"Roseli, where are you?" I asked as I exited the bathroom of my student apartment. One hand in my pocket while the other span emerald magic around the fingers. I had only gone in there briefly to freshen up and she had already vanished. But, knowing what she did with the money she accumulated, I was going to enjoy the sight.
"Why don't you come and find me, my love?" she answered back with a whisper that I heard with my magic.
"Find you? Well, if you insist." I say with a growing smirk as I began to hunt for a specific signature. And, when I found her, it was because she was speaking with those bulbs of hers. A sweet voice that could only be heard with magic.
"You best find me quickly... These straps can only cover up my honey-taps for so long..." she whispered lustfully with her arcane voice. And, with a newfound eagerness, I picked up the pace until I found her. But, despite the tone and theatrics her voice had, she was just lounging about casually.
I smiled and shook my head on the way other to her, "I think this will stay on fine." I tell her as I briefly hook my finger into her fancy bra. And, just as quickly let it go flicking it back towards her.
"Stop it!" she giggled before she turned around and rose up to match me. But, being on your knees only did so much. So I picked her up and brought her over the sofa. Putting my lips against hers while her legs wrapped around me.
However, much to the disappointment of both of us. I put her down as I had other things I had to attend to right now. I had gone into the bathroom to freshen up before I saw my friends, after all. The way she moaned in disappointment, however, was a good argument for standing them up.
Yet, I had a disciplined mind, "Sorry, Roseli, but, already have plans." I tell her before I gave her a final kiss.
"Then those plans can include me." she confidently said as her arm wrapped around mine and she pressed up against me. The intricate looseness of this lingerie-like casual wear of hers allowed me two things. One, to feel her soft body compressed behind the softer fabric. And, two, to feel what she did not cover up as it bulged out with greater force.
"Well, I believe they already were going to include you, anyway." I laugh out before I shook my bemused head. Roseli was a clingy one, she liked to be around me. She most certainly enjoyed doing it as well when there were others who had their eye on me. But, what could I say?
I looked good and I made sure others saw it too. So, it was only natural that someone would show off their prize. A good quality, well-made trophy always was worth displaying after all. And, our walk out of the apartment made that clear.
My trophy rack was fit to burst at this point and all of it was from storied events that occurred in this place. But, Roseli might have been the first woman I have ever met that never cared for it. She always looked at them with an expression that said one simple thing. I have seen better.
Which, unfortunately, brought the bug to mind as she had made it clear he was her last... Pairing... It frustrated me to think about that creature, because had I not proven myself? I was stronger, yet, Roseli always brought it back to him.
It made no sense whatsoever, weren't aelenvari meant to be cold creatures? They saw someone stronger and that was it? No more loving between the pair? Admittedly, I was fine with the idea of being proven wrong.
It's just, aelenvari had a reputation, they did. It was a rare thing indeed for them to linger on one lover. Not that I had any intentions of treating this as a mere excuse for sex with Roseli. It just, bothered me sometimes when it became clear how unwilling she was to forget the bug.
"So where are you lot?" I asked the wind as I sent my magic out across the fields we found ourselves walking in. Unlike Traditional House, what we Exceptionals had was vast arrays of flowers and artwork. An exceptional landscape, for the most exceptional students.
"By the Inter-House Information Handler. Something big is going down." I got back as an answer not long after.
"The Inter-House?" I repeated in confusion, I highly doubted that it was being cancelled. Thrurstradtur would have to be at war for that to happen. And, my brief glimpse to the skies caught sight of no airships flying the Mighty Moon's banner. Beyond the airship of our resident royal, of course.
But, outside of that, I could not think of anything. Unless they were just walking in on a fight that was entertaining? But that made no sense either as staff would be there the moment it went off. There was a Suhurlodst Academy Guard, after all.
So just what could it be? Maybe it had something to do with that new creature that caused a fuss recently? Were people just excited to see her fight in the Inter-House? Admittedly, I was keen to watch her too, as I had no interest in taking part this time.
Yet, once we waded through the crowds upon arriving. I got my answer as to what was causing all this ruckus. The reason my friends went here wasn't because of petty squabbling, it was because of an ungodly rumour. Though, now, it wasn't so much a rumour as an unavoidable truth.
