Chapter 53 - First Kiss?

"So? How have you been?" I asked as I saw Arisu sitting across from me on an oak-wood log, her eyes on the dense dried foliage beneath her feet.

"I've seen better days," she replied with a subtle shrug of her shoulders as she picked up a dried out yellow leaf and slowly pressing it, the audible crunch from the leaf resounding in te dead calm of the forest that was occasionally interrupted by the cold gusts of wind, "but i am fine now." she replied with a smile without looking at me, the stray strands of her white hair chaotically sprawled all over her sharp features as she kept her gaze down, lending an air of effortless beauty to her already striking features.

She had changed a lot over the course of last few years. Her core was much stronger and while physical appearances didn't matter much, she had become much more beautiful than before. She could be called the most beautiful girl I've seen in both worlds beside Sylvia.

Her hair---the cascading locks of pure white hair shimmered in the brisk sunlight light like freshly fallen snow. Her tresses flowed like a waterfall down her back, and when she moved, they swayed like delicate strands of silk with every sway of her hip. Her hair now reached well below her waist and just above her hips that were tied up in a high ponytail.

A stark contrast to before, her plump, cherubic face was now more defined, her features more attractive, chiseled and had a magetising effect in them.

However, the most captivating thing were her eyes. The hue of her eyes, which had been a lackluster gold before, now radiated with a more brilliant luminosity, almost as if they were gleaming in the dark. The golden hue that shone through them was like molten honey, a bewitching color that seemed to change with every shift of light.

"What's wrong?" I heard her voice, this time closer as I saw her face next to mine, a questioning look on it, "You've been staring for a while."

"Ahh, that... nothing. You've changed a lot." I replied, as she sat beside me, her shoulder a mere inch away from mine.

"Well, it's been 4 years. You," she paused as if trying to articulate her words, "haven't changed much. You still look the same." she said and laughed as she turned towards me. Arisu's delicate fingers reached out towards my hair, and before I knew it, she was running them through the tousled strands with a playful smile on her face.

"Your hair is getting a bit long, Arthur. You should trim it," she remarked, her voice light and teasing.

I didn't feel any particular emotion attached to this act, but the sensation of her touch was not entirely unpleasant. If anything, it was something that I found some comfort in. I am not sure if it's because Arisu is the one who's doing it or because this act is inherently relaxing for human beings, but it was... nice. I turned my head slightly to face her, and she flashed me a bright smile before returning her attention to my unruly locks.

"I like it messy, but it could use a trim," I replied matter-of-factly, not wanting to discourage her playful behavior.

She nodded; her fingers still entwined in my hair as she continued to playfully tousle it. "It's a good thing I have some experience in hairdressing. Maybe I can give you a trim sometime," she suggested, her voice laced with excitement, "or better yet right now!"

I don't think doing this right now was a good idea but seeing her so enthusiastic about it, I wanted to give it a try. "Sure, if you want to." I replied, as she immediately got up from the log, a wide grin on her face.

I looked forward to see Sylvie getting along with Ethan. Sylvie was in her fox form while Ethan was in his bird form, making him look like a B-Class beast at best. However, without Aether arts based on pure mana levels he seemed to be as strong as Sylvie if not stronger. Both seemed to have familiarised themselves by now as they chased each other in turns and hunted random beasts that appeared in our vicinity.

Arisu walked to my back and took out a few equipment from her ring. Wrapping a cloth around me she took out a pair of scissors and started doing her work. There wasn't exactly much to do since I just told her to make the locks smaller.

"It's nice to have someone who knows what they're doing," I spoke up after a moment of silence, my voice calm and measured. "I wouldn't want to end up looking like a shaggy dog."

Arisu giggled at my comment, her fingers still entwined in my hair. "Don't worry, Arthur. I'll make sure to give you the full salon treatment," she spoke, her excitement palpable.

While she was busy cutting my hair, I couldn't help but feel how out-of-place sometimes I found myself. Not just in this world. Even in the previous one when I took admission in ANHS and got 50 in every test to fit in the average students, many people found it weird and became aware and wary of me like Council President and Sae sensei. The grip test and many other instances where despite trying so much, I always ended up being in the center of attention. But with Arisu, it felt different. She seemed to understand me in a way that others didn't, and her playful and affectionate nature was slowly breaking down something. I wasn't sure if it was a good thing since having a place to belong becomes a vulnerable spot---something that can be exploited.

I felt her lean forward and I could feel her chest press against mine, the soft bouncy texture making me question what it was.

