Yami didn't like captains meeting. It would have been better if those weren't weekly, but monthly. Or once a year. Or never at all to begin with.

Geez, if he had known that being a captain came with responsibility, lots of fricking paperwork and boring meetings, to just name a few examples, maybe he would never have accepted to become a captain in the first place.

But at the same time, it gave him the opportunity to have some fricking authority, he had been able to give a home to all the knights that were his brats and he had a fixed job, to just name a few examples. So maybe, he took the right choice to shut up and endure all the negative sides of being a captain.

Which didn't change the fact that weekly captains meeting were a fucking pain. All that wasted time during which he couldn't gamble, drink a good beer or most importantly, taking a well-deserved dump.

Or investigate the whereabouts of Prickly Queens lost and mysterious half-sibling. That was actually somehow more important for him than taking a dump.

Yami took a side-glance at Charlotte, sitting next to him, like always. Ever since they started their research on the lost sibling, they became undoubtedly closer. She was still hurting his delicate little heart with her harsh words, but she never did run away from him again while screaming her lungs out, which was definitely a progress.

But he still didn't understand her Ki. Interacting more with her somehow didn't made it easier to read Charlotte, but even more complicated. It didn't make any sense to Yami. Then again, nothing ever seemed to make sense when Prickly Queen was involved.

Yami didn't like that uncertainty between them. He never realized it before, but since two weeks, he couldn't help but wonder what was between them.

Friendship? Something else? All possible options somehow didn't make any sense to him and in this cause, Yami highly doubted that the impossible options would make sense at all.

All he knew was that he wanted to help Prickly Queen to find her lost sibling. He really wanted to help her. She was one of the best people he knew and one of the most kind-hearted as well. Always putting everyone and everything before herself, it was just fair that she did something for herself for once. And he wanted to help to achieve that.

Okay, Charlotte had no idea what she would do once she find that mysterious half-sibling and the mom, she was still hurting her head to decide how she would act at that meeting. But they weren't there yet and honestly, Yami didn't think that it was that important to think about how she should act. He knew Prickly Queen will find out instinctively once she's there, she didn't need to plan a whole speech or fifty steps ahead or something.

All Yami hoped was that the half-sibling won't accuse Charlotte in any way. After all, it wasn't her fault her father had an affair and was dumb enough to carelessly conceiving a bastard. She shouldn't pay for something her jerk of a father did.

Charlotte was the most honourable person he knew, besides Asta and old Julius.

Mushroom Head was still listing points to discuss, old Julius was giving more details on said points. At least, as much as he could. Marx always had to clarify something when Julius forgot a point… which was quite often.

Yami sighed quietly. He never said much during those meetings, only if it was necessary. And now, after the whole shitty mess in Spade, when it was finally a period of peace, he thankfully not much to say again. At least, it was one way to make the meeting end sooner.

If only the other captains would also say nothing until the end, it would be over in five or ten minutes.

"The thievery within the Common Realm are still mysterious, it seems," Julius said thoughtfully. "Anything new since your last investigations?"

"Unlike with what we first thought, it has to be organized. The thieves were merely tools to some kind of bigger scheme, it seems. Undercover missions would be more adequate for this kind of crimes," Fuegoleon reported. Honestly, if there was someone who would talk for all the captains, then it would be Hard Nose.

Undercover, huh? Yami doubted if most of his brats were considered perfect for those kind of missions. Except Nacht, but he was still basically never at the Hideout and he preferred still to accept the missions directly from the Wizard King than from his own captain. Yami wondered if he should feel kinda insulted by this behaviour from time to time.

Oh, and Zora could also be pretty good for undercover missions. Or Gordon, he was calm enough to not be seen. Maybe Vanessa, she could mend in a crowd, but she might be just last resort. The rest? Yami wouldn't believe they could be good at undercover missions, unless they prove him wrong.

"Good idea, Fuegoleon. The best would also be probably to do undercover groups, with knights from different squad. This way, we beat two birds with one stone, catching the mastermind behind the thievery and reinforcing the teamwork between the squads."

