[Next Day.]
[Morning.]
"I overheard your father discussing some Academy. Are you planning to attend?" Lilly asked Emily as they strolled through the village.
"Yes," Emily replied. "The grand elders of all five races are establishing an academy to train youngsters to combat the Cursed Child, who I believe is the prince."
"Academy? Training soldiers to fight my brother?" Lilly stopped in her tracks, a look of disbelief on her face.
"That's what I heard."
"Wait a minute." Lilly turned to Emily, her eyes narrowed. "Are you going to fight my brother?"
"What? No! Why would I ever fight the prince?" Emily looked at Lilly, utterly confused.
"Then why are you going? And... don't you know that demons and the races of the First Continent are mortal enemies? Will you even be safe there?"
"So many questions!" Emily chuckled and continued walking. "I'm going for the resources. I'll do whatever it takes to become the best, so I can grow stronger and help the prince. And yes, I'll be safe... Actually," she mused, "why doesn't the prince follow me there? Do you think the Queen would agree?"
Lilly sighed. "My mom loves Aaron fiercely. She wouldn't willingly let him enter enemy territory. You know everyone believes he's the Cursed Child, so..."
"I understand," Emily said thoughtfully. "But what if the Prince chooses to go?"
"Hmm... she might agree," Lilly said uncertainly.
"Aren't you worried about the prince? He hasn't returned since yesterday," Emily said, a hint of concern in her voice.
Lilly chuckled, a confident smile gracing her lips. "I don't think anything in that forest can harm my baby brother." She said with a proud tilt of her head.
"Hey! You two!"
The girls halted, turning to face three familiar figures blocking their path.
"What do you want now, Vince?" Emily asked, her tone laced with annoyance.
"What do I want?" Vince fixed his gaze on Lilly, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Such beauty... I've heard elves are fair, but I didn't realize they were this exquisite, even rivaling your own, Emily." Vince then shifted his gaze to Emily, a sly smirk on his face.
"Who is this?" Lilly asked Emily, a hint of confusion in her voice. The boy in front of her appeared to be around fifteen, the same age as her, but radiated a noticeable lack of strength.
"Lilly, this is Vince. He's the son of the village's strongest archer. Because of his father's status, he thinks he can act however he pleases in the village, even trying to court me," Emily explained, a touch of disdain in her voice.
"Not trying, Emily, I will," Vince declared arrogantly. "Your father may be the Chief and a former Commander in the Demon Kingdom, but things are different now... My father also holds influence. I'm even training to become the next great archer. In about ten years from now... you'll be mine."
"Training to be an archer?" Lilly scoffed. "My brother is only six months old, yet he's already the best archer I know, while you... still training at fifteen... How utterly embarrassing."
"You! How dare you! Who do you think you are?!" Vince and the two boys standing behind him scowled, their faces hardening with anger.
"If you think I'm lying, why don't we make a bet?" Lilly asked, folding her arms across her chest, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"A bet? With what and on what? You don't exactly look like you have anything of value to offer me... well, apart from your body." Vince said with a suggestive leer.
"You are disgusting!" Emily exclaimed, her hand instinctively moving towards a hidden dagger.
"It's nothing, Emily," Lilly said dismissively, turning back to Vince. "You and my brother, an archery competition. The best archer who achieves the highest score wins."
"Okay," Vince said, a smirk returning to his face. "And what will be my reward if I win?"
"Easy," Lilly replied with a confident smile. "If you win, Emily will grant you a chance to court her."
"Wait, what?!" Emily turned to Lilly, her eyes wide with shock.
"I don't want Emily anymore," Vince declared, his gaze fixed intently on Lilly. "If I win... you'll be mine."
"Fine then," Lilly retorted, her smile unwavering. "If you lose, you'll kneel before us and beg for forgiveness while kowtowing a hundred times."
"What?!" Everyone present, including Vince's friends, was stunned by Lilly's audacious demand.
"Are you scared? I know you don't possess the skill to compete with my brother," Lilly said, rolling her eyes dismissively. "And here I thought you were someone of importance."
"Vince, don't accept this bet. She's far too confident," the boy on Vince's right whispered urgently.
"Yes, Vince. I've heard that elves have the finest archers in their kingdom. I don't think this is wise," the other boy added in a hushed tone.
"You two are forgetting a crucial detail," Vince said, a confident smirk returning to his face. "Her brother is only six months old! He's practically an infant. Do you honestly believe a baby can defeat me in my best skill?"
The two boys exchanged glances, then nodded in understanding. "You're right," one of them said. "She mentioned her brother is just a six-month-old baby. This will be an easy victory."
"Yes," the other agreed. "I almost feel sorry for this kid. His sister just made a bet involving him without his knowledge... This will be a walk in the park, Vince."
Vince nodded, reassured by his friends' logic. He then looked up at Lilly and Emily. "I accept. But I want to see your brother first. We can begin the competition after we've met."
Whzzzzzhh!!
Before Lilly could respond, the air to her right shimmered and distorted, and a circular gateway materialized.
"Huh?"
Vince and his friends stared in stunned silence as a young boy who appeared to be around six years old stepped out of the portal. The sight of the boy and the crimson raven perched on his right shoulder sent a wave of fury through the three older boys.
"You!!" Vince hissed, his fists clenching.
"What's happening here?" Aaron asked, his gaze sweeping over the group, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
"Welcome, baby brother!" Lilly said with a bright smile, walking towards Aaron.
Seeing the mischievous glint in Lilly's eyes, Aaron sighed, a look of helpless resignation washing over his face. "What foolish thing have you done now?" he asked.
"Come on now, baby brother. When have I ever done anything foolish?" Lilly said innocently.
"Do you want me to start listing everything?" Aaron retorted, raising an eyebrow.
"No need," Lilly said with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Is this your brother? I thought you said he was six months old?" Vince asked, his brow furrowed in suspicion, feeling like he had been tricked.
"Yeah, this is my brother, and he is six months old... Now, about that bet." Lilly turned back to Vince, a triumphant smirk replacing her earlier smile.
"You!" Vince spat, his anger flaring. "I was planning on getting revenge on you for killing my familiar. It seems fate has presented me with an even better opportunity... If I defeat you, you'll watch as your sister accompanies me everywhere like a slave."
Aaron frowned slightly, turning his head towards Lilly. "What is this fool saying?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.
"Did you just call me a fool?!" Vince exclaimed, his face reddening with rage.
Aaron ignored him, his gaze fixed on Lilly, who was now nervously fiddling with her fingers.
"Well..." she began hesitantly.