Please stop.
This is too hard for him!
Sir Raihan! Riri! Anyone! Please get him out of here!
He will be a good child! He will not sneak out again! He promises!
"Please help!"
"Run faster if you don't want to die, Michaelis!"
He ducked the incoming attack. Some of his hair was being cut, and he looked at it with horror. He looked back to see the creature approaching him. Some trees were easily cut down by the creature.
The ground shook just at the step made by the creature. His step wobbled, but he didn't stop running away.
He ran. He dodged. He screamed.
All of that he made for hours without stopping now.
He collapsed on the ground after he couldn't feel his leg again. He tried to crawl away, but the creature managed to catch him. The creature closed each of his escape routes.
His breath hitched when the creature raised its big and sharp axe. He will die today at the hands of this creature, whatever its name is. He will die. Maybe now is finally his time.
"Stop."
He blinked his eyes. The creature did not move.
"Are you an idiot?"
Tereni, the little fairy he met just now, crossed her arms in front of him. She looked at him like she was saying he was an idiot. Oh, she already said it.
"Aura. Use your aura to attack. What are you coming here for if you don't even use your aura?"
Tereni huffed and puffed in front of him, giving him lectures about how an idiot he was and how slow he was.
"I still don't know how to use aura to attack!"
He just learned how to close and open his aura and finally succeeded just about three months ago. He had been doing a routine to increase the aura he could use. Sir Raihan and Celix just taught him how to control his aura around objects. He could cover up his aura around an object and try to use it without breaking it.
He had done the same thing for months by covering the wooden sword with his aura, but the strength he used was so great that he always broke the sword. Last month, he finally managed to control his strength while using his aura.
He managed to use his aura while sparring with Sir Raihan by not breaking any wooden swords. The wooden sword he used became more sturdy and was not easy to break if he covered it with his aura. They have been practising aura control the entire time.
But Tereni told him to use his aura to attack. He didn't even know that an aura could be used directly to attack! He just knows how to strengthen his weapon and attack! Just that!
Be reasonable here; he comes here to practice aura! Shouldn't she teach him first before doing this kind of training all of a sudden when he just arrived here?
"Is that so? What can you do with your aura now?"
'Now you just want to ask?'
Michaelis huffed and frowned. He told Tereni what he could do with his aura now.
"You should have said it from the beginning!"
"You should have asked!"
He shouted back at her. This girl is unbelievable. She managed to anger him the first time they met!
"Eh, sorry, I guess. Let's go check your aura compatibility first."
Tereni flew away, and he grumbled. The creature, which looked like a giant tree, just stood there, unmoving. Michaelis stood up to follow Tereni, but he collapsed.
Tereni stopped her movement when she heard something fall. She looked back to see Michaelis' face on the ground with an unmoving body.
"He fainted."
Tereni facepalm.
"You should have known that this would happen, chief."
She looked back to see someone approaching. A young girl with strawberry-blond hair came towards her.
"I don't know if he would collapse just by running around."
"For four hours nonstop. While being chased down by giant dryads."
"Humph, he should tell me he didn't know how to use aura as a weapon."
The girl sighed. Familiar with her chief antics.
"What would happen if he died the first day he came here? You'll be making us traitors for Dradgim. He is the crown prince; his death would cause a war, chief."
Tereni paled.
"No! I didn't mean to! I am just too excited to meet the crown prince! Oh no, he didn't die, right? Is that really too harsh? Maya, help me!"
Tereni clenched Maya's finger with pleading eyes. Maya sighed. Her chief acts like a child, even though she is already hundreds of years old.
"Yes. Just let me take over as his tour guide and his instructor for a week. After I see that he can finally use his aura as a weapon, I'll let him learn under you again."
Tereni nodded aggressively.
"But you must listen to my advice for his training. Alright, chief?"
"Okay! Thank you, Maya. You are a lifesaver!"
Tereni hugged Maya, but she just managed to do it on Maya's hand because of her tiny figure.
"Then I'll leave him in your care for a week. I still have something to do. Tata!"
Before Maya managed to stop Tereni from going away, Tereni dashed out from there by using her wings. Maya sighed again and looked at the collapsed Michaelis.
