A Personal Assurance

Everyone was in the throne room the next day to report on what had happened in the town the night before.

"I see and to make things worse, that Bartholomew freak caused havoc and stress on my citizens." Zeabolos said. "This will not go unpunished!"

Baphomet nodded. "I absolutely agree, great overlord."

"And because of that, I had no choice but to reveal what you and I talked about." Callum responded. "I thought I was going to be laid down for a ten count."

"Ah yes...I must take some of the flak for that." Zeabolos sighed. "Perhaps I should've been reminded the last time I kept an important secret."

"Please, don't remind us..." Uriel muttered.

"So explain it to us again, how did Andre know you?" Mammon asked.

Callum took a deep breath and explained it all, leaving them surprised a little.

"Oh, that's it?" Ruche asked. "You're really dense if it was as simple as that."

"I know and I should've known better, but I couldn't go against the orders of the Great Overlord." Callum replied. "Surely, you all understand that."

"We do, but still, you should've told us sooner, Cal-tan." Fegor said.

"Yes, we would've been much better prepared." Levia added.

Callum stood his ground. "But now, we have that ex bounty hunter who claims he can change this world."

"Over my dead body!" Zeabolos exclaimed. "Based on what you've told me, he doesn't seen that much threatening."

"If I may, I don't think we should take this new foe lightly." Uriel advised. "Although it was brief, I could sense a lot of dark magic inside his body."

Zeabolos pondered. "Hmmm, then it looks like we may have to call in one more ally to help and I think I know who."

"Great Overlord, are you implying...her?" Baphomet asked.

"Yes...the time has come for Faust to return to the Underworld to help us. Send word of this to her if possible, it's time Callum got a dose of what potential magic he could learn."

"Wait, what?!" Callum exclaimed. "But I'm just a human and-"

"Hmhmhm, you still desire to sell yourself short?" Ashmedia asked.

"Exactly what I was about to say." Levia added. "We overlords have trained to use magic, so any one of us would be more than enough to help you."

Callum looked at her. "Levia...I really thank you for looking out for me, but how it would look to the citizens if they hear I couldn't defeat a powerful foe without help?"

"I'm sure they would understand and respect you for saving them." Zeabolos assured. "Besides, I cannot allow such a plan as that one to come to fruition."

"Any who, do we know who won the dance contest?" Mammon asked.

"The result was cancelled and they announced to have it rescheduled to a later date." Ruche replied.

Levia sighed.

"Huh? What's wrong Levy?" Perpell asked.

"Oh...um, it's nothing. I was thinking back to last night, it should've been wonderful..."

Callum looked down a little and stood close to her. "Don't worry about it, there'll be another chance."

"In the meantime, I believe it would be best if I ask you all to stay vigilant, just in case Bartholomew appears again." Zeabolos said.

"Right, you can count on us." Mammon replied.

"And when Faust arrives, I will call for you, Callum and if I may, the Overlord you chose as your dance partner."

Callum nodded. "Got it, I guess I better get back to my assistant work."

"Actually, that was the other issue I needed to discuss with you." He smiled. "I think it is time you had a change of role, considering our newest issue."

"A new role?"

"Yes, from today forward, you will no longer be the overlords assistant, you will moved up as personal guard of the castle."

Question marks appeared around his head. "Personal guard?"

"To put it in simple terms, you will now be guarding around the exterior of the castle. While I'm at it, I will be also be assigning some of my grunts to increase security around the castle and around the entrances to the town area."

"Good thinking, sire." Baphomet replied. "I would about to suggest the same thing."

"Why and with that security?" Uriel asked.

"If there is one thing I had learnt from when we defeated Trillion, there is no such thing as being too careful." Zeabolos replied. "I would much rather be prepared to face whatever kind of move Bartholomew makes. He may be less powerful than Trillion, but that doesn't make him any less dangerous."

"Well it makes sense to me." Callum said. "So do you want me to begin guarding until it's time?"

"Yes, please do so now, a few of the grunts will be stepping outside the castle and making their way to the town very soon."

"Understood, then I'm off now." Callum began to leave the throne room.

The rest of them left, although Levia chose to stay behind. "Great Overlord?"

"Ah Levia, you're not going with them?" Zeabolos asked.

"Not yet, after last night, there's something that I must let you know." She quickly glanced at Baphomet. "And it's a little personal."

"Ah, say no more Lady Levia, I won't say a word." Baphomet replied, leaving the room.

Zeabolos smiled. "Okay, it's now the two of us, go on ahead."

"Well, yesterday before the dance contest, Callum chose me to be his dance partner." She began to blush. "At first, I was a little surprised, but I gave him a chance and when we were dancing, he was proving to be a great dance. Even more so when he won a small dance off with a zombie dancer."

"I see, so he's a dance as well...he is soon becoming someone who never ceases to surprise me."

"Then, as we were dancing slowly, he began to whisper sweet compliments and I was falling for him a little."

"Ahhh, so does that mean that you're beginning to like him that more than a friend?"

Levia looked at him. "Y-yes...but..."

"There's something else?"

"Yes...about us two and what he had."

"What we had, you're referring to when we were younger."