Yami hold back a groan. Not that he didn't agree that teamwork was good between the squads, but those kind of crap means a lot more of paperwork to do and unlike with his brats, he couldn't delegate all of it to the other captains. Fuegoleon already scolded him for trying to delegate everything to Finral, much to his wheels relief. Nozel just did his own part and told him that it was his own fault for not doing his. Kaiser at least had been kind enough to suggest to do paperwork together and he helped him even with it.

Yeah, only one positive experience out of three, Yami wasn't eager to do more teamwork with the other squads.

Although… if the Black Bulls could be on a common mission with the Blue Roses, he wouldn't mind it. Especially if it meant to spent more time with Prickly Queen.

Yami stopped focusing for a second. Was he really eager to spent more time with that prickly majesty? And why was the answer yes without hesitation?

Charlotte was messing with his mind again, without even knowing it.

And his heart, because that damn organ really started to acted weirdly the more time he spent with Prickly Queen.

He was clearly missing something, but no scenario he imagined made any sense.

"Good, I'll contact you in due time. Marx, is there anything else to discuss."

"No."

"Good, then you're all dismissed. Have a nice rest of the afternoon. As for me, I'll-"

"You'll come with me, sir. You still have the paperwork of last month to finish."

Mushroom Head just took old Julius' wrist before he was even able to sneak away. Poor Mushroom Head, honestly. Maybe he deserved a break. And a raise. And some vacation.

Before he could leave his seat, Charlotte put a hand on his arm. "I'll go back to the Roselei mansion today. Maybe I'll find out finally who served my father all those years ago."

"Yeah, you nobles surely have a lot of servants. But must be quite useful to have them around. Maybe I'll recruit some for my squad."

"If you'll find servants with enough strong will to endure the Black Bulls. I'll call you if I find something."

"'kay. See you until then, Prickly Queen."

Charlotte nodded, but didn't move. Just looking at him intensely, but not with harshness.

Like always, Yami was taken aback. Every time they were now close to part ways, Charlotte was just glancing at him with a lot of intensity, to a point that Yami couldn't help but look back just as strong.

Those fucking glances were also messing with his mind and his heart, because he couldn't think clearly anymore. He just saw those bright blue eyes, her blonde hair changing shades depending on the light, her delicate frame, those long eyelashes and the perfectly full lips…

Charlotte was such a beauty…

"Goodbye, Yami."

With that, Charlotte broke the staring before Yami was even able to finally understand it and left him there.

Yami groaned. He hated how Prickly Queen always started to stare at him, only to break the eye contact without any explanation. Even his brats' daily mess wasn't as frustrating as this.

And why was he so upset about it?

Well, that was like always just future Yamis problem.

Charlotte left pretty quickly, all the other captains were still starting to leave slowly. Rill and Kaiser talked about their plans for the evening, Jack laughed loudly about slicing something, Dorothy sleepwalked and the two royals were apparently talking.

Nozels Ki showed his annoyance and another thing that became more and more presence each passing week.

Yami didn't cared that much about Braids, but that guy's Ki really started to act weirdly. To a point that Yami couldn't help but notice. It had softly started after the return from Spade, but that strange new thing of the Ki just intensified those last two weeks.

Somehow, Yami only saw one explanation. Braids was probably in love or at least in the process of falling in love. Which was utterly unbelievable coming from Nozel Silva, the cold royal captain of the Silver Eagles. But the point was, the Ki never lied.

Of course Yami would know if someone was in love just by reading Ki. He wasn't stupid like Asta, he was able to recognize love when he Ki-read it.

Yami had no idea if she should find this hilarious or annoying. Well, it depended on who Braids fell for. And also if Yami should pity that person or not. Hopefully for Braids, he would be love in return, because he didn't seem like someone able to handle a heartbreak, despite all that cool attitude. And even though Yami loved to tease Nozel, a heartbreak was never fun to watch.

But if that person might love Braids back, he or her should really question their taste. Which sane person would love braids or wearing them?

