32. Footsteps of a Monster [1]

"Eughh~ My stomach doesn't feel particularly good after eating this," Aiden complained, holding a charcoal-black piece that was supposed to be the serpent's meat in his hand.

A slight burn could be seen near his index finger, and a burning flicker of flame in the vicinity, on which he had "cooked" the meat.

"You told me you knew how to cook, right? This's no different than chompin' on coal," Zephy grumbled, flapping his tiny wings just once in disapproval.

"...I knew. It's just that I haven't cooked in this world, nor on an open fire. Maybe I did something wrong... or perhaps it's the meat," Aiden mumbled under his breath in complaint, continuing to nibble on the charcoal piece despite its texture resembling that of scorched wood.

Zephy stared blankly at him for a moment longer. It's useless to talk about this, he thought, shaking his head, and figured continuing the conversation would be a waste of time.

"No use wasting breath on your cooking. We'll put that effort into something useful. So, let's get started with your first lesson. Magic, Skills—"

"Hmm. Arghmm—Cough! Wai—Cough! Cough!" Choking on his food and flailing his hands like he was drowning in air, Aiden managed to stop Zephy from continuing.

He hastily manifested water and drank it, letting the burned meat slide down his throat with an audible gulp, unchoking himself in the process.

"Cough... Wait! I haven't finished yet," Aiden said, wiping his mouth clean with his left hand and still clutching the cursed piece of coal in the other.

Zephy narrowed his eyes.

"Weren't you ready to skip food completely just to hear me ramble about magic?" he asked, sounding almost betrayed.

"At that time, I didn't realize how hungry I was. But now, if I stop eating, I'll faint," Aiden pleaded, exuding charm in every little action.

"...Fine. Eat. But shut up and listen. Don't need your commentary," Zephy said gruffly, waving a claw dismissively.

Aiden nodded in agreement, chugging the burnt meat down his mouth... without a hint of a prince's grace.

But somehow, even that graceless act had a charm of its own.

"Sigh~" Zephy exhaled, his tone a mix of resignation and annoyance, and spread his wings in his little form. With a shimmer of frost and a gentle pulse of mana, he manifested an aurora that shimmered like a frozen tapestry in the sky.

He flew up onto the aurora, folded his wings, and lay down in a relaxed posture, almost like a cat basking in the sun.

The whole scene was so out of the ordinary and unique that Aiden stopped chewing, his eyes widening, jaw slightly slack as he stared in awe at Zephy.

"Heh..." Zephy smirked, seeing the boy's reaction. His tail flicked. He knew exactly what he was doing.

Thus, he began the first lesson of his second pupil ever.

**********

"So, this aurora. This glacial film I'm on right now. What do you think made it?" Zephy asked, cranking up the gloss and shine of the aurora to an almost ethereal level—absolutely showing off now.

"Hmm..." Aiden stood up, dusting his hands on his trousers, now fully invested. He stepped forward, approaching the aurora with curiosity.

The aurora seemed like a veil made of the finest cloth, so thin it had become translucent.

Yet when he tried to touch it, his hand passed right through—it was only an illusion. Or so it seemed.

Focusing harder, Aiden noticed something strange.

Snow crystals whirled gently within the aurora, spinning in random ways. Some revolved clockwise, only to suddenly reverse direction. A few bounced gently in place; others stood perfectly still, like time itself had frozen them.

Some spun in lazy spirals. Others zigzagged, flickering in and out like stars being blinked out of existence.

There was no pattern Aiden could make out, no matter how hard he tried. He narrowed his eyes, leaning closer.

"Hahahaha... Givin' up yet? You could stare for a million years and still be wrong," Zephy laughed, jabbing at Aiden's focus like a bird pecking at a stone.

But Aiden didn't respond.

The words fell on deaf ears.

He was mesmerized.

The world, his worries, his thoughts—all of it faded. He found himself drawn deeper and deeper into the complexities and beauty of what he was witnessing.

It was the most mesmerizing thing he had ever seen, even with his Perfect Memory.

It was just... phenomenal.

How brilliant! …It's like all of the little crystals have a personality of their own. Their random patterns, without colliding with each other, gave them a mysterious quality.

How's that happening?

Is Zephy controlling every crystal consciously? …But that would be way too hard, and he's just lounging there, so that's not it.

Then how?

And those silver-blue rays flowing between the crystals and veil...

Is that just light reflecting off the crystals?

But it moves too smoothly… It's rhythmic, not random.

And when my hand passed right through the aurora—how's Zephy lying on it like it's solid?

How mysterious...

Is it a skill?

Can ...I learn it then—

"Oww!" Aiden yelped, cupping his cheek as sudden pain yanked him from his thoughts. A single feather, sharp and coated in cold, had struck him clean across the face.

"What was that for?!" he yelled, seeing a streak of red on his palm.

"To snap you outta dreamland, kid. You were spaced out. Likin' magic's fine, but don't go so far you forget where your body's sittin'. We're in a damn forest."

Zephy's voice was calm but sharp, each word like a dagger tossed with precision.

"Anything could've happened... if I wasn't here."

The aurora vanished with a shimmer, and Zephy shrank back into his little form with a flick of frost.

While Aiden had been off in wonderland, Zephyrix had morphed into his true form, the ethereal Ice Phoenix, to scare off anything lurking nearby that might've found a clueless prince to be easy prey.

"But it hurts..." Aiden mumbled like a child who knew he was in the wrong but didn't want to admit it.

"It's supposed to hurt. I don't toss feathers for decoration. And I'm not patchin' you up either. You need to get it through your thick skull—the outside world ain't soft. You told me bits about your past life, and that's already enough. And don't forget—we've got monsters all around."

Each word from Zephy's beak hit harder than the last.

There was something deeper in his tone now. Not just irritation.

A shadow of something old. A scar buried beneath the ice.

"...I'm sorry."

Aiden looked down, ashamed. Maybe he had gotten too soft, too used to royal life, and forgotten how cruel the outside could be—even without monsters.

He felt guilty for forgetting, even for a moment, the tragedy that had happened because of him.

The lives cut short. The dreams crushed. The joy stolen...

...How could I enjoy anything?

I don't have that right.

His head drooped. His fist clenched.

Tears welled at the corners of his eyes.

But this time...

They didn't fall.

"It won't happen again."

He raised his head. His eyes burned—not with guilt, but with something fiercer.

Determination.

As he remembered the promise he had made.

I promise… I won't forget anything.

...I won't let my emotions control me. Never.

Zephy watched him for a moment longer. His feathers settled.

"...Good," he muttered, almost like a grunt. "Hold onto that. You lose that fire, and I'll smack it back into you with something sharper than a feather next time."

His tone was rough, but there was something different in his eyes.

Just for a second.

Approval.

**********