Celia's Perspective:

Out of nowhere, a flash of light streaked across my vision. The moment I blinked, a figure appeared between them, catching the man’s fist with a firm grip.

"Enough. That’s enough of you."

That voice—familiar, cocky, and filled with unshaken confidence.

Levi.

The man gritted his teeth. "Levi, don't interfere between us. He deserves this—" The man, tried to argue, but Levi cut him off.

"I said enough, Zain. I'm telling you to not pick a fight with him."

I looked at Kaiser. He still looked unfazed and completely ready to fight.

Was he... enjoying this? No, maybe 'enjoying' wasn’t the right word, but he wasn’t backing down either. It’s like he’s so used to people underestimating him that it doesn’t even faze him anymore. If it were me, I’d be shaking. But Kaiser? He just looked... patient, like he was waiting for something to happen.

Zain scoffed. "I only told him to come to the guild and explain why he's walking around with a curse." His gaze flickered to me, filled with contempt.

Before I could react, Levi's voice cut through sharply. "Don't call her that. Her name is Celia." His tone left no room for argument. Then he pointed at Kaiser. "And he's Kaiser."

Kaiser coldly spoke, "He was the one blocking the path."

Levi, arms crossed, smirked at him. "And you were the one about to break his jaw. So, how about we just calm down?"

"Calm down?" Zain interjected, glaring. "After he threatens me in front of everyone? I am doing this to protect the town."

Then, he pointed at me. "She resembles the Queen of Curses."

My heart clenched. Of course. It was always like this. No matter what I did, no matter where I went, people would always see me as something to be feared.

Hated.

The weight of his words sunk deep, cutting into me like a dull knife. It had never mattered who I was as a person—only how I looked. The fear, the judgment, the rejection... It never stopped. Maybe it never would.

Zain continued, his words only adding more weight to the suffocating feeling in my chest. "She's a threat to our town. Without any explanation, I won’t allow her to stay here."

Zain took a step closer. “That eerie glow in her eyes, the same aura… Don’t tell me you don’t see it, Levi.” He turned to the others. “She could be her descendant, or worse—her reincarnation. How can we just ignore that?”

Levi exhaled sharply, gripping the hilt of his sword but not drawing it. His jaw clenched, his usual easygoing nature absent. He wanted to counter, to dismiss it, but even he couldn’t deny what they saw.

The gathered adventurers murmured in agreement. More and more people were joining, forming a group behind Zain. The hostility in their eyes made my stomach turn.

It hurt. It really did.

Then, suddenly, Kaiser let go of my hand and stepped forward.

Levi raised a hand to stop him, but Kaiser caught his wrist with strength that forced him still. His expression remained unreadable, his dark eyes locking onto Zain with a terrifying coldness.

"She's with me. You got any issues?"

Zain didn't back down. "Yes, I do. I won’t let her stay in my town. Either she leaves, or we get rid of her—"

Kaiser interrupted him. His voice, low and chilling, sent a shiver down my spine. "If you insult her again or even attempt to harm her... I'll erase this town from Celestine's map."

The air turned thick. A deathly silence followed. Zain opened his mouth, but Levi was faster.

"Stop." Levi’s tone was sharp. "Zain, back off."

Zain narrowed his eyes. "Why are you defending him? Stop taking his side, Levi."

Levi exhaled, then looked at the gathered adventurers, his usual cocky smirk fading into something colder. "I'm saving you, Zain. From him."

Zain’s expression hardened. He stole a glance at Kaiser, then back at Levi. "What do you mean? Are they with you, Levi?"

Levi crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. "Yeah. They are." His tone was unusually serious, lacking its usual bravado. "And you shouldn't mess with him. Trust me on that."

Zain narrowed his eyes, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. "Why? Who is he?"

Levi let out a short breath, shaking his head. "Just take my advice. It’s better that way." He then glanced at Celia, his expression softening. "And don’t worry—she’s not the Queen of Curses. She’s safe. She and Kaiser are with me, and that means they’re with you too."

Zain hesitated, searching Levi’s face for any sign of deception. But Levi stood firm, unwavering. Finally, after a long pause, Zain exhaled and nodded.

