Chapter 250: Raw Truth

Michael’s breathing hitched, they were so close he felt the erratic beating of her heart betraying her nervousness.

Her demeanor, the faint pink hue that spread around her cheeks, and the determined spark in her gem-like eyes made it clear she was sincere.

’Love, huh…’ He scoffed inwardly. The emotions that seemed to plague the mind of every person, bringing both reason for existence and endless suffering at the same time.

“Victoria…” He spoke barely above a whisper. With their faces so close to one another, there was no need to express himself loudly.

“For true love to blossom, there needs to be trust between two parties… We have fought together for a considerable amount of time. As a warrior of humanity and a soldier who follows my lead, I will never lie or hurt you in any way. So, I ask you this: how would you react if I confessed that I’ve forgotten what love truly is? And if there’s already someone I care for, and that someone isn’t you?”

Momentarily, Victoria remained silent. Then her lips parted as she giggled.

“What a selfless act… risking your own health and peace of mind, all to shield those close to you… all to protect me, in the hope that you don’t cause me pain.”

A breathtaking smile tugged her face as she traced his lips with her delicate finger.

“Starting with the latter… Michael, do you honestly believe I care if I am not the only one you have eyes for?”

“…Eh?” Michael was rendered speechless.

Witnessing his bewildered reaction, she couldn’t help but giggle once more.

“Even a blind person can see the way Ava and Claire stare at you. I have grown used to it by now. Something so insignificant as you caring for another would never deter my heart from desperately yearning for you.”

She pouted cutely. “Isn’t it ironic? A man who seems completely unmoved by romance, yet acts like a magnet for the attention of the opposite gender.”

Forcing his emotions to subdue, Michael shook his head.

“You don’t understand what I am trying to say. Loving me by extension is a mis—”

Interrupting him, Victoria continued.

“As for you claiming you have forgotten what love truly is… Michael, for a person capable of manipulating others and unraveling their emotions, you don’t seem to handle them yourself.”

He frowned. “Does that mean you have a way to prove otherwise?”

Victoria remained unfazed.

“Yes, I do.”

Michael arched an eyebrow at her show of confidence, his gaze following hers. It settled on his lap, where Victoria calmly sat. The thin fabric of their swimsuits barely separated them. As he felt the weight, softness, and heat of her body caress down his waist, instinctively causing his blood pressure to spike, resulting in a certain member of his body to harden.

’Curse this young body of mine.’ Michael thought dejectedly.

In response Victoria cleared her throat, bashfully glancing to the side. No doubt she felt the reaction of his body.

“I—I didn’t mean that… Well, I did… B—But not really.”

Glancing back at him, she elaborated.

“To me love… isn’t the grand gestures we often see in movies or books, the epic confessions, the expensive rings, the perfect moments… True love is sacrifices, not grand but minuscule ones. Tiny choices you make every day, even if they put you in discomfort, all to bring comfort to someone else.”

She took a shallow breath.

“Despite being in the same realm, you are stronger than me. If you wished so, you could have gotten up even with me on top… Yet you didn’t, not because you couldn’t, not because you didn’t want to, but simply because you decided to sacrifice your comfort to soothe me instead.”

Pausing briefly she continued.

“Even now, you’re not walking away from this conversation because you can sense how important it is to me… As I said, small sacrifices that you make every day in the name of another… To me this is what true love means.”

Slowly a smile tugged at her lips, taking hold of the flash drive on his chest.

“Of course, this is just my definition. Yours can vary, though I doubt it would be by much… Still, I want a day to come when you will tell me what you wrote here. Face to face, not in the case of your demise.”

Cracks appeared over the gadget, exploding between her fingers.

“I haven’t read what’s inside. And even if you give me something like this again, I refuse to learn your secrets unless you feel comfortable enough to share them yourself.”

Michael’s eyes narrowed. The secret of him going back in time. Nobody knew about this, his biggest advantage to date. Sharing something so private could endanger his plans and goals significantly.

Noticing the conflict in his eyes, she whispered.

“Don’t misunderstand. The fact you aren’t telling me right now must mean I am not strong enough yet. So I have made my choice. I will surpass my grandfather, King Arthur, and become the sole leader of the Golden Vanguard.”

She declared boldly, her shaky hand gripping his shoulders.

“But until then, I need an answer. As you said a few moments ago, you will never lie to me, right? Well… I just confessed my love. And in a situation like this, there are only two ways to respond… So please give it to me raw. The unfiltered truth, even if it hurts me. How does your heart feel about me?”

Exhaling slowly, Michael closed his eyes. He had lived through hell many times over, he knew himself better than anyone. Still, he respected and treasured Victoria, so she deserved to know. What his heart really felt… Even if it was an answer she might not want to hear.

So as he opened his eyes, meeting her unyielding gaze, he spoke. Not from his calculating mind but from the heart he rarely trusted. Just like she had requested.

Perhaps that was why. The words that followed shook him to his very core.

“I love you.”

“…”

The moment she heard his answer, Victoria froze. Breathing coming to a complete halt.

Similarly, Michael’s eyes widened in shock. ’What the fuck did I just do?’

Truthfully, Victoria had prepared herself for the worst. Fully expecting Michael to reject her. Yet the way he answered so casually, only for his eyes to widen in pure disbelief a second later. She knew immediately… He had honored her request to speak his true feelings, surprising even himself in the process.

Swoosh!

In that exact moment the fireworks display erupted. Mesmerizing explosions of vibrant bursts lit up the dark sky in numerous colors. Yet, as the intense shades illuminated the surroundings, neither Michael nor Victoria seemed to notice.

“You… love me?” She said barely above a whisper.

“Then, allow me to indulge in this. Properly… unlike last time.”

Palms moving behind his head, her tender lips pressed against his. As a shiver coursed down his spine, Michael responded in kind. Slowly putting his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

The muffled sounds in the background began to fade, disappearing altogether, as they stayed wrapped in each other’s embrace beneath the vivid sky.

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