7.1

“Master, master…”

“Uggh...”

“Master John, please wake up. Any longer and there would be trouble for the both of us.”

“Aggh, what do they want again?”

“It’s time for master to attend to the ceremony held by your parents. Remember? They wanted you to give a speech, so if you would kindly—”

“Yeah, yeah, I remember. This sucks…”

“Forgive this useless maid, if it weren’t for my incompetence…”

“That’s not what I meant, I told you to stop doing that. Even without your mistake back then, they’ll force me to do this one way or the other.”

“Thank you, master.”

“Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be getting ready.”

John’s nose twitched at a fragrance, and slowly he stirred to his consciousness.

Another dream with the familiar voice...

A glimpse back to the life John had before he entered A’vetheas. This time he could clearly make out the girl’s voice, but he was still unable to remember her name.

A maid, huh? When did I have one…? More importantly, what’s this sensation.

His hands twitched at the warm bolster that he was hugging so tightly, perhaps it was the dream that caused him to clutch onto it so tightly, perhaps it felt comforting to him, all that John knew was that whenever he was asleep, his mental state was the most fragile.

His spine loosened when the familiar softness of the academy’s mattress recoiled, he was back in Moxnet. Last he recalled, he jumped into the chasm in an attempt to save Evie. He dove down, grabbed her, instinctively made up another spell that was not known to anyone, though he used the word ‘protection’ at the spur off the moment to best suit what his magic needed to do, it did not change the dark aura that came from him to form that barrier.

He used it. The very same pitch black aura that caused his exile from A’vetheas, he had used it by instinct to break Evie’s fall.

Demon magic.

Ba-dump!

His heart began to beat so fast that his body shot up straight with eyes wide open.

Calm down… Calm down, everything is fine. I did it to save her. Yes, Evie is safe now, I... Hang on a minute.

“Where am I?”

He was not in his room. Although the bed, the furniture, the overall interior design were similar to his, his one had a more personalized feel to it. It had softer tones of colors, a few wall décors that he never seen sold on the market, from the looks of it, they were handmade or came from some foreign culture. The place emitted a gentle, feminine aura to it, and it smelled just like the girl he had jumped down a chasm for.

“You are in my room of course, ufufu.”

Evie’s pleasant voice answered, she had a cheerful glow on her cheeks as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. John blinked once, blinked twice then raised his eyebrows to Evie who sat on a chair beside him.

“You suddenly jumped from your sleep, is there something wrong? Your face is a little pale too. If something is bothering you, I am more than willing to listen to it. After your selfless act toward me yesterday, I can’t express how much gratitude I have for you.” Evie watched him closely, concerned about how startled he was.

He could not help but notice her long silver hair that seemingly was basked in the dawn’s glow. His body urged him greatly to reach out and grab her before her beauty fades from his sight, but John knew better to follow the whims of his emotions, especially when he just woke up.

“John?” she leaned in closer when he froze to marvel at her. Her body movements, they were so refined, yet so adorable, it was hard for John to believe that before him was an Elder Dragon who had taken a human form.

“I… It’s nothing,” he stuttered. “You are fine, yes? F-from yesterday’s fall I mean…”

Ephinelyth placed hand in front of her bountiful chest, bobbing her head downwards as she gave a graceful reply, “Indeed. This Elder Dragon is without injuries.”

John could not take his eyes off of her fair skin, her dainty face, her electric blue eyes that kept him stealing glances at her whenever she would not notice. There was something about the way they looked at him that kept him turning his head towards her.

“…”

“…”

Their eyes met.

The way she looks at me, it’s the same as Raina… No, no, no, I shouldn’t do this…

Realizing that he stared too long, John quickly look away from her. His heartbeat was amplified, even without the ability to read her mind, he could feel that her thoughts for him were much more than platonic.

For what reason she had an attraction towards him, he was unsure. Under normal circumstances, he would have tried to get her to tell him why, but his thoughts occasionally lingered back to the elf…

It was shameless of him. Even after proclaiming to himself that he had moved on, he can’t help but to be reminded of the soul oath that he promised her as their last conversation.

Sorry… Evie.

Unsure what to do next, he gripped the bolster that was by his side and ran his nervous hands on it.

Why did I jump yesterday, she could have survived the fall couldn’t she? She definitely did not need me to protect her, it must have been ridiculous for someone who has similar powers to gods to be saved by someone as mortal as me.

“Hnngg… J-John…please be gentle…” Evie let off a soft moan.