"Then go."

Kaiser took my hand again, pulling me toward him as we walked away.

Behind us, Zain’s voice rang out. "What rank is he?" His voice was quieter now, uncertain. "His confidence... his aura, it radiates something else."

Levi hesitated. Then, finally, he answered. "He's E-ranked."

The moment those words left his mouth, laughter erupted from the gathered adventurers. Mocking, condescending, filled with nothing but amusement.

"E-ranked? You mean the lowest of the low?"

"Is he pretending to be strong or something?"

"I thought he was dangerous, but he's just a joke!"

The laughter stung. But what hurt more was seeing Kaiser endure it in complete silence. He didn’t react. Didn’t flinch. He just... took it.

My hands clenched into fists. For the first time, I felt anger so deep it made my blood boil. Was this what Kaiser felt earlier, when they called me a curse? When they belittled me for how I looked? Was this how he felt every time someone tried to hurt me?

I looked up at him, expecting to see frustration. But there was nothing. He was unfazed.

Then Zain called out again, sneering. "E-ranked Kaiser! What a joke! I’ve seen rats with a better ranking than you!"

The laughter doubled. My grip on Kaiser’s hand tightened as a strange sense of cursed energy surged through me.

But before I could do or say anything, Kaiser looked at me. His expression softened, and a warm smile spread across his lips.

"Don’t worry, Celia. Their words don’t mean anything to me."

I looked at him, confused. "Why don’t you say anything back? They’re insulting you."

"Because I don’t care what they think of me." His voice was calm, honest. "Their words have no weight. They don't matter."

"But—"

"Celia," he cut me off gently. "I only care about what I believe. And I believe their words don’t matter."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell him to fight back. But after a few more attempts, after each of his calm rejections, I finally gave up.

I smiled at him instead. "You're amazing, Kaiser. I trust you. To me, you're not just an E-rank. You're the strongest person I’ve ever seen and you'll always be that one for me."

Kaiser’s eyes softened. His lips curled into a small, genuine smile. "Thank you, Celia."

A light warmth spread to my cheeks. A small blush. A small moment of peace amidst the humiliation.

Ignoring the jeers of the guild, we kept on walking knowing we had each other. I could seen Kaiser's anger and seriousness slowly fading as we got closer to our destination.

Soon, we were back in Levi’s home. The place was way too fancy for someone like him, but I guessed that suited his over-the-top personality. As soon as we stepped in, Emma’s eyes immediately locked onto Kaiser, her lips curling into a teasing grin.

“Oh? What’s with the serious look, Kaiser?” she asked, striding over with the confidence of someone who loved poking at people’s reactions. “Don’t tell me you actually got wrinkles from frowning too much. That’d be a shame, considering how much the ladies are obsessed with your face.”

Kaiser, who had been standing there, arms crossed, looking all broody and intense, simply sighed. “If I did, you’d still be first in line to admire them.”

Emma gasped, placing a hand over her chest. “I’d never! My standards are way too high.”

Kaiser smirked. “That’s what they all say, right before falling for me.”

Emma rolled her eyes but laughed. “Alright, alright, I see you’re back to normal.” She turned to me with a knowing smile. “Now, what’s got you two looking so serious?”

Kaiser then told Emma what happened from the start, explaining why he made the world see my face.

He glanced at me, his tone softening. “And I held her hand as we walked. I made sure everyone saw that I was with her.”

Oh. There it was again. That feeling in my chest. I looked down slightly, my fingers curling around the hem of my sleeves.

Emma whistled. “Wow. That’s... unexpectedly cool of you, Kaiser. You almost sound like a knight from some fairytale.” She grinned. “Sir Kaiser, sworn protector of his princess Celia.”

Kaiser leaned back against the wall, completely unfazed. “Well, I do have a habit of being incredibly cool. I can’t help it.”

Emma snorted. “You’re such a flex.”

I managed to compose myself before speaking. “Nobody dared to stop us. No one called me anything... not while he was holding my hand.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

Kaiser nodded. “They wouldn’t dare.”

Emma folded her arms, tilting her head. “That’s actually kinda sweet. But let me guess—someone did step in eventually.”

