Last Born Of The Desdemona

Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Meadow’s Love Life

Chapter 264 – Meadow’s Love Life

”I think I love someone.”

Cassius turned his head toward her swiftly, eyebrow raised, ”Love?”

Meadow smiled a bit shyly, as if unused to the feeling herself. ”Yes, love. Is that surprising?”

”Not really. But you said ’I think.’ You’re not sure, then?”

”I’ve never been in love. I can’t be sure.”

”Or maybe you are sure, but telling yourself you’re not makes it easier to back out if things fall apart?”

Meadow paused mid-step, sparing Cassius, who smiled at her knowingly, a dark glance.

”I hate when you know exactly what I’m feeling, Cassius.”

”Don’t worry. You’re not the only one.” He chuckled, ”Still, I didn’t expect you to fall in love. Care to share the lucky man?”

”Lucky man?” She muttered, embarrassed.

”No, please, Meadow. Drop the lovesick-maiden look.” He grimaced, looking at her face.

She stared at him blankly, clearly annoyed. She huffed and walked a bit faster.

Cassius smiled wryly, watching her go sit on a bench in a small park lined with green trees.

He followed and sat beside her, looking out at the same view.

”Who is he?”

”Guess.”

He smiled, ”You’re not close to many men. The only one I can think of is...Omm?”

Meadow’s body trembled subtly at the name, and Cassius’s guess was confirmed instantly.

He fell silent, genuinely surprised. He’d never expected Meadow to have feelings like this for Omm.

”I can feel your surprise even without looking at you.” Meadow smiled wryly, ”It’s strange, isn’t it?”

Cassius had to admit it was, in a way.

Meadow was the wealthiest woman he’d probably ever know. And Omm was a commoner who’d barely managed to get by, thanks to Meadow.

’What a cliché. Wealthy girl falls for poor man. But things are never that simple.’

”I wouldn’t call it strange, but unexpected. At least, to me.”

”Give me your opinion, then. Should I...pursue it? Or should I just bury it?”

”You trust me that much? This is more important than you think.”

”I do.” Meadow whispered, looking down at her hands, ”You’re the only one I can ask this. You might not always be as honest as Omm, but I know I can trust you completely.”

Cassius smiled, a bit embarrassed, coughed, then spoke, ”I’ll be honest, then.” He sighed, ”You’d need to be exceptionally strong to love someone and not pursue them just because of circumstances. And if the issue is money, it’s mostly irrelevant. Omm will eventually make his own fortune. He’s unbelievably lucky.”

He chuckled. ”Not as much as you, of course, but enough to make a union between you two feasible.”

”But...?” Meadow said, already expecting one.

She was right.

”The problem isn’t money, or even you. The problem is Omm himself.”

She frowned, ”What do you mean?”

”I don’t think you fully grasp the weight of your status, Meadow.” He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, ”You’re the daughter of Willow Wealth. Incredibly wealthy and talented, both at once. And from the start, your relationship with Omm has been one of boss and subordinate.”

Meadow’s eyes widened slightly in realization.

”I think you understand now. I’m not entirely sure about this, honestly, but I doubt Omm sees you as someone he could be with. Just as his boss. That makes any chance of love between you two much harder. In simple terms...”

He shrugged.

”...you’re too much for him. Out of his league.”

”I thought love wasn’t supposed to care about these things?” Meadow murmured, clearly anxious.

”That’s love in fairy tales. In reality, plenty of factors get in the way. That’s just what I think, though. I could be wrong. And don’t get mad at me, but I believe Jeanne has a better shot with Omm than you do.”

That name alone was enough to make Meadow’s expression go cold. She snapped her head toward him, displeased.

”What do you know about Jeanne and Omm?”

’Well, well, well.’

He chuckled dryly, ”Nothing. But I noticed in class she was pretty close to him. She wasn’t even hiding her intentions, really. And Omm’s an honest man, we all know that. But he doesn’t strike me as someone with much experience in love, hahah. So with men like him, you need to be direct and obvious. He’s probably the oblivious type. Jeanne’s doing exactly that.”