“Sorry, what was that?” he turned and saw that Evie’s face was scrunched up in embarrassment. Her porcelain cheeks turned pink so quickly that he thought she applied makeup while he was not looking. “Why are you…”

His eyes followed from the shoulders of her squirming body all the way to her buttocks, where her white tail showed, then from the tail he traced it all the way to…

The bolster that he was gripping.

“Woah!” his hands quickly released the ‘bolster’ pillow that he was running his hands on. “Evie, that was your tail!? Why did you let me use it as a pillow!?”

“I… When I returned from gathering resource and preparing a meal, I came to see if you were awake, you suddenly grabbed it… You looked so peaceful when you are hugging it, so I thought…I would indulge you for your efforts yesterday.”

John placed two of his hands to his temples in an attempt to hide his steaming cheeks, he took a deep breath, and looked downwards. “Let’s put the tail thing aside, why am I in your room?”

“Because I needed a place to tend to you? I figured I could monitor you the best if you are in my dormitories, that way, no harm would befall upon you.”

John shook his head, “That’s not the point, Evie. You don’t simply bring the opposite gender into your own place.”

“I understand that. It is common knowledge to not be with a stranger in our private spaces, no?”

John’s face twitched in confusion, he flipped his wrist as to express what part of what he just said did not get into her head. “So… That means, me and you…” he slowly pointed to himself, then to her, then gestured to the whole room.

Evie placed a finger on her cheek, confused to John’s confusion, “You and I are different, aren’t we? You are the first to ride the skies with me, you worried about the implications of my actions and placed your own life’s ahead of mine. Even if we discounted what happened yesterday, or the day before that, in my own way, I think that I have a great obligation to you, that is how I feel,” a buzz of happiness radiated from her as she spoke to him earnestly.

“In your own way? What kind of reasoning is that…” John turned his head away.

“Are we simply strangers, John? You may not know this, but dragons are pretty stubborn when it comes to the people they associate themselves with, I am no different,” her blue eyes looked deep into him, prompting him to admit his defeat.

“I... When you put it that way...” John rubbed his head then suddenly pointed a finger at her, “But I still should not be using your bed, that is unethical!”

“Why is that? My intentions are pure, and even if you happened to try anything on me, I am still an Elder Dragon who can fend herself.”

“Umm… That’s because...” he became a loss for words at her irrefutable logic, it was not that he was trying to make a sound argument in the first place, John had simply wanted her to be more careful, especially when the two of them only met for a few times. “Ah, that’s it! Because you can’t be sleeping on the floor.”

“I did not sleep while you are in my bed.”

“You did not what?”

“I was awake the whole night, read some books, then I did a little cleaning, then I went and gathered resources to make breakfast.” Evie began to count her fingers on the things she did while he was sleeping in her bed. “Such was my routine while you were sleeping so soundly. I still have a few days of energy reserved in me, I tend to sleep for a few days then stay awake for a few. You do not have to worry about me, ufufu.”

“A few…days?”

“Mmhm, Dragons have a longer life span, but with a longer lifespan, it means we have to learn to manage our energy efficiently. So, it is no surprise that I am able to accumulate reserves of energy and choose whenever I wish to be awake.”

“Being a dragon sure is convenient. If I can do that, I might sleep for a whole week.”

“What makes you say that?”

“You know, the bed is comfy and all, and sometimes nothing much happens, so I might as well be in the bed with my own thoughts rather than doing nothing.”

Evie tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded favourably, then she leaned closer to him and spoke to his ear, “Between you and me, we dragons aren’t always mighty and powerful. In our own time when we have naught for duties, we love to laze around similar to which you speak.”

“Huh? So what you are saying is that you are all actually lazy sloths?”

“Ufufu, that is, when we are around our loved ones and are given the choice to stay comfy besides them. When it comes down to important tasks, we would finish those before anything. The ‘lazy’ comes along when safety and stability is secured. At least, that is true for this homely dragon.”

“That makes a little more sense,” John finally eased himself regarding Evie’s predisposition. If he interpret her correctly, it was precisely because she liked him—to what degree, he was unsure—that she allowed him to be in her room and rode on her. The way she saw it, he was trustworthy to receive her kindness.

“Now that you are much awake, how about something to fill that stomach of yours?”

“Hmm? I am not really hungry now— Ah, there she goes…” his hands failed to reach Evie before she quickly left for the miniature kitchen that she had in her living space. “Now to think of it, I think I heard some rooms have built in cooking spaces if requested… Maybe I’ll ask for one for the next semester or something.”

No sooner than he started to space out and think back of his own room, Evie returned with an apron on her while she brought a tray of food to him. Her face grinning when as she carefully walked towards him.

