Micha
I had pulled some clothes out of my storage, but Ronak scoffed and threw a sweater at me from his closet. I guess I didn't mind too much… It smelled rather nice, but he didn't need to be so rude about my other clothes. There was nothing wrong with them. I did pass my uniform off to Olivia despite wanting to die when I gave it to her. Big meanie Ronak said if I didn't have it cleaned, he'd make me wear it dirty. Why's he gotta be so mean?
Gah! Not only did Ronak trigger my heat, b-but I… I-I don't even want to look at him! I can't believe I… I-in my mouth?!? I-I didn't even hate the taste! Shameless doesn't even begin to describe how I acted. It didn't help that he was being so smug. He had been whining for ages about me never initiating anything, and now that he's gotten his way, he's so obnoxiously satisfied.
Minutes had turned into hours, giving me plenty of time to calm down… This is boring… I could only tolerate looking at Ronak's ceiling for so long. I know he's busy, but I didn't want to just sit here… I peeked over at Ronak and then quickly away. Peeeeek.
"What?" Ronak didn't even glance up from his document. What?! How did he know?! It's not like I was making a sound or anything!
"Is there somewhere I could set up my brewing supplies?" I might as well make use of my free time. Sitting around and memorizing Ronak's office ceiling was a complete waste of my time.
"I have something even better." Ronak set his quill down and organized the documents on his desk into one neat pile. "I'll show you my brewing lab. It's far more impressive than the clunky giant pots the academy has." I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find out that Ronak has a place for brewing potions. He seemed to like brewing potions even more than I do, based on how excited he got.
Despite feeling a little uncomfortable, that didn't stop me from following after Ronak. I just had to see his supposed lab! Even Ronak had quite the twinkle in his eyes as he grabbed my hand and led the way. "I didn't realize that you enjoyed brewing potions. I've never seen you this interested in class." Ronak always sat through alchemy class like it was torture. I could see him reacting that way if it were the basic intro class, but we were enrolled in the advanced class. I wouldn't describe it as hard, but there were at least a few challenging parts.
"That's because that class is fucking boring. I'm only taking it to fill up my schedule." Ronak winked at me and whisked me out of his office. Oh… maybe Ronak was far more advanced than I at potion brewing…
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"Whoa!" When he said his setup was impressive, I should have realized that it would also be fancy. I gulped nervously as I looked around. The room was long with counters running the length of each side and down the middle. Each counter was laden with tools. I-I didn't even know what some of this stuff did. The entire far wall had been turned into storage shelves. They were stuffed to the brim with jar upon jar of dry ingredients from floor to ceiling. He even had one of those cool rolly ladders the library had so you could reach the top shelves. He uses all of this for potion brewing?!
"You're free to use this equipment and any ingredients as you see fit." M-me?! Use this stuff?!
"I-I couldn't possibly! What if I break something?!" I carefully touched the glass cauldron that had a spigot and draining channels installed in the bottom, so you didn't even have to tilt it. It was even installed at a lower height so that I didn't need to stand on any stool to mix. He was right, this made the academy tools look clunky.
"Then I'll buy new." Ronak shrugged. He was acting like it didn't matter, but if I broke something, I would feel awful. "I doubt you'll break anything in here. It might look delicate because it's glass, but it tolerates my experiments." Wh-what did that mean? I know Ronak makes weird potions, but what sort of strange experiments is he doing?
"I don't know what some of this stuff is." I picked up a strange-looking knife from among his many lined-up ones and stared at its odd scalloped edge. It wasn't your typical serrated blade; instead, its scallops faced down, causing the blade to look bumpy. What would you need a blade to look like this for?
Ronak approached and plucked the blade from my hands. "Careful that one can chop through leathery objects like it's warmed butter. It's perfect for rough monster hides." His gaze returned to me after he set the knife back down. "I could teach you if you would like. Here," He held out his arm for me to take. "I'll show you around."
I took his arm as we walked around the large room. He talked about the different tools and instruments scattered about. Some of them, I knew what they did, while others, even though he explained their purpose, I was still lost on what you would need half of it for. I mean, why would you need a magic tool that blends things?
"I never thought I would show these to anyone… I always figured if my uncle forced me to marry someone, they'd hate my hobby." I guess I was an outlier. Very few omegas took the alchemy class, and even fewer the advanced alchemy one. I think it was just me and one other girl in class. We stopped before a tall cabinet that I hadn't noticed before because it stood next to the entrance of the room. It had a large lock on the handles, but Ronak reached out and pressed his fingers against it. His red mana swirled around his hand, and with a click, the lock opened. I wasn't sure what I was expecting as he opened the door, but it wasn't rows upon rows of fancy bound notebooks. "You can read through these if you would like. They're my own research notes. The ones at the bottom are older, so I recommend starting here." He pointed to a shelf three up from the bottom. "Everything from here up is more recent. You don't have to read through them if you don't want to, but I figured you might find it interesting. Oh, but," He turned towards me with a fierce glare. "They're for your eyes only. I don't need any nobles stealing my research and trying to produce fake potions. They are to stay on the estate grounds, which I currently reside on." Yikes. I-I don't know if I even dare read them. I was exceptionally curious, but they sound far too precious.
"Are you sure you want to let me read something so valuable?" I was interested in their contents, but I worried about losing or damaging something that Ronak obviously cared about. I didn't want to be held responsible for ruining them…
Ronak's glare disappeared as he snickered. "While they are important, I would be happy to share, if it's with you." My face became warm as he closed the cabinet. I was a little dazed from his comment, and didn't notice until his lips gently pressed against my cheek. "You don't need to feel so worried all the time. You're my omega, remember? I'm not going to let anything happen to you, and you don't need to stress about dumb things."
"You're rather… possessive…" I had to look away from his smug smile. It was becoming out of control.
"Mmm, but you're mine, and that's a fact, Micha. Come, while it isn't as impressive as my dukedoms, I'm sure you will enjoy the greenhouse." After securely locking up his cupboard, Ronak grabbed my arm and pulled me along in his excitement. Ah, he's so handsome when happy…
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How many times could I be blown away in one day? At this rate, Ronak was going to need to pick my jaw up off the ground and reattach it to my face. Ronak's greenhouse had common plants, plants that I had never seen before, and rare varieties that I had only read about in books. "I don't even know what to say! This is amazing!" I released Ronak's arm and approached a strange-looking plant with large purple flowers that looked like paper lanterns.
The feeling of being pleased washed over me, and I turned to see Ronak smiling. "Then I can't wait for you to see the greenhouse in my dukedom. It's about four times the size of this one." I stood and tried to glance over the plants, but couldn't see the other side because I was too short. Ronak's warm, hearty laugh filled the air as he watched me. "If I knew you would like the greenhouse so much, I would have brought you sooner. Feel free to harvest what you would like. I know I used things from your storage during the dungeon, and I've been having some attendants gather supplies to give you."
"You don't need to do much. I'm just running low on potions and food." I mumbled as I was drawn to a tall plant with strange-looking yellow flowers that seemed to be glowing.
I jumped as Ronak whispered into my ear. "But I want my omega to have nice things. Heh, are you ever going to stop being so jumpy?" Ronak turned my head to the side and kissed my cheek again.
"Ronak!" I gasped in surprise. He was being so affectionate! This side of him was so different, and I never knew he could be so happy. This was the first time I had felt so many of his emotions back-to-back. I could see how this would be overwhelming.
He took my hand and guided me through the plants while explaining what the different ones were. Even though the plants were exciting, my eyes kept getting drawn to Ronak's grin. It was incredibly charming. "I didn't know…"
"Didn't know what?" He pulled me into a hug and nuzzled his nose down into my hair as we came to a stop. Gah! That always tickles!!
"Th-that you could smile so happily…" He had smiled a few times before, but never had he looked this pleased.
"Mmm, I told you earlier, weren't you listening?" He pulled away slightly so he could look down into my eyes. "My life has been nothing but thunderclouds and rainstorms. You're the sun that I didn't know existed." My heart fluttered in my chest as I stared up into his deep red eyes. They were so full of… love… I didn't know I meant that much to Ronak. I knew his life had been hard, but to compare me to the sun was a bit much… Ronak snickered, "Did I fry your brain?" He bent down and kissed me as I went to speak, causing my words to die in my throat. His tongue pressed against mine, and my heart leapt wildly as his pheromones started to overwhelm the air.
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Ronak
Fuck, it was damn embarrassing saying such mushy shit, but the look on Micha's face was priceless. I didn't realize he liked such stuff. I guess… I can bring myself to say such things if it's for him, but only for him. If anyone else heard me say anything mushy like that, I'd have to rip their ears off and permanently deafen them.
"D-don't induce another heat!" Micha tried to glare at me, but it was always so adorable that I had to smirk. Shit, he makes me want to ravage him again…
"You're rather alluring when you want me that badly, though." I couldn't help but grab Micha's ass and give it a nice squeeze. Fuck, it's so velvety. All I could think of was him presenting it to me earlier. I wanted him to do it again, but he was just too shy normally. I didn't think he had it in him to be so seductive.
