Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 249: Chapter 249: You are my Angel

Chapter 249 – You are my Angel

Cassius rejoined his friends soon after his discussion with Nafi and Helene.

They exited the building and walked toward the Cafeteria, elbowing, bumping, and shouldering through the throngs of students, staff, and the occasional strolling teacher.

The Academy was buzzing like a nest of flies, discussions about everything and anything whispering or shouting all around.

Klaus and Natalia walked a bit ahead of Cassius and Keisha, giving the two of them time to talk.

However, Keisha hadn’t expected it to be this difficult. It had been so long since she’d been alone with Cassius that her heart hammered against her chest as if trying to claw its way out.

Her mind grew dizzy.

She began to wonder, once again since the Royal Event, just what he wanted to talk to her about.

’Saying it like you don’t know. Don’t be a fool!’ Shakei hissed inside her, making Keisha pout slightly.

’You’re always hard on me, Shakei!’

Shakei rolled her nonexistent eyes, ’because you annoy me to no end. By now, you and I should have become one person. You keep dragging out the inevitable. You need my power to awaken your True Aspect.’

’I’m not having this discussion again today! Don’t talk to me!’ Keisha bellowed inwardly, annoyed by the persistent Shakei.

Just at that moment, however...

”Are you okay?” Cassius asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye, ”You look...angry?”

”Huh? Oh, no no no!” She immediately grew flustered again, blushing, ”I wasn’t angry. I was just...just thinking! Yes, thinking!”

”Alright, then.” He said, knowing full well that wasn’t the case, but deciding not to press the matter.

Instead,

”I know you must be wondering why I wanted to talk to you,” Cassius began, his voice resonating deep inside her head despite the noise all around, ”and I’ll tell you why. This has been on my mind for a while now.”

He paused, gathering himself before continuing in a whisper.

”I’m sorry, Keisha.”

”Eh?” She exclaimed, her heart skipping a beat.

”I’m sorry for not being there for you when your mother died. I’m sorry for turning my back on you, despite the fact you’ve always been beside me since we were toddlers.” He looked at her, smiling sadly, ”I’m sorry for failing you as a friend when you needed one most.”

Keisha stared at Cassius, stunned. It was true a part of her had already expected this, but that didn’t make it any less surprising.

The fact that Cassius still apologized to her after so many years, and after becoming who he was today, was enough to show his sincerity about the matter.

It was a comforting thought to Keisha, and she found herself smiling without even noticing.

Not her usual flustered, shy smile.

But a real smile, coming from deep within her.

”It’s fine, Cass.” She murmured, ”You had your own problems, I can’t blame you for that. And, huh, thank you for saying sorry.”

She laughed nervously and shyly, looking at him with silver eyes wet with restrained tears, ”I...I’m happy. Happy that you care about me enough to say this. Thank you, Cass.”

Cassius clenched his jaw tight at her words. The only thing coursing through his mind at her expression was the fact that his family had refused to help save Keisha’s mother.

And that, despite Norman Silver, Keisha’s own father, begging them to help, even invoking their friendship to sway his family.

But it had been useless.

His mother hadn’t wanted to save her. And his father found no reason to go against his wife’s wishes over something he considered inconsequential.

The reason for his mother’s refusal remained, even now, unknown to Cassius. Either she simply hadn’t wanted to, or there were other reasons she hadn’t bothered to share.

It hardly mattered now. What was done was done, and the fact remained.

His family had let her mother die.

’And yet...and yet...this girl still sees me as a friend. She still doesn’t hold any grudge against me, not even a hint of resentment.’

Cassius closed his eyes, feeling a strange sensation in his heart.

’Keisha, truly, you’re too good for this world. Too pure. I don’t deserve you. And you deserve my title far more than I do. Oh, so much more. I wish I could give it to you.’

Oh, he truly wished he could.

But it was fine.

Another way always existed.

”If I’m an angel to others,” Cassius said, wrapping his right arm affectionately around Keisha’s shoulders, ”then you’re my angel, Keisha. I wish you could stay like this forever. But it wouldn’t be fair to you, this world doesn’t allow beings like you to live long and stay unsullied.”

’And that’s exactly why she exists within you.’ Cassius added inwardly.

