"Victoria?"
"Y-Yes Ger, I'm Victoria"
Then the lady now was crying that she couldn't even feel that she's still holding Ger;s hand. However, instead of being serious, instead of glaring and instead of hating the lady and the guy that saved him, his expressions suddenly softened. He doesn't know why but he felt like he was captured by Victoria's crying sounds and expression
However, such scenario and such expressions never escaped Xyle's eyes. He didn't know it yet, but he was already walking near where the two was. Yet, Ger's hand was faster than Xyle was. The hand that Victoria's holding earlier was now wiping her tears. And when Victoria looked at Ger's expressions, he was non like the earlier one that was asking if he was in hell. Instead, his features softened upon seeing her.
He doesn't even know why but his eyes were never that glaring towards Victoria. It was only sad that he didn't know what to do but to wipe her eyes
"Don't cry"
"N-No G-Ger, I wanted to cry. I wanted to put out the baggage that I'm feeling right now"
'Why? For a person like me that had lose my only happiness, for a person like me that had been thrown out to the streets since a child and for a person like me that doesn't know how to love someone else, why are you crying?'
Ger wanted to ask those words, he wanted to seek answers for the tears that flowing down on Victoria's face but he can't. He felt like his voice was stuck inside his throat just by asking those words to her. He knew that he can't that's why he only held back his voice that he doesn't even know was not stuck in his throat in the first place.
'Tears shouldn't be for me, I don't deserve such after I did something bad to myself'
Ger was continuing to wipe Victoria's tears and at the same time gently caressing her cheeks. That moment, Xyle was frozen. He doesn't know why but again he felt those stinging pain inside his heart that he had felt earlier that's why he wanted to leave the room for some fresh air
He wanted to twist the young man's hand that was touching Victoria's cheeks but he only controlled himself. At first he felt paralyzed from seeing such scenario. He was already killing the young man inside his mind and thinking of some sorts of methods to kill him. However, he shook his head and heaved a sigh because if he did those things then Victoria's effort on pleading him that day will all be useless. One thing that he'll be sure receiving from Victoria is only hatred if he did those. So instead of doing something, he only leaned his back on the wall near the two while clenching his fists on his chest.
'If only that young man was dead on the spot then Victoria wouldn't be crying like this to him. then I wouldn't be able to see her cry instead. Why did I ever save that man again?'
He thought to himself again as he only heaved a sigh again while focusing his view from the two
"Why?"
Ger unconsciously blurt after a long while of observing the lady crying in front of him
"Why? You ask me why Ger? It's because I was worried for you! You're the only one that we saw inside the alley that was slowly dying that time!"
"Why?"
Then again, he asked continuously. It's because he just doesn't get the reason why they saved him when in reality after being saved --- he'll only kill himself again
"It's because I value your life Ger. I don't want to see someone dying in front of my eyes"
There Victoria had said it that made Ger's eyes tears unexpectedly. He's right now crying but as if water were only streaming down his face with no sound at all and not even an expression of crying. It's as if tears were streaming down his face while he continued looking towards Victoria with such soft expressions
"Ger?"
Now, Victoria was asking. She didn't know but she's already making an impact towards Ger – a lot. Then as if a reflexive action, Victoria immediately held his cheeks and wiped those warm waters flowing down his face. It only made Ger's face more softened than ever. However, what Ger acted was excessively weird for Victoria. It's as if she felt that Ger was taking his time to live
"Why are you crying for someone like me? I wasn't even worth it to waste such tears"
'So that's why? That's why he acted like that? Isn't it obvious for George that he's an important part of this plot to save the empire? However, I guess Victoria was already dead by that time as I assume. Yet, he's also one of my favorite characters in the novel'
Victoria shook her head for a while and genuinely smiled at him
"It's because ones' life is valuable"
"Valuable?"
"Yes, Ger it is valuable to gain memories from ones journey"
"Journey?"
"We live to take the path that was unknown. We live in order to make choices in life, that's what I wanted you to realize. You must realize that your life is important Ger"
"Why, it's not like I didn't understand you Victoria but, my life isn't worth it anymore. I lost the only family had, I don't know what to do with my life anymore. There's no purpose and meaning to the---"
Before Ger finish what he was saying Victoria immediately cut him off. She even looked at him seriously
"No, Ger you have a purpose that's why you're still alive right now. If your family had been attacked like that --- seek those people. It's the only way for you to live with a purpose. Bring justice to them"
'She's the only lady that I saw was clever and kindhearted. How did I even meet such a person again?'
"Be a knight that will bring justice to them"
After saying those, Ger's expression was shock. He doesn't know why but flashbacks of images went back ot his mind. He remembered how Finneas said those words that made him want to kill himself
'She also said the same words that Finneas wanted to tell me. I was supposed to kill myself again after these two had left in this room. Yet, after hearing those words, I guess that it's the reason for me being alive. She's right and Finneas is also right --- I have to be someone to bring justice to them. However, I think that it'll take time to consider myself on being a knight'
"Be my personal knight and I'll help you seek justice for them, Ger"
'What?!'
Ger was surprised upon hearing those words again, he doesn't know but his heart had been beating faster and louder that he never understood why. The way that Victoria told him, the way that her soft pale hands continued holding her, the way that she looked at him seriously but afterward softened. All of those made Ger focus on her. He didn't even know it yet but he's already observing her that he wasn't even aware of. He's unconsciously minding everything that the lady was doing, even the movements of his lips, the way that she breathes – everything made him focus on her.
It was only cut off when Victoria's other hand went towards his cheeks and know if he has any fever of none
"It seems like you're alright for now. However, I want you to take your time Ger. I wanted you to recover as time passed by – just by waiting for you I'll be able to be relieved. So please Ger, be my personal knight"
'I guess this is what Finneas wanted. Alright, I thought it will take me some time to decide whether to accept her offer but I guess it's already the time now. I don't know why buy my instincts were telling me. This time I'll gamble with all I have'
"Yes, I accept it Victoria"
"Thank you, Ger!"
Victoria was successfully happy that she was now hugging Ger. At first, Ger was surprised that Victoria immediately hugged him but he just patted and caressed her back, as he was unaware that he's already smiling. yet, later on it suffocate Ger that Xyle had no choice but to immediately removed their hug towards each other
"I guess time's up. Besides, you're already suffocating the young man, Victoria"
"Oh! S-sorry Ger!"
"N-No worries Victoria"
"Alright, I guess I still hasn't introduced this young man I'm with, he's Xyle and Xyle he's Ger"
Yet, instead of the two responding back to each other, they firstly responded with their eyes glaring at each other. However, Victoria wasn't even aware of such things. She's only at their side smiling to them.
'There, I hope these two will be friends to each other now. Well, my job of introducing them to each other was already done now'
Then she smiled while looking at them. Yet, what she didn't see was the glaring of each other before shaking their hands.
"Nice meeting you, Ger, right?"
"Yes, nice meeting you too, Xyle, right?"
"Yes"
Then the two shakes their hands. However, Xyle was the one that hardly shake Ger that made him shake harder
"Alright, since you two have known each other, I hope we three will become friends! Don't forget what you said Ger. Oh! Right, I'll do this so that you'll never forget what I offer you"
Then Victoria smilingly went towards Ger and unwrapped those hard handshakes of each other hand connected her pinky finger to his pinky finger
"There, promise me Ger that you'll be my personal knight"
"I promise you Victoria"
'Huh, he even had the nerves to call her by her own name, huh? Guess Victoria didn't introduced herself as one of a duke's daughter. maybe this man only knew her as one of the lowest ranking noble family'