A class and a purpose

"=So.="

A single word - almost a sigh - left Lis'te's mouth. The blonde elf eyed Seraphina with a scrutinizing gaze, his expression bearing signs of rage seething just under the surface.

"=Would you be so kind as to explain yourself, Princess, or should I?="

The question, combined with the scowling frown, made the green-haired princess shudder. She stood by the bed, unable to meet her retainer's gaze.

'I screwed up.'

The realization permeated her mind since the moment she'd spoken Lucas's name in the corridor. The atmosphere change that came after was abrupt and telling. Her unease only mounted when she saw how Lis'te reacted, seeing everyone's reactions. And worst of all, she could only blame her own impulsiveness.

However, she knew she had to clarify the situation. Her fingers trembled as she grasped her dress tightly. The curtain of her hair swung lightly as though to hide her blood-red cheeks and glossy eyes.

"=We met during the dinner on the first day.="

"=I see... so that's what you've been doing when you claimed you needed to rest,=" Lis'te frowned dangerously, his hands crossed on his chest.

"=It wasn't like that. I just... felt something. We met briefly.="

"=Briefly, huh? And that's enough for you to step in?=" the blonde man sighed, clear disappointment in the gesture. "=You were displeased when meeting everyone else. Who is he that you suddenly stand up for him?!=" his voice raised like a parent scolding their child.

"=He's my friend!=" she retorted, anger piercing her tone.

"=A friend...=" Lis'te repeated, casting a sidelong glance at the black cat sprawled on the bed. "=Some barbarian, he is.="

"=Lucas isn't like that.="

"=So, Count Illan had punched himself into that state, and that Lucas happened to just be on top of him, is that what you're saying?=" he glared dangerously at Seraphina.

She didn't dare meet his gaze. A cold shiver ran down her spine. However, it wasn't only fear she felt. The most prominent emotion within her was the undeniable, burning frustration. She knew Lucas was much different than Lis'te could've known.

'He wouldn't have acted like he did unless there was a reason.'

"=So, that is what you've been doing in your free time,=" the blonde man continued with an angered expression. "=Lurking about, stealing, meeting some unknown people under my nose,=" he clicked his tongue. "=Anything else I should know about?=" his brow raised dangerously.

Seraphina almost growled, her frustration spiking further. However, she didn't say a word.

It felt ridiculous. Why couldn't he understand? Why was it that the one person she should feel safe to confide in now felt completely alien? Why didn't he listen when she said the mana was tainted?

"=So that's what it is, then,=" Lis'te almost sighed. "=You're just seeking attention.="

"=What?!=" she flinched, stepping back. The ridiculous statement, coming from the mouth of her own retainer, made her pause.

"=You heard me, Princess. You're trying to bring the attention to yourself. This whole thing with mana and not eating, all of this is to make everyone worry about you.="

Seraphina's hands clenched further. "=That's not it! The mana is tainted! Can't you feel it?!="

"=And let me guess, it's not so if you steal the food?=" Lis'te asked angrily, gesturing toward the basket, its contents evidently part-eaten.

"=That maid brought this here! Ginis will tell you!="

"=Is that so?!=" he roared back, taking a step to the side. "=Then, if I uncover your pillow, I will not find anything, right?!="

Before Seraphina had the time to answer, Lis'te's hand moved. A sudden chill ran down her spine, punctuated by the moment of silence stretched between them.

A fork she'd eaten with when she met Lucas previously, the handkerchief he'd had yesterday. Next to them, a small rose flower lay, taken from a part of the garden she'd explored not long ago, its amaranth petals barely withering yet, the scent slowly rising in the air as it was allowed to breathe. Each of those items filled her heart with a strange sense of relief as she recalled when she'd attained them. However, that feeling waned when she looked at Lis'te.

The blonde man straightened, dropping the pillow. His expression shifted, turning from pure anger to tangible disappointment. He deflated, albeit marginally. His overall countenance showed that much like Seraphina, he was already extremely tired of this talk.

