She entered the cafeteria and we locked eyes almost instantly. I quickly looked away and placed a hand to block my face.
I hadn't seen her since the funeral and I wasn't looking to pick up where we left off.
"Is she coming over here?" I whispered near Reinhardt.
"She's walking this way, yeah." He whispered back.
I frowned. Maybe I can pretend to be someone else? We haven't seen each other in years.
"Lafayette, is that you?" A familiar voice asked.
I kept looking in the opposite direction as I deepened my voice. "Go away, kid. I don't know any Lafayette."
A soft giggle, followed by a familiar arm looping with mine. I guess she didn't learn her lesson the first time. "Right, and that's supposed to turn me away? I'm not blind."
I finally turned to look at her. "Are you sure? Because this is what got you hurt last time." I gestured to our linked arms.
Melissa gripped my bicep as she looked into my eyes. "Yes, but Lady Lilith isn't here."
I looked past her to see that her classmates had somewhat surrounded us. This is way too much attention. "Look, it's nice to see you but I'm busy."
"You don't look busy." She pressed herself against me. Not enough to be indecent, but enough to announce her presence. "Besides, after I heard you enrolled I wondered if I'd find you."
"And now you have," I said dryly. I tried to pull my arm out of her grasp, but she tightened her grip. "You can let go."
"I could."
"You definitely can."
She continued to look at me with that knowing smile. I signed. I wasn't talking my way out of this. And I couldn't continue the family tradition of assaulting her.
"Are you ticklish?" I finally asked.
Melissa's eyes widened. "Hm?!"
Without warning I reached for her armpits and went to town. She immediately began squirming and laughing. "Stop this! Hahahaha, this is so undignified!"
Everyone watched in horror as I, a relative nobody, tickled the princess on the second day of school.
I gotta admit this day hasn't gone to plan in the slightest. Melissa howled as she fought back. "Lafayette please! I have a reputation!"
"Yeah? Well, you brought this on yourself."
Melissa trapped my hands under her arms and gripped my elbows. Though she was still giggling.
Her classmates looked like they were about to have a stroke.
Reinhardt stared at us with his mouth open.
Melissa stepped back and straightened out her uniform. "You're a fiend, a monster." Her eyes sparkled.
"I'm practical," I answered.
Her smile didn't waver. If anything it depended.
That was a problem, she couldn't be discouraged. Though I will say, she definitely has more of a personality.
Not that I care.
She reached for my arm again. I raised my hand and chopped the top of her head. "Bad, you're making a scene."
One of the other students in green stepped forward with a furious expression. "How dare you assault her Highness?! I shall have your head!"
I glanced at him with indifference. "Seriously? So the tickling was fine, but you drew the line at this?" I lightly chopped Melissa's head again.
The boy blinked with indignation. "That's it!" He raised his hand to summon some kind of attack, but the spell flickered out. That's when I looked down at Melissa.
Her hand was outstretched against his. Her irises were a deep brown. The earth affinity, she had suppressed the earth affinity.
"Now, now, I can handle myself when it comes to Lord Lafayette. You may stand down."
The boy turned red as he pulled back his hand and looked away. "As you command, it shall be done, your highness."
The brown faded from her eyes as fast as it had appeared.
She then turned to me. "Well, it's been nice seeing you again. We'll have to catch up sometime."
She stepped forward and quickly kissed me before leaving with her entourage. "See you."
I sighed with frustration after she left. "Damn it, that wasn't supposed to happen."
"You just… You just… should I bow? Are you a consort now?"
I glared at Reinhardt. "Don't even, I'd never become a royal. Not now, not ever."
Reinhardt shut his mouth and shuffled forward. But even though he was silent, that did nothing to quell the whispers and glances.
Everything is falling apart.
When it was my turn I grabbed my tray and headed back to the same seat from this morning. As I sat down, Reinhardt spoke again.
"So are you two close?"
"No."
"No? But she kissed you."
"I have eyes."
"You don't kiss people you just met. Especially royalty, there has to be something between you two."
I brought a fist to my lips as I glared at him.
"What do you want me to say? That I've secretly been dating the princess this whole time? I barely know her. Just leave me alone about it and eat."
"Lafayette, she kissed you on the lips."
I picked up his fork. Stabbed a piece of meat, and held it to his mouth. "Stop talking and eat."
Reinhardt swallowed. "Alright, forget I said anything." He took the fork and placed the meat back down,
I dropped back down in my seat. "Already done." Maybe those three independent studies won't be so bad after all. Because if this keeps up I'll lose my mind.
"For what it's worth, I think you two will make a great couple."
I slammed a fist against the table. Then I stood up and left without a word.
I made my way back to the east tower and stepped inside. Like last time there was only one lift available.
The operator waved me over. "Hey, looking for another ride?" She grinned.
I stepped into her lift and she pulled the lever back. As the lift began to rise I pointed a finger at the back of her head. "Do anything remotely as deranged as last time and I'll blow your brains out."
The woman blinked as she looked over her shoulder. "Are you threatening me?"
"It's not a threat."
I summoned a water ball. "It's a promise."
The lift operator stared at the water orb as it swirled at my fingertips. For a brief moment, I thought she'd call my bluff.
But instead her shoulders slumped and she put on a pout. "You're no fun." She grumbled.
The ride up was smooth and when the brass gates finally opened the operator just stared at me with a frown. "Well, we're here."
I nodded and stepped off the lift. I dispelled my waterball and began my way down the quiet hall. Upon reaching Lance's door, I slid the key in and opened it.
Inside, Lance was sitting on his bed with some kind of… engine?
He looked up with a smile. "Hey buddy, what's up?" He set aside the engine, a large silver thing with a wheel and a boiler.
I pointed towards it. "What's that?"
"Oh, it's a steam engine," he answered. "It doesn't require any Ouro to make things work, you know? It's something the peasants can use for cheap."
He tilted his head curiously. "Well, if I can find out what to use it for. To be honest Ouro powered engines are a lot more efficient."
He continued. "But it's the crystals they use that are hard to come by. Wars are even fought over access to the mines. There are several types of crystals and even stones that—"
I held my hand up. "I don't care."
He fell silent as he watched me collapse into my quilt. After a beat of silence passed he finally spoke. "Do you need a minute alone?"
"Yes."
Lance wordlessly stood up and exited the room. With him gone, I closed my eyes and accessed my mental plane.
It was weird coming back here without the dragon. I didn't necessarily miss him, but it felt like missing a tooth. Something you just couldn't help but notice from time to time.
I turned my attention to my core. It was surrounded by five seals.
With the outermost seal being the seal of life.
I closed my eyes and remembered how much of a hassle opening the seal of self was. Even if it made me a better person, I still don't know if I'm ready to go through that again.
But with the way things are going…
I need to at least learn what I'm dealing with.
I reached out and touched the ring.
My vision instantly went white.