Zenyph gazed into her golden eyes. He couldn't help but be mesmerized by their beauty. He felt as if he could stare into them forever. He found himself getting lost within their depths. He could hear her breathing softly as she looked back at him. The sound of her heartbeat pounded loudly inside his ears. His heart raced wildly in his chest as he continued staring into her eyes. He suddenly realized that she was staring intently at him. She seemed confused at first but then her expression changed to one of annoyance. She glared at him angrily and spoke in an irritated tone.
"What is the prince doing here? Isn't this room woman only? Are you perhaps trying to spy on us? If so then I will personally send you flying through the walls. Do you understand? "
Zenyph snapped out of his trance and blinked twice. He quickly regained his composure and grinned mischievously at the girl.
"Woman only? I hate to inform you but that isn't true. The academy doesn't separate based on gender."
"Besides the bounty has yet to go into effect so it's pointless to kill me."
Asura narrowed her eyes.
"Who said anything about killing? I was talking about beating up. Maybe I'll even torture you a bit too. See how long you last before begging for mercy."
"Torture huh? What kind of torture did you have in mind?"
Asura smiled wickedly.
"Whatever your worst fears are. I'll do it. Maybe I'll start by cutting off your fingers one by one. Or maybe I'll cut out your tongue and feed it to the fishes. Whatever works. I'll find a way to make you scream. "
Zenyph stared at Asura silently. She appeared quite dangerous. He decided it was best to avoid provoking her further. He slowly backed away from her and motioned for her to enter the room.
"Come on in Miss. Let's talk. I'm sure we can work out our differences peacefully."
Asura snorted and entered the room cautiously. She scanned the interior carefully before taking a seat on one of the couches.
Audrey decided to introduce herself.
"Welcome to our humble abode. I'm Audrey Elvira. That grumpy guy over there is Zenyph. The quiet girl is Alice Gryphon. Finally we have the sexy maid who goes by the name of Lynette Shadowthorne. And you are?"
"Asura Bloodthorne. Second daughter of Count Bloodthorne. Nice to meet you all."
Audrey smiled broadly.
"Bloodthorne? That's an unusual name. Any relation to Cynosure of Vampire?"
Asura rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.
"Unfortunately yes. That old bag of bones is my grandmother. She is my father's mother. "
"Interesting. So we have two royalties among us. Royal dragon and royal vampires. Fancy. Well in case you're wondering I am a descendent of the legendary hero Azazel. A powerful warrior who fought in the ancient war against the abyssals. My lineage dates back centuries. "
Alice coughed interrupting Audrey's boast.
"Wasn't Azazel an angel though? House Elvira only has pureblood. There's no angel blood. "
"My great- great- great grandmother cheated on her husband with Azazel. Which resulted in a half-breed child. Then that child married a pureblood elf and so on. Thus my lineage comes from both sides of the conflict. Half angel and half elf. A very unique combination. "
Everyone stared at her dumbfounded. They couldn't believe that such a thing happened. However before anyone could comment Asura spoke up.
"What about you? Who do you descend from?"
Alice gulped nervously. She hated talking to strangers. Especially ones who intimidated her. She stuttered awkwardly.
"I-I'm a human. My ancestor created the original recipe for the healing potion. That's how my family started. Eventually we became famous for our recipes and techniques. My brother is a genius alchemist. He is currently studying in the capital. He received an invitation from the Sylvarian royal palace to learn under the royal physician. He left a year ago. "
"And what about you Lynette? What clan of insignficant vampires do you hail from?" asked Asura without hiding her disdain.
"Shadowthorne. I come from a line of half-vampires who served the Drakonharts. "
Asura scowled and crossed her arms across her chest.
"Half-vampire? How disgusting. A half breed like you shouldn't be allowed to serve royalty. "
Lynette glared daggers at the arrogant girl. She clenched her fists tightly. Her body trembled with anger. She wanted to punch the spoiled brat in the face but she knew better than to pick a fight with a royal. Especially when she didn't know what the other girl was capable of.
Zenyph sensed Lynette's growing frustration and intervened.
"Enough Asura. Lynette is a valued servant. Do not insult her again. Understood?"
Asura snorted.
"This is ridiculous. A loser prince and a hybrid vampire."
Zenyph ignored her complaints and turned his attention towards Lynette.
"Are you alright Lynette? Do you need a break? Maybe you should rest. I can handle things here."
Lynette shook her head.
"No master. I'll be fine. I'm just feeling a little upset is all. Nothing major."
"Okay. Then please sit down."
Zenyph guided Lynette to an empty chair. She sat down obediently and watched as Zenyph returned his attention to Asura.
"Since we're all here let's discuss the living arrangements. Everyone will get their own room. There should be plenty of space for everyone. "
Asura scoffed.
"Hmph. Fine. But I refuse to share a bathroom with a lowly servant. "
Lynette scowled at her.
"How dare you..."
Zenyph raised his hand silencing her.
"It's okay Lynette. Asura has every right to express her opinion. Besides we haven't established any rules yet. So let's discuss that first. Afterwards we'll discuss the sleeping arrangements. Any objections?"