”I...I’m your angel?” She blurted out in pure shock, hardly able to believe it, ”Is...is that alright? Ahhh, I’m so happy! But is it really okay? Can I be your angel?? Oh, Cass...I don’t want to fight your wife! Is that really okay?”

She was panicking, both delighted by his words and afraid of having to face Isolde.

She wanted to be her friend and tell her everything about Cassius when he was younger!

Cassius laughed freely, ”It’s nothing at all. This is more a reflection of who you are than anything else. Trust me, you deserve it. So hold on to it, and know you’re better than most of us.”

He smiled deeply.

”Even better than me.”

’Because I would never have forgiven you if you’d done to me what I did to you.’

Again, Cassius found himself disappointed in his own character.

Keisha stood dazed for a moment. She was about to refute everything Cassius had said, but by then they’d already arrived at the Cafeteria.

Cassius spared her one last glance, murmured a thank you, then told her to hurry and catch up with Klaus and Naty.

She obeyed, but deep down, she couldn’t help but wish she’d told him he was better than he thought he was.

’You’re so gentle, Cassius. You’ve always been like that, since we were young. You were the first to accept me despite my habit of always crying, and you made Klaus and Naty accept me too.’

She clenched her fists.

’That’s why you’re better than me. Because you accept people for who they are, support them for who they want to be, and love them for who they become.’

So how could he dare say such a thing about himself?

Keisha couldn’t understand it. She couldn’t understand it at all.

’I’ll never hate you or abandon you, Cassius. You’re my first friend....’

”Hey, crybaby! Walk faster, damn it!” Klaus shouted at her impatiently.

’...and you’ll always be my friend.’

”Ahhh! Y-Yes, yes!! I’m coming!! Don’t shout at me!!” She stuttered, walking faster toward them.

Inside her, Shakei, who had seen and heard everything, shook her head slowly.

’I hate that I can’t disagree with her on this one. Damn Desdemona. Always them! Always this family!’

...

Cassius chatted leisurely with his friends as they stepped into the Cafeteria. It was a wide, white-and-blue restaurant-like building with multiple floors.

The higher the floor, the higher the quality of the food and, equally, the cost; which meant the higher up, the more exclusive the company eating there.

However, the last three floors of the Cafeteria were off-limits to the first three years.

Only fourth- and fifth-years were allowed.

Who had decided that? No one knew.

But by this point, it was a rule everyone accepted without bothering to ask why. Breaking it meant facing consequences few were willing to risk.

Metal tables laden with food and drinks were spread across the wide space. With an all-you-can-eat buffet on every floor, no one was limited by anything but their own EP and appetite.

Cassius spotted students on the first floor, some of them his own classmates, like Laya Bint Aicha and Nafissatou, acting as if nothing had happened.

However, it was obvious he wasn’t going to stop at the first floor.

Not with Klaus beside him.

”Let’s go higher.” He said, grinning, ”We’re not eating with these plebeians.”

”This is exactly why you’ll always be hated, Klaus.” Natalia shook her head, tired of her friend.

”As if I care.” Klaus scoffed, unbothered, ”Let’s just go.”

He began walking toward the stairs, Natalia and Keisha following behind.

Even Cassius followed, choosing to let his friend decide everything today. But at that exact moment, he noticed two women approaching him from the corner of his eye.

The first was a tall woman with a plainly insufferable, prideful yet beautiful face. Her hair glowed crimson, red like true fire, and her eyes didn’t match — one was blue, the other black, glowing with an undercurrent of scorn. Her lips twisted into a permanent look of condescension.

She wore the uniform marking her as a second-year, her chest nearly spilling out of her cleavage.

She walked toward him with the confidence and air of someone who believed he should be lucky and grateful she was approaching him at all.

Cassius already disliked the woman, and he didn’t even know her yet.

The second woman, however, was one he’d already come to know.

It was Coco Jones. Once again, Cassius crossed paths with her.

But watching her, Cassius noticed she walked slightly behind the arrogant woman, her head lowered, as if ordered to keep her eyes on her own feet.

Instantly he remembered the bruises he’d once seen on Coco’s body, and connected her situation to the woman who, he assumed, was her master.

