The Conquerors Path
chapter-554

"What are you looking at?" Mira asked as she saw me looking at her with a smile.

"Nothing, just enjoying the beauty of my aunt," I replied with a smile that made Mira snort. She was already getting used to these sudden attacks of mine, such that now she could easily shrug off these words, at least that's how it seemed on the outside. But I know that on the inside, she is quite happy with these words of mine.

However then again, there is the twisted fact that my 'love' for her is decreasing. After the revelation of me seeing another girl, the story depicting Sonia, there seems to be some sort of awkwardness around her. As if she herself can't come to terms with what is happening to her. For now, I have let her stew in her thoughts enough.

By now, she must have come to understand everything about the feelings in her, and now it's time I rake in the date debt I have so closely kept at hand.

"Aunt, so you are free for the week, right?" I asked with a smile, my words simple without any actual focus on the question, to which Mira nodded her head. She took a seat before me as she spoke while rubbing her head a bit.

"Thanks to you, I have nothing to do the following week."

Hearing her words, the 'desire' in me flew towards her, this expression of my feeling bringing a twitching at her eyebrows as I asked, "Then how about I take you on the date that we have yet to go on?"

My words made Mira's lips twitch. Back then, weeks ago, after revealing my budding romance with Sonia, I had already taken from her a date, and even now, I have yet to fulfill my part of that date. For one, Mira was very busy, and I myself didn't go to meet Mira as I too fell into some work and didn't want the special date I had for Mira to just become something mundane.

[A/N: The true reason?... cough... the author forgot about it...]

The things I want to happen can only happen if I can take my time, to have Mira's full focus on me. Only then can I finally break through the layers in her heart, and this situation has just gifted me the perfect opportunity that I need.

"Then what about this girl you are starting to like... Sonia was it?"

Her words brought a surprised expression to my face, while on the inside?

'Got you.'

I was more than sure that after I explained my story of meeting Sonia, Mira would definitely look into this, to try and find out more about this girl going after her dear loving nephew. Well, I am sure that is the excuse she used to research back into the life I had inside the Babylon academy, and for her, I already laid all the crumbs she needed to follow.

For you see, I didn't just go through such a rough route for Sonia to just get her heart. No, I also needed her to conquer Mira. The time and story between us, to the eyes of Mira, will be a sweet and nice story of me falling for a tired yet powerful girl unwilling to give up. But if one were to dig in deeper, the greatest thing that would connect me and Sonia would be our unrequited love.

I am 100% sure that after Mira finds Sonia, she will definitely look into the past of the girl, where she will find the history of the love that Sonia once held for Leonardo. The sad story of the girl trying to get the love of another yet not getting it, deeply resounding with me. Thus, granting a layer of certain guilt and anger within Mira's heart.

The very reason that I got attached quickly to Sonia is due to Mira. Not, very logical, but a jealous woman budding in love rarely gets filled with perfect rationality. And thus, this brings a certain pressure on Mira.

The connection forming between me and Sonia in the eyes of an unbiased viewer will be a beautiful yet touching story. Two broken hearts meet each other and heal each other until they finally find true love. Isn't that beautiful?

But to the eyes of Mira, all she will be seeing is me going away. But the hardest part for her will be my feelings. Ever since my 'confession' of another girl to Mira, I have slowly lowered the feelings of 'love' from me towards Mira. Not by a huge amount, just minuscule. But to someone with great perception like Mira, it will be as clear as day.

Right now, sitting here in front of Mira, my 'feelings' are split in two. A trench of feelings fighting between Mira and Sonia. Those confusing emotions easily flowed from me toward Mira, but what stayed most clear within these emotions was my conviction. A certain feeling that perhaps it was time I finally settled my feelings.

"Ho-How did you know?" I asked, finally getting out of my 'surprise,' which earned me a guilty side-eye from Mira, her voice soft as she spoke.

"Well, I can't just let your heart go to any girl, can I? I had to make sure my favorite nephew is not getting in any trouble."

"I see..." This response of mine was downcast, a feeling of 'disappointment' from me flowing towards Mira. Along with it, my 'conviction' grew, seemingly having finally made the choice to let go of what I have been holding within me for years. The combination of both of these brought Mira's eyes towards me. I did not miss the sudden tremble of her eyes.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the room got heavier. I leaned against the chair as I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths as Mira began to speak.

"Austin—"

"Just give me a moment," I replied, making Mira silent. The silence lasted for 5 seconds, after which I opened my eyes. They focused on Mira as my expression turned serious.

"A week, aunt. I want a loving week with you," I spoke, my words bringing a conflicted expression across Mira's face. But this wasn't due to spending a loving week with me. No, this was due to her fear of what would happen after the weekends. My conviction was clear to her as she spoke.

"What about your girlfriend?"

"She isn't my girlfriend yet..."

I replied, keeping my focus on her as I continued. "The two of us share a common past, and I refuse to break her heart. For I know how it feels..."

"Austin..."

Mira called out with a pained look, but I held my hand up, wanting to complete my words.

"I don't blame you, aunt. I have already told this to you. I know the relationship between us won't work, but feelings can't just be turned on and off, can they?"

At my words, Mira bit her lips.

"So I want this week, a week where I can fulfill my dream of being with you. Even if it is just an illusion, and after this, we will go back to being the loving aunt and nephew that you and I want to be."

My words, if heard by an unbiased person, would scoff at it. Playing lovers for a week and then be back to normal? Yeah, that's just nonsense, especially after I just spoke about how feelings can't be turned on and off as one likes.

In fact, if Mira were to sit calmly and think it through, she would come to understand how bad the idea of us spending a week together would be. But her current state wouldn't be able to reject it. All the feelings, her mixed emotions, her jealousy, my pain, and her confusion – all of this is filling her mind. And worst of all, I am looking at her with hopeful eyes.

And what will truly drive her will be her own emotions, to fully understand everything she is feeling. My conviction of letting go of my feelings will push her to make her own conviction of perhaps ending her feelings for me after this week.

Thus, a tense atmosphere formed in the room as I kept looking at Mira. Her expression changed a lot until she finally took on a convinced look on her face.

"Alright," she spoke, and a smile filled my face.

'Hook, line, and... sinker.'