John Ericsson's Point of View

  I woke up in the evening after bringing Sarah and Cynthia back. Seems I used up all my Mana with that last Healing Spell and collapsed. I picked myself off the bed. I still feel lethargic. A voice speaks in the darkness.

  " Master!"

  * Wrap! Tight!*

  I felt a figure wrap their arms around me. I felt bumps on the arms that held me, that and the word she used made it obvious who it was.

  " A... Anna?"

  " Yes... Hick..."

  My chest was getting wet. Doesn't take a genius to figure out she's crying. I pat her head and rub her back until she calms down. Seems I really scared her... I better apologize. Seems the shock of her crying shook the lethargy out of me.

  " Anna.. I'm sorry I worried you so much, I did a few risky things. Cynthia probably already explained about that risky fight with that Vendal guy that could've killed me. But I'm fine, I promise."

  " !"

  * Release!*

  " What fight!?"

  Anna released me and looked at me with angry eyes tears were filling in them. Oh no! I think I just told on myself. Anna had tears rolling down her face. I could see she was genuinely angry and worried about me. I sighed and started to tell her about everything. After I finished explaining about Vendal, Anna couldn't help but speak.

  " Do you have any idea how reckless you were!? You could've been killed! One of those men beat Sarah in one move! Why John!?"

  " I understand it was reckless Anna. But we were pressed for time, and I had 2 back up plans in case the Barrier idea didn't work."

  I try to plead my case, Anna just started getting more ramped up. Even the eyes on her arms were staring at me. She began to speak again.

  " And did these back up plans have anyway for you to escape injury?"

  " N... No, it would hinge on the enemy approaching me while thinking I was a sitting duck after dodging his slowed swing from the Barrier."

  I answered honestly, knowing it wouldn't help my case. Anna is staring a hole through me. She begins to speak again, after calming herself a little, so she could speak without crying between the words.

  " So, from a sense of urgency, you bet your life on a Barrier Spell not breaking against what was most likely an experienced mercenary. If that didn't work, you hinged on your own ability to dodge a swing of a sword that could break your Barrier. And you assumed that the sword swing would slow down enough to dodge from colliding with your Barrier?"

  " Y... Yes."

  Anna started to shake... Her tears weren't stopping. I scratched my head and started to speak some of my emotions.

  " Anna, I understand that it was reckless and stupid. But point blank, I'm in a dangerous position right now. Even without being Engaged to Sarah, I still am currently in a Country with citizens that hate Humans to a great degree. Most of the Staff still does not like me. You have to cook my food in order to make sure I'm not poisoned. Add onto that, I am set to be Married to the 1st Princess of Diablos, so that hate has magnified to some degree on me. "

  "Master!"

  Her tears continue to spill out. I continue to speak.

  " I understand not everyone has those same feelings, but, there is enough that certain precautions have been taken. Now I'm not completely sure on this, but I can't help but think that this attempt on kidnapping Sarah, may be a response to her Engagement to me. Someone wanted Sarah dead before I came here. But instead of killing Sarah when the opportunity presented itself, these mercenaries kidnapped her. I think that a powerful Noble hired them to force her into a pure Demon Marriage or something similar."

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  Anna just looked at me in shock. At least she stopped crying. I still continue to speak.

  " Now, continuing on to the actions I have taken. My life is now dangerous, that is a fact. Thankfully, the Royal Family don't hate Humans, in fact, they view me in a positive light, they trust me as I trust them. That allows me to train and grow stronger in relative comfort. I even found you, Anna. Someone I fully trust. But even if Diablos didn't have political infighting or resentment to Humans. I'd still be getting ready to fight a Hero to the death in 2 months. Even if I beat him, it means that at the very least, Promethia will begin to hunt me to the end of my life, not even including his sister who is here in Gaia as well."

  " We won't ever let them touch you ever again! Never!"

  Anna reacted in a fierce way. I tried to reassure her.

  " Anna, Promethia definitely wasn't the people who attacked us. They would've just killed us. Also, a Necromancer was involved, they're treated like dirt in Promethia aren't they? They were Demons."

  " Promethia?... Oh! Yes, I won't let them hurt you, Master!"

  She seemed surprised at my words somehow? But she seems to be calming down. I continued to speak.

  " Having said all of this, at times, I won't be able to walk away unscathed."

  " Master..."

