-~*~-
.
.
.
Irene and Kazuto finally uncovered the very truth of the case. They are currently relaying everything that they had found to Luyao. Yanyi on the other hand is overseeing the departure of the soldiers or rather ex-soldiers.
Since the case has come to a close, her little observation also came to a conclusion. The conclusion? She can stay.
Every single one of the soldiers is already on the vehicle of which they came here with. Cinth takes his own car over here so he would be the last one to depart. First and foremost he gave a bow of gratitude to the butler and employees in the villa for keeping everyone – him – safe.
Yanyi didn't move to bother him or his farewell. She stood to the side of the stairs. It is only when Cinth walked past her did she said, "Uncle Cinth. Can we have a talk? A final one before you leave."
Cinth turns to her, face looks normal. But his eyes tell a different story. "Sure. Is there a particular place you wish to have this talk?" Her teacher through and through.
They took the car all the way to the cafe that they had been having an appointment at. Every lunch hour, she would come here and converse with Cinth. About anything really. Especially after that incident at the apartment.
They take everything normally.
Their normal spot.
Their normal drinks.
Their normal view.
The silence however is not normal. It's heavy. Yanyi looks down to where Cinth's hands are fidgeting with each other. "I'm sure father is okay with you resigning, Uncle."
"Resigning? Why so sudden?" He was confused. Sure the thought had sometimes crossed his mind. But he is pretty sure that he never made it clear to begin with.
"You know I can read people's faces right? The perks of being the Holy Maiden I guess!" Her smile turned to a sad scowl. She didn't want to depart from him. But she knew the longer he stayed here, the more pain he felt.
"You take this position… so that you have a string to him, right? He's the Lord General after all." The man sitting in front of her said nothing to confirm nor deny those allegations. To be honest, even he doesn't remember why he took the position.
Sure he's brilliant in strategizing. But he is nothing in the combat field. If anything he is average at best.
"I'm not sure myself…"
Yanyi — "How long?"
Cinth — "32 years of loving him… 13 years of waiting… maybe more…"
13 years. It has been 13 years since that day on the training field. Her fist started to clench underneath the table. 'He had spent half of his life loving him. No response.' She thought to herself.
"Please… I hope that you will resign and start a new life." She said in a small voice. The person before her was a bit stunned at first. He clasp his lips to a thin line before a smile emerges.
"I guess it is time isn't it." Yanyi looks back up to stare at the green eyes before him. The one that had been there for 10 years of her training. A patient man before her.
Yanyi — "R-Really!?"
Cinth — "I have experienced heartbreak after heartbreak. Waiting for half of my lifetime for an answer. I'm done waiting for him. Done being in the shadows."
Yanyi — "Then! What do you want to do now?"
Cinth — "Perhaps start my own coffee shop far away from here. A place where I can start anew. A true me. Cinth Kerinil."
Yanyi with eyes filled with excitement. She even start to bombarded Cinth with many retirement proposal. Even saying that she will gift him his own coffee store to start his business. He laugh it aside.
"Though. It isn't easy to let go of a love this long." He commented. Stirring the cup of coffee before his eyes. His reflection inside blur with the flow of the liquid.
"But~ I'm sure time will be my companion. Just like how my patience has been there for 32 years." He said like a philosopher. With that out of the way, Yanyi and Cinth chatted to their heart content until the lunch hour came to a close.
Before parting ways, Cinth turned around to Yanyi and said a final request he has as a general. "My Lady, please keep this a secret between us, okay." He plastered that gentle and nearly motherly smile to her.
Of course she said yes.
With that their little time comes to a close in Kinsel. The vehicle moved towards the road and slowly headed out of the city and soon enough the state of Kinsel. Yanyi continues to wave goodbye even when she no longer sees the vehicle.
As her hand falls to the side, she reminds herself about the event that took place 13 years ago. Just a week before her elotion ceremony.
.
.
.
The sky has already turned red as the sun starts to set for the moon. Yet in the training field of the Xue's military quarters two figures are still clashing weapons as we are speaking. One is smaller than the other.
Her hair that had been tied to a ponytail was fluttering against the wind from the clash as she took a few steps back before taking a few steps forward. Her small body is akin to a child. Because she is.
This is Yanyi when she was only 7 years old.
The other person is General Jerad Konse who is one of the most proficient and youngest generals ever recorded in Xue's military history. He was appointed as general when he was only 17 years old. Which is really young.
Clash! Clang! Cling!
They have been going through this for the past 2 hours already. It is nearing the time for Yanyi to return back home. "Argh! When can I defeat you!" The young girl starts to throw a tantrum as none of her strikes are even touching Jerad.
She will always be on the defense side and never on the offensive side.
So unfair.
"Maybe when you're older. A little lady like you still has a long way to go, you know." Jerad said, patting her fluffy blue hair.
"Welp! Look at the time. It is so late already. You should go and prepare to return back to the manor, little Yiyi." The young general said while downing a bottle of water.
"Fine! We'll still have our weekly match right!?"
"For sure for sure."
"Okay! Bye Uncle Jerad!"
The little figure ran away from the training field back to the main gate of the headquarters. Jerad also needs to return back inside. He has a mountain of work that still needs to be looked over. 'Hopefully Cinthy already deals with half of them.' He thought to himself.
