Chapter Text
Alice was helping Nicole dress up for the party.
In fact, the merry witch was more than happy to. She was always amused by her friend whenever the latter tells her of her elaborate plans for the sake of her story writing, especially the ones involving Varka. The recent iteration of her antics is ‘teaching a lesson to a certain soon-to-be former Grand Master,’ if that can be considered to be part of her writing process. It did start when they were in Nod Krai, when she suggested the silent mage in taking out Varka using dandelion wine. Deep down, Alice prays that Nicole be struck always with inspiration for her own amusement. Besides, her dearest friend will get some action on the side.
Alice just came back from her trip with Klee, which includes fish blasting, as per usual. Tonight, though, will be the afterparty of Jean’s inauguration as the new Grand Master, to which the Hexenzirkel was invited, although it’s only her and Nicole that can attend since the others were preoccupied. After all, she wants more time to spend with Klee, while wishing that Kleiner could attend as well if it weren’t for his duties in the border. She also caught wind that the party, that the folks of Mondstadt is throwing, is also for Varka, as their gratitude for his service. Whereas Varka only knew of the former, he wasn’t aware that the celebration is for a dual purpose.
While Alice was braiding Nicole’s hair, the angel asked, “I know this was my plan, but don’t you think this preparation is, I don’t know, a bit much?”
“Oh, course not!” chimed the mage in red.“You should be dolled up that he couldn’t resist you! I am sure that he’ll probably fall for you right there and then! And when he does, as you said, you can reject him… right in his face!”
“Now that my plan is materializing, I feel like this is too mean to pull on Mr. Varka,” Nicole said.
Alice answered in a singsong voice, “Oh, I think Varka will be fine; I feel like he’s aware of your antics, my dear!” To that, Nicole felt a little flush on her cheeks. Then, Alice added, “Well, if you felt it that way, you can always drop the idea and go have a little fun…”
Nicole took a deep breath, and now more determined than ever, declared, “No, I’ll have to see this through for the humiliation he caused!”
“Fufu~ Alright, alright, as you wish, my dear,” Alice said gleefully.
‘This is going to be very amusing, indeed,’ Alice told herself.
The inauguration ceremony had ended, and the people of Mondstadt welcomed Jean as its new Grand Master.
After doing the formalities related to the turning over of duties, the people gathered in the streets and commenced the celebration. There were lots of food being served and games held for the young and old alike. Of course, the party wouldn’t be complete without Dandelion Wine, and several non alcoholic drinks were available for those underaged, all of which was taken care of by both the Dawn Winery and Cat’s Tail.
Varka returned to his room in the headquarters and changed into his usual clothes when goes about his drinking spree: a V-necked shirt with sleeves which he folded up to his elbow, a pair of pants and his knee-high leather boots. He actually has his own house which he had purchased weeks prior, though lamenting that he wouldn’t really be staying there for most of the year. He was thinking of renting it out when he’s away on his own “expeditions”; at least, that way, it won’t deteriorate due to disuse.
As he opened his door, he saw Klee, Albedo, who was holding Klee’s hand, Durin and Razor. Razor was holding a box wrapped with fancy paper. A gift, perhaps?
“Yay! Uncle Varka is finally here!” Klee exclaimed excitedly.
“What is this?” Varka asked, “Did the others sent you all to fetch me?”
“The Knights wanted to give you a gift,” Albedo answered. “Klee wanted to give it herself but the box was too heavy for her, and Durin and Razor wanted to come along. I am here to accompany all of them.”
He opened the gift with much care in front of them. Inside the box, he first saw what it looks like a coat folded neatly. He wasn’t sure the color was, but what he saw is that it had some gold accents on it.
“We would really like it if you wear this tonight, Grand Master,” Durin said sheepishly, “Ah! I’m sorry, Mr. Varka! For umm.. calling you that… umm..”
“It’s alright, Durin. You can call me anything that makes you comfortable,” assured Varka.
“Will you wear that, Uncle Varka?! Pretty please?!”
