The Flowing Domain

Words zipped in one's mouth

Sometimes, it could be hard to hide something that should have been stayed confidential. But most of the times, the secret can slip out of the mouth so randomly, so faintly, it won't be even noticed. The fact that the commotion that happened in between Astrophel and Kanno, did not faze the mighty knight at all - or so he thought. Maybe the first few hours did not make any difference to Kanno, but he wanted to know further. However, he was forever guilty to know something beforehand, but what was the difference in any way? What can it harm if he knows it a little bit earlier? Nothing. That's why he is going to keep this little information confidential. He wouldn't want to ruin Astrophel's reputation, would he? Besides, it would be another poker card under his sleeve to blackmail him if something was needed.

As Kanno thought about the blackmailing once he was walking along the hallways, he stopped, his eyes glistening slightly as he shook his head. "I can't blackmail him... I can't play with someone's life like that... it's not like you, Kanno." He closed his eyes, feeling slightly dizzy as he recalled the words his father, Nico Hajime has mentioned. He opened his eyes almost instantly and kept walking, ignoring the maids that asked what was up with him. He wouldn't expect the fact that he was thinking about this again once a day has passed. 

"Kanno!" A voice was heard from the distance as he saw someone approaching towards him, making him tilt his head to the side slightly as he stopped and looked at the man that was now in front of him. Aiden Nochers. Right, it was him out of all people. "Aiden pleased to meet you again, I-" Before he could say anything, Aiden took his hand and shook it, nodding his head slightly. So was this some kind of respectful greeting by shaking someone's hand non mutually? Although he did not seem to be awkward, he shook his hand back slightly then he let him let go of his hand as he dug it in his pocket.

"I know what you have in your mind, Kanno," Aiden started, pushing his blond hair back as he smirked and then looked at his hand, spreading his fingers around and rotating his hand ever so. "Such a great opportunity in order to talk to you about or business." Kanno's heart started racing, though he wasn't able to show it on his face. What kind of business? Is it possible that Aiden somehow found out about the talk that he and the advisor had yesterday? He prayed to gods he did not.

"Business?" Kanno said, fixing his glove slightly as he looked at him from the corner of the eye, eyeing him up and down as if trying to read him. "The princess business! We're travelling to my homeland in two days! I'm excited." Kanno let out a short sigh in relief and rubbed his nape, showing no sign of relief though. He thought that he was going to get busted, but Aiden seemed to be too much of an airhead to even be a proper head knight.

"Kyrenth... right." The butler tried to sound as enthusiastic as possible, just to not offend him in all possible cases. Since Kyrenthians do get offended quite easily, he was cautious with Aiden. Aiden looked at him with a smile, placing his hands on Kanno's shoulders, shaking him slightly which caught him off guard. "I'm finally going to meet my wife after few months! I am so happy the princess has chosen me for this." Kanno felt like he should be saying something regarding the situation, because he will be in the castle all day, guarding the princess. He wouldn't really think they will be out in the town, would they? He pondered about it for a bit, then he touched his hands slightly, his smile illuminating on his face. 

"I will be meeting my sister as well. It's been months that I have seen her baby face." Aiden put his hands down, his eyes sparkling as he was too happy to hear this. It felt like he was making a new friend, which was Kanno. Kanno was his new friend, which made him feel the faint reassurance about everything. "So you do have a loved one..." Aiden looked at him with a slightly saddened look, making Kanno's eyes widen slightly as he arched his brow. He opened his lips, but he felt nothing coming out of his mouth so he just stared at Aiden for some time, making silence seep over.

"I know a lot of things about you, Kanno Hajime," Aiden spoke, his face turning stone-cold for second as he started off and then took a small step back as they shared their own gazes with each other once again. Kanno seemed to be quite confused by Aiden's words, but he did not really want to think too much about it. He already had a lot of things going in his mind, so it was no wonder why he didn't want to contemplate on such things. He finally cleared his throat to break the silence, looking at the side. "That's pleasant to know... thank you for the small talk once again, but I need to take my leave now," Kanno explained, standing aside as he walked forward but his way was blocked by Aiden, his face seemed to be cold as ice again.