Except Charlotte of course, she was the only one capable to wear braids.

"Yami?"

"Oh, hey there, Goldie Guts."

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure."

There was silence at first, as they left the Magic Knight Headquarters. Whatever William wanted to talk about, it was surely not easy.

Yami had compassion for his fellow captain and rival. As if the whole kidnapping and almost sacrifice wasn't enough, Goldie Guts lost half of his knights and knowing him, he would continue to grieve that loss for very long. Not to mention all the guilt he was still feeling because of that whole mess with the elves.

No idea how he would react if he would lose half of his brats. Yami only knew that it would be pretty ugly and maybe never ending, which was why he hoped and worked that it would never happen.

The Golden Dawn had been badly broken, but was still standing strong after a bit over three months. Yami respected and admired that. For the squad and for Goldie Guts. Not everyone would have been able to stood up again after such a painful fall. But William and his golden knights got up again, maybe they even got stronger despite their loss and their grief.

"How ya doing, Goldie Guts?"

"It's finally going uphill. Slowly still, but uphill. How about you?"

"Tch, it's fine in a Black Bull way, so I don't know if I should be reassured or not. If my damn vice-captain would show up more, it would be better, but we're fine."

"Nacht is very unique in his ways, I'll admit."

"A very unique pain in the butt, yep."

William chuckled. He must really be doing better, it had been long the last time he laughed.

"Okay, Goldie, I bet you aren't just small talking with me, so what's the point of this fuss."

"You're spending a lot of time with Charlotte, lately."

Yami couldn't help but flinch. He thought they were discreet, so how was Goldie Guts aware of it? And why was it bothering him so much that William knew?

"What, are you jealous or something?" Yami laughed, trying to hide that uneasy feeling behind a cool act.

"No," William just replied and given his Ki, he really wasn't jealous. Not to mention that he never get provoked by Yamis teasing ever, he just saw right through it.

"So, why is it concerning you?"

"Because you are both dear to me and I don't want it to end badly."

Huh, what did Goldie Guts mean with that?

Yami just looked at his fellow captain blankly and William was now deeply sighing. Did he missed a clue or what?

"What I mean, don't give her false hopes concerning the both of you."

"False hopes? Trust me, I don't give her any of that, I'm just helping her with something personal."

"That's not what I meant. It is more than nice of you to help her and it's surely beneficial for the both of you. But while you're helping her, don't make her think that there could be more if it's not the case."

Okay, Yami was definitely missing a clue, because he had no idea what William was trying to tell him. What was with those riddles about false hopes and about something more that wasn't even there?

And what had this to do with Charlotte?

He must have a confused look plastered on his face, because William started to look a bit done. And he usually takes a lot for a patient person like Goldie Guts to be done.

"Alright, Yami, let's try this differently. What do you feel for Charlotte?"

"Well, she's a strong and independent woman. Too much if you ask me, she's obviously the only one I need to tell to step back and rely on others from time to time. But she's one of the best Magic Knights I know, no need for me to beat around the bush. I think we're finally starting to get along better and be friends."

Yami didn't think that he forgot to say something. But still, somehow something was missing? But what the hell would he forgot to say about what he felt about Charlotte?

"And… have you ever been in love, Yami?"

That question took Yami aback. Had he ever been in love? Actually… not really? He never had a childhood crush back in the Land of the Sun and later, when he was in Clover for some time, well, he had some flings, not much but mostly because he felt lonely and was a bit in need for affection. But it always had been empty. Later, with old Julius, Nacht and Morgen, William and the Grey Deers, later the Black Bulls… Loneliness was never a thing again, thankfully.

But love? He never had been in love, heck he never had ever some dating experience. He never needed to date someone, so it was never a problem. Besides, Finral own experiences made Yami believe that it was a dumb thing altogether.

And yet, when Charlotte was involved, it didn't match with what he believed anymore.

Weird…

"No, I never was. But honestly, I never met someone to fell head over heels with, so I never got the occasion."

