Tears streamed down Tassa's face, prompting Ixartxist to sarcastically thank Suman for his contribution to her emotional state. Suman simply shrugged, claiming ignorance about the grim reaper's actions. He advised Ixartxist to calm down and not let his anger consume him so easily. Ixartxist dismissed him with a wave of his hand, calling him an "Angel of nuisance."
"Angel of Nuisance? Why does that phrase sound familiar, as if I've heard it long, long ago?" Tassa wondered aloud.
"Because you have heard it, Quart. You have," Suman replied cryptically.
"But where? Where have I heard it before?" Tassa questioned, her voice filled with curiosity.
"Somewhere—" Ixartxist shot a menacing glare at Suman, causing him to change his response. "Over the rainbow, where blue birds die. Oh, forget it," Suman dismissed.
Ixartxist redirected the conversation, urging Tassa to forget about Ayamani and embrace a fresh start with him, Suman, and their newfound friends.
"But I love him, Xart," Tassa confessed, her voice filled with longing.
Ixartxist clenched his fist, repeating his question. "You love Ayamani?"
"I do, and maybe if I weren't blind, he wouldn't see me as a burden. I don't want him to guide me anymore, but I just want him to come back. I promise I'll be kind to him and I won't act like a spoiled brat anymore. But what can I do? He left me, just like you and Suman did before," Tassa lamented.
"Oh, I didn't want to. Ask your Xart for more information," Suman interjected.
Ixartxist glared at Suman, silently urging him to be silent. Meanwhile, Calguas approached Tassa, gently running his fingers through her soft golden hair, a gesture he had done since she was a child.
"Well, look at the bright side, Quart. If you weren't blind, you wouldn't have met Ayamani, right? I believe he feels the same way about you. I'm certain he loves you, who wouldn't—" Calguas began to say, interrupted by Vilyn's sudden outburst.
"You wouldn't dare! Listen, Tassa, Quart, or whatever they all call you. Calguas is mine, so back off!" Vilyn exclaimed, her voice filled with possessiveness.
Suman and Ixartxist swiftly intervened, separating Vilyn from Tassa and guiding her to the couch, attempting to calm her down. Calguas observed the scene, his gaze fixed on them, when Tassa posed a question. She felt a sense of familiarity towards Calguas, as if they had met before. Nervousness washed over Calguas as he contemplated the possibility of Tassa blowing his cover in front of everyone. He decided to feign ignorance, claiming that it was his first time meeting her. Vilyn grew increasingly angry at Tassa's disregard, admonishing her to back off. Ixartxist covered Vilyn's mouth and responded, explaining that Calguas was their friend, which might explain the sense of familiarity Tassa felt. Calguas silently agreed, although discomfort still lingered within him.
"Well, perhaps you're right. Maybe he just exudes the same energy as someone I knew before. Anyways, what are you guys doing to that kid?" Tassa inquired.
Vilyn bit Ixartxist's hand in frustration, retorting angrily, "What kid! Hey, listen, I'm not a kid. I'm much older than you, Tassa Quart!"
Ixartxist rolled his eyes at Vilyn's outburst and walked towards Tassa, asking if she wanted to eat. Tassa eagerly accepted the invitation, and the two of them left the room, intentionally ignoring Vilyn.
"Hey, wait! Where are you going? You should respect me. I'm much older than you, you know!" Vilyn protested.
"No, actually, she's much, much, much older than you, honey," Suman chimed in with a mischievous smile.
Vilyn questioned Suman about his statement, seeking an explanation. However, Suman remained silent, maintaining his enigmatic smile. He then invited Vilyn to have dinner with him, and she agreed, requesting that Calguas join them. Suman was taken aback when he saw Vilyn clinging to Calguas' arm, even asking if he could join them. Calguas calmly looked at Suman and agreed to dine together as a special gesture of gratitude for Vilyn's help and to celebrate Quart's return. Before leaving, Suman cast a baleful gaze at Calguas and questioned if he was Vilyn's new lover. Vilyn interjected, confirming that he was indeed her new lover.
"Is she really going to date every friend I have?" Suman pondered silently, while casting an affectionate glance at his beloved daughter.
"I'm just humoring her, Suman. Don't worry, I would never do such a thing," Calguas reassured him.
"Glad to hear it from you, but don't hurt her, understood."
Vilyn glared at them both, sensing that they were communicating telepathically. She impatiently asked if they were finished talking, expressing her hunger and boredom.
