The wizard slowly stretched his arms and yawned scratching his back.
"Aw, Man. I was finally a little elated to find a few worthy opponents after a long boredom and fight them myself...but, Oh, Geez.. You kids are totally harmless. Especially you, young lady.."
He pointed the wand that had instantly popped into his hand a few seconds ago, sharply at my face and snorted.
"Seriously, thread magic...Do you know how effective it is? Young girl?..."
"....."
"And, you just use it encapsulate people inside a cocoon that replenishes their body's own mana. You are too kind-hearted.. girl, even to a stupid wizard, who is so passionate for a battle. And, I thought you were totally gonna fight me! Is this how you waste true your true potential, by helping others..? "
He snapped like an old army sergeant as I shuddered at his words subconsciously bewildered at how he were able to decipher my true intentions just like that.. It seems like I had under estimated this guy very badly..
"Yes sir! I-I mean, No sir!"
And, Why the hell, am I involuntarily getting dragged into this crazy wizard's momentum?!
"And, you..! " The wizard stared intently at Prince Zeno for a few seconds.
Prince Zeno gulped at his gaze.
"Your magic is a disgrace to Fairytale.."
He said, like throwing a bomb before he walked towards me and takes a book from the study desk as though nothing happened.
And, Prince Zeno's jaws reflexively dropped open and he abruptly sank down his head in depression with a gloomy blue aura of despondency emitting from him.
"There..There, Prince Zeno..Even though I don't really know what your powers are, I don't think they are like that... "
I patted his head and pampered him like a child as his ocean blue puppy eyes suddenly gleamed with anxiety like abandoned dog that had finally found it's refuge.
"Really.. Lady Rottenstein?.. "
"Hey Lady, And boy..! "
"Yes sir!" I wasn't even allowed to respond to the prince.
"Join me for a tea time " He said looking away with his cheeks flickering red a bit as we echoed in confutation.
"Hugggghhhh??? "
______________
After some time:
"WHAT!? YOU ARE A PRINCE AND SHE IS THE VILLAINESS OF YOUR BROTHER'S FAIRYTALE! That is the most funniest story I have ever heard..BUGHU HAHAHA "
"You don't need to laugh out like this, Master Merlin.. That's kinda rude, you know.. " I heard Prince Zeno answer to the insult the great wizard had said.
Great wizard!? Humph!
I tightened the belt of my new pants. I seriously doubt that.
Merlin Lockwood, A foreign wizard from the country of Historia, that belongs to the Arthurian empire near Fairytale---The place many of the historical fictional revolve around. He was a man in his late 60s, tall and slinky in appearance and had a long white beard that rolls on till his chest. He wore a pointy wizardary hat, long blue robe, seems to posses an extremely strong mana around him and had an serious demeanor around him but, his sadistic attitude towards us was just completely the contrary.
I quickly changed to the new borrowed clothes from the Lord Merlin's cottage, wiped off the water from my wet chummy hair with a towel and wore a new pair of thick boots.
The dress included a white shirt, with black pants and overcoats, and looked like a stable girl dress to be absolute. But, I was happy about it.
It was much much comfortable than the normal gowns I always wore in my house and other places of nobility.
My wet gown, shoes and socks sat dejected in the corner of the room.
I let out a sigh.
I walked towards the mirror, checked my lousy appearance and figured, ..I looked ugly and terrible, like all days.. nothing abnormal but, this outfit somehow seems to suit my form well.
I smiled.
At least, I don't look much odder in this. I thought and looked around when I noticed an enormous sword embedded with pretty jewels on it's cover that instantly attracted my attention.
I unwrapped the cover and slowly entered the parlor, the Prince and the wizard were seated in, when I found two pairs of eyes staring at me in surprise and disbelief.
"Hey, Merlin-samma, can you tell me where you have found this swor-... What..? "
Their eyes shamelessly ranked over me as though they had finally noticed that I was an opposite gender with their faces heating up a bit.
"Do.. I look that odd..? " I said examining my new dress when the wizard abruptly started.
"Oh no, no, girl. I just thought you were a little too attra-.. "
Bang!
But, his words weren't even allowed to be spilled out when Prince Zeno abruptly banged a paper on the face of the startled wizard covering his eyes.
"I-I just meant.. I am g-glad the dress suits you well, Y-Young lady.." he said slowly pushing off the paper from his line of vision.
"Prince Zeno.. " I mussed to myself and looked at him, yet didn't meet his eyes. They were already averted aside. His eyelids flickered on the floor, nervously for some strange reason, I noticed.
I wonder, what he's thinking..?
"W-Well, Anyway.." Prince Zeno said slowly raising up.. "Now, that the rain had stopped. I think, it's almost time for us to get back". He then looked at me as a sign.
"A-Ah, Thank you so much for your kindness, Master Merlin. Your tea really did warm my heart.." I thanked the wizard bowing my head as he chuckled.
"Aw, don't mention it, girl. My cottage is always open for young magic welders and monsters to kill my boredom.." he said smiling innocently as I shuddered back.
That explains why his cottage is too unguarded! He is attracting the monsters on purpose to fight them...I was right! He really is a
masochist!!
"But, are you sure, you kids have nothing to check out inside my cottage? That's the true purpose you hijacked my house, isn't it..? "
Merlin-samma said looking at me intently when I noticed Prince Zeno signal a strong 'no' with his eye's glare.
"Er.. No, we don't. Merlin-samma. "
"Well.. Okay.." he said slowly opening the door and letting us out.
"If you say so.. But, remember. My cottage is always ready to accept you, whether it be for a tea or a fight! I will accept you gladly.." he said beaming.
"Y-yes.. Master Merlin.."
"S-Sure, Merlin-samma.."
We synced together when the door gradually slided close.
A deep breath escaped out of our lips.
"I am positive, He really is a masochist.." Prince Zeno answered my thoughts.
"Exactly! Don't you think so too!"
"And, did you see his exterior appearance? He looks so elegant and superior I admit but his gauche attitude towards us.. "
"It's terrible. I would accuse he really doesn't have any manners at all in our conversation!.."
"Well, talk about it. Do you know, when I escorted him during his first day at our country? He was such a sourpuss then, too! Being a foreign guest, I had arranged the best houses in the town but yet he had too choose this tiny Hut up in the hill.. It makes me all the more miserable.. "
"A person who doesn't know how to value the provisions he was offered with is much worse then a scumbag.." I declared vehemently
"That's exactly what I was saying to my brother, Big sister Anasta!"
Prince Zeno suddenly clasped my palms in agreement following my exact same tempo and excitement when... we suddenly remembered that we were apparently not on agreeable terms with each other.
He immediately dropped his clasped hands and scratched his blonde hair.
"A-Ah...."
An awkward silence filled the air as frogs croaked on our background.
"...."
"...."
He looked at me distinctly for a moment but soon patted one of my red hair bang, that was poking out unevenly.
"It's already too late and we cannot return back to the palace or your house at this point.. so.. I think it would be better if we find a safer place to rest, Lady Rottenstein..." He mussed softly.
"I.. Heard there's a town nearby... S-Shall we go there?..."
"Mmm.. " I gently nodded my head. Anywhere is better than this annoying wizard's cottage.