Chapter 22 - Let’s Talk
Vincent pushed the door open, carefully keeping both hands clamped firmly over his groin.
Maelle was standing stiffly by the fireplace with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. She stared at him with dead serious eyes. The atmosphere in the room was awkward to say the least.
Hoping to lighten the mood, Vincent offered his own awkward little grin. "G-Good morning!"
"....."
Nothing. Maelle didn’t even blink.
*Ahem* "Well... before we dive into the grand interrogation, do you mind if I get my clothes on? You’re kinda blocking the pile on the floor."
She gave a single inch sidestep, clearing a narrow path toward his discarded jeans and shirt.
Vincent walked nervously past her, feeling her glaring violet eyes burn into the side of his skull with every step. Reaching the pile, he paused and glanced back over his shoulder.
"So... any chance I could get you to give me the same courtesy and turn around? Maybe leave?"
"No."
"Is there any way I could convince you to change your mind?"
"No."
"... Pretty please–"
"I said no. Now, get dressed."
A surge of binding authority gripped his nervous system. His body bent down on its own, picking up his jeans.
"Oh, come on..."
His hands automatically began putting on his clothes, completely stripped of any privacy under her scrutinising eyes.
As he pulled his underwear and black denim jeans up over his hips, Maelle’s sharp gaze swept over his toned chest, defined abs, and chiseled muscles.
"You’re well built."
"Thanks," he replied, zipping up his jeans. "I worked ridiculously hard for it."
"Are you a frontline soldier?"
"A what? No, I’m not."
"A farm hand, then?"
Sitting down on the edge of the couch to pull on his combat boots, Vincent shook his head. "I’m neither a farm boy nor a soldier. I’m a uni student. At least... I was about to be, right up until I got dragged into... whatever this is."
"Student?" Maelle’s glare softened slightly as a subtle trace of guilt washed her cold face. "I’m sorry."
Next, he pulled his white shirt over his head. "While I appreciate the apology, none of this is technically your fault."
"What do you mean by that–"
"There. Fully dressed. I hope you enjoyed the show."
"... Tremendously." She turned, taking a regal seat on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other whilst resting her hands on her knee.
"Now. Let’s talk."
Vincent took a step forward, intending to sit on the opposite end of the couch, but the moment his knees bent, Maelle uttered a single, sharp command: "Stay."
His legs locked up, keeping him standing rigidly in place. "You know... I’m not a dog."
Ignoring his comment, Maelle straightened her posture. "I am the Fourth Princess of the Ebonspire Empire, Maelle Ebony."
"Fourth Princess? So you’re like... the baby of the royal family?"
"No. There are five princesses and two princes."
"Mm, mm. I see, I see. Sounds cool. I’m Vincent Winters. Oldest son to one sister."
"I know your name."
"Cool, cool... Since you’re not much of a talker, guess I’ll start from my end. First thing you should know before we dive into anything else... I’m not from this world."
Maelle didn’t look surprised, but her eyes narrowed slightly. "You’re an otherworldly entity? I summoned you yet you appear mortal. You look human."
"I am human... technically."
"Meaning?"
"Oh, well... y’know. I’m a demigod~ What can I say? Crazy, I know."
Maelle’s stoic, unreadable expression twitched. "A demigod? What utter nonsense are you talking about?"
"Guess seeing is believing."
Softly, a light breeze blew through the sealed room, making his brown hair sway. His skin began to emit a warm, golden radiance, and his eyes burned with shimmering ethereal divine light.
Maelle’s breath caught in her throat. She could feel something shift in the room, compressing, and bending toward him.
FWOOSH!
Two majestic white wings erupted from his back, fanning out across the living room. His brown hair transformed into a radiant sky-blue that matched his eyes.
"Tada~" Vincent spread his hands.
Maelle sat frozen. She stared at him with her mouth slightly open, utterly unable to process the aura radiating from the boy standing before her.
Then, as if pulled by an irresistible force, she rose from the couch and stepped toward him.