“I think everyone is already waiting for me,” Varka answered. He was ecstatic to be drinking the finest vintage of Dandelion Wine the entire night in the Angel’s Share, which was sponsored by the Dawn Winery. “Maybe next time, okay?”
“But Klee wants you to wear it now! Klee will be so sad if you don’t…”
Razor then said, “Varka, wear that. Everyone, happy…”
Varka sighed, finally gave up and took the gift. ‘This must be intentional that the knights sent them instead,’ he thought. The knights knew fully that he couldn’t resist them. A good move, he recognized: using the weakness of another.
He chuckled, patted his vistors on their head and said, “Oh, alright. This old man’s gonna change just for you kids!”
“But you’re not that old, Mr. Varka,” remarked Albedo.
“Yeah, yeah.”
The group led Varka to the plaza fronting the headquarters and the cathedral where the statue of Barbatos stood. The place was crowded and music was in the air. There were people in the square as well, either manning the booths or strolling along.
There were several chairs and tables that were set up on one side of the plaza, and in a few steps a long table where the buffet was served, headed by Sara from the Good Hunter. There were the Mondstadt bestsellers, as well as cuisine from other nations such as Nod Krai and Liyue. There was also another section for snacks, in which most of the people were, and another for the desserts where the kids mostly gathered. However, the one which caught Varka’s eyes was on the other end of the buffet table: cocktail drinks stacked to form a pyramid.
As Varka was about to go to the drinks, he was pulled by Klee, Durin and Razor towards a familiar group of people. There, he saw Jean, Kaeya, Lohen, Lisa and the some other knight captains engaged in a conversation.
‘Ah, it is indeed a trap,’ Varka thought to himself.
“Grand Master Jean! Big Brother Kaeya! I brought Uncle Varka!”
“Good work, Klee, and everyone,” Jean said with a smile. She then handed them some candies. “Here, have some of these and you can go play.” With that, they, along with Albedo, excused themselves.
“Ah, to be betrayed with some candy,” Varka remarked, feigning hurt.
“We knew that you’ll just head straight to the Angel’s Share, so we figured to send Klee and the others to fetch you,” Jean said.
“I am here in solidarity with you, former Grand Master,” Kaeya said, “I wanted to go out and enjoy myself but, alas, here we are.”
“We even made a bet whether you’ll come here or not,” Lohen remarked.
“So, which one did you bet?”
Lohen smirked. “Guess.”
‘That brat…’
Varka could only sigh in surrender. Surely, there’s no other duties to do now that he stepped down, right?
“My, your outfit does suit you very well, former Grand Master!” Lisa said, complimenting Varka.
Varka was now wearing the clothes gifted by the knights, which was tailor-made for him. He donned a navy blue tailcoat with golden colored buttons and lining; he decided to keep it unbutton since it allows him more movement. He wore the coat over a white collared shirt, a dark blue cravat and a cream-colored waistcoat filled with embroidered golden vines and flowers, and navy blue pants to match. He still wore the boots that he had earlier. Though he find the outfit too fancy for him, nonetheless, he quite like it.
He also noticed that the others, too, were wearing their formal wear. Truth be told, he doesn’t remember whether he had seen Jean in an evening gown.
“Well, you do have a good eye in fashion, Lisa” Jean remarked.
“Oh, you’re behind this?” Varka asked Lisa.
“Not entirely,” Lisa replied. “When the knights decided to give you something as a token of their appreciation, we all voted to give you something that you don’t have, rather than another vintage wine. So, I picked out from the catalogue which I think suits you best; I chose a different color for variety. Oh, I also picked Jean’s.”
“I do have other set of clothing too, you know?”
“The outfits that I’ve seen you wear are the ones you use in combat and drinking,” Lohen said in retort, “Understandable, though; the former Grand Master and fancy don’t really belong in a same sentence.”
“Hey, now! Give me a break…” The group then laughed.
They were joined by another familiar face, who is renowned for his work as a bard, and love of alcohol.
“Fancy meeting all of you here!” Venti exclaimed. “Oh? And who is this dashing, debonair young man… oh it’s you, Varka.”
