Chapter 8: Chapter 8

A teenage boy 16 years of age with silver frost hair, the average height for someone his age, and wearing the academy of Thornes uniform for males with a priest collar was at the door of the cafe, it was the priest in training Marcus, a fellow capture target waiting outside.

'Do I cancel, Vincent doesn't have a lot of friends, so having one over is a really big deal, but, Cecila and Julia are upstairs sleeping peacefully.'

'It would be rude and suspicious if I turn him away now, especially when he also saw my face.'

I open the door for Marcus who seems eager as well, apparently the temple is very strict about letting their acolytes out on their own and mainly has Marcus deliver soup and bread to the less fortunate.

'Please Marcus, tell me that you are at least getting paid, with my memories of a different life floating in my head, I realize that charity is just free work you don't have to pay someone to do.'

Marcus then saw the breakfast trays, and ask if I was expecting anyone else to show up.

I lied and told him they were for us.

'Being able to lie naturally was second nature to Vincent, hopefully, I'm not affected by his old habits.'

Marcus and I sat across from one another I made sure his back was facing the loft upstairs, I was concerned he might accidentally see Cecila or Julia, and I wouldn't have a new friend anymore.

'I'm sorry Marcus, but Cecila and Julia are more important than our friendship.'

Marcus and I ate the meal that was meant for Julia and Cecila, the meal was delicious and the fresh orange juice really hit the spot.

The Academy was concerned about my recent absents and he volunteer to come visit me on their behalf. I was surprised how the meal came together I completely forgot about Julia and Cecila at the moment, and just enjoy spending time with a friend.

'I wonder if they are awake already?'

POV Cecila and Julia.

Upstairs to the entrance of Vincent's loft, the door was slightly ajar enough that 2 sets of eyes, one pair golden and the other emerald watch down below. The 2 figures were awakened, by the delicious smell of breakfast that was coming from the cafe below, but became startled to find the person they both loved wasn't alone and decided to spy on him instead.

"Why is an academy student here?" Julia.

"I don't know, it doesn't look like an official visit." Cecila.

A stomach growl could be heard from Julia, as Cecila looked at her with a smirking smile, but before she could say anything a low rumble came from her stomach. Both Julia and Cecila were hungry and tired from a night of passionate lovemaking, a long awkward pause went by as they just listen to the voice of the one they both love coming downstairs who was laughing merrily with his friend.

"Hey, why do you like Vincent?" Julia.

Julia may have been caught up in the moment last night, but still wanted to know why Cecila chose Vincent, who she still considers someone who tried to take him away from her.

"I don't like Vincent, I love him, and I'm fine with him having a mistress or two."

Cecila, was also caught up in the moment last night, and still didn't trust Julia, who considered her a rival for Vincent's affection.

Cecila was very much aware of how noble society operated, it wasn't uncommon for nobles to have a wife and a mistress, one person he married for duty and the other one was for love. Cecila even had a half-older sister to who she was quite close, even tho the growing animosity of her mother toward her father's mistress was a temperamental relationship, she never understood why, until now.

"But, I'm his fiance!" Julia.

Julia was from a commoner background, she lost her mother from an early age, and her father was head of a knight order, who dive himself into his work after she died. Julia was more or less raised by her older brother, who also is a knight captain in her father's order. Julia didn't understand the romantic relationship that well and was only told she was engaged to Vincent at an early age, she didn't expect someone would try to steal him away from her, but after she realize her feelings for him, she understood losing him would hurt her.

A smile came across Cecila's face, as she push over a crouching Julia and got on top of her, pinning her to the ground in a swift and elegant manner.

"And I I'm his lover." Cecila.

Cecila had a look of fierce determination as she stared directly into Julia's green color emerald eyes. Julia was looking back at Cecila's golden color eyes with a look of defiance. Vincent wasn't around anymore to stop Cecila, her petite body frame pinned down Julia's developing athletic curve one.

"I love him, you made me realize I don't want to lose him." Julia.

Julia didn't back down, even if she was pinned down by Cecila, she could overpower her if she wanted to, but knew Vincent would be upset if she did.

The looks they both had made them each realize the other one wasn't the type to back down, or walk away quietly. They had one problem, Vincent, he made clear last night he wanted both of them, and wouldn't tolerate either of them hurting the other one, so they were at a standstill on what to do. It was clear that Cecila and Julia may never come to like each other, but right now they had similar thoughts.

'How can I get Vincent to leave her?'

It was an intense moment building between Cecila and Julia, as they were staring deeply into each other's eyes, as their breathing was starting to become erratic and heavy. It was a sudden moment of revelation between them, as they felt this feeling before. Cecila quickly got off Julia and turned away from her out of realization. Julia quickly got up and turned away from Cecila, a red blush forming on her cheeks, as the memories of last night's affair were still fresh on their minds. Neither of them have had a romantic relationship before and were letting Vincent lead, his bad habits were rubbing off on them when they were moving at his pace. Julia and Cecila didn't know what to do about the other one, it was something they would have to figure out together.

