"If… If I tell you where Van might be…

...you will not tell my activities to anyone?"

​​

Beatrice let out a stuttered breath, her glasses almost fogging up due to the moisture coming out of her eyes.

"I've already forgotten your illegal activities" Chris let out a smile, "We will help your guild become known throughout the country if you help us. We might even hasten your graduation, did you know that a majority of the students here have been here for more than 12 years?"

"O… okay," Beatrice took in a deep breath, stopping the tears from coming out of her eyes as she looked Chris straight in the eyes, "I… know where he might be hiding."

***

"And I brought him to the place where I thought Van might not go…" Back in the base, Van, Harvey, and Victoria were quietly listening in on Beatrice's story, away from the ears of the others.

"...the place where he was beaten up by… Gerald and his goons," Beatrice started to stutter as she reached the end of her story.

"I… I thought that was the last place you might be, Van…" And soon, tears started to fall from her eyes, her hiccups jumping in Van and the others' ears.

"I'm so sorry… I'm really sorry," Beatrice took off her glasses and started wiping the tears that seemed to be falling without end, "I… I really thought… I really thought that you wouldn't be there."

"I'm so sorry… They… they tied you up… I tried to help… but when they broke your legs…" Beatrice could no longer complete a proper sentence as she bawled her eyes out, her legs giving out as she dropped on the ground, "I… I thought… you were… you were dead."

"I… I didn't… know what… what to do…"

Beatrice repeated her words, apologizing without pause even as her snot entered her mouth.

"Seeing you… earlier… it felt… it felt like something inside me…" Beatrice stuttered, "I… I can understand… if you want me to go… and don't… forgive me… I understand… but… but… please...

...I still want to be friends."

"...Bea," Harvey could not help but let out a mutter, "You--"

"..."

Van, Victoria, and Harvey remained quiet. Beatrice could not see the expressions on their faces as her eyes were completely blurry from all the tears that were coming out of them. Harvey was about to say something, but he chose not to as it was not really his response that was important right now.

He, as well as Victoria, looked at Van, waiting for him to say something. Van, however, only looked at Beatrice before suddenly walking away.

"V… Van?" Harvey could not help but furrow his eyebrows as he watched Van leaving them.

The sound of each of his steps disrupted the beating of Beatrice's heart.

"Van, aren't you--"

"We should probably head back."

Before Harvey could finish his words, Van stopped in his tracks and glanced at them, "...you too, Miss Beatrice."

"!!!"

"V… Van?" Beatrice quickly wiped the tears that were trailing on her face, trying to look at Van.

"I've already told you before even all of this that I believed you," Van let out a short sigh, "I thought you were going to say something else."

"W… what?" Beatrice blinked numerous times as she heard Van's nonchalant tone.

"Tch, why can't you just say it straight, bro," Harvey sniffled as he wiped his nose before turning his head towards Beatrice, "Van is telling you that there's nothing to forgive. Sheesh, I swear, the two of you are… are..."

And out of nowhere, Harvey burst out in tears, "You… you two are the best."

"..."

"You… you too, Vicky. Come here… come… Oh," Harvey quickly calmed down as soon as Victoria placed her hand on his shoulder,

"Why'd you have to take my emotions away, Vicky. I was letting out my most truthful emotions," Harvey monotonously said as he looked at Victoria, "Oh, I see. You were also about to cry, weren't you?"

"..."

"..."

"Let's go back," Van then approached Beatrice and reached his hand out towards her, "Stop crying, you're infecting Harvey."

"V… Van," Beatrice could not help but stutter as she looked back and forth towards Van's hand and his face, which wasn't quite smiling, but still, she could see the sincerity in his eyes, "So… we're still friends?"

"I… don't see why not, Miss Beatrice."

"That…"

"Beatrice…"

"Van…"

"Take my hand and stand up already, I can see your panties from here."

"W… what!?"

Hearing Van's words, Beatrice quickly grabbed Van's hand and stood up. But after a few seconds, her eyes could not help but twitch.

"I am wearing pants!"

"I lied," Van said as he let out a slight smirk on his face.

"Y… you…" Beatrice was about to say something, but instead only let out a long and deep sigh, "Thank you… Van," she said while still holding his hand, she was not able to before, but this time, she promised herself that she wouldn't let it go.

"...You guys are not about to kiss, are you?"

"Ha…

...Harvey!"

And so, the group returned back to the campfire. This time, finally…

...together again.

***

"You guys look like you just went through a long retreat."

As soon as the four got back to the campfire, Charlotte approached them.

"Miss Charlotte," Van quickly stepped forward and bowed his head towards Charlotte, "I… haven't thanked you yet for trying to rescue me in the Academy."

"Tch," hearing Van's words, Charlotte could not help but let out a tiny scoff, "What thanks? I was useless, boy. I swear, if I see that old fuck's face again, I will slap his balls so hard it'll go to the hea--"

"Mother-in-law! Calm yourself down, you're talking to children!" Paris quickly reprimanded Charlotte before she continued her refined words.

"What? What children!?" Charlotte waved her hand, gesturing for Paris to go away, "Did you see how this boy here kissed that big-tittied woman!? I even saw tongues twirling earlier!"

"M… mother--"

"Wait, what kiss!?"

Before Paris could even rebuke her mother once again, Harvey's loud voice pierced the ears of everyone in the campfire, gathering all of their attention, "What… what tongue!?"

"...Van didn't tell you?" Beatrice blinked a couple of times before whispering the scenery of what she saw earlier in detail.

"W… What!?"

As soon as Beatrice's whispers were done, Harvey's legs instantly turned into noodles as he dropped to the ground, "You were… with her!?" He then pointed towards Latanya, or in particular, her gigantic bosom.

"How… I thought you and Victoria were a thing!?" Harvey then stood up and grabbed Van's shoulders, "I remember her feeding you before all of this… with the same spoon she was already using! You've already shared your saliva with her!"

"..." Victoria quickly turned her head down as soon as she heard Harvey's words.

"You went like 'Say Aah'," Harvey then imitated what Victoria did while opening his mouth, "And now… and now you're kissing that big… big breasted woman!? Why…

...Why are you so luck-- Oof!"

Before he could finish his words, Charlotte lightly tapped him in the gut, instantly making him stop as he groveled back to the ground.

"What did I tell you about controlling your emotions?" She said.

"..."

Hearing her words, the others could not help but furrow their eyebrows, wasn't she the first one who made a big deal out of it in the first place? They all thought.

"And all of you better ready yourselves," Charlotte then said as she cracked neck and knuckles.

"R… ready ourselves?" Beatrice could not help but stutter as she remembered all of their training with her. However, seeing the serious expression on Charlotte's face, Beatrice calmed herself down.

"The people from the Circle…

...They are starting to move."

"What!? Why are you saying it so nonchalantly!?" Latanya quickly stood up as soon as she heard Charlotte's words, "Gil, alert the soldiers to set up the traps we've prepared!"

"A… alright!"

"No need for that, woman," Charlotte stretched her arm and blocked Gil's path, "I have been itching to get even ever since that ancient motherfucker tried to harm my granddaughter… Let me test this little project of theirs."

"...You're going in alone?" Latanya furrowed her eyebrows as soon as she realized the meaning of Charlotte's words, "...Are you crazy?"

"I've always been," Charlotte let out a smirk before a thunderous explosion pierced everyone's ears, even extinguishing the fire that lit up their little gathering. And as soon as Gil lit up the fire once again, Charlotte was no longer there.

"She… she really went in alone!?"