Chapter 246 - Thank You

Shatter!

Time resumed back to normal.

Thud!

Kurt stumbled against the wood of their carriage as he felt a crushing wave of exhaustion wash over him. He leaned heavy against the carriage wheel with Diana in his arms, taking a moment to gather himself.

’My head... Oh God my head! Does stopping time for two minutes really affect me this badly?’

He pushed himself off the back wheel and walked to the front driver’s seat. "Hey. You mind opening up?"

"WAH!?" The servant practically jumped out of his skin with fright. "M-Master Rossana?! Where did you come from?!"

"J-Just open the door please..."

The servant scrambled down and unlocked the door. Kurt carefully stepped inside, placing Diana gently onto the cushioned seat.

Diana, who comfortably slumped all the way down, was still floating somewhere up in the clouds. As evident by her incoherent mumbling. "Mmm... Rosie... Don’t stop... go harder..."

"Ana, listen. I’m quickly going back to the garden to let the people you were with know we’re leaving. Stay here, ok?"

"Mmmph... love you..."

Kurt let out a smiling sigh, shutting the carriage door securely before adjusting his clothes and turning back toward the palace grounds.

.....

Returning to the open-air garden, Kurt smoothly navigated through the crowd until he spotted the three visiting Academy Principals.

"Ah, Kurt Rossana," Principal Allaster Morgan of Tricea’s Kirstenbell Academy greeted first, adjusting his monocle. "Have you seen, Principal Valentine perchance?"

"About that, I came to deliver her regrets. She isn’t feeling well so we’ll be taking our leave now. Thought I should let you all know."

Principal Jack Axel of Riverton’s Crossroad Academy, clicked his tongue loudly and crossed his broad arms. "That woman really does whatever she damn well pleases, doesn’t she?"

"Oh, hush, Axel-san," Chihara Mei, the Myria’s Skyward Academy Principal, chuckled softly. She raised her fan up her flushed face as her eyes twinkled with an amused, slightly drunken light. "We were basically finished with our administrative discussion anyway."

Looking at Kurt, she pointed a finger toward a small side table where an empty glass and two completely drained bottles of wine sat.

"Though I must say... Diana-san’s mind wandered somewhere far away during our meeting. She suddenly started drinking far more than usual while staring impatiently out toward the garden hedges. I wonder... did that have anything to do with you?"

"Haha. I couldn’t possibly say, Principal Chiara. Have a safe journey back to your respective academies."

Excusing himself before Axel could grumble further or Mei could try and tease him further, Kurt scanned the garden until he found Emelie standing by herself.

He walked up and stood beside her. "The plan is greenlit."

"And Faye?"

"She took the bait. I’m meeting Vice-Captain Kenneth tomorrow morning at Sophie’s Diner between eight and nine. You should come."

"I’ll be there."

"Alright. Sorry to leave you by lonesome, but I gotta bounce now–"

"Leaving so soon, Rossana-sama?"

A soft, refined voice called out. Ayako stepped away from a group of students and gracefully walked up to them in her elegant kimono.

"Izumi-san. Yeah, I’m heading out."

A faint, melancholic glint passed through her gentle eyes as she looked at him.

"This will likely be the last time we see each other for a long time. As soon as our official audience with King Maxwell concludes in two days, our group will be returning to Myria."

"Did you enjoy your stay?"

"Indeed I did. Very much so, in fact. Looking back, I truly made some fond memories. The first time our blades clashed, meeting you again in the Adventurers Guild... taking on that absurd F-rank quest together... And this tournament."

"Yeah, that quest was crazy. We barely survived that cultist and his zombies. I was really damn lucky to have you at my back. We make a pretty good team."

Ayako raised her head as a genuine smile lit up her face.

Kurt extended his hand for a polite handshake. "One day... I’ll definitely visit Myria. When I do, I’ll be infinitely stronger than I am now – and I’ll give you the most thrilling fight you’ll ever have. That’s a promise."

A delicate, rosy blush dusted Ayako’s cheeks. She reached out, taking his hand in a warm clasp.

Beside them, Emelie looked at Kurt with an expression that read: Really bro?

"I look forward to it, Rossana-sama."

"Please. We’ve been through way too much life-and-death madness for formal titles. Call me Kurt. Ayako."

Ayako’s eyes softened as her smile grew impossibly sweet. "Yes... Kurt."

Turning to Emelie, Kurt offered a brief nod. "See you tomorrow, bright and early."

"Right."

As he turned to walk away, his single eye briefly caught Vice-Captain Kenneth standing guard in the distance. He offered the stoic guard captain a single, knowing look before pivoting toward the banquet tables.