"Y-you perv!" Micha managed to flee my arms while I was distracted by his delectable ass. He's going to think I'm a perv when I'm done with him.
Micha jumped up onto one of his obnoxious sky platforms. They were rather interesting how they shimmered, but whenever I came into contact with them, they broke. Micha stared down at me like a fearful bunny being hunted by a large tiger. Shit, now he's really going to make me turned on. I fucking love getting to capture him.
"Come here, little omega. Be a good boy, and get down from there." My voice was rather gravely as an excited growl managed to escape me.
"No!" Micha squealed. He turned on his heel like he was going to jump to another platform, but I was prepared for that. With a gentle tap of my foot, my new spell shot off. The tiny spikes were razor sharp and about the size of my little finger. I'd love to turn someone into a pincushion, but that wasn't my goal with Micha. My projectile was going nowhere near him, unlike his obnoxious golden arrows that zipped dangerously close to you.
With a loud shatter, his platform broke before his feet could leave it. Just as I was hoping, Micha flailed a little with the shards of his spell underfoot before falling backwards. I wasn't going to let him hit the ground. He was way too fragile for that. So instead I jumped up and claimed my prize.
The horrified look on Micha's face as I snatched him up only solidified the rock-solid boner I had. Fucking hell, everything about him gets me riled up.
"You can't run from me. I'll always catch you, my little mouse." I couldn't help but grin ear to ear. This omega was mine. All mine.
"P-put me down!" Micha squeaked as I started hauling off with him. He tried wiggling about, but I wasn't going to let him slip out of my arms. No way, no how. The only thing slipping would be me into him in a moment.
"No." Micha's beautiful eyes went as big as a dinner plate as I grinned at him. I think he could sense what was about to happen because he shivered in my arms.
"I-I thought you b-brought me here to harvest h-herbs!" Micha's desperate wiggling was getting a little more violent as he tried to escape.
I leaned down close to his ear and snarled. "Change of plans." He shivered once again, and I had to melt down into my travel spell. My room was too fucking far away, and I needed one naked omega on my bed asap.
My grin only widened as Micha shifted in my arms and fearfully gripped onto my shirt. Mmm, he should do that while we fuck. It would be hot.
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Micha
"Are you still mad at me?" The carriage came to a stop, and Ronak held out his hand for me. Was I still mad? What a dumb question! I was sore from head to toe because of him. If it weren't for his gross pink potions, I wouldn't be attending the academy today! "Still not letting me touch you, huh?"
"No," I grumbled. "You're in trouble." I stuck out my bottom lip and slightly glared at his hand hanging in the air. "I don't even want to go to class." I wasn't in the mood to be bothered by people, and the idea of being stuck in a chair all day sounded like torture. M-my poor butt!
"We missed most of yesterday. If we continue to miss, the headmaster will call us back to his office to reprimand you." So he was aware of my unfair treatment. It would probably be even worse now that he was an archduke. The headmaster really would be mad at me, and not him, even though we both missed the same number of days.
I peeled myself off the plush leather carriage seat and glanced over at the door. "I don't wanna."
"Go to class or the headmaster's office?" I should reach over and pinch his snickering nose.
"I don't wanna do either," I grumbled.
"Too bad," Ronak smirked as he reached forward and snagged my hand. "Come on, my little grumpy sun, there's a cloud blocking your rays. You made me use a carriage this morning, so you've gotta go to class." I let out a loud, disgruntled groan as Ronak hauled me out of the carriage against my will. He was playing nice and was being agreeable with my antics, but I was rather upset about how Ronak had his way with me twice more after hauling me out of the greenhouse. He even dragged me away during dinner! He needed to find an inkling of self-control; my body couldn't keep taking it. I-I can't handle doing it four times in one day!
I started trying to pull his hand off my shoulder as we walked to breakfast, but Ronak's words stopped me. "I'll let you eat whatever you want for breakfast."
"Anything?!" I batted my eyelashes at him curiously and snuggled up close to him. He wouldn't even let the estate chefs make me anything sweet yesterday. Besides a small bite of cheesecake, I didn't have any dessert. Ronak's such a meanie!
"I'll allow it for breakfast-"
"Nuh-ugh! I want anything I want for all three meals!" We came to a stop and stood there as we had a bit of a stare-down. I wasn't going to break! No way! Not after what he did.
"No, you need to eat something healthy today." His stare was turning annoyed, but I wasn't having it.
I stepped up onto a platform and grabbed Ronak's ear in irritation. "You k-knotted me f-four times yesterday! If you expect me to let you touch me, then I expect my demands to be met." I fought through my overwhelming embarrassment and angrily whispered into Ronak's ear. If he doesn't learn that there are consequences for his actions, I'm not going to survive this relationship!
As I leaned away, I noticed that my comment removed the pleased smirk that had been on his face all morning. "You can't stop me from getting my way." His eyes darted over to me hungrily, and a shiver ran down my spine. What a spoiled brat! He acted worse than some of the orphanage kids!
I stepped off my platform and away from him, but his hand started reaching out for mine. Before his hand could touch me, I erected a golden shield to block him. "No touching! That's the rule if you're not going to let me have sweets!" I took three quick steps back so he couldn't reach me as I kept the shield up between us.
Ronak let out an annoyed growl and glared at me. "Fine, but if you get sick, and fat don't come whining to me."
"I-I'm not going to get sick! Nor am I going to get fat!" So rude! I can't believe him! I've always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and I've always been as light as a feather. I've even tried working out to gain muscle mass when I was younger, but nothing happened. I swear my body is cursed to be dainty and soft.
I wanted nothing more than to childishly growl back at Ronak. I couldn't believe he would say something so rude to me! "What has you all riled up this morning, Micha?" I turned to see Terra walking over to us, and I instantly felt relieved.
"Terra!" I stopped channeling magic to my spell and wandered over to hug her, but she pushed me away with a finger and a wrinkled nose. "He's a big meanie. Terra, save me! He won't let me eat what I want, a-and he eats vegetables for breakfast! What weirdo eats vegetables for breakfast?!" Despite her clear displeasure about being near me, I still managed to grab hold of her arm and cling to her desperately. Big tears were welling in the corners of my eyes as I glanced over to Ronak. He looked mad, like really mad. Eep!
Terra let out a sigh and peeled me off her arm. "And here I was all concerned about you disappearing from class yesterday. Keep your alpha pheromones to yourself." She complained as she took a step away from me. "Also, someone needs to keep track of your diet. It's concerning." Hey! I-I don't stink… a-and it's not concerning.
"Terra." I whimpered sadly. She was my friend… she was supposed to be on my side! Not Ronak's!
She simply gave me a dull look and turned to Ronak to bow. "Greetings, Archduke Abraxos."
"You don't need to be so damn formal at the academy." Ronak crossed his arms and growled, causing Terra to flinch.
"Hey! Don't be mean to my friend! She's not going to want to be my friend if you're mean to her!" I walked a bit closer to Ronak so I could stand in front of Terra.
"Her family is loyal to me. I hardly think she's going to shun you." I glanced back at Terra, who nodded with a slight smile. Oooh, so they weren't just business partners; her family was loyal… I always thought she knew more about Ronak than other people did. That makes sense why Ronak chatted with her father for so long at his birthday party…
"Y-you could still stand to be a little nicer." I turned back towards Ronak, and as his gaze met mine, it softened.
"That privilege is only reserved for you, but I'm thinking about revoking it." Ronak let out a loud, annoyed growl, causing Terra to flinch once again.
"I said stop, you big meanie!" I lunged forward onto one of my platforms and, within the blink of an eye, brought my pillow out of storage and bashed Ronak over the head with it.
It was like the world froze for a split second as Terra inhaled sharply. Ronak grabbed hold of my waist, pulling me off my platform, and ripped the pillow from my hands. "You, and this goddamn fucking shit ass pillow!" He snarled as dark, ominous flames crawled down Ronak's arm and started to engulf my poor pillow.
I let out a loud, sad whine as my pillow turned to ashes. "Noooo! My pillow!" I stretched across his chest, desperate to save my pillow, but it was too late. The moment his flames touched the feather interior, the pillow was practically gone.
Ronak's head slowly turned to glare at me. T-too close! Don't bare your teeth at me when I'm right next to you! It's scary! "It was a shit ass pillow that deserved to fucking burn!" I let out a little yelp as true anger bubbled around in Ronak.
I opened and closed my mouth in terror as Ronak glared daggers at me. He's way too close! I thought for sure that this would be my end until a soft snicker drew both our attention. Ronak definitely seemed pissed, but I was grateful for the distraction. "I'm terribly sorry, it's just you two are rather amusing. I had been worried about Micha and how he had been faring, but I can see now that I had nothing to worry about. You two get along awfully well." Th-this was her version of getting along?! W-we were at war! War, I tell you!
