บท 30: Chapter XVII: Sometimes the MC doesn't feel like the MC.
July 2nd of 1992. Ottery St Catchpole. Devon
Inside the mansion, we can see a well-dressed blond man in his mid-thirties, the man in question is fairly handsome and has an aura of "noblesse" around him. But if one looks closely one can see that he has eye-bags, and some expression marks could be seen on his forehead, so one could assume that he was frowning for a long time, the man in question was no other than Theodore Greengrass the current Head of the Noble House of Greengrass.
Lord Greengrass was looking through some files regarding the incidents that have transpired for the last months. It all started with the assault on multiple noble houses around the area, at first, the Ministry thought that it was a Death Eater attack and that was what it was informed to the common populace. But he didn't buy it, after all, why would Death Eaters attack their own people? Also, the survivors were groups of people that blood supremacists hate the most.
Besides the Rosier's, the rest of the houses were secret followers of He-who-must-not-be-named, and only a handful of people, including myself knew their active support when he was on the raise. So, using my influence I got in my hand the original report of the attacks and after reading it my suspicions proved to be correct, but this just made things more complicated as the only clue was a simple presentation card with the name "Organization XIII".
Outside the use of the number thirteen is a bad omen in our community as it represents suffering and misfortune, there is nothing about them. No prior incidents and no other attacks regarding them and the survivors didn't say anything so basically, the DMLE is in the dark about them. But I feel something off like I am missing a piece of the puzzle.
"Daddy" A young girl called from the door of the office making Theodore snap out of his thoughts.
"Astoria is there a problem?"
"Daphne is acting weird again."
At his daughter's words, he made a big sigh. 'I love my daughters, I really do, but sometimes I have problems understanding Daphne.' Ever since she was young, her attitude has always been cold with everyone with the exception of her sister and a very small group of selected people. 'My poor girl matured so soon after seeing Astoria suffering from her disease and indulged herself in searching for a way to cure her.'
But lately, she is being in a good mood, while she didn't give me enough details she mentioned that made some friends this year, something that as a father I am grateful for, as she only socialized by choice with the daughter of Lord Travis and the son of Lady Zabini, not that is something bad having few friends.
"If my mind serves me right, today her friends are coming over, so most likely she is just excited that they are coming over," I said my opinion to Astoria as I sipped a drink of Fire Whiskey.
But to my surprise, Astoria just shook her head. "No, she said something about her future husband coming."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Huh?" Theodore said brilliantly.
But before Astoria could answer the bell of the main entrance rang. "Oh! it seems that future brother-in-law is here, I will go greet him." But before she could leave, she was stopped by her father.
"Wait! What are you talking about, your sister doesn't even have a fiancé!" Theodore said in mild panic.
"I know that, but she stubbornly declared that she will not accept anyone but him as her husband," Astoria answered nonchalantly to her father as she was more curious about who had captured her sister's heart.
But Theodore he couldn't conceive the idea that someone could make his aloof daughter to fall in love to the degree that she proclaimed that would be her future husband, so he thought the worst, that someone was manipulating her. As the lord of one of the most important houses in Britain, he knows that this kind of scheme is not uncommon especially since his eldest daughter is yet to be betrothed.
So he steadfastly walked towards the main entrance, his anger was so much that made him forget that he could Apparated there in less than a second. His mind was full of thoughts of how he will make the lowlifes who tried to manipulate his daughter pay.
And as he was getting closer, he could hear 3 voices coming out entrance.
"Is not much but I hope that you like it." A young man said while his voice was oddly familiar.
"What a thoughtful young man you are. But you are being too modest Daphne said nothing but praises about your cooking skills." Theodore could hear the voice of his wife.
"He is the best, I could eat his food my whole life." His daughter said…rather boldly.
'Hell, no over my dead body!' Theodore thought to himself as he slammed the doors that connect to the main entrance. "Who is the mutt that dared to…" But his words got stuck in his throat looking at the young man in front of him.
Theodore Greengrass is many things but a coward he certainly is not. While his family was neutral when the dark lord was on the rise, that didn't stop some of his followers from trying to take advantage of his family, so more than once he confronted Death Eaters putting his life at risk, so he had his fair share of experience with facing enemies but none of them made him feel as insignificant as the young man in front of him.
