Hajime sat on the edge of the pool. The gentle breeze brushed against his bare chest as he swung his feet back and forth in the water, creating mini waves that crashed into his partner. Aveline stayed in the pool, absentmindedly staring at a distant tree in the courtyard, her black tankini blending perfectly with the shadows of the clouds that blocked the sun.
He felt a pair of hands grab his shoulders, pushing him into the pool, splashing Aveline in the process.
"Oops, I thought you were holding on." a woman said.
Hajime rubbed the water from his eyes as he tried to look at the culprit, who stood there smiling, her hands behind her back as she looked down at him.
"Princess Brielle?" He said.
"Hiya Hajime."
"You know it's rude to push someone right?"
"Hey, I expected you to be sitting there like a boulder, not like a piece of paper."
Hajime rolled his eyes as he lifted himself back onto the edge of the pool. He sat sideways, perfectly in the middle of the two princesses, the drenched one and the dry one.
"I don't see your brother anywhere Princess Brielle." he said.
"Brielle. And no he's not feeling well so he decided to stay in bed." Brielle answered.
"Oh is it the flu?"
"No nothing that serious, just stomach pain."
She didn't seem sick yesterday, he thought before he concluded it had something to do with their secret. They couldn't use root magic unless they already bonded with their maids, which Hajime told Veloria not to do.
"I hope he gets better soon."
"Thanks. How did dying feel like?" she asked with a playful grin.
He chuckled, "I think I'm getting used to it. Besides I trusted Aveline."
Aveline's ears twitched at the mention of her name and the fact that he trusted him. Brielle smiled at their silent exchange.
"It must be nice to feel loved." she said.
"Loved?" he tilted his head.
Brielle nodded, "You two love each other don't you?"
Hajime felt a sharp prick in his neck, his purple flower tattoo glowing slightly, signaling that Aveline was using flower mana and his mana without permission, his eyes focused on Aveline, her cheeks were bright red, an adorable yelp escaping her mouth as she noticed his gaze, desperately trying to hide the ice blocks floating in the pool with her hands.
He chuckled at the sight before him. He thought smoke would be coming out of her head if this was a cartoon.
"What ya got there Aveline?" he asked, unable to contain his grin.
*Crack*
Several cracking sounds echoed through the pool. Aveline broke the ice cubes with her bare hands before pretending nothing happened.
"You missed one." Brielle chimed in.
Aveline eyes widened as she desperately tried to find the last evidence of her embarrassment only to realize Brielle was joking.
"Sorry sorry." Brielle said, trying to contain her laughter, "I couldn't help it. You're so adorable."
"That she is." Hajime said.
Aveline sank into the water, hiding herself from the bullies and the curious students.
"Why do you think I love her?" Hajime asked.
"Hmm, I suppose the way you look at her? Not to mention the way you carried her yesterday like a prince carrying a princess." Brielle said, "Everyone's gossiping about you two."
"Oh so not just about me?"
"Nope, they're starting to see Aveline's cute side." Brielle said, "Jealous?"
"Who wouldn't be? She is my partner after all." Hajime smiled at Brielle. She looked at him with a pained look before she smiled back at him.
"I must say, you're surprisingly easy to talk to." Brielle said, "I expected the son of Starfall to be some douchebag with a god complex."
"I still have time to become a douche."
"True."
They both burst into laughter. Hajime wiped a tear from his eyes, noticing Aveline swimming underneath the surface, her head slowly emerging from the water, like a submarine.
"Okay, class it's time for the next round." Professor Mayrose said as she clapped.
Hajime entered the pool, the warm water soothing his heartbeat as he approached his partner. Aveline lay on her back, drifting on the crystal clear water, looking at the sky covered with grey clouds, avoiding the gaze of her partner, a yelp escaping her mouth as Hajime's warm hands touched her delicate back and her forehead. She closed her eyes before taking a deep breath.
"You ready?" Hajime said.
Aveline nodded just as a flock of birds passed by in the sky, chirping happily, flapping their small wings, a chirp Aveline recognized all too well. Hajime saw her lips tremble, her hands tremble, and her eyelids tremble. He held her hand in his and whispered in her ear, the same words that she had whispered earlier.
"Trust me."
She stopped trembling as she disappeared into the water, their hands still holding each other before Hajime had to hold her down. After she fainted, he grabbed her in his arms and set her down at the edge of the pool, putting his hand on her chest, the symbol on his neck glowing, a root growing next to Aveline body as it carefully drilled a small hole in her chest, entering her lungs and sucking the water out.
A few minutes passed before Aveline gasped for air. She looked around her, reorienting herself before she calmed down. She had a smile on her face, a smile that shone brightly, a smile that held everyone's attention, a smile befitting a princess. Her eyes drifted down to her body where Hajime's hand almost touched her boobs. Her smile broke.
"Your hand." she said, her tone sending a shiver down his spine.
"I had to." he said, "You know, it was pretty hard controlling the root, especially since a little someone used our mana to create ice cubes."
"I honestly thought I had to give you mouth-to-mouth."
The tip of Aveline ears twitched, her eyes narrowing as she pressed her lips together.
"Could it be you actually wanted me to?" he covered his mouth as if he was surprised.
Aveline sighed at his teasing.
"As if you'd have the balls to kiss an unconscious princess." she said.
"Oh you're totally not wrong." he chuckled, "By the way, you really should stop hiding that beautiful smile."
"I'm not smiling." she turned her head away from him.
Hajime grabbed her chin, gently turning her head back towards him.
"There we go."
"Stop staring. It's weird."
"Would you rather I stare somewhere else?" his eyes drifted towards her breasts.
She pinched his nose.
"Ouch ouch. I'm kidding, I'm kidding." he laughed.
"You're a pervert." she said.
"Only for you."
She ignored his comment, instead, she asked a question.
"What's that scar on your hand?"
"Oh this? Just a knife wound."
Her eyes narrowed before they relaxed as she walked away from him. His gaze fixed on her ass, following behind her as they headed back to their mansion.