Kaiser’s smirk returned. “Zain.”

Emma blinked, then burst out laughing. “Mhmm? Zain huh?”

I watched as she shook her head, chuckling. “That guy’s always been stubborn. What did he say?”

Kaiser shrugged. “Tried to stop us forcefully and told Celia she had to leave this town.”

Emma sighed. “Classic Zain. Always trying to be the responsible one, even when he’s being a pain.”

I spoke up again. “A fight almost broke out between him and Kaiser.”

Emma’s eyes widened slightly before she grinned. “Now that... I didn’t expect.” She turned to Kaiser, her voice dripping with amusement. “Didn’t think you were the protective type.”

Kaiser waved a hand dismissively. “It was about Celia. So it was important.” Then, with a more serious look, he added, “I don’t want her to hide her face anymore. Not because of fear. Not because of anything.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

My breath hitched slightly. My face grew warm.

Oh no. Not again.

Why does he do this? Every time he says something like that, every time he does anything for me, it just... it just gets worse. My heart feels like it’s flipping over itself. Like it’s running a race I never signed up for.

I mean, I know Kaiser is just like that—strong, confident, protective—but when it’s for me? When he looks at me like that? I don’t know how to handle it.

I should say something. Anything.

But my brain refuses to work, so I just stare at the floor, feeling like an idiot.

Emma nudged me playfully. “Look at her, blushing like crazy.”

“I am not,” I mumbled.

Kaiser chuckled. “Yeah, you are.”

I groaned inwardly. This was never going to stop, was it?

She then turned to me and Kaiser. "Anyway, about Zain. You should know he's the other leader of Levi's Guild, Celestial Apex."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow. "Celestial Apex?"

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "It’s ranked third out of the five major guilds. Pretty big deal, but honestly, Levi didn’t even want a guild. He just thought he was the best without it."

I blinked. "Then why does he have one?"

"Oh, you know, some people just naturally attract followers." Emma shrugged. "Besides, Zain is the other leader, and he takes the whole ‘guild’ thing seriously. He’s A-Rank, unlike some people." She shot a playful glance at Kaiser.

"Most of our members are high-ranked and experienced. That’s why we hold our spot at third place. Not that Levi cares about rankings."

As we talked, Levi finally walked in, stretching his arms. “Well, well,” he started, his voice playful, “Look who’s been waiting for me."

He then slowly walked over to me. "Celia, don’t worry. Zain’s not gonna hurt you or anything."

I looked at him warily. "Are you sure? He seemed really serious about—"

Levi waved a hand dismissively. "Look, I know Zain. He’s stubborn, yeah, but he’s not the type to go against me. If I tell him to back off, he will."

I bit my lip. "But… everyone else in the town—"

"Forget them," Levi said confidently. "You’re with us, aren’t you? That means you’re safe."

His words reassured me more than I expected. I exhaled, feeling some of the tension leave my shoulders.

Emma, of course, wasn’t done yet. "So, Celia, tell me. What exactly did Kaiser do?" Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

I looked at Kaiser for a moment before speaking softly, my heart warming. "He protected me. He stood in front of me and said I was with him. He told Zain that if anyone tried to hurt me… he’d destroy this town." My voice trembled slightly at the memory, but I smiled.

"He didn’t hesitate."

Emma’s eyes widened before a smirk formed on her lips. "Oh? Ohhh? Kaiser, you really are something. Acting all protective. You sure she’s not your girlfriend?"

Kaiser scoffed. "Tch. You’re getting ahead of yourself. I’d say the same thing if it was someone else I cared for."

Emma snickered. "Yeah, sure. Bet you wouldn’t have held their hand like that."

I turned red instantly. "That—!"

Emma grinned, seeing my reaction. "Oh? Getting flustered again, Celia? Could it be you actually—"

"Shut up!" I blurted out, my face on fire.

Levi chuckled. "Whoa there, Celia. Didn’t think you had that kind of reaction in you."

"It’s her fault!" I shot back, crossing my arms while glaring at Emma, who just laughed.

