Chapter 24: Something the Great Sage Doesn’t Understand

The council meeting eventually ended.

No dramatic shouting.

No table flipping.

No noble challenging another noble to a duel with decorative spoons.

Disappointing, really.

For all the political tension packed into that stone room, the conclusion was strangely simple.

The plan had been decided.

Nemris would deal with the approaching Agranian force.

I would be brought in when it was time for the parley.

If that went well, diplomacy would continue from there.

And if everything collapsed spectacularly?

War.

Wonderful.

My first official job in Aphrodasia had somehow skipped past entry-level employment and gone directly to Please Prevent Thousands of Deaths.

Back on Earth, people complained when new employees were expected to answer emails after work.

Different standards.

Viar told me that I would be informed when my part began.

No exact schedule.

No precise instructions yet.

Just wait.

Apparently international crises operated on the same principle as medical appointments.

Someone would come get me when the important people were ready.

The council members gradually left.

Lord Dren went first, speaking quietly with Lord Heim.

Balder followed while maintaining the expression of a man who suspected optimism was a contagious disease.

Yori left looking disappointed that nobody had approved his preferred diplomatic technique of killing everyone until negotiations improved.

Feig walked out behind him with a smile that suggested their argument would continue somewhere less supervised.

Nalrus and the scarred lord, Garren, left separately.

Good.

Putting those two together in a hallway seemed like an excellent way to create another border incident inside the castle.

Eventually the royal family departed too.

Viar and Milfy left together.

Leyra followed after giving me one small, formal nod.

Perfect princess.

Nemris gave me one last look before following her father.

Not suspicious exactly.

More like she wanted to make sure I did not accidentally cause a new war while sitting alone.

Zeria left without saying anything.

That surprised me.

She only glanced at me once.

Her expression was still serious.

Then she disappeared through the doors.

Soon, the enormous council chamber belonged only to me and several guards stationed around the walls.

I remained seated for a few minutes.

Mostly because my brain needed time to digest the fact that I had just been included in a meeting where powerful nobles discussed armies moving across borders.

A few days ago, my most urgent concern had been figuring out whether the giant boar trying to murder me could turn sharply.

Now I was involved in international diplomacy.

Career progression had become aggressive.

I stood.

One of the guards near the door immediately opened it.

No need to ask.

Apparently being invited into council meetings upgraded my hallway privileges.

I stepped outside.

Several knights were waiting.

One bowed.

“Sir Caled, we will escort you to your quarters.”

I nodded.

“Good. I’ve been wandering around this castle long enough to qualify as interior decoration.”

The knight did not laugh.

Professional man.

We walked.

The castle had gone quiet again.

Most servants had disappeared.

The occasional guard patrol passed us in the corridors, armor softly clinking beneath the lamps.

My escort eventually delivered me to my room.

I thanked them.

They departed.

I stepped inside and closed the door.

Finally.

Privacy.

Beautiful, sacred privacy.

I removed my shirt almost immediately.

Because shirts were optional inside bedrooms and I believed strongly in personal freedom.

I tossed it over a chair.

The bed waited.

Soft.

Large.

Loyal.

Unlike politics, the mattress had never asked me to prevent armed conflict between neighboring kingdoms.

I approached it.

One more minute and I would have collapsed face-first.

Then something clicked against the floor.

I stopped.

Small sound.

Stone against stone.

I looked down.

A pebble rested near the balcony door.

I stared at it.

Then looked toward the balcony.

Another pebble flew over the railing.

It landed near my foot.

I blinked.

Someone was throwing rocks at my expensive royal bedroom.

Naturally.

I walked toward the balcony and opened the door.

Cool night air touched my skin.

I stepped outside and looked down.

Golden hair.

Blue eyes.

White dress.

Cheerful smile.

Of course.

Zeria stood several meters below the balcony, looking up at me like sneaking beneath palace windows after midnight was perfectly normal behavior for the Great Sage.

I rested both hands on the railing.

“What took you so long getting back to your room?” she whispered loudly.

I stared.

Then pointed toward myself.

“You’re asking me?”

“Yes.”

“You are standing underneath my balcony throwing rocks at government property.”

“Pebbles.”

“Important distinction.”

Zeria smiled.

“I was waiting.”

“For me?”

“Yes.”

“That raises several additional questions.”

She looked around quickly.

Then bent her knees.

“Oh no.”

She jumped.

Of course she jumped.

Magic surged around her feet and launched her upward.

She reached the balcony edge and extended one hand.

I grabbed it.

Her fingers closed around mine.

I pulled.

Zeria rose over the railing.

She landed against me.

Not gracefully.