Suman's terrifying gaze met Vilyn's, causing a shiver to run down her spine. However, he remained silent, refraining from saying anything further. Suddenly, the surroundings transformed, and the three of them found themselves inside a luxurious restaurant, ready to indulge in an extravagant and expensive dinner together.
Tassa and Ixartxist sat together, sharing a meal in silence. Ixartxist couldn't help but gaze at Tassa, still in disbelief that he finally had her by his side after a thousand years. He noticed her short hair, with messy bangs framing her face, and he wanted to ask if she had cut it herself. However, sensing her somber mood, he decided not to bring it up. Instead, he complimented her hair, but Tassa remained silent, pausing for a moment before continuing to eat. Ixartxist sensed that something was bothering her and inquired if it had to do with her hair, asking if she had cut it. Tassa's response was curt.
"I am not mad, and this has nothing to do with my hair, so please, Xart, stay away from my hair and leave it alone!"
"Dang it, Quart. This was our first dinner together after such a long time, and now we're going to fight like we always did in the old days," Ixartxist lamented.
"I'm sorry, I'm not mad. It's just that... please, don't say anything about my appearance. I know to myself that I'm ugly with my long hair, and now that it's shorter than Suman's, what do I look like now? I've never been beautiful in my life—" Tassa's voice trailed off, her words filled with self-doubt.
"You are beautiful. You have always been beautiful, even before you were placed in the Rise Belt of Creation. Quart, you have always been and will always be beautiful," Ixartxist reassured her, his voice filled with sincerity.
Tassa looked down, her cheeks turning a shade of crimson as she tried to hide her blush from him. Ixartxist decided to change the subject, suggesting that after dinner, she should take a bath. Tassa's eyes widened at his words, causing her to choke on her food. Ixartxist quickly offered her water, but she awkwardly drank it, keeping her elbow close to her stomach. Observing her peculiar drinking manner, Ixartxist raised an eyebrow, only for Tassa to suddenly stop eating and move her chair away from him. Perplexed by her behavior, Ixartxist asked her what was wrong, but Tassa remained silent, smiling at him instead.
"Quart, are you alright?" he asked again, concern lacing his voice.
Tassa stood up abruptly, walking away from him before finally responding, "No, I'm fine. I'm just tired. I have to go now." Ixartxist immediately stood up, ready to guide her upstairs, but she pushed him away and gestured for him to stay where he was.
"What is wrong, Quart? Did they damage your brain or something?" Ixartxist questioned, his worry evident.
Tassa opened her mouth to respond, but a mosquito flew onto Ixartxist's face, causing him to swat it away. "Do I really smell that bad, Xart? I'm so sorry. I was imprisoned for a week by the military, and I forgot about my hygiene. You're probably offended by my smell, aren't you?" Tassa confessed, her voice filled with remorse.
Ixartxist remained silent, choosing not to respond verbally. Instead, he gently carried her upstairs to her room. Once there, he carefully laid her down and retrieved some clean clothes from her wardrobe.
"Your size hasn't changed a bit, my love. Thankfully, you can still wear your old clothes. But we'll buy you some new ones tomorrow, if that's alright with—"
"Don't act nice. You're offended, aren't you, Xart? I know you very well, and you only complimented me earlier because it's the opposite of me. You're in love with cleanliness and you love to maintain your body hygiene. You hate when you smell, and you hate when your mansion gets dirty. If there's one thing that you probably hate the most, it would be dirt, am I right?" Tassa interrupted.
Ixartxist walked towards her, placing the clean clothes beside her, and replied, "I'm not you, Quart. That's what you hate the most, not me. That's why everyone needs to maintain Heaven's kingdom as clean as you want it to be. The only reason I love cleanliness is because you love it. I don't want you to be offended because I'm dirty or anything. I even hired 50 maids before just to clean the whole place, all to satisfy you. Suman knew about it, but I denied it. What I hate the most is impurity, but in a spiritual sense, not physically. And it doesn't matter if you bathe or not, because you still look the same. So, if you think I'm offended because you haven't bathed for a week, then you're wrong. I'm offended because you don't know me as well as you think you do," Ixartxist explained.
Tassa suddenly felt a pang of guilt and foolishness. Ixartxist handed her a towel and advised her to take a bath before going to sleep. Silently, Tassa accepted the towel and solemnly made her way to the bathroom.
