I Don’t Want This Bad Ending

The lit room of the office of Cabel have been quiet for awhile now. Only the sound of the birds chirping and the wind gushing from the outside can be heard.

Evelyn doesn't know what to do as she looks into space and tries to avoid the burning gaze of Cabel.

'Why did I do that?! Seriously?!'

She wants to pull her hair out for giving in to the weird atmosphere and the abandoned puppy looks in Cabel's eyes.

'Why did you have to do that, Evelyn?! Whyyyy?!'

Regretting her actions came too late as she already did the deed of kissing him.

'But he kissed me first...NO!! I need to get out from here!'

Thoughts of escaping the awkward situation are the only thing that's keeping her sane. So, Evelyn fake a cough to shift that burning gaze and make Cabel focus on her words.

"Duke Cabel, I should get going, Gab is still waiting for me."

Evelyn stiffened up when she saw the reaction on his face, it was a face that was annoyed and irritated. Nonetheless, she didn't want to ask why he reacted like that. She needed to get out of her own embarrassment.

"Good bye…"

"Alright, see you…"

"Huh?"

Evelyn didn't get a reply so she immediately ran to the door and out of the Night Guild and onto the main street. What she didn't see is the smiling face of Cabel looking at her silhouette.

Renting a carriage, she immediately told the coachman to go to her home. Amidst to what she said to Cabel that she needed to go back to Gab, Evelyn knew that Gab already went home.

"Sir, go to the mansion at the priscilla street."

The carriage door closed and the coachman hurriedly embarked the main street and onto Priscilla street where a lot of mansions from the high class society are located in the Emsworth estate.

***

Three weeks has passed since that day and ever since, Cabel will visit the house that Evelyn lives in, and when he sees that there are more guys surrounding her, he determines that he needs to do something.

Evelyn remembered the first conversation that they had after he set foot to the mansion.

"You're living with three adult men?!"

"Yes… Gab, Gil, and Chrisfold. There's also Cassandra with me."

"I'm against this! Why is the commander of the Bahalkii Kingdom and the Protector of the West Gate of the St. Prisch Academy here? There's also the head of the Drivas Merchant Company?!"

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Everything is wrong!"

Evelyn can't understand why Cabel was having a strong reaction about this.

'It's not like, he's the one living with them?' she unconsciously thought.

Cabel then mumbled words that were incomprehensible for Evelyn to understand.

"There's too many rivals! And all of them are living under one roof! I can't let this happen!'

"What did you say?" Evelyn asked.

"Nothing! I'll visit everyday!"

"What?!"

Left with confused eyes, Evelyn wondered why he needed to do that when they can just meet normally and occasionally if needed.

And now, at present, inside the cozy dining room of the now house of Evelyn and her company. A fearsome battle of gaze is happening that made everyone stop holding their utensils and are silently staring at the scenario that is happening inside the dining room.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Gab asked as he glaringly stared at Cabel who's sitting across the long dining table.

"Don't worry, I'm not here for you…" Cabel replied casually that award him another answer from Gab.

"You have a mansion and you have a Duchy that you need to govern. I feel sorry for your constituents to have such a lazy Duke that would leave them like this."

"Like you're one to talk… you leave your post to come here and tail Evelyn like a dog."

Gab flinched at Cabel's remark and glared at him as he leaned closer to the table.

"What did you say, Chalk head?!"

Now, Cabel twitches as he hears those weird taunting words that he sure knew where it came from.

Cabel turn his head and their eyes locked for a split of seconds before Evelyn nonchalantly ignored his stare. Cabel smiled and then he looked again to where Gab is.

"You should go back to you Kingdom, dog."

"Ha! You should go back to you Duchy, stalker!"

Clang!

"Haaaaaaa!"

Chrisfold, Gil, Cassandra, Gab, and Cabel all looked to where the sighed came from and saw that Evelyn whose black mask is at the table and her face can be seen without hindrance was massaging her temple as she felt a brewing headache.

Evelyn glanced at the two adults that acted like an elementary school student, as they bicker in front of the food.

When they saw that Evelyn coldly stared at them, they knew immediately that it was a warning. Gab flinched while Cabel avoided her gaze.

"Why not get out of here? The two of you?!"