They remain silent until they heard the visitor downstairs leave, not facing each other, but very much aware of the other one's presence. Each knew that they love Vincent deeply and he loves them, a feeling of affection for them that transcended words and was a bond of love between them, but their feelings for each other were a different matter that was still developing.

POV End.

Today I decided to teach Marcus a simple hard sweet vanilla snap biscuits recipe, so simple a child could do it. 1 stick of room temperature artisan butter made from a weeping dairy cow, 1 cup of dire bee honey, powder demon vanilla bean imported from the demon continent of Deidre, 2 cured cockatrice eggs with the egg white removed, and 2 cups half cups of white flour locally source from the city of Rosen.

'Look like Julia and Cecila are going to be having sweets for breakfast.'

It was Marcus who was looking at me weird, he seem hesitant to touch the ingredients, but I assured him it was alright, he ask if there were any other recipes I knew and with other ingredients, then he ask how expensive was the meal we just had together and how much it would normally cost?

'Vincent was never really frugal with his money, he just had minimal tastes in material objects, his hobbies included, cooking, potion crafting, and planning heists.'

I spoke honestly to Marcus, whose face went pale and he seem to enter into a depressed state.

'The temple should really pay Marcus, a salary for him would be nice.'

Marcus seem to watch me mix and bake the Vanilla snap biscuits, as he was mumbling some incoherent words, but I did hear the occasional number in there, so it probably had something to do with math.

'Do I have any homework assignments, I'll just make it up in my free period next week.'

It was when Marcus was staring at me he asked did I get taller, and that I seem different, which seem to bring a smile to my face.

'I'm really weak to compliments.'

I told him I successfully absorb my Aura core.

'I feel I'm really changing Vincent's fate.'

It was when he asked about the bite marks and bruising on my neck I almost choke on the biscuit I was eating, but I instinctively lied to Marcus that it was a side effect of the Aura core transformation and he believe me.

'I forgot Marcus is a really naive person, similar to Saintess Zenna. Romance and sexual affairs were never really taught to Temple acolytes, who were taught from a very young age to follow the Temple doctrine and remain celibate. Still, Marcus was my first capture target play through when I played the game for the first time, I would like for him to find true love one day.'

We then continue to bake in the cafe, the delicious smell of baking filling the room, and into the loft upstairs.

'I hope Julia and Cecila are getting along, I love them both so much.'

It was the afternoon, and Marcus departed with a basket of vanilla snap biscuits, he was going to share with the children at the orphanage. Marcus kept muttering something about cheaper ingredients, the word cheap ingredients seem to rub me the wrong way.

'Marcus is a really good guy, but he needs to understand there is no substitution for quality ingredients.'

It was about when Cecila and Julia came downstairs after he left, and I remade breakfast for them. They were discussing something very important that was starting to become a fast pace negotiation between 2 parties, they were eating the food I made as I was serving them as their personal waiter.

It was when I place the special morning after cocktails, Julia seem confused at first before was given an explanation, a red blush forming on her high cheekbone freckled face.

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'The temple kind of frowns on out-of-wedlock pregnancies, maybe if I had Marcus here I could have him perform a marriage ceremony for us, no wait he's still a priest in training.'

Julia started sipping her morning after cocktail, following Cecila's example who was already drinking from hers, sipping the cocktail in an elegant manner.

'That reminds me I need to go shopping for more ingredients, My special ingredients for making these cocktails are running out. Vincent isn't a potion crafter by trade, but he does dabble a bit in it, so I'll need to visit the black alley market soon. The black alley was a secret spot in the game that Vincent would take the player to if you had his affection level high enough, to obtain some "useful ingredients" no questions asked. It was also a great place to sell stuff from whatever loot you found in the wilds outside the city.

Julia and Cecila were dividing up my time and comparing their schedules together determining what time they could spend with me, With Julia's knight training, Cecila's bridal training, we could only meet up secretly at school, and for each of them maybe one day on the weekend.

'wait isn't Julia my official fiance?'

Celia and Julia told me what happen at the academy when I was all drugged up, there was quite the salacious rumor going around about Julia and me. Even if Julia has a tough tomboy personality on the outside, she's sweet and emotional on the inside, those kinds of rumors can be very mentally damaging for a 15-year-old girl.

It was Cecila who spoke up saying she had it under control, apparently she has been using her influence secretly in the academy through her followers to keep it to a minimum, but the academy temple students probably will keep a closer eye on me from now on. The academy is very strict about relations between students even if they are engaged with one another.

Saintess Zenna came to mind.

'She knows, but Zenna didn't seem like the type to tell others and was only giving me the warning to stop, plus she wouldn't want any word that she was using her talent to spy inappropriately on other students.'

I waited for Cecila and Julia to finish their negotiations before bringing up the topic of the elopement.

'It was something that was weighing on my mind.'

It was the moment of truth, I told Julia everything about Cecila and me, how we were going to elope at the end of graduation. Cecila calmly was drinking her cocktail, as we both waited for Julia's response.

'Julia deserves to know everything.'

