After that regretful conversation, for a moment, Elizabeta stood there, her thoughts being flooded by her memories with Roderich, only to realize that the phone was still ringing, and she forgot to pick it up.

"Thanks to this, I was able to get out," she whispered to herself somehow thankful.

As she picked up the phone, a shout roughly came out of the receiving piece.

"Hey! I was waiting for about, fifteen minutes here and no one is picking up! I don't care whoever is in that other line but an awesome guy like me doesn't deserve to be ignor-"

The voice immediately reminded her of someone she didn't want to remember; and the very word "awesome" helped prove her guess. Not to mention the tone being taunting and irritating; it was indeed her childhood friend.

"Dropping..." Eliza threatened as she figured out his identity. Never mind the "thanking" part earlier.

"No, no wait! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, alright?" Gil answered trying to catch and reassure her still on the line. "S-So it is you Liz, huh?" he whispered to himself.

"Give me a good reason to not end thisuseless call,"

"I am going out on a date today, with a girl," he declared with traces of embarrassment.

"Is this some kind of a lame joke to mock me?" Eliza responded with a shocked expression with doubts filling her mind.

*Eliza's P. O. V. *

Gilbert? Gilbert Beilschmidt? Going on a date? Loving someone? Someone attracted to him? These are things that would never, ever, happen to him because of his irritating personality, physical appearance, and most of all, the way he treats people.

"Eliza...beta..."

Am I imagining things? Or maybe I underestimated him too much, or maybe I just can't accept the fact that this thing called "luck" is happening to him now or probably because I ran out of good fortune?

"E...bet..."

I'm taking his miserable life while he's taking mine? Is this what they call "karma"? No. No way would that be. In fact he should be the one suffering from it.

"...ta..."

I would never do something to him that will cause me such thing- Oh no. No. No. No. That thing- it can't be. That can't be the reason-

"Elizabeta!" a shout woke me up of my flooding thoughts.

"Y-You were saying?!" I exclaimed in surprise upon realizing Gilbert was still on the phone.

"I called out your name four times and I received dead air! You okay?"

"O-Of course I'm fine! I just lacked sleep yesterday, so my mind! So, is that all? Boasting your date? Stop trying to be a humble fellow, idiot. If that's all, I'm dropping-"

"Well it was you who spaced out, not even letting me finish my message..." Annoyance was evident in his tone.

"What was that?" The rage was traced from my voice and this reached him, resulting for me to hear a shivering tone.

"Anyways, I just need some advice and encouragements from you since you are a wife, a girl. If you are ever interested, come here around 12:00. You can drop the phone now."

And she dropped it.

"… are a wife, huh?" I felt disappointed. My rage rose even more upon hearing Gilbert's emotions as he said the sentence. It was as if he didn't care at all. Well, what can I do about it?

"Should I go or not? Perhaps doing so will avert my mind from this fact even for just a while. It is 11:00. I'll go." I headed to my room and started to put on my casual clothes. Suddenly, a voice came out from behind the door. It was obviously him. I leaned my back against the side of the bed and listened.

"... Why not learn to be independent. I know, I was even the one who asked for your help. But you yourself had already greatly proven that you can stand by your own, regardless of your gender. I did admire that, but I know you are well-aware of the word 'end', no? What I am seeing as of now, isn't that strong girl I once feared from wars. I'm letting you go, Eliza. Be happy." And there he ended his declaration.

I remained silent. I waited until his footsteps can't be heard anymore. The tears tried to free from my eyes again. By my small luck, I managed to suppress it for the second time.

"...Be independent... Be happy...? Be happy...?!" I clutched my fist trying to take his last sentence of any positive meaning.

I let go an instant, and I simply headed to his room, opening a small space in the door, and I bid goodbye to him, gently closed the door and rushed out of the manor to Gilbert, rather Ludwig's house.

Not really having the motive of assisting him in the first place, it was her that she was really trying to help.