"=...I am dearly disappointed in you, Princess,=" he said slowly, every word spoken with weight. "=To think that despite the direness our country is going through, you'd go and do something as childish. I've excused your lack of manners, but not your lack of self-control. Just what would Lord Gerdival say if he heard of this?="

Seraphina's heart stopped, hearing her grandfather's name. She could already picture his stern gaze on her. Gerdival Liveren was a person with whom she had a bittersweet relationship. She still remembered the rageful fit he threw when she snooped around his office, all to satisfy the burning need and curiosity within her. She could barely remember the reason why she wanted the documents within, but his reaction she would remember until her deathbed.

Seraphina's fists clenched.

"=D-Don't tell grandfather...=" her lips shivered, her heart dropping. Her eyes excreted small tears as her gaze met her retainer's.

Lis'te, however, wasn't having that.

"=We've been through this already, Princess. What would your family say if they learned of this? Or worse yet, how would these people react if they knew you stole from them? And for what? A little bit of gratification?=" he threw a rhetorical question, taking a step away. "=If you can't exert the minimum self-control expected of you, don't think I'll be lax.="

Seraphina shook on the spot. Wet streaks ran down her cheeks. However, her teeth clenched. Watching Lis'te turn and step toward the door, she felt the rage within her swell rapidly. Why was she shunned like this? She was inexperienced, but not weak. Why couldn't Lis'te understand that?

She felt her mana boil. With a heavy step, she raised her voice.

"=Lis'te, I-I promise this wasn't--="

"=Seraphina Liveren,=" the man cut her off, coming to a halt. Yet, he didn't turn to look at her again, only continuing, "=I don't care if this was your compulsion or mere randomness. What I care about is you breaking the trust I had put in you. If you can't follow your own word to keep yourself in check, don't blame me for acting appropriately.="

The words stung her deeply. The rage within her burned in response, surging in her veins together with her mana. She couldn't understand it. Lis'te, the ever-competent servant of her family, her retainer, teacher, and one of the only people she felt confident she could confide in - why was he of all people so blind to her peril?!

"=No...="

"?" Lis'te finally turned, his brow raised. However, Seraphina noticed his hand twitch, almost as if the man felt something she gave off. "=Princess, what are you doing?="

"=The mana... it's unclean...=" she said slowly, her tone growing heavier. Whether the change in her demeanor came from the burning mana, anger, or something else, was unknown to her. All she knew was, the bottled-up frustration in her was dangerously close to exploding. "=W-Why... do you not believe me?=" she asked, her vision blurring as her blue eyes barely focused from behind the teary sheen.

"=Princess, cease this now,=" Lis'te sighed. "=This unruliness isn't how you've been raised. Where has your respect for your family gone? This isn't only about you, Princess!="

"=Do not,=" she warned warily, her teeth baring. The cup of bitterness within was tipping. She hated being treated like this. She hated being treated like she thought she was the center of attention when it clearly wasn't the issue. She wasn't a little kid anymore. Why couldn't Lis'te understand?

"=Do you want Prince Dellin to learn his kleptomaniac little sister became the center of a controversy she had no right in participatin--="

"=DO NOT USE MY BROTHER'S NAME LIKE THIS!="

Seraphina's voice raised, her hand marking a small gesture before poising itself in Lis'te's direction. In tandem, six small flashes of light appeared, coasceling into spirits that spread out behind her, humming lowly as they prepared to fire.

Lis'te's body tensed up instinctively, feeling the rush of pressure on his shoulders. He hastily scanned the young girl in front of him, her expression full of fury and anguish. The oceanic blue of her eyes glimmered. The tears that streaked down her cheeks punctuated just how shaky her composure was. The fingers of her hand trembled together with her unsteady breaths. The hair that flowed like a never-ending cascade mirrored her turbulent state, swaying and twitching. Even her familiar had found itself standing by her feet, teeth bared at him.

...

Incessant seconds of silence permeated the room. It felt as though the world itself wanted to quell this conflict as a faint breeze entered the room, swirling around their feet.

Lis'te took a shallow breath, regaining his composure. His hand, clad in a green aura, lowered from its defensive position, and his posture sharpened.

"=Seraphina Liveren, this is enough,=" he said, an emotionless beat of his tone almost out of place. "=You will remain in your room until the end of our stay. Ginis will be your permanent escort. When we return to Rugis, the matter of your behavior will be put to scrutiny,=" he continued, eyeing the green-haired elf. Her twitching and shaking told him she was on the verge of emotionally breaking down. However, he suppressed the urge to comfort her. She needed to be taught a lesson.

