"Jeanne!" The relief that washed over Lyserg Diethyl's face was immeasurable.

"Lyserg-kun…" Her heart leapt when she saw the face of his groom. She knew it! She knew he was going to save her!

"Oh, so that's Lady Jeanne."

Her attention shifted towards the boy standing beside her fiancé. To her shock, the boy grinning at her looked exactly like her abductor, only his face was more innocent-looking, and his hair was relatively shorter. She immediately remembered that Hao mentioned something about Lyserg bringing along a hostage to swap with her—this must be Hao's brother.

The boy with the headset offered his hand to her. "Hi! I'm Yoh!"

She awkwardly received his hand. This was not the scene she was expecting once she returns in the camp. Far from it.

Yoh smiled relaxedly. "If my brother wanted to see me, he should have just asked. Why he had to go through the abduction process puzzles me."

Her eyes widened. "Ah, Monsieur Yoh! H-He said he's planning to use you—"

"—in his world domination plans. Yes." Yoh shrugged. "My father told me that already. That's why I came here with Lyserg-chan—"

Lyserg coughed.

"Lyserg-san," amended the brown-haired boy, laughing. "To see him myself, and talk him out of it."

"Talk?" Somehow, she couldn't imagine Hao – THE Hao—talking his world domination plans over a cup of coffee. But then again, who was she to judge Hao? Not because she was with him for a brief period of time meant that she knew him well enough to make assumptions such as that.

"Talk," agreed Yoh. "I'm sure Nii-san will listen."

Her eyes shook. "Talk to him, Monsieur Yoh. There is a lot of pain within him now, but maybe you can help him. As his brother, I know you can."

"Have you tried doing that?" asked Yoh curiously.

She ignored the same gaze her fiancé gave her. "He would surely listen to you more. Please talk some sense into him."

Lyserg smoothed her hair tenderly. "Did he hurt you, Jeanne?"

Her reaction was immediate; she shook her head vehemently. "He was very gentle—" Realizing what she said, colors flooded her cheeks, and that was beyond her control anymore.

There was a funny look on his face when she dared meet his gaze. But he commented nothing, and for that, she was grateful.

"When will we leave?" she decided to ask to make up for her stupidity moments ago.

"Ah, the lady is in a hurry." Hao finally materialized, a lazy smile identical to his brother on its place.

Lyserg's face darkened. "I kept my end of the bargain."

"Same goes for me. The nun is safe and well." His eyes went to her briefly, and she couldn't deny the softening of his eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it went though when his eyes turned back to her fiancé. "We work beautifully as business partners, don't we?"

"I intend not to continue this, Hao," he said spitefully. "I'm taking Jeanne with me first thing in the morning, and I trust that this should be the last time that you would lay a finger on the people dear to me."

He nodded. "Don't worry. Our paths will never cross again."

Never.

Why did it sound so painful to her ears? It was one with resounding finality, and she couldn't understand why it affected her so.

"Be sure of that, because I am not that child anymore who helplessly watched his parents die in your hands—"

"Lyserg Diethyl." It was quiet, but the razor sharpness in Hao's voice was unmistakable. "Things changed. I regret that I allowed myself to get carried away by my furyoku—"

"Can your regret bring my parents back?" he yelled. Jeanne's arm wrapped around his trembling chest.

His eyes averted his. "No, but I needed to say that."

"You will suffer forever in the flames of punishment. You will rot in hell!" Lyserg turned his back on the man, not wanting to scare his fiancée more when he demonstrates his fury.

Jeanne followed her fiancé out, but not without throwing him a final look.

Hao was smiling. Sadly.

She turned her back on him and continued to follow her groom out of the camp. She had to do this before she burst into tears.

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Save for the crickets, the night was deep, dark, and quiet. It was a sign that the night was in its darkest, and few hours stood in between the present and the early morning that would change her life forever. Tomorrow morning, she would already start a life with Lyserg Diethyl.

Back in the convent, she looked forward to nothing but the day she would be free. Free from solitary confinement and religious ties. To live as the Jeanne she wanted to be. And tomorrow, it would all happen.

So why was she feeling apprehension whenever she thinks of it? It was not the excited kind of apprehension, she knew; it was a feeling of impending doom.

Doom? But it was marriage. A life of not being alone. A life with Lyserg Diethyl.

Should there be a reason to dread such situation?

He adored her; cared for her. And he promised her security, that was the most important thing. Yet she felt it still lacked something.

She wrapped the blanket tighter around her, wanting to cocoon herself from the persistent doubts in her mind. She was not used to do this—she was reared as a believer unconditionally; she existed to believe. There was no place for questions, and if ever there was, she dismissed them as life's mysteries that function as a reminder of man's humbleness compared to his Creator.

But now, questions buzzed around her head, taunting her, challenging the extent of her soul's absolute faith. Was this really what she wanted?

As if vexing, she saw Hao's face on the carriage window where she lie, pretending to be asleep. She was alone; Lyserg was with Yoh probably—that was what he told her before he secured her sleeping place and left her to rest. So she immediately dismissed it as an illusion created by her overactive imagination.

But then, the figment of her overactive imagination knocked on the window. And grinned sheepishly.

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"You shouldn't be here." Jeanne's voice, a little rough but sexy all the same, said scoldingly. He shrugged, telling her that etiquette was the least of his concerns at this moment.

"Lyserg-kun might come here any minute," she threatened, pulling the blanket around her closer. She was seated next to him on the grassy ground just outside the coach.

He chuckled. "There's nothing to hide from your groom, Jeanne. It's not like we're doing anything…that will merit his…displeasure."

She blushed. Beautifully, he thought. "That is not the point, Monsieur. I am no longer your hostage, so I do not think we should talk like this—"

"I did not come here as your abductor, Jeanne. I came here as a…" He frowned. "Gee, now there's a thought. What did I come here for?"

