~Evelyn pov~
My body felt light even though it should have been bloody and battered and I felt fresh. My eyes were sore and streams from my tears were present as I could feel the salty sticky feeling on my face, however that was not the only feeling. A soft mass was beneath my head and a gentle sensation caressed my face.
I opened my eyes to be met with another pair, an intense purple mixed with specks of blue. Their face was perfect and soft, a slight smile tugging at their perfectly proportioned lips. Cascading silver hair told me it must be a girl. Did she answer my plea? Was she an angel?
"H-hello" I couldn't find it in me to increase my voice from a mutter.
"Good evening"
The voice startled me while sweet it was definitely rough. Was it a he?
Noticing my position I panicked. How long had we been in contact, the miasma!
Jumping up I backed away from him.
He looked confused and curious. He stood up and walked closer towards me.
"S-Stay back!"
He paused in the spot.
"Don't come near me I'm cursed I'll kill you!"
"Do not worry about that I have been dealing with that annoying miasma for hours now and I'm still alive."
Walking closer to me I kept backing up until I was pressed against a wall.
"Look here." Slowly I felt a hand touch mine as it was lifted. Slowly I felt my hand touch something soft.
"Inject your mana and you will see I'm okay."
Slowly I used my mana and I could see the miasma was being caged in a ball before being dissolved and forced out of his body.
Tears fell from my face once again.
"Um uhh are you okay."
Am I okay? AM I OKAY. For the first time in my life I've been able to touch someone. Jumping into his arms I wept for what felt like hours. The pain and sorrow that I had felt being alone treated like a disease had broken me down in front of this stranger. The embarrassment I felt was overwhelming but I didn't want to let go just in case this was a messed up dream.
"Your uh gripping me a bit tight yknow"
I couldn't hold myself anymore and fell back into a deep slumber.
~Noir~
Great now my shirt is moist with tears. What am I meant to do now, I'm no good at this shit. The best I could do was carry her to an inn and lay her down. I doubt I could just walk away without issue so it seems that I will be standing guard until she wakes up again.
I got the same looks as I did at the bath house, I guess it is creepy but maybe because of my high quality clothing no one cares or bothered to interfere. I had paid for a room before dumping her into the bed and covering her in a sheet. I just sat down at the table and began tinkering with my bracer, it needed more tweaking as the map kept going fuzzy whenever there wasn't enough ambient mana.
It would take me a few hours to change the rune to be able to run off my own mana and the ambient mana but I had plenty of time.
It had been a few hours and I started to hear small sniffles coming from beneath the lump of bedsheets that was my guest.
Probably another nightmare.
Walking closer to her I made my steps as silent as possible as to not wake her up. Sitting by her side I was unsure of what to actually do so I decided on doing the same as last time. Would every night be like this? Did I have to do it every night?
I would keep my promises and my vow but I wasn't sure if it would be healthy to stick next to her at all times. Would she worry about me being by her so much. Would it freak her out?
All those thoughts melted away as she nestled into my hand like a kitten. She was trusting for being left with a complete stranger.
Luckily or unluckily the academy will resume tomorrow after all the running around the time has flown by. I needed a break and a proper one that wasn't distributed next time. The mental exhaustion even if it was just fighting weaklings was taxing and the use of my skills and the fact that I had been tinkering with my bracer had made my mind drowsy. I really wanted to sleep and let my mind refresh.
Throughout the night I continued to battle with my mental exhaustion however I succumbed to my tiredness and fell asleep sitting up.
~Evelyn~
Waking with another groan I felt a weight on my stomach. As I wrestled myself from under the bedsheets I was met by a face planted onto me. Soft snores escaped his slightly opened mouth as his long grey hair covered a majority of his face.
It wasn't a dream, I had been rescued from my father's clutches even if it was only for a day and I managed to touch someone for the first time without it being a maid abusing me. I felt lighter almost like a feather as the great weight I had been carrying had been alleviated even if it was just slightly.
My shifting seemed to have woken him up as our eyes met through the small gaps that his hair allowed.
"Morning."
"Morning"
Almost like the most casual thing ever he just got up and stretched.
"I assume introductions are in order. "
"Ah- yes I forgot, with everything that happened to me. My name is Evelyn- Just Evelyn it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance sir-"
"Noir just noir and drop the formalities were in the same class in the academy"
He's in the academy? My mind worked on overdrive and the memory of him saying hello in class surfaced in my head
Instantly bowing I apologised for my rude behaviour towards him
- "I try to keep my distance from people due to the curse I have I apologise for not talking with you."
No need to bow to me I'm not a noble nor do I like seeing someone bow to me for practically nothing.
It doesn't matter anyways we need to plan on what we're going to do with you. I'm pretty sure I pissed off your old man's people since I 'accidentally' killed a couple of them plus it seemed that you didn't want to go back with them. Do you have your own home and personal effects?
U-um no I live under the care of his Highness, he owns a residence in the gold quarter. All I have is my uniform.
His face seemed to darken at the end of my sentence, thinking that I had angered him I bowed again.
"What are you doing?" A slight agitation was evident in his voice.
I angered you and I must always apologise for angering someone higher than me.
What have I already told you, I don't want you to bow for nothing I was just thinking over something. I know it sounds bad especially from someone you don't know but how would you like to live with me as a guest until you can get on your feet?
I can't do that to you, I'm not worth the trouble of doing anything like that! I'll go back to the mansion and live there.
I can't in good conscience let you go back to that place. You were adamant about not wanting to go back there last night and in your nightmares you said you wanted to run away. I promise you, you're not a hassle or a burden you would be an esteemed guest and I would like the company to stop me from going crazy being alone with my inventions.
You need to have the strength to stand up for yourself and take what you want. I will teach you in due time what I mean. From what little I know I have a decent grasp over your situation so mull it over in class and tell me by the end of the day, yeah?
O-okay
I couldn't hassle him with my problems it was just wrong and why was he being so kind to me? I wasn't sure what he meant by taking what I wanted either.
Standing up I finally noticed that I wasn't in my clothes anymore instead I was in some baggy clothing. A deep shade of red filled.my face at this.
"D-did you dress me?"
"Ah no I didn't I asked a receptionist at the bath house to do it. I'm not some sicko who gets off looking at sleeping girls yknow."
"Idot!!" Throwing a pillow at him with all my strength he easily caught it.
"Whoa calm down. What did I do?"
"idiot" mumbling it under my breath I slapped.my cheeks before looking away and pouting. A girl's purity was at stake.
"Hmmm I guess you need a new outfit and a uniform. Guess we'll go get one on the way to the academy then."
"You don't need to! I'll just go get it from 'his' residence."
"I don't think that's the best idea until you have made up your mind over what you actually want to do."
"I guess you are right I will be imposing on you then, until we get to the academy."
'We best go out shopping then."
I guess I have no choice but it feels so wrong