Chapter 41: 041: Thyrian please don’t cry....I love you too

Hearing their words, I felt warmth spread in my heart. No one had ever cared for me in such a way. I felt my eyes well up with tears but didn’t dare let them fall.

"Thank you, it means a lot to me that you care so much," I said softly, and they exchanged looks, clearly confused. I’m sure they were thinking how much I had changed. The original villainess would never thank them even, she was evil, a completely ignorant, prideful fool. Thinking of her, I gritted my teeth angrily, and Azrael gently patted my head. I paused.

"Those berries aren’t what you think they are. They shimmer gold to attract their prey. Thankfully, you didn’t eat them, or it would have ended with you in a coma or worse." Hearing his words, I licked my lips. Of course, I’m not that foolish to eat something in the void realm. I had carried it with me, thinking it was something of value.

"Where is it now, though?" I asked as my eyes lit up.

"I destroyed it!" Azrael said, and I nodded in understanding. It’s a given—something like that shouldn’t fall into the hands of anyone evil in this academy. I sighed and yawned softly. I needed sleep, and I was very hungry.

But I remembered one thing. My lips parted, and I turned to Veyra and Ryker.

"You don’t need to call me Master... It’s getting way too much and unpleasant to hear. Just call me by my name, Raven," I said and watched as they exchanged looks.

"Maste—" I stared at him, and Veyra licked his lips before parting them.

"Raven... it feels weird. As far back as we can remember it’s all you ever wanted us to call you. Isn’t it—"

"Please stop. Look at Azrael, he doesn’t call me Master," I said and pointed at Azrael. I didn’t look, but I felt the prideful smug on his lips, and Veyra bit his lip and looked down at his hands, sad. I gently giggled and reached to caress his hair.

"Hmm, I’ll stop addressing you as Master... Raven," Ryker said, and my eyes beamed.

I really wasn’t a fan of that name. The original villainess had forced them to call her ’Master,’ and when they didn’t, she would whip them... She was evil. I didn’t want to prolong that custom. It was unsettling. That aside...

"Let’s go to the front," I said and slid out of my bed. I didn’t feel like falling anymore and wiggled my toes, satisfied. But Ryker’s hands rested on my waist and—

SWOOP

I was curled up in his arms. I bit down on my lips, and he stared down at me, giving that faint smile. I blushed, looking away, and circled my arms around his neck. He and the others gently walked out of the infirmary.

Outside, Liora stared and blushed at the scene. Bibi didn’t say a word and cursed under her breath. "Shameless mad tyrant," she said, making a small disapproving grunt. I just rolled my eyes at her words.

It didn’t take a minute, we arrived at the dorm, and Veyra pushed the door open. Stepping inside, Ryker set me down. I didn’t think much of it as my gaze landed on the pool outside. Thyrian’s head rested on the edge of the solid foundation.

Was he waiting for me all this time?

I walked hurriedly to him and crouched down, gently caressing his hair.

"Why did you wait out like this?" I mumbled softly, being gentle and quiet. Either way, his eyes opened instantly, and I retracted my hands, but he reached for them and held them.

"Mas-ter..." he trailed, and I gently rested my hands in his hair.

"It’s okay, no need to call me Master anymore. The others call me Raven now," I said, and Thyrian looked behind me. He didn’t say a word and gently licked his lips.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, and my lips parted. I should lie... worrying him, I didn’t want to do that.

"N—"

"She was all swollen and fainted. But she’s okay now. We took care of her. No need to worry, Thyrian," Azrael said cold and sharp. Thyrian’s eyes softened....something flashed in them.

"I’m sorry... I wasn’t there with you," he said softly, hurt. His eyes welled up with tears, and I gritted my teeth, turning to stare at Azrael.

"You shouldn’t have said it like that. He’s a soft soul," I snapped, and Azrael rolled his eyes.

"But he wasn’t there!" he replied coldly, and my glare turned sharp.

"Okay, let’s go," Veyra said gently, resting his hands on Azrael’s shoulder. "We will take care of him," Ryker added, but Azrael scoffed and shoved Veyra’s hands away.

