Blood splashes through the bars of the arena as the audience awes in the streak that he kept up despite being heavily injured. Persephone wonders how could someone with different bruises and injuries to their body could still fight with ease and add their swiftness to it, it would be unbelievable. She still finds it cruel as healing their client while still they were they in the arena was prohibited although they probably did this to prevent an uninteresting match where someone would just keep winning but their they are, their tactics failed to subdue his winning streak. She sees the woman-director get bored of announcing his victory as she does not prepare a dramatic speech and only just raises his hand. Persephone could tell everyone was getting bored as their faces didn't match the faces they had before when they were excited to see another match, it contradicted their excited faces and if Persephone was lying, she would say she did not get bored as well. The fighter on the arena though, didn't seem to care as he laughs it off, quite the optimistic fellow, Persephone thought. He then again said the same line he would say every single match that consisted of his victory, "Who's next!" Persephone said quietly. The twins notice their Master's tired eyes as they feel the need to do something about it. Relsa stood up before Ralse could and it got the attention of Persephone as she turns around confused.
"Master Persephone, my twin brother Ralse got to impress you by protecting you with his strength! I want to do the same but this time, I will go to the arena and show you my strength, Master Persephone! please allow me to do this!" His eyes glimmered with confidence as his twin brother tear up with proudness. Hayls sees this from afar and questions his choice in allies.
"You wan't to fight Fighter Eagle, Relsa? I trust in your strength but you don't have to impress me but it is your choice." Persephone's mind feels weird as no one ever took the time to impress her just because someone already did. Her words seem to make him gain more confidence as he steps in the arena while Persephone blinks her eyes multiple times.
"Is he actually serious..?" She thought.
She takes responsibility on her stupid sentence as rather then making him reconsider his actions, it instead encouraged him. Hayls confusedly furrows his eyebrows to which he didn't believe he saw it right and rubs his eyes but when reality struck him, all he could do was cover his face in embarrassment. All Persephone could do was watch over the sidelines but rather than the regular chair, she was ordered by rules that you take responsibility of your fighter and watch the match upstairs. She sighs in defeat as she tells Ralse about the rules and he completely understood which made Persephone at least bit happy. She goes upstairs and finds surprisingly a lot of people watching the match as she suspects that they may be from the previous matches. Persephone spots Hayls amongst the crowd still talking to the man and Hayls notices her presence as well and waves at her. She waves back at him and though she wanted to sit right next to him, the tables were full of other people so she reconsiders. She was lost in trying to find a sit when a person tapped on her shoulder and she turns around, the person offers her to have a seat with him and Persephone gladly accepts. She takes a sit with him and thanks him for his kind gesture.
"Thank you sir, what is your name? my name is Persephone." She gets blessed as there is finally someone who is kind enough on the first encounter.
"Hello Miss, my name is Josh and I'm pleased to meet you." He says kindly.
Their conversation although short, they hit it off as Josh also experienced in having been challenged multiple times whilst also being underestimated. Both find out that they have a tendency to get in arenas by accident and here they are, in an arena. They question how they got up as this area was only for VIPs and Master's clients/subordinates participating in a fights.
Persephone points her subordinate as a client while Josh explains that his client already got defeated by Fighter Eagle. She asks if his client would still be participating and blinked confused when he nodded.
"She still wants to fight despite being so injured... I told her no multiple times but she wouldn't budge. She keeps wanting to impress me." He sighs in displeasure as he explains his situation.
"That reminds me, my subordinate is also like that because I told him he didn't have to impress me but he as well also didn't listen to me and just went up there." She says trying to make him feel at least not alone.
He gives her a grateful small smile and pats her back. "We really do have a lot in common Miss Persephone. After the fights, let's talk another time."
Persephone feelings the same, she nods I agreement as also wanting to talk to him more than just this once. "You don't have to be formal with me Sir, you can call me Persephone."
"Well in that case, call me Josh as well, Persephone." He fires back at her hypocrisy.
They continue to talk as Persephone gives a thumbs up to Relsa as he easily took down Fighter Eagle leaving the audience to be shocked then finally delighted that Eagle lost his streak. Relsa tries to get off the arena but was stopped when the woman-director forbiddend him as to continue his winning streak. He was surprisingly calm about it and went back in stage.
"Woah! What do you have to say for yourself fighter that you beat The Fighter Eagle!" The woman yells amazed.
"I don't really care, I'm doing this for my Master." He points directly at Persephone as Persephone hides from the audience from embarrassment. Hayls keeps on noticing these events and glares at Relsa.