The group erupted in another bout of laughter. They were interrupted by an announcement from Seamus, the Cardinal of the Church of Favonius, and Jean and Barbara’s father, who stood nearby the statue of Barbatos. Beside him stood Barbara and Dahlia.
“Tonight is a night where we celebrate the resilience and survival of mankind from numerous threats, the bounty that Lord Barbatos bestowed upon Mondstadt, and above all, for the gift of family and friends. We also honor our two guests of honor in tonight’s celebration: Jean, our new Grand Master, and Varka, who has decided to step down from his title.”
Seamus turned towards the group where Jean and Varka was. “On behalf of the people of Mondstadt, we thank you both for your services.”
The crowds cheered while Jean and Varka waved back. The Cardinal continued, “To start, may we we request the two Grand Masters to give us the honor of heading the first dance.”
Varka let out a small laugh. ‘Perhaps this is the reason of the fancy clothing?’ He thought to himself. He’d rather just want to spend the night in the Angel’s Share, drinking the finest Dandelion wine along with a couple of his drinking buddies. After all, Jean is supposed to be the star of the night.
“Well, duty calls,” Varka said. He turned to Jean, bowed and then offered his hand to her. “Shall we, Grand Master Jean?”
Jean smiled and took his hand. “Lead the way, Grand Master Varka.”
Both of them took to the floor. The musicians played music and the two commenced the waltz. Soon, they were joined by other pairs who danced along with them.
Among the crowd, Kaeya spotted a red-haired young man giving out instructions to thos who were serving drinks. He approached him and said, “Still busy even during this party, young master Diluc?”
“As the proprietor of Dawn Winery and sponsor of the drinks being served, I take my responsibilities seriously and make sure that everything runs smoothly, unlike some knights...” Diluc answered, but was interrupted by Kaeya. “Come now, Diluc! Don’t be such a killjoy. Even the knights deserve a night of fun! You deserve to relax too!”
“Hmmph.”
Kaeya “Such a sour puss as always… Oh look! The dance is finally over” then the crowd gave the dancers a round of applause as the pairs ended the dance with a curtsy. Then, the musicians began to play another music, and this time, a slow, romantic one.
Varka and Jean approached Diluc and Kaeya. On their way to the latters’ direction, Varka remarked, “Phew! I thought this dance won’t end.”
Jean asked with concern, “Am I tedious to dance with, Sir Varka?
“Oh no! Far from it!”, Varka replied while trying to redeem himself. “ Sorry, I didn’t mean that… it’s just that… well..”
For Varka , he was still planning on how he will slip out of the plaza so that he can spend the rest of the night drinking til sunrise. He quickly added, “It’s what others always say; that in a dance, the partner should be able to “highlight” the best features of the other through movement, right?"
“I don’t think that makes…”
Ignoring Jean, he continued, “And I don’t think I am fit for that role, but I do I know who can do just that.”
As they reached the brothers, Varka quickly turned to the Dawn Winery owner and said, “Diluc, will you do the honors?”
Bewildered, Diluc was about to answer, but Kaeya interrupted him, “ Oh, he’d love to, Sir Varka!” Giving Diluc a light push.
“Wait, I didn’t--”
However, after some “encouragement” from both Varka and Kaeya, Diluc took Jean to the dancefloor.
“Well, my work here is done,” said Varka, then towards the Cavalry Captain, “Where are the others?”
“Goodness, Mr. Varka. This is a huge celebration in your honor for retirement, not something to cross of a checklist,” teased Kaeya. “Oh, and Venti went ahead to the Angel’s Share, and Lisa’s in the buffet to get her food, and I just had a quick ‘catching up’ with Diluc before you two arrived.”
“I suppose it is as you said.,” said the former Grand Master jokingly, “After all, I can’t just outrightly refuse the kids in making me wear some the fancy clothes, lead me here in the plaza for the program and asked to do the first dance, instead of just going straight to a bar! Where are my manners…”
Just then, Lohen joined the two, and on his hand, a cup of wine. “Oh, lighten up, Mr. Fancy Pants! Here, a dandelion wine for your efforts,” he said, offering the same to Varka.