Levia nodded. "Through all the times we've known each other, I grew to like you deeply and when you became the great overlord with me as one of your overlords, I had waited a very long time to find out if you deeply liked me too."

"I see...and what happened last night, did it trigger something?"

"It did, it reminded me of when we once danced and I would always feel jealous whenever you got close to another lady, but I want to let you know..." Levia paused, looking away. "...that I don't feel that way anymore."

Zeabolos began to figure out what she meant. "I see, so have you fallen for Callum?"

"I have...but I wasn't sure if I should proceed, because of what you and I had."

"Levia, you shouldn't need to worry about that. In some way, I do take the blame for my hesitation in not responding to your feelings sooner. But's it's alright, if Callum is now the one you want, I will not say or do anything to stop it."

Levia was a little surprised, looking at him. "Really?"

"As long as you are happy with your decision, I will support you as I have always done and as a close childhood friend."

Levia smiled. "Thank you, Great Overlord."

"You don't have to call me that when it's us two talking."

"Yes...Zeabolos."

Outside the throne room however was Callum listening, unsure of what to make of it, but he was spotted.

"Callum boy, why are you listening to their conversation?" Baphomet asked.

"I just wanted to be sure if she's moving on so she can feel happier with me." Callum replied.

"Ahhh, that sounded like a confession. Maybe soon it'll be time to say how you feel about lady Levia."

"Maybe...but not until this foe is dealt with, I better get on my new duty anyway."

Callum walked away and out of the castle.

Standing outside the building and looking towards the horizon, he had one sentence on his mind.

"Wherever you are, Bartholomew, I won't let you win...you'll see." He suddenly felt a jolt through his head. "Argh! Huh...there it is again..."

He regained his composure and stood tall again. What could it mean for Callum? In his mind were dozens of possibilities.

"Maybe I should take a rest by the hot springs, I think my feet would be used to it."

He then walked to the back part of the castle where the area was secluded by the mountains and a waterfall. He was about to sit down and place his feet into the hot water when suddenly...

"Eeeeeeek!"

A loud lady scream was heard throughout the hot springs and Callum got up immediately. He dashed over to where the scream was, only to stop and suddenly notice who it was. There was Levia who was taking a bath in the hot springs but was in shock to notice Callum, only looking at some kind of monster that appeared from the water.

Callum shook his head and made a move. "Oh no you don't, perverted monster, don't touch her." He drew his sword out and launched an attack at the monster.

*ROAR*

The monster was slain and fell down a slope and onto the hard ground at the bottom. "That's one less problem...are you...okay...Leeeeviiiiaaaa?"

"Eeek!" Levia exclaimed, covering her modesty as best as she could with a spare towel around her.

Callum then realised that if he didn't turn away soon, he would go down, nosebleed style. "Oh crap! Levia, I'm so sorry!" He turned his head away, covering his eyes. "I just heard you scream and I couldn't ignore it."

Levia was blushing bright red. "It's...it's okay, you didn't see any of my..."

"No, I was too busy focusing on the threat, that's what a protector is supposed to do." He turned his head back. "Is it okay to-"

"I have a towel around me, it's alright." Levia was still blushing. "But still, I'm embarrassed that you're seeing me like this."

"Believe me, it wasn't my intention. I came here because I wanted to rest after suffering a severe headache."

"I see...then, do you wish to relax in the hot springs with me?" Her face was looking so red.

Callum blushed. "As long as it's feet only, I wanna learn to get used to the temperature of the water."

"That's alright and you don't have to be far away."

Callum nodded as he removed his footwear, rolled up his jeans by the knee line and sat down with his feet touching the water, at first it was too hot for him, but he got used to it and sighed in relaxation. Levia then sat beside him with her feet in the water, but she kept the towel wrapped around her.

"You know, Levia." He spoke. "Saving you there made me learn one thing."

She looked at him. "Yes?"

"If I'm going to save you all from Bartholomew, then I would need one strong reason. The one reason that will keep me from falling, prevent me from giving up and helping me find even a glimmer of hope against evil."

"I think I have one..." Levia blushed again, shuffling a little closer to him. "...me."

Callum blinked. "You...you want to be the reason why I will work hard to be strong?"

"I do...this may seem a little soon from me, but I wanted to tell you." Levia looked down her feet in the water. "When we were dancing, you made me feel very special. Like I was the one who meant a lot to you and it was a feeling that I was waiting for so long."

Callum looked down at his feet in the water. "I think I know why, because you once said that you and Zeabolos have known each other for a long while."

"Yes and now that you've proved that I won't be left wondering for too long, you are now someone that I don't ever wanna forget."

"Then I shall be honest too." Callum sighed. "Levia, you are a gorgeous lady and when you speak, I hear beautiful words from your voice. You have become someone special to me too. Even though I haven't experienced anything like this before, I feel like I can just be brave and try."

Levia smiled at him. "Do you mean it, you really like me in that way?"

"I do...Levia, I want to be with you...not just as your assistant, but as your protector and as someone you can run to if you ever need me."

"Callum..." Levia blushed. "...thank you, thank you so much..." She rested her head on his shoulder.

Callum put his arm around her and they smiled. They hadn't said the three words yet, but they chose to save it for another time.