If Zeke had really drunk a potion that would make him become honest, then surely he wouldn’t have made such advances, or asked her to date him.
“I expect that Zeke had fallen for you before you made him drink the potion.”
Are you serious?!
Cecily cast her mind back to how Zeke had acted that day. He had been curt and a bit uncouth, but well-meaning. He’d had a sad look in his eye as he explained how girls feared him. He hadn’t been particularly rude or anything, but on the day they’d first met, he hadn’t put on any airs and hadn’t shown any particular interest in Cecily.
“No... He didn’t seem that way at all.”
“Don’t tell me that. He’s right here, so why don’t you ask him? Hey, Zeke! What did you think of Cecily when you met her?”
Zeke didn’t answer for a short while. However, he didn’t seem angry about the fact that Cecily had made him drink a completely mysterious liquid. His hazel eyes were fixed upon Cecily and she stared back—although they weren’t hugging anymore, the intensity of his stare caused Charlotte to blush again. With their faces so close together, everyone wondered if they were about to kiss, but from Zeke’s lips instead came a simple confession.
“I’ve thought Cecily was pretty since the day I met her.”
Cecily’s mouth opened in surprise. However, as Zeke stopped there, Alphonse chimed in with a hand raised, unable to bear the silence.
“He’s telling the truth, Cecy. I can vouch for him.” All eyes fell on Alphonse as if to ask how he knew this. He scratched his cheek and went on. “You see, I actually met up with Zeke the day after he met you at the knickknack shop.”
Cecily knew this. However, it seemed like she had only heard half the story...
✧ ✧ ✧
In the corner of an almost empty cafeteria...
“Watch yourself, Zeke. They say witches are known to use shady potions to control people’s emotions. Even someone like you wouldn’t stand a chance if you drank one.”
After hearing that his friend had saved a young witch in town the day before, Alphonse delivered this warning to Zeke.
Zeke was the third son from a merchant family who had purchased baron status, and Alphonse was the third son of a count. Although both were third sons, their family situations were totally different.
Many rumors had long dogged Alphonse, who put on airs around women. It was Alphonse’s father who’d recommended that he join the Celestial Knight Brigade. The man had been struggling to deal with this son of his who, while talented, didn’t take anything very seriously. He had hoped that this troublesome boy would change for the better if he joined the famously tough Celestial Knight Brigade.
However, upon joining, Alphonse’s immediate reaction to it had been negative. He was fed up at being in a brigade solely comprised of men, and also with Zeke, who—despite being a new recruit himself—was already exhibiting immense talent. The pair were like water and oil. Every time they met they started arguing, and their constant verbal spats made everyone else shrink away in fright.
What changed their relationship was a gradual, mutual understanding over the years—that although Zeke was harsh to others, he was even harsher to himself, and that despite Alphonse’s joking demeanor, his nature at its core was hardworking and diligent.
This argumentative pair gradually became friendly rivals, then true friends, and then stalwart allies who trusted each other with their lives. And now they had reached the positions of captain and vice-captain of the Celestial Knight Brigade.
I don’t want my buddy Zeke getting his heart stolen away by a witch.
Alphonse was filled with this fierce desire to protect his blockheaded friend from danger.
“Got it. I’ll watch out.”
Zeke’s reply was frank and simple, and Alphonse breathed a sigh of relief. However, it was too soon for him to relax.
“But to be honest, she won’t even need to control my emotions. I’m already taken with her.”
“Excuse me?”
Alphonse doubted his ears. With his mouth frozen in a smile, he turned to Zeke.
“Ha ha ha... I must be getting old. I didn’t catch what you just said.”
“I said she won’t need to control my emotions. After all, I’m already taken with her.”
“Huh? What? Seriously? You’re not pulling my leg?”
“Like I’d have a reason to lie.”
Alphonse felt his brain shut down as Zeke said this in a matter-of-fact way.
“But hold on. That’s not enough to make me believe you! I mean, the Zeke Stein? Attracted to a woman?”
“Yeah. It happened. Even though women always end up running away from me...”
Zeke was a good man. As soon as he had heard that they needed more guards in town the day before, he had headed to the city without a moment’s hesitation and had patrolled without showing a sign of exhaustion. However, this kindness and sense of justice were unfortunately at odds with his appearance.
In the past, when Zeke had reached out to an old woman carrying a heavy load, she had shrieked in fear and then run off. Once, a mother soothing her child had started crying too after seeing Zeke. There was even a time when a lost child had run away from Zeke and went to the local guard, begging to be saved.
Alphonse often joked about this sort of thing and teased Zeke about it, but in truth, it made him angry. No one tried to see Zeke for who he was. They wouldn’t even try to learn what he was really like, and instead looked at him with prejudice.
However, Zeke spoke with a slight smile on his lips.
“She wasn’t scared of me.”
“Really?”
“She came chasing after me after I saved her at the store. But...she did suddenly start crying out of the blue, in the end.”
“You sure she wasn’t scared?” Alphonse said nervously. But Zeke shook his head.