“A homely meal from a homely dragon,” she joked as she placed it on his lap.

A small bowl of mushroom stew with small pieces of meats and vegetables added to it, along with slices of buttered toast, all freshly made by Evie, brought to John who was in bed.

“That, was, fast.”

“I was unsure when would you be awake, so I tried preparing them beforehand.” She then return to sitting beside him, looked downwards at the tray of food that she had brought for him. “A-acutally…before you are to have this meal that I have made… W-would you mind a silly request from m-me?”

“You don’t have to make a ‘request’ from me. Just tell me about it, it’s not like I would reject you after you’ve taught me about dragons and all that stuff.” John grabbed a spoon, then pointed it at Evie with an amused smile on his face, “You’re the one who said that we are more than strangers, aren’t you? What happened to that train of thought?”

“Would you please dance with me in the Ball of Paragons?”

John’s eyes widened, and a cough found his throat, “Sorry, what?”

Was that her intention all along? To claim me as her dance partner before anyone else?

Evie then quickly shook her head in reply to his monologue. “That’s not what I meant! I-I…” her face turned red in embarrassment as she tried to hide from his intense gaze.

Realizing that she was referring to his internal comment, John;s eyes grew wide, “Wait, you heard that!?”

Evie nodded to him, then spoke telepathically, “I didn’t mean to… I was a little too eager to hear your reply. I was merely trying to ask you to be my…my…partner.”

“…”

“I had no intentions of claiming you, i-if you had made plans with other females, I won’t dissuade you from dancing with them. But I wanted you to remember me, in the very least.”

“…”

“You need not to give me a reply this instant. I wanted you to be aware of it, that was all. Please, have your meal.”

Evie fumbled and gestured for John to have the food in attempts to avoid subject, but no matter how hard she tried to ignore John’s pending answer to her request, her tail could not help but move and twitch nervously.

She did went all her way to make me food… Wait, is she still listening to me now?

John looked to Evie who was desperately trying to stay calm while he ate. He squinted his eyes at the silver haired maiden and thought to himself loudly.

Let’s try something stupid. Evie, my answer is no. No, no, no. He then looked at her again, but her face did not change from before.

Seeing that Evie was peeking at him from the book that she was reading from earlier, then to quickly shifted her gaze from him, John breathed a sigh of relief.

Okay, she is not listening to me anymore, I hope, because that was definitely not my answer to her request.

He then brought a spoonful of stew to his nose, whiffed it, then place it back into the bowl it came from.

It’s been months, I know. Things changed a whole lot from A’vetheas to now… I just… If I had not been there, Evie here is the perfect girl. Beautiful eyes, great personality, and a very, very soft…chest. He quickly shook his head when he was getting aroused by the hug she gave him. Hell, the fact that she is an Elder Dragon that gets embarrassed at the weirdest things makes it all the better. I want to cuddle her cute face but…

He needed not to speak the other girl’s name. It still stung him whenever he thought about it.

I am being a real dumbass about this… What’s the point of thinking about something that is over. I don’t want Evie to be a replacement, but at the same time, I just… I am just an idiot.

After a long while of thinking and not moving the slightest, he called out to the dragon girl, “Hey, Evie?”

“Yes? Is there something wrong with my cooking? You have not touched it.”

“Regarding the ball… I wanted to tell you something before I give you my answer.”

“My ears are yours,” she nodded with great understanding.

Because when he gave his answer to Evie to become her partner in the Ball of Paragons, it was the equivalent of the two of them partaking in a romantic relationship—according to what the other students would perceive.

Maybe I am overthinking about this, but I have to clear things up just in case.

“I do not see you as a replacement to something I lost. Nor do I want to treat you as such, I will see you, Ephinelyth, as the person you are and treat you accordingly. I…What am I even saying…? You probably will think I am weird for saying this.”

“And?” Evie moved her eyes to meet his. “Don’t stop halfway, I wish to know your thoughts.”

“What I am trying to say is, I may be holding myself back at times due to my circumstances, by no means I intend to hurt you… It’s…This is the one thing I need you to know for sure before anything.”

A soft smile appeared on Evie’s face, she move her soft hands to John’s cheeks, lifting his lowered head to meet her blue eyes, “You are sweet, John. You go so far to put me into consideration. I, as either Ephinelyth or Evie, however you see me as, truly appreciate your honesty. All I ask is for you to enjoy the time we share, as long you stay true to yourself whilst around me, that’s more than I could ever ask.”

