I turned to the direction of the field, slowly walking towards it. A few seconds after I stepped on the Lumos's, they lit up. I was right—It was indeed mana. But it wasn't mine.
"I am not a mana user," I declared, slowly turning to see a figure appearing from thin air.
"You've caught me, Your Highness," he said, his voice smooth like silk. His dark blue hair fell to his shoulders.
"Oh, how unexpected." I said.
The man tilted his head in confusion.
"I thought the one following me was Syra, the one close to Father." I sighed in disappointment.
"Well, this old man's name isn't Syra." He responded.
"You stand before the prince." I didn't feel the need to say anything else.
He bowed quickly and introduced himself, "This old man is Flora Wynes," "they call me the archmage but I do not deserve such a title." He added.
An archmage! I hit the jackpot. I thought to myself.
"By the way, you keep addressing yourself as an 'old' man," I said, looking at his youthful face, "yet you hardly look it."
Though, he talked old.
His smile touched his lips, "Then I owe you thanks."
"You do realize following a prince around counts as a crime, right?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
Flora's smile didn't falter; if anything, it widened.
"A law written for assassins and spies, Your Highness, not for curious old men seeking to verify his own guts. I assure you, my intentions were purely academic." He gestured lightly to the Lumos stones, which still glowed with his residual mana.
"Though, I must say, it is a rare individual indeed who can sense a mana trail they themselves did not lay. How did you know?"
"Well, I am the Prince." I said with a brazen face, clearly dodging the question.
A soft chuckle escaped from his mouth, "I see." He waited, knowing there was more.
"I'll let it slide," A smirk formed on my face, "in return, you teach me the basics of magic."
His eyes widened in surprise, followed by a rich, amused laugh. "Ha! And I was wondering what a prince would ask for!" He said, his smile not leaving his lips.
A matching grin spread across my face as I joined his laughter.
"Very well," He said, before approaching me.
He slowly placed his palm on my hand, trying to get a feel for my affinity.
A cool, yet striking sensation spread from my arms throughout my entire body. It was as if he injected his mana into me. The Lumos under us twitched violently.
"Amazing…" He said.
---[Line break]
My name is Liona Volt, I was ordered by the third prince to be his 'meat shield' but now he has abandoned me in this forest. He said that he would be in that field for a while, but it has been so long! But I must stay calm, as the Imperial Knight Commander, I can't show my weak side like this.
I slowly walked towards where the prince headed, my footsteps barely made a sound.
"—Very well,"
Hmm? Is that another voice I hear?
I dashed towards his direction through the bushes, no longer caring about my stealth. The armor I put on made a soft clanking noise.
As I leapt outside of the bushes, I saw a young man with dark blue hair, feeling the prince's body!
---[Line break]
"Amazing…" He said, his jaw dropping.
Before I could respond, a red Liona jumped out from the bushes.
"Who are you!? Step away from the Prince!" She shouted at Flora.
Flora looked at her for a split second, then back to me. He bowed swiftly, "Then I shall meet you again, my Prince." Before dissolving into the atmosphere.
"Liona?" I raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"Why do you look like a tomato?"
…
The silence broke as Liona yelped in embarrassment.
"Oho? The ever strict Knight Commander is now a tomato!" I said, laughing and slapping my right knee.
"You…" Liona said in a weeping voice, "You are so mean!"
---[Line break]
A pouting Liona sat at my front, leading the horse.
Is she gonna… hold a grudge against me for this? I thought to myself, my heart shivering.
"Your Highness," She regained her composure, "Who was the young man?" She asked.
"Hmm… You could say…"
…
"He's my tutor?" I answered, my head tilting to the left.
"A tutor?" She raised an eyebrow, her gaze attacking my very soul.
"And also! He's not young! He's very old…" I said, grinning mischievously.
"That was the archmage, you know?"
…
"…Excuse me?" Liona asked in confusion.
"Yeah." I kept my straight face.
She sighed, "I see.."
"Oh I wonder how the knights under you would react when I tell them that their Commander looked like a tomato!" I said, a wide smile spreading across my face.
Liona's eyes narrowed, as if she wanted to rip me to shreds.
Spare me…! My inner thoughts begged.
---[Line break]
We returned to the training arena to see Rein sitting on a barrel.
"Rein!~" I said, running to him.
His face lit up immediately as he returned, "Your Highnessss!"
Sigh,
"I'm fine, Rein. No need to be that dramatic~"
"—Um…"
A wild greenhead appears!
"Lye?" She carried a plate with a glass of… lemonade?
"I heard from Rein that you were taking a stroll so… I prepared a drink for your return, Your Highness." She said, her ears turning red.
"Well, thank you."
Her calm demeanor shattered instantly.
"I-It's nothing, Y-Your Highness!" She said, sounding like a broken record. She quickly left the scene.
Rein and Liona watched our exchange, grinning.
"Lady Liona, did you see what I saw?" Rein whispered.
"Yes, it seems our Prince was flirting with a maid." Liona responded.
I can hear you, you know!?
"Anyways!" Rein broke the whispers, "What happened during the stroll, Lady Liona? You look like a mess."
I turned to Liona, grinning.
"You see, Rein," I cut in, "Liona leapt out of the bushes like she was a frog!"
Rein looked at an empty area, trying to see it in his head.
"Ha-" He was about to laugh, before he noticed the glaring Liona.