I have a question for you all at the bottom.

>>Amber

My face was burning red as I opened the journal to see what was inside. What the hell is up with Hael!?

I paused once I opened the book.

What the hell?

I flipped through the pages.

What's the meaning of this?

I flipped the pages frantically back and forth but nothing made sense.

It was blank.

I flipped till the end of the book but not a single page had anything written on it.

...

I stared at it with my mouth open. Then it clicked in my mind.

Is this one of those books that can't be accessed by anyone else but the owner? "Tch" I clicked my tongue in annoyance and closed the book.

Then opened it again

Still nothing

"Shit," I'm right. I'm sure no one other than Hael can read what's written inside. I closed it again and put it back in the bookshelf.

This just makes me way more curious about what he was reading.

I walked in the room randomly

What could possibly be making him smile? He said it's the Tower Master's journal. Did a previous master leave in some weird joke? Some advice? A spell?

The bedroom door opened again, "My Lady," Hael called out to me and I paused.

"I told you to call me by my name," I turned to look at him with my arms folded.

"Yes," He stood in the doorframe, "I did think about it just now. But I don't like it."

I gasped, "You don't like my name?" I was flabbergasted.

"No," He was surprised by me, "I don't like calling you what everyone else calls you."

???

I stared at him in silence for a moment

"But 'My Lady' is what you said when you were a servant," A slave to be exact, "Doesn't it bother you to still say that?"

"No," He didn't hesitate at all, "Does it bother you?"

"Sort of..." I shrugged

"Hmmm, I liked it though."

Does he want something only he can call me?

...

I don't mind that. Infact, I like the sound of that.

"Well, how about you think of something else." I said, "If you don't want to call me by my name, you can choose something else."

He thought about it, then smiled, "Alright,"

I smiled back, "What did you want to tell me?"

"The King has summoned us,"

I paused, then rolled my eyes

"Great," I extended my hand to him before he even asked for it. I didn't think much deeply about it, I just trusted him to take my hand and take me with him when he teleports.

But it seemed to catch his attention. Seeing my outstretched hand, his smile widened. He moved forward and took my hand in his. Sliding his palm in gently.

!!

I felt his touch more today. Once he had slipped his hand in mine, he wrapped his fingers around them.

I looked at him with a confused frown, but before I could ask him what he was doing, he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of my hand

!?!??!?

"Let's go," He whispered

I was baffled out of my mind. My cheeks flushed as he pulled me close and summoned a teleportation circle under us.

"Hael!" I looked at him and he turned his head to me, "What-" The magic flashed, making me close my eyes in response.

When we reached the palace gates, and the magic faded, I opened my eyes again to look at him.

"Hael!" I had to ask him. He was being very 'different' today, "Why did you do that?"

He slipped his hand away from my waist, "Did what?" And began to walk ahead

"You've been very touchy today," I followed him

"Hmmm," He played innocent, "Have I?"

"Hael," I brought my index finger up, "Don't play with me!" I tried to warn him but he just chuckled lightly at my remark.

It was a soft laughter and seeing that made me stop dead in my path with my eyes wide open.

I was stunned.

The sound a low, warm rumble that seemed to reverberate through the air.

Oh My God

My heart jumped, skipping a beat as I took in his expression. It was as if time had slowed down,

Then my heart rate rose

Has Hael ever laughed like that? I felt a strange, fluttering sensation in my chest, a mix of surprise, joy, and something deeper that I couldn't quite name. He had always been composed, almost distant, but now he looked so different—so human and approachable.

It was hard to believe

The sight of his genuine smile made my own lips curve upwards in response. I realized I had been holding my breath, and I let it out slowly

Hael stopped a few steps ahead of me, "Is something wrong?" He asked as he looked back at me and I shook my head at him.

I didn't want him to get conscious of this, so I didn't tell him.

I want to ask him about his actions so bad, but I'll let it slide for today.

I walked up to him, "Let's go," And I kept walking, "I don't want to stay in this place for long." He joined me and for a few seconds, we walked in silence.