“Heh… That mature speech coming from someone younger than me sounds a bit off, and I thought I was an old man for speaking to you like that. Apparently, we are the same, huh?” John joked, but his expression was one of deep gratitude.

“Ufufu, it seems that our senile selves are aligned with the other.”

“Then… My answer to your request, is yes. Yes, I would love to dance with you, Ephinelyth.”

A’vetheas, the place where the elves lived peacefully, the hometown of all known elves for the last few centuries, originally, it was known to be the safe haven for all elves where they would be free from all manner of external influence, where the people there would have the common goal of pursuing perfection and forming the ideal community for themselves.

Not anymore…

Such was no longer in the case to Raina Valindra Eridi, the day she was forced to witness John to be forcibly exiled while the entire elf tribe did nothing but stood idly and watched him leave.

She now understood the cruel reality.

“Hah! Take that!”

“Watch your feet, soldier!”

Two elves were exchanging blows with the other at the training grounds late in the afternoon while Raina silently watched above a tree that she had climbed onto.

The younger male elf below was a new potential recruit for the Elven Elite Squad after the passing of Alwin Zinrelle. He was brash, hot-blooded and at best, average in terms of physical performance, mentality wise, there was nothing to speak of, he had no goals, he had no conviction, an empty husk was all he ever is and ever was.

Right now, Raina was keeping her eye on this particular recruit, there was no doubt he would not make it into the squad no matter how hard he tried, but like a hunter who intended to reap the lives of her prey, she watched and studied this unassuming recruit closely.

You’ll pay…

The other elf that was acting as the instructor was a more elderly elf that used to be the second in command for the Elven Elite Squad, the instructor was currently training the recruit because she and her husband—who was not here at the moment—were told to train the recruit with the pretense of ‘sharpening their rusty combat skills’ by Raina’s request.

“Shoulder!” the instructor elf commented as she plunged her sword straight into the elf’s shoulder. The other elf was too slow to react to it and an inch of the blade entered his shoulder blade before it stopped in its tracks.

“Arrgggh!!!” the elf yelped as blood came from his shoulders. “Come on, hag! You could have stopped when you spoke!”

“…Our agreement to train you is that we would not hold back when it comes to training. If that is the mentality you have to join the Elven Elite Squad along with your subpar abilities, you might as well give up now.”

“You and your babbling…” he muttered his breath. “Alright! Alright! I get it. But was it really necessary to train, especially after I have taken my test to be in the squad?”

“…Remember, if you do not make it in. You would have to accompany me and my husband on an upcoming excursion with no questions asked. At the very least, you should keep yourself alive until we reached our destination.”

Raina, who was listening into their conversation snickered at the male elf.

Make it in? Someone as scummy as you? I know what you have done. I will make sure that you—

The leaves behind Raaina rustled while she was engrossed in her train of thought, she quickly jumped backwards and drew a short dagger. She assumed a defensive stance, ready to go into combat any moment. Her other free hand readied an offensive spell that was ready to fire at the person who discovered her while she had an invisibility spell on her.

“Wait, it’s me Raina. I didn’t mean to creep up on you,” a hushed harmless voice quickly announced along with the elf’s appearance.

“Lureena…” when she heard the court mage’s voice, she lowered her hand, sheathed her weapon and returned, watching the two elves below.

Lureena moved and sat beside Raina. The thick branch that they were on gave a clear view of the training grounds below. The leaves of the tree were so dense that it hid their presence with or without the invisibility spell. This was the designated spot where most instructors would conceal themselves when they left their students to train on their own.

“You really hate the guy, huh?” Lureena spoke.

“…”

“Why are you planning to bring him along with us if you hate him so much? It’s not like you ever spoke to him or plan to.”

“…That is part of the bait,” Raina replied coldly. “You know that already.”

This young aspiring elf who was only five decades in age—young in terms of the elves—had a dream of entering the Elven Elite squad, but this dream of his will never come to reality. Raina and Lureena already knew that even the instructor on the training grounds saw through it.

Then, why Raina, despite knowing that he will never succeed, had asked the instructor to strike such a deal with him? To go to the extent and had him sign up on an upcoming excursion to the outside world?

The answer was simple. Lureena, the only one who knew what happened behind the scenes that day, knew why Raina, who she had thought to be her blood sister, did so.

“To let him feel like he was about to reach his goals then to have him fail miserably… He would have nowhere else to turn to when he gets rejected by the Elven Elite Squad. I know you are going to make him suffer for what he did, but to what extent and how? Can’t you at the very least, let me in on the full extent of your plan?”

Raina shot a look at Lureena. “You may say you want to help me, but who knows if my mother sent you, Lureena. So until this insolent—waste of space gets what he deserved, you will only know whatever I want to tell you.”