...

The door's click resounded in the quiet room. Seraphina's hand slowly lowered. The humming sounds of the spirits she'd summoned died off as they disappeared one by one, only a faint crystalline jingle informing her of their departure.

Her heart felt heavy. Her entire body throbbed, her skin flushed with heat and rocked by the emotional toil of what just happened.

*Drip!*

The faint sound of the first tear splashing against her foot barely registered. Seraphina's legs gave out, and the young elf sat on the ground as her breathing erupted into weeping. She felt her familiar brush against her thigh, its head rubbing against her bosom as though to wordlessly support her.

This was unfair. It was unfair on so many levels. Why was Lis'te so dismissive? She couldn't understand. Why was the image so important it overrode his sense of justice?

...

'...I don't want this.'

She looked to the window briefly. The expanse of the sky, with milky-white clouds scattered therein, seemed like the only solace in this space.

'I don't want to stay like this...'

Her hands clutched Cileres close to her chest as she rubbed her face in his fur.

And as seconds passed, she felt it. A new sensation kindled in her chest. A mix of rage and insurgency she couldn't, and wouldn't, try to quell. She has had enough. If he wouldn't listen, she'd make him.

'Unruly... I'll show you unruly, Lis'te.'

-Meanwhile-

Nimue's breath came in a short gasp, her cheek mushed against Lucas's back. She felt her heartbeat reverberate through her body, from the organ to the tips of her fingers. A sudden, almost foreboding chill went down her spine. She shuffled slightly, the light shirt she wore sagging a little on her arms.

"...what do you mean?" she asked hesitantly, breaking the momentary silence. Her face lifted from Lucas's back, looking at the sprawl of his white hair.

"T-Tomorrow... in Weydan, someone will die," Lucas repeated slowly.

"No, not that..." Nimue answered. "When did you class?"

"...on Sunday."

"When you were meditating...?"

"...yes."

Nimue stayed silent. She felt her veins pulse, a surge of emotions swelling in her chest with every breath. From the multitude of feelings, it was difficult to choose what she felt. That incoherence made her almost deaf as Lucas said something.

However, she felt it. Blood dripped onto her skin, coming from Lucas's wounds. His sharp rasp, filled with pain, broke her out of her momentary ponder.

"--and I don't--"

"Lucas," she suddenly intercepted him, her hold on him tightening.

"...N-Nimue...?" he responded, his voice slightly quivering.

"Listen... one thing at a time," the black-haired maid said, trying to sound as calm as she could. "First, let's get you fixed up. Please," she pleaded.

The white-haired man shifted. Nimue felt his muscles tense as he took a deep, steadying breath. His heart raced, she could tell. Yet, his voice was almost serene as he quietly agreed.

-15 minutes later-

Nimue took a second to recollect herself as her fingers traced the line of bandage she'd prepared, feeling the table's rugged surface underneath. Gently gesturing, she saw Lucas slowly put his hands atop them before she got hold of the small pliers. Looking at the damage and innumerable glass shards, she internally winced. The pain the white-haired man must've been going through... Nimue felt her stomach turn with a queasy feeling for a blink before she started. She couldn't help but wonder for a split second if this was worse than having a hand completely crushed.

Lucas, in the meantime, breathed deeply. Between the sharper rasps whenever she pulled at a fragment too large or strangely lodged, his mouth moved to convey his thoughts.

"It started on Friday," he started, his amethyst eyes shining almost sorrowfully. "When we returned."

Nimue didn't answer, focused on her job. However, as though to indicate she was listening, she jerked her ears upward a little.

"I... someone contacted me... I still don't know how. He said he could help me class... and that someone would die on the next Friday."

"?" Nimue's motions halted. Lifting her emerald eyes, she scanned the young man in front of her. However, nothing but sincerity could be read. "You... and you accepted?" she frowned, visibly displeased and confused. "Who was he?"

"He said he's a 10th-circle Mage... but I can't say his name."

"What do you mean?" she looked at him quizzically.