"I'm just trying to help you, Kanno." He exclaimed in a slightly loud tone, his fists clenching as he gritted his teeth. It was as if he was trying to say something so desperately, but he wasn't able to word it nor something was letting him do so. Kanno's eyebrows furrowed, his surprised expression not leaving from his face either. "Helping me with what, Aiden? I barely know you, but you're acting bizarre." Kanno replied, trying his best not to cause any possible commotion. He did not want another fight with someone he works with, even a few days before the princess is going to travel. 

"You don't get it, don't you? Everything around you at the moment is fake, and whatever the hell you are feeling towards others is also fake. Kanno, you are not supposed to be here. Take my word into an account, please. Its-its..." Aiden whispered, but then he looked down at the loss of words, his fingers fiddling with each other as he looked up at Kanno once again, his face buried with despair. "This is all just temporary... all of this... is just temporary!" Aiden shouted, causing a ruckus which made Kanno step away from him and he started to back away from him as fast as possible. He started to recall his father, whatever he was saying about all things happening to him being all temporary.

He looked down, cold sweat dripping down his temples. Aiden was mad, he couldn't repeat the same thing his father would say, now would he? It was impossible, and all of this was just a coincidence. All of this was just a pure coincidence. Everything, everything that possibly just clashed onto each other was a mere coincidence. That's how Kanno would calm himself down. By the excuses of just saying that it was a natural thing to happen, and there is nothing to overthink about. 

He stopped in the middle of the hallway once again as he felt like he was far enough from the danger source. He placed his hand on the wall, looking down as his blue locks covered his eyes, his low ponytail brushing against his shoulder as he panted. He was away from the danger zone, he was away from the madman. He convinced himself that everything will be fine soon enough, and he will get to see the princess again as he works, then he moved by, his steps slow and steady, his hand on the wall as he pushed himself forward.

The halls felt like they were endless, even in this large castle, he felt like he won't be able to reach any destination to a particular room.

Maybe he won't be able to achieve anything in his life either, because he devoted his life for the princess, and there was no turning point.

He felt like his life was deposited for the princess, but he didn't mind it. It was weird, the time when they were at the garden, the times that they spent talking to each other.

It felt ethereal. He did not feel this way with anyone. It felt like looking at Princess Aquila was a sin. She was too perfect to be understood, but he was too naive to even understand himself.

He felt like he was overthinking once again, he was thinking every single detail out. Kanno was always an overthinker.  So by that, he felt like he was too dramatic to feel things that he felt. He stopped and he stopped leaning on the wall and straightened his posture. He glanced at the window, no, a large couple of windows that showed the outside world. He felt ashamed that he was so overdramatic, he felt like he wasn't worthy in order to be the head knight or a butler at all.

He tugged on his blue-collar shirt and looked outside. "What is that... temporary feeling... dad and Aiden are talking about... maybe if I reach towards it... maybe if I find out... the golden rune and the..." He looked out of the window and reached towards it, feeling some kind of figure moving around the nearby garden which made him rub his eyes for a second and look once again.

As he opened his eyes once again, the figure was gone out of sight. But it felt so real? He pursed his lips together, looking at the other end of the hallway as he started to walk towards the same place that he was in earlier. "Aiden." He called out his name, desperately looking for him.

But he seemed to be nowhere around, he was just here but he disappeared. He wanted to ask Aiden about what he meant. But he was a coward and he left. What if he was actually a madman? But you never know, maybe the sickly can lead you to the right path regarding your feelings. But Aiden wasn't sick, was he? He was just misunderstood. Misunderstood like everyone else. But was Kanno misunderstood? He looked down at his hands and stared at them for a short period of time, feeling a pang of slight pain in his chest. He wasn't misunderstood. Everyone else in here perfectly knew what he felt like. But alas, no one was able to word it. Aiden was.