Not forgetting about Sadie’s request, Kurt quickly filled three more plastic takeout containers and put them in the included bag. Finally satisfied, he left through the garden archway, heading down the long walkway toward the carriage.

The quiet walkway stretched out toward the distant carriage plaza. Kurt walked at a relaxed pace, his hands securely holding onto the bag when suddenly... his heart dropped.

Standing along the far right of the path, with her arms crossed tight over her chest, was Nichole Firestar.

She had ditched her wheelchair and stood tall with her newly restored body. Her sharp eyes scanned the walkway for anyone who passed by.

’Dammit. Not now... The hell are you doing standing there like some bridge troll?’

Keeping his face neutral, Kurt stared straight ahead, aggressively avoiding her gaze. He walked right past her, offering only a brief, casual nod as if she were a total stranger.

"..."

"..."

’Okay! Made it–!’

GRAB!

’Motherfu–!’

A fierce grip clamped onto the back of his suit, stopping him from walking on. He let out a heavy, internal groan, as he closed his eye in defeat. Slowly opening them again, he turned around.

Nichole was standing inches away, her red eyes narrowed into tiny, suspicious slits as she squinted hard at his face.

Desperate to protect his identity, Kurt cleared his throat, raised his pitch into a ridiculous falsetto, and slurred his words into a thick American southern drawl.

"Well howdy there, little lady. Is there somethin’ I can help ya with today? You’re pullin’ on my good jacket."

Nichole froze. Her eyes widened in utter shock and she immediately took a step back with a horrified, embarrassed blush.

"I–! Ah! I am so sorry! I thought you were– I mistook you for someone else!"

"Aw, shucks, think nothin’ of it. Have yourself a fine day now!"

"Y-Yes! You... You too..."

Nichole turned around. Her face burned with humiliation as she began walking back toward the garden, muttering angrily under her breath about her own foolishness.

Kurt let out a massive sigh of relief–

"KURT! WAIT UP!"

A boisterous, cheerful voice boomed down the path.

’You have got to be shitting me! You’re the last person I wanna see right now!’

Everett Herst came sprinting out from the garden.

His face beamed as he ran straight toward him. "Kurt! Before you leave, I was wondering if you and I could– Oh? Hello, Nichole Firestar. Forgive me, was I interrupting something?"

"N-No sirree! Nothin’ to interrupt at all! We were both just headin’ out! Ain’t that right, little lady?"

"Yeah. I was just on my way back." Nichole said before continuing on.

Everett blinked, looking confused, before offering a knowing smile. "Ahhh... I see. I figured she was here to thank you for sending Saintess Christy to heal her mana veins! The Saintess told me all about it since I mentioned that you and I are practically brothers now."

’WHAT THE FUCK?!’

"Wait... why are you talking like a country bumpkin?"

Nichole froze dead in her tracks.

Slowly... agonizingly... She turned her head around. Her red eyes locked onto Kurt, her pupils trembling with a terrifying realisation.

"You..."

Kurt’s fake accent vanished. His face twisted in apocalyptic rage as he screamed, "EVERETT, YOU GODDAMN IDIOT!"

"YOU!!!"

Not wanting to stay and face whatever comes next, he bolted down the walkway, balancing the plastic boxes of food in both hands while running for his life.

"DON’T YOU DARE RUN FROM ME!"

BOOM!

An explosive red aura of flame erupted from her body. Her healed mana veins surged with power as she launched herself forward like a fiery meteor. Closing the distance in quick moment, her hand reaching out to grab him—

BZZT—CRASH!!

A streak of silver lightning burst through the air. Everett appeared instantly between them, catching Nichole’s wrist in an ironclad grip, stopping all her momentum.

"What do you think you’re doing, Nichole Firestar?!"

Seeing Kurt sprinting away in the distance, Nichole panicked. Tears of frustration welled from her eyes as she thrashed against Everett’s grip.

"Let go of me! Let me go! I didn’t know it was him! I need to speak to him!"

"If you just want to talk, then why did you charge at him like a wild beast?!"

"BECAUSE HE’S RUNNING AWAY FROM ME WHEN HE KNOWS I NEED TO TALK TO HIM!"

The tears fully began streaming down her cheeks as she struggled helplessly against Everett’s superior strength.

Everett stared at her crying face for a second. Then, a gentle smile of comradery softened his features. "Ah... he got you too, huh?"

He released her wrist.

The moment her hand was freed, Nichole didn’t waste any time. She kicked off the ground with a trailing blast of fire propelling her down the walkway after Kurt.

Kurt sprinted past the outer archway, the carriage coming into view just fifty yards ahead.

"STOP RIGHT THERE, KURT!"

’Urgh...! Screw it!’

