Chapter 41

"What the hell?!" Katherine was taken aback by her best friend's face.

"Katherine? What brings you here?" Nash allowed her in because it was freezing outside. She immediately closed the door and pulled her inside.

"What with your face? HAHAHA" Nash rolled her eyes.

"Make up, duh?"

"HAHAHA it looks natural on you,"

"Tsk. What exactly are you doing here?"

"I brought some food because I heard from my father that your squad came to our diner and told us you were sick." Nash looked through the food bag and noticed fruits and cakes, "Are you here alone?"

"Nope, Kane and Jax were here with me... eh? Where are they?" They went to the kitchen and saw Jaxael washing his face. "Hey! That's not fair!"

"Oh here's the famous guy," Katherine said.

"Huh? Who?"

"Jaxael,"

"He's famous?"

"Well, all of you are famous, but Jaxael is more famous," Katherine said, nodding.

"Really? Where?"

"The magic knights. You are aware that there are many ladies in magical knights, as opposed to your knights. They have their sights set on Jaxael, especially because the coming-of-age is approaching. Be ready for girls requesting you to be their escort," Katherine warned Jaxael.

Nash took a look at Jaxael, who appeared uninterested. Jaxael lifted his brow when he observed her. Nash shook her head and grimaced as she rummaged through the bag of snacks Katherine had packed. Katherine had previously observed her friend and had a hunch about it.

"To avoid being asked, do you want to be my partner instead?" Katherine grinned.

Nash halted, placed her hand in her lap, and began cracking her fingers. Katherine sees it and immediately knows that she's irritated.

Nash had a habit of cracking her fingers when she was irritated or annoyed. She does this to keep her emotions in check.

"I'm not interested in becoming a part of the coming-of-age," Jaxael stated.

"Hmm... that's alright. I already have a partner to go with anyways"

Nash looked at her friend. "Then why ask?"

"I wonder why?" she said, grinning. Nash realized what her friend meant behind those grins and stepped on her foot. "Aww!"

"Go home. The snow will fall heavily later, you'll get stranded," Nash said and continued to rummage through the bag of food and decided to eat the chocolate cake she saw.

"I know... I know. I only brought it here since Father requested me to." Nash escorted her friend to the door, "I can teleport you know?"

"I do,"

"So this is how your inn looks... Now that I'm here, I could teleport here whenever I want." She said, smiling, "Don't worry I don't take someone my friend likes."

"Just go home,"

"The emperor also wants me to give this to you" She pulled out a letter from her pocket as well as a pen, "The emperor needs your reply now."

Nash opened the letter.

//What happened last Friday? I sense your demon.//

Nash sighed, 'at least ask about my health.'

Nash reached for the pen and replied back,

//It was nothing, just some complications.//

"Here,"

"Bye! Take care!" Katherine teleported back to their diner.

Nash hid the note and returned to the kitchen, only to find the two eating her cake. "That's my favorite!"

"There's more inside," Kane said. Nash scowled at them before devouring the remaining chocolate cake.

...

They grew close in those three days, just the three of them. Nash and Kane's teasing has also grown and sounds worse than before.

Nash fever was gone after 2 days and is more lively thanks to the two.

"The snow piled in front of the door, let's sweep it!" Nash stated while wielding a broom. Jaxael and Kane are reading quietly on the couch.

"Come on! Leader and the others will be back soon!"

The two sighed and took the extra broom before heading outside.

Nash stared up at the sky, attempting to capture the falling snow.

"We're here to sweep, not to catch snow," Kane said. Nash rolled her eyes and began cleaning the front of their inn.

It didn't take that long because shadow dogs made by Jaxael helped.

"It's cold! Let's head inside!" Nash hurled a snowball at Kane before he opened the door. Kane slowly turned to face her, a scowl on his face. Nash drew her tongue out and threw another.

"Jax, catch that brat" Jax nodded and caught Nash. They hoist her, and Nash realizes what they are about to do.

They lift her to the snow they had gathered earlier.

"One... Two... Three!"

"Ahh!" Nash was tossed inside the pile of snow. The two masterminds chuckle.

"What are you two doing outside? It's cold," The two looked back and saw the members who went for a mission.

"We swept the snow piling up in front." Jaxael answered.

"Where's Nash?" Aeries asked. Kane and Jaxael gesture to the snow, which is where they threw Nash.

"Oy!" When the two looked behind them, they were smacked by a large snowball, "HAHAHAHA serve you right!"

Nash's laughter came to a halt as she saw Yjhan. "Ohh! You've returned! Good Job!" She shows two thumbs up.

"It's freezing outside, so get inside. You had a fever the other day, and now you're outside playing?" Aeries said as she drew Nash inside.

"What did you do while we're away?"

Nash looked at Jaxael and chuckled. "You should've seen Jaxael with makeup on! HAHAHAHA."

Aidan looked at her with a faint smile... 'Before, we're the one doing that.'

"Katherine also paid a visit," She looked at Aidan and said, "Thank you"

Aidan smile and nodded. 'I guess it will never be the same again.'

...

Nash and Jaxael are walking behind the others. They are heading to their place in the training ground.

"This is cool, it feels like a real cat," Nash exclaimed as she carried Jaxael's shadow cat.

"Jaxael!" Nash and Jaxael both turned to gaze in the direction where someone had yelled.

It is a lady from the magic knight.

"Uhm... hi," The lady said, shy. Two other females are cheering for their friend behind her.

'Is this what Katherine means?'

Jaxael looks at the girl coldly.

"I'm Veronica... from the magic knight."

Nash looked at Jaxael, "I'll head first."

She went away without even waiting for Jaxael to respond.

"As you heard... The coming-of-age ceremony will happen soon and.... I was looking for a partner. And I actually like you... so can you be my partner?"

Nash stopped, she looked back and looked at the magic knight from head to toe.

"She's pretty," she whispered.

Nash had no idea that what Jaxael's shadow heard might also be heard by him.

"But... I'm prettier," she murmured as she continued walking while cuddling the shadow cat.

Jaxael gave a small smile, which made Veronica blush, thinking it was intended for her. But it was originally because of what Nash said.

'I knew he likes me too,' the magic knight thought, "Is that a ye--"

"I'm not interested, please excuse me,"

"Wha... what do you mean?!" Veronica shouted as Jaxael continued to walk.

'Then why did he smile?!'

Veronica pulled Jaxael, "Be my partner. That's an order."

"I don't take just any order from anybody," he said, coldly. "This will be the last time I say I'm not interested, so fuck off."