Ethan had to redouble his efforts to keep his composure in the presence of the young human. She seemed to take pleasure in making his task impossible by being as insufferable as possible. He might have won the battle concerning her protection need, but he knew he was still far from winning the war.

And he understood her, deep down. She was trying to cling to the slightest choice that was still hers. He was not so lucky. This whole story bothered him deeply. He couldn't even hate her for choosing to let him die. If the roles were reversed, he would have made the same decision.

However, he had to admit that she had a strong personality, despite her small size and her humanity. His inner Vila was pretty pleased by it. He had chosen her, after all. Domination was a good way to tame a Vila. Ethan didn't like the idea, but did he have a choice? The answer was obvious. And then... now that he had other battles to fight, the one against himself seemed much less important to him.

Mia was immured in silence and read her work distractedly. It was obvious that she wasn't reading a word of what was written. Which left him there, standing next to the young woman, lost in thought. He felt ridiculous. After a few minutes, she raised her head with a sigh.

"At least pretend to do something, I don't know, it's embarrassing having you there... You don't have to be standing still like a pole all day, you can go a row further too," she said, indicating other seats with an evasive wave of her hand.

"No," he replied, putting his hands in the pockets of his canvas pants.

It wasn't that he was against the idea, but his Vila urged him to stay close to the young woman. At least this way he could claim semi-peace of mind. A small smirk tugged at his lips as he could feel the annoyance creeping into her again through his eyes.

"Very well," she announced after a big sigh, slamming the book abruptly to close it.

Mia rose from her seat, determined and fuming, and headed for the library exit. He followed her, placing himself a few inches behind her. She was walking at a brisk pace, but he had no trouble keeping up with her. When they crossed the entrance hall, a few students wandered out of their way after seeing the Vila. He rewarded them with his most menacing gaze, head held high and imposing posture, daring anyone to attack him or the human. It wouldn't be enough to dissuade the fiercest and vindictive of them, but it was a small pleasure that he gladly allowed himself. Mia eventually exited the castle and headed for the gardens. When she reached the first flowerbeds, she slowed down and turned to the young man, pointing to an imaginary point behind him.

"There, you can follow me a few meters behind. I don't even want to feel your presence, okay?"

"OK," he conceded, shrugging.

Mia resumed her journey between the flowers with a dynamic step. Ethan positioned himself as she had asked him to, in the background. He started trying to appreciate the landscape too, but the continuously frustrated sighs of the young woman made it difficult for him. He didn't know if he felt annoyed by her fierce attitude or amused by the prospect that he was getting on her nerves with his mere existence. Maybe a bit of both.

They quickly crossed the colorful gardens to arrive at the edge of the forest. This one was frequently visited by the students of the school when they had a little free time, unlike the centaur forest which was forbidden to anyone who did not belong to the said species. It stretched for a few kilometers and there were small hidden plains perfect for outdoor activities which were accessible all year round thanks to the mild spring climate surrounding the castle. Ethan had taken to going there only at night when he could venture there without having to meet a living soul. Which was absolutely not the case today.

Mia stopped in front of the first trees in the forest and rested against the trunk of a tree, her gaze directed towards the last flowerbeds. Her head against the bark, she closed her eyes for a moment, massaging her temples and exhaling for a long time. Two seconds later, she again pointed her finger in a direction, this time a few centimeters from her position.

"Sit."

Ethan growled but obeyed the young woman who smirked nonetheless.

Does she think I am her dog or something?

"It won't do. I feel like I'm being followed by a pervert. You're not going to follow me to my room, are you?"

"No," he replied, smiling as his Vila inside told him otherwise. "Even if it would be easier for you to come and settle in mine."

Ethan chuckled, smothering his laughter in his fist, at Mia's outraged look. He had to behave courteously, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease her a bit.

"I would rather die!"

She answered him in a slightly less angry tone. Perhaps he had succeeded in relaxing the atmosphere a little.

"You're safe in the infirmary. No one would be mad enough to try to hurt someone amid fairies. They don't fight, but they have an eye everywhere and can become real monsters if they sense a threat."

"I'd like to see that," she smiled.

"Trust me, you don't really want that."

And he knew what he was talking about. During his first year at the castle, his presence did not please some of his congeners. It still was, but his enemies had learned to be more discreet. At the time, a Vila had fallen on him at the end of a hallway in their quarters and had furiously attacked him. After a few broken ribs and a punctured lung on his side, and an unconscious Vila on the other, they had been forced to report to the infirmary. Lily, Mia's friend, was waiting for them. After treating them, she soaped them for fifteen minutes in front of several students. He had never felt so humiliated and intimidated in his life. The memory still made him shiver two years later.

Fairies could be very scary when they felt it was necessary... They were able to completely change their appearance, turning into a vision of horror, a walking corpse straight out of a nightmare, and their voices became so high-pitched that they caused a nagging headache. He did not doubt that if they wanted to, they could crack the eardrums of the fiercest creatures. They never attacked, but their long, pointed nails in their harpy form would pierce the heart of any individual. Luckily for them, the fairies were pacifists.

"And how are you going to know when I get out of the infirmary? For all you know, I could sneak out of my room at any time without your supervision."

"Only if you want to die. Speaking of which, before you go home, I have something to give you. It is an enchanted correspondence. You write something on yours, and I'll get your message on mine."

"Yeah, basically it's a cell phone", she let go, not the least impressed in the world.

"A what?"

"A... Forget it actually, it's a thing from my world."

Ethan didn't insist, very uncurious on the subject, and carried on as if nothing had happened.

"It's an object worth a small fortune, I advise you not to lose it. You can let me know when you plan to go out with this. We'll get it before you go back to the infirmary."

"Alright, let's go now. We don't have anything better to do, and anyway, that's enough of your presence for today."