A voice, smooth as silk, called from the outside. "Your Highness~"
I yelped, clutching my blanket.
Outside my window, Flora appeared from nowhere at the balcony, his dark blue hair catching the sunlight. "I know you said we'd meet again soon, but coming here unannounced!?" I scolded, pushing myself out of bed. I walked across the room to unlock the balcony door.
He simply grinned. "Well, wouldn't you be as excited if you were in my shoes?"
Damn it. He always has a comeback.
I pulled the door open and leaned against the doorframe, returning his grin. "Oh dear, it seems my new teacher has a knack for breaking the laws~"
"It is only a crime if the person is inflicting harm~" he replied without a hint of hesitation.
"So, are we just gonna do it right here?"
"Yes." This time, his smile reached the corners of his eyes.
I could only stare, my disbelief surely written all over my face.
With a snap of his fingers, a translucent dome enveloped us, the sounds of the environment vanished, replaced by a profound silence.
A sound barrier. Probably an invisibility one, too.
"Hm," I mused.
"It seems you've got it all figured out, Your Highness," he praised.
"Well, I am a specially talented person after all." I said with a smug look.
"Royalty benefits," he shrugged with an exaggerated sigh.
"Indeed."
"For the first lesson," Flora announced, "this old man will just be showing off~"
My jaw nearly dropped.
Whaat!?
"Watch closely,"
He stretched his arms out, his palm facing upwards. From nothing, dark flames erupted, swirling on his hands like a living creature.
"Why the dark flames?" I asked.
"A human body has more impure mana than the pure. Dark flames are formed with the impure, making them easier to control."
With a swift flick of his fingers, the flames shot forward like a bullet, striking a leaf so green it could be mistaken for jade. The leaf didn't burn; it simply vanished into smoke.
"Wow!" I praised, clapping.
"Will you teach me that today?" I asked.
"This is just a show off~" He answered.
"I jest, Your Highness." He added, "You don't have the affinity needed to do this."
"…Excuse me?" I said, frowning.
"That is why I will only be able to teach you basic mana control." He said to me.
My smug look crumbled. "You…"
He tilted his head to the side, waiting for what I was about to say.
"You haven't even told me what my affinity is!" I yelled at him.
"I thought your genius-self had figured it out already~" He shrugged.
I let out a sigh, "So? What's my affinity?" I asked, my eyes locked with his.
"I'm not sure…" he said. "I have never seen such an affinity before. It fits none of the four basic elements—Water, Fire, Wind, or Ice—nor does it align with Light or Dark."
My blood boiled. Was he basically telling me I had no talent for magic? "Just tell me I'm not suited for magic already!" I yelled at the now smiling Flora.
"You've got it wrong, you do have an affinity, Your Highness." He responded, "otherwise you couldn't have felt my mana back then."
"Fear not, Your Highness. This old man shall teach you the best he can." He regained his neutral expression.
He paused, then glanced at the door before speaking,
"But there's someone outside the door." He said, before snapping his fingers again to dismiss the barrier.
—Knock knock
"Your Highness, I've come to inform that His Majesty has summoned you."
The voice was feminine, but it belonged to neither Lye nor anyone else I knew.
"Your name?" I asked as I walked towards my closet.
"It's Rena, Your Highness." The voice from behind the door answered.
"Hm, alright." I dismissed, "You may go now."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Her footsteps faded away down the hall.
"Oho~?" came Flora's voice from behind me. I spun around to find the creepy old man now emerging from the shadow under my table. "Your speech pattern was waaay different, or was this old man hearing things?" He asked.
I ignored the curious old man and turned to the outfits in my closet.
"Hmm…"
"You should pick the red one!" He said from behind me.
I raised an eyebrow, curious as to why.
"They resonate well with your violet hair." Flora added.
"Is that so?"
I picked the outfit he recommended and closed the closet.
I gave him a sharp glance, "Are you just gonna watch a man strip?"
Flora paused, "Oh no, it seems my rudeness has gone over the line." He bowed before adding, "Then I shall meet you later, Your Highness."
He dissolved back into the air in a blink of an eye before I could say anything else.
---[Line break]
I passed the training arena that the knights used as I was heading towards Father's chamber.
—Clang clang
The knights dueled fiercely with the practice weapons.
Do they hold a grudge against each other or something? A thought came to my head.
"Greetings, Your Highness," a greenhead came from where my eyes weren't looking.
"Oh, Lye!" I called out, waving my right hand.
She returned a bow.
I brushed past her, "Could you look into a servant named 'Rena' for me?" I whispered.
"Yes, Your Highness. It'd be an honor."
---[Line break]
I reached the doors that loomed tall enough to swallow me whole. The doors that will lead to Father.
—Knock knock
"I've been waiting, Sorrel." He sounded the same as last time. "Enter."
I placed my hand on the handle before pushing it. This time, however, it didn't make a noise.
I found him wearing a red outfit, holding a bow and a quiever secured to his back.
"We will go hunting today." He said, wiping the dust off his bow.
"…" I could only answer with silence.
"Why do you look at me with such eyes?" He tilted his head to the side.
"It… just seemed strange, Sir."
He let out a sigh, "Can't a father spend time with his so—"
I picked up a pen that was lying on the shelf near me, throwing it at the bookshelves with all my might just fot it to be blocked by an invisible barrier.
"Who dares eavesdrop on a conversation between royalty!?" I shouted.
Strands of silver hair emerged from the shadow, his body followed. He swiftly bowed, "I am the Court Mage, Syra, Your Highness." His voice was soothing. "And I dare not eavesdrop on a conversation between a father and his son."
"Spare him the glares," Father interrupted. "I let him be."
"Yes, Sir."
"As I was saying, you will go hunting with me."
I will? Am I not supposed to be given a choice?
Syra pulled a set of bow and arrows from thin air before handing them to me, "Please take these, Your Highness."
Wow! A real life inventory!
I took it from his hands, "You have my thanks."