Varka took the cup and gave its content a swirl. As usual, some strange color briefly appeared. ‘This kid and his antics,’ he thought, ‘If he and Nicole work together, then I might meet my maker.’
Still, holding the cup, Varka laughed, “Ahaha! I’m just messing around. I’m really happy with all of your gifts and congratulations, though I really thought that this party is for Jean.”
He added, “Again, thank you all. Though, I’m more fit being seen in bars and drink the night away. Besides, who would actually want to dance with me? And I don’t think that “me” as myself and being “fancy” belong in a sentence.”
“Oh, the latter one I agree with, that’s for sure,” Lohen said, “Especially with all the crazy things you did during the expedition!”
All of them laughed, then they heard a familiar voice calling them.
“Yoohoo! Varka! Everyone! Sorry for being so late…”Alice exclaimed in a playful manner.
Varka, turned towards her to greet the new guests. “Oh, Alice! Welcome! I began to think you aren’t coming…”
He saw Alice approaching their group. Alice was wearing a red evening gown with a length that stretched to her ankles. Her dress seemingly sparkled under the lights, andiIt hugged her body which complements her features. However beautiful Alice was, the one who was walking behind her was the reason which took his breath away.
Nicole was wearing a light periwinkle, off-shoulder ball gown that reached her ankles, with translucent, elbow-length puffed sleeves and the bodice decorated with floral lace. On her neck is a simple, white lace choker, and her head was crowned with a simple garland of flowers.
Varka couldn’t help but stare at Nicole, as she gave him a serene smile and walked towards him. He was rooted to where he was standing, and didn’t even notice as Lohen stood beside him. The Vice Captain was about to tease his former boss, but thought otherwise, since he knew that it’ll just fall in deaf ears. Instead, he grabbed the glass of wine which Varka was still holding. “I’ll save this for you for later.”
“Thanks.”
On impulse, Varka also walked towards Nicole to meet her halfway. He still didn’t say anything, until Nicole broke the silence, though with her speaking in his head.
“Good evening, Grand Master.”
A bit embarrassed with his behavior, Varka chuckled and said, “Good evening to you too, Miss Nicole. Although, if you wanted to greet the Grand Master, I’d suggest to wait until the dance is over. Grand Master Jean is still dancing with Diluc.”
Nicole giggled. “It seems it’ll take a while for me to get used to call another as ‘Grand Master’, although it might be for a short while since Jean is already acting as one.”
“That I agree wholeheartedly,” Varka replied. He turned towards the dancefloor, specifically to watch Jean and Diluc dance. “At least, for now, I just want her to enjoy this party.”
“I take that her father is okay with this?”
“Who knows until we ask him.”
They fell into silence as they watch other couples dance with the music. Varka, however, was stealing glances at her as she slightly swayed to the music. He took a deep breath, and turned to Nicole. He offered his hand and asked, “Would you like to dance, Miss Nicole?”
Nicole turned towards Varka’s direction and stared at Varka, then at his hand. She felt a slight flush on her cheeks.
“Oh, I mean, it’s just that I’m a bit worried about Jean and Diluc, though more to the latter, haha!” Varka said in attempts to justify his offer. “it’s just that, if looks could kill, then Diluc might be in trouble, and let’s say I had a hand in that. Also, I think it’s best for me to get to the floor so that I’ll be able to watch them more closely.”
Nicole laughed at his excuse, though more on Varka’s awkward demeanor. He gave her a wink and asked her once again. “So, would you like to help a friend in making sure someone survives this ordeal?”
And so, when she is sure that she has mastered her own demeanor, she took a deep breath and looked at Varka once again. She placed her hand onto his, and smiled.
“Sounds exciting,” Nicole said, “I’d love to! We angels love to aid humanity.”
Thus, Varka and Nicole took to the dancefloor and joined the others with the waltz.
