Eliezer flinched and let out a short gasp at the unexpected tap on his shoulder. It would seem that Raven was starting to take him by surprise more frequently. She immediately mentioned Adelina when he turned to face her, and was stunned that she said that as if she had read his mind. Adelina had spoken to Hildebrand about him? He could tell that his childhood friend was deeply concerned about him and the current situation. A part of him wished that he had never come, and that he had never gotten her involved in all of this, but it was too late now. Also, was the change in him truly that apparent that she could see it? He was unsure of what to think about that, but he did not have long to ponder over it before Raven spoke about wanting to know his true feelings about her. Perhaps it was not already clear from what he had done, and she needed to hear him say it.

"I want to be with you, my lady. Your presence provides me with joy. It would hurt me, so much, if I ever had to give you up. If it satisfies you to hear me say it, I love you. I never wanted to admit it because I did not want to risk being hurt. Even now I continue to question, does how I feel truly matter? Perhaps it does to you, my lady, but what is it to anyone else?"

He flinched again when she took his hand, and then decided to directly tell her about what was currently worrying him. "Lady Nemes does not know that you are in her estate. I am at a loss as to how to tell her, as she is already so distressed..."

He trailed off as he directed his gaze to her hair. He reached up and curiously ran his fingers through the long, cool-black locks. Her hair was not as long the night before, and it should have been impossible for this to have happened.

"My lady, w- what happened?"
[hr]
Hildebrand watched the attractive assassin emerge from her hiding place, immediately knowing that she had been listening to his conversation with Adelina. How did she know that he regretted what had said? It was not as if he had shown any signs of it. Could it be that she knew that it was something that he was not supposed to say? He shifted slightly in discomfort at her tone of her voice, but managed to answer her.

"It will be difficult. I believe that she is not responding very well to what she already knows."