He can still remember that day as if it was yesterday, how a child and a muggle old man took down a whole room of "experienced" wizards and witches without even moving, the strange magic that he used without a problem and wandless on top of that but what Theodore will never forget is the expression of his eyes, how he looked at everyone in the courtroom as if all of us were beneath him.
And that child is happily chatting with his daughter and wife being humble and to his surprise looking at his daughter's expression it seems that he is also the so-called future husband.
"Good evening, Lord Greengrass, is good to see you in a more pleasant situation than the last time. I am Daphne's friend, and she invited me today, so I will be imposing on you for today, please take care of me." The heir of one of the most feared Houses of magical Britain said politely.
'Of all the people that could have caught Daphne's interest it had to be the most dangerous young man on the whole British Island. Honestly, I can't understand my daughter.'
...
Yozora's POV
'What was that about a mutt?' I thought to myself while looking at Lord Greengrass whose expression turned from pure anger to one of…fear? Well, it can't be helped after all the last time I saw it was in a bitter situation.
"Good evening, Lord Greengrass, is good to see you in a more pleasant situation than the last time. I am Daphne's friend, and she invited me today, so I will be imposing on you for today, please take care of me." I politely said to him as I extended my hand for a handshake. Besides the fact that he is Daphne's father, he also was one of the few people in the Wizengamot that didn't think of taking advantage of me, so he is good in my book.
But he looked quite zoned so I decided to use Clairvoyance (Beast) for a moment, I could see that he didn't know that I was coming here and about Daphne's feelings towards me…what's that about a husband?
"Dear, it is bad education to not correspond a handshake." Olivia Greengrass, Daphne's mother said snapping both of us off our thoughts.
"Sorry I was just surprised, is good to see you again Heir of Lucis-Caelum." Lord Greengrass said accepting my handshake.
"You don't have to call me by my title Lord Greengrass, this is an informal meeting between friends, so calling me Yozora it's fine,"
"Very well Yozora, in that case just call me Theodore," Theodore said a lot less tense
Just as I was to say something a young girl with long brown hair spoke behind Theodore. "So, you are the man whom my sister is smitten with." The girl said while looking at me from head to toe. "Well, at least you are as well looking as Daphne said."
"Thanks, I assume that you are Astoria, you are exactly as Daphne said," I said to the brunette girl. Astoria is a little bit shorter than average, her skin is very pale most likely because of the curse, and different from her sister she looks more like her mother with her hazel-colored eyes.
"Then is it true?" Astoria asked with a lot of curiosity in her voice.
"Can you be a little bit more specific in your question?" I asked but for an unknown reason, I foreshadow that I won't like the question.
"Is it true that you are going to be my bother in law?" Astoria asked bashfully while looking me directly in the eyes.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Huh?" I said brilliantly.
"He is." Daphne shamelessly affirmed.
'Wait wait wait stop! I knew that Daphne was interested in me but declaring that I will marry her! That is not normal for a 12-year-old girl! My only relief is that gramps had plans today or else he would be teasing me to no end'
"You said that he is the smartest boy in your year, but he seems pretty dumb to me," Astoria said with some scoff.
'Okay, it's obvious that she doesn't like me.'
"Astoria don't be disrespectful!" Olivia said reprimanding her youngest daughter. "I apologize for her attitude; she usually is not like this."
"Don't worry Lady Greengrass, I was indeed acting very dumb," I said while giving a nervous laugh.
"Thank you for your consideration and please call me Olivia after all it seems that you and Daphne are very close~," Olivia said with a teasing tone.
'Can someone explain to me what is with all the mothers of this world like to tease that much and are eager to match their daughter?'
But I snapped of my thoughts as Theodore put his hand on my shoulder while giving me a look with a mix of pity and sympathy. "You have it though, don't you?" He said leaving behind all his prior feelings of wariness and fear.
"You have no idea," I said thinking about how things are becoming like those stories written by lonely guys.
//A. N: Emotional Damage! You didn't have to be mean bro.//
...