Meadow sighed, exasperated, and closed her eyes for a moment. She turned over everything Cassius had said and had to admit it was true.

”...what should I do, Cassius?”

Cassius’s expression immediately grew troubled. He might know a little about romance, but answering a question like this felt like a burden he wasn’t willing to carry.

What if he gave the wrong advice and Meadow ended up the most heartbroken person in the world?

’Hell no. I can’t do that. But I can’t leave her like this either. Queen, any advice to spare?’

[Do I look like a goddess of romance to you?]

’You’re not cute at all.’

[You...] she stopped herself, deciding to stay gracious, as a proper goddess should.

It was getting harder with Cassius around.

”I’m waiting, Cassius!”

’Chill, woman. I need a second to think too. Queen’s breath, why do I keep getting dragged into every kind of problem? Damn it.’

”I think you should write.” Cassius said the most random suggestion imaginable, delivered with the most serious face he could muster.

Meadow looked at him, confused, ”Write?”

”Yes, you should write about your feelings.” He continued, half convincing himself as he went, so Meadow wouldn’t catch on, ”Channel what you feel and put it on paper. Write two short romance novels.”

He held up a finger.

”The first: you fail to end up with Omm, because he’s with Jeanne. Be smart about it and don’t use your real names.” he said, ”Write that, and get a glimpse of that possible future.”

Meadow nodded seriously. Cassius, gaining confidence, continued.

”Second: you end up with Omm. But make it as realistic as you can. Show the struggle between you, Jeanne, and Omm. Get their emotions right, as much as possible, and make it believable. You have to show me why Omm chooses you. Did you do something? Did Jeanne step back? Just make it logical, something I can follow.”

’There is third possibility too...’

She frowned, ”That sounds hard, Cassius.”

”Well, it is hard. You’ll need to understand Omm and Jeanne better than anyone.”

”I don’t want to understand Jeanne.”

Cassius smiled, ”But you have to. That’s the hardest part. If you don’t understand both of them, your two romances will feel hollow.”

Meadow sighed under her breath, burying her face in her palms.

”What’s the point of all this?” She asked softly.

’Honestly, I don’t know either, Meadow.’

”To help you get a handle on your emotions.” He said, a bit unsure himself, ”To help you understand yourself, Omm, and Jeanne better? Who knows, you might even end up liking her.”

”Impossible. I’ll never like that ugly woman.”

”Ugly?” Cassius’s lips twitched.

”Yes, ugly.” She glared at him, ”Do you think otherwise?”

”...no. Ugly, yes. Very ugly.”

”Good.” She nodded to herself, satisfied.

’Sigh. Women...’

”Will you do it?”

She nodded, ”My Editor said so. I will.”

”Then you’ll need this.” Cassius said, finally pulling out the pen and holding it out to her.

Meadow’s eyes lost every trace of sadness and worry, lighting up with pure excitement at the gold-and-black pen in front of her.

Had they not been in public, she would have jumped up and hugged Cassius tight for such a gift.

It was more than she could believe.

”Thank you so much!” She squealed, taking the pen from him, savoring its weight and feel.

”I’m happy you like it.” Cassius said, standing up from the bench.

He cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, ”I need to get going now.”

”Going?” Meadow reined in her excitement, refocusing on Cassius, ”Where?”

”I’m going to visit Océane. Then I’ll probably read before training. I need to be ready for the team battle against the second year, don’t I?”

”I’ll train too, I suppose.” She said, ”and I already have someone in mind for the team battle.”

”Who?”

”Diary Law.” She smiled, her eyes glowing with essence, ”I happened to see her Aspect in action against Julaibib. Very interesting. It’s surprising an Aspect like that belongs to a Tier Three family. But I suppose that’s because it’s quite limited?”

”What’s her Aspect?”

”Law.”

”Law, huh? I see. If you want her, why not.”

”What about you? Still no one in mind?”

”William Castria.” Cassius said instantly, ”It’s time to bring the Sole Inheritor of the Formless Sword into our ranks, Meadow. It’s time.”

Her eyes widened, ”You mean?”

”Oh, yes.” His grin deepened, ”I want William in our sect.”

—End of Chapter 264—