I desperately tried squirming out of Ronak's grasp, but he held on tightly and pulled me even further up into his arms. "Eep! Terra! Help! You should be very worried about me!" Ronak let out a pissed off grunt and started hauling off with me, so I called out to Terra to save me. "Terraaaa heeeeeelllp!" I wanted her to grab my hand and help pull me free, but all she did was watch as I was abducted. Noooo! I-I thought you were my friend! I don't care how loyal you are! Save meeee!
"Bye, Micha. I'll see you during herbology! Behave for the Archduke, please." She waved with an amused smile, but I wasn't finding this amusing at all. I'm going to die! L-let me go!
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I gave up struggling in Ronak's arms and became a willing hostage. Well, I was only so willing because it was rather embarrassing to have other academy students see him hauling me around like a big toddler. I'm never going to live this down… Gah! Wh-why does Ronak get me going so much?! I-I never behave like that! Ronak's naughty behavior is rubbing off on me.
I peeked through my sleeves at Ronak. He… didn't seem that mad. At least he wasn't madder than usual… I gently blew in Ronak's ear, causing him to give me a side eye. "A-are you mad at me?" His eyes turned back forward as he continued to ignore me. "Where are we going-!?" I jolted in surprise as Ronak melted down into his travel spell. Okay… so now I really don't know where we're going…
Ronak finally came out of his travel spell and tossed me out of his arms. I flailed around in surprise, but ended up landing on a soft surface. I flinched in surprise, but the moment I realized it was my dorm, a pillow was violently smashed into my face. "Ack-!" I let out a loud squeak and looked up at Ronak in surprise as the pillow was pulled away.
"Justice has been served." He snarled and dropped the pillow back down onto my bed. "For someone sore, you have a lot of energy." He narrowed his eyes and folded his arms, but I was too shocked to respond for a moment. All I could do was stare at him.
"D-did you bring me here just to hit me with a pillow?!" I pulled the pillow over to me and stared at Ronak in surprise. H-how childish… a-and here I thought I was being silly…
"I wanted to see how much you enjoyed being smacked by a pillow." Pft!
I couldn't help it. I burst into laughter. I-I didn't know Ronak could be playful. How cute! The more I giggled, the more his face turned a bit pink. He even turned his face away from me out of embarrassment. I sat up on my knees and pulled Ronak towards me so I could whisper in his ear. "If you think this will stop me, and my mighty legion of pillows, think again, Archduke Abraxos." I giggled with a massive grin. He didn't even hit me that hard. If anything, I was simply startled by the impact.
Ronak crawled forward onto the bed, pushing me down in the process, and teasingly glared at me. "Would you care to run that by me again?"
"My legion knows no bounds!" I yelled as I raised my hand into the air next to his ear, and let it rain pillows down onto us. There was… an embarrassing amount… Ronak said I could ask Olivia for anything… so I asked her if there were guest bedroom pillows that weren't being used… She might have brought me a stupid amount, and I might have put that stupid amount into my storage… I knew one day it would have a use… I just didn't know that today would be that day.
Ronak's eyes widened as the pillows continued to pelt him. "The fuck?!" He snarled. His gaze drifted down to me, and pure annoyance washed over me like a title wave. "Do you have a goddamn death wish?" I let out a yelp and stopped raining pillows down upon him.
"Y-you started it…" I nervously brought my hand back in and clenched it against my chest. H-he was joking, r-right? We were just having a bit of fun…
"Are these… from the estate?!" Ronak pulled one of the pillows closer to him, but that only caused more to avalanche down into our faces. "Put these back in your fucking inventory!" He snarled. I could only imagine how angry his face looked because of the pillow activity, trying to suffocate me.
"O-okay!" I squealed as I held my hands out once again. Within a second, the mountain of pillows disappeared into my storage, and I was left with Ronak's glaring eyes. G-guess I don't have to imagine anymore…
"Answer the question." Gah! H-he really was going to kill me!
"Y-you said I could ask Olivia for anything… So I asked her for any spare pillows the estate had…" Ronak's eyebrow twitched as I spoke.
"No more desserts. My offer is off the table. I get to dictate what you eat." He snapped as he sat up.
"Wha- b-but! Th-that's not fair!!" I sat up too, and grabbed his arm so I could shake it around a bit.
"Too bad." Ronak let out a growl and sank his teeth into the side of my neck. I let out a gasp, but like always, the feeling was quickly replaced by enjoyment. "That's your punishment for being a brat all morning." He ran his tongue all the way up my neck, where it gently caressed my earlobe, and my toes curled in my shoes. N-not a visible mark…
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I let out a sad whimper as I stared down at my breakfast plate. It didn't have any desserts on it, but we compromised, and I didn't have to eat vegetables for breakfast. Blegh! I still wasn't very happy though… Wasn't biting my neck enough punishment for stealing all those pillows? Why'd he have to go and take away my sugar privileges?! Those were my reward for his bad actions… "I was going to return them." I sadly mumbled into my cheese omelet.
"When I said my stuff was yours, I wasn't referring to you pillaging all the pillows from the spare bedrooms, you little weirdo." Ronak glared at me, and I avoided eye contact. He didn't say I couldn't intentionally steal all the pillows for a future pillow fight… Olivia even said it wasn't a problem because we never have guests at the capital estate. Why was he making such a big deal out of it?
"Such a meanie," I mumbled as I took a big bite of food. I was so busy mourning the loss of one of my pillows that I didn't notice who approached our table until he spoke.
"Are you giving your omega a hard time, Ronak? Father mentioned that you found one you liked, but I didn't know you bonded with them." He stared at me, and I stared back at him in confusion. He seemed familiar, but I couldn't pinpoint why… he had a similar muscular build to Ronak, and had black hair, but his eyes were a cobalt blue. "Pardon me, I am Tyrone." He held out his hand to me, and I cautiously shook it while giving Ronak a confused side-eye.
"This is the last of my cousins. He's Uncle Hemonnet's son. Tyrone is a year younger than us." I blinked in surprise, then looked back up at him. He didn't look much like the commander… I guess they both had black hair… But Tyrone's skin was a bit more swarthy compared to the commanders.
"Pleasure to meet you. Oh! You're the first one of Ronak's relatives that I get to actually introduce myself to! I didn't get to introduce myself at the party because I didn't want anyone to know who I was, but I guess it was a waste of time…" I realized that I was accidentally mumbling to myself, so I gasped and looked up at Tyrone. "A-anyways, my name is Micha." I smiled broadly and noticed that Tyrone turned bright pink and quickly looked away. Why… was he getting nervous when I have a bond partner? That's odd…
"The pleasure is mine…" Tyrone's gaze returned, and didn't leave me, which was a bit uncomfortable. Why was he staring so much? Ronak must not have liked it much either because a massive wave of anger hit me from him.
"What do you even want, Tyrone?" Ronak growled slightly while staring daggers at his cousin. At least the growl pulled his gaze over to Ronak and removed it from me. What I wasn't expecting was Tyrone to growl back at Ronak. Wh-what? Don't fight!
Tensions grew even further as Ronak scooted his chair back and stood. Tyrone was a bit shorter than Ronak, who glared down at him with all the irritation in the world. "L-let's settle down…" I squeaked nervously. Students in the private dining hall were fleeing left and right as the two had an all-out growling contest. Honestly, I wanted to flee, too. Ronak's growling didn't bother me, but Tyrone's made me uncomfortable. Wh-what happened to using our words?! Is this my fault? I don't think I did anything!
I was about to leave my chair when pheromones crashed into me. They weren't putrid or rancid, but they did make me gag. Like sniffing funky-smelling trash, which was incredibly disgusting while trying to eat. Was it because I'm bonded to Ronak? I shouldn't be able to smell other alpha's pheromones…
It was taking everything inside of me not to deposit breakfast back onto my plate as I doubled over in my seat. Ronak shot me a look of concern, which distracted Tyrone and caused him to turn towards me. Ronak took Tyrone's confusion as an opportunity to rear back his arm and punch him hard in the gut. It wasn't hard enough to send him flying, but I was close enough to hear bones crack before he collapsed on the ground. "Are you okay?" Ronak rushed to my side and enveloped me in his pheromones. I inhaled sharply, desperate for air that didn't stink with tears in my eyes. That was awful!
"I-I didn't do anything! Wh-why-?" I sadly clung onto Ronak as my stomach did a backflip. Thankfully, I didn't get sick, but the urge was there. It was as if I couldn't get enough of Ronak's pheromones. They were like fresh air after being suffocated with that stank for too long. I wanted nothing more than to bury my nose in Ronak's clothes and hide from sight.
"You're mine, Micha. You shouldn't be flirting with others." His words were sharp, but the hand that gently rubbed my back told a different story completely.
"I-I just greeted him…" I whimpered.
"Being nice to an alpha is flirting with them." What? What sort of nonsense was that? Did he want me to be a jerk to everyone? Being nice isn't flirting…
"That's a bit ridiculous…" I looked up at Ronak, and he patted my head with a scowl. "I-I can be nice to people…"
"No, you can't." What sort of absurdity was this?!
"I'm not allowed to wave?"
Ronak narrowed his eyes slightly. "No."
