"You knew." Maritess's pink, sultry lips curved into a coy smile--her eyes lighting up as she stared at Lucius, looking as if she was a child who'd just found her next toy.

A tad unnerved by the look on the girl's face, Lucius nodded. "Anyone would've, given how obvious it was. I've heard of some of your history with Dario. Childhood friends am I correct?"

"Hardly. Our families have deep ties that started 200 years ago, shortly before the Human-Ferrian civil war began. Apparently, my great-great-great-grandfather saved his great-great-great grandfather's life. Hmm, or was it our great-great-great-great-grandfather? Oh, whatever. Anyways, now, a couple of centuries later, my parents somehow thought it was a great idea to marry me off to that idiot just to, in their own words, 'reforge our family's bonds' with his, yadda yadda yadda, you know how it goes," Maritess said, rolling her eyes at her own words.

Lucius nodded. Arranged marriages were common even before his time and were practiced by almost every race besides the elves. "And I suppose you disapprove of this?"

"Obviously."

Though intrigued by the girl's stance regarding her family's wishes, Lucius kept a straight face and said, "Still, that doesn't explain why you decided to involve me in this whole affair. As far as I know, the ever-gorgeous and popular Maritess Vel Klaavenhail has plenty enough admirers to help."

"Oh hey, thanks for the compliment," Maritess purred, winking at Lucius before she continued, "Why, I didn't know that there was a hidden charmer in you after all."

"I wasn't trying to. That was what I had gathered from listening around and I am simply relaying them to you," Lucius replied, deadpan and impatient as he stared at Maritess who seemed to be taking the situation too lightly. "But we digress. I believe you were in the middle of telling me your reason for getting me into this mess."

"Ah, there's the Lucius I know. So stiff! Well, fine. if you really must know, I guess I can tell you." Maritess sighed. "I think I owe you at least that."

"You do." Lucius nodded. "Now, talk."

Maritess smiled wryly. "Well to start off, I heard weeks ago that there was a newbie who just signed up as a Student Agent. Someone who's not from Delta City, at that. A greenhorn who still didn't know much about the inner workings of the academy and what Dario had been doing to any of the male Student Agents coming up to my dorm to help me with my chores. Hmph, can you imagine being that jealous? Anyways, I've already caught him bullying a Student Agent one time before and made him swear that he won't do it again, but several months after that incident, the majority of the Student Agents started to ignore my quests. Only a Primus girl, Amelia, came once in a while, but only because she's one of the few women in the agency. I tried asking her if Dario was still involved in all that fiasco, but she wouldn't budge. That's when I knew I had to do something, then you came along."

Lucius took a moment to process the information as he rubbed his chin absently. He only managed to find out a few things about Maritess's background and her relationship with Dario shortly after the last job he'd done for her. He was surprised to find out then that the two were both heirs to two well-known families somewhere in the Ferrian Kingdoms. Dario was a noble's son from the Aries Clan, and Maritess was apparently from House Vel--a human mercantile family that originated from one of the human kingdoms, Klaaven, who traveled all the way to Ferrian lands and rose to prominence during the most recent civil war.

After thinking for a few moments, Lucius's eyes glinted as a piece of the puzzle fell into place. "So that's why the reward for such a simple cleaning job. You were trying to attract me all along, knowing that no other Student Agent would take it."

"Yeah, that's right. I knew I had to strike while the iron is hot. Well, months with barely any help cleaning my room and doing the chores by myself is part of it, but I've also had just about enough of Dario messing things up around me and telling me who I should have near me all the time. Now, rumors around this academy travel fast. All I had to do was let you take my quests, then follow you around for a bit to see if Dario will still act up, which he did. All thanks to you, I finally found out he's still doing all that possessive crap."

"And so this is why you purposefully endangered me?" Lucius replied with a glare, not quite as thrilled with the result of Maritess's gamble. "You wanted to find out whether or not he's still bullying your 'errand boys' behind your back? Did it ever occur to you that I'd be harassed even more now that he thinks you favor me over him?"

A look of surprise flashed Maritess's face as she looked at Lucius. Clearly, she wasn't expecting that strong of a rebuttal from him, much less realized the consequences of her actions. "Hey, I didn't know he was messing with you beforehand, alright? Besides, even if I knew then I probably would have done it anyway. Don't you see? With me around, Dario wouldn't be able to mess with you, or else I'd send him back home with his tail between his legs. Now that is the promise I feel I owe you."

Lucius held his unpleasant gaze for a while before finally relenting with an inward sigh. He knew that the arrangement that he was forced into would most probably bring more harm than good in the future, but Maritess's promise of protection was better than nothing.

Now a bit more relaxed and curious, Lucius said, "So why me then? Couldn't you have just asked someone else to help you out? One from the long list of suitors I assume you keep?" he quipped.

