I sighed as day had given way to night. After going on our walk, we had got back together with Eita and Suzuki for dinner then split on our own way. Suzuki had gotten Eita some basketball tickets. With what money, I had no clue. Maybe she'd gotten some from her younger uncle.

"Don't want to go home, huh?" Eiichi said as he looked down at me with a gentle smile.

I shook my head.

"Maybe we can make it last a little longer," he said, patting my head.

Felt like a cat or a dog being petted by him. "How?" I asked.

He looked around. "The nightlife here is vibrant, so there's no need to end things simply because dusk has arrived."

I smiled as I stared at the neon city. It lit up the desert, but sadly one couldn't see the stars as a result.

"Can we go dancing?"

"Dancing? I'm not sure. I rather not do that," Eiichi said, averting his gaze.

Why that expression? Did it make him recall his sins?

"It's alright," I said, clasping his hand tightly. "We can go another time."

He smiled and leaned forward, causing my face to redden, but before our lips could touch, we were rained on.

"What? Rain in the desert?" I yelled.

Eiichi laughed uneasily as he looked away. "Yeah, we get random downpours. Let's get somewhere dry. It could be a flash flood!" He held out his hand, but a vortex big enough for a toddler formed.

"Great," he mumbled.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Eita and he were worse than Suzu and I had thought.

"Let's run!" he yelled.

I nodded and followed him.

"Ugh," I said, panting as we stood in the lobby of a building. "Is this an hotel?"

Eiichi nodded. "Yeah." He walked over to me and removed his coat, draping it over me.

"Thanks, Eii, but this is soaked."

"It's not for that," he mumbled.

I looked down and noticed the rain had made my dress semi-transparent. "T-thanks!"

"Want me to rent a key? It'll probably be best to get cleaned up before we head out."

"That's a good idea!" I said, grinning.

His cheeks reddened. "Alright." He turned to the lady in the counter. "I'll like a room for two."

"Hmm, you seem familiar," the lady said, eyeing him.

Eiichi laughed. "I get that a lot! Pretty famous."

How humble... not.

The lady giggled. "I see. Must be so out east. Here's your key."

"Thanks!" I said, taking it from him.

Eiichi grumbled. "She didn't figure it out."

"It's best that she doesn't. It'll be a scandal if word got out that you were spotted with a girl at an hotel."

He laughed. "Not that people aren't used to it."

I sighed. That wasn't something to be proud about.

"Here we are," Eiichi said, opening the door to a tiny twin bed room.

"You can go and shower first," Eiichi said as he walked over to a corner of the room. He removed his wet shirt.

"Alright." I lowered my head as I remembered how hard this dress was to put on by myself. Akari had to zip it up. "Uh, Eiichi. Could you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

My face felt like it was on fire. "Could you help me with the zipper?"

His face flushed just like mine probably was.

"Sure." He walked over and grabbed the zipper. My body tingled as his hands occasionally touched my back.

"Eiichi?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

I turned around and kissed him.

He pulled away from me. "Sabine, don't," he mumbled.

"Sorry."

He sat down on the bed and closed his eyes. "I like you and all, but-"

I pressed my dress against my chest. "It's alright. I understand. Think I got a little too taken in by the moment."

Eiichi stared at my eyes and yanked me toward him. He caressed my face before kissing me again.

"Eiichi?" I asked, breaking away, but he simply brought me closer for another kiss.

I wrapped my arms around him as he used his powers to turn off the lights.

***

My entire body ached the next day as I pushed myself up from the bed. My eyes scanned the empty bed. Eiichi was gone. Had I been used? No, right?

I stood up. "No, I have to believe in Eiichi!" My eyes landed on a set of clothes on an opened dresser. Apart from those, it was empty.

Had he left these for me? I gasped as something fell out of them. It was a letter.

"Be right back. In the meantime, I'll leave you with these. Had Eita bring them over. Love you, Eiichi," it said.

I smiled and clung the letter to my bare bosom. Sorry, Eii, for doubting you.

The sound of the door opening as I was halfway done putting on my clothes caused me to jump.

"Sorry, did I scare you?" Eiichi asked as he returned with a tray of food. He had changed into a turquoise shirt and black pants.

I turned away as the image of his red eyes last night flashed through my head. If I didn't associate red with passion before, I certainly did after that. "Maybe..."

"Here, I brought some food."

I smiled and took the plate of pancakes from the tray. "Thanks."

He smirked. "Don't mention it. Say, would you like to come with me?"

"Huh, where?"

"To Amadeus. The king asked me to go there. He wanted me to go with Prince Ryonoko to meet the Seven Knights ahead of the final battle."

Amadeus. That was where Akari's family was from. Including Lady Saya. Maybe I could uncover something about who I was if I went there. Plus, I would get to spend more time with Eiichi.

I nodded and hugged him. "Of course I do!"

He grinned just like Akari. "Great." Given the similarities between them, her father had to belong to his family. Maybe a distant uncle or cousin?