’Oh...a master torturing her maid.’ He thought, shaking his head slowly.

It was far too common a thing for him to be moved by it. But Coco had been kind to him. So, with that in mind, Cassius smiled warmly at Coco.

Her master, however, apparently believed she herself was the target, as she smiled even more arrogantly.

Once close enough, she opened her mouth to speak,

”You’re Angel, aren’t you? I’m—!”

”Coco, how have you been?” Cassius cut in without bothering to listen to the woman, smiling and greeting Coco warmly.

His intent was clear.

The young maid seemed completely taken aback, unable to believe what was happening.

Had...had Angel really ignored her master, Naomi, to greet her instead?

She couldn’t believe it. Yet she couldn’t deny the happiness bursting in her chest.

Without meaning to, and without considering the consequences, Coco spoke without her master’s permission and greeted him back warmly.

”I’m fine, Angel! I’m happy to see you! How are you!”

Naomi watched the scene, her face falling.

All around them, students watched, most already snickering at the display.

Naomi’s heart began to pound, and her face slowly, dreadfully twisted into something monstrous as she took in the mocking whispers and the weight of everyone’s stares.

And even more so, the smile on Coco’s face.

If Coco had seen Naomi’s expression, she would have stopped talking immediately, realizing the danger of the situation.

But she didn’t, too focused on Cassius. And Cassius saw Naomi as nothing more than a petty bully. People like her loved power, but they also feared consequences.

The two spoke for a moment, with Cassius thanking her again for touring him through the Outer Ring.

Then he asked a question, his voice low enough that only Coco could hear.

”I don’t want to overstep,” he said, ”but I can help you, if you’d like.”

Coco stood there, shocked by the suddenness of his words. She knew immediately what Cassius was implying.

Her first instinct was to say yes, that she wanted his help. She desperately needed it, even.

But then she thought of Naomi...her Palatine...and the trouble Cassius would face if she let herself be selfish.

’No! I can’t let that happen! I can’t burden Angel with my problems. I can handle it! I’ve been doing this since I was young! You’ll survive, Coco. You will!’

With that resolve, she shook her head vehemently, ”No. Not at all. I’m doing very well, Angel. Perfectly, even. But thanks...”

Her voice nearly broke into tears, but she swallowed them, wiping furiously at her eyes before anyone could see.

”...thanks for caring! Thanks for noticing me!”

Cassius arched an eyebrow, ”Are you sure? I can’t just—!”

Before he could say more, however, two hands grabbed his collar with obvious irritation.

Klaus and Natalia.

”Dude, fuck you, okay?” Klaus grated, annoyed, ”You can talk to your fan next time. We’ve waited long enough for you, damn it.”

”Annoying.” Natalia hissed.

Keisha smiled awkwardly.

Cassius chuckled nervously. He looked back at Coco and saw her smiling warmly at him, mouthing an ”I’m fine.”

He sighed, then nodded toward Coco, accepting her wish, and let Natalia and Klaus drag him away.

People watched him, seeing the First Year Palatine with their own eyes for the first time.

None of them had expected him to be so laid-back.

Angel seemed almost harmless. Just a chill guy hanging out with his friends.

But that wasn’t what Naomi was thinking. In fact, in that instant she wasn’t thinking anything at all, her whole mind consumed by rage so hot it was suffocating her.

First it was Sky, who had come to argue over Coco, ruining her chance to get close to him.

Now it was Angel, ignoring her to talk to Coco instead, despite the fact that she’d been the one to make the first move.

All of that, combined with Coco’s numerous recent errors and mistakes.

Naomi snapped.

She stared at Coco, and the maid felt her heart shiver in horror.

”Coco,” Naomi growled like a beast about to attack, ”go to the chamber and wait for me.”

Coco began to panic, ”Master—!”

”Go to the goddamned chamber!” She hissed under her breath, her mismatched eyes glowing dangerously, veins bulging on her forehead.

Coco instinctively turned to look for Angel, but he was already gone, swept away by his friends.

Suddenly, she felt as if the world’s weight had settled on her frail shoulders.

She bowed her head, trembling, shaking, weeping inwardly at the fate awaiting her.

”Yes, master.”

—End of Chapter 249—