Her small body bumped into my chest.

Both hands came up instinctively and pressed against me.

For one second, neither of us moved.

Her face was close.

Very close.

I raised an eyebrow.

She looked down.

At my bare chest.

Then lower.

Her cheeks immediately changed color.

Ah.

There she was.

Great Sage intelligence temporarily defeated by abdominal muscles.

I smiled.

“What are you doing here?”

Zeria looked up quickly.

“Inside.”

“What?”

“Quickly.”

She grabbed my arm.

“Before someone sees.”

She pushed me backward into the room.

I let her.

Mostly because watching a petite Lionkin woman attempt to physically direct me around my own bedroom was entertaining.

Zeria entered after me and carefully shut the balcony doors.

Then pulled the curtains across them.

I crossed my arms.

“You really enjoy sneaking around.”

She remained facing the balcony for a second.

No answer.

I smiled.

“Should I start calling you the Great Fugitive?”

Still nothing.

“Lady Secret Tunnel?”

Silence.

I lowered my arms.

Something had changed.

The cheerful energy was gone.

Zeria turned.

Her face was serious.

Not council serious.

Different.

Personal.

Before I could ask, she crossed the distance between us.

And hugged me.

I froze.

Her arms wrapped around my waist.

Her face pressed into my chest.

No joke.

No playful laugh.

Just warmth.

I slowly placed one hand against her back.

Then the other.

I rubbed gently between her shoulders.

“What happened?”

Zeria held tighter.

“I missed you.”

I blinked.

“That came from nowhere.”

“I know.”

“You saw me less than an hour ago.”

“I know.”

“That usually disqualifies missing someone.”

She shook her head against me.

“It doesn’t.”

Apparently not.

I looked down at her golden hair.

“What brought this on?”

For several seconds, she said nothing.

Then quietly, “You’ll leave soon.”

Ah.

There it was.

I sighed softly.

“Big Sister.”

Her grip tightened.

“You’re the one who suggested the plan.”

“I know.”

“You volunteered me.”

“I know.”

“You smiled while doing it.”

“I know.”

I gently leaned back enough to see her face.

“So why are you upset?”

Zeria looked away.

“Because knowing something is right does not mean I have to like it.”

Well.

That was annoyingly mature.

“I won’t be gone forever.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I’m not planning to vanish into another dimension.”

Her eyes moved back to mine.

“Can you promise?”

I opened my mouth.

Then closed it.

No.

I could not.

I barely understood how I had arrived here in the first place.

Promising impossible certainty would be dishonest.

So I chose the part I could say.

“I’m planning to come back.”

Zeria studied my face.

Then nodded slowly.

“Good.”

I smiled.

“There. Problem solved.”

“No.”

“No?”

She released me and stepped backward.

One hand moved to her chest.

Her expression changed again.

Confused.

Concerned.

“It’s happening again.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“This.”

She pressed her palm against the left side of her chest.

“My heart.”

I waited.

“It’s beating too quickly.”

“That usually happens when people break into bedrooms.”

“I did not break in.”

“You climbed the balcony.”

“You helped.”

“Accessory to the crime.”

Zeria frowned.

“This is serious.”

I controlled my smile.

Mostly.

“How fast?”

“Very.”

“Pain?”

“No.”

“Shortness of breath?”

“No.”

“Dizziness?”

“No.”

“Then congratulations.”

Her eyebrows pulled together.

“For what?”

“You’re alive.”

“Caled.”

I laughed.

Her frown deepened.

“The Great Sage of Inizio cannot figure out why her heart beats faster when she’s standing near one specific man?”

She stared.

“That is exactly the problem.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

She looked genuinely offended by her own body.

“I understand magical circulation. I understand physical reactions to stress. I understand adrenaline responses.”

I nodded solemnly.

“Very impressive.”

“But this is different.”

“Tragic.”

“It started after yesterday.”

“Interesting timing.”

“And now it becomes worse whenever I look at you.”

I smiled.

Her face immediately reddened.

She pointed.

“That!”

“What?”

“You did it again.”

“Smiled?”

“Yes.”

“Terrible habit.”

Zeria stepped closer.

Her eyes narrowed.

“What did you do to me?”

I stared.

Then laughed.

Actually laughed.

She did not.

“Oh, you’re serious.”

“Yes!”

“What exactly are you accusing me of?”

“I don’t know.”

“Very strong investigation.”

“You have strange abilities.”

True.

“But none involving romantic heart attacks.”

Her eyebrows furrowed harder.

“Romantic?”

I stopped.

Right.

Innocent.

Dangerously innocent.

“Never mind.”

“No. What does romantic mean in this situation?”

