The Tale of the Redeeming Villain

The kiss didn't last for long and Blake didn't plan on continuing from here, knowing how he would be skipping a lot of steps to just land on what a man greeds the most.

He didn't want to rush things up and end up hurting Catherine.

Not to talk about, she still is a saintess.

They sat side by side in silence, not knowing what to say first. This was the first time for both of them to get involved emotionally at such a deep level with someone, so it was no surprise that they needed time to collect their thoughts.

The first one to break the silence was Blake, as he asked the blond, "It wasn't an impulsive decision, right?"

"No...this was one of the biggest decisions of my life which surely I didn't take on an impulse." Her response came instantly—like she was anticipating such a query from him.

Blake nodded and felt a little relief.

"What about you, Blake? Did you just... go with the flow to not hurt me?" The uncertainty in her voice detailed how hurt she would be if he said 'Yes' here.

However, he never had the intention to affirm her doubt, and his response carried honesty, "I wouldn't just end up kissing the Saintess just because I was swayed by the flow."

"So, should I assume you have the same feelings as I?" Catherine asked with a side-long glance that contained expectations more than curiosity.

Blake sighed and held her hand in a comfortable hold. Maybe because of the warmth she extended toward him, or the beauty she possesses. Maybe it was the food she fed him or the emotional bonding they weaved over the seven days they spent in the mansion.

Blake had begun to feel something toward her that was akin to great fondness, and those feelings had been bothering him for the past two weeks when she came to find him here.

Heaving a sigh, he leaned his head on her shoulder and weakly mumbled, "Accounting how screwed up this world is, I know confessing my feelings would do us no good. We belong to separate worlds. You are the hope of humanity and I am just a stain which they want to remove."

"I don't care what others think. I have been mindful of others' opinions for as long as I can remember. Now I want to be selfish and search for my happiness." Her response momentarily surprised him.

The kind and selfless Saintess he knew had already changed before when she was supposed to. That's surprising.

"I seemed to have corrupted the daughter of God."

Catherine smiled at him teasingly, before responding, "Yes, you have. Now take responsibility."

They shared a chuckle at that. And once again, the conversation died down.

Catherine felt troubled and Blake knew the reason behind the turmoil of emotions she was suffering from.

The grip on her hand became a little stiff as while looking at the ground for nothing in specific, he told her, "I will express my feelings the day I can hold your hand without fearing what the others would say. The day when I can rightfully snatch you away from the world and make you mine completely."

Tears welled in her eyes as Catherine turned to him and asked, "Why can't that day be today? Why do you need the approval of others when I am ready to stay by your side for the rest of my life?"

A sense of urgency and stubbornness in her voice, which Blake has seldom sensed from her. She was being true to herself. She wanted to be with him...to not let go.

However, if they decided to run away now, everything would be ruined. The calamity that would arise next year would require Catherine's presence and support from the church, or this world would be done for.

In such a situation, he cannot take her away, knowing how crucial her role would become in the final battle.

"We both know...the reason." Those words seemed to have shattered all her restraints as she began to weep uncontrollably and Blake couldn't do anything other than hug her close to him and try to comfort her.

They both sat there—hurt and broken. There was nothing they could do despite having the intentions. The shackles of their duty towards humanity were pulling them apart. The weight of their obligation was crushing their feelings and asking them to become vessels living for others' sake.

It was unfair.

"You guys really are madly in love, huh?"

"---!" The sudden emergence of the voice of a third person brought an alert stance from Blake as he shielded Catherine behind him and stood on his feet.

"Who is there?" Blake never noticed anyone around and who would have the skills to bypass the barrier Catherine conjured around them?

Only the Headmaster was the closest being who could achieve this feat. However, this voice didn't belong to an old man.

Blake scrutinized the place from where he could make out the outline of a silhouette. Slowly the figure of an adult man became clearer and clearer.

"C-Carlson?" Catherine stuttered that name, not only because she wasn't expecting Carlson here but also because he was looking much older than he was supposed to look.

Taller and broader, he had a long beard and several cuts and marks on his face, which sang the tales of battles he must have gone through. However, despite all those changes, there was no doubt that this person was Carlson—albeit a little older.

"Cathy...hey." For a moment, Blake saw regret and deep sorrow in Carlson's eyes when he gazed at Catherine. However, like those emotions never appeared in the first place, he returned to his previous self.

Blake's eyes narrowed as an absurd logic erupted in his head, and he ended up asking Carlson, "Are you...from the future?"

Carlson smiled dryly as he responded, "I knew you were smart but damn. You could have let me have the chance to shock you guys."

"Wait! That means, you really are from the future?" Catherine exclaimed while covering her mouth, and shock was evident from her demeanor.

Carlson rubbed the back of his head as he affirmed, "Indeed I am here from the future..." Glancing at Blake with his gaze turning serious, Carlson added, "...to warn you guys."

Blake and Catherine shared a glance of confusion and slight apprehension, before the former suggested,

 "Let's sit down and talk."

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A/N:- I hope you all had a good day.