Watching over Obelia's Precious Jewel // WMMAP fic

Chapter 22

  "Er... why don't you go look for her?" Athanasia asked the young noble.

  "Hmm...?"

  "That girl, Jennette. You were looking for her a while ago?"

  Ijekiel let out a soft sigh. "I see you've heard everything. To be honest, I've been hesitating to find her since she might be crying on her own."

  'Well, I was definitely really sad when I heard Ijekiel is travelling to Arlanta to pursue his studies,' Jennette thought. She rested her head on her hand as she remembered the loneliness she experienced in the manor since her only friend's departure to Atlanta. There wasn't exactly much for a young girl who was not allowed to even visit the nearby town to do aside from studying and playing with dolls.

  "I will be leaving here soon. So it seems she's a bit upset," he continued.

  "Hmm, she must like you a lot," Athanasia said as she pulled her legs close to her chest. "Say, what is that girl, Jennette, like?" she asked. She was a bit curious about what the girl was like when she was younger.

  Ijekiel went silent for a second. "... She's a girl I must protect," he said.

  Jennette looked at Ijekiel and tilted her head. "Am I really someone you have to protect?" Was he saying that because he wants to... or did he feel like it was his duty?

  "Of course!" Ijekiel answered before smiling. "Father told me to take good care of you when we were younger, remember? And I intend on fulfilling that promise."

  "O-Oh, I see," Jennette stammered before her attention returned to the screen. She wasn't disappointed in his answer for she had never thought of him in a romantic way... but was it only that reason Ijekiel decided to stick with her for most of their childhoods? 'He could just say that we're friends. I'd be happier with that answer, actually.'

  Ijekiel thought he was safe after answering Jennette's question but all of a sudden he felt a chill down his spine. 'Is someone glaring at me?'

  Anastacius glanced over at the boy judgementally. As if he would let his daughter be protected by someone like him.

  "T-then, shouldn't you hurry to find her and comfort her?" Athanasia was asking a lot of questions. 'What's with this reaction?' she wondered.

  Ijekiel looked down shyly. "I don't quite know, how to comfort a crying girl."

  Athanasia's eyes widened by the boy's answer.

  "Why on earth are these children so adorable?" Diana asked loudly. First, it was Athanasia and now it's this shy boy. She would consider Lucas as another cute kid if it wasn't for the fact that he's an adult or a really old man. 

  Lily and Felix nodded in agreement. Both of them had a soft spot when it came to children, especially if that child is a cute blonde princess with jewel blue eyes named Athanasia. 

  'Ijekiel from the novel was always written as a cool guy, like how the male lead should be. But I guess he had a soft side like this as a kid?' Athanasia rubbed her chin. 'I want to tease him.'

  "Pardon, princess?" Ijekiel thought he heard wrong, but did she just say that she wanted to tease him?

  "Pri... Lady Angel, How do you stop people from crying when they are upset?" Ijekiel asked Athanasia.

  "How would I know?"

  "Ah, was that too difficult of a question?"

  "I don't cry!" Athanasia exclaimed. 'You know how old I am?'