Paradoxical Love

Chapter 14: The way I hold her

"Can't we talk about this? I'm aware money is what you're after, I'll give you everything!" I enthusiastically declared to the man in the black cloak. Before I lose my life, at least I'm proud I was able to save someone. At least I did something good, I just believe.

"The princess's head is the one we were directed to take. What more valuable thing can you give me?!" His voice rose even louder. I felt the extreme threat and anxiousness. Although, if I don't undertake a move, when would I? When will I fight for the sake of others? I hope I don't regret my decisions.

Hopefully, I'm not mistaken, if ever I am wrong again, another life will be sacrificed because of my incompetence. I promise I won't let the past happen again, and the scar I hid away was the proof of my unyielding spirit.

"Then you will die yourself!" I declared the warcry of my hope, charging directly at him.

"What...?!" He must've thought I'd leave the scene for the sake of saving myself, little did he know he'd regret opposing me.

Such a mistake could have cost my life. It could be the end of the beginning. Although I just don't want to see Helenia suffering that she'd faint from the fragility of her body. It doesn't matter compared to what I went through on the brink of death in my past.

"Watch your weak point!" I was so kind to even tell my foe where was his mistake.

With a knife hidden in my belt all the time; I always carry a short-edged blade just in case someone assaults me. Although this is the first time I could use it in actual combat.

"Too slow!" He reacted pretty quickly.

Even before the sniper could shot me, I backed away diagonally, stepped one forward, and using the force I had gathered to elude back, I swiftly and powerfully threw the knife at the neck of the assassin. This way, the sniper will be distracted and I will be able to injure the opponent from a distance.

"Argh!" He'd definitely be immobile for seconds so I took this chance to somehow grab Helenia away from him.

"Princess! Here!" I slid sideways and pulled the princess's hand to lift her forward. And now I carried her like the princess she is. Life is full of unexpected things as I move forward, and carrying a legitimate princess was out of the ordinary of all things I encountered.

"Reyler..." Helenia muttered my name, she was putting up the act and in fact, she's really cold trembling on her own.

I put up a distance between me and the assassin, I let go of Helenia and pushed her aside. "Hide behind me." The one who ruined my peaceful afternoon could finally get up on his feet, I approached him, grabbed his v-neck t-shirt to make him regret his life-choices instead, after all, I already knew who he was.

"Whatever the reason you did this, I just can't beat you. Why did you frighten what you should be protecting, Jacob?!" I raised my fist ready to disfigure his face, I demanded a proper explanation.

"Jacob...?" Helenia's eyes widened, she couldn't believe it upon hearing the culprit's name.

I just grabbed the hood that was hiding the face of this stupid butler. Jacob was the assassin all along, what a pleasant surprise.

"How did you...?" Jacob himself wondered. It's the reason why my hunch was correct, and therefore my decision was the correct one.

"Jacob, what is the meaning of this treachery?" Helenia was back on her own feet, she pointed her index finger at him.

His identity is that he's Helenia's personal butler who is in charge of protecting the princess within the inner parameters of Saint Legacy University. In other words, the urban legend is true and a student truly blended in the campus for her safety.

"Age, twenty-five, single, the building is in King Arthur's Hall, strand, STEM, Persona Section A." I simply uttered what I know about him one by one.

"I guess my facade is way too obvious, ugh..." He got on his knees as I remember that I threw a knife at him. Now I was the one who looks bad, I should treat him immediately.

"Oh hell no, use your cloak so it doesn't get worse." The wound is not deep but it can still be a source of skin infection.

"Jacob, don't you have a meeting today? Who asked you to do all of this?" Helenia asked, obviously not knowing what was going on.

"I'll explain first, the wound on your neck will open up even more if you try to move." I volunteered to expound what just happened, I got the gist of it, I just needed Jacob's confirmation.

"Proceed." He gave me permission and so I took it.

"I met Jacob the other day when you were secretly stalking Helenia. I know if you're one of those who are afraid of me or don't like me. But, your reaction when you bumped into me as you're in a hurry, I can tell you hold no fear. That's the part where Helenia calls you by your name. I guess I became aware when I put up my facade too" I describe how I was able to c***k their relations.

"How could you know this is all my scheme? Pretending to threaten the princess and all, it was a tough task indeed." That's what Jacob doesn't apprehend, I must've exceeded beyond his expectation.

"Firstly, your voice is very familiar. The sniper's laser pointing at my chest is very shaky, it pertains it wasn't a real gunman so I'd be fine. Since one of your threats was fabricated, I guess I can tell everything including threatening Helenia is fake. What was your goal anyway?" Now after I told my side, it's time for them to tell what they were up to.

"It's a test." Jacob plainly said, he's looking at me intently and there's no way he'd lie up to this point.

"Test for what?" I required a further elaboration for the mess he had brought upon.

"I, as Princess Helenia's Head Butler, am looking for her personal butler who can match three unique abilities." He unveiled his position, now we're talking. So he's the one in charge of all the guards here.

"And you thought I was a candidate as her personal butler?" I scratched my scalps trying to understand the circumstances.

Jacob laid his palm on his heart, it was just amazing how bountiful his torso was, healthy and musclebound, though his chest is unusually bigger than it should be, I wonder if he's actually a wrestler or the sort.

"The first one is heart, you never ran to save yourself and preferred to save a stranger. The second is strength; as I said, instead of backing away, you were able to counter and actually manage to effectively defeat me. And above all is your mind, your intelligence that you possess allowed you to overcome this predicament. You are the one I chose to be Princess Helenia's personal butler." He bowed down to pay his sincerest respect, I simply frowned from hearing him appointing me as that brat's guard.

"What?" As if I'd become her butler, what kind of madness he was pulling through.

"I can say that–" My critical remark was interrupted when Helenia suddenly apologized in front of me.

"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry...!" Helenia pleaded, she even bowed down in the most respectful way. The way her upper body was lowered is in an exact right angle, now I'm the one who feels bad about this.

"Huh?" I backed off a few steps.

"I apologize for what my head butler had done, I hope you can forgive us!" She's much more adorable when she knows her place. Though, where did her high pride and ego flew onto? Why the change of heart? It's as if she became a completely different person, but the nuances of her disposition were true and I believe she can become kind as well.

"Okay...? I forgive you both." I'm considerate enough that I should acknowledge Jacob performed this act for the sake of her princess, and such an act alone exactly doesn't go against my values and virtues.

"Come on Jacob, apologize properly next time, right now you have to go to the infirmary," Helenia suggested. She supported Jacob as they walk so that he would get to the clinic on time.

I also want to apologize since I injured him. But deviates from the image I must uphold; I'm a delinquent right now, and I must act as it is, it's also his fault why everything led to this conclusion, he had expected his wound in the least.

"By the way." Helenia turned around for the last note, her crimson hair being swayed by the cool breeze of wind was elegant I spaced out for a moment.

"What now?" I nodded as a sign that I'm listening.

"Tomorrow, dismissal time, let's meet again here. Forget about my SPS, well then see you around." The both of them finally went on their way and I was left here as the wind lies stagnant.

It was as if nothing had happened, what a strange day it is. I'll let myself handle the rest tomorrow, as long as I take a respite first, I'll be fine on my own.

I lay on the grasses and get a proper nap for the time being before dismissal time arrives, I'm worn out, I'd doze off for now.

"There are things that fly faster than time... is there?" I muttered within me, remembering the way how I hold a princess for the first time.