Meanwhile, Alice, Lohen and Kaeya looked at each other and giggled. Earlier, while Lohen was attempting to tease Varka, he caught Alice’s eyes, and with a look of comprehension, both grinned mischievously. An alliance was born.
“It’s amazing that they just left and forgot about us!” Lohen said
Alice chimed in, “It’s amusing, isn’t it? Also quite cute, with them just lost in their own world.”
“I never thought I’ll be able to witness Mr. Varka being swooned like this,” Kaeya remarked, “and by none other than Miss Nicole too!”
“Fufu~ Easily one of my finest work, no? Nicole’s looks and outfit, I mean,” Alice said, “Although I gotta say someone’s plans might be… derailed for now. But, it’s for the best!”
“I really can’t wait to recount tonight’s events before Varka and watch him turn beet red!” Lohen laughed, to which the others joined.
Alice turned to watch Nicole and Varka dance. She observed her dear friend’s expressions, and found it endearing to see her friend this happy. Alice does find amusement in almost anything, such as teasing her own peers, but deep down she truly wished for her friend’s happiness. While she has known Nicole for centuries, and saw the many instances where she expresses all kinds of emotions, she sometimes caught some subtle differences in Nicole with anything related to Varka, although the former manages to school her own expressions in a snap. Or perhaps it’s just the night’s festive atmosphere.
“I just hope you’ll be more honest to yourself now,” Alice whispered.
“Oh, I think I saw Rosaria coming this way,” Kaeya said, “I’ll go and say hi, and perhaps invite her to the Angel’s Share. You all coming?”
“I’ll go with with you,” Lohen answered.
“I’ll follow along,” Alice said, “Although, I might not come with you at the bar. I’ll go and have fun with my dearest Klee.”
Before Rosaria left, she watched Varka and Nicole dancing in the center. She observed both of their expressions, and when she was satisfied, her lips curled into a small smile, raise the glass of wine she was holding, and took a sip.
As she was about to leave the plaza, she met with the group and greeted them. When asked why she wasn’t with the other members of the Church of Favonius, she answered, after taking a sip of her wine, “Well, you know me. I’d prefer get out of there, rather than seeing the Cardinal glari- I mean, worrying about his daughter. Instead, I’d like to spend the night with a drink in my hand.”
“Sounds like a great plan!” Then the group left the plaza.
The moment they got to the floor and dance the waltz, Nicole suddenly remembered the reason why she was here.
‘Wait! I was supposed to reject Mr. Varka! Oh, how did I end up in this situation? Have I been swept by the festivities? Maybe it’s not too late for me to do so? Ah, but it would seem so rude especially of my caliber! But --’
In Varka’s point of view, Nicole seems to be a bit jittery. Fearing that she might be in distress, he drew closer, and whispered, “Nervous?” Yet he was met with silence.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Varka said, trying to assure her, “We can always stop, if you want.” Still, silence.
He added, “Or, you can just think that there’s only the two of us here. Just focus on me.”
In truth, Nicole was trying to avoid looking directly at Varka. ‘Hmm, maybe it does look awkward not to look at one’s partner when dancing. Just looking at his chest area seems… like a bad idea. Oh wait! Maybe I’ll just look at his forehead, or the hair on his head. Yes! That’s seems right. At the very least it’ll look like I am looking at Mr. Varka! Yes, I’ll do just that…’
So Nicole slowly looked up, and with a bit of effort due to Varka’s towering figure, aiming to focus on his forehead. However, she accidentally caught his gaze.
Suddenly, she became more aware of the man in front of her. His big, callous hands holding her as if she was a priceless treasure. His gentle smile, despite his manly features, paired with those kind, blue eyes which she admires in secret, clear like the sky, as limitless as the freedom he cherishes.
Or perhaps, it is indeed because of the festivities, as one cannot find her own thoughts to be too poetic.
“Better?”
“Hmm,” she nodded.
They continued to dance, though now with little awkwardness between them, until the music ended, and the pair fell into a curtsy. Like the first dance, there was a round of applause, though this time, it was even louder. Varka and Nicole were surprised how loud it was, until they turned to their surroundings and realized why: they were the only ones dancing the waltz. Unbeknownst to them, the other pairs quietly withdrew from the dancefloor as they, along with the people standing on the sides, were enamored by the sight of the former Grand Master and the beautiful lady dancing.