"If I try to say it, I keep getting hurt. It's like something hits me in the guts," he answered, a tinge of sourness passing his pained expression. Nimue could easily tell he wasn't looking forward to unleashing that memory. "But... there's someone else who calls him 'ahjussi', and that seems fine. Something about diluting the subject makes this not trigger. I'm still not sure I understand all of that..." he trailed off, wincing with a gasp as Nimue removed another large piece from between his fingers.

The black-haired elf didn't answer for a few long seconds, piecing the information together. Gently, she guided Lucas's hands into a bowl of water to help her wash away any finer dust.

"...so, there was someone else, too?" she finally spoke, voice tinged with hesitance.

"...yeah," Lucas nodded. "He called himself 'a part of me'. From what I know, they worked together to reach out to me, to help me class. And they warned me that tomorrow at noon, someone will die in Weydan."

"Who?"

"I don't know," Lucas replied. "But they said it's going to be someone close to me. And..." his voice died off as his fingers clenched. His eyes looked at her, visible trepidation within. "I-I don't know what's happening anymore..." he said, his entire body trembling.

Nimue didn't need to look at his face to know; the emotional burden, both of the revelation and of the whole situation, was too taxing for him.

"And you believed them?" she finally broke the momentary silence, reaching for a piece of bandage and a herbal paste in a small container.

"...not at first. I went to the library first (and you came to help me). When that didn't uncover anything, I went to ask Professor Riven on Saturday about the 10th circle. She said it's only theoretical, but that guy claimed he had given his life up for it. And... he knew we'd have guests. No, more than that, he said I'd make a friend, and... you know how it went with Seraphina."

Nimue sighed. However, it wasn't a gesture of resignation or tiredness. Her weary exhale carried a heavy, foreboding feeling festering within her chest. She did not like the way Lucas's story was shaping up. In particular, a man whose name he could not speak, and most importantly, a foreboding warning that was realistically impossible to know... it all sent a chill down her spine, and not for the reason it should have.

Her fingers traced around his, gently applying the paste before she overlayed the bandages twice. Lucas didn't speak a word, but the tiny tremors told her just how much it hurt. He didn't look at her, his head let down. She didn't need to be told the reason.

"So..." she said softly. "On Sunday, you meditated and classed?"

Lucas nodded weakly.

"Then, why didn't you say so earlier...?" Nimue's voice trailed off, unsure. "I saw it. You used magic. Why didn't you say you're a Mage?" her brow raised.

Lucas looked at her. The amethyst of his eyes shone with hesitant sorrow. Nimue could tell exactly what he was didn't want to voice.

"...what did you class as, Lucas?"

"...it's called Dream Walker," he replied, his entire form shrinking as though he tried to space himself from the woman. His bandage-clad hands barely even held onto the table anymore, his gaze skittering. "It... deals with astral plane and... s-s..." he trailed off, falling silent after a moment.

"And?"

Lucas looked at her again, hands shaking. "S-Subconsciousness of others... it's a Psion-like class."

Nimue's eyes dilated in surprise as the elf woman shifted in her seat. Scanning the white-haired human in front of her, she could feel the sincerity of his words, but also... the faint fear and repulsion with which he spoke.

"...is that why you asked me that on Monday? About you turning into a Psion?" she **** out slowly, unsure what her words should be. Seeing Lucas nod weakly, she wasn't sure what she was even thinking about. In sincerity, she felt her brain almost overwork itself, trying to piece all the information together. This piece was like a bomb setting off in the middle of everything.

However, that didn't last. A hasty beat of her heart felt almost like a flutter as she reminded herself of what she'd said back then. She said she wouldn't care. After all, she had seen worse happen at the hands of people who weren't Psions or the like. Her veins pulsed ominously at a certain remembrance, but she **** the feeling down.

Her hand found Lucas's, gently caressing it.

Right now, she needed to know more. The whole story of Lucas Stormrider, the man in front of her, the man she had had a crush on for years. She wanted to listen to it all, every little detail.

-30 minutes later-

A long moment of silence stretched.

Nimue wasn't sure how long it's been since Lucas had fallen silent, having spoken everything. In sincerity, her mind was probably as much a mess as his.