“Future lesson.”

She looked annoyed.

I smiled again.

Her face became redder.

Zeria pointed at me like she had just solved a murder.

“See?”

“See what?”

“You are definitely causing it.”

“I’m standing.”

“You’re smiling.”

“I apologize for my face.”

She walked closer.

Now only a small distance remained between us.

She tilted her head back to look at me.

I looked down.

Her blue eyes searched mine.

Very serious.

Very confused.

Very Zeria.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

Softly.

Her entire body went still.

I pulled away.

“My fault.”

Zeria blinked.

“You admit it?”

“Absolutely.”

“What did you do?”

“That.”

Her face warmed further.

She pressed one hand against her chest again.

“It became faster.”

“I rest my case.”

“That explains nothing.”

“You’ll survive.”

She reached for my hand.

Her fingers wrapped around mine.

And trembled.

Small movement.

But obvious.

I looked down.

Then back at her.

“I don’t understand this,” she whispered.

There was something vulnerable in those words.

Not frightened.

Just unfamiliar.

Zeria understood so much.

Everyone around her expected answers.

Kings listened when she spoke.

Nobles adjusted plans around her visions.

She could analyze monsters, politics, magic, history, war.

And now her own feelings had apparently arrived carrying a language she had never studied.

I brought her hand gently upward.

Then leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

Her eyes closed.

The tremble in her fingers worsened.

I pulled back only slightly.

“Do you hate it?”

Zeria opened her eyes.

“No.”

No hesitation.

That mattered.

I smiled.

“Good.”

She watched me.

I moved slowly.

No sudden teasing.

No joke to hide behind.

Just enough time for her to understand exactly where I was going.

My face lowered toward hers.

Zeria remained still.

Her eyes stayed on mine.

Then briefly moved toward my lips.

Back up.

I kissed her.

Soft.

Gentle.

Her lips were warm.

She did not know what to do.

I could feel that immediately.

She simply stayed there, letting me lead.

No movement beyond the slight tremble of her mouth.

So I kept it simple.

A quiet kiss.

Nothing rushed.

Nothing demanding.

Just closeness.

When I pulled away, Zeria stared at me.

Her face had turned completely red.

Even the tips of her Lionkin ears were pink.

I smiled.

“Did that feel good?”

She looked embarrassed by the question.

Then slowly nodded.

I resisted making a joke.

Rare act of heroism.

I leaned down again.

Second kiss.

This one lasted longer.

Still gentle.

But deeper in feeling.

More certain.

Zeria remained hesitant at first.

Then her lips moved.

Barely.

Trying.

Learning.

I kissed her again.

Pause.

Again.

Each time, she responded a little more.

She was analyzing it.

Of course she was.

The Great Sage was apparently approaching kissing like experimental research.

Observe.

Attempt.

Adjust.

Repeat.

Adorable.

Her hands remained awkwardly at her sides.

I took them gently.

Zeria broke the kiss long enough to look confused.

I guided her hands upward and placed them on my shoulders.

She understood.

Her fingers curled into my skin.

Then I kissed her again.

No words.

Did not need any.

Her body slowly relaxed.

The stiffness disappeared.

She tilted her face more naturally.

Her lips began following mine instead of simply waiting.

Every kiss taught her something.

Every breath between them seemed to make her more aware.

Not only of me.

Of herself.

When we finally parted, she remained close.

Very close.

Her breathing came faster.

She looked up at me with wide eyes.

“This is extremely embarrassing.”

I laughed softly.

Zeria immediately hid her face against my chest.

“Don’t laugh.”

“I’m not laughing at you.”

“You are laughing.”

“I’m enjoying the situation.”

“That sounds worse.”

I wrapped my arms around her.

She hugged me back.

Her body felt warm.

Warmer than before.

I could feel her breathing through the contact.

Fast.

Uneven.

Her heart was practically trying to escape through her ribs.

Zeria shifted slightly.

Then froze.

Her eyebrows furrowed against my chest.

“Something else is happening.”

Oh.

Dangerous sentence.

I stroked her back.

“What?”

“My body feels strange.”

There was no fear.

Just confusion again.

“Warm.”

“That can happen.”

“And restless.”

“Also happens.”

She leaned back enough to look at me.

“Why?”

I smiled.

“Trust me.”

Zeria blinked.

Then her expression softened.

“You do not need to ask me to trust you.”

That wiped some of the humor from my face.

She continued.

“I already do.”

Her fingers tightened slightly against my shoulders.

“Completely.”

I stared at her.

That was a dangerous thing to say to someone like me.

Not because I intended to hurt her.

Because Zeria had no idea how heavy those words were.