Both felt their countenances grew hot, prompting Nicole to stare at the floor. Varka, on the other hand, shot a glance at the musicians, mentally asking them to play another song immediately, to which the latter played a livelier music. A classical Mondstadt song perfect for a community dance. Thus, almost all of the crowd joined hands together and formed a chain, dancing in sync as they again, returned to the floor and circling Barbatos’ statue.
“Come on, Grand Master! Another round of dance, and have the lovely lady join too!”
Varka and Nicole met each other’s eyes once again. Swept away by the crowd’s enthusiasm, both laughed, and hand in hand, joined the rest of the group.
In a quiet corridor, far away from the plaza, Varka and Nicole were trying to catch their breaths. Somehow, they managed to escape and found a little respite from the excitement.
“Phew! I thought I could never leave from there,” Varka remarked, then loosen up his cravat. “Are you alright, Miss Nicole? Sorry for dragging you to dance back there on the plaza.”
“It’s okay, although it’s been a while since I attended a party like this,” Nicole answered. “Usually, it’s just teatime with the others in the Hexenzirkel, and maybe some formal ones from many years prior.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” said Nicole, “I prefer to just stay and work with my stories or my statues. But, a change in pace is still quite good. Also, where are we?”
Varka answered, “I think we are near the entrance. We did set up a bazaar, with lots of merchants from the other nations setting up their stalls here. Food, games, you name it!”
“Oh? It is quite a celebration,” Nicole remarked. She turned to him, and with her hands behind her back, said, “I am a bit hungry. Actually, to make up from whatever you did back there, come with me to check out those stalls! Unless, of course, you’re too tired and just wanted to go to whichever bar is available…”
Varka grinned, “Is that a challenge, I hear?”
Nicole, with an answering grin, said, “Keep up with me then!” She then grabbed Varka by his arm and proceeded to visit all the booths that caught her eyes, which is almost all of them.
In Varka’s eyes, however, it seems like every light was shining brighter than before, from the street lights, up to the stars above.
‘Did I actually drink Lohen’s concoction?’ Varka thought, and yet he doesn’t recall that he took even a sip.
Yet, everything, from the people engaging in their lively conversation, to the merchants in their stands, hollering their goods , somehow blended together in a haze, with Nicole being the only one that stood out; Nicole pulling him as she visited the stalls. Nicole eating every food that she bought. Nicole winning a Dodoco plush in a game of darts. Somehow, in his eyes, she shone the brightestt, and try as he might, he can’t tear his eyes away from her.
He only came to when she asked him if he was tired.
“Oh, um, no actually, thanks for asking,” Varka replied, “Umm, how about you, Miss Nicole? Do you want to rest for a bit?”
“I think that’s a good idea,” she answered.
“Great! Somewhere quiet, perhaps?” Varka asked.
“You mean, the rooftop of the Favonius Headquarters?”
“Oh, um, yeah sure! We can go there.”
“Great! Hold my hand. I’ll teleport us there,” Nicole said. Upon doing so, Nicole snapped her fingers with her free hand, and in seconds, both of them are in the said place.
“Are you alright, Mr. Varka?” asked Nicole once again.
“Yes, well, a bit woozy because of the sudden change, but fine, nonetheless,” answered Varka. Nicole gave him a reassuring smile.
She began, “You know, we can get as many Dodoco as we want, but winning them from a game felt also good.”
“I’m happy you enjoyed that. Oh, and also with the entire festivities, too.”
Nicole gave him her happiest smile. Then with her magic, she dematerialized the plush and teleported it back to her home in Nod Krai. She then turned towards the plaza, where she heard the musicians play another song and saw a different group dancing, and then shifted her gaze towards the city streets aligned with stalls and people wandering about. She had calmed down from the earlierexcitement, and was now content seeing the genuine smiles of the people, the sight of which had always touched her heart.
