’t know how they would react.”

The frown on her face didn’t disappear.

“I trust them.” She muttered and Faust couldn’t help but feel his heart ache.

“I don’t doubt they have the best in mind for you, but I can’t help but fear they don’t think I’m fit for that role.”

“Let’s keep it a secret for now.” Leona nodded and sighed.

‘He’s right. Nobody should know for now. Maybe Aquila and Cassius. They would never sell us out.’ She thought and played with her hair a bit.

“Are you able to walk back?” he asked her, concern showing on his face.

She started laughing and her chest jumped before she stopped and beamed right at him.

“I might be your woman, but I am still a soldier.” She pushes him away and starts running back towards Caurium.

Faust grinned.

‘What a cheeky girl.’ He laughed and ran after her, quickly catching up to her. Before she could say anything, he stopped her and despite her feigned struggle to remain standing, she let him pick her up.

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She smirked as he walked down the road with Leona in his arms, looking up at him like a curious tiger cub. Her straight blonde hair was tied up in the bun he loved so much, and he nearly tripped once because he lost himself in her eyes.

That’s when he put her back on the ground.

‘I haven’t felt this happy since… I can’t remember when.’ Faust thought and never wanted to let go of this woman again.

She walked in front of him and swayed her hips on purpose to tease him.

“Oh come on girl, like I haven’t stared at you hundreds of times over the last months.” He rolled his eyes and laughed before staring without shame.

She looked over her shoulder with a beaming smile.

“Like I haven’t tried to get your attention.” She cheekily replies.

After a while, Faust and Leona walk next to one another. The sun had risen, and they had walked for half an hour by now.

Faust looked over at her and couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘A Baron's daughter… I’m really daring.’ He nervously thought as he saw the mental image of Schenk standing before him.

‘I think he would understand. But let’s not risk it.’ He sighed.

While he couldn’t be any happier that he and Leona had finally confessed their mutual feelings a few things were weighing heavily on his mind.

‘I really feel like shit because of Flora. I know I can’t give her the healthy relationship she wants. The very foundation of our relationship was the trauma. Now I have to end things with her. It will devastate her.’ He kicked a pebble from the road and inwardly cursed.

‘I don’t want to break her heart! Why must my feelings bring me into direct conflict with my conscience?’ he kicked another innocent pebble off the road.

‘But it’s impossible to stay with her. I have to end things, there’s no way around it. Just how could I do it that hurts her the least?’ he was lost in thought as he and Leona marched down the road to Caurium.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the same time, Vostrim Castle

Flora and Mirabella were currently soaking in 2 bathtubs in the beautifully decorated white room. Their soft and white bodies were submerged in the hot oily waters. Steam rose up and Mirabella sighed happily.

“Nothing like a bath for the skin.” The Baroness patted her cheeks and resumed soaking. After a few more minutes she gets suspicious.

“Flora, you’re so quiet today, something’s wrong, I can feel it.” Mirabella sat up straight and looked over at Flora.

Not a day passed where Flora didn’t marvel at Mirabella’s beauty. She was envious at times, but today her mind was elsewhere entirely.

‘Faust, are you safe? When will you finally return…’ she sighed, and Mirabella raised one of her perfect eyebrows.

Flora turned to the older woman and looked at her.

“I’m missing Faust. I can’t help but dread that he spends so much time with Leona.” Flora admitted and surprise showed on Mirabella’s face.

“You’re still concerned about my daughter and Faust even after I’ve told you it’s impossible?” she asked the younger girl, curious more than anything else.

Mirabella had told Flora, that Leona could never be with Faust. That it was impossible.

Mirabella shook her head.

“Do you trust him that little?” she asked the girl and Flora bit her lip.

“I’m unsure. Lately, things haven’t felt the same as they were in the beginning. It feels like we have been distancing ourselves from one another…” the girl gulped. She didn’t like the development.

Mirabella cocked her head when she heard that.

“Leona and Faust are indeed very close, but I have told my daughter repeatedly over her life, that love is not something a noble is entitled to,” she takes a deep breath. “It does happen though. I was not a noble at birth either, but neither was my husband.”

That shocked Flora.

“You are of common birth like I am?” Flora asked, finding herself blinking in disbelief.

“Yeah. The only reason I have lands to my name is because my father is an influential trader in the capital. Very influential.” she explained.

“My husband was a Royal Guard, which was a very prestigious position. My father wanted to marry me to nobility, but that was impossible due to my birth. He wanted me to be safe and that’s when my husband’s father met mine.” She chuckled.

“Eventually after long years of service, Earl Alexander bestowed this Barony on Androcles, my husband. By then Leona was 10 already. This came as a shock to her, but she quickly got used to it. Or at least that’s what she tells me. Sometimes I wish I was closer to my daughter.” Mirabella sighed and leaned back, stretching her naked body.

“But she always wanted to become a soldier. She was always her father’s girl. She never dressed up with me, liked things ladies should like, or bathed with me.” She chuckled, but Flora could hear something else in her voice.

Flora’s heart was racing.

‘Is that why you’re treating me like this? You do all those things with me you couldn’t with your own daughter…’ Flora was touched.

“I’m honored you do those things with me.” Flora smiled happily.

When Mirabella saw this, she beamed.

“It’s great to have someone I can teach what I know and spend time with. You’re much more than just a guest in our castle.” The older woman said happily and laughed.

Warmth spread through Flora’s body. Without speaking, the girl just smiled.

“And when it comes to Faust, even if it happens not to work out for whatever reason… girl, look around, there are hundreds of men on a castle. You’re young.” Mirabella smiled and closed her eyes.

Flora sighed.

“I love him. I hope we can patch things up when he returns.” Flora too leaned back, doubts flooding her mind.