Chapter 3

Gusion has left Grock at their mansion for a while. He needs to go in his secret hideout where he practices his assassination skills for he has been busy for the past few days and did not manage to visit there often.

When he reaches the cliff a bit far from the city, he uses a thick and long vine to enter the cave of his hideout. He did it with great caution, making sure no one is following him.

But the moment he steps in, he sees a footprint on the ground. Only a small one is there and he knows that it must be a mistake which is overlooked by the intruder has left behind. He enters and acts normally but his guard is up.

He snatches the nearest two daggers and starts his routines. Nothing out of the ordinary is happening but he is very much aware that the intruder is inside his hideout.

He sharpens his senses and tries to locate where the unwelcomed guest is probably hiding. As he throws his dagger on one of the straw dummies, he heard a faint click behind him.

He summons one of his daggers and throws it towards the ceiling. A bullet stops his first dagger from reaching its target. But rocks fall from the ceiling where Gusion had purposely hit with his second weapon and down below, Lesley stealthily gets out from her hiding place in order to dodge the falling rocks which could have caused her serious injury.

Gusion summons five daggers at the same time and uses them to surround Lesley and keeps her from escaping.

"How did you find this place?" he asks as he threatens her by holding a weapon across her throat.

"I accidentally found it," Lesley replies with her hands raised in surrender.

"Do you think I'd believe that obvious lie, baby? Don't make a fool out of me," he snarls.

"Go on, kill me," Lesley teases him. She even volunteers to hold the dagger that Gusion is holding and places it on her neck. "Come on, do it. I dare you."

Gusion lets out a sigh and has his daggers disappear. He sits down and glares at Lesley.

"Why do you always get in my nerves?" he says after clicking his tongue.

Lesley shrugs. She sits across him, crosses her leg and gazes at the man in front of her.

"So what does a mage doing in a secret place filled with assassination tools?" she asks with a smirk.

Gusion looks away, not wanting to meet her gaze.

Lesley crosses her arms, her smirk still plastered on her face.

"Could it be that the infamous, talented and baby-faced Paxley is being rebellious?" she teases.

Gusion did not like it even though it is one of her jokes. He always feels like he's being played and swayed around by her. It irritates him.

"Shut up!" he yells which even made Lesley more pumped up to tease him. She stands up and walks towards him.

"What will you do next after you have mastered the daggers for assassination? Are you going to slaughter those who go against you?" she asks as she lifted his chin with her index finger. "Ohhh, that sounds so dramatic."

"Calm down, calm down," Gusion tells himself, "The more you get angry, the more this woman teases you."

He slaps her hand away from him before standing and walking away from her.

"I do not know how exactly you found this place but it would be better to keep it to yourself, baby. I do not want to hurt you in any way, do you get what I mean?" he says to her. Though he had said that in a rather calm voice, Lesley could still feel that it is a warning.

"I'd keep my mouth shut if you tell me why you want to be an assassin despite the fact that you were born as a mage?" Lesley asks.

"Why do you want to know?" Gusion smirks. "I do know you want to know more about me but it would thrill me more of you would say it right in front of me."

Lesley snickered and said, "Where do you get that courage to state such shameless remark?"

"Plus, I ain't interested in your affairs, you know that," Lesley adds.

She extends her hand towards him with her pinky finger raised.

"If you do not trust me that much, would a pinky promise make it up to you?" she smirks.

"See? She's making fun of you," Gusion thinks. He stared at her hand and to go with the flow of Lesley's childish play, he did something that's out of his character.

Lesley is a bit taken aback when Gusion locks his pinky finger on hers then raises his thumb to seal their agreement.

"That's unexpected, I never thought you'd really do this," Lesley says. "Go on, tell me. Don't keep me waiting."

"I was never interested in magic only," Gusion states honestly, "I am more interested in assassination and combat."

"But combat is the most hated fighting style of your bloodline," Lesley states her comment. "You know, your clan thinks of combat as nothing but lowly and barbaric actions. Magic is sacred for y'all."

"And using a gun is never been used by the Vance family in the battlefield," Gusion blurts. "Though it isn't a very big issue on your part."

Lesley shrugs with a smirk, "I ain't a Vance by blood. Plus, a gun is my best weapon and I came from the bloodline of marksmen and assassins."

"Lucky for you," Gusion mumbles. "Now, do not speak any of this from anyone. If some rumor spreads around town, then I know it is you who had not kept her promise."

"What would you do if that does happen?" She tries to provoke him.

Gusion summons his daggers and shot them all right on the straw dummy before looking at Lesley with a smile.

"You would not like to know, baby," he responded. "Now, if you would take your leave so I could focus."

Lesley stands up with her hands raised.

"Fine, fine," she says, "I must give the poor Paxley his privacy."

Gusion watches her leave as she climbs back up the cliff. He lets out a sigh before grabbing some daggers that are laid on the table.

He is about to resume his training but he flinches in surprise when Lesley's voice echoed inside the cave.

"By the way," she says.

Gusion stares at her and says, "What now? Do you want some goodnight kisses, baby?"

Lesley rolls her eyes especially that he is calling her baby so naturally. It irritates her though.

"I forgot to tell you, Grock needs to sleep or else he won't let you close your eyes even for five minutes," she replies. "Just want to tell you 'cause you might not take care of him. And keep your kisses to yourself."

After saying that, she has left leaving Gusion wearing a grin for he knew that she is somehow annoyed.

As Lesley walks away from the cliff, her shoulders slump and her mood gets gloomy.

"The fourth rebel shall rise, huh," she mumbles to herself.

She suddenly slaps her cheeks with her hands.

"No, no, no," she chants repeatedly, "You have nothing to do with him. Let him be, let him be."

Before reaching the Vance mansion, Guinevere crosses path with Lesley.

"Hey," she says as she stands in front of her. "One-eyed woman, did you perhaps see Gusion?"

Lesley shrugs in response, "Maybe yes, maybe no."

She steps sideways and passes her by, uninterested with whatever she wants.

But little did she know that Guinevere has taken notice of the few remnants of leaves on Lesley's upper garment which was from the cliff.

Thinking that it is just some random leaves Lesley had gotten from her training, Guinevere shrugs off and continues to search for Gusion.

As the night deepens, Gusion decides to go back home and check on how the giant is doing. He fixes his daggers and the mess he has made during training before leaving.

He enters the gates back to Magical City and is surprised to see Guinevere wandering around.

"Why are you still outside at this time of the night?" he asks as he approaches her.

"Gusion!" she exclaims as she pounces on him. "I have been looking all over for you."

"For what reason though?" Gusion asks.

"Father wanted to have dinner with us both," Guinevere replies, "I do not know why though."

"It's probably about our engagement," Gusion smiles at her.

"Do you really think they'd agree for an arrange marriage?" Guinevere asks.

"Ain't it the reason why they let us be together since childhood?"

Guinevere's smile disappears as she hears the tone of the man he likes. It is as if he is disappointed by that fact. Or rather, uninterested.

"You're against it, aren't you?" she asks in a low tone of voice. "You should be honest with your feelings. I won't hold a grudge against you."

Her heart skips a beat when she feels his hand slowly intertwines with hers. She cannot help but smile to herself.

"Who said such a thing?"

As the two of them walk towards the mansion of the Baroque, Lesley is watching them from the window of her room.

"What should I do? I am having the urge to snatch him away from that woman."