The Fish I Reeled In Escaped

A breeze brushed past them, stirring a few leaves and carrying the faint scent of night-blooming flowers.

Isabelle's eyes flicked up again, uncertain yet determined to see his reaction. In the low light, her face was haloed by the gentle glow of moon and starlight, her expression laid bare in all its sincerity.

Realizing he had to say something, Cassius finally cleared his throat. "Isabelle…" He let out a breath, shaky yet resolute. "Do you…Do you really want to stay. Even though I'm the reason you lost the dream you nurtured for so long?"

She bowed her head again, but her shoulders remained firm. "Yes, Young Master." She said softly. "I lost that dream the moment I raised a blade against you. The fact that I'm here now, alive and by your side at all, is already more than I dared hope for."

"...And if you'll allow me, I'd like to devote myself to serving you."

Cassius inhaled, steadying the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind.