These days, thanks to your rank as a general, you've been spending time with the three Kou princes. With the First Imperial Prince, Kouen would always summon you whenever he was at the library, making historical research. Either he would share his discoveries with you or he'd make you help him browse the books. You didn't mind helping him with his research because, in return, he'll listen to your Magic research.

Meanwhile, with the Second Imperial Prince, you two had one thing in common: fondness over military tactics. You weren't anywhere near his level in being a military strategist genius, but he was more than willing to help you improve.

Whenever you spend time with Third Imperial Prince Kouha, Judar would always be there to annoy you. You didn't know why though, but he always managed to do it well.

But today was different. No Judar was found when you were with Kouha. The Third Imperial Prince left you to do whatever he wanted to do so here you were, trying to head back to your research lab.

"(First Name)-chan!"

You could recognize that bubbly voice anywhere, so you turned to her with a smile on your face. "Princess Kougyoku!"

She pouted at your formality, "I told you to just call me Kougyoku, (First Name)!"

You gave her a small smile, "Right, sorry Kougyoku. Blame the force of habit."

"Anyway, that wasn't what I came for. It's Judar-chan!"

"Oh, why am I not surprised?" you claimed, pressing your lips together.

"You're not going to ask what he did this time?"

"As far as I could recall, he's confined into the palace right now, so if I were to guess... the maids?"

Kougyoku was torn between admiring you for guessing it correctly and being concerned over you two. "You're okay with that?"

Crossing your arms, you asked, "Why wouldn't I be?"

She played with her fingers, "Well, don't you like Judar-chan?"

You blinked owlishly, "When did I—?"

"Well, even if you don't, how about saving the maids?"

You let out a long sigh, "Fineeee..."

Her face lit up despite your lack of enthusiasm. She then seized your arm, guiding you to where Judar was.

As soon as you arrived there, Kougyoku left immediately— as she didn't want Judar to find out that she led you to him.

As always, he was playing around with the maids. It's one of his perks as the Magi, no one can refuse him nor his orders.

He was being fed a grape by one of the palace maids while the others fanned him.

"Judar," you said, monotonously.

Upon seeing you, he joyfully called out, "(First Name)!" He then stood up with a bounce on his steps to greet you, completely neglecting the maid who was about to feed him.

You playfully pushed him away as he tried to hug you. You crossed your arms as you asked, "Are you busy? Go with me."

"Where to? I'm busy." He said while pointing at the maids he left.

You looked at him, eyes full of challenge. Busy, my ass! Let's see if you'll get away with this. You thought.

"Never mind, then. I have a meeting with the Sindria Ambassador. I hope they send Ja'far." With a small smirk playing on your lips, you pretended to walk away.

"I'm coming with you!"

Hook, line, and sinker!

"Will you apologize to the maids first?" You said, with a little authority lacing your voice.

He huffed, "Why?"

"You could have used Magic to do this by yourself," you muttered while rolling your eyes with his childishness.

"Aw, but I'd be by myself then!" He whined while looking back and forth from you and the maids.

Getting annoyed with his antics, you bit back, "Will you or will you not?"

Judar faced the maids and loudly exclaimed, "Do you want me to apologize?!"

The maids shuddered, turning pale at what was going on, and managed to shake their heads in unison.

"There you go; they don't even mind it—" you cut off his useless excuse.

"You're all dismissed, go on." You told the palace maids, who all left out a sigh of relief after they exited the Magi's room.

The Magi beside you averted his gaze from you. Meanwhile, you couldn't help but roll your eyes at him, again.

He lazily walked back to where he was when you came, and you followed after – sitting side by side on his bed.

"Hey, Judar..." You called and stared thoughtfully at him. All you got was a mumbled "hmm".

"Am I really in love with you?" You softly whispered, using the Torran language. This caught his attention as he turned to fully look at you.

You looked at him as he blinked repeatedly, "What was that?"

This time, it was your turn blink, nonplussed he didn't understand. "Torran Language? Wait, you don't know it?"

"A what now?" he asked, with a dumb look on his face.

So, he seriously didn't know about that...?

"Language of Alma Torran, the other world. Didn't Ithnan teach you?"

"Did he teach you?"

"No, I learned it on one of Prince Kouen's scrolls..."

"So, what was it that you said?" He probed.

Refusing to say those words again, you decided to just let the matter go. "If you don't know, then never mind."

"Tell me!!!"

"Nope!" Maybe some other time.

Granted Judar did grow up with you, if he wasn't pulling pranks elsewhere, he'd spend time with you slacking around. It would be a lie if he denied saying that there was no one else he trusted in this world aside from you, seeing it was you who accepted him for who he is.

But he was no fool. He noticed how people sent you after him whenever he was causing strife.

What he hated was that you did what they asked you to do: to stop him.

He never felt constrained before, for he did whatever he wanted but he hated this. Even Al-Thamen and that old hag allowed him to do as he pleases, yet for some odd reasons, he couldn't go against you and he didn't like that.