My heart didn't calm down immediately. I wanted to burn the memory of his soft laughter in my mind.

After all, it was the first time I had seen him laugh like that.

"Something on your mind?" He asked

I glanced at him, "Why is it blank?" I picked another topic to pursue.

"What is blank?"

"The Journal you were reading," I said, "I opened it, but it was blank."

"Because it's only for the tower master." He kept his head straight as we walked, "No one else can access that." I knew my hunch was right.

"So, there won't be a point in stealing it?" I asked

"It can't be stolen." He said something unexpected.

"Huh?" It can't be stolen, "What do you mean?"

"It's enchanted to stay here in the Magic Tower. If you try to take it out. It'll come back on its own."

"Woah...."

These Magic Masters sure have done weird things. Why safeguard the book so much?

...

"Are there secrets in there," I asked hesitantly, "Or something?"

"There are definitely things in there that normal people shouldn't know."

"Like?"

"Like," He turned his head to look at me, "People like you,"

???

I was a little confused, but he answered for me

"Transmigrators,"

"OH!" Right. He believed me because he had read about that in the book, "Anything else?"

"The rest is a secret."

I pouted, "That's not fair,'

He smiled at my action which made my heart skip a beat again

!!!

I turned my face away as my cheeks flushed

God!

What the hell happened to him? His smiles are so soft today. Unlike what he usually keeps on, today it felt like he was genuinely smiling.

***

"You said you can reach her again if you go see Illaris again." Hael and I had entered the King's palace. We were walking through the corridors, making our way to the Throne room.

I nodded, "But I fear Illaris is going to die soon." I let out a soft sigh, "Honestly, when I saw her in the glass case, her condition didn't look good." We crossed the intersecting hallways and Hael caught the sight of someone, then looked away. I was going to turn my face to look at what he had seen but before I could, he asked a question that made me look at him.

"So what if she dies?" He said

"Hael! That's a person!" I looked at him in horror, "And if she dies, we won't have a trigger to reach Rosie."

"She's not the only trigger." Hael said, "You just need a trigger, not specifically her."

"What else can we use?" I asked

"We can use the same person who woke you up."

"... You're right..." I didn't think of that at all, "But, can Archmage Loid do that?"

"I'm sure he can. He's an archmage."

"Hmmm," I nodded as I thought about it, "I want to meet her again." I said, "There are many things I want to ask."

"Asking Loid would be better," He said, "When you enter the subliminal state, you're vulnerable. I would like to have you by my side rather than anywhere else."

...

I pursed my lips trying to stop myself from smiling like an idiot.

I mean come on! Doesn't his words imply that he's protective over me??! This can't mean anything else!!

I spared him a glance. He had his eyes ahead

Come to think of it. He knew stuff about time rewinding, maybe he knows more.

"Hael?"

"Yes?" He answered me softly, making me delusion. Does he only talk to me like that? There isn't anyone else, right?

"You mentioned about the rewinding, and talked about the performer and the requestor."

"Yes?"

"What more do you know about it?"

"Is there something you are curious about?"

"You said the performer pays with their life," I asked and he gave me a nod, "When does the performer die then? When they perform the whole thing? Or after?"

"From what I read, the performer dies after they've crossed the time of the original timeline."

"What does that mean?" I was a little confused

"I'll give you an easy example. Let's say the original timeline was reset on Monday 734 of the imperial year, somewhere in winter, take any month."

"Yes?"

"Once we cross that time, the performer will die, because that's when the spell is complete."

"Oh~" I nodded

Wait

This is the year 734

And I'm sure we haven't crossed the original timeline yet. Rosie said the miasma had taken over alot of the world. That hasn't happened yet.

That means the performer must be alive.

But, will he or she die soon enough then?

I looked at Hael

I wonder who the performer is?

What should Hael call Amber from now on? I'll do a voting. Everyone can leave their suggestion and the title or name with most comments or most likes will be chosen.