"Let's go back," Eiichi said, grabbing my hand.

"Okay. Oh, but my pancakes!" I grabbed them and gulped them down one by one. They sure were delicious! "Say, how did you know that I loved honey?"

I shrugged. "I didn't. I just added it as it reminded me of you. But now I know!"

My cheeks flushed. "Y-you're so corny!"

He chuckled and gave me a quick peck. His tongue moved around his lips. "Yup, sweet alright."

I pushed him back. "Enough, lover boy! We got to get going! Your family has to be worried."

His smile faded somewhat. "They were until I called Eita." He sighed. "That said, Eika isn't very happy. Says that I returned to my old ways."

"Eh? Hope not."

Eiichi sighed as he walked out. He ran his fingers through his blond hair. His bangs had grown to almost cover his eyes since we met. "I should really have more self-control."

I lowered my head and grabbed his arm. "Sorry about that. I should've stopped it."

He chuckled and kissed my forehead. "Don't blame yourself."

***

"There you are!" Eika yelled as soon as we entered the palace. "Explain yourself, mister!"

"Eika, Eiichi's always been this way, so why start yelling at him now? He's an adult already, so let him make his own decisions," Eisuke said, shaking his head at his sister.

"But he's the Grand Duke. It affects the image of our family."

Eisuke sighed. "Then you should've thought of doing so earlier. Guy already has the reputation of being a player."

Eiichi closed the door behind us. "No, Eika's right. Though, you're also right. It would've been better if she began earlier." He averted his gaze. "Then maybe I wouldn't have become the mess I became."

Eika frowned. "Eii..."

"Uh, think that you should avoid talking about that here," Eita said as he walked over to us. "It's a sensitive topic for Mom."

Eiichi nodded. "Yeah, we probably should." He scratched his head. "Plus, I did have someone who tried to restrain me. I didn't listen until he was gone."

I hugged him from behind.

He patted my hand as if to tell me he was fine. But I doubted he was. It'd only been a few weeks since his father's passing. There was no way to get over that in that amount of time, if ever.

"Did I hear my name?" Eiko asked as she walked downstairs. Eiya slept in her arms while her younger daughters flanked her like guards.

"Eiichi! What did you buy me?" Eilena yelled as she ran over.

"Ei-ni's here?" Eiya asked, rubbing one eye.

Eiichi chuckled nervously as Eilena hugged him. "I didn't think about getting you something."

"Wah?" Eilena said, stepping back. She pouted. "How could forget about your favorite little sister?"

"Who said you were his favorite?" Eika asked. "Not that I would claim to be."

Emika chuckled.

Eiichi knelt down to be on Eilena's eye-level. He ruffled his sister's head and smiled. "I promise to get you something nice from Amadeus."

She smiled. "Really?"

He nodded, picked her up, and spun her around. "Yup!"

"Yippie! I can't wait to see what it is!"

"You're heading out later today, right?" Eiko asked with tired eyes.

He nodded. "Yeah. Hopefully I won't be gone long. Ei-ei, I leave the task of running Raiyama while I'm gone."

Eika closed her eyes and put a hand on her hips. "About that, I won't be able to."

"Huh?"

"She has some place to be. The same goes for Eita, Bora, and me," Eisuke said.

"Huh? I don't have a place to be at," Eita said, turning to look at them.

Eiko snickered. "We forgot to tell you, His Majesty summoned you."

"The king would like to see me?" Eita asked, blinking. "What for?" He gasped. "Wait,  Bora, Eisuke, Eika, and me— is he going to make a decision on the next wielder of Capitolinus?"

"Not yet, but he would like to have the four of you ready to fight, regardless of who it'll be," Eiko said.

"He told Eisuke and me that following the crowning," Eika said.

"You two have been training?" Eita asked, tilting his head at his siblings.

Eisuke nodded. "Yeah. I might be thirteen, but I don't want to twiddle my thumbs. Like I said, I want revenge for our dad."

Eiichi furrowed his brow. He didn't want his siblings to fight. Hopefully training would be the only action that they would see in the future.

"I'll try juggling Raiyama and Kuroichi. Besides, I've already taken the steps to integrate their governorship," Eiko said, nodding.

Eiichi mouth dropped. "Wait, are you planning to retire?"

She snuggled Eiya. "Not yet, but it's best to prepare. Of course, I'll also be training."

Once again, the Grand Duke of Raiyama furrowed his brow. "Be careful, Mom."

"Yeah," Eiya said, putting his tiny hands on his mom's face. "Me don't want to lose Mommy too!"

"You won't," Eiko said, snuggling him some more.

The siblings smiled and walked over to give their mom a group hug.

How sweet. It made me wish that I could remember my mom better. If that woman I saw drawn in my vision was even my mom. Something told me that Amadeus would have the answers to that question. Or at least I hoped it would.

**Solar Note: Final update of the year! Plan to finish the rest of this book in the upcoming two months-and-a-half, if God permits. Wish you all a happy 2022!**