William looked at him with suspicions and to be fair, Yami wasn't satisfied with his answer too. Why, though? He said nothing that was wrong. At least, he thought so.

"Are you able to tell if someone is in love with you?"

"Geez, Goldie Guts, you're usually not questioning my Ki reading. Of course I can tell when someone is head over heels for another. In fact, I can tell you that Braids-"

"That's not what I meant, Yami. I'm not questioning your Ki reading in general. But when it comes to you… can you tell if someone loves you romantically?"

Yami would love to answer that of course he was able to do that. But somehow, he couldn't. Somehow, it would feel like a lie.

Somehow, he knew that he couldn't tell.

But still, there was no way he would admit that.

"Well, you know, no one ever fell in love with me, so I can't tell."

William gave him a glare, clearly indicating that he didn't believed him. Well, of course he didn't. Yami could facepalm about his own stupidity. That was the dumbest answer he could give. He just bragged how was able to tell if someone was in love not even a minute ago and by that logic, he actually should be able to tell if someone was in love with him.

William sighed, before he actually walked, saying, "You're not stupid, Yami, so I believe you will realize it one day. Just… don't take too long or Charlotte might slip through your fingers. Maybe you should start trying to look outside the box."

With that, the captain of the Golden Dawn disappeared.

Yami just stood still, confused. Honestly, he didn't understand what Goldie Guts wanted to tell him.

And what has this questions about Yamis love life anything to do with Charlotte?

"That's future Yamis problem," Yami said automatically, but more to himself and for the first time, it felt actually wrong to go that way.

He was definitely missing something. Maybe it was true what some people told him, that despite his Ki reading, he was somehow a bit dense.

Something really changed since the return from Spade and honestly, maybe it has already been there for a long time.

And Charlotte was involved one way or another, whether she knew or not. Whether she liked it or not.

Whether Yami liked it or not.

"What did I get myself into, this time?"

Fuegoleon was not the worst Vermillion to be around. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't be a pain for Nozel. He was his rival and honestly, a healthy rivalry was always welcome. But still, Fuegoleon could also be annoying and too joyful and unhelpful by Nozels books.

But it would have been unpolite to refuse his invitation for a short walk for the captains meeting and Fuegoleon sadly knew him enough to recognize when Nozel was searching for an excuse to avoid any interaction. It worked on nobles, but never on Fuegoleon.

It also never worked on Vanessa, but Nozel had to admit that never really searched for excuses to avoid her company.

Which never happened to him before…

Oh, how much Nozel would prefer to be with Vanessa right now than with Fuegoleon. A bittersweet feeling.

Bitter, because Nozel couldn't forget that he didn't deserve that kindness, that care, that friendship maybe. If Vanessa hadn't pushed him in the first place, he probably wouldn't have gave in.

But at the same time, it was sweet as well, because for the first time since the death of his mother, Nozel actually took time for himself, to live a bit more for himself. He had to admit that it was nice, to forget about his duties, his worries and his guilt, to live in the present instead of being burdened by his heavy past and the uncertain future.

Vanessa did little wonders on him, he didn't understand why and she certainly haven't realized it either. He didn't felt so cold anymore in his soul and even though Nozel didn't know if it was a good or a bad thing, he didn't regretted it as much as he was supposed to.

It was like he had been imprisoned in some long winter since he lost his mother and Vanessa was a rose that bloomed in this winter. Always bright and colourful. Everything he wasn't and yet, she enjoyed being in his certainly boring company.

Nozel hoped that Vanessa felt better than a few days ago. She was always so strong and joyful and positive. And yet, for the first time since he knew her, Nozel had seen Vanessa with tears in her eyes, hurt and upset. She who always laughed, who was so carefree.

She hadn't told him what did hurt her and even though Nozel would have liked to know, he didn't pushed her. Nozel knew from experience that some things were sometimes too difficult to talk about or that it was probably better to keep silence about some difficult topics. But still, seeing Vanessa had made him worry about her. She hadn't been that upset and sad when she talked about that person she thought she was in love with.

