Suddenly, Kay stopped, and everyone around her tensed up, not understanding why.

“What happened?” Ryuji asked, frowning.

Fernanda quickly answered:

“He’s getting a call!”

Takemichi looked at her, suspicious.

“What do you mean you’re listening to his conversation?”

Fernanda covered her eyes awkwardly.

“I forgot to deactivate the bug on his cell phone,” she thought. “I installed a system to monitor his actions. Of course he knows that!” she said, trying to maintain her composure.

On the call, Kay heard Emilia’s familiar voice.

“Hi Emilia!” he said.

“Kay, what did you do to end up in solitary confinement?” Emilia asked, worried.

On the other end, Mira heard the name and stopped, perplexed.

“Emilia? Who is that?” Mira thought, intrigued.

Kay’s hands continued to move the debris as he spoke casually to Emilia.

— It's just that I ended up killing some ghouls without Takemichi's permission, and he got mad. No big deal.

— You can't act against orders, he's your captain! — Emilia warned, in a serious tone. — I hear noises over there... what are you doing?

— Cleaning up the city's rubble. You can keep talking, I can hear you — Kay replied, casually.

Emilia smiled on the other side.

— They're preparing a festival to celebrate your achievement.

— A festival? The people of the capital love a feast, huh? — Kay commented, laughing.

Emilia hesitated, but then asked, her voice full of expectation.

— Do you... want to go with me?

Kay was surprised.

— To the festival? I thought you didn't like crowded places.

— I can go, but with a lot of guards accompanying me — Emilia explained.

Kay laughed.

— That way I can't enjoy myself, right? I understand why you don't go out much.

Emilia sighed.

— It's my father's order, for my safety.

Kay, thoughtful, suggested:

— How about a disguise? I'll be your guard, no one will notice.

— So you're coming? — Emilia said, excited.

Kay nodded.

— As soon as I'm done here in about an hour and a half, I'll be free.

— So soon? If that's the case, come here after it's over, and we can go straight to the festival from here! — Emilia replied excitedly.

— Deal. I'll just go to the base first. See you later, Emilia.

— See you, Kay! — she said, hanging up the call with a smile.

Kay looked at the wreckage around her, determined to finish the task.

— A festival, huh? She seemed excited... I better finish it in time.

Fernanda commented:

— I didn't know the princess was so... forward like that!

Mira, who had heard the conversation, was astonished.

"Princess Emilia? Why is she talking to Kay?" Mira asked, confused.

Fernanda raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You didn't know? They became friends in the castle."

Mira bit her lip, trying to process the information.

"He didn't tell me anything... And you're going to let him go, Dad?"

Takemichi sighed, resigned.

"There's no way around it, it was the deal!"

Mira, confused and irritated, turned to him.

"What deal?"

He gave her a calm look and answered.

"After this, he's free to go wherever he wants."

Mira shook her head in disbelief.

"You're going to let him leave like that?"

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Takemichi gave a half-hearted smile and nodded.

"Yes, it was the deal." Then he looked around, worried. "I have to tell the king's people to come later." Otherwise, it will be a commotion if they see him like this.

Mira remained perplexed, and her frustration was palpable.

"Why did my father make this deal with Kay?"

Before Takemichi could answer, Joana, one of the scientists, muttered in a tone of revelation.

"The captain will be angry, but we can't lose a talent like him... The truth is..."

After the explanation, Mira seemed to be on the verge of an explosion.

— Men are idiots! — she shouted, walking away furiously.

Lena, a long-time friend of Mira, tried to calm her down.

— It's dangerous to go there!

Mira, however, didn't hesitate.

— It's not dangerous. It's Kay who's there, not a ghoul!

Determined, she activated her suit and, in an instant, shot at high speed towards Kay.

Takemichi, noticing what was happening, ran back and looked surprised.

— What is she doing? Why didn't anyone stop her?

Joana gave an amused look.

— She's irritated with you two. Better let her do what she wants, or you'll get it too.

Takemichi nodded, resigned.

— Leave her... Let's make up some story. We have two hours until the others arrive.

The scene changes to Kay, who was absorbed in his task, moving the last debris with precision. Suddenly, a loud and familiar voice echoed.

“Kay!”

He stopped and turned his head, seeing Mira a little further ahead, standing there panting, her eyes flashing with irritation.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, surprised. “Stay with the others!”

But Mira narrowed her eyes, defiant.

“Do you really think I’m going to stay with the others while you run around?”

“Mira, go stay with your father!” Kay said.

“No!” Mira replied.

“Don’t make this harder, stay with him!” Kay said.

“Lend me your phone!” she demanded.

“What for?” Kay exclaimed, confused.

“Lend it to me!” Mira insisted.

Kay, still not understanding, handed over the phone.

“Use your real hand for this!” Mira complained, giving him an irritated look before throwing the phone away.

“Why did you do that?” Kay shouted, surprised.

— There's sand there, the cell phone didn't break. Now no one will hear us. Answer me, why are you leaving the army? — Mira stared at him, defiant.

— I... got tired of staying here. I'm going home. — he replied, looking away.

— That's a lie. Why do you really want to leave? — Mira insisted, crossing her arms.

— I promised your mother something, so I'm going back.