"I've got no choice, right?"
She went towards Michaelis and picked him up by using her mana. She surrounded Michaelis with her mana before she laid him down on a big leaf. She then made the leaf float with the same method.
"I pity you, Your Highness. I should have known that the chief is not good at treating a guest and can become quite harsh with her training."
She began walking away. She also instructed the giant dryads to clean up all the mess in the forest.
×××××
He opened his eyes to be presented with an unfamiliar ceiling. Did he die and go inside someone's body again?
What did he do before? Hmm, he got chased by giant trees. Maybe he did not manage to avoid the attack and died. Yes, that is a possible occurrence.
"You're finally awake."
He blinked in confusion and looked around. The white lock on his head came into his view and cleared away his previous assessment.
'Oh, I'm still Michaelis.'
"Are you feeling fine? I'm really sorry for what Chief Tereni has done to you."
He sat up on the soft bed and finally found the source of the voice. A girl with strawberry-blond hair was carrying a tray towards him. He could see her pointed ears and assumed that she was an elf.
"I hope your body is not too sore. Here, have something to eat. You must be hungry after the long run."
He looked at the tray that was put on the table beside the bed. There is soup and bread. The soup is still hot. His stomach began to rumble.
The girl chuckled.
"Here. Eat first, Your Highness. Just call me if you need anything; I am just next door to yours."
The girl walked away without him saying anything. Eh, she should have introduced herself first rather than just leaving him dumbfounded like this.
"What's your name?"
The girl stopped at the door and looked back. She flashed a smile.
"You can just call me Maya."
Maya walked out of the room. Without much waiting, Michaelis took the tray and ate. The hot soup warms his body. He began to wonder if he needed to do this kind of running every day. He would really die.
After he finished eating, he put the tray back on the table. He got down from the bed, but his step was wobbly. His legs are sore.
"Damn it. Tereni is much worse than Sir Raihan. Surprisingly, she is a chief here."
He thought she was just a child assigned to him, but maybe he should consider that Tereni may be way older than he thought.
Michaelis walked to the door. He should know his living quarters now when he needs to live here for a month. Now, he just wanted to find Maya to guide him. She looked much better than Tereni.
He slid the door to the right and walked out. What is presented in front of him are many similar-looking doors. This looked like a dorm. He blinked and looked to his left and right.
'She didn't tell me where her room exactly is.'
She said she was next door to him. Which door? Does he need to make a 'try and error' attempt?
He tried his right door first, believing his instinct. His mom also always said that if he didn't know where to go, he just needed to turn right. He will use that advice now.
He knocked on the same-looking door, and without a second pass, the door was opened from inside. No, this is not Maya. This room's occupant is way older than Maya and taller than him.
"I apologize; I knocked on the wrong door."
If not, he wanted to ask this woman if she knew where Maya was, but her gaze managed to make him bury his own plan right away. That woman's face looked angry when she opened the door. He didn't want to be a victim of this woman, and he just wanted to vanish from her sight immediately.
"Wait."
The woman caught his hand.
"Yes?"
"You look cute."
He sweatdropped when the woman began to smile; even her eyes turned into a crescent. He tried to free his hand, but her grip on him was becoming tighter.
"Thank you. But I need to go now."
"Oh, too bad. I could give you a great time."
The woman licked her red lips. What the hell is wrong with this woman? Doesn't she know that he is a child?
"Eh, it's fine. I don't need it, miss."
"Why are you looking for Maya?"
"Um, I need her to guide me around here."
The woman's face contorted in realization. Her hand released his, but now she is cupping his cheeks.
"Oh God! Are you Asteric's son?"
He was stunted.
"That's why you look so alike. You almost made my heart skip a beat when I saw you just now. I thought I was hallucinating again! Haha!"
What does she mean by again?!
"You are so cute! Why with the serious face?"
He was suddenly hugged tightly without managing to protest. He just hoped someone could get him out of this situation. Maya, or even Tereni, is fine right now. He can't handle this woman on his own when he literally can't even speak right now.
"Aunt Windy! What are you doing with the crown prince?!"
Thank God, Maya is here.