Vanessa always had been so full of joy, it had been so unusual to see her sad. Was her joyful attitude sometimes also a mask, just like his? To hide some sadness? He had seen it already, when they were for the first time together in that café, when she talked about the Witch Queen. There was a sadness behind her joy and he saw that same crack in her mask only a few days ago.

She told him that she was feeling better and to be fair, she looked like she wasn't upset anymore. But once Nozel saw that crack and the sadness behind, he couldn't unsee it. It was impossible.

He wanted to help her, to comfort her. To know more about her. But he also didn't want to hurt her. He did hurt many people he cared about for years, like his siblings and especially Noelle. Nozel refused to do the same to Vanessa. It wasn't planned and he still didn't understand if their bond was based of friendship or not, but he came to care for her.

Of course he wanted to be there for Vanessa.

He just didn't know how.

"Are you still here with me, Nozel?"

Nozel groaned as he saw that small smug smile on the Vermillion's face. As if he knew some kind of secret and felt superior because of it.

Nozel always hated smugness of any kind.

At least, he could be certain that Fuegoleon didn't meant any harm. Unlike nobles who felt superior of him because Nozel made mistakes they intend to use for their own gain.

Like his father did…

Nozel immediately chased those memories away. He refused to think about Lac Silva ever again.

"What do you want from me, Vermillion?"

"Oh, just talk."

Nozel gave him a side glance, not believing him at once. Fuegoleon has something in mind and Nozel wouldn't have any of it. Oh, knowing his rival, it was surely not harmful, the captain of the Crimson Lions stood above petty pranks. But that doesn't mean that Nozel would appreciate it.

Fuegoleon walked in silence for a bit through the streets of the capital, before he actually started talking, "You might have realized that I'm courting lady Lital Lys."

"At least, I came to observe that you only danced with her at the royal wedding."

Nozel hold back to roll his eyes. Everyone at the wedding saw that, only stupid people wouldn't come to the most logical conclusion. Nozel wasn't an expert like Nebra on the common etiquette coming to dances and other details concerning nobles languages on balls, but he knew enough that a third dance with the same person meant clear intention to court and to consider a potential wedding.

Only that Fuegoleon didn't just dance three dance with lady Lital, he danced only with her. Which would be considered rather bold, even for Fuegoleon.

Nozel didn't knew much about Lital Lys. She was a calm person, a knight of the Crimson Lions, who became a knight rather late, as she was already eighteen, but still climbed ranks pretty quickly and deserved it, as she took her job seriously and efficiently. Lady Lital didn't stand out much, letting her actions more do the talking. The only one in her house who inherited the star magic of the hero of house Lys. There were rumours about her being a bastard, who was legitimate just like William. Which didn't change the fact that she was one of the rare nice Lys out there.

According to Nebra, she also was one of the best singers within nobility and probably the Clover kingdom, her mother loved her truly – a rarity within nobility – and Fuegoleon always had her in high esteem.

Maybe Fuegoleon considered her the perfect match for him. Oh, his grandfather and Head of House might disagree, because of the bastard rumours surrounding Lital Lys.

But if anyone can make Achilles Vermillion yield, it was his favourite grandson.

"The truth is," Fuegoleon continued, his eyes brightening suddenly, "Lital and I… we were dating for almost ten years."

This took Nozel aback. Dating? For almost ten years? But… this would mean…

"You love her."

Of course it wasn't a question.

"Yes, I do. I know everyone says that Royals don't love, probably to make arranged marriages more easier to conclude. But it's not true. We royals do love. I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with Lital. Oh, I'm aware that given Litals roots, a lot of people wouldn't appreciate that I choose her instead of some more eligible ladies, especially if it's out of love. But marriages shouldn't be decided out of politics and Lital means the world to me. I have no intention to not fight for her."

If he was loyal to one person for almost a decade and was truly in love, then there was no doubt that Fuegoleon would be ready to go against the royal marital status quo for Lital. Well, the captain of the Crimson Lions wasn't hiding that he would make changes, better changes that would go against the pride of most nobles.

