Inna ignored him as she opened the door to leave.
After snapping out of his daze, Raghnall followed her shortly.
"You know, word of advice, a magic-user's robe really doesn't suit you. Its whiteness contrasts with your… craziness."
He commented.
"You should dress like this more often. It really brings out your appeal and surprisingly makes you seem less crazy."
Inna ignored him as she made her way outside the dorms. He tried a couple more times to strike a conversation but Inna tuned him out.
"Ninny. Hey."
Inna still ignored him.
"Ninny."
She just kept walking and walking towards the dense pack of trees.
"Ninny! Ninny! Hey!"
Raghnall started shouting as he followed her. He kept at it until Inna couldn't take it anymore.
"WHAT?!"
"You're going the wrong way."
Inna coughed awkwardly as she stopped walking.
"We are supposed to go here."
He pointed at his now opened map.
"So, we should leave on that side."
Raghnall gave her the map as he pointed to the direction behind him.
Inna still stubbornly ignored him as she tried to hide her embarrassment. But despite her straight face, he saw the tips of her ear turn red which made him chuckle under his breath.
After that embarrassing moment, Inna spent the whole trip in silence. Raghnall didn't have any interesting things to say so he stayed silent as well. But not before giving Inna his opinions on how great she looked with armor on.
Truthfully, Raghnall really thought she looked better with it on. It looked natural on her. The robes she wore back then made her look like a child wearing her father's robes. It didn't look like it belonged to her at all.
In fact, he didn't even look at her as a woman at first. He looked more of a man to him. Not because of her clothes, but because of the way she behaved.
A female magic-user would usually be more reserved or graceful. After all, they need not to do much but draw circles and say things. And most females wouldn't even take up Combat if they had the talent for magic. Since in order to appeal to men, the noble women and commoners alike, tend to show their delicate and pretty side. They are trained to show good manners, learn the right way of speaking, proper etiquette, and the right way to avoid fighting. They always had to look proper and decent for the men.
While the men on the other hand, well, to summarize, they really act like her; rash, rowdy, and reckless. Although there are some exceptions, guys around their ages still exhibit one of these things.
But her as a female fighter, Inna's personality can be justified. Although very very few in numbers, female fighters really do act like men, but they are usually less egotistical about their strength. And although they're not as vocal and vulgar as Inna, they still behave quite manly compared to the female magic-users.
Indeed, with a robe on, she looked more like a guy despite having a pretty face. But with the armor, everything just clicks.
"Can you stop ogling me?"
Inna couldn't help but get secretly flustered by his stare.
I mean, if a handsome man who looked like an American-Korean model hybrid were to stare at you for a long time, who wouldn't get flustered?
But despite that, she managed to keep a straight face.
"I know I'm pretty but control yourself."
Raghnall snorted in disdain.
What a waste.
Looks are amazing, but the attitude is appalling.
"Despite changing into armor, you're still the same old ninny. Once a Ninny, always a Ninny indeed. No wonder the nickname suits you, Ninny."
After hearing the word 'ninny' for the thousandth time, Inna was at the brink of exploding.
"Can you stop with the 'Ninny this' and 'Ninny that'? My name is Inna!"
She blurted out but when she realized what she just said, she immediately took it back.
"I mean, Ingrid! Ingrid Lidden!"
Raghnall raised an eyebrow at her earlier statement.
Inna?
"So, you're saying…."
Inna gulped.
He probably wouldn't know about the 'son-fiancé' thing right?
I mean, he said he was a commoner so he probably wouldn't know upper class stuff. And besides, it's not like he's an undercover prince or noble, right?
It's only in books that she learned of those things happening, but she couldn't rule out the possibility.
"… your 'nickname' is Inna? But I like my nickname of you more! It suits you better than lame old 'Inna'! Seriously, whoever called you 'Inna' doesn't have a good taste in naming at all! It sounds so lame and boring. Strange as well. Who calls someone 'Inna' nowadays? I don't think anyone had ever had that misfortune of having such a sad excuse of a nickname."
Inna couldn't help but sigh in relief. But she had to admit, after hearing the rest of what he had to say, she felt like socking him in the gut.
"And what? Like you're any better? Your name is Raghnall? What does that even mean? I never heard anyone with a name like that. It even sounds like a 'rag doll.' Now that you mention it, why don't I call you that? I mean, it's just like you. It's all made up of useless pieces of shit combined to be a bigger sorry excuse of a thing."
Who wouldn't take offense when someone makes fun of your name?!
Inna spat on the ground and stomped angrily as they made their way to a huge arched gate.
Trailing behind her, Raghnall had absolutely no idea what caused her to get so prickly. Her unwarranted hostility really surprised him to the point of being speechless. And besides, hearing her words, he was at a loss of what to reply with!
"Ragdoll, huh…"
He caught up to her after a slight jog.
"Hey! That's a great idea! You call me that, while I call you Ninny! It's like our exclusive names for each other!"
He grinned at her but Inna ignored him.
"C'mon! We can be partners in crime! 'The Ninny and the Ragdoll,' it has a nice ring to it."
Inna sighed in surrender.
She was confident with her comeback but he wasn't even offended with what she said.
The only way for him to be truly offended is when she gets physical with him.
Like throwing rocks at him. Or slapping him with flowers.
Now that I mention it….
Just a few hours ago, she met this man for the first time.
But, all she can remember doing to him is her claiming he was a stalker, trying to hit him in the crotch, hitting him with a lily twice, throwing a rock at his head, blatantly ignoring his presence, and always lashing out at him with mean words.
Has she always been this mean to him?