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Stop playing around, Monsieur. It's late, and we both need sleep."

He ignored her. "I guess I was bothered by what you feel about me…after what your groom said hours ago."

"I-I don't think I understand…"

"His parents." He looked at her intently. "Do you know how they died?"

She shook her head slowly. "He told me someone murdered them."

"Which makes me a murderer." He laughed sarcastically. "I'm not going to pretend to be a saint and say that I didn't mean it. I will not deny that I did it either. But I had regrets that haunted me a lot of times. I tried to block it many times, and succeeded on more than half of my attempts. But that doesn't mean that I am free from guilt."

She gazed at him quietly.

"Guilt kills slowly and surely. But I have lived on the fact that I will die anyway, regardless of what manner Death will come upon me. The possibility of finally ending my fruitless existence excites me."

"But the feelings will retain in your next existence!" she reasoned.

He shrugged. "Maybe, by some miracle, I'll forget." He blinked, then burst into laughter. "Wow, did I actually say that? I asked for a miracle?"

She sighed. "Monsieur Hao…" She threw her hands up in resignation as he laughed some more.

Moments later, they were both quiet again. He knew he had a lot of things in mind, and he knew he had to voice them out before the rays of the sun peeks through.

And then she would be gone. Forever.

"You were wondering awhile ago how I feel about your involvement to the death of Lyserg's parents, am I right?" she said out of the blue.

He nodded slowly.

"I feel…sorrow. If only Keiko lived long enough, her love could have brought you back to humanity." She smiled thoughtfully. "Yet, she did seed kindness in you, or why else should you confess of your guilt? Guilt exists only where conscience does."

"Anger at me?" he asked.

"Monsieur Hao, if the good Lord knows how to forgive and feel compassion, then why can't I, a mere mortal created by Him, do the same?" she asked gently. "Anyway, Monsieur, my opinion of you shouldn't concern you so much."

"But it does," he softly insisted.

Her eyes turned to him. His face melted into a boyish smile.

It does," he continued. "Don't ask why, Jeanne, but it does, and I am baffled by it." He looked up at the dark, velvety sky. "I don't give a damn if the whole world persecutes me, but somehow, I worry about my image when it comes to your eyes. I hate it when you looked at me measuringly when we first met, like I could never be good enough to talk and breathe next to someone like you. I hate it when you corner me in our debates when it comes to faith and religion, and make me feel like a hopeless sinner afterwards."

"I didn't mean to—"

He chuckled. "I know, but it still didn't help, because it was insecurity. Not many people can make me feel that way." He lied down on the ground, his arms serving as his pillow. "Can you imagine what you did to my self-esteem when you remained unperturbed despite my best efforts to annoy you?"

"Y-You think that was funny?" A look of disbelief was on her face. "Monsieur, it is all I can do to slam your face on the carriage wheel!"

"Now isn't that romantic?" he laughed delightedly.

"Monsieur…."

"Yes, Jeanne-san?"

"Will you come to my wedding?"

He looked away. "Anything but that, Jeanne."

"I'm sorry. It's just that I am so confused right now" She sighed deeply. "I don't think I am sure about that wedding anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

"And you think my presence can help you?"

She exhaled once more. "M-Maybe."

"Marry him, Jeanne," he said. "Marry him, start a happy family, and live your days to the fullest."

"That sounds so simple…but…" She looked down, eyes shaking. "I don't think I want to go through that anymore."

"And what do you plan to do?"

"I don't know."

"Will you go back to the convent?"

"No."

"Now doesn't that sound like a good gameplan." Hao chuckled. "You wander around for the rest of your life."

"Don't laugh at me, Monsieur. My helplessness is nothing to laugh at."

"Well, if you can't think of something, why not come with me?" he asked.

Her eyes widened.

He rubbed his cheek meekly. "We won't get the best hotel accommodations, but maybe, while wandering around, you can think over what you plan to do. Sort of a soul-searching."

"Come with you…" Her heart raced.

Silence.

"I was only kidding. It won't do that I have a female companion in my travels. Besides, the only life you deserve is the good life you will have with Lyserg Diethyl." He got up, not minding the grass that soiled his mantle. "Well, it would just be a few minutes before sunrise, so I better get going."

"Hao…"

He turned to her expectantly.

"Au revoir, Monsieur." Her sadness surpassed her walls and flooded in those three little words.

"Je t'aime, ma Cherie."

Her heart stopped beating.

"Jeanne, don't look too stunned. I know a little French too, but if my pronunciation was wrong—"

"You love me?" she repeated, eyes wide.

He laughed huskily. "And you've got a problem with that?"

"T-Then why are you pushing me towards Lyserg?"

"Because I love you, and I only want the best for you." He stepped closer towards her. "Jeanne, what has an akuma got to offer to a tenshi? A wounded past? A tomorrow of uncertainty? I can never be good enough for you, Lady Jeanne."

Her whole body trembled. "You shouldn't have told me that anymore. Monsieur, I hate you…"

"I told you, Jeanne. If I spoke what shouldn't be said, you will hate me. Now I feel awful." He was making it sound like a joke, but with the volume of bitterness in his tone, she knew better.

He wearily leaned his forehead on hers. "Jeanne, trust me. It will all be for the best."

"Shut up…"

"You deserve much, much better."

"Kiss me."

An order that made him look at her in surprise. She met his gaze squarely.

"Jeanne, this is a mistake from the start."

"Finish that mistake. Now." She tiptoed and planted a kiss on his lips. He needed no further encouragement, as he took her lips and kissed her passionately, fiercely. A kiss that sealed their doubts and questions. A kiss that would be their last reminding bond before they part in this lifetime.

It is all for the best.

The best.

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Finale out soon!