“It is quite a spectacular view, isn’t it, Mr. Varka?” Nicole remarked.
“Yes, it is.”
She turned towards him, and once again met his gaze. He still has the same gentle smile like the ones he had while they were dancing earlier, or perhaps even during their prior encounters they had before. She realized that his gaze was always on her all this time, and felt an answering blush on her cheeks.
Varka cleared his throat and said, while walking to her side, “Oh, what I really meant was that, umm, I agree that this area has some spectacular views. Definitely one of my reasons why I chose this spot as my hiding place, haha!”
“Isn’t the reason why you hide here is because it’s the last place to look for when hiding from work?”
Varka instead ignored her remarks and said, “By the way, do you wanna sit for a bit? Your feet probably hurts with all the dancing and walking around in heels. And I can use my coat as your mat or something”
“I’m fine, to be honest,” Nicole said, “Though I’ll take up on that offer. You might be getting tired from running around. Oh, and I don’t need the coat. I’ll probably feel guilty in ruining something nice.”
Varka laughed, while assisting her as she sat. “Why, thank you for being so kind!”
“You know, I felt bad for Jean for stealing the spotlight from her, back when we were dancing,” he said as soon as they both sat down. “This party was supposed to celebrate her inauguration…”
“But from what I know, the people wanted to show their gratitude to you, right?” Nicole interrupted. “This party is also for you as well as hers.”
“To me, she should be the highlight of tonight; the new generation taking over the old.”
“You’re not that old.”
“Haha, been hearing that since earlier today!”
The two was silent once, until Varka spoke. “I’ll probably miss hiding here as soon as tomorrow comes. It is a different kind of thrill, trying to escape from work every once in a while.”
“Can’t you have access after you stepping down from your position?”
“Jean says that I’m always welcome here, but I’d rather just let them handle things on their own,” Varka said, “After all, what’s the use of me retiring if I’m just going to tell them what to do, right? Besides, I believe in Jean’s capabilities. Although, they can still ask me for advice and whatnot.”
“Then, are you set in what you wanted to do next?” asked Nicole.
“To be honest, I’m still not yet sure,” Varka answered, “I can go back in just wandering about… haha!”
“Hmm?”
“Oh, it’s just that, I remembered back when I was younger, I used to roam around too. I was searching for my reason why I wanted to become a knight,” Varka said, “I found my answer, and eventually became Grand Master. I just find it to be a bit, I don’t know, ironic, to say the least, with me wandering once again to do the same. It’s like entering another cycle.”
“I think that finding our purpose is never-ending, but perhaps that’s because the answers we have isn’t satisfactory enough,” Nicole said out. “Even I, myself, am seeking out the purpose of this world.”
She added, “Also, even if you aren’t Grand Master, you’ll still are a Knight of Boreas, no?”
“Yes, indeed, but time will come that the title will be passed down to someone else. I’ll help in training my successor,” Varka remarked, “I do have several candidates in mind, but as of now, they’ve still have more ways to go.”
After hearing those, Nicole was suddenly reminded how fleeting a mortal life is. She has lived for a very long time, and if compared to Varka’s, no, any human, the latter is like a footnote in a large text. Perhaps, it did slip from her mind that Varka isn’t going to be there always. She disliked that thought.
“At present, though,” Varka added, “We’ll just have to focus on being merry---”
A sudden gust of wind blew, and by instinct, Varka held Nicole before she can be swept away. Nicole, on the other hand, held her skirt down as well as her flower crown. Due to her grip and the wind, a Cecilia almost flew away, to which the knight skillfully caught in time. The wind died down and turned into a gentle breeze.
“My apologies for suddenly grabbing you like that,” Varka said, “And, um, almost destroying this flower.”
“Oh, no. All’s well,” Nicole replied, as she adjusted her clothes. “I should be the one to thank you.”
“Actually, let me help you with the Cecilia,” he offered, “I think I can still put this back in the garland. if you permit me.” Nicole agreed.
Varka has many skills, but unfortunately, making a garland is not one of them, let alone trying to fix it. Still, he tried his very best, but since due to his height, he had to lean closer to her. His attempts, however, were in vain.