“You still don’t trust me, even after I have promised to help you…” her face winced in pain when Raina spoke in that cold tone. However, she took comfort in the fact that Raina was speaking to her, unlike the time when she had ignored Lureena and everyone else. “I would still help you even if you had not asked. Someone like him does not deserve to live.”

“If only you said that during John’s trial…” Raina turned away from Lureena, “…w-what use is there when he is nowhere to be found in the outside world? Even if you did the thorough investigation of who framed him, you won’t bring him back. He must be so hurt, so betrayed, I failed to protect him.”

Raina’s emotionless face darkened when she remembered John who she had made a Soul Oath to.

“…”

“Tell me Lureena. What use when I am a princess but I can’t fight for what is mine? What purpose is there when the very people that I should protect and keep safe? Rather judge something because of how history books deemed a certain thing to be, instead of looking at the outcome of the situation?”

“T-that is not my position to say so, princess. But John was declared a demon by your mother. No matter what he did, everyone would hate him for his existence alone. He was a direct contradiction to the values we have, everyone, including you, understand from the ancient texts that demons are evil—”

“His actions never mattered to any of you people from the start. Everyone in A’vetheas, all of you, wanted him gone when you discovered that he was a demon. Only I saw him for who he was… He did it to protect me! Do the values of the elves have anything to say about that?”

“I…”

“Then, we are doomed if we continue to believe in these values that could not protect John… Our own kind above others? But he was the one who prioritize me, Lureena. Why can’t any of you see that…”

Raina’s words caused Lureena to be speechless.

The exile of the Healer of A’vetheas, of John Sarvod despite his somewhat straightforward nature and occasional brashness in speech, he was willing to help any elf if he when asked. John who dedicated the majority of his life to serve and benefit A’vetheas despite being a human.

Were all his past efforts made null because he used demon magic to save the princess of A’vetheas?

For what Lureena knew her whole life, her duty was to serve Raina Valindra Eridi in her actions towards the good of all elves, while her job as one of A’vetheas’ court mage comes second.

All royal elves such as Raina, or the Queen herself, with or without conscious effort, have an affinity to perpetuate the survival of the elven society with their actions, the founding of A’vetheas after the Great War by Queen Veissa was proof of that. Lureena was not about to dispute against Queen Veissa’s actions for the Queen was the last surviving royal elf who rebuilt the Elven society from scratch ever since the Great War.

Nor she would do that to Princess Raina. The reason that Queen Veissa had conceived Raina using only her mana alone, meant that the current Queen had no intentions of staying in the mortal realm any longer than she wished to. As far as Lureena was aware, only she and the other court mage of A’vetheas were permitted to learn this from their Queen, should the other elves found out the reason for Raina’s existence was caused by Queen Veissa’s self-interest, there would be havoc among their people.

“When my torch is passed to my daughter… Like my ancestors before me had done so, so will the fate of the elves. Treat her kindly, steer her away from evil, most importantly…”

Raina Valindra Eridi, is and will be the bastion of hope for the survival of the elves, she would be taking after her mother, and all Lureena should do was to trust Raina with her whole being.

Hence, it was an easy decision for Lureena when she was given the task by Queen Veissa. To be selected to be the sisterly figure of the person who will continue to prosper the elven society was a privilege that she never imagined in her life. For that, she would sacrifice everything she had to uphold this obligation entrusted to her.

But…

Deep inside Lureena who obeyed each known elven customs and teachings, she who learned every magic because she was told to, Lureena who was told to follow each and every command of the royal elves, she who was told to preserve the elves’ current lifestyle, could somehow understand Raina’s selfish point of view when it came down to John’s exile.

Did he…deserve it?

John Sarvod had the appearance of a human, but he was far more noble than any of the elves that condemned him into exile. She had always thought of John much more favorable than the other male elves due to how he kept his distance with the Elven Princess, despite Raina’s infatuation with him. And now, his absence left an empty feeling in Lureena’s heart.

Were things justified because the people around her said so? Was it a terrible crime to have used demon magic for good? Because history recorded it to bring disastrous results, was John’s exile was a necessity?

Those were questions Lureena dared not dabbled to deep into. It was not up to her to decide how things should be. As for now, she would leave the pondering up to Raina, and perhaps in time, she would come to understand it.

She lowered her head to Raina, “Until I have reached a conclusion with my hundred and twenty years of life, my values are what princess tells me to be. Should they change when time comes to pass, my duty to stand by your side, will remain the same no matter what.”