"What?"

"Why���?"

The immediate reaction and reply made Evelyn twitch the corner of her eyes because of annoyance.

"From now on, the two of you…! if you act this way again in front of the food. I'll quickly kick you out myself. I'll definitely toss you out of my backyard. Mark my words."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Gab responded as if he was back in training during his first year in the military.

Cabel just nodded his head.

"That's our princess!" Chrisfold chuckle at how Evelyn can shut the two up. While Gab and Cabel glared at him.

"Eve, the opening of the shop will be today, do you want to look around the shop before opening?" Gil asked.

"Sure…"

"Adelyn, I'll need to talk to you after today." The silent Cassandra said and Evelyn turned her head and they locked their eyes.

She saw that she was serious.

'It must be about the curse…' Evelyn thought.

"Sure, I also have something to discuss with you. Also, Chrisfold, I need to talk to you tonight."

"Sure, princess. I'll go to your room later..." Chrisfold agreed as he smiled at Evelyn and the two.

"What do you mean tonight?! And her room?!" Gab butt in as he was annoyed by how Chrisfold looked at them like he has won a lottery.

"Why do you need the meeting to happen at your room, Eve? And don't tell me that only the two of you will have that meeting?!" Cabel slowly asked.

"What's wrong with the two of you? I have important things to discuss to Chrisfold and my room is the most secured in this mansion. So, it's better to hold the meeting in my room." Evelyn replied nonchalantly as she was getting tired at Gab and Cabel questioning.

"Pffft! Hahaha!" Chrisfold can't hold back the laughter anymore and he let out his emotion. He was finding the men around Evelyn to be funny.

"And what are you laughing about huh?!" Gab asked with a warning tone.

Gil just shook his head and Cassandra did the same. Living with Chrisfold they picked up that he had a tendency to agitate someone when he found the opportunity and used it for his own amusement.

Cabel ignored the man and looked at Evelyn with a strict gaze.

"Eve, you don't seem to understand but a young lady should not meet a man at night especially if the meeting place is your quarters." Cabel explained.

Evelyn felt that she would have a headache if she stayed further. And in that moment, she heard Chrisfold hold his laugh that further aggravated the annoyance of the two.

'But it's not like I can tell them that Gil and Chrisfold are my spirits and they can't harm me like they are thinking.' she thought and then assure Cabel and Gab about the meeting that will happen tonight.

"Don't worry, Cassandra will be at the meeting too."

After they learned about it, a relief in their faces seems 

"Today is the opening of the shop, so I'm going to be busy, I've already discussed what you need to do, so I'm going."

"I'll come with you, Eve." Gab said.

"No, I've already learned my lesson…" Evelyn then looked at Cabel who was smirking.

She clicked her tongue when she remembered what happened that day.

"Then, how about I come with you?" Cabel butt in.

"Absolutely not!."

'Whenever he looked at me there's always that smug look on his face. It's annoying!' she thought and turned around to leave.

***

The opening of a new shop was something that is common in the busy district of the business street of the Emsworth Duchy.

Smiling at everyone who tried to peek and saw what was inside was what Chrisfold and Gil were doing.

"They are the perfect advertisers because of their looks. With that weapon, I don't need to think about the customers." she mumbled.

Evelyn is looking down at the second floor and observing the flow of customers coming in. She was also expecting a guest that would come because of the curiosity.

"I wonder when will he arrive?" 

Her black mask has not been used ever since the time that she went to the Duke's house. She only used it whenever she did some visiting in the temple of light or as a messenger of Silvester for the Crown Prince.

Clink! Clink!

The door opened and the silver blue hair met the other noble's gaze that came and was curious because of the newly opened shop named "Drivas shop" which they heard was a famous shop of the neighboring Kingdom of Perspiru.

However, soon, Evelyn's eyes shook as Allan was being accompanied by a pink hair lady wearing a simple dress. Nonetheless, as she needed to act professionally, she replaced the shock with glee and descended from the second floor to the ground floor of the shop.

"Greetings, Young Master Allan and her Holiness, Saint Elise..."

Evelyn happily curtsy at her brother and the Saintess, she switched into her bubbly acting mode and she saw the blue eyes of Elise shook because of her.