After a seemingly endless day of getting all my classes situated and pointless discussions with Biana, I decided it was finally time to leave. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, my legs aching as I made my way towards my dorm. Despite the chaos of the day, I managed to calm Ilka, which was a small victory in itself.
Just as I was about to step out of the class, a familiar voice echoed from behind me. I turned, my eyes landing on a figure walking towards me. I couldn't help but recognize her, it was impossible not to. She was none other than Princess Aira, goddammit why do I keep getting bothered by important figures?
I nodded in greeting, my tone casual as I said, "Hello." There's no reason to treat her with the utmost respect in the academy.
She returned my greeting with a small smile, her eyes gleaming with warmth. "Hello, you probably already know but I'm Aira," she started, her voice was surprisingly soft, almost soothing. "I didn't get a chance to meet you earlier, so I thought I'd come to say hi now." I won't fall for her, that stupid cute girl act won't work on me.
Her words made me chuckle. I wasn't one to stand out, and I hadn't interacted with anyone other than Biana and Professor Ayla today. Yet, here was Aira, approaching me on her own. "It's nice to meet you, Princess Aira," I responded, keeping my tone light.
My gaze drifted to her clothes, dirtied and torn in places from what must have been a strenuous sparring session. "It must have sucked being the sparring partner of Isadora," I commented, trying to hide my amusement. Haha, Isadora probably gave her a hard beating.
Aira's face turned a shade of red, embarrassment clear in her eyes. She brushed off the dirt from her clothes, her face contorting into a pout. "That's an understatement. She didn't hold back, even though it was just a simple sparring session," she grumbled, clearly irritated. Dammit, I should've paid more attention, I would've loved to see how it went.
With one final glance at Aira, I offered her a small smile, "Well, it was nice meeting you, Princess Aira. I guess I'll see you tomorrow," I said, turning to leave. As I tuned away, she didn't give up, dammit.
Aira gave a sigh, "You're the first one here to dismiss yourself in front of me, haha that's quite interesting, hey you know all of us in this class have the highest potential. I'm willing to sponsor those that require it, think of it as my way of making connections" Look at this girl already trying to get people under her, anyone that agrees will practically work for her.
"Thank you for the offer but I'm going to have to decline. I don't like the idea of owing anyone anything I hope you understand" If I were to accept this that would mean the prince might consider me an enemy and that's too much of a hassle.
"I think you misunderstood me, I don't need anything in return-"
"Sister, can you not see he is not interested in your sponsorship, you should read the room, my dear sister. I apologize I'm sure you already know I'm Prince Liam, you're V, right? If you're interested I'm willing to offer you a position under me" Look at this guy, worse than his sister.
"Hahaha, I'm sorry I'm not laughing at you guys, I just remembered something funny, Listen I'm pretty sure you both already asked the others and I'm pretty sure everyone else is indecisive. At the moment everyone is focusing on their studies, you guys should attempt to recruit them when things settle down. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my leave" Not that it will change anything, these guys are too focused on fighting they forget to look around.
Aira was the first to recover, her lips curving into an intrigued smile. "I see, thank you for the advice, V. It's refreshing to see someone who doesn't want to be under the wing of royalty."
Liam, however, was a bit more stubborn. His brows furrowed in contemplation, and he was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "Very well, it's your choice, V. But know that the offer will always be open should you ever change your mind."
Nodding in appreciation, I said, "Thank you both for the offer. I'll see you two around." With that, I turned and made my way to the door, leaving the two royals behind me. Goddammit, how should I deal with these two in the future?
As I closed the door to my dorm, I let out a long sigh of relief. I had managed to escape from the clutches of the two royals, and the endless day was finally coming to an end. Just the thought of being able to relax on my own in the privacy of my dorm was a source of great comfort. If only, unfortunately, I have a pest.
Ilka, it's time to come out," I said my voice firm.
In response, a soft, red glow began to emanate from my clothes. The glow quickly solidified, taking the form of a tiny, glowing, red figure hovering around me. With a wide stretch and a yawn, The annoying little shit is now free.
"About time! I hate being cooped up in that blade," Ilka complained, her voice a strange mix of petulance and authority. "I swear, you treat me like a child."
I let out a sigh, rubbing my temples. "Ilka, we've been through this. You know why I can't let you out all the time. So stop fussing and behave."
Ignoring my reprimand, Ilka flew around the room, a red streak of light buzzing in the air. As I made my way to the bathroom, I called out, "Ilka, remember not to release your spiritual pressure. You know what happened today, why didn't you keep it in check in the first place?"
She let out a loud, carefree laugh, "Oh, what's the matter, Kael? Scared that they'll discover me? You should just bow down and beg, maybe I'll consider it then."
Her laughter was still echoing around the room as I stopped and turned, an eyebrow raised. Quick as a flash, I reached out and snagged her out of the air, holding her between my thumb and forefinger. "Don't push me, Ilka," I said, my voice deadly serious. "You know I could seal you permanently if necessary."
