I Possessed The Worst Character In The Hellish Game

The door of Mikael’s room swung open, and a familiar figure stepped inside.

It was Jeanne who was dressed more casually than she had been at the banquet, wearing a simple yet elegant day dress in deep green that complemented her emerald eyes, without the elaborate embroidery of last night’s gown.

Her long black hair was loosely pinned up, with a few strands framing her beautiful face.

Even when she was dressed down, she still carried herself with the same quiet elegance that seemed to follow her everywhere.

Mikael sat up a little straighter unconsciously.

"Oh." Jeanne said as her emerald eyes settled over him. "You’re awake."

"Yes." He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his disheveled hair in a futile attempt to tame it. "Just woke up, actually."

She seemed calmer than she had been last night.

The tension that had been coiled in her shoulders during the infirmary visit had eased somewhat and been replaced by something softer.

That was good.

He’d been half-expecting her to storm in with a list of demands and accusations.

But instead...

She walked toward him with measured steps, stopping near the foot of his bed.

"How are you feeling now?"

She asked simply as her eyes swept over him briefly, taking in the bandages wrapped around his torso.

"It’s much better than last night."

"I see."

A beat of silence passed between them for a moment.

’Oh Goddess, this is awkward.’

"You’re not angry about yesterday?" Mikael finally said.

Jeanne held his gaze for a long moment.

Then she sighed as some of the softness in her expression gave way to exasperation.

"I’m still angry." She admitted. "You left the banquet without telling me and went into the gardens alone in the middle of the night. And then you ended up fighting an aberration with the Princess while I was stuck in the ballroom, completely clueless that anything was even happening."

She folded her arms across her chest.

"So yes, I’m angry."

Mikael opened his mouth to respond, but she spoke before he could even get a single word out.

"But... I also understand that you’re not used to the social events and only wanted the fresh air. You didn’t know what was going to happen.... and when it did happen, you...."

She trailed off for a moment as her voice softened.

"You saved little Alice. I’m still terrified thinking about what could have happened, but at the same time, I’m also proud of you."

Mikael blinked in surprise.

"Now don’t look so surprised."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"You did something brave last night. It was stupid and reckless.... but still brave. And from Princess Elara’s statement, little Alice wouldn’t have been alive if it weren’t for you. How could I not be proud of you for that?"

"Thank you, Jeanne." He said after a pause as his lips curled into a quiet smile.

She held his gaze for a moment longer as she stepped closer and reached out to smooth down a stubborn strand of his bed hair, gently.

"You still could have told me, though."

She said quietly while fussing with his hair.

"I was getting bored listening to those young lords recite their marriage proposals. I would have welcomed the excuse to escape."

"I didn’t want to bother you. You seemed busy with the family’s affairs."

"Busy is not the same as unavailable. Next time, tell me before you wander off. I’d rather be bothered than left in the dark."

She paused and continued.

"And please, prioritize your own safety above anyone else’s next time something like that happens. I’ll make an exception just this once since it was Alice.... but don’t try to put yourself in danger, okay."

"I’ll try my best."

"That’s all I ask."

She smoothed the last stubborn strand of hair away from his forehead, then leaned in and pressed a light kiss on the spot she had just fixed.

"I’ll have the maid call for the healer to check on your wounds. In the meantime, freshen up a little more. We’ll have breakfast together--it’s been a while since we’ve shared a meal."

She pulled back as her smile widened slightly.

"And don’t take too long. I’m already hungry."

She turned and walked out of the room, leaving Mikael sitting on the bed with his hand raised to his forehead as he touched the spot where her lips had pressed against his skin.

{Mikael.}

Liren’s voice surfaced in his mind quietly.

{Can I kiss you too?}

Mikael’s brain screeched to a halt, trying to process what she had just asked.

"What?"

{Your sister kissed you. On the forehead. Can I do that too?}

He sat there, his hand still pressed to his forehead as he felt a slight flush of heat creep up the back of his neck.

Of all the conversations he’d expected to have this morning, this was not on the list.

"Liren, that’s.... she’s my sister. At least that’s what she thinks she is.... It’s different."

{Why?}

"Because it’s just how it works."

{But I want to kiss you too on the forehead... like she did}

He could feel her presence stirring restlessly inside his core, as if she were trying to work through a problem she didn’t fully understand.

{Would that be strange?}

"Yes.... I mean.... It’s not that it would be strange, exactly. It’s just--"

He sighed.

"Why do you want to kiss me?"

A long silence stretched between them.

{Because you’re important to me. You also said that you’re important to me}

{And your sister showed you she cares by kissing you on the forehead. I want to show you too, but I don’t know how. So I thought... maybe I could do what she did.}

Mikael closed his eyes and let out a slow breath.

Liren seemed to be genuinely trying to understand human affection, to translate it into something she could express.

"We can talk about it later after we leave the royal palace."

{Okay. But don’t forget about the promise you made}

He stiffened as the words he promised last night echoed in his mind.

── "I’ll make it up to you later, okay? Whatever you want."

’Yeah, I definitely made a mistake making that promise with her.’

*****

The same healer from last night arrived shortly after Jeanne left the room.

She checked on Mikael’s injuries, then cast another nature affinity healing spell that mended the last of his wounds completely without leaving a single scar.

After she had gone, Mikael joined Jeanne for breakfast.

The palace kitchens had clearly been instructed to pull out all the stops--

They had fresh warm breads, honeyed fruits, delicate pastries, tea, and many other things.

They ate in comfortable silence for the most part, exchanging only occasional comments about the food or the weather.

When Mikael mentioned the King’s offer--a reward to select an artifact from the royal treasury--Jeanne’s eyes had widened with genuine surprise, then warmed with something that almost looked like pride.

"That’s a significant honor."

She’d said, setting down her teacup.

"The royal treasury isn’t opened to just anyone. But be careful with your choice. Stick to Mortal or Elite grade artifacts only; anything higher than that carries side effects that aren’t advisable for lower-ranked awakeners."

Mikael had nodded along.

"The Headmaster gave me the same advice."

"Good. Then you won’t do anything foolish."

She’d smiled at him over the rim of her cup.

.

.

.

Now, Mikael stood in the hallway outside the room next to his own--the one where Nicholas had told him to meet as he knocked on the door.

"...."

No one answered.

He waited a few seconds, then knocked again, this time a little louder.

His knuckles rapped against the wooden door, and to his surprise...

The door swung inward under the pressure.

It hadn’t been properly closed.

"Headmaster? You there?"

He stepped hesitantly over the threshold.

The room was similar to his own, with a large bed and elegant furniture.

But.

It was completely empty.

’He’s not here.’

Mikael frowned as he looked around the room.

Maybe he’d gotten the wrong room?

Just as he was about to turn and leave, a figure materialized directly in front of him.

Mikael jumped backward instinctively as his heart wildly hammered against his ribs.

It took him a full second to recognize the familiar grey beard and crimson eyes of Headmaster Nicholas Hughes standing barely a foot away from him.

"Young Mikael." Nicholas said as his lips twitched with barely suppressed amusement. "I see you’ve healed up nicely. You look much better than this morning."

"...."

"Hey, you just called me a creepy old bastard in your mind again, didn’t you?"

"I wouldn’t dare, Headmaster."

******

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