The teasing continued for a moment until Levi turned his attention to Kaiser, his tone shifting slightly. "Look, man. Don’t pick a fight with Zain."

Kaiser’s cold gaze met his. "If he poses a threat to Celia, I will not hesitate."

Levi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "You really don’t make things easy, huh? I get it, you’re protective, but this isn’t just some small-time idiot. Zain’s strong."

"His rank wouldn't matter when he's under the ground dead." Kaiser replied flatly.

Levi smirked. "Confident as always. But seriously, don’t cause trouble here. I’ll handle Zain."

Kaiser’s lips barely moved, but there was an undeniable hardness to his words. "I said, I’ll handle him if it comes to that."

Levi gave him a knowing look, his eyes flashing with an edge of annoyance. "You’re really not listening. This isn’t something you can just solve with force."

The room fell quiet for a moment, the tension thick in the air. I could see both of them—Levi with his carefree, cocky demeanor and Kaiser with his deadly seriousness—standing at odds. The last thing I needed was for them to clash, especially over something like this.

I stepped closer to Kaiser, my heart thudding in my chest as I gently placed a hand on his sleeve, feeling the tension in his body. His gaze shifted to me, those blue eyes as unreadable as ever, but there was a flicker of hesitation. I squeezed his arm softly.

"Kaiser..." I whispered, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me. "Please, don’t make things worse. We don’t need more violence. Zain won’t hurt me, and I trust Levi to handle it. I’m asking you, don’t let your anger decide this. Just... trust me."

Kaiser stood motionless, his jaw clenched as if he were weighing my words against his instincts. His gaze softened just slightly, and after what felt like an eternity, he let out a long, slow breath.

"Fine." His voice was almost a murmur, the hardness in his tone giving way to something gentler. "But only because Celia asked."

I could feel the weight of his decision, and as he finally relaxed, I allowed myself to exhale too. Levi gave a satisfied nod, clearly pleased with the outcome, though I could see his amusement flicker again.

I glanced at Kaiser, his expression still calm but something about the tightness in his posture told me he wasn’t entirely at peace with it. But for now, it was enough. He had listened to me. That was what mattered.

Emma, who had been listening in the background, watched Kaiser closely. She had always seen him as a careless, casual person, but the way he had stood up for Celia earlier—how he had almost gone against an A-Rank adventurer for her—made her rethink her impression of him.

For the first time, she found herself admiring him just a little.

Soon a few hours had passed since that.

The soft glow of the moon slipped through my curtains, casting faint patterns on the floor. I sat on my bed, my hands clutching the edges of the blanket, but my thoughts... they were a million miles away. Everything that had happened today felt like a blur, but there was one moment that was crystal clear.

Kaiser.

When he called me beautiful. When he held my hand.

My face burned at the thought, and I couldn’t help but bury my face into the pillow. My legs kicked the bed in a little tantrum, as if I could somehow shake the feeling away. Why did my heart flutter like this whenever I thought about him?

Get it together, Celia. It was just a compliment. Just a touch. But even saying that to myself felt like lying. The way his hand felt in mine... it wasn’t like anything else. And the way he looked at me, with those eyes full of meaning, like I was... something important to him.

I buried my face deeper into the pillow.

Stop it, Celia. You’re just overthinking this.

But I couldn’t stop imagining it. The warmth, the way he made me feel like I mattered. Like I wasn’t just some... nothing. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks, making me even redder than I already was.

I can't be this obvious about it, right?

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, pulling me out of my tangled thoughts.

Who could that be at this hour? Before I could even think about it, Kaiser's voice rang out from the other side.

"Celia, it's me Kaiser."

My heart leaped. The sound of his voice made everything inside of me flutter like a million butterflies. I jumped up, hurriedly making my way to the door, my cheeks still burning, my hands slightly trembling.

I opened it, trying to look casual—well, as casual as possible with my face practically on fire.

"Kaiser...?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper, my heart pounding in my chest.

He looked at me for a moment, and I could see the serious look in his eyes, like he was about to say something important.

"I need to talk to you. It's something personal," he said, his voice steady.

My breath caught in my throat. Personal?!