But Fuegoleon also never bragged about his ambitions to make the kingdom better, he let his actions talk, his trust and his loyalty. But marrying out of love, that could be considered very bold, even for him. But knowing Fuegoleon, he would do it anyway.

Nozel had to admit that he admired and envied Fuegoleon at the same time. Going against the status quo was always a bold move, for better or for worst. But at the same time, Fuegoleon wasn't Head of House – it would be better for the Vermillions if Achilles would let his grandson succeed him already – and by that, he had more freedom to choose who he wants the spend the rest of his life with.

Everyone thought that being Head of House means that you have more freedom. And it was true for those who rather thought about themselves instead of their families. Like the king or Achilles Vermillion. But the truth was, when you put your house before yourself and really do the job of head, then you were the less free.

Nozel knew that by experience. He saw it with his mother and of course, he followed her example when he took over the Silvas. He didn't have the privilege to marry out of love, he had to marry for political reasons so that his siblings could have that freedom. As much as the reputation of house Silva was important, never would Nozel sacrifice his siblings for it. He hurt them enough already, especially Noelle, and he won't do it again.

That marital burden was even heavier for him than anyone else. There was only four Silvas left, any other branch died out one way or another. Nozel couldn't let what his mother left behind die completely.

And yet, since the return from Spade, he was more and more disgusted by this perspective. He probably ignored it for long, but somehow, it always disgusted him.

Probably a reason why he still wasn't married yet.

Fuegoleon was lucky to be in love for so long. Nozels own love life was quasi inexistent. There were a few dates with noble ladies, organized by his father and other nobles. But it never worked out, so everyone gave up to find him a betrothed that way. And for a short period of time, when he felt lonely and starving for affection, he had what commoners called flings. Not a period of his life he was proud of, even though he didn't last long. It had been soulless, another proof that he didn't deserve kindness and affection after all of his mistakes.

That had been years ago and he never date anyone since then.

Maybe he was missing something, but he didn't deserved it anyways, so why even hurt himself with it?

"So, I might know why you feel better since more two weeks," Fuegoleon continued, interrupting his thoughts.

"What do you mean with that?"

"Nozel, I know since we were children. I saw how much you give of yourself to make the Silver Eagles work and your house, despite the stones my grandfather puts in your way. I admire your inner strength, not everyone would have been capable to hold all of this together for so long. But you were strong alone for way too long, if you ask me. You put everything else above yourself and I fear that it would hurt you one day. I'm not the only one who's worried about you. Your vice-captain is, your siblings, aunt Océane, Dorothy and Julius too. As admirable your devotion and loyalty is, you should also think about yourself from time to time."

Nozel wanted to protest, but Fuegoleon didn't let him speak, "I observed you since two weeks and what your vice-captain told me just confirmed what I suspected. You're finally taking time for yourself, to relax. It really does you good. You should keep it up and hold on to it."

What did his rival meant with that? He couldn't possibly know that Nozel met with the Black Bulls witch, could he? Nozel didn't heard about any rumours and he doubted there was even any, otherwise Nebra would have made indirect smug and disgusted suggestions or something like that.

No, Fuegoleon couldn't possibly know. But instead of reassuring him, Nozel found it somehow hard to believe it.

"And what do you think I should hold onto?"

"Oh, I have no proof, of course. From my romance experience, I firmly believe that you're in love, Nozel."

Love? LOVE?

Nozel froze.

No, that was impossible. He wasn't in love, he was probably even totally unable to love anyone in a romantic way. At least, he thought so, there was no proof of him being able to love romantically. But there was also no proof of the opposite, actually… Which didn't matter.

He couldn't be in love with the Black Bull witch! Sure, Vanessa was beyond beautiful and kind and full of joy, in fact she was an amazing person altogether. There wasn't enough words to describe how wonderful she was. But he wasn't in love, they were just…

What were they exactly?

Acquaintances? No, that sounded too dry.