"I can walk. Don’t touch me," he said coldly, sounding irritated. He walked off instantly, and the others followed him.

I turned to Thyrian and gently wiped his tears.

"Ignore Azrael’s words," I said, but Thyrian’s eyes only saddened more, and more tears fell.

"Raven... among the others, I’m the most useless. I can’t save you from danger, and I can’t be with you all the time. I’ll always be stuck in the water," he said bitterly, as if cursing his fins, wishing they were legs.

"I disappoint you so much," he added, and my other hand shot to his cheeks.

"No, don’t say that. You mean the world to me. And you are not the weakest, you are my strongest beast-man," I said, and he just stared at me, gently snuggling into my palm. Gosh... he looked so vulnerable. He was the cutest among the rest, like a beautiful, handsome baby that needed constant care.

"I wish I had legs. I want to follow you everywhere, just like the others," he said, and my gaze softened.

"You don’t need legs. I love you just the way you are!" I said.

He didn’t say a word but retracted his face and took my hands gently, planting a kiss on my knuckles. My body froze, then tingled all over like electricity ran through me. Before I could waver in the feeling, Thyrian pulled me closer, hugging me tightly.

"Master, please don’t abandon me. I’ll be good. I’ll do my best. Please don’t leave me. I’m really sorry. I won’t let you down or make you feel ashamed of me," he cried harder, and my heart tightened. I gently rested my hands on his back, patting softly.

"It’s okay, Thyrian. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone," I said softly, sniffing as I felt sad hearing him cry.

"Master, please don’t cry," he said, and I froze. Looks like it would take a while for him to stop calling me Master. So I let it slide, but I wasn’t crying, I just sniffed.

"Master, what can I do to be the best for you?" he asked, and I giggled. I pulled back from the hug and gently squeezed his cheeks.

"You don’t need to do anything Thyrian, I love you just the way you are. And don’t try to change yourself, no matter what. I don’t need you to please me by changing yourself. I’ll embrace you wholeheartedly just the way you are..." I said, and slowly his cheeks turned faint red.

"Mast—sorry, I mean Raven... I really like your new self," he said, staring straight into my eyes, and my heart skipped a beat. Why did that suddenly sound romantic? I blushed subtly.

"I want to hug you so tight and keep you next to me! That’s why I wish I had legs," he said, sounding sad again. I gently caressed his hair...

But then I felt his hand rest on my waist, and a sudden heavy sensation rushed through me. I crouched further, inches away from his face, and he blushed.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked, and my eyes widened, unable to respond.

He gently moved forward and pinched my cheeks softly.

"Ah—" I hissed, and he retracted his hands. "Did I hurt you?" he asked in panic, and I chuckled.

"You didn’t," I said, gently resting my palms on his face.

Before he could speak, my lips rested on his, soft and gentle.

He froze for a second before kissing back. I didn’t open my mouth fully, letting him just suck on my lips and graze them softly... but then his tongue—

I felt it lick my lips, and I shivered, parting them slightly. He slid his tongue in gently, exploring everything. I gasped, but he only pushed deeper.

I pulled away, catching my breath.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked again, but I gently pushed him back. He just stared in shock, and I slipped into the water.

"Oh—it’s cold," I gasped as I was now drenched.

He moved closer and gently pinned me between him and the pool edge.

"You look so pretty right now," he said, and I blushed, looking away.

"Stop lying," I mumbled softly, and he chuckled. His hands shot out, gently holding my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"You make me so happy. I really want only the best for you," he said, and my heart swirled. Of course, the others made my heart race and made me feel breathless, like I was falling in love over and over again... but Thyrian, he was just too soft, too fragile. I wanted to protect him. I couldn’t believe the original villainess treated him so cruelly.

My hands shot to his face, holding his cheeks. He stared in shock, but my eyes were filled with determination.

"I promise you, with me here, no one will ever harm you or the others. Not one bit."

He blushed and gently removed his hand from my chin.

"You are so blunt!" he said, and I raised a brow.

"If I’m not blunt, how would you guys know I love you all?"