Meeting the strange elf man on Friday, exploring what he could, giving in to the temptation, and the fallout that followed. The Hybrid Class, the mysterious stat, the mystery of the unclean mana... Nimue couldn't help but sigh despite herself.

'This is too complicated to even dissect properly at once.'

"Lucas..." she started, slowly lifting her gaze. The man in question didn't answer or look back, everything about his form speaking volumes about his guilt and repulsion toward himself. She could imagine just what he was going through. She briefly looked at her own hand, a familiar feeling stinging in her heart. She couldn't say it, but she understood what he was going through. It stung twice as much when she realized just how similar their positions were.

Lucas's shoulders slumped. The bandaged hands were under the table, his gaze aimed at the pile of glass shards next to his chair.

"I'm sorry, Nimue," he started slowly, his voice just barely steady. "I... I should've never accepted... I should've never--"

"Lucas," she interrupted him, making the man flinch. "It's happened. I... you shouldn't dwell on it. This never ends well."

"But... what I did to Ophelia and Tessa... I can't even... I'm a monster."

Nimue's hands found his. "Lucas. Look at me," she commanded firmly, caressing his palms. As his eyes met hers, her expression steeled. "You're not a monster. Not to me. You were trying to do what's best in the situation. I don't commend what you've done but you can't be thinking like this. Do you understand?"

The white-haired man nodded wordlessly. Nimue's words seemed to calm him down at least a little. His fingers intertwined with hers. The affection and security they both felt in the gesture were only amplified as Nimue got up from her seat. As Lucas gave her a strange look, she gave him a hug. Her large chest pressed into his neck as her cheek lay on his hair.

"...this is a lot, Lucas. I know. For you and me both. But listen, I don't care what class you are. I mean it. As long as you are yourself, that's all I care about, Lucas," she said, her lips lowering to kiss his forehead. "So please, don't ever talk about yourself like this again."

His hands intertwined on her lower back as the man reciprocated the gesture. They stayed like this for several long seconds.

However, Nimue eventually pulled. She didn't want to; the contact with Lucas, even in this confusing situation, was enough to make her heart flutter and her body respond. However, within her mind, ponders continued, and she eventually came to a conclusion.

"Lucas," she said softly. "You need to go to your room. I'll bring you some food in a minute. For now, you need to rest. Please," she continued, her gaze full of concern.

She could see some conflict brewing within his amethysts. Almost as if he wanted to rebuke her words, his lips moved. However, no words escaped, only silent whiffs of air stirred the air between them, as the man agreed with her despite himself.

-10 minutes later-

Nimue's hand traced the handle to Lucas's room as it clicked with a mechanical thud. Then, almost instantly, she threw a gaze back and forth. Confirming she was alone, the elf maid got a hold of her hair. As she tied it quickly, she began strutting forth, intent on going upstairs.

Sour thoughts filled her mind.

'So, that brat got Lucas involved in her fiasco...' Nimue's teeth gritted at the thought. It was already bad enough that Seraphina tried to prod about her, but this? Nimue could feel her blood boiling.

However, she **** herself to only sigh.

'Just when I thought this situation was at its nadir already...'

She formed a troubled expression. Lucas couldn't have known, not yet at least, but the aftermath of what's happened would have heavy reverberations.

Then, she looked at her hand. The faint shimmering of mana threads was as enthralling as ever. However, the thudding feeling in her heart, like something was about to hit her, told her the boundary was still looming large. It'd take some time to recover from all that's happened. A couple days, maybe weeks.

Nimue's fist clenched. A remembrance of old came to her as she looked at her nails. The feeling of her cheeks, ridden with tears, and the sight of the garden as she'd left it, reverberated. However, between all that, there was a hand that touched her shoulder. It was large and heavy on her small frame, but it held her gently, like a porcelain doll.

And then, a voice entered her mind.

'You're not a monster. No matter what anyone will say, you will never be a monster to me.'

'Master Iwo...' she found herself smiling bitterly. The man who'd given her a second chance at life, Lucas's grandfather. The one who held authority in the mansion decades ago. She couldn't help but wonder, how would he approach this situation?

Well. She needn't ponder for long.

There was one person who could, and would, help her. The only person Nimue could rely on right now, no matter the issue.

'I need to speak to Aveline. She'll know what to do.'