No matter how many times she hid, no matter how clever her spot, Regulus was always able to find her smoothly.
It was uncanny.
"Is it really fate?" Theresia wondered, falling into confusion as she crouched behind a crate in a quiet alley. "But... why don't I feel it at all?"
In her opinion, if fate truly existed as a tangible force, it should be a two-way street. Not only should Regulus be able to perceive her presence, but she should also be able to sense him coming.
But she felt nothing. No pull, no intuition, no heartbeat warning her of his approach.
"Is it because of the strength of our feelings?" she thought, biting her lip. "My feelings for Regulus are not strong enough yet... perhaps that's why I can't perceive his existence."
She felt this possibility was quite high.
However, this train of thought led to a guilt-inducing conclusion.
If he could sense her but she couldn't sense him, it implied that Regulus was sincere in his pursuit, while she was the one holding back.
Wouldn't that be cruel to him?
Moreover... she couldn't help but think of what had just happened on the street with the Viscount.
Although his methods were excessive and violent, the fact remained: Regulus had gotten angry for her. He had sought revenge on her behalf when she was too meek to do it herself.
That realization made a small bubble of happiness rise in her chest.
"He might actually be a pretty good person," she muttered to herself.
"Who's a good person?"
"Ahhh!"
Theresia jumped, startled by the sudden voice right next to her ear.
She turned her head to look at the speaker.
Regulus was leaning against the wall, smiling down at her.
She had been found. Again.
"Sorry," he chuckled. "Did I scare you?"
"No... being startled was entirely due to me zoning out," Theresia said quickly, patting her chest. "Regulus, you did nothing wrong."
"Is that so?"
"Mm."
Theresia's face flushed slightly. She wasn't blushing because she was scared; she was blushing because her muttering—about him being a "good person"—had likely been overheard.
Regulus looked at her flustered expression, thinking she looked even cuter than usual.
"Well then, Theresia," he said, tapping his cheek. "Isn't it time to fulfill the reward from earlier?"
"Eh!"
Regulus's words made her freeze.
She looked up at the sky. Indeed, the sun had moved. An hour had passed. This last discovery was the end of the game.
For a moment, her face burned even hotter.
To offer a kiss voluntarily—even just on the cheek—made her feel extremely shy. It was bold. It was intimate.
But if she went back on her word... Regulus probably wouldn't be angry, but he would definitely feel disappointed.
Should I break my promise?
"Forget it," she told herself. "He's been looking for me for so long, and he even helped me with the Viscount earlier."
Having made up her mind, Theresia took a deep breath and looked up at Regulus.
"You... close your eyes first."
"Can't I keep them open?" Regulus teased. "I want to admire Theresia's cute expression while she does it."
"Admire... No! Absolutely not!" she exclaimed. "If you don't close your eyes, the agreement is off!"
"Alright, alright. I understand."
Regulus smiled and obediently closed his eyes.
Facing the man who was waiting for her, Theresia stepped closer. But as she got within range, she realized an important logistical problem.
She wasn't tall enough.
She tried to stand on her tiptoes, stretching her neck, but she still couldn't comfortably reach his cheek without grabbing him for support—which she was too shy to do.
Seriously! Why is he so tall?! Wouldn't it be better if he was a little shorter?! she complained internally.
What should she do?
"If you're too shy," Regulus said, his eyes still closed, "how about I kiss you instead?"
"No!"
Theresia decisively refused.
Letting him take the lead would make her even more embarrassed. Besides, this was about keeping her promise. She had to do it herself.
She stared at his face for a moment.
There were only two methods left.
One was to ask Regulus to bend down. But that felt too intimate, too much like a couple.
So there was only one other method.
She bent her knees slightly.
For the Sword Saint, jumping to match Regulus's height was trivial. She just needed to be careful to land a soft peck on his cheek at the peak of her jump.
One, two...
Just as Theresia jumped up, aiming for his cheek—
Regulus, who had waited for a long time without feeling a touch, grew curious.
Why is she taking so long?
He turned his head and opened his eyes.
What met his vision was Theresia's face, mid-air, flying directly toward him.
Theresia's eyes went wide. She was already in mid-air; she couldn't stop her momentum. She watched helplessly as her target shifted from his cheek... to his lips.
Smack.
A collision. A kiss.
It was brief, accidental, and soft.
Regulus was stunned. Theresia was stunned.
To be honest, this time it wasn't Regulus's intention. He had deliberately deactivated his Authority to enjoy the "human" experience of the moment. He hadn't expected her to launch herself at him like a missile.
He blinked, tasting the faint sweetness on his lips.
Theresia landed back on her feet, her face instantly turning the color of a ripe tomato.
"Just now..." she squeaked.
"Why did you suddenly turn your head just now?!" she shouted, covering her mouth.
"Well..."
Regulus pondered for a moment.
At a time like this, the gentlemanly thing to do would be to apologize and comfort the embarrassed girl.
But Regulus was Greed.
"Sorry," he said with a straight face. "But as compensation for me suddenly opening my eyes and causing this accident... I'll kiss you back properly. What do you think?"
"No way!"
Theresia stepped back, eyeing him with disbelief. She had never seen such a shameless person!
One accidental kiss wasn't enough? He wanted another?!
"Is that so? That's truly regrettable," Regulus sighed dramatically. "Then what kind of compensation do you want, Theresia? As long as I can do it, anything is fine."
"Really?"
"Really."
Regulus's immediate answer made Theresia pause. She thought for a moment, her heartbeat slowly returning to normal.
"Then... come help me with work next time."
"Work?"
"Mm," she nodded, looking away. "I plan to buy a lot of flower seeds for the garden. Can you... help me plant them?"
"Of course."
Regulus agreed instantly, a wide grin spreading across his face.
This wasn't a punishment. This was an opportunity. An invitation to spend time together at her home.
Theresia saw the triumphant change in Regulus's expression and quickly averted her gaze.
She knew what she was doing. She was giving him a chance.
Although she hadn't yet decided how to handle this confusing relationship, she had indeed developed a slight fondness for him. She wanted to know the man behind the overwhelming power a little better.
"Alright, the agreed-upon hour has passed," she said hurriedly, turning around to hide her burning face. "Let's head back quickly. Carol will surely worry if we're late."
Saying this, she walked away fast, ignoring Regulus completely.
She was still very shy.
If the first kiss was forced... this one, accidental or not, definitely counted.
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