Lord of Charm

After deciding not to fight any further, Gale and Ronda jumped out of the mansion and sat on the grass in the yard. They could see some magicians running back and forth in panic.

"Sir, Ma'am, why are you killing us? We did nothing wrong!"

They heard someone sobbing and looked at the 14-year-old boy in front of them. He had a fearful look, but he chose to beg for mercy for the chance to be spared. He wasn't even a novice magician yet.

Ronda just waved her hand in annoyance.

"Leave, I don't care about you."

"But then someone else will kill me."

"Just leave through the main gate kid, nobody is chasing the magicians or people without magic."

Hearing the conversation, Gale suddenly realized how much he had changed. He killed the mages tonight without even knowing what their crimes were. He did it only because the academy told him to do it and because he was trying to get closer to Ronda.

Just not long ago he believed he wouldn't kill others if they didn't antagonize him, and those people didn't. At least not until he tried to kill them first.

'But since they were criminals worthy of death judgment, they would probably endanger others if we didn't kill them.'

He rationalized his actions and felt he did the right thing. Just because they weren't a danger directly to him, they were a danger to many others, and if he didn't kill them only because they didn't try to kill him, that'd make him selfish.

In his mind, he completely forgot he didn't even know what their crimes were to this very moment.

"Thank you."

Ronda's voice woke him up from his reveries. He turned his head toward her and smiled when he saw her looking back.

"Don't mention it. We are partners, and you can trust me to have your back even if I don't have to."

He smiled at her with his shining green eyes and placed his hand on her thigh. He squeezed it a little and removed his hand.

Ronda lowered her eyes in shame; she realized he knew what was going on and yet chose to save her from the advanced mage's attack. In their oath, they agreed not to backstab each other. It meant they couldn't disclose each other's location, attack each other, or do anything that would endanger each other.

However, she left a loop on purpose. Nothing in the oath said they had to save each other in case of danger. Thus, Gale could choose to let her die, but he chose to save her anyway. The worst part was that he just confirmed that he was aware of this loop the whole time.

"Don't feel ashamed. We met through a weird twist of fate, but I still feel we share some kind of a bond. There are barely any other elite humans in the empire."

Gale's words made her raise her head and look at him in surprise.

"You're an elite human too?"

"Yes, that's why I said I'm the best partner for you. Can you truly love someone weak?"

His charm was activated since the moment she thanked him, and her thoughts were falling into disarray. After knowing he saved her despite knowing of the loop in the oath, most of her hatred was dispelled.

'He's right. He also didn't kill Joanna on purpose. It was her mistake when she couldn't estimate the difference between their powers and got herself killed. I've been unfair to him the whole time.'

"I'm sorry for trying to kill Valentina. I was wrong, it wasn't your fault that Joanna died."

If you asked Ronda what's the probability of her saying those words a week ago, she'd probably send an air blade at your throat. Yet here she was saying it.

"I forgive you. You weren't thinking rationally because of your grief, it wasn't your fault. Luckily, nothing happened."

He reached with his and held hers. Ronda felt the warmness of his palm and closed her eyes as she felt happy that he forgave her. Maybe they still had a chance to repair their relationship.

Suddenly, she felt something soft assaults her lips and she opened her eyes wide to see Gale leaning forward with his face in front of hers, and his lips pressing against hers.

She froze and didn't react. She neither kissed back nor retreated. His kiss felt amazing, and a tear dropped from her eye when she remembered her last kiss with Joanna, and how she didn't kiss her back because of her anger. She really regretted that moment for days.

In a storm of emotions, she held his cheeks with both her hands and pulled him close as she kissed him back. She pushed her tongue into his mouth in passion as she rubbed her tongue against his and tried to conquest it.

Gale was taken by surprise; he didn't expect her to be so passionate. He couldn't know the emotions that surfaced in Ronda's heart when he kissed her. He hugged her gently and they fell together on the grass into a lying position.

"Argh!"

He groaned with pain when his body hit the ground. In the heat of the moment, he completely forgot he had some ribs broken.

"Hehe, you deserve it for kissing me out of nowhere."

She wiped a tear with her hand and licked their mixed saliva from her lips. There were still the sounds of fighting, although they were much weaker now. But they didn't care, they just lay one next to another, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand.

The fighting sounds slowly faded as all the enemies were exterminated except the advanced mage who managed to escape earlier.

The mansion was a complete mess. In its middle was a huge hole caused by Gale and Ronda's combined spell, and there were other holes and broken floors throughout the whole building.

Surprisingly, the sixth floor barely had some cracks on the floor. Norman held the enemy's expert mage in a stalemate when Emma appeared behind his back and beheaded him in surprise.

Gale turned his head to Ronda and gave her a teasing smile.

"Where do you want me to hold you on our way back? I liked the way you smelled on our way here."