With a flick of my fingers, I sent her skidding across the room. She let out a squeak of surprise before regaining control and floating in mid-air, looking rather abashed.
"And no more threats," I added, turning back to my bath. "You're a spirit, act like one."
The momentary silence that followed was blissful, only the faint splashing of the bath water permeating the silence. But then, it was interrupted by a high-pitched voice booming through the room, "Oh, you're one to talk about behaving!"
I groaned, rubbing my forehead. Here we go.
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to? I am Ilka, the great! I fought alongside the legendary hero, and I died protecting him! I am one of the greatest martial artists to ever exist. You should feel privileged to have me with you!"
As she continued to rant about her past exploits and accomplishments, I slid into the warm bath water. The heat seeped into my aching muscles, providing a much-needed relief from the day's exhaustion.
I rested my head against the edge of the tub, closing my eyes. I had heard this spiel countless times before. It wasn't that I didn't respect her past achievements - I did. But Ilka's inflated ego was tiring to deal with on a daily basis. I've only had her for a couple of days and I can't handle her anymore.
"Ilka," I began, trying to keep my tone calm and level. "You've mentioned this before, you know. Several times."
There was a brief pause, and then she let out an indignant huff. "And I'll mention it again! You need to know who you're dealing with!"
I sighed, opening my eyes to look at the glowing red figure floating above me. "Ilka, come on," I pleaded. "Teach me some martial arts. I need to be prepared to deal with the Cult, otherwise it will spell trouble. I don't need to become a grandmaster, just some basic training is necessary."
Ilka crossed her tiny arms, her figure pulsing with a brighter glow as she contemplated my request. "Oh, how many times have I said no?" she asked, her voice dripping with smugness. "Well maybe if you consider me as your master, I might teach you?"
Ignoring her jibe, I held her gaze steadily. "If I acknowledge you as my master, will you then agree?" Although I can learn martial arts here, having Ilka's martial arts will be a great trump card. If I have to play pretend and call her master then so be it.
Her glow seemed to brighten at that, her form wavering in surprise. "You... You would acknowledge me as your master? Are you pretending or are you for real?" she asked, her voice soft.
"If it gets me the training I need, yes. I will acknowledge you as my master," I replied, sighing in frustration.
A smile slowly spread across her face, and she let out a loud, triumphant laugh. "Oh, Kael! You've finally come to your senses! Alright, then. I, the great Ilka, accept your proposal. From this moment forth, I am your master! Now Bow down to me nine times!"
I sighed, rolling my eyes at Ilka's insistent demands. "Is it really necessary, Ilka?" I questioned, my tone riddled with irritation. This was exactly the type of attention-seeking behavior I'd come to expect from her.
"Yes, it's absolutely necessary! How am I supposed to accept a disciple if he doesn't bow down and acknowledge me as his master?" she retorted, her voice shrill and commanding. Her glowing figure pulsed with a brighter glow, a clear indication of her inflated ego.
I could feel a headache coming on, my frustrations with the spirit starting to boil over. I tried to keep my tone as calm as possible, knowing that arguing with Ilka would get me nowhere. "Alright, alright," I conceded, standing up to wrap a towel around my waist. "Let me finish bathing first, then I'll do as you wish."
Her smirk widened as I said this, a triumphant glow radiating from her tiny form. "That's more like it!" she cheered, her high-pitched voice bouncing off the bathroom walls. "I'll be waiting here, so hurry up, Kael."
I simply shook my head in response, opting not to reply as I went back to finish my bath. I couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at the fact that I was about to bow down to a spirit, but it was a necessary sacrifice. If acknowledging her as my master meant gaining the martial arts skills I need then I'll play pretend until I learn everything.
Ilka was waiting patiently, her glow dimming slightly as she saw me emerge. There was a smug expression on her face, her eyes shining with anticipation. It was clear that she was looking forward to this.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward, positioning myself in front of the spirit. This was it. The moment she had been waiting for. With a final sigh, I began to bow down, acknowledging Ilka as my master.
As I bowed down, I couldn't help but feel a sense of absurdity. Here I was, a grown man, bowing down to a spirit barely the size of my hand. But this was the path I had chosen. It was the sacrifice I had to make. Fuck I want to beat the crap out of this little thing. I swear to god one day I will make suffer the same humiliation.
When I finished, I straightened up, meeting Ilka's glowing eyes with a firm gaze. "Alright," I said, my voice steady. "I have acknowledged you as my master. I'm ready to begin training." Now that I have that settled, I'll keep her martial arts a secret and only use them in emergencies or using a different identity.
Ilka's smile was brighter than ever, her glow pulsing with a renewed energy. "Good, very good!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing out with excitement. "We will begin after dinner, Kael. Prepare yourself."