"Smile?"
"Absolutely not." Ronak pointed down at his cousin, who was still mildly unconscious on the ground. I guess that's what happens when I smile at an alpha… Okay…
"I can't talk to them?"
"Not unless you have to." Gosh… Just how jealous was Ronak? "Are you trying to piss me off?"
"N-no…" I glanced over at Tyrone, who was starting to stir. "You definitely broke some of his ribs. Can I heal them?"
"No, he deserves it for trying to attract you, and then suffocating you with aggressive pheromones. He should know better than to come after something that's mine." I let out a little sigh as Ronak rubbed the tears from the corners of my eyes. That's so mean.
"Ronak…" He let out an annoyed grunt, but didn't stop me as I leaned away from him and walked over to Tyrone. "I'm going to heal your ribs, okay?" I didn't dare smile. Just my casual one, I flashed him, caused this mess. Tyrone seemed nice, but I didn't want him to think I was interested in him because I wasn't. Ronak being jealous was just silly.
I pressed my palm against his stomach, and sure enough, he had three broken ribs and plenty of ruptured blood vessels. I noticed Tyrone staring at me with wide eyes as I evoked my spells, but I kept my attention fully on healing his wounds. There wasn't a chance I was going to risk anything with Ronak hovering over us. He'd probably bash Tyrone's head in.
A golden aura surrounded my hands as I worked. People have told me that my spell numbs the pain while I work, which is nifty. I've only ever fractured bones, so I've never experienced the sensation of a bone sliding back into place. I finished healing Tyrone and pulled my hands away. "Your neck…" I glanced up at his face to see him staring at the bite mark Ronak gave me. "Can't you heal that?"
I quickly covered the mark with a hand and stood. "A little, but there's no need. It doesn't hurt." It did sting, but not in the way Tyrone thought. It was nothing but a possessive mark left behind from my jealous alpha. I didn't mind it at all, but I did wish it were somewhere people couldn't see. It felt a little too intimate to be showing off. I can't believe that's the punishment Ronak chose to inflict upon me...
The look in Tyrone's eyes was a bit creepy. Like he was pining after something he shouldn't be. Maybe Ronak was right… being nice to alphas was a bad idea…
I quickly scurried over to Ronak and snuggled against his side so I could enjoy his pheromones. Ahh, he smells so much better than Tyrone! "Talk about running our breakfast… Now I probably should threaten all the alphas in your class." Ronak grumbled as we left. No! There was no need for that…
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Ronak didn't actually threaten all the alphas in my class, but he did linger while waiting for the professor to show up. The weird part was I didn't see hide nor hair of Ivette. Did she see Ronak and scurry off in the opposite direction or something? I guess I didn't mind Ronak's presence too much. He did keep people away from me. "Don't you need to get to your own class?"
"The moment I leave, the vultures are going to swarm." H-he wasn't wrong, but he didn't need to say that so everyone could hear.
"But aren't you going to be late for your class? The professor might be mad." I didn't want Ronak to get in trouble because of me.
"Have you learned nothing?" Ronak leaned a hand on my desk and lightly pinched my cheek. "No one is going to say anything to me. They value their jobs too much. Don't tell me you're trying to get rid of me."
"No, I-I'm not…" Oh duh. Of course, Ronak wouldn't get in trouble for waltzing in late to class. I really was worrying about nothing. None of the students cared when they made me uncomfortable, so why should I care if Ronak is making them uncomfortable?
Ronak released my cheek, but reached over to poke my nose. "Good, you better not try getting rid of me." Gah! That tickles! Ack! Ronak's teasing finger wandered down to my neck, where he traced my visible bite mark. "I'll bite you again if you do, and no more pranks."
"You started it," I grumbled under my breath. Ronak leaned down with his mouth open, and for a second, fear coursed through me, but the classroom door opened, and Ronak stood up.
"Greetings, class- Lord ah! Ahem, Archduke Abraxos… What brings you to this class?" The professor entered the room, but froze like a frightened deer when she saw Ronak. I thought professors didn't use titles…
"I'm on my way out but…" Ronak paused as he reached the professor. "You'd better ensure nothing happens to my omega until I return." He snapped as he left. I tried to play coy as the professor's eyes wandered over to me, but there wasn't much I could do. I'm sure everyone on campus knows about our relationship by now. That, and my little vanishing act that I pulled yesterday.
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"How was your magic control lecture?" Ronak had arrived just as the professor left the classroom. Gosh, how was he able to time it so well? He did the same thing after general education.
"It was fine. Once the class gets going, students are focused on the lecture, not me." Our next two classes were together, plus we had lunch in between, so I didn't need to worry about anyone bothering us. It was sort of nice having Ronak escort me everywhere. Most of the time, I just walked alone or followed a group of chattering omegas, so having Ronak seemed different. Novel, I guess. E-even though we were engaged, it really made me feel like we were an official couple.
Today's combat training lesson was a practical one, so we headed out to our assigned sparring field. Some of the students were there milling about, while others hadn't arrived yet. I stood next to Ronak instead of far away from him like I usually did. Huh, I hadn't felt lonely one time today. Maybe Ronak being near was making me feel better-
My thoughts were interrupted as a small, but mighty force stomped on my toes. "You said you didn't like him, liar! Why didn't you tell me the truth? Are we not good enough friends? Now I probably look dumb for telling people that you didn't like him!" Jade stared up at me with big tears in the corners of her emerald eyes.
"Jade! I wasn't telling anyone! No one knew until yesterday." I patted her dark green, almost black hair, and she sniffled. Yikes, I didn't know she would be upset. Good thing she doesn't know that Terra knew before anyone else. She'd really be crying.
"I just thought we were closer than that… Do you not consider me to be a friend?" She batted her eyes, and I melted like butter.
"Yes, I do think you're my friend." I continued to pat her head, and she seemed to calm down. She was a friend, I just didn't know she considered us to be that close…
Her eyes were a bit dewy-looking, but that didn't stop her from glaring at Ronak. "You gave Micha stress!"
"He caused his own fucking stress," Ronak responded flatly with his arms crossed.
"He's right. I'm the one who insisted on acting like nothing had changed." I held Jade back as she attempted to stomp towards him. Was she going to stomp on his toe as well? Gosh, I didn't realize she was such a spitfire.
She turned and looked at me with a furrowed brow. "Why would you hide your relationship?"
"It's complicated…" I shrugged and released my grip on her now that she wasn't threatening toes.
"Hmm, I see. He was bullying you!" She whipped around, but I quickly caught her before she could stomp over to Ronak again.
"Jade! Jade! Please stop jumping to conclusions. He wasn't bullying me; I just wasn't ready to tell anyone. O-okay? Please stop trying to stomp on Ronak's toes." I'm worried for your safety more than anything. If he even lightly punched you, it would send you flying.
Jade stopped struggling in my arms, and her voice became soft as she looked up at me. "Sorry…You're just one of my only friends…" What?! Didn't she hang out with other omegas? How was I her only friend? We only saw each other during this class…
I patted her head again because I didn't want her to burst into tears. I released her and bent down so I could be at eye level with her. "I'm honored you think of me as a friend." I held out my hand to her. "But as my now close friend, you have to promise me that you won't jump to any conclusions anymore, and you won't stomp on toes. We talk things through when we need to."
"Close friend?" Her eyes went wide as she happily grabbed my hand and shook it. "I've never had a close friend…" Gosh, she was too cute! Way to melt my heart! I'll be your close friend any day, Jade!
I stood back up and patted my new second-closest friend on the head. "Maybe you, Terra, and I should have tea sometime." Yeah, then we could all be close friends. I'd like that…
"L-lady Terra?!" Jade stared at me with surprise. "I-I'm not worthy to have tea with Lady Terra." Lady Terra? That was an odd way to address Terra; titles were rarely used at the academy. I know Jade comes from a baron's family, but…
"Do you live in Terra's family territory?" The empire was broken into five quadrants, with each duke ruling over their cardinal direction of land. Obviously, the emperor held reign over everything, plus the capital, but they helped rule each section of our vast empire. It was the second-largest empire on the continent after all. From there, margraves and earls held roles in each duke's territory, militarily or politically, helping run the different areas of the dukedom. It was even broken down a little further into viscounts and barons who looked after individual cities or towns. Lastly, some lords served the higher-ranking nobles, and knights who served those working in the military. My family served a viscount of a small territory with two towns in it. Jade's family must serve under Terra's… Why else would she be so oddly formal?
"My father manages one of Lady Terra's many quartz mines." And you were about to stomp on Ronak's toe?! Do you not realize whose domain you live in?! I wanted to exasperatedly wave at Ronak, but didn't.
"I see… Well, she's my other close friend. I just thought it would be good if you two got to know each other."
"If you insist, I will not decline, but I don't know if Lady Terra will be willing to spend time with me because I am only a baron."
I furrowed my brow in confusion and awkwardly pointed to myself. "You do know I'm only a lord, right? I don't think Terra makes friendships based on rank."