"Jerad. Do you have some time?" Speak of the devil.
Jerad turned around and found his right hand man standing behind him. His most trusted friend in the entire world really. "Cinthy! Yeah I got some time. Why?"
"W-Well I-I want to say something to you… If you don't mind…" He is fidgeting with his fingers. 'He's nervous.' He thought but shrugged it off as nothing important.
Oh boy is he wrong.
In one smooth breath and motion, Cinth let out everything he had in one single second. "I've feelings for you for more than a friend! I love you romantically and I'm sorry!"
Jerad blinked in confusion and a bit of shock actually. He let out a short and simple "Huh?" To show his confusion.
He can catch the words that Cinth had uttered but a dense rock as he can't really comprehend what it really means. Meanwhile the person uttering said words is red as a tomato.
"What are you talking about? I mean of course you love me more than a friend. We're best friends, remember?" He tries to play it off cool. Like he hadn't heard that last part of his speech.
"T-That's not what I mean. I-I mean I love you as a friend yes… but, I also love you in a bit more than.. Platonic way…"
"Ouh…"
"I-It's okay if you want to reject it! I-I just wanted to speak about what I felt all this time. That's it. Hehe…"
"Yeah… Cinthy listen to me okay." The man before him nodded in understanding. His eyes are shimmering with stars. He hadn't heard any rejection yet so that's a good sign at least.
"I-uhhh. I don't really have an answer to your… confession. And it's not because I reject you or anything okay! I care about you, really. I just… don't know what my preference is…"
"Ouh. Okay! I'm fine with waiting!" The younger version of General Cinth said in a really bubbly tone. Almost innocent. They eventually part ways there and the waiting game begins.
Little did he know, that day would be the last good conversation they would ever have.
For the rest of 8 years of Jerad's service, he was super busy with work. From left to right. Data and documents. It comes to a point where he doesn't have time for Yanyi's training. So as his right hand man, Cinth took the liberty of being Yanyi's mentor from then on.
Just a way to lessen his burden.
There are times where Cinth would try to start a light conversation with Jerad. It would either be him talking alone or receive no response. Regardless he didn't stop. Hoping that it would bring a bit more light to his busy life.
His hope didn't go higher though.
Every time he tries to pivot to another conversation or stays on one for too long, Jerad would give him a harsh glare. Basically telling him to shut up or leave. And so he did.
He leaves Jerad alone in hopes that he would one day respond back to him. Or returning to being his friend once again.
Maybe it would come after his retirement. But he didn't mind waiting that long. If Jerad retired there would be no stress for him any longer. And he did retire.
He did without anyone knowing.
Silently went away one day without any news.
Just a paper of resignation and gone.
This breaks Cinth's heart a bit. But he is a patient man. He can wait.
So he waited…
And wait…
And wait…
He never received a call from him.
He never gets an answer from him.
With 13 years of waiting, Cinth would hope that it would be the end of their meeting. Perhaps he had moved somewhere far away. Maybe he could bring a close to this unrequited love of his.
Only to see him 5 years after he resigned.
And to be met with harsh words and a different person. Not the Jerad he knew. He'd changed. Completely changed.
A book that nearly closed itself is now wide open. But inside is not an answer but scribbles of undescended sentence. The inside of his heart is a mess the moment he met him again.
But all books must come to a close. Cinth wants to close his. And so he did.
He will close this book of love. Once and for all. No longer will he be a shadow of the man he had once chased.
Following his footsteps in hopes of being with him.
Only to have his whole heart shattered to pieces.
He will get a new life.
A life that belongs to him.
He just has to face a few hurtful hurdles and he'd be free.
That's okay though.
He had dealt with pain for 32 years already.
What can a few more do to him?
.
.
.
A lot.
.
.
.
Back to the present.
After the whole ordeal with the orphanage, it finally came to a normal pace once again. Yanyi had also fully digested the document that Irene and Kazuto had compiled. Luyao will do the report while she will handle the other work.
Though there is something that she needs to confirm.
.
.
.
The carriage stops in front of the temple's giant gate and Yanyi steps out of the vehicle before making her way to a specific tower. She had already made an appointment and it would be a quick one.
Knock! Knock!
After waiting for a minute the door was open and a familiar face greeted Yanyi. High Priest Keith came into view. "Good day, My Lady, The Holy Maiden." He greets her with a warm salutation.
"Good day to you too, High Priest Keith. May I come inside and quickly deal with my business?" She didn't dilly dally and the moment the permission was granted High Priest Keith proceeded to open a gateway to a certain room.
The room is vast. Nearly infinite if you could say that. It holds all the records for the Rin-Sil across all of Yucoria. The only people who are allowed to enter are the High Rin-Sil and the High Priestess only.
Yanyi walked following a certain golden thread before she took a folder and read it.
This folder contains all of the information of a Rin-Sil. From birth to death. It is basically a complete diary of their entire life. Yanyi had grabbed within her hands a folder belonging to the deceased victim in the recent case.
She flipped through the last page of her folder. Finding out who is the killer to this victim. She witnessed the most disgusting knowledge of Rin-Sil.
Rippley Lennart. The murderer.
He is the Rin-Sil of the victim.
A Rin-Sil killing their own half.
Now that is unheard off.
.
.
.
-~*~-