He gritted his teeth, forcing his exhausted body past its limits.

’Pause!’

The world bleached into gray. Nichole froze mid-air behind him, surrounded by frozen tongues of flame.

Kurt sprinted the remaining fifty yards, yanked open the carriage door, and put the plastic food bag onto the back seat then collapsed next to Diana.

"Resume!"

SHATTER!

THROB!

"Argh!"

A painful migraine slammed into his skull like a sledgehammer. He doubled over, gasping for air as a warm stream of blood leaked from his right nostril.

"M-Master Rossana?! When did you–?!"

"GO! DRIVE!" Kurt screamed while wiping the blood. "TAKE US OUTTA HERE NOW!"

The servant panicked, grabbing the leather reins—

BAM!

The entire carriage shook violently as Nichole landed straight directly in front of the horses.

She screamed at the terrified servant, "STAY RIGHT THERE! DON’T FUCKING MOVE!"

She marched around to the carriage door, tried pulling on the locked handle, then pounding on the wood with all her strength. "GET OUT HERE! KURT, GET OUT RIGHT NOW!"

Inside, Diana remained blissfully asleep, resting her head against the cushion without a single care in the world.

BANG BANG BANG!

"KURT! I KNOW YOU’RE IN THERE! I CAN SMELL THE FOOD!"

’Are you a freaking dog!?’

The driver looked back through the small window, his face pale as paper. "M-Master Rossana... s-should I drive away?!"

BANG BANG BANG!

"... No. It’s too late. She knows who I am... God, I am going to beat Everett to a bloody pulp for this..."

Kurt unlocked the door and stepped out into the cool afternoon air to face the music.

Standing before him was Nichole. Her hair was messy, her chest heaving, her red eyes rimmed with tears and burning with a rave of chaotic emotions.

He braced himself, expecting a classic tsundere explosion – punch straight to his body accompanied by a screaming lecture.

Instead–

Thud!

Nichole buried her face straight into his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist with desperate, crushing strength.

Stunned, Kurt hovered his arms uselessly in the air.

"Thank you..." she cried as her entire body trembled against him. "Thank you... *sob* Thank you... *sob* Thank you so much... for everything... thank you.. thank you.. thank you... If it wasn’t you for I-I *sob* I... thank you..."

She couldn’t form proper sentences. Over and over again, between breathless hitches, she repeated the same words over and over again.

At this point, Kurt felt a little silly for running away.

His tense shoulders relaxed. With a soft smile, he gently patted her back as she wept against him.

The servant stared from his box, utterly bewildered. "M-Master Rossana... Uhm...?"

"Give us a second."

He placed his hands on Nichole’s shoulders and eased her back. Nichole wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve, her breath still hitching and her nose snotty as her red eyes looked up at him.

"Come on, now... That’s enough crying, okay? Hey, it’s just like I told you back in the hospital... keep your chin up, and you might just find a miracle coming your way. I’m really glad you’re alright now, Nichole."

Nichole’s breath nearly stopped completely.

Looking up into his handsome face – seeing the soft, genuine warmth in his blue eye – something inside her chest fractured and reformed.

Her heart ached with a sudden, overwhelming, and terrifying intensity. From her perspective, the world around them seemed to mute into nothingness, leaving only the heat of his hand on her shoulder and the steady, comforting rhythm of his breathing.

The burning humiliation, the frustration, the anger – it all dissolved, replaced by a helpless and consuming warmth that flooded her entire being.

Realising what was happening to her, Nichole’s face exploded into a beet-red blush.

Driven by sheer embarrassment.... She punched him.

THWACK!

"NGAH!"

THUD!

Kurt slammed against the carriage as she shot her fist straight into his ribs.

"T-THAT’S FOR RUNNING AWAY FROM ME! AND THIS IS FOR DISAPPEARING ON ME IN THE HOSPITAL!"

THWACK!

"OOF!" Kurt winced again as her second punch caught him in the gut.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU STUPID DENSE IDIOT! I...! I...! MMMAAAHHH!!!"

Without warning or goodbye, she sprinted back toward the palace grounds at full speed, screaming in frustration.

"Ha... Haha... I knew it. Classic..."

He slowly climbed back into the carriage, shutting the door behind him. He collapsed onto the seat right beside the sleeping Diana, leaning his head back.

"You can drive now."

"Y-Yes, sir!" The servant whipped the leather reins, and the carriage smoothly rolled out onto the main road toward the estate.

As if sensing his presence beside her, Diana unconsciously shifted, leaning her body over and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist while cuddling close against his side.

Kurt patted her head, resting his head against the window with a tired smile.

"I swear... I’d take a jealous yandere over a tsundere any day of the week."