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"You really were a general before?" Even though she was behind walking after him, Levi could still visualize how interested she was with her enthusiastic voice.
"That's so cool!"
Apparently, earlier before noon, (Y/n) overheard the conversation between him and Asmo about his soldierly duties back in the Celestial Realm.
The class had just ended and really, this normie's first agenda after class got to be an interrogation regarding that topic. "Maybe it's your repressed combative instincts that you like gaming too much?" Levi abruptly halted in his tracks and turned around to her, nearly colliding his chest against her body. "Maybe, maybe not. That was a long time ago... and I don't wanna talk about it, please..."
With his stern expression and how he sounded offhand, (Y/n) knew she needed to stop it now.
"O-okay.. I am sorry. It's just that, I've been really fascinated with the soldiers in our realm..." Levi also saw how her energy dropped low faintly. Perceiving that, he felt like he owed (Y/n) an explanation for refusing to talk about his past duties. "I respect them for guarding and defending our country. I just got so hyped when I heard that you were one once—and I didn't know these sorts of kingdoms also had one. And you safeguarding the heaven? That's just fantastic!"
"Really?" 'Does it mean you.. l-like me? Even respect me?' Now that he thought of it, his cheeks warmed up and probably got some blushes across it. But shortly, he also realized that he wasn't worthy of the acknowledgement anymore. His worth of being a general and the drive were long gone since the treaty was signed between the Devildom and the Celestial Realm.
'What's the use of being a general when there's no war at all?' Not that the treaty didn't please him, it was just his personal issue of not doing anything no more. But then, it appeared that his issue and wanting to return to war both backfired to him; because the great celestial war had later transpired where he even partook in the insurgency against Father.
"But nah, that was already in the past." Levi moved first and followed by her, now both back in simultaneous walking towards the direction they were heading off to earlier. "And it wouldn't be possible there would be another war again—"
"Even so! You still did the service!" —that even if I was bestowed again with the grand admiral position, it was still useless.
'It looks like she's not aware yet that I'm the current grand admiral of the navy, huh?'
"You know what, I once dreamed to be a soldier too. The fulfillment of protecting your countrymen and dying in doing so—"
"Hey! Don't say that!"
"Oh, sorry."
"Why do you humans always take death so lightly?" He couldn't care less about the other humans doing that, but this is (Y/n). It's different.
"Hey, It's not like that! It just feels so righteous that you died defending your people and fighting for what is right... It's so worth it, especially if the victory is achieved at the end."
'Fair point.'
...
'But... did I fight for what was right?
'And... was it worth it for me though?'
Levi already knew the answer to that question; there was no need to ask for that. Because from the moment he met her, everything that had happened became so worth it; he wouldn't be able to meet her if he wasn't in here to begin with. The avatar of envy had actually never thought he could be friends with a mere mortal. But absentmindedly over time, he was able to get along with (Y/n). There was something about her—it was probably her warmth, which had lifted his prejudice towards humans. The warmth, that also led him to consider their bond a blessing. It could be the reason as well why his feelings towards her grew deeper, because he couldn't exactly explain how and when it happened (likewise to how humans going clueless with their feelings for someone, ironically).
He might seem overdramatic but, his feelings were deemed that special too, to the point it made him feel like he didn't deserve to have such.
...
Nevertheless, he was willing to do everything for the girl that he'd ever loved.
"I was even part of the military training corps from my previous school. Hehe!" Levi could sense her zeal reaching him, by which even him, got unconsciously affected: it was making him smile too. He didn't know if it was because he was seeing someone talk about their likes in a blooming manner alone, or because it was (Y/n), or it could be both. Either way, Levi definitely enjoyed seeing (Y/n) smile.
She sighed aloud but not that deep, and segued, "And I've really missed to train, I wished there were such programs here in RAD." And that sparked his mind up. Of course, he's the current Grand Admiral of the Hell's Navy—which meant he could do whatever he'd just thought of pertaining to it. He would never pass up a chance to be the reason of her smiles—of her happiness. 'I can do something about it—I want to offer her that! I want to!'
"Uhm... D-do you want to try... t-training?" He stuttered, his usual timidity showing up.
"Training?"
"Uh y-yes, like military training that you want—"
"Yes, of course!" She blurted out to which Levi got startled at. (Y/n) took a step closer and leaned further to him, "Are there some sorts of program here in RAD? For humans?". He stopped from walking and looked at her, the demon could see how her (e/c) orbs glimmered in excitement. He leaned downward near her as his eyes bored into hers, and deadpanned, "FYI, this demon friend of yours is the grand admiral of the hell's navy." He then pulled himself back and glanced around but at her, his blushes going back on his cheeks again. "H-How can you not know that?"
Meanwhile (Y/n), she just remained staring at him as if her mind was still registering what he'd just said, tilting her head. "What?"
"It is what it is, (Y/n). And I can arrange—"
"Why didn't you say so?! Really? Are you telling me the truth?" She beamed and giggled, and even hit his arm. (Y/n) slightly got frisky and even jumped at her place. "You don't know how elated I am right now!" The human gleefully half-shouted, showing the adorable grinning smile and those narrowing eyes that seemed like obscuring her view already. Then, that silent interval came in where both of them stayed fixed looking at each other. However, in Levi's case, he got more like stock-still as he got bewitched— again— by this charming expression of hers that his heart couldn't ever take.
He should've known and been used by now on how simp he could be for (Y/n).
Levi blinked a few times and broke away from the gaze, subtly taking a deep breath and quietly segued, "W-Why would I even lie to you?..." She giggled at his reaction. "You're quite a tsundere yourself, aren't you?"
She had noticed this particular trait of his: acting all standoffish but on the inside, he was actually personable if he'd just open up.
But she wasn't aware that she was the only one who could make him like this. Levi only acted this way to her and no one else.
In the incognizance of her impact on him, (Y/n) still thought of doing a practical joke. She reached for his one hand and intertwined her fingers with his by design. "Will you train me then?" This jape was nothing for her; she simply intended to tease him, but Levi took it differently.
He looked down at their hands, blushed a darker red, and then looked back up at her again, now with his slightly widened eyes.
The elicited reaction although made (Y/n) quit the shenanigan, misunderstanding that he got offended again. Letting go of his hand, she then explained, "I– I'm sorry... I was just joking Levi..."
'Huh w-what?'
"Come on now!—" she tapped his arm, "—there's a new snack bar nearby, wanna try there?" She piped up to stave off the awkward atmosphere.
"O-okay."
She grinned, "Yesss—that's what I like about you."
"Let's go?" She tilted her head to the direction, still posing the charming smile that he loved. She turned around and began walking, almost leaving him behind there standing. Levi quickly came after her the moment he regained his composure.
All the evident forms of astoundment had probably subsided by now... except for this heartbeat. He breathed deeply to calm it down but was ineffective, maybe because he could still feel her hand between his.
Also, although he already put back his usual indifferent front, he was pouting in his mind, wishing that she wasn't just joking around.