"Are you okay?" A voice startled Jeruzen from behind. It was Dave who just arrived at the scene.
Jeruzen did not say anything but stare at the corpse of Zancrow with disgust in his eyes.
"We better be going before someone see us." Dave said.
The two left the area discreetly. They swiftly maneuver across the shadows of the buildings and alleyways. It was already midnight when they arrived at Isidore's abandoned library in Pevansheer. Mizuki was already there waiting for them when they arrived.
"I'm glad you got here before us." Dave said to him.
"He was too easy. I haven't had any hard time dealing with him." He said arrogantly.
"Don't be too full with yourself. William is just an old local who let his men do the dirty job. He's nothing without his money. The next time you go in battle, it will be different. At that point, arrogance will only result in death." Dave said.
"Enough with the chitchat. Let's get out of here before someone discover us." Jeruzen interrupted them. He then took out the teleportation crystal from his pocket and activated it. They entered the portal which directly took them back to the inn.
The others were asleep already when they arrived so it was only Balthazar who welcomed them when they got back.
"Mission complete! Targets eliminated!" Dave said towards Balthazar.
"I'm off to bed. I have my training early in the morning tomorrow." Jeruzen said as he stretched out his arms and walked up the stairs.
"Then I will also take my rest." Dave said and follows Jeruzen up the stairs.
"I'll be going too." Mizuki asked permission from Balthazar and attempted to climb up the stairs.
However, Balthazar stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.
"Are you okay with this?" Balthazar asked him out of nowhere.
"Okay with what?" Mizuki confusedly asked.
"With this lifestyle. I'm sorry if I dragged you into this. I know I had promised to take you to the moon goddess yet here you are strangled within our problems." Balthazar uttered trying to apologize to Mizuki.
Mizuki took a deep breath and look him in the eye. "You have nothing to worry. It is my decision to stick within the group. This is my fight as well. Those tyrants have murdered my family and my fellow Lunarians. I cannot ignore this opportunity to get revenge and let those fools pay and repent their sins." He said with his teeth gritting with anger.
"I understand what you're going through. Just don't let yourself drowned in the thirst of revenge. It is justice what we are going to achieve." Balthazar said to him.
"When this is all over then I will take my leave and travel north. Besides, there is something bugging my mind right now." Mizuki said having dim notion within his thoughts.
"What is it?" Balthazar asked.
"That day when we infiltrated the empire, I lost in my rage and tried to take the authorities by myself. I was so devastated and desperately trying to take revenge without even thinking the consequence. I was outnumbered and was defeated in the blink of time. When the king saw my face, he felt terrified. I believe it has something to do with my father."
"Maybe the two of them have met before." Balthazar concluded.
"That is what I do not know. And I'm going to find out about it. I will stay as a member of Midnight Justice until we free the land from the authorities." Mizuki uttered.
"When everything is over then I will do my part to take you to the moon goddess herself. I can assure you that." Balthazar said.
"Thank you." Mizuki bowed before him. "And thank you, for providing me a home. A new family." He gave him a tender smile.
"I just did what I think is right. After saving my life back at the Forest of White Secret, leaving you there alone would make me feel guilt. At least I could do something better for you." Balthazar smiled back at him. "Go upstairs now. You should take a rest." He added.
Mizuki climb up the stairs and go directly in their bedroom. Maku was already sleeping when he entered. He look him by the face and watch him sleep tenderly like an infant. He stares at him long enough that he starts to notice and feel something odd.
His heart beats unusual just by staring at him sleeping. Those attractive strong jawline, long lashes, attractive face, paled skin just like an ice and his tender kissable lips.
'What is this feeling?' A question appeared on his mind.
Yet, he did not care at all. He just stares at him with a sweet smile carved on his face.
Suddenly, Maku moved and groaned in his sleep. This made Mizuki panicked and hurriedly jump into his bed pretending he's sleeping.
Afterwards, Maku opened his eyes and smiled while looking at Mizuki whose falsely sleeping by facing the wall. Maku knows Mizuki was staring at him the whole time. He was wide awake waiting for Mizuki to return. When he senses him getting closer to their bedroom, he pretends that he was sleeping when Mizuki entered.
"I know you're awake." Maku whispered.
There was a moment of silence, Mizuki hesitated whether to reply or not.
"Did I woke you up?" Mizuki said embarrassingly as he faced Mizuki on the other side of the room.
"Not really." He said and get up on bed. "So, how was the mission?" He asked him.
"It's fine." He replied shortly. "Uhm… Could we talk about this tomorrow? I need to get some sleep." He said trying to get away from the conversation. He felt awkward until now with the unusual sensation he had been feeling.
"Oh, alright." Maku said. "Goodnight then." He gave him a smile and get back in bed.
"Goodnight." Mizuki replied and smiled back at him. He turns to face the wall again on the opposite direction from Maku.
"If only you knew." Maku whispered unintentionally. However, Mizuki overheard him.
"I know." Mizuki whispered as well beneath his breath.