She reached out a trembling hand and brushed her fingertips gently along the edge of his white wing. The feathers were impossibly soft, giving off a strange yet safe sensation over her body. A look of genuine childlike wonder flushed across her face.
She walked around him, taking in every inch of his transformed state, before stopping directly in front of his chest.
Looking up, she reached out and gently touched a strand of his hair. Her violet eyes then locked onto his glowing blue ones.
"You’re... beautiful," she whispered softly, the words slipping out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"Uhm... thanks?"
He deactivated his divine transformation. The wings vanished into light, his hair reverted to brown, and the strange sensation she felt evaporated.
The sudden whiplash snapped Maelle out of her trance.
She immediately pulled her hand back and took a quick step backward as her stoic mask slammed back into place, though a faint blush spread across her ears.
"So, like I said... demigod," Vincent folded his arms. "Your turn to share."
Composing herself, Maelle spoke. "What is there to share? I already informed you that I am the Fourth Princess of Ebonspire. Those are all the details you require."
"What? No, it’s not! How about telling me about this world? Its multi-racial species? Or how about the fact that you guys summon mythical beings through some sort of ritual? I’ve only heard stories from my mama but hearing it from an actual resident of Pristina would be really helpful."
"...Mama? You sound as though you already possess key knowledge regarding Pristina. What could I possibly explain to you?"
"Okay, fine. Then tell me this," Vincent’s tone grew serious. "Why were you kidnapped by those bandits? Why were you chained up in a mountain cave?"
Maelle looked away as her expression darkened. "Because the people do not like me."
"Don’t like you? Why?"
"Because I am now the first person in recorded history to summon a mortal familiar," she said bitterly.
"I am certain you can deduce the political implications of such a scandal. Furthermore... Ebonspire possesses a dark, blood-soaked history with the rest of the kingdoms in Pristina. I am a princess of that very empire. Though... that bad history is all that it should be: history. We are trying to change that image."
"If you got kidnapped and beaten half to death, I think you guys have a pretty long way to go. Speaking of which... there’s something I feel I have to apologise to you for."
Maelle looked up, puzzled. "Apologise?"
"I saw how the people in that cathedral treated you when you summoned me. It was... really bad. The thing is... you weren’t meant to summon me. If things had gone the way they were supposed to, maybe they wouldn’t have treated you like an outcast."
"Excuse me? What are you trying to say?"
"Yeah. Apparently, you were supposed to summon a dragon instead."
Maelle’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. "What are you talking about? What are you saying? No dragon has been sighted in Pristina since the demise of the Tyrant King half a million years ago."
"I’m telling you the truth. You were meant to summon a dragon. But... well, the whims of fate had other ideas, and I got pulled into your destiny instead."
Maelle staggered backward, collapsing back onto the sofa as if being struck. She pressed a trembling hand over her face, her breathing turning heavy.
Seeing her reaction, Vincent panicked.
"H-Hey, don’t worry! This might sound ridiculous, but we’re trying to fix it! Hopefully, everything will be back to normal soon! Best-case scenario, you’ll get your dragon in a couple of months! Worst-case... Baah! There’s no such thing as a worst-case scenario! Haha... ahahaha..."
She didn’t look up, keeping her face hidden behind her hand.
Desperate to change the subject, Vincent crouched down beside her. "C-Come on, we still have to go report that twirly redhead girl, right? She’s the one who arranged for those bandits to kidnap you in the first place."
Maelle flinched. She dropped her hand, snapping her head up to look at him with shaken eyes. "She... did what?"
"Yeah, I overheard those bandits talking inside the dungeon. She’s the main culprit behind the whole thing."
At the news, her eyes turned cold, lifeless, and dangerous. She bit her lower lip so hard a tiny drop of blood welled on her skin.
Without a word, she stood up from the couch and strode past him toward the front door.
"Come," she commanded. "We are going to the Academy."
"Academy? Whoa, wait—"
ZAP!
Before he could finish his sentence, his legs locked into motion once again, forcing him to march obediently right behind her out into the bright morning sun.