"Nin..." Roseli muttered with a horrified gasp before she ran off.
"Rose!?" I called out as I spun around at first. But, she had already left my sight and with so many people here, I'd not be able to find her.
"How... How can they let the osibindah take part!? It's bad enough it's back!" one student cried out as her magic flared about her. She was not the only one saying stuff like that, either. Nearly everyone here was voicing such an opinion. With the exception of any Oddity House students who did not understand the rightful hatred and fear of the bug.
"Hey, Seigunfrei, look at this!" one of my mates called out as he waved me other while also pointing at another bit of information.
"You've got to be kidding me..." I groaned as I saw what the staff had measured him up as. The student who needed half a dozen added on scores was ranked this high!? What were the teachers and advisors thinking!? Having beaten him so casually, I could say right here right now he was not Exceptional material.
Because that is what he had been measured up as. The usually wise women and men of this respected place had declared that bug Exceptional House material... How, I could only wish I could find out. But, the calmer side of me understood that they would have not made this call lightly.
So what had he been exactly up to...? Was this perhaps one of the reasons Roseli had trouble forgetting about him? She was like a nervous child who was unsure if they had succeeded? However, in this case, it would be that she had lingering memories of his growth?
But, that would have to wait, because my girl needed me to comfort her, "Move." I then demanded of those around me. And, when space had been cleared, I shot up into the sky on a pair of tornadoes before I dropped to the ground. A whimpering aelenvari just to my right.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have run off like that..." Roseli cried as she wiped her eyes. I did not want to scold her, however, so I knelt before her. Taking her partially gloved hands into mine.
"R... Rose'lhia, is there something you want to tell me?" I asked her, concerned for her as this behaviour was so recently on the decline. But, since the bug had come back, she's started getting like this again.
"I'm... F-Fine... It's just..." she began to say before it all fell apart. She couldn't even form the sentences with her bulbs either. So it was clearly more than just some simple frustration.
"Before we started dating, when you and... Nin, were together. Had he done something to you? Threatened you? Attacked you? Anything bad?"
"N-No... He did nothing like that..." she whimpered as I brought her close and stroked her hair.
"Then why do you have trouble forgetting about him?" I asked as I briefly put some distance between us. My hair and eyes might not have been emerald in colour, but, I was powerful in my own right.
"I d-don't know..." she told me before the tears began to fall again.
"Do you think he is stronger than me?" I asked her as my hand moved towards her heart. Just in case her mind conflicted with the answer she might give.
"No... You beat him with such ease I hadn't expected..." she told me with a sniffle that left me confused. If this was as honest as could possibly be with her answer, then what was it.
But, even if I had trouble figuring it out, I did have one solution, "Then, I shall take part in the Inter-House. For your sake." I tell her as I stood up and looked back at the building I had just come from. My attention quickly returned back to her.
"How's that going to help!?" she despaired as one hand clutched her head. Almost as if it was trying to claw out the memories she had of the bug.
"Because, I think, for now, if I make it clear to you one more time, that he isn't in your best interest anymore, it will help us. But, most importantly, it will help you." I tell her with some uncertainty as I really did not know how to help her. Maybe I could ask about, go on a brief day trip to a flower or the Aelenvari District in Thrurstradtur but...
"Okay..." she then tells me with a smile before she gives me a quick, but still slow kiss.
I then smile back, "Well, let's go sign me up for it, then."
"Actually..." she starts to say as I help her to her tips.
"What is it? You want to take part?" I ask as bewilderment enters my mind. Roseli was not strong by any metric. She was, by personal admission, a priestess for all intents and purposes. She was not a fighter.
"Yes, I do... I believe that me seeing you beat him, in person, will have..."
"The impact that our last encounter did not?" I ask her as I remember how she came up to me during the conclusion of my last fight against the bug. She was not up top in the spectator's seats like everyone else. She was in the arena, skillfully danced around as I beat the bug.
"It might, I..." she began to say before I placed a finger on her lips.
"Shh now, don't worry about it. I'll handle it." I tell her, smiling softly until she regained the confidence I found so attractive about her.
"Okay, then, let's get you ready to show off, then!" she said as she began to tug on my arm and bring me back towards the building.