The girls shook their heads.
"Alright let's begin." Zenyph announced.
For the next few hours the five of them discussed the living situation. They agreed upon several important topics. Firstly they would alternate cooking duties. Everyone except Alice knew how to cook. She volunteered to be the designated cleaner. She also offered to help buy groceries whenever she could. Since Zenyph had plenty of money he didn't mind paying for everything. He was a prince after all. Money didn't concern him. Next they decided that everyone would receive equal amounts of privacy. Each person was entitled to their own personal space. Lastly they came up with a schedule for chores and cleaning. Lynette would be responsible for cleaning the common areas. Alice would be responsible for cleaning the bathrooms. Audrey would take care of laundry while Zenyph would take care of trash removal. As for Asura she refused to participate in any activities whatsoever. Instead she chose to stay inside her room all day doing whatever she pleased.
After finishing their discussion everyone headed toward their respective rooms. Zenyph was happy with the results. Everything went smoothly. He felt satisfied knowing that everyone worked together well. Now all that remained was to wait until tomorrow when classes began. He was looking forward to learning new spells. He wanted to become stronger. He also hoped to make some new friends. He missed hanging out with his old buddies back home.
Before making dinner Zenyph went to speak with alice.
"Alice mind helping me make dinner tonight? "
Alice hesitated briefly before answering.
"I don't know how to cook though?"
Zenyph chuckled.
"That's fine you can just help me with basic preparation. Besides I'd like to get to know you better.
We barely talked today. "
"Okay. What do you want me to do?"
Zenyph led her into the kitchen.
"First we need to chop vegetables. You can start by peeling potatoes. "
"Peeling what?"
Zenyph placed a potato on the counter in front of her.
"The white part underneath the skin. Just peel it off and throw it away. It's edible but tastes awful. "
Alice began peeling the potato. Zenyph handed her a knife and instructed her on how to slice the vegetables into bite size pieces. Once they finished preparing the ingredients Zenyph put them aside and washed them thoroughly.
After drying them Zenyph started chopping. He made sure to show Alice how to properly hold a knife and where to cut. Alice followed his instructions exactly. In no time they had chopped all the ingredients.
Zenyph threw everything into a large pot and poured a bottle of olive oil into the mixture. He mixed it around until everything was coated evenly. Then he placed the lid on top and set it aside.
"Now we wait."
Alice frowned.
"Wait? Wait for what?"
Zenyph tapped his finger on the stove. And I bright orange flame lit up underneath the pot.
"We wait for the oil to heat up. So Alice, what magic have you learned? I'm curious. "
Alice blushed.
"I-I don't know how to use magic yet. My brother taught me simple things like conjuring fireballs, lighting candles and basic Enchantments. But that's it. I'm not good at anything else. "
"That's pretty good for a human right? You guys aren't born with any element mana. "
Alice nodded.
"Yeah. Most humans don't learn magic until they reach adulthood. My older brother was an exception. He had a talent for magic. He could use multiple elements almost instantly. When he was younger he would often show off his skills to our parents. Our mother loved it. Our father hated it. He thought it made him look weak. "
"So did your brother ever get punished for showing off?"
"Not really. My mom protected him. She threatened to leave my dad if he laid a hand on him. My dad wasn't stupid."
"What about you Z-Zenyph?" Alice stammered.
"Hmm?"
"What kinds of magic can you use? Do you know how to fly like a dragon? Or breathe fire? Or summon lightning?"
Zenyph chuckled.
"It depends. Right now I can only do basic spells. Nothing fancy. I can't transform into a dragon yet. Although I can control my mana to strengthen my body and produce elements. Like fire and water. "
Alice looked at him curiously.
"Does that mean you can manipulate your mana into different shapes and forms? "
Zenyph shrugged.
"Sort of. It takes concentration and practice. Basically I can change the shape of my mana into any form I desire. But any dragon can do that so it's nothing special. "
"Really? That sounds amazing. Can you show me? "
"Sure. Watch closely."
Zenyph focused on creating a small ball of fire. He visualized the image in his mind. He pictured the flames swirling around a ball of liquid. He imagined the flames dancing and flickering. He saw the sparks and embers flying everywhere. Slowly the flames condensed into a single point. It glowed brightly before bursting into existence. A tiny ball of burning flames hovered above his palm. He held it between his fingers. Then the flame started to turn blue and slowly take the form of a tiger.
Alice gasped in awe. She stared at the small creature with wide eyes.
"Wow. That's incredible! Can you teach me? "
Zenyph shook his head.
"Sorry, but I don't know how. Only dragons can intuitively control mana so freely. Humans can't."
Alice frowned slightly.
"I guess that makes sense. Dragons are naturally gifted with magic, right? They don't have to study or practice. They know instinctively. "
Zenyph nodded in agreement.
"What creature is that? I've never seen it in any books. Is it a magical beast? Or maybe an elemental? " Alice asked pointing towards the tiger.
Zenyph glanced down at the creature. It sat calmly on his palm.
