19

"H-Hey, I'm alright. Aiden was just concerned for me." Seraphina's voice wavered as she tried to pry the boy's hands off Aiden's wrist. But they remained locked in place, Aiden's icy glare clashing with the boy's unrelenting gaze. The tension between them felt like a storm ready to break, making Seraphina feel like she was caught between two forces of nature that refused to hear her.

"Aiden, he's the boy I was talking about! There's no need to be mad, okay?" Seraphina's laughter was strained, her efforts to pull them apart only adding to her frustration. A flicker of jealousy sparked in her eyes as she stubbornly tugged on their hands. "And this is Aiden. She's a really good friend, and she's—"

"I asked you a question," Aiden interrupted, her tone dripping with condescension. Seraphina flinched, instinctively stepping back as the air around them grew cold. The boy didn't flinch, his steady gaze revealing neither fear nor agitation. His calmness only served to irritate Aiden further.

"Who are you?"

"Does it matter?" he replied, his voice calm.

"Do not answer my question with another question. What is your identity?" Aiden's teeth ground together in growing rage. The boy glanced at Seraphina, who tilted her head in confusion, wondering why he looked at her before turning back to Aiden with a provoking smile.

"Just someone who stands up for the people he cares about," the boy said, his words making Aiden's face contort in disbelief. Seraphina bashfully tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a shy yet gleeful grin forming on her lips.

"Ugh, such nonsense. Begone." Aiden dismissed him with a flick of her fingers, a small shard of ice forming at the tip of her fingertips before shooting forward. She expected the boy to release her hand, but to her surprise, he didn't. Startled, she glanced at him, her eyes widening as he casually tilted his head, dodging the shard of ice as if it were a mere annoyance.

"...What?" Aiden's voice was tinged with shock, her wide eyes reflecting her disbelief. Even Seraphina stared at the boy as if what he'd done was impossible. Only the goddess, having woken from her nap, seemed unfazed as she leisurely yawned, brushing her fur.

"You shouldn't shoot people you just met," the boy chided, causing Aiden's cheeks to flush with embarrassment. Her lips opened and closed, struggling to find words as he looked at her like she was a misbehaving child.

With a growl, Aiden snapped her fingers again, summoning multiple light blue magic circles behind her. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she unleashed a barrage of ice shards toward the boy. Unfazed, he began to move, his body gliding gracefully through the air as if he were in a dance with the deadly projectiles.

"Aiden! Sto...p," Seraphina called out, her voice wavering as she watched in disbelief. Despite the relentless barrage of ice, the boy moved with purpose, each step calculated, his movements so fluid that it seemed he was effortlessly dodging the attacks. The goddess subtly intervened, dispelling the few shards that would have hit him, making it appear as though he was flawlessly avoiding the spells.

"We can't keep this up," the goddess whispered telepathically, her voice strained as the ice shards grew larger and more dangerous. The boy nodded, seizing any opportunity to move closer to Aiden.

The sound of ice colliding with the trees and ground drew the attention of nearby guards and maids, who now joined Seraphina in watching the spectacle unfold. Alcor and Ignatius arrived, their faces a mix of pride and concern as they observed the two children.

"Checkmate," the boy mumbled to himself as he leaped forward, using a shard of ice as a stepping stone to propel himself above the trajectory of the other projectiles. He slipped past Aiden's field of vision, causing her to momentarily pause as she adjusted her aim, leaving him an opening to strike.

Aiden's breath hitched, and she bit back a shriek as the boy appeared before her, his fist clenched and ready to strike. She shut her eyes, bracing for the impact, only to feel a brief flick of pain on her forehead instead of a blow to her cheek.

"You should be nice. You won't make friends like that," the boy advised, a smile tugging at his lips as he offered his hand in a gesture of peace. Aiden stared at the hand, then slowly glanced back at the gathered crowd, embarrassment and guilt welling up inside her.

The boy closed his eyes, thinking that perhaps the girl only needed a friend. His thoughts drifted, wondering if he could ask her to train him in magic. He was caught off guard when his handshake was not only rejected but met with a sharp sting across his cheek as Aiden slapped him.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as Aiden stomped away, her footsteps echoing through the clearing. She walked past Alcor and Ignatius, who respectfully stepped aside to let her pass. The boy could only watch in shock and confusion as she glanced back at him with a frown, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes before she turned and ran.

"What was that for?!" the boy shouted, irritation lacing his voice as he rubbed his reddened cheek. Alcor and Ignatius approached the sulking young man, who stubbornly refused Seraphina's attempts to console him.

"What happened?" Ignatius asked, barely restraining the urge to add a slap of his own in solidarity with his daughter and friend.

"Hmph, I was just teaching that rude girl a lesson! Seriously, who raised her? Don't they know about manners?" the boy ranted, raising a fist in the direction Aiden had run, ignoring Seraphina's quiet protests about their promise.

"Her family?" Ignatius smirked, glancing at Alcor, who was already hiding his face in embarrassment.

"Yeah! They should teach her some manners!"

"Alright, I'll tell Her Majesty, the Empress, then." Ignatius chuckled as he watched the boy's face shift from anger to confusion, then to shock and embarrassment as the truth dawned on him.

"D-Don't tell me..." the boy mumbled, instinctively wrapping his arms around Seraphina, who enjoyed the sudden embrace.

"That girl was Aiden Soru'draigg," Alcor mumbled reluctantly with a resigned chuckle. "Your cousin."

The color drained from the boy's face as he bit back a scream. "Why didn't anyone tell me!?"

"I did try," Seraphina mumbled, hugging him tighter.