The next morning....
At the clearing behind Igneel's cabin, like the usual when Max is being trained. Two figures could be seen staring down at each other with a silver haired middle aged man standing at the side looking on, a slight smirk visible on his face.
Iliana in her human form, which is a lady who looks to be in her late teens, waist length brown hair, green eyes, dark skin, fox ears on her head. A curvaceous body that would inspire lust in any man who dares gaze upon her for too long. Dawning a white kimono with golden linings on the edges.
The subtle smile on her face seemingly provoking those around her to try something. She is the definition of a thorny rose that will draw your blood of you are not careful.
On the opposite side of her, little Max with his chubby cheeks. Little dragon horns on his head could be seen with a serious expression on his face. His silver eyes glowing, showing he was ready for battle. His little red robe making him look like a little Igneel.
Though to Igneel and Iliana he just looked like the cutest thing ever right then. Iliana was even resisting the urge to just hug him till the end of time due to his overwhelming cuteness.
"Okay, begin!". Igneel shouted, resisting the urge to laugh at how little Max looked at the moment.
"Bolt barrage!"
Max starred by creating a magic circle in the air in front of him, that kept spitting out bolts aiming at Iliana.
"How cute. But.... he can already use magic circles?!". Iliana said as a hazy white mana barrier appear in front of her without chanting a spell.
Creak..
The barrier surprisingly started cracking, which alarmed Iliana as it should be enough to stop the attacks of a level 7 mage.
*Iliana, if you play around too much, you might end up losing this fight. Which would be quite embarrassing don't you think?*. Igneel's voice sounded in Iliana's head.
*Of course your majesty, I'm sorry, I'll put in more effort* (Iliana)
*Good, and beat the kid up a little for, me, I don't want his power to get to his head....you know where that could lead don't you?" (Igneel)
*!!!!.... of course your majesty, I'll do as you say* (Iliana)
With that brief mental conversation, Iliana got visibly more serious with the match.
"Wind blade!"
A green blade of wind materialised in front of her and flew towards Max. It aimed at the circle that was was spitting out bolts. As soon as they made contact, an explosion of smoke went off.
It took a few seconds for the smoke to clear out, and Max's figure was missing from where he was standing.
Iliana got a bit more wary of the surroundings as she looked around. Since she, like the other elders hadn't broken through to the "stages" yet and was still a half-step away, she couldn't use devine sense yet only her advanced senses.
She suddenly heard the sound of lightning from behind her and before she could react...
Pah!
"Ahh!!". Iliana's screamed holding one of her soft rear cheeks.
That's right, Max had come up from behind and slapped her on the butt.
"Hmph, that's what you get for looking down on me". Max said, now standing in front of the shocked Iliana.
Igneel who had seen it all happen was again struck by twitching lip syndrome.
{This brat, not only can he now use level 9 power... He's a little pervert too, what will he be like when he reaches his teens then?!...Also did he just....!}
...
I'm the distance, the other elders were laughing their heads off, even the ever serious Ron couldn't help but smile.
"Seems the young prince is quite the early bloomer". Abel said while wiping a tear from his eye which formed due to his excessive laughter.
....
"Cough... Now Max, you shouldn't have done that, apologies to your little aunt right now". Igneel who had come to mediate said with an awkward expression on his face.
"Okay, I'm sorry aunty Iliana, I won't do it again, I just got a bit angry after noticing you not taking the fight seriously and I couldn't reach higher.". Max said with a cute and innocent expression on his face.
In his head however...
{Wow, that was unbelievably soft!, I hope I can do it again some time soon. I'm a little child after all, I can just play it off by acting cute again}
Iliana who was still holding her stinging butt with eyes a bit teary now looked at Max. Seeing his cute expression, her heart melted and her frustration disappeared into thin air.
"Well since the young prince said he won't ever do it again, I forgive you. And it was my fault for not taking the fight seriously. For that I'm sorry."
"It's fine aunty, can we continue now?"
"Sure"
....
Again Max and Iliana were standing opposite each other. This time however Iliana was clearly focused from the start, she didn't want to go through something so embarrassing and painful again.
"Begin!" Igneel shouted.
"Tornado!". This time, Iliana attacked first, though she held back the strength of the tornado so it was only ten feet tall.
Seeing the tornado speedily approaching him Max disappeared.
"!!!!"
This time though since there was no cover, Iliana noticed it. He seemed to have merged into the world.
"Space element?!, the king didn't tell us he had more than one element" She was shocked, as all the other elders who were watching the match.
.....
{As I thought, this brat learned how to use the space element on his own without any guidance... truly worthy of being my son, though it appears he can only travel short distances right now} (Igneel)
...
Iliana quickly looked behind her remembering the previous incident. But there was no one there.
Suddenly Max appeared in the air above her and...
"Ahh!!" Iliana cutely screamed again.
Max had grabbed her two fox eyes protruding from her head while standing on her shoulders.
She felt her who body go weak and fell to her knees.
"Y..young prince d-don't, stop please". She weakily said in a small and cute voice.
"Admit defeat and I'll stop" Max said while still rubbing her ears with a serious expression on his face.
In his head...{Wow, these feel great to rub, I've always wanted to do this everytime I saw her, I don't want to stop, good thing I can use the battle as an excuse to continue. It seems to be the legendary weak point all those "cultural manhwas mentioned"}
"I-I yield". Iliana admitted defeat, in an even softer voice
"What did you say aunty, I didn't hear any... Hey!!" Max was about to shamelessly act like he didn't hear her when a mascular hand dragged him away from her.
"Okay, that's enough son she gave up". Igneel who couldn't take more of watching his loyal subordinate get bullied by his suddenly rogue little son intervened.
{When did this brat become so perverted anyway....or maybe I just never noticed it because he never had the chance to show it till now?} Igneel wondered his twitching lip syndrome getting worse and worse.
"Okay Iliana you can go and recover, you've done well, you don't have to train with this little rog... With Max again from now". Igneel said looking at the teary eyed Iliana, feeling a bad for her.
"Yes, your highness" Iliana quickly disappeared into the forest in a rush after getting permission to leave.
"Sigh, poor girl."
.....
The other elders were all speechless as they looked at the ear rubbing fiasco.
Nobody even laughed this time, especially the two ladies, they felt a sudden dread when they looked at their young prince.
.....
"Are you happy now Max, you almost made her cry". Igneel looked at Max with a reproaching expression.
"What do you mean father, weren't we just fighting?". Max looked back at him with clear eyes that practically screamed "I'm an innocent child, I don't know what you're talking about"
Looking at Max's obviously fake innocent face for a little while longer, Igneel suddenly got the urge to beat up the little smug brat.
"Sigh, fine...now for the next one you'll train with.." Igneel said while now looking at the other elders. But before he finished speaking Caroline and Maria who heard him from the distance ran away with the fastest speeds they could.
"Well...I guess they don't want to, so it's going to be Abel tomorrow". Igneel's lip twitched again looking at them run away then chose Abel as Max's next training partner.
"Sigh...If I have to". Max who also noticed Maria and Caroline run away couldn't help feel disappointed.
....
"So Abel, you still think that aura from before was the king?". Now only Ron and Abel remained close by, Ron couldn't help but ask.
"Well Ron, to be fair, we all probably knew that it was the young prince, just that our pride wouldn't let us admit being weaker than a child... Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a match with the young prince I have to prepare for". The usually overly relaxed Abel answered Ron with a rarely seen serious expression on his face before starting to walk off.
"For your sake I hope the young prince doesn't swing both ways". Ron whispered to himself.
Abel who was still close enough and along with his super senses heard what Ron said. The result of it being...him almost tripping on himself.