"But you're not a lord anymore." She raised her hand and pointed at Ronak. I blinked slowly, a little confused. I don't think being Ronak's bond partner magically makes me anything special.
"Micha has yet to marry me. He does not currently hold the rank of Archduke. Nor is he an alpha. He is simply the son of a lord." Ronak responded while pushing her finger away from his chest. He was being surprisingly patient. Was it because I declared her a friend?
"Ooooh, when are you getting married then?" She looked up at Ronak with wide, curious eyes. Ack! M-married?! Jade! Must you always say such things out loud? It's like you have no concept of what is and isn't socially acceptable! Also, why is she afraid of Terra, but not the literal archduke?! Does she have some screws loose, or does she just not understand how ranks work?!
"When Micha wants to." Ronak bluntly responded, causing Jade to turn towards me with big eyes.
"Don't you want to marry your bond partner? Are you going to have a big wedding? Will it be held here in the capital or in the dukedom? I guess you wouldn't wear a dress, would you? Are you going to wear a pretty white suit? Am I going to be invited-!" I quickly covered her mouth and glared down at her with a flushed face. Why do omegas talk so much?!? I-I don't do this, do I?!
"Stop!" Gah! It was bad enough that you were asking those questions, but the entirety of the class was listening in with bated breath. It was too much!
"Micha is shy, leave him the hell alone. It's why he didn't want anyone to fucking know." Ronak stared down at Jade, who made a muffled 'Oh' sound and nodded her head. I mean… that wasn't fully true…
I cautiously released Terra, and she smiled up at me. "Is someone a little shy?"
"Don't make me cover your mouth again." I bluntly responded. She was in no position to tease me!
The professor finally arrived at the training field and loudly clapped his hands together. "Alright, class. Find yourself a partner for today's sparring match. We'll swap halfway through to different partners. Remember, we're working on quick response times. Nothing's worse than a slow caster." The professor arrived, causing our attention to change to him. Jade excitedly looked at me, but Ronak pulled me close to him. Sorry, Jade. I had a feeling he would want to pair up with me.
"I'll pair up with you for the second half," I whispered to her. She nodded her head and wandered off towards the few omegas in this class to find a sparring partner. "We… haven't sparred in a while, have we..."
"Not since before the dungeon." Talk about sending shivers down my spine. I wouldn't say I was particularly excited for a repeat session.
"A-are you going to go easy on me?" I didn't particularly want him breaking me in multiple ways. I'm not sure my body could handle that…
"I will push you to your limit." Ronak peered down at me with an intense gaze, and I nervously gulped. No… I-I literally want you to go easy on me. Ronak! Panic overwhelmed me, and I was about to open my mouth to whine, but the professor interrupted me.
"Why are you two paired together?" He snapped when he finally noticed us. "Actually, I don't care. Just don't destroy the training field again." He waved his hand dismissively towards us and turned towards the other students. Ronak's spells had quite the bad habit of being destructive… I-I don't want to get into trouble again…
"Are you ready?" Ronak gazed down at me with a feral look in his eyes that sent shivers down my spine. No! I am not ready! Ronak apparently didn't care, though, because he let out a snarl and took a step closer to me.
I held out my hand and snapped my fingers while saying the chant 'Porta Aurea' in my head. I still hadn't gotten the hang of the spell enough to not need to say it, but I knew I would get there one day. The spell was just too new at the moment. The feeling of being completely weightless was something that was going to take me even longer to get used to. It was incredibly odd, but as I appeared in the air like I wanted, I noticed that my trajectory was improving. I was upright, instead of vertical, so I created multiple sky platforms underneath me. I knew that my impact would shatter a few, but I managed to find my footing after the third and stared down at Ronak, who was speedily approaching with a grin on his face.
"We both already know that your spell isn't going to stop me." He snarled. He wasn't wrong… It was only delaying the inevitable. If I knew what was good for me, I'd simply fall to the ground and see if Ronak had it in him to hit me. Not that I liked the chances, though… I-I don't think he'd hit me…
The moment I saw Ronak shooting his tiny spikes at me, I took off. There wasn't a chance I was going to stay there and be a sitting duck. With a quick snap of my fingers, I appeared behind Ronak and used the same tactic as before to stop my fall. At least he's giving me a chance to use my teleportation spell. I didn't feel like physically running from him.
Just like a hound with a scent, the moment I teleported, Ronak pivoted and charged towards me. Being able to know where I am at all times is completely unfair! He didn't even have to look where I was, nor was he giving me any openings! While watching him run after me, the entire class time would be entertaining, but that's not what this class is. I also didn't want Ronak to think I was an even bigger chicken than I was. I guess I'll try engaging him…
My foot hesitated at the edge of the platform for a moment before I stepped off. It was a risky idea, but I figured I could either teleport away or Ronak would catch me before I hit the ground. As I fell, I brought my hands forward and sent multiple orbs, which would explode on impact, at him. Ronak had transformed his body only slightly so that he had hooves and claws. It wasn't his complete transformation, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine.
The spells approached Ronak, and he held out his clawed hands, summoning his twin black blades. His grin was so incredibly cocky as he whipped his blades forward and cut through my spells like warm butter. In their wake, large gouges were dug into the ground, making an absolute mess. N-now the professor is going to give us an earful!
I glanced down and quickly snapped my fingers before I became a Micha pancake on the ground. Ack! I wasn't sure if my idea was going to work, but the initial force stayed with me, and I tumbled to the ground behind Ronak. Ouchie! It reduced the speed at which I was falling, but not enough! As if my butt didn't hurt enough already!
"Are you done playing? That'd be a useful skill if I weren't aware of where you are." I peeked behind me to see Ronak slowly approaching with his sword tips dragging along the ground. I-I guess he was going a little easy on me. He could have easily charged in and ended things, but he didn't. He actually seemed rather amused by me rubbing my bottom uncomfortably.
I let out a yelp and brought my arms up to protect my face as Ronak charged forward. A shower of red sparks flew out from his black blades as they dug into my strongest shield spell. Instead of your basic shield, this spell took on the appearance of a set of wings wrapped around me. I didn't use it terribly often, but I knew he'd have a harder time breaking through this than my regular shield spell.
Ronak, however, wasn't letting my shield stop him. He brought his right blade back, flipped it around so the blunt side was facing down, and used it as a hammer to dig his other sword further into my shield. W-was he trying to crack a walnut or something?! Leave me alone!
My spell was draining my mana at an alarming rate, and Ronak trying to crack into my shield wasn't helping. I had to release it. I waved my hand, and multiple light arrows appeared behind Ronak. They flew forward, crashing into him, but he released his grip on his swords and jumped away at the last moment. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that a few had hit his skin because his shoulder seemed to be smoldering. I-I didn't mean to actually hurt him… I just wanted him to be further away from me…
Ronak let out a growl and summoned his blades back into his hands. Eep! He seems rather annoyed now! I-I'm going to be toast at this rate! I turned my attention to his ankles; his hooves still had ankles, right?! A-anyway, I focused my attention on them, and a golden hoop appeared around his legs. I tried sending more arrows at him to distract him, but I only partially succeeded. Ronak leapt at the last moment, causing my golden binding hoop to shrink around only one of his ankles. His hooves must be made of some tough material because Ronak didn't even hesitate to bring his sword down and cut through it. W-wait! Was that blood?! "Ronak!" I let my arrows crash into the ground on either side of Ronak as my shield disappeared from around me.
"Focus on yourself, pipsqueak." He snarled. "I'm only getting started."
"B-but you're bleeding!" How could he not care?
"Not the first or last time." Despite the situation I was in, I felt sad. I wanted to heal his injury and make the pain go away. Ronak took slow steps towards me like an animal closing in on its prey. With one step, flames started to spread around me. I had seen them a couple of times before, but not like this. It was just Ronak, and I was surrounded by a ring of flames. I felt panicked. I could have fled, but as I watched the inky black flames engulf the area around us, I froze. Ronak's swords disappeared, and he reached down to poke my forehead. "I caught you." His face was pleased until I looked up at him with my fearful eyes. "What's wrong?"
He bent down to be eye level with me, and I fearfully wrapped my arms around him. "I-I don't like the flames…" My skin crawled just being near the flames. They were gross, and my brain screamed that they were wrong. That they didn't belong here.
Ronak pulled me in closer, and with a wave of his hands, the flames started going out. His hooves and claws disappeared as well. Besides the gouges his swords left behind, we didn't make too much of a mess. "Falling from the sky like that was reckless. What if teleporting again didn't slow your fall speed? You would have done a lot more damage than simply hurting your bottom." Ronak snuggled his nose down into my hair and rubbed it around, making me shiver.
"I-I could have healed it…"
"Don't risk your health over a sparring match." Th-then why do you take them so seriously?! He doesn't transform against other students! He's only ever done that around me!
"Y-you're one to talk!" I squirmed under his arm and pulled back his pant leg to reveal the gash along his leg and ankle. "This was dumb!" I carefully pressed my hands against his wound and focused my magic. Thankfully, it wasn't too deep, but he did cut through an anterolateral artery. This dummy! That could be incredibly dangerous if not taken care of! Was he trying to bleed to death?!