So here you were again, catching him by the clutches and he didn't know how to tell you to stop.

"Judar! I heard you—"

"What is it this time?" You were caught off-guard due to his cold tone. Judar was everything to you except bitchy.

"How can you be rude when I am merely worried about you?"

"You don't even need to be, I'm one of the Magi of this world. I'm strong, (First Name)."

"I know you are, but I—"

"(First Name), did you even hear me?"

"Judar, can you even hear me?" you challenged, "Why are you so stuck on hating your fate? Forgive Al-Thamen and let this matter go."

He sneered at what he heard. "Forgive? How could I? When they killed my family and manipulated me to become like this?" he gestured to himself.

You cupped his cheeks forcibly, "Judar, listen to me... Even if you destroy the world, your parents won't return. Please... stop going against fate."

"I was nothing but a child, (First Name). I realized too late what became of me no thanks to those bastards."

"That's why you were sad that day, huh?" you recalled, catching his attention but he remained quiet. "The day I first brought you to my research lab."

He stared at you with a stony expression. Whenever he does that, it means one thing, he is hiding whatever he's feeling.

Perhaps to an untrained eye, they would be able to see nothing but that never worked on you, the grief on his eyes was plain as day.

You held on tight to his clothes, bringing them up closer to you. "Please? Stay with me, don't go to Hakuryuu."

Gently as he could, he seized your arms to remove your grip. "Stop it with these nonsense things, leave me alone. You're interrupting my training."

For a moment, the two of you stayed still, letting the message sink into the air. He will never choose you. In fact, you weren't even a choice, not against his beloved Hakuryuu and the oh-so-fun wars.

"...Of course, dear Magi," you bitterly mumbled, leaving him all alone.

Starting from that day onward, you never went to him even if he caused trouble somewhere. He was confused at first but this is what he asked for.

He wasn't worth thinking about. You thought. And so, you went your separate ways.

Until one day, you met him again.

Your foot splashes in the water when the mossy rock you attempted to step upon shifts, throwing you off balance. Water rushes inside the deerskin; and so when you lift your foot back up, the moccasin hangs pathetically off of your foot. Despite that, you step onto the rock again, more carefully this time, and when it doesn't move, you bring both feet together before leaping to the next.

Water rushes all around you, deafening all sounds. The otherwise crystal clear water made the sand and fish underneath invisible with the white froth and the mini waterfalls and current. There were bugs everywhere but that was also the only place you chose to rest, choosing to sacrifice your skin to the bugs for the coolness of the shade and privacy of the trees.

Your satchel slam against your hip as you jump from one rock to another. As you arrived at the last rock, you took a big leap— landing on the embankment of the river. Stray twigs and stalks lie on the forest floor, and you didn't hesitate on pushing them aside as you sat. It took you some tugging to pull your shoes off and when you did, they landed on the other rock with a slap, immediately turning the stone dark gray as water trickled out. Your hands then fiddled with the rocks, as you continuously sat and stared at the ambiance in front of you.

Seeing there wasn't anything for you to do, you decided to play with the rocks.

As you were about to get into another "throw-a-rock-and-watch-how-far-it'll-go"; you felt another presence beside you. But you didn't bother turning around because you didn't care. You're not scared, anyway.

"You're not supposed to be here." Good thing you didn't turn around because you knew that voice so well. Judar's.

You scoffed and threw the rock with a lot of force.

"I'm not here for you, dear Magi." You bit back, your voice dripping with sarcasm. He sighed and sat next to you.

But before he can get any close, you stood up, preparing to leave.

"(First Name)," He called, causing you to freeze on your tracks.

Remaining silent, you faced him.

"I got tired of you. From now on, don't ever go to me."

You bit back a snarky remark. Dumb ass. You were the one who came up to me today. Stupid, stupid, Magi.

He wasn't expecting to see the smirk on your lips.

"That's good timing." He seemed to be asking why, so you continued. "I'm leaving the empire today."

"What?"

"But allow me to say, I feel the same. Don't ever see me again, Judar."

"Wait– where will you go?"

You chuckled, "What's the need for you to know?"

"Are you allying yourself with Sinbad, now? Or with that midget, Aladdin?"

"I don't give a fuck about your wars, Judar," you sighed. "Not everyone cares about these stupid wars like you do, dear Magi."

"Stop calling me that," he hissed.

"Or what? You'll kill me next?" The glare you threw his way was a clear message. You were daring him to do so.

His red eyes softened almost immediately. "(First Name), I will never—"

"If that's all, I'm hella outta here."

Perhaps, fate arranged all of these to happen, seeing here he was the mighty Magi, seizing a part of your clothes, preventing you from moving. "I can't lose you too..." he whispered.

"Judar, that's... so unfair. You can't just throw that to my face."

"Why not?" you looked at him right in his eyes, noticing they were much more ruby than blood.

"I've given you most of my life– don't think of me as cruel seeing now that I want the rest to myself."

With one last look, you walked away, leaving Judar to himself.