"I'm not really looking for a relationship right now since I want to focus on graduating as a Tertius first," Maritess said with a brow raised, eyeing Lucius playfully. "Besides, I've already checked the list, and none of them can clean as half as good as you, so there's that."

Before Lucius knew it, a chuckle escaped his lips, followed by a pleasant giggle from Maritess.

Upon realizing that they were having one of those 'moments' he'd once read from an obscure book about socializing, however, he immediately looked away and cleared his throat.

Hmm. This girl is dangerous indeed. I don't even know if she's doing this on purpose or not.

After regaining his bearings, Lucius couldn't help but raise a brow, and for good reason. After all, not only was Maritess one of the most popular Secundus students in the academy but she's also known for organizing at least two parties every week. He even heard that she used to be a goldmine for Student Agents for the cleanup jobs that would typically follow her rambunctious gatherings the day after, but that was until Dario began to screw it all up. On that note, he found it hard to believe her words.

"Aww, look at that cute frown you have going on there. What's the matter? Were you disappointed?"

"Far from it," Lucius said, shooting down Maritess's attempt at a tease mercilessly. "I just find it hard to believe that someone as socially active as you would have such priorities. Unless..."

"Ah, so you figured it out again did you?"

"So that's what it was. I've been told that your parties were rather 'exclusive'," Lucius said. "Turns out it serves a purpose beyond enjoyment, after all. You were networking, I believe Outworlders call it."

"Wow. Look at you, so perceptive. Now you know why I really throw all those social functions. I bet you think I'm just some airheaded girl who loves to drink and enjoy the company of others before, did you?"

"Most Primus students seem to think so," Lucius answered. Actually, the rumors suggested even less flattering things about her than what he'd let on, but he felt no need to bring it up.

"Well, they're not really wrong though. What can I say but I actually also like having fun? It's not like I'm throwing all those parties just to make connections with other people with an equal or even higher standing than me. But if you must know, yes, I'm still single," Maritess said, hiding her mouth as she 'blushed'.

"I respectfully decline," Lucius quickly blurted out, of course keeping to himself the reason why. He knew that Maritess was just fibbing and teasing him as usual, but just in case she wasn't, the girl was simply more trouble than her worth.

"Ah, worth a try. Anyways, that's it. It must be a bit crazy to spring all this upon you, Lucius. I know that we barely even know each other but it's nice to see you're okay with it."

"Your apology isn't enough," Lucius said with a slight frown as he rubbed his still-aching midsection that felt as if a hole had just been punched through it. "That dumb brute of yours almost killed me just now, remember? How could I be okay with it?"

Maritess smirked playfully. "I didn't apologize though."

"I believe you should." Lucius gave Maritess a sideways look. He wasn't going to give up on something he very clearly deserved. Just when it seemed that Maritess was about to say something, however, someone called out from behind. It was Katherine who, again, appeared out of nowhere startling them both.

"Lucius! I've been told by a student that you've been seen fighting Dario. Are you alright?" Katherine said, her monotonous tone filled with more concern than Lucius had ever heard from her ever since he entered the academy.

Looking somehow relieved, Maritess addressed Katherine with a curt bow. "I've dealt with it already Master Katherine."

"Is that so?" The slight look of unease from Katherine's face faded as she looked at Lucius, then to Maritess with a nod. "Very well then. Good of you to help the young man out, Maritess."

"I was just looking out for my cute underclassman, master," Maritess replied before casting a surreptitious grin and a playful wink at Lucius. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll have to attend my next class."

"Alright, go on. You are excused."

"Great. See you around, Lucius."

Wincing as he held his aching abdomen, Lucius could only watch as Maritess turned around and left, her curvy body skipping along the hallway without a care in the world. He wasn't sure he liked Maritess's parting words, but for now, he guessed that he didn't really have a say in it all things considered. The deed had already been done, after all.

A few moments of awkward silence ensued as Lucius was now left alone with Katherine. He could feel her stare from the corner of his eye, but he couldn't really stare back. Not until he had something to say, which he didn't, for a while.

Until finally, he broke and glance at the Ferrian. Whatever he guessed Katherine was going to say, it couldn't possibly be good considering the look she had on her face mirrored that of the one she usually made when she made him do punishment runs. This was bad. He needed to get away, so he tried.

"So Master Katherine, can I go--"

"Now that I have you with me, follow me to my office. I need to discuss something with you," Katherine said, cutting off Lucius's only chance of escape. "It's about your performance in my class."

Lucius fought the urge to groan and nodded.

Oh, great. How could this day get any worse, I wonder?

He sighed as a passing realization about what he'd just thought came to mind.

Curses. Was that 'jinxing' myself?