"Is my little sunshine really getting covered by rain clouds over a little scratch?" Ronak pulled my face up to look at him after I was done healing him. Tears had started welling in the corners of my eyes and were spilling down my cheeks. "Don't cry. Look how good you did healing it. You didn't even leave a scar for my collection."
"I-I don't like seeing you hurt." Ronak leaned down and licked away my tears like the big weirdo he was. Though I have to admit, it did always have a bit of a calming effect on me.
"No more tears. The professor is almost here to nag us." Ronak's eyes drifted to the side, and I nodded my head. I didn't want to be seen with a red face, so I buried my head into his chest.
"Must you two always act like you're going to kill-" As if on cue, here to yell at us was the professor. I peeked out from Ronak's chest to see him giving us a baffled look. D-did he not know? I thought everyone knew by now…
"I'm not going to fucking hurt my bonded omega." Ronak snarled. "I'm starting to get the impression you don't have a goddamn clue how to run this fucking course. The simple fact that you don't have a damn assistant proficient in earth magic to fix the fields after class is fucking mind-boggling. Do you even want your students to improve, or are you going to continue teaching outdated lectures, and allowing students that don't belong in this damn course to continue enrolling?"
"Your… bonded omega?..." The professor looked a bit disgruntled for a moment as he eyed me, but Ronak pulled me closer to block his view. "Anyways, you will not be sparring like that in this class. If you have a problem with the curriculum, don't sign up for my class. Drop it, and find one more to your tastes." He snarled. Woah… A professor who's brave enough to stand up against Ronak. He's either incredibly brave or just incredibly dumb.
Ronak let out a loud, annoyed growl. "I will not be rearranging my fucking schedule in the middle of a semester for the likes of you."
"Go find some new partners! You're banned from sparring with one another for the rest of the semester!" He snapped back at Ronak. Gah! That really got Ronak growling! It was like his whole chest was vibrating. Huh… Ya know… I haven't been affected by Ronak's growling ever since he marked me. I don't find it scary in the slightest. If anything, I'm finding his whole body vibration rather fascinating. I-I wonder if he'll let me use my god's eye spell while he growls to let me investigate further…
"Ronak… I'll go spar with Jade… I did promise her…" Ronak almost instantly stopped growling when he heard me speak. He looked down at me with curious eyes and let out an annoyed huff.
"Fine, but I will be talking to my uncle about this." His eyes drifted back over to the professor, who was shooting Ronak quite a dirty glare. Eep! It felt like the only person Ronak was interested in sparring with was the professor. I-I'll let these two duke it out…
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"Oh Goddess of Water, bless me with your teachings, and push back my enemies! Wall of Water!" Jade sent a rather large wave of water my way that I blocked with a basic shield. Aww, man. She got my shoes wet… "Blessings of water, surge forth, and propel my enemies. Jets!" She followed it up with water jets that I easily avoided by dodging around the field. "Gosh, Micha. You're so agile. No wonder you're the only one who can spar with the Archduke."
"Heh, he's insanely strong, so it's mostly me just running and avoiding the entire time. I wouldn't call it sparring." I teleported right behind her, causing her to flinch. I was barely able to land attacks on Ronak, so I would hardly call it sparring. More like an intricate game of cat and mouse.
"Is that a new spell?" She asked as she took multiple steps away from me.
"Why yes, it is." I appeared behind her again, causing her to yelp. A large smirk appeared on my face as her eyes went wide.
"That's not fair! Goddess of Water, compress, and hurl together thy energy! Water Ball!" She glared at me and tried to throw orbs of water at me, but they were so slow compared to Ronak's attacks that it barely took any effort to dodge. It didn't help that she had to vocally invoke her spells. All that time wasted on chanting her spells, I could have attacked her multiple times.
I simply shrugged. It couldn't be helped that my spell was a bit on the cheating side. It took a lot of mana to cast, but it didn't bother me because I've never had a mana problem. I can cast for a decent while before I start to feel a dip in mana. Even then, I don't think I've ever dropped into a dangerous zone. I think that's why my storage spell seems so infinite. I just had oodles of mana. Plus oodles of mana potions in storage. Even when fighting the nightwalker, I never dipped below half.
I could see why so many of the knights used swords instead of spells. Spells, unless learned to a high degree, tended to be clunky. Very few people could cast spells silently like Ronak, and I could. I'm not sure why Ronak could, but as long as I was able to mentally envision what I wanted to do with my spells, I could cast without vocally invoking them.
I glanced over at Ronak, who was beating the crap out of two alphas at once. The professor assigned a girl to spar with him, but she burst into tears and fled when she found out. Instead, the professor made a group of three, and the two boys teamed up against Ronak, but they needed more than that to land a scratch on him.
"Don't ignore me! Oh Goddess of Water, bless me with your teachings, and push back my enemies! Wall of Water!" Another wave of water came crashing towards me, but I simply put up a shield to block it, allowing it to cascade over me.
"Sorry, Jade." I turned towards her and raised my hands, causing two golden hoops to encase her arms together. "I win," I said as she angrily thrashed about in her restraints. She wasn't bad at sparring. I just wasn't a good matchup for her. I specialized in protection and movement while her water was slow, but mighty.
"Guh! Not fair." She grumbled as the restraints disappeared. "Again!"
"No, Jade. Class is almost over." The academy bell tower was visible from the training grounds, and it was almost time for the bell to ring. I watched as Ronak charged forward, slamming one of the boys into the ground and kicking the second hard enough to send him flying. I snapped my fingers and appeared next to Ronak. "Why did you have to do that? Now the professor is going to make me heal them…" I glanced down at the guy who was in a crumpled heap in front of us.
"What did I say about healing fucking jackasses?" Ronak snapped.
"What did they say?" I asked as I peered up at Ronak.
"You don't need to worry yourself over filth." Ronak's lip curled, revealing some of his teeth. O-okay… I guess I shouldn't ask…
"You're going to get expelled when you kill someone…"
"I didn't hit the damn bugs hard enough to kill them."
"I don't know…" I reached down and put a hand on the dummy's chest. "They could bleed to death internally or have complications from healing poorly. I doubt their families are going to look the other way just because you're an archduke now…" Ronak let out a loud, disgruntled sound of displeasure. Was he… ignoring me? I clapped my hands together, drawing his attention back to me. "Why don't we compromise! You let me eat what I want for lunch, and I'll only heal their life-threatening wounds and broken bones." It was a pretty messed-up request, but it was better than Ronak hauling me off and leaving them in the states they were in. Plus, I'll get a yummy lunch out of the deal.
Ronak gave me a curious side eye as he continued pretending to ignore me for a moment longer. "I want them both to retain broken ribs so they can experience pain with each breath they take. Maybe it will help remind them of what happens when they speak such disgusting words." Yikes… I don't know what they said, but if it's enough to make Ronak say it's disgusting, then it must be pretty bad.
I bit my lip nervously. I really wanted some truffles for lunch… "Does fractured count as broken? I-I don't want them to puncture an organ or something…"
Ronak narrowed his eyes as his face soured. "Then I want them to have broken arms and fractured ribs as consequences. Plus, you have to eat three types of vegetables for lunch." I let out a disgruntled groan. I-I don't wanna eat vegetables! I was about to open my mouth and complain, but a soft clearing of a throat distracted me.
"Ummm… Is this the time to be having such an… interesting conversation? The professor is approaching…" Jade must have wandered over after I teleported away from her and was listening in on the two offenders' fate. She was staring at me with wide eyes as my face turned pink. L-look, I haven't had sweets in hours because of Ronak! This was serious business! D-don't look at me like that!
"F-fine! Vegetables for me, and fractured ribs! Deal?!" I snapped while holding my hand out to Ronak to shake. C-come on! The professor is almost here!!
"Fractured ribs," Ronak grumbled. "But four types of vegetables, a whole grain, and a source of protein before dessert." I let out a sad mumble and nodded my head. Th-there was no winning with him… I swear… He's such a big meanie. I kneeled and started healing the dummy before me when the professor finally made it to us.
"What the hell took you so long to start healing?! Are you trying to endanger their lives?!" He glared daggers at me like it was all my fault they were in this mess. H-hey… I didn't do this, and if their lives were really in danger, I wouldn't have sat and bantered with Ronak.
I flinched in surprise as Ronak snapped, and anger began flooding my senses. "It's not Micha's fucking duty to heal all these goddamn losers! He might have healing magic, but it's not yours to use as you fucking like!" He roared at the professor.
"Shut your mouth! You think you're all that just because the emperor is your uncle! He has healing magic, so why shouldn't he use it! Is it supposed to be kept under lock and key just for the imperial family?! He's a lord's son! The least he could do is clean up the messes you make every day!" I shrank back in surprise as Ronak and the professor yelled at each other. I-I know I can heal, and usually I don't mind, but… I don't particularly like your attitude… It's not my job to clean up after Ronak…
"Just because Micha's a lord's son doesn't make him my maid! I make my own choices knowing full well what the consequences are!" He clenched his fist tight enough that his knuckles popped. Before Ronak did something reckless, I reached up and quickly snagged his fist.
