“Like a loyal dog, rushing to the owner’s danger… you’re quite heartwarming,” Cassandra cooed.
“Should I bark for you to be satisfied?” Jared retorted.
Exhausted physically and magically from running all night, Jared faced Cassandra with a defiant smile.
“I heard you were close, but you look more like master and servant. See? Even now, he’s diligently trying to become your shield,” she continued.
“Be silent.”
A quiet but commanding voice was unleashed. Olivier, though not addressed directly, gasped. She could clearly feel the anger radiating from her younger, beloved fiancé.
“I have a mountain of things to say to you. About arresting me, and about the Progenitor’s revival. All of it, and the fact that you dragged Olivier and me into this trivial matter, is infuriating beyond compare.”
“Trivial matter—you say?”
“Yes, trivial. So trivial it makes me yawn.”
Jared noticed Cassandra’s change in expression. Losing her composure would create an opening. If that happened, he could just scoop Olivier up and escape. It was best not to engage with this kind of person. After all, Olivier’s safety was the absolute priority right now.
“What do you know? What emotions I have as I try to revive the Progenitor—”
“Ah, no need to explain. I’m not interested in your feelings or your reasons. If you don’t mind, could you take that elsewhere?”
“You BASTARD!”
Likely feeling utterly ridiculed, Cassandra, enraged, swung her fist. In an instant, thunderous noise erupted, and Jared was sent flying through a wall. Fortunately, Olivier, standing behind him, was untouched. Cassandra must have been careful not to hurt her. Grateful to Cassandra for her consideration even in her anger, Jared pushed aside the rubble and crawled out.
“I assume you’ve had your fill, so we’re leaving. Please go ahead with your Progenitor revival somewhere else, where it won’t bother anyone,” he said, clutching Olivier’s hand and lightly raising his other hand towards Cassandra. As he started to leave the room,
“Wait. I wouldn’t let Olivier go so easily.”
The halt was as natural as breathing.
“Let me make this clear, I’m angry with you. Don’t you think it would be better to let us go?”
“If it were just you, I might. But not Olivier. You see, he is to become the Progenitor’s Vessel.”
“What right do you have to do this to someone’s fiancé! And the fact that you arrested me and arranged to meet here with both of you… you’re quite thorough, aren’t you? I have complaints for Olivier too, for falling for it, but I’ll hold off for now.”
“…Jared, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s okay. It’ll be alright. Olivier must have had his reasons. But that doesn’t mean I’ll let you make him the Progenitor’s Vessel. Besides, wasn’t he sealed?”
“Um, apparently, I have a talent for magic, and it was all hidden by Cassandra-sama. If those seals are broken, the one placed by Haru-dono will also be broken.”
“—What? Ah, no, let’s leave that for later. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”
“Kya!”
Though he had many questions, Jared judged that this wasn’t the place to discuss them while glaring at Cassandra. He swept Olivier into his arms. Holding Olivier, who let out a cute yelp, tightly, he glanced at the window he had just shattered.
“Just a moment, Jared. Holding me like this, what floor do you think this is!”
“The third floor is within acceptable limits!”
With that pronouncement, he kicked the floor with all his might. His limbs tensed, and Olivier in his arms let out a strange sound.
“I won’t let you go!”
Cassandra reacted a beat later, attempting to stop them, but Jared had already moved to the window. Then, he leaped with all his strength.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!?”
Hearing his fiancée’s loud scream, Jared jumped out of Cassandra’s residence window without a moment’s hesitation.