"Relsa why, why why why why...!" She screams in silence as Josh tries to get her up telling her that no one was watching her but that fires back at him when the director-woman says the opposite to what he said.
"That girl you were concerned about!? I thought the girl was your subordinate but are you instead possibly her subordinate!?" She yells as her and the crowd grows confused.
"Don't you underestimate my Master Persephone! she is way above me from abilities, powers, skills, intelligence and looks!" Once again, he said something embarrassing which Josh felt like he was going to burst out in laughter after he saw Persephone not come out of her hiding spot even more embarrassed to get up.
"What is he doing! tell him to stop, Josh! stop laughing you jerk!" She says.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! your face looks dead inside so I— can't— haha!" He continues to laugh at her misery.
"OHH! so she's better than you at everything? now that is dedication! You are so humble." The woman spoke out loud, not believing his words which influenced the audience as they laugh it off as a joke.
Even though it was insulting, Persephone believed it to be the opposite as it was a blessing that they took it as a joke. She gets up slowly and when she did that, crowds start to whistle and cheer for Persephone as Persephone for now, does not go back down but she still sat there embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Relsa charms the audience with his strength and his looks while Persephone right now wants to punch him in the face. She feels weird as she heard some girls from the area she was watching the match say they were jealous of her making an attractive guy compliment her multiple infront of a live audience.
Men congratulated Relsa while Women swooned for his looks. Persephone could see Hayls cringe from the distance and she shares the same opinion as him. From the bottom-audience, Ralse for some reason was still proud of his brother as Persephone sees his lips saying "My brother is finally getting women."
After this, Persephone would want to get out of here without talking to anyone.
***
After a few hours of Relsa repeatedly winning every fight. The prize was soon given to him as he gets the reward with coins Persephone does not want to count because it would tire her out. She waves goodbye to Josh and goes down the VIP section to where Relsa could be seen already running towards her with happiness.
"Master Persephone, Master Persephone! I won, did you see, did you see?" He said excitedly like a child.
Persephone smiles and congratulates her subordinates. In the mean time, Hayls also was done talking to the man and came down to where Persephone and Relsa were.
"Hayls, there you are! what did he say in your conversation?" She says questioning him.
"To be honest with you Master Persephone, he didn't say anything that alarming though I noticed that the reason why he invited us here is because he felt the need to and because he felt power within us. That's is what he said and he kept on staring at you Master Persephone, I felt weird and took the time to distract him." He said with not much information.
Persephone looks at him confused and creeped out. "He was looking at me? that's creepy but anyways, we should probably head back, I didn't even tell Ray I was going somewhere so he may or may not be searching for me."
"Master Persephone, he's not going to let us in the castle, come with us instead. You can just tell him." Ralse joins in and sourly comments.
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll let you guys in!" Although positive, they all disagree with her not trusting Ray to be that nice.
They all head out not expecting a crowd but of course, everything they expect always Is the opposite as people come to either ask Relsa to come here another time or girls asking Ralse to protect them as well. Persephone knew her subordinates were attractive as even though Hayls was barely spotted, he immediately got fame because of his beauty. Persephone sighs too tired to deal with anything but again, guys were flocking over her and some even went as far as they tell her to be their bride or be their hand-in-marriage. Persephone blushes at the attention and thanks all of them for their kindness (weirdness).
"Excuse me gentlemen, Our Master Persephone is tired right now, please back away." Hayls said trying to not get Persephone flustered with the amount of crazy things happening and if you are a great listener, his tone was ought to be jealous with the amount of men mobbing Persephone. Soon, the twins notice this and helps Hayls while Persephone asks—
"Guys, I'm fine. No one hurt me although they were very weird." She whispered quietly.
"Master Persephone...they are more than just weird I mean, who in the hell would ask a person they just met to marry them?" Hayls said trying to process the weirdness of the situation.
They backed away and as they wave to their new fanclubs, they finally get away and run back towards the inside of the castle to which it was already night time, as expected. There was still a lot of people roaming around the town and even a house that was so loud and bright that Persephone thought it was some sort of party plus the posters of someone made her believe it was someone's birthday and they were celebrating it but if she wasn't tired, she could've heard the loud microphone say something alarming.
Persephone yawns tiredly while his subordinates asks to carry her but after the experience with Ray even though it was on the air, she did not want to. She heads to the castle entrance and when she got spotted, the guards that were extremely tense got even more scared which made Persephone confused.
"What's wrong.. are you guys okay?" she asks concerned.