"Ronak, don't!" H-he wasn't going to hit a professor, was he? I get that he's mad, and he had every right to be, but hitting the professor wasn't going to solve the problem.
Ronak's teeth were bared, and his breathing ragged as he glared daggers at the professor. To my surprise, the professor looked intimidated, but wasn't running away with his tail between his legs. "There will be a conversation with the emperor and the headmaster about your pisspoor professionalism." Ronak stooped down to pick me up, but I leaned away.
"What about?" I wiggled my finger towards the other poor sap, and Ronak let out a loud sigh.
"Fine, then we're leaving." He snapped as he picked me up. As we got closer to the other guy, I saw that his legs were pointed in unnatural directions. "You should leave his legs like that," Ronak grumbled under his breath.
"No, Ronak. I'm not leaving him like that. That wasn't part of the deal." I responded as he sat me down. I began the disgusting job of repositioning his legs into the correct direction. Gosh, it always grosses me out to have to do this. Now that they were looking a little like normal legs, I began healing them. He was in way worse shape than the previous guy. I had to stitch a bunch of his muscles and ligaments back together. He even had a fractured skull, which Ronak said I should leave as a reminder. Gosh, he had such childish requests, but as agreed, I left him in a similar state to the previous alpha. "I'm done." I pulled a towel from my storage and started cleaning my hands, but Ronak quickly pulled me up into his arms. Hey! I'm not a big stuffed animal for you to haul around! Ronak slid down into his travel spell with me, turning my world a deep crimson red.
"I need a break from idiots." Ronak snapped. I knew full well that he was still extremely angry because his emotions were still overwhelming my own. It must have taken a lot of self-control for him to just walk away from the professor. "It's not your job to clean up my messes." He snarled through clenched teeth.
"I know, I've never thought about it like that." I rested my head against his chest and let out a little sigh. "I heal people because I want to, and I can… I've never done it because I've been told to or to gain anything… I hope you realize that."
"Jackasses like them don't deserve your kindness." Ronak snarled.
"Maybe not, but-"
Ronak left his travel spell and pressed my back against a tree. I glanced around in surprise for a moment before Ronak grabbed my chin and forced me to look up at him. "No, no buts. Those pricks think they can tear people down, and that their words have no consequences. You're living in a bubble. You have no idea what people say behind your back." Ronak leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss on the forehead as sadness joined his anger.
I held onto Ronak tightly as he tried to work through his emotions. "I do know what people say about me… though maybe not the most recent stuff. They've always had sharp tongues. I just try not to let it bother me." Ronak let out a little growl as I ran my finger around in circles on his chest. "They're just words, words that hold no power. Do you think people have been kind to the lowly son of a lord attending the academy for higher-ranking nobles? I haven't let it stop me, though."
"Why let them get away with that? You can strike back. Put them in their place. Show them that you belong." Heh, he sounds like Terra when she got mad at me for hiding the fact that I'm an omega.
"That's not going to fix things. Besides, think about it a bit logically, would that have worked on you when you were being particularly mean?" Ronak flinched, and for a second, I thought he was going to drop me. His anger completely disappeared, and all that was left was a bit of sadness lingering about.
"I… that's because… I-"
"I was only trying to prove a point… Trust me, while you were rough with me, I've had people treat me worse. You're just the only one who left physical bruises." Ronak fell silent and slowly turned so his back was pressed against the tree. He slid down to sit at the base of the tree, and I readjusted to sit in his lap more comfortably.
I brought a blanket from my storage, and pulled it around us so we could snuggle. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have treated you that way…" I shifted so I could peek up at Ronak, but resumed snuggling against his chest.
"Someone's gotten better at apologizing." I snickered. Ronak gave me a slight squeeze as annoyance washed over me from him.
"You shouldn't tolerate people treating you poorly." Ronak's voice became grumbly as a soft growl escaped him. It's not that I tolerated it; I didn't like it at all. If anything, I found it rather shocking last year, and I ended up crying myself to sleep most nights when I started at the academy. Nowadays, I just ignore it. Letting them upset me only gives them the win. Ignoring them typically makes them bored. They'll move on to bothering someone else eventually.
"And you shouldn't get so worked up." I intentionally leaned up so I could rub my cold nose against his neck. I guess we were missing lunch and probably monster hunting, but it's for the best. I didn't particularly want Ronak losing it and punching someone else. I let my lips find his, and Ronak barely reacted to me. He pulled me close as his anger melted away, and I let myself become lost in the moment. There was no point in worrying about things you couldn't change; instead, I'd rather spend my time with Ronak, enjoying this crisp autumn day.
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Ronak
This wily brat ended up guilt-tripping me into letting him have as many sweets as he wanted at the estate. I almost lost my appetite watching him devour three lava cakes. He really was an endless black hole, consuming sweets left and right. Even Terra expressed concern over his eating habits, so it's clearly not an omega thing… Was it simply because he's a male omega? Maybe I'll have to ask the doctor next time I see him…
"Okay, you can change your socks." I sat Micha down and wandered over to sit on his bed. We had plenty of time before our next class started, so I wasn't too perturbed by his request. Though he should have dodged better, so his feet didn't get wet in the first place.
"I'll be quick- huh? What's this?" Micha wandered over to the door and picked up a letter that had been slid under it. From its blue envelope, I could easily tell that it was from the academy. They moved faster than I thought…
"Gerard."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Are accommodations ready?"
"The room's remodel has been completed, and new furniture just needs to be moved in."
"Can it be ready tonight?"
"We can get the bed moved in, and some of the furniture, but a couple of items are not completed…"
"Tell the damn carpenter to hurry the hell up. I want the room completed by this weekend."
"Yes, my lord. I will see what I can do."
"Ronak… wh-what am I going to do?" Fuck. I looked up to see Micha crying. Must he burst into tears over everything?! "Th-they're kicking me out of my dorm!" Micha rushed over to me, and I pulled him into a hug.
"Anything else?" They better not try kicking him out of the academy. I will not tolerate such a thing.
"No…" Micha looked up at me in confusion as I snickered.
"Micha, you act like you're going to have to become an urchin. Did you forget that I don't have a dorm either?" The pink color that bloomed in his pale cheeks told me the opposite story. He did forget.
"B-but- I thought you didn't want to stay there until all his stuff had been removed." I leaned down and savored the salty taste of Micha's tears. The way his plush eyelashes brushed lightly against my tongue sent a little shiver down my spine. I wish he wouldn't cry over every little thing, though. Heh, the look on his face after I clean him up is always priceless. He's always a bit grossed out and amused, which is cute.
"It has been. That was set as the number one priority at all the estates." I wanted any evidence of his existence removed and burned to a crisp. Anywhere he touched foot was scrubbed so no traces are left behind. I wanted him to be nothing more than a ghost of my past. All I had left to do was remove a few rats lurking about the dukedom.
"S-so I can move in with you?" What a dumb question.
"Micha, where else would I have my omega stay if not in the master bedroom with me? I told you we'd move in there eventually."
"M-master bedroom?" Heh, a wave of intimidation took over his other emotions.
"Why yes. I am the new master of the house, and while not yet official," I pulled his hand up, and glanced down at his engagement ring. "I guess you wouldn't be my mistress, would you…" I snickered. "You, too, will be a master of the house. Just a little master."
"A-are you the reason Gerard and Olivia call me 'little lord'?" Micha grimaced slightly and gave me a bit of an annoyed look. Pft, he's always so damn cute.
"No, they started that on their own…" I don't think I had any influence on that. "I am their main lord, so it makes sense that they call you a little lord."
"No! That's what you call children!" Heh. So that's why he seemed a touch perturbed when they called him that.
"You should go change your socks, my little lord." I teasingly kissed Micha's hand, and his face turned pink. Fuck, we should just forget class and give this room one last go before he has to pack up.
Before I could grab his waist and initiate anything, Micha fled my lap and wandered over to his wardrobe. Absolutely no fucking fun…
Shit, there's so much to do this weekend. I glanced down at the letter he left on the bed. Only giving him two days to get out? That's harsh, but I guess he has been harboring an alpha in his room. Not that I think they knew.
Micha scurried into the bathroom, and I had to roll my eyes. I've seen you naked many times. There's no reason to be shy. We even bathe together in the mornings. I've seen every nook and cranny you have, Micha… He's going to struggle getting used to the estate… isn't he?
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Micha
"Have you calmed down, Mr. Melodramatic?" Terra teased with a grin as I sat down next to her.
"I wasn't being melodramatic!" Ronak was being a big meanie like he always is! You're the one who didn't save me when I needed it!
"Ahuh, sure. How have your classes been?" Her smile was pleasant, and I could see jealous looks from other students in the room. Despite the harsh gazes, she held herself properly as an earl's daughter. I guess I should try harder now that I'm with Ronak…, but when has he ever been one for manners?