"Is the length okay?" she asked, her voice slightly trembling as she conjured a clean ice slab in front of me.

I nodded, keeping my expressions unreadable. "It looks fine," I replied simply, eyes fixed on the slab in front of them.

I could feel her sighed inwardly, like feeling a pang of disappointment. I reckon she had been expecting some sort of reaction but seeing myself like this, I think I didn't give her what she wanted. Her chest was still pressed against my back, and I could feel the subtle but heavy beats of her heart.

"It's honestly better than most of the haircuts I've had. You've done a good job." I replied again and with an enthusiastic and determined look she got away and started running the scissors again.

"So, Arisu?"

"Yeah?"

"Mind telling me about the REAL origin of your bond?" I asked and I could feel her hands tremble subtly before stopping.

Turning back I looked at her, "You will tell me, right?"

Normally, a question ensued by my current method could be counted as morally unethical, but Arisu was an important figure. Losing her because she has a bond from a clan that is banished would lead to a lot of troubles for her.

"I was 5 when it happened." She spoke as she started cutting my hair again. "I was on a trip with my parents to outskirts of Beast Glades. They wanted to do some research on the beasts because of a small invention they came up with." She spoke and a sober tone graced her voice like reminiscing a good time. "I got out in the night since I had already naturally awakened by the age of 4 and a half. While treading through the forest I came across a black hole type nebula that just lingered in a specific point in space. It was..."

"A teleportation portal." I finished her sentence for her, as she hummed in agreement.

"From there I tried to get away from it but it suck me in and I fell into a new civilisation." She said as everything started to fall into place.

"Djinns and banished Phoenixes." I replied and her grip on my shoulder tightened.

"The Djinns no longer exist. But yes, they helped the banished phoenixes. But the I didn't meet the civilisation straight away. I met a dying phoenix who didn't had a medium to reincarnate in. Phoenixes have a mana art that help them to reincarnate in a desired vessel. However, the wound inflicted by an aether using dragon rendered her unable to reincarnate in any vessel. Hence, she gave me her will after seeing that I was a reincarnate. Ethan was an egg at that time and the leader of phoenixes---Mordain Asclepius took me in. After a few days in that place and delegating a few things, we made a pact, and he gave me Ethan. When I first found you, I hid Ethan back there because you had a dragon with you." She finished her explanation and let out a deep breath. Her fingers receded from my hair as she took a step back.

"So, you trust me now?" I asked, not moving as I kept my eyes on Sylvie and Ethan and kept probing from the incoming mana signatures.

"Not at all!" She replied as she hopped in front of me, placing her hands on the armrests on either side of the makeshift chair that she made, "But I want to trust you. So, you can do that with me as well."

"I trust you." I replied, looking into her eyes that seemed to look like crystallised honey.

"Liar." She replied, narrowing her eyes, "You're a bad liar, you know that right? fufu~"

"Ah well, I guess I am." I replied as I stood up and the severed locks of hair fell down on the crisp leaves.

"Much fresh than before." Arisu said and made a curtain out of hair as she brushed the hair to either side and gave me a bright smile once again, the warmth of it contagious enough to spend a ripple in me.

Reaching out for my pocket, I took out a feather---Sylvia's feather from my dimensional ring. While she ushered for me to get through the portal all those years ago, due to her dying her feathers were shedding. And when she mentioned about hiding the egg's signature with it, I knew it had some unique properties. So, I picked up one spare feather just in case. At this rate Arisu would be revealed by Aldir to have a phoenix bond. And I can't lose her---at least not for now.

"Here, wrap this around your bond mark." I said and handed her the feather. Windsom was looking at me right now since I was in a mana repulsion barrier right now that will not allow Windsom to eavesdrop.

"What is this?" She asked and took a hold of it as she examined it, "A dragon's feather?"

"It will hide your bond's presence." I replied with a shrug but there was something weird about her expressions. Her face lit up as she held the feather in her palm like a holy object and looked up, "Thanks, Arthur. It means a lot."

"You're welcome. Do that now. They are almost here." I said and looked up.

Wrapping the feather around her arm and then hiding it with her jacket sleeve, she summoned Ethan while I called out to Sylvie. Ethan perched on her head while Sylvie just sat on my shoulder, her ears perked up. Motioning for Arisu I told her to walk in front of me.