After a meal with the Greengrass family and a lot of teasing from Olivia that I must say Daphne enjoyed very much. And if you are wondering about the rest of the group, apparently everyone was "busy" today and Daphne "forgot" to tell me, and she asked me to follow her to the backyard to have a more private conversation but that didn't stop Astoria from "discretely" following us.
'This is going to be an awkward conversation.' I thought to myself.
I could appreciate the sight of multiple magical and non-magical plants surrounding the place and some statues of whom I assume are the former heads of the Greengrass family and a fountain in the middle of the backyard close to the fountain there is a bench that it was the place that Daphne wanted to go.
Once there Daphne made a gesture pointing to the bench indicating me to sit, and as a guest in this house, it would be disrespectful to not do so. But after doing so, Daphne instead of sitting beside me decided to sit on my lap.
"What are you doing?" I asked while raising an eyebrow.
"I am sitting," Daphne said as it was the most natural thing to do.
"Okay, changing my question, why are you sitting on my lap when there is still space on the bench?" At this point, I am just asking out of curiosity.
"Because it's comfier here." She said as she reclined herself.
'Of course, she would say something like that.' I thought to myself.
"So can you explain to me why are you saying I am going to be your husband?"
"Because I am going to be your wife?" She said to me in a tone as if I was dumb.
//A. N: I mean she is not wrong though. //
I couldn't help but let a small sight at her words. "Look Daphne, we have only known each other for a little less than a year, you are still young and maybe in the future you will meet someone better for you than me," I said with a more direct approach.
"You are just 2 months older than me," Daphne stated. "And give me the excuse that you are my senpai in life."
'Am I that obvious with my answers?'
"To begging with, why do you want to marry me? I mean I know that I am rich and handsome, but those things don't matter to you, am I right?" I asked with a hint of humor to make the situation a little bit less awkward.
While I could easily use Clairvoyance (Beast) to look at Daphne's desires, I don't like to use it with people I consider friends on people close to me, it feels wrong.
"No, that is just a plus." She said as she stood from my lap and turned around to look me in the eyes. "The first thing that made me notice you were your eyes, and I am not talking about just how they look. People say that eyes are a window to the soul, and I saw many things in your eyes."
Daphne made a small pause, and I didn't say anything in between. "I saw passion, determination, dedication, and confidence, many positive traits, but you know what I saw behind all those things?"
"No"
"Sadness." She said while caressing my right cheek.
Honestly, her words surprised me but before I could say anything she continued speaking. "So, I decided that I wanted to know you and who could tell that Tracey making us get late to a class would give me a good opportunity for that?" Daphne said with a mild jokingly tone
"And with the time we got to know you, I started to enjoy your company. How you enjoy making food, your silly jokes that I still don't understand, how you like to wear costumes just for the sake of doing it, your dedication to everything you do. But different from Blaise the only other male that I can call my friend, you make me have a feeling of longing."
"Look Daphne I…" But before I could finish talking, she put one finger on my lips.
"I am not done taking." She said with a lot of determination, and for such dedication, it would be rude of me to interrupt her once again, so I just nodded.
"But like I said before there is too much sadness in your heart, so much that if I tried to enter your heart right now you would reject me."
At her words, I just could give her a sad smile. 'How scary are the women that have declared their feeling for me, they can read me like an open book.'
Then Daphne hugged me and with that hug, I could feel a lot of emotions coming out of her, and…it doesn't feel bad at all. "It's all right Yozora, even if you can't correspond to my feelings right now, but I know that with time, you will feel the same as I do."
"How do you know that?" I asked with a lot of curiosity.
"Two reasons. One if you really wanted to reject me you would have already done it. I have not been subtle at all this past year, and you are the kind of person that voice out his discontent with things that you don't like."
'That's a very fair point…' "And the second one?"
"As you would say, it's because I am awesome." She said with a merry tone and even if I couldn't see her face right now, I could feel that she had a smirk on her face.
I could help but laugh at her words. "*Hahaha, Yeah, that's something I would say in this kind of situation. But you know, you said the reason why you like me not why you want to marry me" This is the part that is bugging me a lot, I mean even if I accepted her feeling right now, she is thinking about marriage even before having the status of boyfriend and girlfriend.