"I'm so stupid. I'm so sorry, my Xart," she muttered to herself, her voice barely audible within the confines of the bathroom.
After Tassa finished her bath, she slowly made her way to her bed. However, Ixartxist gently took hold of her hand, guiding her to the bed himself. Tassa apologized to him, but Ixartxist questioned why she was sorry. She replied, "Because I didn't know you, but you know me. I'm so sorry." Ixartxist smiled warmly at her, assuring her that he couldn't be mad over such a simple thing. He tenderly laid her down on the bed and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Besides, I am more likely the holder of memories. I can remember everything, but you can't. Now, Quart, let's create a sweet harmony together. That's your forte."
"My forte?" Tassa questioned, her curiosity piqued.
"Listen, you can only hurt me if you walk away from me. As long as you don't, then we're good, my love," Ixartxist explained. He turned off the lamp, bidding her goodnight. However, Tassa grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from leaving her side. Ixartxist inquired if there was something she wanted, and she replied, "An answer, about those two from before. How come I can see them? Are they already dead?"
Ixartxist reassured her, "No, they are not dead yet, my love. I wish they were, but they aren't. The reason you are able to see them is because they, like me and Suman, are fellow wizards who can cast spells to become visible to your eyes. Now, goodnight, my love."
"Don't go. Why don't you just stay here with me? Well, there's plenty of space for both of us, and—" Tassa began, her voice filled with longing.
Ixartxist moved closer to her, gently running his fingers through her soft golden hair. "You know I can't, my dear Tassa. It is not proper for a man to sleep next to a woman, especially now that you're a woman yourself. We can't sleep together like we did before, not until we get married."
"Okay, but will you promise me that you'll never leave me again?" Tassa pleaded.
Ixartxist leaned in, pressing a tender kiss to her hand, and replied, "Tomorrow, before you wake up, I'll be right here beside you. I promise." With that, he turned off the lights and closed the door behind him.
Tassa felt a surge of gratitude as she lay beside Ixartxist, a smile gracing her lips. She kissed the spot on her hand where Ixartxist had kissed her, cherishing the memory. "Did Xart truly love me, or was he just a normal British guy who enjoyed using endearing terms like 'my love,' 'my dear,' and 'my beloved'? Perhaps I am merely assuming that he likes me. But it doesn't matter, as long as I have him right here beside me, nothing can go wrong. We might even find our happily ever after." Tassa drifted off to sleep, a contented smile adorning her face. "I'm pretty sure someday he'll love me back. But for now, I'll say goodnight to you, my Xart, my love."
Tassa's heart ached with a love she had harbored for Ixartxist since childhood. However, she couldn't bring herself to admit her feelings to him. Shyness held her back, and she believed that Ixartxist would never return her affections. In her eyes, she was an ugly girl, never having seen her own face in the mirror since she became blind. This belief fueled her doubts, making her think it was impossible for someone like Ixartxist to develop feelings for her. Little did she know that Ixartxist was deeply obsessed with her, his love for her consuming his every thought. But Tassa remained unaware, her gullible and naive nature preventing her from seeing the truth. Moreover, she trusted Ixartxist implicitly, unable to harbor any anger towards him, even after he had left her before.
Meanwhile, Ixartxist sat in his room, contemplating Tassa's lost memories of Nia'le. "It can't be amnesia, because if it were, how does she still remember me? I believe the only part of her mind that has been lost is the memories of Nia'le. But who would do such a thing? Is it an enemy or an ally?" Confusion swirled in Ixartxist's mind as he tried to unravel the mystery.
At the same time, Calguas, filled with worry for Tassa, pondered the difficulty of separating her from Ixartxist now that she was under his protection once again. He knew that their deepening connection would make it even harder to keep them apart, especially since Tassa was so enamored with Ixartxist. Calguas contemplated this as he stood under the shower's warm spray.
"If Tassa marries Ixartxist, I won't be able to separate them anymore. The more time they spend together, the more likely they are to admit their feelings for each other. They're both so clueless, not realizing that they're in love with each other. Once he proposes to Tassa, I'm certain she'll say yes without hesitation. Quart is head over heels for him, unable to be angry with him even once. Only foolish Ixartxist doesn't know how deeply she cares for him. And Tassa, she wishes upon every star to make Ixartxist fall in love with her. If only she knew that he keeps all her used clothes in his bed, and perhaps does something foolish that most guys do! They're both so ridiculously oblivious," Calguas mused, his worry and exhaustion evident in his words.