"Personal?" I stammered, the word almost tripping out of my mouth. My face was now as red as a tomato, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to run and hide or stand there frozen.

Kaiser nodded, his expression calm but firm.

"Yeah," he replied. "Can I come in?"

I barely even processed the question before I stepped aside, almost stumbling over my own feet as I let him in. My heart was thundering in my chest, and I was sure he could hear it. I gestured to the chair by the desk, trying to be polite even though I felt like I was about to explode from all the nerves building up inside me.

He sat down, and I immediately went to sit on the bed, my legs crossed tightly as I tried to collect my thoughts.

What was he going to say? What did he want to talk about?

Was he going to say something like... that he wanted to stay with me? That he wanted to keep this connection between us?

I couldn’t help but imagine it, each thought more comforting than the last.

What if he wants to be with me, by my side, always? What if he’s... planning something for us, something that could make us even closer?

I tried to calm my racing heart, but the more I thought about it, the worse it got.

Then, Kaiser spoke.

"Celia," he said, his voice steady but carrying an unfamiliar weight. "I wanted to talk to you about our future."

I froze.

Our future? OUR???

My thoughts crashed together in a dizzying whirlwind. My heart was in my throat now, and I had to fight the urge to shake with excitement—or dread.

He continued, as if nothing was amiss. "We won’t always be living with Levi and Emma. You know it's just temporary."

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. Okay... So, it wasn’t exactly what I thought.

"What do you mean Kaiser?" I asked softly, my voice barely more than a whisper. I didn’t want to sound too anxious, but I couldn’t help it. I needed to know.

Kaiser met my eyes, his gaze calm, but there was something different in the air tonight—something heavier. "What will you do after we have leave this town and... separate?"

Separate.

The word echoed in my mind like an awful, cruel joke. I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t want to think about being apart from him.

"Separate?" I repeated, my voice breaking ever so slightly. I felt like my heart was shattering into pieces. "What do you mean... separate?"

Kaiser’s gaze softened, his voice steady yet heavy. “When we leave Levi’s town, Celia... we’ll have to go our separate ways. You’ve got your own journey ahead, and I’ve got mine. We can’t stay together like this forever, but that doesn’t mean we won’t always be there for each other.”

I felt a lump form in my throat, my voice barely a whisper as I spoke, trembling. “I don’t have anywhere to go, Kaiser... No one else to go to. I... I don’t know what I would do without you."

It hurt to say it out loud. It hurt more than I expected.

Kaiser’s expression softened, and he took a small step closer, his voice calm and reassuring. “Celia, I know it feels like you’re alone, but you’re not. Even if we can’t be together all the time, you'll find more people who care for you."

"I don’t want anyone else," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. "I don’t want anyone but you, Kaiser. You’re the only one who’s ever truly cared for me. There’s no one else... just you."

I couldn’t look at him anymore. My hands twisted in my lap as I tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, my heart shattering with each passing second. The thought of losing him, of being left behind... it was too much.

I felt the tears fall before I even knew it, the sobs shaking my body, and I couldn’t stop them.

image [https://i.imgur.com/35Zt2ev.png]

"Please, Kaiser... don’t leave me," I sobbed, my chest tight, the words strangled by my tears.

"You’re the only one who makes me feel safe. You’re the only one who makes me smile, who makes me feel like... like I’m not hated. I can’t imagine being alone again. I... I don’t know what I would do without you."

It hurt so much. I didn’t know how to put all of this into words. The fear, the ache, the absolute dread that filled me when I thought about losing him.

He didn’t say anything at first, but I saw him shift in his seat, as though he was going to say something.

I couldn’t let him speak. Not yet.

"Please... don’t leave me, Kaiser," I whispered through my tears, my voice breaking. "You mean so much to me. You’re the one who’s always been there for me, the one I can trust. I... I can’t lose that. I can’t lose you."

The words cut through me, and I cried harder. It was too much to handle—too much for my fragile heart.

I just... I needed him.

Kaiser’s silence finally broke as he stood up from the chair. I didn’t look up at him. I couldn’t. I just sat there, helpless, feeling my whole world crumbling.

Then, unexpectedly, he walked over to me.