“I’ll just tuck this in your hair my apologies, Miss Nicole,” he said, as he proceeded to do so.
When he was done, he had an urge to look at her, but he soon realized that she was also looking at his direction, and even more so, on how their distance was a breath away.
“Varka…?”
Without a thought, they drew closer, closing their eyes slowly. Inch by inch, the gap between them got smaller, and smaller, with their lips almost touching.
Suddenly, there was a loud cheer coming from the plaza. With their senses returning, the two looked at the opposite direction from each other. Both felt flushed with what happened, and desperately tried to compose themselves. However, the awkwardness still remained.
Finally, Nicole said, “Oh yeah, um. I think I saw Alice in passing. I think she needs my help for the moment--” Then, with a snap of her fingers, she vanished.
Varka, however, was too stumped with what just happened, and so much so, that he didn’t really hear what Nicole said before she left, nor even processed that she had teleported herself away. His embarrassment turned into mortification of what he had done. With both hands, he smacked his cheeks. “Get a grip, Varka!” he told himself.
“This… isn’t…” he sighed.
His pressed his right hand against his chest, modulating his breathing, and mustered all his willpower in calming himself down. In a short time, his breaths became steady, and the heat radiating from his face began to cool off. Yet, the sound of the crowd merry-making and the lively music were all drowned by the beating of his heart.
Back in the bazaar, Alice was munching the cookies that she bought on the stall, while looking out for Klee, who was playing with the other kids. Then, she sensed a presence beside her, although she already knew who it was without even looking at that direction.
“Alice! I made a huge calculation!”
“Oh? And I thought you were having so much fun! What’s wrong?”
“I-- my plans are an utter failure! I meant to teach him a lesson, but I ended up dragging him on a whim---”
A barrage of words invaded Alice’s mind with Nicole recounting what happened, in the usual manner where the latter was diverting to some other unrelated topics, but also leaving out that particular happening in the rooftop
“-- and, just like before, I left him alone once again! My plans were ruined from the beginning!”
“Fufu~ Sounds to me your plan of ‘teaching him a lesson’ worked one way or another!”
“But, this isn't what I had in mind…”
“Oh, cheer up, dearie! I’m sure you’ll have other opportunities,” Alice said, “So, anything else you want to do? Or are you calling it a night?”
Nicole thought for a moment. Twice, she had left him, and on the same rooftop too. She has yet to apologize for the leaving him on that afternoon, and now the recent one just added to it.
“At the very least, I should go and make things right with Mr. Varka,” Nicole said, “I don’t want to end tonight in a bad way.”
“If that’s the case, then a little bird told me that he’s in his office back in the Favonius Headquarters.”
“I see, Thank you, Alice.”
“No problem! Fufu~ Good luck with you and your knight in shining armor!” teased the merry witch.
“Alice!”
Rather then teleporting, Nicole decided to walk all the way to back to the Favonius Headquarters. After all, she needed a bit more time to compose herself from Alice’s teasing. She did commend herself by leaving out that particular rooftop incident; otherwise, she is in the mercy of her dear friend. Also, she needed a courage to face Varka, especially after leaving him in an embarrassing situation. On her way, she planned and practice on how she will apologize, going all over in what she will say, until she found herself in front of the Grand Master’s office.
She was about to knock on the door, when she heard voices inside the office, of whom she recognized.
“... will I be able to hear wedding bells, soon?”
‘Barbatos! Not you too...’ she exclaimed in her head.
“Wedding bells? Where did that come from?” Varka asked.
“I mean, everyone saw the dashing knight and his lovely lady together, and what a sight to behold!” Venti teased. “Surely, it’s time for the knight to settle somewhere, isn’t it?”
“Haha, hardly,” Varka said, “Is that all the people talking about?”
“Ehe~ not really,” the bard answered, “I think they just thought how you both good look together.”
“Is that so?” Varka said, and let out a small laugh. “I’m afraid to disappoint them, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen…”
‘...What?’