The guards do not say anything as they fearfully let her in without answers. Persephone does not get the situation and was too tired to even try to ask more questions so she just proceeded with her subordinates.
Then, someone shouted which seemed to be Ray but he was livid and enraged by something that Persephone didn't know but his words echoed through the doors and that is when Persephone and her subordinates realized that they should've told Ray to where they were going.
Persephone feels his aura darken by each second and she feels people's terror even when she wasn't in the same room with them.
"WHERE IS SHE!?" He screams again causing Persephone to shiver in fear.
"S-sir..we haven't found her yet..please give us more time to search for Miss Persephone!" She gulps as there it was, they were indeed looking for her.
Ray walks over to the man and before he could do anything, Persephone yells something to keep him from doing anything.
"RAY! WAIT, IM HERE! PLEASE DON'T DO ANYTHING!" She pleads with him and when she reached him, she hugs him from behind. Ray takes a second to process before finally realizing that it was not a hallucination.
"PERSEPHONE!? Where were you, why didn't you tell me where you are? I was so scared, I thought something happened to you so I forced the King to investigate and form a search party!" He says hugging her as well.
"I-im here Ray..cancel all the investigations and search parties..I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm such a bad friend. I should've told you." She says comforting him and even though despite Ray being bigger and taller than her, he was the one getting treated like a small child.
"...I was worried.." He says again.
"I know, I know...I'm sorry, I'm very sorry Ray. I'm sorry for making you worried." She tries to not get emotional.
Rumors could be heard and despite all of them being negative, Persephone had to admit that some of them were right.
"Why is already so goddamn attached to her that he forced the King to do something this big for one girl."
"Ugh...that girl almost got everyone killed because of her travel."
"How did that cold-blooded Ray manage to get some feelings so quickly?"
"Whatever...let's just be happy that she came here at the perfect time otherwise everyone's head would have been flying..."
"I am, it's just that Ray met this girl for like what..two days? yet he is this caring towards her? it takes years to build up love for someone this deep yet it only took her two days? I'm convinced that girl is cursed or he drunk a love potion."
Those were some words that they spoke and she would have to agree with the last statement.
"Ray...I'm here, let's go to bed. I bet you're tired of trying to find me..I'm sorry." She spoke as if he was tired but she was more tired than him.
"Hm.." He did not speak in words but in tones. He gets up slowly and helps Persephone get up as well.
He stands close to Persephone still scared about the incident as Persephone tries to remember his room, Ray holds her hand and leads them to his room while still leaving Persephone subordinates in shock.
They finally arrive at his room and Ray closes the door behind him. Persephone lays on the bed and he too lays on the same bed as her but both don't feel uncomfortable. On the bed, their position doesn't change as Ray lays on top of Persephone's chest while she pats his hair. Coincidentally, the window is already opened and it gave Persephone and Ray this blueish-dark effect on their appearance. They look more sophisticated and it gave the two a romantic mood in the air. Persephone finally feels too weak and sleeps first before Ray and Ray repositions Persephone and himself to which Persephone would feel more comfortable in. Their roles switched as it was now Ray stroking Persephone's hair. Ray smiles as Persephone was now in his care and not somewhere he doesn't know.
"Persephone.. despite only knowing each other a little bit, I want to get to get to know you more." He says although aware that Persephone was asleep and could not hear his words.
"At first, I denied this feeling because it was so sudden that I myself got weirded out but when I did not notice your presence after that guy left, I started to panic and grew aggressive to everyone. I even threatened the King for you. I never felt this feeling before and never showed my worry for anyone but you somehow made me lose my cool so easily. It is funny that I know people for years, more than I know you but I care about you more than them, I do not know what spell you casted on me to make me feel like this but Persephone, I'm glad I finally realize what this is, I have three girlfriends that even I don't feel this amount of affection besides you, if you were awake, I would definitely be too cowardly to say this to you in person but I want to let out my feelings. As someone who never felt "this" feeling towards anyone, I'm glad you came into my life Persephone to teach me this. You are very special to me and you may even not notice this but Persephone..." Ray goes closer to Persephone and was just about to kiss her but he stopped himself not wanting to as it was too early for it to happen.
"Persephone, I Love you and I don't think I will ever stop loving you."
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Note: This is basically the entire summary of Ray's love for Persephone, Enemies- Frenemies - Friends- Slight crush- Love- Romantic feelings- and it all happened in the matter of two days. This plot is way to fast for myself and you guys. I'm going to slow it down.