Trying to Save my Favorite Character from His Tragic Fate

Chapter 21: My secret is out

Ian turns again on his bed.

"I can't sleep. My heart is still beating too loudly," murmured Ian.

Kyrie's words during dinnertime are getting repeating in his mind and overflowing him with them. How he said, those words make Ian feel like his heart is about to explode. It was a side that has yet been seen by anyone.

Kyrie's timid voice, low to the point that is almost a whisper, "It's simple, really. Ian, you are very important to me."

Ian puts his hand over his face as he turns to the other side again. His face blushed intensely.

"He really knows how to say things... But at the same time, I am not sure if he does. He always likes to say matters that can lead to misunderstandings. It makes me want to take him seriously..."

---

"Imogen?"

"Cockroach... Why are you here?" says Imogen while taking a sip of alcohol.

"I just needed a breather. Woah! How did you get alcohol inside the temple?" asks Kyrie, impressed.

"I just asked, and they were so scared of me that they just gave it to me. heh."

"I can see that," says Kyrie humorously as he pours himself some.

"Aren't you underaged, Sir Paladin?"

"Not on the inside."

On this night, unlike the usual black sky in the busy cities of their previous world, the sky was filled with stars so densely packed that the sight looks like a wonder.

Imogen did not start or continue the conversation like the silence felt more comfortable. She twirled her glass holding it with her fingertips and was lost in thought.

It was already late at night, and the woman still had weapons on her like a war veteran who was not able to put down her wariness of a potential battle that could happen in the next second. Her dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail. She was not dressed like she was going to sleep: black pants and a tank top. On her shoulder, she hanged her oversized jacket.

"What are you planning to do now?" asks Kyrie, breaking the silence that is making him feel nervous.

"Don't you already know?"

"Aren't we working together?"

"I never agreed to that."

"Seriously, come on!"

"You will just get in my way, so do your things on your own."

"You know that even if you try another time, it won't work!"

The glass on her hand shattered. Whiskey and blood dripped from her hand. She looks at Kyrie with threatening eyes like she was going to beat him if he did not shut up.

"Sorry, I said too much," Kyrie apologizes. He really touched a sore spot.

[The silence came again. ]

Kyrie sighs and puts down his glass. He turns around, ready to leave and try again tomorrow.

"I will see how you perform in the second wave," says Imogen.

Kyrie smiles, "Sure thing!"

Imogen watches Kyrie walking away, and takes another glass to fill it with alcohol. She takes it entirely in one gulp.

The alcohol's effect is finally kicking in.

In her mind, a part of her memory is replaying: a woman's singing voice echoing. Her voice was so beautiful and light; it can take away any weight off Imogen's heart. Imogen follows the melody by humming and closes her eyes. She feels the gentle night breeze and hears the rustling of the leaves. She opens back her eyes when the melody ended and retreats to the temple.

Her cloudy eyes start to clear, replaced by focused and unwavering ones.

---

"Brother!!!"

A little girl around the age of twelve jumps to hug Ian. Ian returns the hug and puts her back down.

"What are you doing here, Eloise?" asks Ian.

"I heard about brother knowing the holy paladin and the saintess! I really wanted to meet them, so I came to see brother," says Eloise.

"So, you did not come to see me, but came for those two?"

"hehehe. Forgive me, brother..." apologizes Eloise smiling guiltily.

"We are going to have dinner soon, so would you want to inform lady Winstanley and Sir Rowan?" Ian suggested.

"Yes!!! Yes!!! I would very much do!!!" says the princess, furiously nodding.

Ian lets out a chuckle and walks princess Eloise to the garden.

On the way, the clashing of metals echoed in the hallway.

Eloise enters a garden and squints her eyes from the bright light after walking through the dark hallways. She meets two people clashing their swords together.

One with elegant and dignified features while the other one handsome and serious.

Imogen swings her sword again towards Kyrie's and goes upwards towards Kyrie's left arm. Kyrie jumps back, tilts, and avoids the sword. Then, on a stable footing, he leans forward rapidly and thrusts towards Imogen's left thigh. Imogen shifts right and slashes down her sword towards Kyrie's neck. Kyrie invokes an ice shield, but Imogen's swing breaks the ice apart. Kyrie rolls and escapes in the nick of time.

"Time out!!! TIME OUT!!!" Kyrie calls while out of breath. He collapses and lies on the grass, breathing heavily.

"Cockroach, it is already your fourth time calling time out!"

"Imogen! We have been practicing since the sun came out! Give this mortal a break!" says Kyrie while trying to catch his breath.