"Vincent, I'll chase you no matter wherever you go," Julia said, with a look of serious determination in her eye, looking to face me, then at Cecila not wanting to back down from her decision.

'Does this mean what I think it means?'

It was then I made a decision, one that I was sure of and would regret if I hesitated for any moment longer. I rush and stumble up the stairs quickly to the loft upstairs, much to Cecila and Julia's amusement and confusion.

'I wanted to make today one they would never forget about.'

I came back downstairs in front of them and got down on one knee in front of Cecila and Julia, who became speechless, in my hands were 2 ring boxes.

'Isn't this a bit too fast?'

'No, it isn't.'

This just felt right to me, this was the right thing to do, and I love them, I really do love them.

Julia and Cecila were speechless as they looked at my sudden proposal, they each took one of the ring boxes and open them. Cecila opened her to find a golden color diamond, known as the golden rose. Julia opened her ring box to an emerald-cut stone, known as the eye of the emerald dragon.

'I want them to know I'm serious.'

It was a long moment of silence I was starting to get nervous, as Cecila and Julia stared intensely at the rings I'd given them.

'Are they having 2nd thoughts?'

It was Julia who broke the silence.

"Vincent, where did you get these rings?"

'Where did I get these rings? I know the Golden rose came from the neighboring kingdom Altina, a kingdom once at war with Thornes over a political engagement gone bad, it was traded fence to fence and made its way eventually into Vincent's hands. The Eye of the Emerald Dragon was a different story, it was the first thing Vincent ever stole, days before he was adopted by the Count of Nightingale and he stole it from a passing merchant who was bragging all about it, it belong to a fallen empire forgotten to time.'

I had a look of shame, guilt, and anxiety, after I realize I just gave my "Justice is everything" fiance a stolen ring, I couldn't look Julia in the eye and broke off eye contact first.

"Vincent, we can't take these, you have to return them, everything you've stolen, or at least give them to the Knight order," Julia said, being very serious with a look of determination to see me follow through with it.

I was going to agree with Julia whole heartily.

'Vincent, I want this ring!'

I could hear Cecila's voice practically shouting in my mind, she had a look of envy, greed, and desire to stare at the ring on her ring finger she had already made up her mind that it was hers. Cecila then look at me, her face begging me that this is all she ever wanted and that she had been a really good girl.

'When Cecila looks at me like that, it makes me want to do anything to make her happy.'

My heart was torn between doing the right thing and making Julia happy or making Cecila happy.

'Think how can I make them both happy?'

The answer came to me in a flash of inspiration.

I held Julia and Cecila's hands, then alternated looking between them trying to reassure them both, that I understood their request.

"I will Jules, everything, I'll return everything, I promise," I said while facing Julia.

After looking at Julia, I turn to facing Cecila, who was looking at me with a pouting face.

"Ceci, please trust me," I said, staring deeply into Cecila's golden eyes, which looks like they were going to break into tears.

Cecila understood that in order for me to have a clean slate I would have to clean up my criminal past, but that still didn't make it easier to take the ring back from her. It took several minutes to pry the ring box out of Cecila's hands, who didn't break eye contact with me the entire time.

'Ceci, trust me, you'll get the ring back.'

Cecila was starting to cry, it was pulling on my heartstrings.

'The first gift I've ever given Cecila, I'd immediately took back, I really I'm a scumbag.'

"Ceci, let's go on a date," I said, the first thing that came into my mind.

Cecila seem to calm down a little, but she was still on the verge of crying.

"Really?" Cecila said, trying to hold back her tears.

'The City of Rosen, you could consider is a mecca of dating and romantic communions, where the player Amelia Bernard would take capture targets to raise their affection levels. A lot of the dates include shopping, eating at nice restaurants, and activities different to each capture target. The City was divided into 6 different sections, the waterfront, old town, restaurant row, market street, theater district, and the Academy, for players to enjoy. Dating was a system in-game that cost a lot of stamina points, it was recommended for players to build up the capture target affection level before going on them. There was a chance the date could go bad, and players could lose a lot of affection points. The dating system in-game was a series of fast pace quick-time mini-games, mixed with character choice dialogue. The player Amelia would receive a grade at the end of the date, where they were scored on communication, which was choosing the correct dialogue prompts, manners, winning mini-games puzzles, and intimacy level, which for an R-15 rated game was hand-holding at the end of the date. If the player chose to date Vincent would take them on a day of betting on horse races, underground gambling rings, and, an illegal masquerade auction, for which the player would have to pay for everything. Dating Vincent requires the players to have a lot of luck on their side or else they would be flat broke and would have to spend real-world money to buy more game currency to raise his affection level, but now it is going to be different.'

I could hear a low whining could be heard next to Cecila, as now Julia was now looking at me with a face of envy at the mention of the word date.

'These girls really know how to toy with my emotional health, but I love them.'

After finishing breakfast, Cecila, Julia, and I went on our very first date together in the city of Rosen.

A/N probably will revise this chapter later, for the relationship dynamic-wise, I'm aiming for Cecila and Julia, to be like his shoulder angels trying to tempt him to their side.

Thank you for reading.

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