Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Chapter 47- Crying Valerie
[After returning to her room after the date]

Valerie stepped inside her room, and after closing the door, the first thing she did was take out the parchment her Lord handed to her in the carriage.

When he was telling her code, he silently placed the parchment inside her bag while making her notice it.

He slowly shook her head and that was enough for Valerie to understand what he meant.

She didn’t say anything and wordlessly returned.

A frown marred her face as she read,

[The carriage driver was paying attention to our conversation; that’s why I gave you the code loud enough for him to listen. Now, I can be paranoid but there is no harm in being cautious. Turn around.]

Valerie tilted her head and turned around. However, nothing happened, urging her to read the note once again, only to realize that she needed to turn the parchment around.

[That’s why whenever either of us tells the code, the other one has to attack the other one. If I respond, don’t hesitate to incapacitate me. Needless to say, I will do the same.]

[P.S: I enjoyed the date. Let’s go again sometimes.]

She smiled reading the last remark, but soon she frowned, as she realized a fatal mistake.

Something her Lord noticed and she completely overlooked.

‘I need to train my senses and be cautious all the time.’

—-**—-

And thanks to that, Valerie was able to recognize the entity to be inhumane. And it helped that the demon responded to the code; providing her the evidence to attack the entity.

“You did good.” Austin praised his lover as they sat on the resting chairs, before the Headmaster’s office.

Valerie smiled, “It was all your guidance that I was able to judge the situation.”

Austin heaved a sigh, “Well, I just asked you to remain cautious.” Glancing at her he added, “I was quite surprised when you stabbed that demon without another thought. I thought you might hesitate since he had the same face as me, but I was wrong.”

There was a sense of pride in his voice and admiration for the girl who closed her heart to trap the devil.

Austin rested his back against the wall, as he said, “Fortunately, we caught-” “*sniff*”

Austin paused and instantly turned toward his lover.

His eyes widened as he saw large droplets of tears rolling down her eyes, as she tried to hide her face from him.

“Valerie?!” Austin instantly knelt before the girl and cupped her face, “What happened so suddenly?” He doesn’t know what he said or did to make her cry. Or maybe it was that she got injured while confronting the Demon?

However, the cause of her tears was no one but him,

“….it’s cruel…to *sniff* assume that…I was not affected….it pained …me to stab the demon….” Tears uncontrollably poured down her big eyes as she complained.

Austin now realized his mistake. He has gotten so used to her brave side, that he sometimes forgets that she is a human as well, and a teenager, on top of that

His heart was filled with guilt as he wiped her tears softly and told her, “I am sorry, Val, I didn’t know you were hurting so much…and I just assumed everything was fine.”

He was a failure as her partner to not sense the heavy emotions she had been carrying. He is such an idiot.

*Click*

The door suddenly parted and an instructor stepped out, “It’s conc-what happened to her?” The woman frowned upon seeing Valerie sob.

Austin turned towards the older one before asking, “Can I take her back? She is not feeling well.”

The instructor instantly nodded, “Yes, sure. The interrogation has concluded and the report will be sent to your office in an hour.”

Austin nodded before he got up and said, “Excuse me.”

Under the instructor’s surprise gaze and Valerie’s baffled one, Austin suddenly picked his lover in a bridal carry and stood back up.

Steam erupted over her head as Valerie failed to utter any comprehensive word, being so intimately close to her Lord.

“Okay then, instructor, see you tomorrow.” Bidding farewell to the lady, Austin stepped forward and headed out of the building.

Valerie, after failing miserably to say anything for the first ten seconds, finally uttered, “I-I can walk…”

“Do you not like it?” He asked; doubt in his eyes.

Valerie opened her mouth to say something, but then she sealed her lips and clutched his shirt before saying, “I-I will be in your care.”

Austin smiled, as he descended to the base floor.

Since it was already night there weren’t many students around. However, those who were moving about stopped in their path and gazed at the handsome young man carrying his blushing princess.

Austin was immune to feeling embarrassed if it came to his beloved’s sake. He cannot and will not leave Valerie alone, given her current state of mind.

“A-Are we not going to the infirmary?” Valerie asked, considering she thought they were going to be together for the time being and the infirmary was the only place.

However, “There are many people there, so let’s go to my room.”

Austin took out the Stopwatch from the Inventory before tapping on the reset dial—

*DING*

Instantly, everyone and everything paused around him as Austin entered the dorm, and sped towards the first floor.

He found Sebastian standing before his room, but first, he opened his door and stepped inside.

Closing the door, he heard a ‘ding’ from the stopwatch, as he gently laid Valerie on the bed.

“What….just happened?” Valerie was too astounded to suddenly find herself inside Austin’s room, even though she was outside the dorm, a moment before.

Austin shook his head, “Nothing happened. Now, relax here, I will bring something warm for you to drink.”

Valerie was still too baffled but she didn’t insist on asking him about it and saw Austin walking towards the door.

*Click*

Parting the door, he called out, “Sebas.”

“Young master? Is everything alright?” The butler was startled to find his lord inside the room, even though the room was empty a moment—ah.

“Yes, everything is fine. In an hour, you will receive a report from the school, regarding the interrogation of the Demon. Please bring it to me.”

“Yes, my Lord…and do you need something else?” Sebastian asked.

Austin was a little embarrassed to say, “Bring me some tea and snacks. Valerie is staying at my place today.” The butler must have already heard her voice so there was no point in hiding.

Sebastian smiled ear to ear as he said, “Remember you both are just students now so-”

“I know, agh!” Austin closed the door and walked back in.

“What happened?” Valerie asked her Lord, seeing him being all flustered.

Austin took a deep breath and shook his head, “Nothing….and you shouldn’t get up.”

Austin told her as he walked towards the small kitchen he had in the room. He set the milk to boil, and on one side, he took some cold milk and added dark chocolate to it, before putting it on flames.

Stirring the chocolate container continuously, he prepared a strong syrup before adding sugar to it, before taking two cups.

Pouring the syrup, he then poured the hot milk and a bit of sweet chocolate bits over it.

Bringing the two cups near the bed, he said, “It’s sweet, so brace yourself.”

Valerie paused while getting up before she stiffly nodded and took the mug.

Austin told her, “Having something warm and sweet helps in elevating the mood.”

Valerie nodded once again; since it’s her Lord made, she can even consume poison.

Sitting on the chair beside the bed, he said, “After thinking it carefully, I realized how difficult it must have been. For you…to hurt a being who looked just like me.”

Valerie’s eyes were drawn to the hot chocolate as she remained silent.

She couldn’t explain how painful it was for her….for that wretched being calling out to her in the voice that affected her the most.

Although she knew that she was facing a fake, her hands were shaking. Although her soul knew that it wasn’t her Lord, the very slight chance of her judging things wrongly made her heart tremble in apprehension.

In those few seconds, she went through several mood swings.

“I am sorry you had to go through something like that, Valerie…however, there might arise a chance where you might have to go through something similar again.”

Valerie looked at her beloved with a sad look, “I know…but I don’t know how I will face that situation again.”

Resting his and her cup aside, Austin sat on the bed and brought the girl in his arms, “Everything will be fine, Val. I will always be there for you.”

Valerie smiled as she rested her face on his chest and hummed, “I will be relying on you…”

——–**——–

A/N:- What engaged? They look like they are married already. Thanks for reading. Drop a comment.