"Is that so?" Sylvia asked, raising her brows. "Hmmm… You are right. I am a burden and I don't want to be a burden to someone else."

"I will leave. But I am leaving by myself. I have been alone all my life and I can take care of myself. I don't need Leol and Theo to accompany me."

Sylvia turned around and stood, not wanting to face the man any longer. 

One second he was giving her a name and a title to stay beside him, while the next second he was parceling her off to someplace else.

Mikel sighed helplessly. He was completely torn and he didn't how to explain it to her. Answering her right now was the same as giving up on everything he had worked for. 

"Please baby, don't do this to me. Can you please do this one thing for me?"

"Mikel… We haven't even… You said you needed me for becoming stronger? What about that? How would that be possible if I leave?" Sylvia bit her lips and asked.

"It's alright. I will think of some other way." Mikel muttered.

"At least tell me what happened?" Sylvia could see that the man was begging her, but how could she leave him like this? 

After all, just like he loved her, she loved him too. How could she bear to leave him all alone on his own? Even taking away his two trusted allies?

Just as they were arguing with each other without any end in sight, Mikel suddenly froze and his expression changed.

This time he was no longer simply sad, rather he looked as if he was terrified. "YOU NEED TO LEAVE NOW!"

"YOU NEED TO LEAVE NOW!" Mikel clutched her, no longer bothering to discuss anything with her, and dragged her out of the room.

"Hey slow down. What is going on?" Sylvia panicked. Before she could even understand what was going on, Mikel had already dragged her halfway out of the castle.

Leol and Theo had also joined them and they as well had grave expressions on their face. 

"Let's use the servant's exit," Mikel growled and when Sylvia was not able to keep up with their pace, he threw her on his shoulders and kept walking ahead without stopping.

It was the middle of the night, so everyone in the castle looked at the group, casting curious glances at them. But since Mikel was there, their gazes did not linger.

Mikel as well slowed down their pace tremendously once they were in the common area and a lot more guards were around them.

His entire body was sweating profusely but he maintained a calm expression on his face as he strolled through the kitchen quarters.

"Your highness."

"Your highness."

"Your highness."

Some of the servants who were still busily working greeted him and Mikel simply nodded, waving at them dismissively. "As you were. As you were. Don't mind me." 

His legs, however, kept moving as fast as they could. 

In the matter of a few minutes, they had almost covered the entire width of the castle, moving all the way from the guest quarters on the south wing, reaching the kitchen quarters on the north wing.

"Leol. Get the carriage around." Mikel commanded while Theodore stayed back with him. "It will be fine. Everything is going to be fine."

Sylvia was absolutely shaken. Being left like this in the dark, she didn't know what to make of anything. 

She hated being treated like a weak helpless little girl even though that's exactly who she was. It left a bitter and unsettling feeling in her heart. 

She wanted to be stronger, strong enough to help the man whom she loved dearly. But unfortunately, the reality was different. He was right. She was indeed a burden.

Sylvia closed her eyes tightly shut and forced the tears back into her eyes. She didn't want to let him see her cry. She knew that that would only make him feel even worse.

A few more seconds passed when Mikel and Theo finally exited the kitchen and reached the castle garden. A couple of guards standing around bowed and greeted them. Mikel as well nodded in response.

"Are you alright?" He gently helped Sylvia back down and asked. "Please don't ask me for anything now. Just go with them. I…" Before he could finish his sentence, Mikel froze abruptly and his face paled.

He had held onto a tiny bit of hope but now everything was crushed. "What?" Sylvia was just about to speak when a loud voice sounded from behind them.

"Leaving so soon? Aha ha ha. Where are you all headed to in the middle of the night?" An old man walked towards them, his hair and his beard graying.

However, unlike the other nobles or the men of royal lineage, he was not flashy. He only wore a simple black robe with a sash running in between.

Just as she was looking at the old man, wondering who he was, Sylvia suddenly felt her body float up in the air, as if someone was lifting her up by clutching her neck. She choked and her eyes widened from not even being able to breathe.

She immediately looked at Mikel for help. She saw him standing there, staring at her figure, myriad emotions crossing his face.

"I… I… can't breathe. Help…" She stuttered, wheezing and twitching, as she hung afloat mid-air. 

Her eyes begged and pleaded with the man she loved for help, but…

"Ah… Master Eric! What a pleasant surprise!" Mikel turned around, not sparing her a single glance, and greeted the old man with a smile on his face.

"Indeed. Indeed. Mikel! I haven't seen you in a while. How have you been? How is little Cassius doing?" The man smiled as he walked closer, calmly and leisurely.

"Ah! Don't remind me of that naughty little twerp. I had to talk to the headmistress twice and convince them not to expel him." Mikel softly chuckled and shook his head helplessly. "Heh. By the way, what are you doing to my maid?"