บท 64: Just a Smile

The following day, they were all busy with their daily chores before the others would go out for groceries. The men had prioritized fixing the wall in order to focus on the preparation for the dinner party later on.

Martha and Gwen woke up earlier than usual as they cleaned around the mansion. Angeal joined them, too, to get things done in a jiffy.

As for the old man, he was thinking of the dishes and the needed ingredients for Edwin and Arvid to get from the grocery store.

For Ava and Ivar, they went out earlier to search for souls to put inside the Intervigilium.

Devin on the other hand, stayed in the garden's gazebo, not caring what is happening inside the mansion.

"Okay, done," Gladios said excitingly as he finalized the list of groceries. He then gave the list to Angeal who was busy sweeping the floor. "Give this to Arvid and Edwin. They are now on their morning training right after fixing the wall."

Hearing her grandfather's request, the sweet girl nodded as she put aside the broom she held. She took the list, then she quickly ran behind the mansion then saw them training near the mansion's forest.

Edwin was seen holding back as Arvid gave his father a series of punches and kicks. Angeal saw them training together many times but seeing Arvid this way, seemed different than usual.

He was more focused—much quicker... and more powerful.

Those attacks kept on going. When Edwin saw an opening, he quickly shifted to an offensive stance. However, Arvid's eyes were quicker.

As Edwin was about to punch his son's torso, Arvid backed away, then spun around to charge an unexpected kick aimed to his father's face.

"Woah!"

Seeing how his son acted quickly, Edwin blocked his attack at the last minute.

The both of them backed away as they panted, feeling the adrenaline and exhaustion at the same time.

Edwin shook both of his arms to relax his muscles. He gave his son a grin of approval as his eyes brimmed with pride.

"That's my son! You're doing good!"

Hearing Edwin's approval, Angeal clapped as she approached the two. The moment they heard her clapping, their heads instinctively shifted to look at her, making Arvid's body stiffen.

'Shit! She's here!'

"Oh, Angeal! What's up," Edwin asked the moment she stopped in front of them. She got the list given to her by her grandfather then handed it over to Edwin.

"Get everything on the list or else Pops will kill you," Angeal typed on her phone then clicked read, making Edwin chuckle.

"Oh, yes, yes! You don't have to worry," he said and Arvid looked at the girl as Edwin talked with her, asking questions about the list so he won't make any mistakes.

He remembered what Ivar told them last night about Angeal's fate, being involved in Devin's curse. The Dominion also told them not to mention this until it is the right time to do so. The information must be kept a secret especially from Angeal and her grandfather.

Being told that the girl that he loves is to die just to save their master? It angered him more...

And feared more for her.

Noticing that Arvid was deep in his thoughts, Angeal cocked her head as her index finger trailed the young immortal's waist, making him shiver.

"Angeal!"

Satisfied with his reaction, the girl gave him a cheeky grin then typed on her phone.

"You're doing great, Arvid! Keep it up!"

Hearing the girl's comment, Arvid felt his face heat up. Angeal even smiled at him before she left, leaving him alone with his father as he felt his heart thumping like a bunny in a race.

A smug grin appeared on Edwin's face as he bumped his son's shoulder, teasing him.

"Oho... what love can do to improve you, huh."

When he heard his father's remark, Arvid shot him a look of death as he attempted to punch his father.

"Don't say that!"

His father laughed heartily, running away, as his son charged after him, wanting to attack.

***

As Angeal was walking back towards the mansion, she saw Devin under the gazebo, enjoying the view of the water fountain in front of him as he drank iced tea that was earlier prepared to him by Martha.

Remembering the conversation that they had last night, Angeal felt pity once more about Devin and his curse.

'He endured that for who knows how long... I wonder how he is...'

Having the urge to talk to him, she gathered up her courage then approached Devin, making the Soul Eater look at her.

Feeling nervous and scared at the same time, Angeal held her chest then gave a bow to their master, making him raise his brow at her.

"What," he asked, coldness evident in his voice.

As she bowed, the girl typed on her phone then clicked read.

"How are you?"

Without raising her head, Devin felt his heart skip a beat, hearing the human girl's question.

No one had dared ask him how he was... except for his personal servant Ivar.

'What made this girl have the courage to talk to this domineering Soul Eater?'

Shaking himself from his thought, Devin got his iced tea then sipped from his glass, then spoke to answer the girl's question.

"Fine."

Feeling awkward already, Angeal typed on her phone again to ask him a question.

"Can I invite Frey to our dinner party?"

Hearing this, Devin scoffed, making Angeal feel nervous.

'Oh, why did I have to say that out of whim?!'

She still hadn't raised her head since their conversation began. The girl felt thankful at the same time that her hair was long so as she bowed, it always hid her face.

As Devin looked at the human girl in front of him, his lips formed into a small smirk as he found the girl's courage amusing that she talked to him first.

"Sure."

Hearing Devin's approval, Angeal raised her head without being asked. Devin was then greeted by the girl's excited smile, her eyes brimming with joy.

There was something about the way she smiled—the way butterflies seemed to escape from the pit of her stomach and the way the sun had somehow toppled down from the sky and made a home right there in her heart—only to show in a form of a smile.

Such a sweet and simple gesture from the girl... it was enough to melt his icy heart!

"Thank you," she mouthed then bowed to him again, before running off to go back to the mansion.

Realizing that he was left alone, Devin blinked his eyes a few times as he furrowed his brows, feeling annoyed by how quick his heart was jumping erratically for a while.

'Be still, my heart... it was just a smile.'