His Gaze

Chapter IV: Rumours

"Are you sure you weren't seeing things??"

"No! I swear I saw Nilou and the general Mahamatra together! He even carried her to meet Candice!"

Great.
Looks like some people saw them, and rumours where Nilou and Cyno has an affair of some sort.
You jinxed it.
Nilou in disbelief, even though she had expected something like this would happen.
Not knowing what to answer when Mr. Zubayr questions her regarding it.

"Ahh.. Mr. Zubayr.. surely you won't fire me just because of a lump of rumours, right?"

"I didn't say I was going to fire you. I said I wanted to know how the rumours formed in the first place. Is that so hard to explain, Nilou?"

Frozen, she didn't know wether to tell the truth or act dumb. She wondered.. how is Cyno's situation going..?

-

"What?"

Cyno's situation wasn't really something to focus on, because whenever he walk past the talked rumour, they always shut their mouths like it was their last day in Tevyat.
Everyone denies any rumours or anything related to him and Nilou whenever he asks.. and he got irritated. Being center of attention was never something Cyno ever took interest in, and the people of Sumeru hiding whatever rumour formed about The General Mahamatra and Zubayr Theatre's dancer.. He didn't enjoy it one bit.
At last, Candace informed and explained them to him instead.

"Me and Nilou? Dating? What kind of rumour is that?? Even my jokes are funnier."

"Looks like the rumour formed after some folks saw you carrying Nilou here yesterday.."
The plum haired girl responded.

"That doesn't make sense. All I did was help her out because she was tired from walking around in the desert for such long time. What is wrong with today's society??"

Believe me, Cyno. Even I'm not sure.

In disbelief, he wanted to put an end to such balderdash and aggravating lies.
The white haired had written a letter, which was a waste of time because the dusk bird did not want to deliver letters today. Poor bird does not get payed enough for doing its job.
He thought about it, if he were to meet up with Nilou wouldn't that make it more.. misunderstood?
Well if he just straight up stop meeting or talking to her it would make her misunderstood the one who's misunderstanding.
I mean, Nilou's ought to understand how the situation goes for him, right? She'll agree.
After all, no one ever disagrees with The General Mahamatra.

-

"I object!"

The red haired girl rejected, posing an "X" with both of her arms. Someone objecting the General's decision? That's a first.
Cyno stood silent, waiting for her statement of clarification.
The girl spoke.
"You want to stop talking and meeting up, act as if we're strangers.. just because of some absurd rumours?? My efforts up until now.. would be gone to waste then..
I don't want that."
"I didn't know the General Mahamatra could be this ignorant!"

Ignorant? What type of word was that? That's the first someone had ever described me with an atrocious word. They all tend to call me scary, sharp, intimidating; but ignorant? How brave can this small girl be?
She dares to call THE Cyno, THE General something as abnormal as "Ignorant"?

"What did you just call me?"

The girl hesitated, but continued.
"Ignorant!"
"Everyone seems to always be afraid of you, as you form an image of someone who should be intimidated and scared of.. but in another side of you.. you make humourless jokes, you play a stupid card game.. and you even move gently when with children on animals.. as to not hurt them.."
"I find that very admirable!"