"I don't know, I just came up with something on the fly. It's nothing special."
"Really? But it looks so realistic. It seems so real. Are you sure you didn't copy it from somewhere? "
"Of course not. I just used my imagination to create a four-legged creature."
Alice stared blankly at Zenyph. She couldn't believe he could imagine such detailed creatures. She wondered if he could create anything else.
Suddenly Zenyph noticed a dark shadow looming behind Alice. He instantly conjured up a fireball and aimed it at the figure. Before the flames managed to reach the shadow, they turned into blood and disappeared.
"Hahahah I suppose such strength is befitting of the infamous prince." teased Asura as she stepped out of the shadows.
"What are you doing Asura?" asked Zenyph coldly.
Asura sneered.
"Just enjoying myself. Your reaction was priceless. You were worried about your cute little girlfriend weren't you?"
Zenyph furrowed his brows.
"She's not my girlfriend. And please refrain from calling her such words. Alice is innocent. Don't corrupt her."
Asura laughed mockingly.
"Whatever you say, your highness. Anyway, I came to grab some snacks. All this talking and scheming made me hungry."
"Help yourself. Just make sure you clean up afterward."
Asura rolled her eyes and reached into a cabinet. She grabbed two loaves of bread and a jar of peanut butter.
"Is this enough?" she asked sarcastically.
Alice looked away sheepishly.
Zenyph sighed and shook his head.
"Fine. Eat what you want. Just please stay away from us."
"Thanks for your permission your highness. I'll try to keep a safe distance." she mocked as she exited the room.
Once she left Alice whispered quietly to Zenyph.
"Um Zenyph? Are we dating? "
Zenyph froze.
"Huh? N-no? We just met? Why would you say such a thing? "
Alice bit her lower lip. Her cheeks turned pink. She mumbled softly.
"Well because you... um... tried to save me from Asura. "
Zenyph blinked several times. His mind raced through every memory of their interaction. After realizing there were none where he acted protective of Alice he cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Alice have you ever dated anyone? " he inquired cautiously.
Alice blushed deeply and shook her head.
"No I haven't. I'm sorry. It's just that when a boy does something nice to a girl it usually means he wants to date her right?"
Zenyph rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably.
"Not necessarily. Sometimes people help each other out without expecting anything in return. It's called kindness. "
Alice stared blankly at him.
"You mean like doing someone a favor without expecting anything back in exchange? "
"Yes. Exactly."
Alice hung her head shamefully. Her face burned red. Her body trembled slightly as tears welled up in her eyes. Zenyph felt bad seeing her cry. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings. So he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and said kindly.
"Don't worry Alice. I'm sure you will find someone nice one day. And maybe after getting to know each other better we could consider starting something romantic. But until then let's just remain friends okay?"
He flashed her a warm smile which helped calm her nerves.
"Okay Zenyph. Thanks."
The two resumed preparing dinner. Soon after everyone sat down at the table eating their meal in silence. No one spoke or looked at one another. Only Audrey seemed unaffected by the tense atmosphere. She happily stuffed her face with food.
When she finished her plate she wiped her mouth with a napkin and yawned loudly.
"Ahhh that hit the spot! I was starving!"
Everyone stared at her wide-eyed. Zenyph cleared his throat.
"So shall we address the elephant in the room?" asked Zenyph.
"Elephant?" questioned Audrey.
"Nevermind. It's just a figure of speech. What I meant was my bounty."
Asura snorted.
"We should lock you up in a basement until the end of the month. With your magic skills even the receptionist could easily kill you," stated Asura
Audrey frowned disapprovingly at Asura.
"Asura, please. That's going too far. No one has to die." Audrey.
"I'll protect master," Lynette stated confidently
"What? Protect him how? There are so many pureblooded nobles here, a hybrid stands zero chance." retorted Asura.
"So why don't you protect him Asura?" asked Alice.
"I would rather not involve myself with a weakling." replied Asura.
Audrey shook her head in disgust. She knew Asura was capable of protecting Zenyph. Yet she still refused to cooperate with him. Even though they all shared the same objective. Keep Zenyph safe.
"Asura I'm sure you don't want to be in a losing class right? So how about just giving me some pointers on mana control? " offered Zenyph.
Asura raised her eyebrow.
"Why should I teach you anything? Especially considering you won't last the week. You might as well give up now. "
Zenyph gritted his teeth. He hated feeling helpless. But more importantly he didn't like being told what to do.
Lynette noticed Zenyph's irritation. She instinctively put her arm on his back to soothe him.
"It's okay master. Just relax. Asura isn't worth getting angry over."
"Then Asura how about this. I'll owe you one if you train me. Whatever you want I'll do it." offered Zenyph.
"Anything?" questioned Asura intrigued.
"Yep anything," confirmed Zenyph.
"Deal." accepted Asura.
Afterwards Zenyph returned to his room and locked himself inside. He needed some time alone to clear his mind.
A knock on the door interrupts his meditation.
"Go away Asura."
The knock stops abruptly. A moment later Lynette speaks up from outside his door.
"Master it's me Lynette."