As she approached me she took a step ahead of me, her lithe, well-proportioned figure gliding through the air with ease and my attention was suddenly drawn to the fluid movements of her body. With a gentle yet deliberate motion, she lifted herself onto the tips of her toes and reached towards me, cupping my face with her soft, dainty hands. The sensation of her touch was delicate yet potent, like a feather caressing my skin. The suppleness of her fingers and the tender pressure of her grip conveyed a sense of intimacy and affection that was confusing to say the least. Her touch was a delicate dance of sensations, a symphony of tactile pleasure that left me utterly confused. As I gazed into her honeyed eyes, I could feel the warmth of her breath on my face, the tenderness of her embrace enveloping me.

Her warm, susurrating minty breath fanned my hair as I stood stoned in my place, watching her soft body slide deeper and deeper into my embrace, our chest colliding with each other as her face continued to get closer and closer.

Why do huma-

'Oh please, not this. OH, HOLY DEITY IF YOU EXIST, PLEASE REMOVE MY FATHER'S CURSE OF OVERTHINKING EVERYTHING.'

Why does Sylvie think like that? And that was uncomfortably loud. No, where is even Sylvie? How did she suddenly disappear?

"Arisu..." I said and her eyes opened, matching mine as her hands around my neck tightened.

"No, I am not rethinking it."

(***)

As the portal frame juddered marginally, a blinding light burst forward, engulfing everything in its path. Emerging from the haze were two figures. The first one was Virion, who appeared vastly different from our last meeting. Although he had received considerable support, the burden of leading an entire nation had clearly taken its toll on him. This was exemplified by the dark circles that had formed around his eyes, which seemed to droop with exhaustion, yearning for even the briefest respite from his duties.

The other figure was cloaked in a darkest of robes and a hood over his head. With a quick motion of his hand he removed the hood, revealing a pair of closed eyes which put even more emphasis on his third unblinking eye at his forehead. Although. I've seen pantheons with even four eyes, Aldir's purple eye always seemed to spark a flame of curiosity in me.

"Virion. Aldir." I greeted them both by bowing slightly.

Virion walked forward and held my neck in a chokehold as he cackled, "BAHAHAHA. What did those asuras did to you to make you even bow to me." He said in his usual playful tone. Virion and Arisu's attitude was quite a contrast to the attitude of people in Euphotus which for some reason was much more reasonable than the emotion fueled one. However, this was how everyone functioned. Even some asuras could be prone to overwhelming emotions. And as long as there are emotions... they can be violated, twisted to my liking.

"Arthur. Lady Sylvie." Aldir greeted us while bowing down towards Sylvie. His eye transferred from me to Arisu and then at Ethan who was cozily perched on her head. It stayed at him for a while before looking back at me, "Now that you have finally returned, there are a lot of things to discuss about. But we have an emergency." He spoke with a sense of urgency as he motioned for both of us to follow him. Virion's features turned grim too as he heard Aldir mention it.

"I actually came with Princess Kathyln. I will come back with her." Arisu said and was about to leave as Aldir spoke up again.

"Both Royal Princesses have been summoned back to the castle. You have to come, right now." He ordered, this time adding mana to his words.

Arisu nodded while I just shrugged my shoulders and started to follow him. As we stepped into the portal I spoke up, "They're here, aren't they?"

Aldir looked back, his single eyes scrunched in annoyance. "They have developed some fast moving vehicles that can travel on water without the usage of mana. They will be here in a week."

"No, I wasn't talking about that. A retainer and a Scythe. They've entered Dicathen." I spoke as Aldir's eye widened.

"How can you tell?"

"I can feel the surging mana signature. One of them is a hundred miles from here." I said as Virion looked at Aldir.

"We should contact the lances right now."

"They will die as they are now." I replied calmly before speaking again, "I will go there myself."

Aldir nodded in Virion's direction as we arrived into the teleportation room in the floating castle.

"I will come too." Arisu said as she held my hand, her jaw tightening.

"You don't have to-"

"I want to come." She spoke up, this time a granite hard coldness in her voice.

"Uhhhh..."

"Let her go with you. It will be a good experience for her since she didn't had any practical experience yet." Aldir said, placing his hand on her shoulder. Arisu looked at me, her eyes gleaming in the dimly lit room.

"Fine. But I will run away if the retainer is too strong." I said as I closed my eyes.

"Who are you kidding, brat? If you're taking a fight, it means you're going to win it, right?"

"Who knows. I am not as strong as you think I am."

With quick exchange glances, me and Arisu turned back towards the portal and amidst one bright flash of portal, the familiar sensation of nausea hit me as I felt myself being teleported.

I think I will never get used to this feeling.