Chapter 7: Being Noticed

The order had come down this morning: all soldiers and clerical staff were to assemble in the hall. My colleagues and I were waiting for the meeting to commence.

"Ms. Euphyllia, I miss you!" I chuckled when Cerys, Marlin's assistant, tightly hugged me. "Why didn't Sir Marlin inform me about your arrival yesterday? It's so unfair! We could have caught up!" She frowned, burying her face in my bosom.

Chuckling one more time, I gently patted her head. "You are running some errands. That's why." I looked up when Marlin arrived. "Don't be mad at Marlin anymore."

Marlin arched his eyebrow when he caught Cerys glaring at him. He heaved out a sigh and looked at me helplessly. "Flick her forehead for me."

"Ouch!" Cerys gasped and looked at me in disbelief.

I smiled wryly at her. "I'm only following the orders." I gestured my head towards Marlin. 

Cerys pouted but still clung to me while glaring at Marlin again, but he didn't pay her attention and was busy talking to his peers. I chuckled, my chest feeling lighter because of her. She looked up to me as her older sister, which was why she was one of the few comrades I got to close with. She was just two years younger than me and became our senior's assistant a year ago.

"I wonder which of the commanders will hold the meeting."

Our heads turned at Klein's arrival, who worked in the same field as me. He sat in front of us as he yawned and leaned on his seat before turning his head to us.

"Hey, Ruinart. How's your vacation leave? Must be awful that it's cut short, huh?"

"Indeed. It's quite... awful," I muttered bitterly, causing Cerys to gape at me from my words. Masking my smile, I caressed her head. "I hope Marlin will pay my remaining vacation leave days." I jested when he arrived.

Marlin pierced me with a gaze while Klein and Cerys laughed at my jest. "Where are the others? Didn't I tell you to summon them, Cerys?"

Cerys stood up. "I will check on them, sir." A wry smile plastered on her lips as she stormed out of the hall.

"They certainly are taking their time." Klein huffed and shrugged his shoulders.

Before I could respond by agreeing with him, a hush came from the other row when more soldiers entered the hall. However, two figures caught my eye, making my heart drop.

It was Redmund and Lilith. He was moving with confidence, his stunning beauty never faltered, and his presence commanding almost took my breath away while Lilith was beside him with her usual poise, her hair pinned flawlessly, and her lips curled up in a smile.

"Isn't that Lilith? She's with Captain Redmund." 

"They look rather close, don't they?"

"I heard that they're dating already."

The whispers made me gnash my teeth. 

Lilith's hand lingered a little too familiarly on Redmund's arm as though she wanted everyone to notice. Her laugh, airy and practiced, reached me even across the rows, threading through the murmurs.

"Typical," Klein muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. "Parading themselves before a meeting. If they're truly together, good luck to him. He'll need it."

My lips pressed into a thin line. I wanted to ignore them, at least to look away, but I couldn't bring myself so as I followed Redmund's every movement. He greeted a few officers with a smile that didn't reach his eyes before his attention flickered across the hall, only to land on me.

My heart skipped a beat before he averted his gaze as if he had never looked at me. 

My lips were quivering, my heart shattering into pieces from his action. His action was still the same. He would only look at me for a few moments before turning away as if I was just a nobody to him and would only look at me if we would meet secretly. 

I excused myself, claiming I needed the powder room. I scurried away before tears would threaten to fall from my eyes.

The cool air of the corridor brushed against my cheeks, but it gave a little comfort to my aching chest. My footsteps leading to the powder room became the only music that consoled me. It was empty like how my heart was right now.

I leaned against the counter, gripping its edge as if it was only my salvation right now not to cry. 

"Pull yourself together, Euphyllia," I mumbled, staring myself at the mirror. I even began to fan myself to cease the tears resting in the corners of my eyes. "You've been taught composure. Always composure."

I kept chanting silently until I froze when my eyes landed on the flower vase, resting neatly on the marble surface of the sink, and saw a familiar flower alone.

A chrysanthemum!

Again!

If from the other day, I saw that it was a pink and yesterday was a white one, now, it was a red chrysanthemum!

"No way..." My breath hitched. "Not again...." I gulped, my hands trembling when I saw another note tied in the stem. My heart was racing as I unfolded it, preparing myself for another eerie message.

'Oh, if I were him, I would never ignore you. I would never let another woman cling to me while you stood alone. He is blind, Lady Euphyllia. But I see you. Always. Remember this. Look at me. Only me.'

I hissed in annoyance and hurriedly checked every cubicle if there was any person other than me. I couldn't control how my body was shaking when I found no one, even checking the outside of the powder room. I saw no one was around.

Why of all times had this flower been appearing in a place where I was in my solitude then there would be a note from that person? 

This stalker... 

Every time I go, this stalker left a note for me. This wasn't funny anymore.

My knees were on the brink of giving up, and I clutched the sink, holding the edge so tight. The words on the note etched in my head.

'Look at me. Only me.'

Whoever this was... how much did they know? Were they in the hall, watching Redmund and Lilith the same way I was? Or were they also following me everywhere, waiting for the opportunity to be alone?

And could this person anticipate my movements as to where I was going?

Damn it! This person had given me two restless nights already. And I had no idea why they were leaving note for me.

My hand pressed on my chest, trying to calm myself as I was forcing myself to take a deep breath, but the air in here felt suffocating, and it felt like I was being watched as of this moment.

"I won't... I won't let this shake me." I gulped, fanning myself. I could almost feel myself hyperventilating. 

My eyes darted at the flower. I grabbed it and shoved it into the trash as if doing that would be enough to calm my nerves.

But even doing that and telling myself to forget it, the message kept ringing in my head. 

'Look at me. Only me.'

I shook my head vigorously before gently tapping my cheeks to wake myself. I must take my leave before this place makes me crazy. I used my hands to straighten my uniform and smooth my hair. 

"Inhale. Exhale," I chanted softly. I must remain calm when I return. I must remain calm.

No one should see the brink of my downfall, not my comrades, not my senior, and certainly not Redmund and Lilith. 

Those two were the last people I would let see me breaking down.

As I left the powder room, my eyes cautiously looked from left and right, using my wolf senses, if there was anyone other than me, but it was still empty and eerily quiet. When it felt like everything was clear to me and no signs of that stalker, I made my way back toward the assembly hall, but somehow, I felt uneasy.

It felt like I was being watched right now from this distance.

It felt like I was no longer safe anywhere.

The moment I pushed the doors of the hall, it creaked softly as I realized the meeting had already begun. All of the soldiers and clerical staff were silent as their gazes were fixated on the tall, commanding figure standing on the platform.

Those familiar freckled hazel eyes. That short, neat brunette hair that was softly to clutch. A trimmed beard frames a face cut sharply with authority.

No... No way... He was here?!

I cursed under my breath because the words from the note echoed in my head again, repeating like a broken record.

'Look at me. Only me.'

As if the fate was jesting on me, that man I never wanted to meet again locked his eyes on mine. Commander Lucretius's upper lip curled into a smile as if he had finally found his prey.