  Anna began to look sad. I look away for a second and I noticed a familiar case on the table next to the desk. I take the case and walk over to Anna. She calls to me in surprise.

  " Master?"

  I take a deep breath and begin to speak.

  " Anna, there will be times I have to be risky. There will be times where I won't walk away with just some Mana Exhaustion. But I promise to you, Anna, I will make it back home."

  I then presented her the earrings I bought during the date. She was very surprised and held her mouth in her hands. I began to explain.

  " During my date with Sarah, we visited a few shops. I saw these earrings and they reminded me of you, Anna. I've always been grateful for everything you do, from feeding and clothing me, to waking me up early and cleaning. None of that is easy and I will always be grateful to you. So, I hope you could take these earrings as a gift and to express my gratitude. Will you accept it? I don't want to force these on you. If you don't want...."

  " !"

  / Woosh!/

  * Empty.*

  As Anna wasn't responding to anything I was saying, I thought I made her uncomfortable. So, I began to move the earrings away as I spoke. Once she saw the case going backwards, she snatched it out of my hands.... I called to her in surprise.

  " Ah? Anna?"

  " I accept them! I want them! Please let me have them!"

  " Ughh.. Okay, I'm glad you like them, Anna."

  " Yes, I like them quite a bit."

  Anna began to pet the case of earrings and smile at them. She then turned her eyes to me. The atmosphere in the room changed and Anna began to speak to me while smiling softly the entire time.

  " Master, I accept your apology. But, I hope you don't think this is enough of an apology for me? I want something more."

  " What might that be?"

  " I want what Princess Sarah had. I want to go on a date with you as well."

  " Will that even be ok? I mean, won't people talk about you in a negative way if they know we were to go on a date? Also, how will Sarah react?"

  " Sarah has already given me permission. As for the other Staff in the Castle, let them talk! Their words mean nothing to me, as they are strangers. Mas.. John... You are far more important to me than they are!"

  She.. She called me by my name, she's even going red in the face from it. How am I supposed to turn her down like this?"

  " Ok, Anna. You win. We can have a date, my next rest day."

  Anna had a wide smile and began to speak.

  " Thank you, Master!"

  " You know, in private, if you want.. You can just use my actual name. If you want, at your discretion of course."

  " Thank you Master, I will use your name when the feeling strikes me."

  She continued to smile as she spoke. After a few minutes of Anna just smiling happily at me. I finally remembered that we were alone. Where is everyone? I asked Anna.

  " Anna, where is everyone?"

  " Originally, Princess Cynthia changed from her bloody clothes and then marched into this room and did not move for a good while. After giving her report of the kidnapping, Sarah sat beside you with Princess Cynthia and I until a half an hour ago. Princess Cynthia was called to give her report and Sarah had decided to go and listen to Cynthia's perspective of the event."

  " I see."

  " Also, Sarah informed me that King Warrick would like to hear your own report and thoughts on this kidnapping."

  " Good. I need to get some answers to my own questions as well."

  / Step! Step! Step! Creak!/

  Anna was a bit quiet after what I said. In this silence we heard footsteps approaching my room, the door opened, and it was Cynthia. She looked calmly at Anna who was in her sights as she entered the room. Then she looked at the bed that I was sitting on. Our eyes met. And she got Angry at me!

  " You reckless fool!"

  " Oh God! not this again!"

  I then had to listen to a speech similar to Anna's. And unlike Anna she didn't accept my reasoning... Was it the earrings that really soothed it over? Do I offer a date?

  / Step! Step! Step! Step!/

  As the scolding from a girl 2 years younger than me continued, suddenly we heard more footsteps. This time it was Sarah and her Friends. In unison, Asha and Sharon yelled at me.

  " You reckless fool!"

  "Wait! How do you guys even know about what I did?"

  " We sat in on Cynthia's recounting of events!"

  I turn to Cynthia, who speaks in a monotone voice.

  " I am not apologizing!"

  Is this bullying? Am I being bullied right now by Demons? I turn to Anna and speak.

  " Anna! Help me!"

  " I'm sorry, Master. While I will always be your Ally, I agree with their sentiments on this topic, please honestly reflect on yourself!"

  And like that Anna turned her back on me as she looked at the case of earrings. I feel a hand on my shoulder, I turn around to Sarah being angry. Why are the rest staring at Anna like that? The lectures didn't stop till Trish came to bring all of us to the dining hall for dinner. Apparently, Warrick, Aqua and Tommy will be joining us.