Trust was permission people could misunderstand.

Especially innocent people.

Especially around men with my history.

I brushed a strand of golden hair away from her cheek.

“You really shouldn’t say things like that so easily.”

“Why?”

“Because someone might take advantage of it.”

Zeria’s eyebrows pulled together.

“You?”

“Potentially.”

She stared.

“What would you do?”

I smiled.

Her suspicion immediately grew.

“You would use my trust to gain political influence?”

I blinked.

Then laughed.

Of course.

Of course that was where her brain went.

Power.

Politics.

Access.

She really was innocent.

“No.”

“Money?”

“No.”

“Information?”

“No.”

“What, then?”

I moved one hand around her waist.

My palm settled gently against her hip.

I drew her closer.

Zeria’s breath caught.

“This.”

Her eyes widened.

I kissed her again.

Deeper this time.

Still controlled.

Still patient.

But no longer hesitant.

Zeria made a small surprised sound against my lips.

Her hands tightened on my shoulders.

I guided her backward slowly.

One step.

Then another.

She followed.

No resistance.

Her attention remained completely on the kiss.

On the closeness.

On figuring out what her own body was telling her.

The back of her legs touched the bed.

I stopped.

Zeria opened her eyes.

I looked at her.

She understood enough.

I guided her gently to sit.

The mattress dipped beneath her.

I lowered myself in front of her instead of towering over her.

Our faces were closer now.

Her hands remained on my shoulders.

For several seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then Zeria suddenly covered her face with both hands.

“Oh no.”

I smiled.

“What?”

She spoke through her fingers.

“I changed my mind.”

“About what?”

“This.”

Her voice became smaller.

“I don’t think I can do this.”

I watched her.

No panic.

No attempt to leave.

Just overwhelming embarrassment.

Her shoulders had curled inward like she hoped the universe might forget she existed if she became small enough.

“I have no courage for this.”

I leaned back slightly.

That made her peek between her fingers.

I smiled.

“Little late to discover that after climbing onto my balcony.”

Her eyes widened.

“That was different.”

“You threw rocks at my room.”

“Pebbles.”

“You jumped into my arms.”

“You pulled me up.”

“You kissed my cheek yesterday.”

Her face became even redder.

“That was also different.”

“And tonight you came here because you missed me.”

Zeria slowly lowered her hands.

“Maybe.”

“No maybe.”

She looked away.

I laughed softly.

Then I reached up and gently took one of her wrists.

Not forcing.

Just guiding her hand away from her face.

“Hey.”

She looked at me.

“Your trust is safe.”

Her eyes softened.

“I know.”

“I’m going to tease you.”

“I know.”

“Probably a lot.”

“I know.”

“Your face is going to become red enough to guide ships.”

“That is not reassuring.”

“But I’m not going to make you do something you don’t want.”

Zeria stared at me for a few seconds.

Then nodded.

Slowly.

The tension in her shoulders eased.

I smiled.

“There.”

She looked down.

“This is still embarrassing.”

“Absolutely.”

She glared.

I laughed again.

Her glare lasted maybe two seconds before collapsing into a shy smile.

I placed both hands gently against her hips.

Zeria looked at them.

Then back at me.

Her breathing picked up again.

I leaned closer.

Not kissing yet.

Just close enough that she could feel my breath.

“You really walked yourself into this situation, Big Sister.”

Her cheeks burned.

“I did not.”

“You escaped the castle.”

“That was yesterday.”

“You climbed my balcony.”

“I wanted to talk.”

“You hugged me.”

“I missed you.”

“You kissed me first.”

“On the cheek.”

“Gateway behavior.”

Zeria’s mouth dropped open.

I smiled.

She looked deeply offended.

Then embarrassed.

Then confused about which emotion should win.

Wonderful.

I squeezed her hips gently.

She swallowed.

“Caled.”

“Yes?”

Her voice came quieter.

“You are enjoying this too much.”

“Correct.”

“That was not something you were supposed to admit.”

“I believe in honesty.”

“Selective honesty.”

“Still counts.”

She tried to hide her face again.

I caught both hands gently before they reached it.

She looked at me.

I smiled.

“No hiding.”

Her eyes widened.

“That is unfair.”

“You started this.”

“I did not start this.”

“You threw the first pebble.”

“That has nothing to do with this!”

“It led directly here.”

“That is terrible logic.”

“Yet historically accurate.”

Zeria tried not to smile.

Failed.

I leaned closer.

Her breath caught.

I kept my voice low.

“You put yourself into this, Big Sister.”

Her fingers tightened around mine.

I smiled.

“There’s no escaping now.”