I looked up, my eyes swollen from crying, and I whispered one last time, barely able to speak. "Please... don’t leave me, Kaiser."

My voice cracked as I added, "I’ll do anything... anything you ask. Just... just don’t leave me, don’t separate from me. I don’t know how to be without you. Please."

And then, to my surprise, he gently pulled me into an embrace. His arms wrapped around me, and for the first time in a long time, I felt... safe. Like I wasn’t going to be abandoned, not again.

It wasn’t the first time he held me like this, but it felt different this time, like he was really there, never planning to let go.

“It’s okay,” he whispered softly, his voice steady and full of warmth. “I’m sorry for saying we were going to separate earlier. I never meant to make you feel this way."

I buried my face in his chest, crying harder now, but somehow the tears felt different. Maybe it’s okay to cry. Maybe it’s okay to let him hold me.

“I don’t want to be separated from you,” I sobbed, my voice muffled in his shirt. "Please... don’t leave me, Kaiser."

"You don’t have to worry, Celia. I’m not going anywhere.” He tightened his arms around me, as if reassuring me with every breath he took. "I’m here. Always."

He didn’t pull away. Instead, I felt his hand gently wipe the tears from my face, his touch tender, like he was trying to soothe away every pain I had ever known.

“I’m here, Celia,” he said softly. “I’m your friend. I won’t abandon you. I’m not going anywhere.”

I sniffled, looking up at him through my tears, and he smiled down at me. But there was something more in his eyes, something... uncertain.

He leaned back a little, giving me space to look at him properly.

“Actually,” he said, his voice softer now, tinged with something deeper. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

My heart skipped a beat, and an unfamiliar feeling tensed in my chest. What was it? My thoughts raced, but I couldn’t make sense of them. His words lingered in the air, heavy and filled with unspoken meaning.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling with a mix of hope and uncertainty. My breath caught in my throat.

He met my gaze, the warmth in his eyes slowly softening the uncertainty gnawing at me. And then, with that quiet confidence of his, he asked, “Would you... would you want to join me? Become part of my party? Adventure with me, Celia?”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. His words hung in the air like a promise, like something I never thought I could have, something I wasn’t sure I deserved. But as I looked into his eyes, something in me knew that this was it—that I wanted this, needed this more than anything.

“Yes,” I whispered, my voice breaking slightly, the weight of my own feelings surprising me. “I would... I would love to. More than anything.”

For a brief second, it was like time stood still. Then, as if to break the tension, Kaiser teased me, his grin mischievous. “Look at you, all happy and smiling now. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

I sniffled, wiping away a stray tear, then shot him a pointed look. “Oh, so now you’re just gonna tease me after all that? Really, Kaiser? What happened to all that ‘don’t worry, I’m here for you’ stuff?” I crossed my arms, pouting.

“I see how it is, using me for emotional support and then mocking me. What kind of friend are you, huh?”

Kaiser’s grin softened, and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking a little sheepish. “Alright, alright, I’m sorry,” he said, his voice light but apologetic. “I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. It’s just... you looked so cute when you smiled, I couldn’t help myself.”

He gave me a small, genuine smile, his tone sincere. “I’m here for you, Celia, always.”

And as we stood there, still embracing, I realized... maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t so alone anymore.

I was still in his arms, trying to steady my breath, when suddenly—a scream. It was Emma's voice. The sharpness of it cut through the air like a blade, and my heart jolted in response.

“Emma!” I gasped, my body instinctively tensing. Kaiser and I both froze for a second, the urgency of the scream weighing heavy in the air.

Without a word, we both rushed toward the door, our steps quick and determined. I didn’t know what had happened, but the sheer panic in Emma’s voice sent a chill down my spine.

Kaiser was right behind me, his steps fast and urgent. We rushed down the stairs together, my mind racing, wondering what could have happened. But when we reached the bottom, I froze.

Levi was standing by the door, his cloak already draped over his shoulders, preparing to leave. Emma stood across from him, her face twisted in a mix of sadness and disbelief, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It looked like her whole world had just shattered in front of her...

“Levi,” she sobbed, her voice barely a whisper, “You betrayed me... again.”