"That's easy," Daphne said breaking the hug but soon after she intertwined her arms around my neck and planted her lips into mines.
This took me by surprise and before I could try anything she tightened her grip around my neck, so if I tried to push her it would harm her…something she knows I won't do.
But being honest the feeling of being kissed after so many years doesn't feel bad at all. The kiss itself wasn't something too passionate but there are a lot of emotion behind it and somewhat amateurish indicating that this was her first kiss. And after a few seconds, she separated her lips from mines and gave the widest grin I ever saw in her.
"Even though I don't say it all the time as others. I'm still the heir to one of the most ancient and noble houses in Britain, so at some point, I need to marry someone. And there is no one better than you since I already love you and if you wanted you could become the best stay-home husband in the world, something that I wouldn't mind. I am not saying that I want to marry you right now, but I would love to do it in the future. So please take care of me, Darling." She said before giving me another kiss on the cheek.
Unknowingly for Daphne and me, many people reacted to this. A blonde masochist was cheering while taking money from the rest of her group of friends. Fuga was dancing and celebrating with an old Justine Bieber song in the background. A blue-haired goddess was smiling somewhat bitterly while her short friend was patting her back. And a brown-haired girl in this house was perplexed at her sister's actions.
But before I could say something it seems that she finally noticed that Astoria was looking at us from afar. "It seems that Astoria saw my…display of affection. Please wait here for a moment." She said moving quickly toward her sister's direction, but I could see from behind that her ears were atomic red.
After she left and was some distance away, I let out a small sigh.
'Why do I feel like I am in an Otome game and I am one of the conquests?' I thought to myself, and I reclined on the bench and stared at the sky as I touched my lips once again.
'I was an idiot undermining their feeling like that and thinking that I could just let ignore things for the moment.'
//A.N: Told You that it was a bad idea like 3 chapters ago//
I closed my eyes and started to think about the past. It has been more than 3 years since I came to this world and more than 4 years since I last saw her. Even if I want to tell myself that it's been too long and it's okay to move on my heart hurts just thinking about it. As Daphne said, I don't need to answer her right now, but I will need to do it in the future.
"I know that you can't hear me or even remember me to begin with but…" I said with the words barely leaving my throat as a single tear dropped from my left eye "But I must ask this…would it be okay if move on? I know that you have no way to answer this but…I really miss you Aoi."
...…
Hello niece and nephews, it's me, the author.
So, before anything at the time I am writing, this afterword's this fanfic reached 790.43K views and has 3.6K adds to the library! So I wanted to thank everyone for your support so far. *The author makes a bow* Also believe it or not I didn't know until last week that there was a ranking for the Fanfiction section hahahaha and this fanfic stayed on power ranking in the top 50 the whole last week so thank you again for your support.
I cannot believe that I have been writing this fanfic for a little more than 4 months hahaa, well publishing it since I got the main idea in March of last year, I don't know if you remember but the MC said that they just published the Kingdom Hearts 4 reveal trailer before his death, so you can imagine my surprise when one month later after I thought that it became reality hahaha.
So, talking about the chapter. I don't know what you think about it, maybe some of you think that I paced things too fast, but I have to say that Daphne along with Death had clearly demonstrated their intentions with Yozora since the beginning or almost since the beginning in Daphne's case. Also, I think that so far, I had written her character clearly stating that she is a person that clearly knows what she wants, and like she said she is part of a culture where it is common to be engaged from an early age but in this case, she selected the one that she will marry.
Also about how she feels in the future, not in the next chapter like I did with Hermione, I will make one 0.2 chapter from her perspective.
And here some images of some of the female characters in the story so far.
Daphne
Tracey
Hermione
Death
And the next chapter we will take a little trip to another country, so stay tunned for that!
So, with anything else to say, thanks for reading this chapter, if you like this ff so far please leave a review, it will help me a lot, so more people start reading it. Also, leave a comment with your thoughts on this chapter and the ff in general, and maybe drop a stone or two hahaha (I don't have a problem with stones!)
See you again in the next chapter.
*The author leaves the chat to go to the convenience store for a redbull*
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