"What? You want to go out with me?"
Inna narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she peered at Raghnall. Then, she couldn't help but groan lazily as she asked.
"Why? Aren't students prohibited to go out of the academy unless they get a permit from their prefect to buy something from the marketplace?"
Raghnall smiled as he patted her head, a gesture he somehow kept doing during their training that Inna eventually got used to it.
"Today is special. It's been a tradition that a week before the tournament, the students are allowed to go down the mountain and head to the village to have fun. It's the Academy's way of saying that they need a well-deserved break for their hard work in training."
Inna tried to recall the carriage ride she had when she headed to the Academy after leaving the Sun Breeze Mansion but she never saw something that could be called a village aside from the marketplace.
And it was as though Raghnall read her mind when he suddenly answered her unspoken question.
"But the village is quite far from here. And it's also a bit further than the marketplace so it might require some time to get there. Hence, I'm asking you now while it's still early."
Inna furrowed her brows as she checked the time.
"Uhm, the thirteenth hour is not early."
Raghnall shot her a flat look as he gestured to her current situation. She was shamelessly sprawled out on her bed as she casually spoke with him.
"It's really early compared to the previous times you woke up from your 'nap'. I've seriously been trying to wake you up for half an hour and thank the heavens you actually woke up before I had to resort to pouring water on you. I really can't fathom how someone can sleep for more than twelve hours straight after being told that the next day will be free."
Inna rolled her eyes as she sat up from her bed.
"And I can't fathom how someone can complain about having too much sleep."
Raghnall raised an eyebrow as he leaned on the wall facing her.
"Oh? Then, would you want that I would train you so much that you'd sleep forever?"
Inna snickered as she fixed her white sleeping robe that was wrinkled from all the tossing and turning around she did in her sleep.
"Please do. Sleeping forever sounds heavenly."
Raghnall laughed as he hoisted himself off the wall.
"Wear something comfortable to move around. I have lots planned for the two of us."
Inna was about to raise a question but Raghnall cut her off, hoping to answer what she would possibly ask.
"No armor."
Inna gave him a disgruntled look of surprise.
"Wha--no! I was going to ask if it's okay to just wear the regular uniform robes. I don't really know what else to wear."
Raghnall quickly hid the distaste in his face that instinctively came out when he heard her request.
He didn't want her parading around with a plain uniform together with him!
Not only will she be ridiculed and be seen as 'poor' for being unable to wear other garments, but it will also jeopardize the reason why he wanted to go to the village with her.
He wanted her to treat it as a private rendezvous. Not simply just some walking-in-the-street sightseeing.
So, Raghnall crossed his arms as he stared at her intently. Then he spoke with a stern tone, his words leaving no room for discussion.
"No armor. No uniform. Wear something casual if you want just not those two that I mentioned."
Inna crossed her legs as she groaned in annoyance.
"But I really don't know what to wear…"
Raghnall sighed as he approached her. He held out his hand as he gestured for her black spatial pouch that she had by her bedside table.
Inna missed the signal of the gesture he made so she just cluelessly looked at his outstretched hand.
Then, she gave him a forceful high-five.
Raghnall withdrew his aching hand as he looked at her incredulously.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
Inna bursted into laughter at his expression. For the months that they've been training, Inna's been teaching him a few words along the way. He's been overly curious about her expressions so she didn't find any harm in teaching him some. But to hear them come out from Raghnall's mouth every time was both strange and amusing.
Though, the only people who'll probably understand it would be her, Raghnall, and Rhys.
Because during the times she visited Rhys, she's just been eating lunch with him while talking and teaching him those words as well.
Though, she never told them the truth behind the 'asshole' word. She decided that she'll take the meaning to her grave.
That's because Raghnall and Rhys have been calling each other assholes whenever they end up meeting and Inna wouldn't want the entertaining exchange to ever end.
She laughed again at the thought.
Raghnall, on the other hand, casted a quick spell to heal his sore palm. He didn't know why she suddenly slapped his hand away so he felt truly wronged and hurt.
"You don't have to slap my hand like that. I was just trying to help you choose what to wear."
Inna finally ended her laughter and she looked at him with amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Sorry, sorry. You looked like you were asking for one so I couldn't help but do it."
Then, Inna reached out to grab the spatial pouch she kept by her bedside table before throwing it at Raghnall with a playful shout.
"Catch!"
Raghnall didn't have time to react and the pouch harshly hit him square in the face. Then, it slowly plopped down to his open hands.
He scrunched up his face as he stared at Inna with a pout.
"You're a really abusive woman, you know that?"
Inna laughed again as she slid to the side of her bed to wear her shoes.
"Abusive but pretty."
Raghnall snorted but he couldn't help abruptly speaking out his thoughts.
"That's true."
Not expecting the abrupt reply, Inna felt her cheeks redden slightly so she covered it off with a laugh. Then, in a jokingly manner, she spoke with a sweet and playful tone as she batted her lashes.
"Stop, you're making me blush."
Raghnall couldn't help but laugh at her ridiculousness and Inna laughed along after a moment. Then, when their laughter ended, Inna gestured to her spatial pouch on his hands.
"So, you'll be picking what I'll wear?"
Raghnall nodded as he softly caressed the spatial pouch on his hands.
Back then, he didn't expect the harsh color but when he now had it in his hands, he knew why the color was black.
It was to hide the seal of the creator.
But Raghnall didn't seem to mind it as he dipped his hands inside without any hesitation.
He wanted something that would suit her.
Something that's not overly feminine but still beautiful nonetheless.
So with that in mind, he pulled out a simple pale pink outer robe that looked nearly white. It had small and simple embroidered designs of roses and vines that coiled at the hems of the sleeves and pooled on the bottom part near her feet. Along with the robe, he pulled a red belt out which fits perfectly with the colors of the rose and a pure white plain inner robe made of light material. Then, he pulled out matching pale pink shoes along with a small cute pale pink pearl jewelry set.
He slowly laid them out on the bed as he returned the pouch back to Inna.
Inna peered at the selection with approval.
"Though I would've loved to look a little less like a dead body from all the paleness of the robe, it's not bad. I like it. Though is there anything black inside there?"
Raghnall furrowed his brows as he crossed his arms with dissatisfaction written all over his face.
"There are black robes but I'm not letting you wear them. We're going to be strolling the streets until night so with you wearing black, there will be a big chance of me losing you if you run out on your own."
Inna understood his sentiments so she stood up and grabbed the robes. The outer robe reached until her ankles but from how flowy the cloth was, it seemed like her movements wouldn't be restricted much. The inner robe was light as well though it still held enough thickness to protect her from the chilly evening.
While she was busy admiring the robes Raghnall picked for her, he slowly walked towards the door to leave.
"Don't bring your spatial pouch. It might get stolen by some pickpouchers without you noticing. Just tell me later what you want to bring and I'll place it in mine. And please change fast if you don't want to arrive at the village at night."
When Raghnall saw Inna nodding, showing that she heard and understood him, he opened the door to her room and left.