Round 6
Galystia has fallen and with her Asthia. Aphril will surely fall in the next round and there will only be three of us left for the end.
Just as I thought that, a gaze was fiercely fixed on me… it seemed to judge me as it always does. "Do you need something, Aphril-sama?" I said as I found the direction of the uncomfortable gaze.
"Uhm!" She looked away from me. After a few seconds, she spoke. "I don't understand what my mom finds in a stranger like you."
At my sudden declaration and silence, Aphril continued to be completely intoxicated. "I'm jealous that she spends so much time with you. I try so hard too!"
OH? So those are her true feelings... her words don't affect me for various reasons, so I'll let her open up.
"And on top of that, you do things better than me as if my years of effort had been mediocre... Idiot!"
"Come on Aphril, calm down," Ruby hastily intervened to calm the upset Aphril.
I suddenly held Ruby and urged her to desist from silencing her.
The reason is due to the frustration that we all accumulate over time: it is natural for Aphril to be suspicious of a stranger who achieves so easily what she had to work so hard to achieve. Aphril is very close to Zaphyris, not only because she is her teacher, but also her mother. Surely she must feel the obligation to be as great as her and give results that make her proud, but there is a guest who shows good results in a short time and steals Zaphyris's precious attention. That Aphril harbors these types of feelings is the most normal thing in the world.
"Excuse me, Aphril-sama, I understand how you feel." As I said that, I waited for her to calm down and continued. "I don't mean to come and I think you already know the reason I'm here. When the time comes for me to leave, I promise to leave all of Zaphyris-sama's attention to you."
Aphril listened to me a little bewildered, but her distrustful expression gradually disappeared and she finally gave in to accept it. "... I am the one who should apologize" She said with embarrassment, after a few minutes of silence, she smiled slightly. "I feel better now" She finally added.
He just needed to vent.
If it ended this way, then it is the most convenient. I have no intention of interfering within the ties of other families, so I will try to stay out of it until I complete the three-month stay offered by Zaphyris.
Now that Aphril seemed to accept her situation, she began talking to Ruby and Ryujinzhu again about trivial things.
Round 8
Now it's just Ruby, Ryujinzhu and I left.
The final confrontation.
I'll be honest... I won't be following this for long.
I was dizzy, and my eyelids were getting heavier. Ryujinzhu already looked a little red in the face and Ruby was also staggering a bit. I think two rounds of drinks will be enough to decide this duel… or so I thought until Ruby unexpectedly fell.
"So he gave up..." I muttered to myself.
"Oh? Now it's a duel between two," Ryujinzhu said.
He might fight a little longer, but the fight will be decided in his favor, that's for sure.
"I suppose we can talk a little while we're alone, Lucius," she suggested and continued. "Wouldn't that bother you, or are you already too intoxicated to maintain your rationality?"
"Go ahead Ryujinzhu-sama, I can still be rational up to this point."
"Aphril's sudden complaints that she declared just now are rather peculiar matters that I stay out of… but you are a matter that Zaphyris takes care of personally and I respect her way of dealing with it." When she said that, her expression became very serious, almost as if she was analyzing and judging me simultaneously. "Even I don't fully understand your situation: you're appearing in these parts and being mysterious… I can't help but have my suspicions."
I understand what you're saying: the fact that I'm in a near-neutral situation is all due to Zaphyris's magnanimity and whim. I don't intend to abuse her choice and goodwill, so my silence and obedience is the least I can do for now. It's only natural that the princesses know the situation about their surroundings, so they're also confused about Zaphyris's intentions. But approaching me won't solve anything.
"I understand that Ryujinzhu, I will never understand Zaphyris but I appreciate her good will. Giving her my gratitude is the least I can do."
"I'm also a bit curious, so I'll do something that's been puzzling me for a while… Won't you object?" When I shook my head at her question, Ryujinzhu raised the index finger of her right hand and summoned a very tiny spirit of light for a few minutes before disappearing.
"Have you ever done it?" she asked.
"No, it's the first time I've seen a spirit of light"
"You have never seen it or used it at all, is that true?"
"Yeah"
Ryujinzhu then proceeded to summon a spirit of darkness in front of me.
"What do you say about this?"
"I haven't seen or used it either"
Now she used a peculiar and strange spiritual root to create something resembling a small spark of electricity.
"Whoa! Was that electricity!?"
"Yes, it's not something that anyone can do. It seems that you haven't seen it, much less used it." After a few seconds, she continued. "Do the same thing I showed you."
"Eh? Every single spell you created in front of me?"
"Yes, isn't that true about your ability to learn just by watching you use it?"
Are you testing me? I didn't think you'd be that direct... but I guess I'll answer what you want.
I took a few seconds to remember what she did and then I concentrated: with my right index finger, I used a different spiritual root just like she did. Luckily for me, I was able to create the same thing: a spirit of light, one of darkness, and a spark of electricity.
I would like to continue learning about electricity since it interests me a little.
"I understand, I will proceed with something different now." When she said that, her facial patterns flashed and with her right hand she pointed towards one of the wooden cups on the table.
The glass floated in the air and with a slight gesture she made it crush in the air until it pulverized in front of me.
"I want you to do the same" She said... I nodded and proceeded to try.
I remember seeing his power flowing from his core and reflecting in the spiritual circuit of his right hand… so I'll try that.
With my right hand I channeled my spiritual power but... to my surprise, it didn't work. Not even the glass moved an inch.
Ryujinzhu smiled as if something had finally clicked inside her head and began to stroke her chin. "I understand now…" She muttered to herself.
"What is it about?"
"I won't tell you, that's not my job"
"How unfair, I helped you without complaining!"
"It's your fault for being so naive. I told you I would do an experiment to satisfy my curiosity, not to help you."
She's dirty!
Our eyes sparked and we took it out on each other with the rounds of beer that followed. Two, three, four rounds of shots came with the determination to take the other down. Neither of us gave in.
Round 13
"Lucius… admit defeat to me… insolent human," said the completely intoxicated Ryujinzhu.
"You may be a domineering cutie… but you are still weak to me on these matters…" Those words slipped out of me. I was no longer able to control what I was saying and I was completely dizzy.
My eyelids were slowly drooping, and my body was losing its strength. I tried to remain seated but it was useless... before I knew it, I had already fallen on my back and was lying on the ground.
Shit... I lost...
That was what I thought until I turned my gaze towards Ryujinzhu who had fallen asleep sitting up.
The last one to stay awake in this meeting was me...
I wanted to throw up and my head hurt, my vision was spinning and alcohol was oozing from everywhere... this is my limit.
"Hehehe, stupid dragon girl... I was the last one... to stay awake... so..."
Those vague words were the last.