"Waaaahhhhh! Did you see that, brother!!!"

Eloise runs towards Imogen and looks at her in complete awe. Ian walks in the garden and takes a look at Kyrie, who is also looking at him. They exchange smiles.

"I am brother's sister! My name is Eloise!" introduces Eliose to Imogen. Imogen nods at the tiny young pampered girl.

"Brother! I have decided! I will be this person's bride!" declares Eloise while pointing at Imogen.

"Eloise, she is a woman," says Ian.

Kyrie lazily stands up and brushes his hair back. The princess caught the act, and her eyes start to shine.

"Then, I will be this person's bride!" declares Eloise again, pointing at Kyrie.

Ian petrifies with Eloise's declaration. Kyrie quickly gazes at Ian, who is standing there without doing or saying anything. He looks back at Eloise's hopeful eyes and looks back at Ian with the face that says, "DO SOMETHING!" Ian just gazes back with a sad face.

Imogen laughs while slapping her thigh.

She tells the princess, "Kyrie is already taken."

"He is?" the sibling duo asks at the same time.

Imogen begins to laugh harder. Kyrie felt like he is eroding into sand, ceasing from existence while looking at Ian with a pitiful expression. Ian's expression is also dark.

Eloise becomes sad and stayed quiet the entire way to the dining room until the start of dinner time. The Vicar blesses the food, and everyone begins to eat.

"Who is the lucky man, lady Winstanley?" asks Ian curiously.

"It's a woman."

*clank*

Vicar Lovell's spoon falls off his hand.

"Apologies..." says Vicar Lovell.

"Then... How can you make babies?" asks Eloise.

Vicar Lovell chokes on his soup.

"Pardon me.." says Vicar Lovell.

"Make babies? Well... We just do it!" says Imogen nonchalantly.

Vicar Lovell spills his glass of water.

"I must have gotten a cold and not in the right condition. I will get some rest first," says Lovell going away from the dining room.

"Do it? Doing what? Brother, what would they be doing?"

Ian blushes very red and is not able to summon words despite the princess's incessant asking. Ian carries the princess up and apologizes, leaving the room with the princess.

Imogen shots a glance at Kyrie and smirks.

"So you haven't done anything, or perhaps he doesn't let you?" Imogen provokes Kyrie.

Kyrie shots her a murderous gaze and says nothing. He continues to eat his dinner, annoyed.

---

The energetic princess zapped almost all of Ian's energy before she's drained enough to fall asleep. Ian walks into his bedroom to find Kyrie uninvited inside reading a book. Seeing that Ian has returned, Kyrie closes the book. He puts it on the tea table and walks towards Ian.

Ian recognizes the expression on Kyrie's face and starts to walk back.

"What brings you here?" asks Ian.

Eventually, he hits the door with his back. He looks down as Kyrie moves closer. Kyrie holds Ian's chin and lifts it to look at his eyes.

"So? Did you figure out the answer to that question?"

"What question?" Ian feigns ignorance.

"On how to make babies?" says Kyrie with a smirk.

Ian turns red all the way to his neck and says, "I don't know what you are talking about."

Kyrie leans forward and whispers in Ian's ears, "Are you sure?"

Kyrie's breath tickles Ian's ear, sending chills down his spine. Ian can feel his heart beating extremely fast. His mind clouds up, and his body starts quivering. Kyrie leans back and takes a look at Ian.

At first, Kyrie's eyes widen with surprise to later narrowing into an expression that Ian has not seen before. Kyrie's eyes are glistening, his cheeks with a slight blush, and his breath quickening.

Kyrie puts his hand to cover his mouth and staggers a step back. Ian gets instantly drawn into Kyrie's shy behavior.

Without energy to resist the temptation, Ian is not able to take away his eyes off Kyrie and starts to step towards Kyrie. Ian leans in, takes Kyrie's hand off his face, and goes for a kiss that parted with just moments their lips touched.

He realizes what he has done and looks at Kyrie in devastation as if his secrets have gone out from their hiding.

"You really..." murmurs Kyrie.

[challenge my self-control]

Kyrie, unable to control himself any longer, holds Ian's nape and kisses him deeply. Ian gets surprised that Kyrie has reciprocated his kiss, but closes his eyes holding Kyrie's clothes tightly. Their lips touch each other's passionately, once, twice, more and more. Each kiss deeper than the previous one. Ian, out of breath, lets out a moan. Hearing it, Kyrie was finally able to move apart.

Ian smiles and whispers, "My secret is out..."