"He seems confused... that's almost true, but he's still hiding something," Mira thought, watching him closely.

— What promise? — she asked, even more curious.

— I won't tell you! — he replied, dryly.

— Why? — Mira raised her voice, frustrated.

— I don't see any reason to tell you that — Kay replied, firmly.

— You're going to leave me here alone! Don't you think that's enough to tell me? — Mira raised her voice, frustrated.

— You have your father! — he replied.

— It's different! — Mira replied.

— You have the soldiers! — he replied.

— It's different! — she repeated, impatient.

— They are able to keep you happy and safe, so why is it any different? — Kay insisted, with a confused expression.

“Because they are not you!” — Mira said, lowering her tone a little, but with intensity.

“I know that!” — Kay replied.

Mira took a step forward, but Kay stepped back.

“Did I do something for you to push me away like that?” she asked sadly.

“I can’t tell you, I... I don’t understand!” — Kay admitted, bothered.

“Is that what you wanted to talk about all day? Is that why you looked at me so much?” — Mira asked, searching for answers.

Kay sighed, finally revealing:

“I promised your mother that I would keep you safe in her place... until you found someone to protect you. You already found someone, so I see no reason to continue in the army.”

“Because of my father?” — Mira asked.

“That too,” Kay admitted.

“I don’t think that was the kind of protection she was talking about,” Mira said, a little calmer.

“That’s it!” I've spent my entire life training to kill ghouls. I can't understand when you talk between the lines. Why don't you be direct? It would be easier for everyone! — Kay blurted out.

— Women are like that... men too, sometimes. There are things we don't want everyone to know what they mean. — Mira replied, smiling slightly.

— People are complicated — Kay grumbled.

— So why don't you just come right out and tell me why you're leaving? — Mira exclaimed.

Kay hesitated, but ended up confessing:

— It was the first time I felt like... killing a human.

— What?! — Mira was perplexed.

— This feeling is complicated. I... saw you smiling with that guy, talking to him instead of me... — Kay said, looking away, uncomfortable.

"Wait... was he jealous?" thought Mira, holding back a laugh.

— I wanted to be happy that you found a... love, but I can't! — he continued, sincerely.

"Love? What is he talking about? Is that what he thinks is happening?" thought Mira, surprised and confused.

— So, when I saw that scene in the courtyard... I got angry and took it out on the ghouls — Kay confessed, embarrassed.

— Wait, this is confusing. What scene are you talking about? — Mira asked.

— Of you... kissing in the courtyard! — he said, his eyes wide.

— Me and the prince? Yuck! — Mira exclaimed, horrified.

— Prince? — Kay was confused.

— I saw you walking by with a girl. So that was Princess Emilia? There was just a leaf in my hair and he took it off. I can't believe you went off to kill ghouls because of a misunderstanding! — Mira laughed, amused and relieved.

Kay, still embarrassed, took a step towards her.

“So it was a misunderstanding? You... didn't kiss him?” Kay asked, with a gleam of hope in her eyes.

“No!” Mira replied firmly.

“And... you don't like him?” Kay insisted.

“We're just friends! Just like you and Princess Emilia!” Mira said, smiling.

“That's good.” Kay sighed, with a relieved smile, and his suit returned to its normal shape.

“So you're jealous... I didn't expect that from you!” Mira teased, laughing, without realizing how much this affected him.

Suddenly, without any warning, Kay approached her and kissed her. The world seemed to stop for Mira. She didn't have time to react, and her thoughts became blurred.

“Wait... are we kissing? Kay and I are... really kissing me? So suddenly... he didn't even warn me!” thought Mira, completely surprised, with her heart racing.

Kay finally pulled away, her cheeks flushed, but she didn't look away.

"Your mother... she told me to do this when you were too nervous to move, so you would go back to normal. But... I also don't want to see anyone else kissing you besides me. Does that mean I... love you in a romantic way?" Kay said, on impulse, confused by her own words.

Mira stood still, her thoughts jumbled in her mind. "I can't understand anything he said. Did we really kiss? That was my first kiss... and it was stolen like that! Should I be happy or angry? It's Kay... so should I be happy?"

She tried to process everything that had just happened, but her racing heart and his words echoing in her mind only made it clear how much that kiss meant.

"Kay, Mira, your heart rates are high!" Fernanda said over the radio, bringing Mira back to reality.

Mira blinked a few times, trying to process.

— Why... why did you kiss me? — she asked, still a little dazed.

— I just told you! — Kay replied, frustrated.

— I was thinking about something else... Can you repeat that? — Mira asked, feeling her face blush.

Kay took a deep breath and, without taking her eyes off her, repeated, hesitantly:

— I... I don't want to see anyone else kissing you besides me. Does that mean I... love you in a romantic way?

"Did he say he loves me in a romantic way? If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up!" thought Mira, feeling an indescribable joy grow inside her.

— Mira? — Kay called, eager for an answer.

— I... I would be happy if it was. — Mira finally said, with a shy smile.

Kay nodded, thinking about her own words.

— I see... then I love you. — he said, as if he was realizing it for the first time.

Mira felt her heart race even faster. "I've been waiting for him to say this for so long, and now he says it so casually! My heart can't take it!" she thought, a silly smile on her face.

But before they could even enjoy the moment, an imposing voice sounded behind them.