Colleagues? They were both Magic Knights and that was it. They didn't even had the same ranks, he was a captain and she was still on junior level, even though Nozel was convinced that she deserved a much higher rank. Besides, they don't only talked about work when they met.

Friends? He couldn't help but feel that friendship didn't described enough what she was for him, but it was the closest description that could fit.

But it couldn't be love, right?

Why wasn't he convinced by his own statement, then?

"I might be wrong, of course. I've never known any other beloved than Lital," Fuegoleon continued, without any smug. "But after almost ten years, I think that I'm maybe able to tell if someone is in love or not. And think you are."

"This is very bold of you to assume," Nozel replied calmly. Inside of him might be a raging storm, but he refused to show any of it. Not only because of his pride, but also because he felt kinda lost.

Fuegoleon just shrugged, before stopping in front of a florist. Nozel observed how his rival seemed to hesitate a bit, before choosing a bouquet of white roses and orchids.

White roses and orchids.

Although flower language was a typical Silva education, Fuegoleon had to know a bit about the meanings of flowers. Unlike red roses, which stood for passion and overwhelming love, white roses were more about trust, innocence and deep, sincere love who lasted and will last. As for orchids, they stood for admiration and for rare, delicate beauty.

There was no denying it, Fuegoleon was more than just serious about Lital Lys. Come to think of it, it was a success that both were able to keep their relationship a secret for so long.

Nozel had no idea what to think. If, and only IF he was maybe in love with Vanessa, they hadn't known each other for long, unlike Fuegoleon and Lital. It couldn't be possible to fell in love so quickly, that only happens in novels.

But again, Nozel didn't have any experience with romantic love, so of course he couldn't tell. And were romance novels really a reference for arguments?

Fuegoleon paid for the bouquet, before turning back to Nozel. "Again, I don't know if it's true. It's just that I've known you since we're children and that I'm dating Lital for a very long time that I think you're in love. If you're not, that's fine too, because whatever made you finally happy since the wedding, you really should hold on to it. And if it's indeed love, hold on to this person, show them that you care. Nozel, after everything you've been through, you deserve your own happiness as well."

With that, Fuegoleon turned around, waving and walking away. Leaving Nozel in the middle of a street of the royal capital.

My own happiness?

Everything Fuegoleon said somehow made sense and at the same, didn't made sense at all.

Nozel knew he wasn't in love. At least, he thought he knew and the more he thought about it, the more unsure he felt. It wasn't like he thought a lot about Vanessa, her face popping here and there in his mind for no reason. Not to mention that Vanessa was surely not in love with him. Sure, she was nice and kind to him, even playfully flirty, but with everything that happened with Noelle and their too much different circles certainly didn't made him a potential lover in her eyes.

Somehow, that thought hurt.

Nozel groaned unroyally. He was unsure and lost yes, but he definitely couldn't come to a conclusion in the middle of a street of the royal capital, while people around him just dealt with their daily lives. Once he was back home, in his room, where everything was calm, he would be able to think about it logically and efficiently.

But still… Fuegoleon also said that he should show her that he cared. And Nozel came to care about Vanessa. This, he could get behind. Whatever was between them, he truly cared about her. She was always there for him, listening, chatting a lot and basically pushing him out of his so-called comfort zone to get some time to relax. And he was maybe grateful she spend time with him.

Maybe he should get Vanessa something. But what? He couldn't just send her flowers, that would be too vague, they weren't a couple and she deserved something more personal than flowers, even if they came from the Silva flower garden. And something he could send, he was too proud still to show up with a present like that at the Black Bulls basement. Even more so, what would the Black Bulls think if he showed up like that? Even worse, Noelle? And let's not talk about Yami.

That was settled, but Nozel still had no idea what to get her. What did she told him about what she liked and her hobbies again? Wine? No, she was already drinking a lot and given Noelles concern, Nozel refused to make her drink even more.

But what would make Vanessa happy, then?

Suddenly, his eyes settled on a particular shop on the street. And he finally got at least some idea what to get Vanessa.