"They've been better now that Ronak's been walking me to class." I slumped down on my desk and poked Ronak's butt, which was leaning against my desk. Gosh, even his butt is muscular. Completely unfair.
"Archduke Ronak, thank you for escorting Micha. I fear that he would be swarmed otherwise. He has such a soft disposition." Soft?! I-I'm not soft!
Ronak just grunted in response, so I angrily rammed my finger into his firm buttocks. Stop being mean to Terra! He doesn't need to be overly polite, but it wouldn't kill him to be civil! "I wouldn't be a good alpha if I couldn't fucking walk him to class. It's the least I could do." Ronak grunted and rolled his eyes before glaring down at me. "If you don't want me to nibble that finger off, stop poking my ass." Eep!
I quickly pulled my hand away from his butt and stared up at him with wide eyes. "Don't do that. I like this finger. I need it to write." Amusement washed over me from him, and I realized he was joking. Hey! That wasn't a funny joke!
He reached over and patted the top of my head. "While I have been staying until the professor arrives, I'm leaving guard duty to you. I have matters to attend to." His gaze drifted over to Terra, who nodded.
"Yes, of course." She politely responded as Ronak melted down into the ground. Eew! Don't do that so close to me! It's so gross!
"Behave." Ronak's voice echoed out of his travel spell before he sank further into the ground and disappeared.
Now that he was gone, I let out an audible gagging sound. "Why didn't he melt in the hallway?! That's going to be scarred into my brain for the rest of my life!" No one wanted to see Ronak's goo slide off the table like that!
"It is rather unpleasant." Terra looked away with an uncomfortable look on her face. It was like the entire class breathed a sigh of relief now that he was gone. "How have things been?" Terra asked, probably in an attempt to get her mind off of what just happened.
"The academy is kicking me out of my dorm…" I grumbled in response.
"Guess I can't say I'm too surprised." Terra gave me a suspicious look. "I mean, look at you brazenly running about with that on your neck." Gah! I quickly put a hand over my neck as my face turned pink. I completely forgot about it!
"H-he was just mad this morning because I hit him with a pillow! Th-that's all this is!" Sh-she couldn't possibly know about anything else, r-right?
"Honestly, I'm still shocked that you were dumb enough to do that. I get that you're bonded, but I thought for sure he was going to murder you on the spot." I breathed a small sigh of relief that Terra didn't pursue any further into our private time, and rested my head on my arms.
"He did hit me back with a pillow, but it didn't hurt. Truthfully, it was pretty funny." I snickered, but Terra looked completely freaked out.
"I'm glad you two are getting along- ah, we'll have to finish this conversation after class." Terra nodded her head towards the classroom door as the professor entered with a cart of plant samples. At least today's lessons seem fun.
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Ronak
"You're calling for a complete reform of how the academy functions? We've been doing the same thing for years. I don't see how it's a problem." The headmaster stared at me like I was speaking a foreign language.
"I didn't stutter, did I? The fact that you don't see a problem is a problem. I'll remember to bring that up with my uncle when I talk to him-" As he cut me off, I looked up from my interlaced fingers with a scowl.
"Aheh, I'm sure that you and I can come to an agreement. You don't need to bring your uncle into this-"
"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking. I've tolerated your half-assed excuses and curriculum for a year and a half. There will be reform around here, and maybe it needs to start at the top." That really got the toad squirming around in his chair.
I started to rise from my own chair, and the large toad started to squawk again. "Archduke Abraxos, there has to be some way you and I can come to an agreement-"
"I'm sure my uncle will send word of the decision." I snapped as I sank into the ground. Shit, his class just ended. At least Terra is there. She better have stayed until I returned.
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My fears dissipated when I discovered Micha happily sitting next to Terra, chatting away without a care in the world. Mmm, he's cute when he cries, but he's far cuter when happy.
I was about to exit my travel spell, but Terra's words caught my attention. "Ya know, Micha, you've changed since getting marked."
"I-I have? How?" Concern washed over me from Micha, but it mellowed out with her response. Pft, even his eyes went wide. Fuck, he shouldn't be allowed to make such expressions.
"You don't need to panic. It's a good thing." Terra giggled and reached over to poke Micha's arm. "You used to put on airs of being tough and masculine. Which was fine, you were trying to pretend to be an alpha, but now you feel… Hmm, how do I put it… more genuine? Like you're not hiding behind a mask." I guess I've noticed him becoming… softer. He used to really hide things, which annoyed me, but now he's a lot more open about what he's feeling.
"Oh… I do feel less tense… Not having to keep secrets is nice." That's because you're a stress button, and you're terrible at lying… "D-don't you need to be going to class? It's about to start."
"I'll walk you to yours, but I told the Archduke that I'd stay with you, and I plan to stay until he returns." I guess that's my cue to stop listening in on their conversation.
"But Terra- Eek!" Micha let out a sharp, cute sound of surprise as I appeared from my travel spell and grabbed his waist.
"You're relieved of Micha duty," I grunted as I plucked Micha off the bench he was sitting on. "Scurry along to class. I'll be taking this one."
"Hey! D-don't carry me like this!" I had tossed Micha over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. I didn't hate it at all. His pheromones were a bit stronger, and I got to look at his pudgy ass as I held onto it. Shit, I hate being on campus. I want nothing more than to squeeze it and hear him squeal, but I can't. Those sounds were for my ears only.
"We have to get to class before the professor yells at you," I responded while not attempting in the slightest to put him down.
"Have fun in class." Terra waved us off as I left with my reclaimed prize.
"Terra!" Micha squealed.
"Bye, Micha." Yeah, you better not try and interfere.
"You act like I'm doing something bad. We're just going to class." I angrily grunted.
"I-I can tell that you're thinking about other things!"
"Are you giving me an excuse to haul you away?" Because I don't give a shit if we sit through another boring lecture. I would much rather hear your pleasurable moans over a professor droning on, and on about shit I don't care about.
"No!" Micha squeaked. Damn it. I had a feeling he'd respond that way.
"Then stop complaining."
"But people are staring!" Micha whispered to me in a panic. He notices the most annoying things. I let out a loud, cavernous growl, and all the gawkers quickly returned to their business. There, that should fix the problem- "Ronak, must you always scare people?" The fuck?
"You requested that I make them stop staring, and I did." Who gives a shit if they're scared?
"They're only staring because you're carrying me in such an a-awkward way!" I looked over at Micha's butt and realized that while I'm enjoying the view, so too are other people. I let out an annoyed growl and pulled Micha down to sit in my arms.
"Better?"
"A little." I couldn't help but let out another annoyed growl. The fuck does he want? I'm not putting him down. He walks slowly, and the professor really will yell at him, and not me. Despite not being satisfied, that didn't stop Micha from snuggling his head against me. "You didn't go to class, did you?" How did he know? Has he developed additional senses like I have? "Pft, you don't need to get all confused. I just noticed how annoyed you were. While you don't particularly enjoy attending classes, your irritation doesn't usually spike like it did."
Ah, I guess I did find my conversation to be irksome. "You're correct. I didn't go to class; instead, I had a meeting with the headmaster, but it didn't result in much. The old bastard wants the title of headmaster while putting no effort into improving the academy."
"Can I ask a question?"
"You're always welcome to ask me questions." Did he think he couldn't?
"Why do you care so much? I get that we have to spend the next two and a half years here, but I didn't expect you to become so passionate about the state of the academy." Micha tilted his head so his golden eyes could stare up at me.
Shit. Are we sure we want to go to class? I'd much rather haul you to my room. "This might seem off topic, but the knight academy exists solely to produce knights, and it does a damn good job, too. All the esquires in my dukedom are required to attend when they are old enough because it instills teachings and experiences that are valuable to knights in training. This academy, though, has felt like nothing but a playground for the rich. Take our alchemy class, for example, it's an advanced course. There are no other alchemy classes you can enroll in. Besides teaching you how to make basic potions, would you say it's helped all that much?"
"Well… technically between it, and my own personal study-"
"But that's my point." I reached a hand up and poked Micha's cheek. "Prior to this class, you were able to brew potions of higher quality simply because you were driven to do your own research and expand your base knowledge. The academy didn't teach you that. You did." Micha blinked a few times and squirmed a bit now that we had entered the lecture hall. I finally released him from my arms, but he seemed almost disappointed.
"So… are you implying that while the magic academy is important, it's just not fulfilling its role by improving the students that graduate from it?" Mmm, I'm glad he isn't as airheaded as he appears to be. It would be frustrating to be stuck with someone I couldn't talk to for the rest of my life.
"Exactly, and while we may be driven to expand our knowledge, many people don't have that drive."
"I didn't think you'd care so much about other people…" Micha looked extremely perplexed as we sat down in the front row.
"I fucking don't, but if I were to send people that will help my dukedom here to get an education, I expect them to actually get one." Micha still looked puzzled, but I didn't have a chance to explain further as the professor walked through the door. Now I get to listen to this old broad for an hour… I should have just hauled him to the estate...