Lillian Applehurst (1)

Raphael skipped school that day, wishing to rest further. After all, his body still felt drained from the night before.

During his sleep, he dreamed of a new ability that he wished to try out. Burning his enemies in flames would only take him so far after all. He needed to innovate.

---

The next day, Raphael woke up just before sunrise.

His energy was replenished, his body no longer feeling drained from the previous day's adventures.

Just to be sure though, he tested himself with a few exercises. All were able to be done without the hindrance of fatigue.

This is good. It seems like I'm ready.

He looked outside of the window and watched as the moon sank, and the sun slowly rose from the horizon.

I guess I should waste no time.

After putting on his Rose School uniform, he headed out to the dorms and into the school gardens.

Something about the emptiness of the school grounds gave him a sense of tranquillity. There was a peace in the air that was rare to find in a place filled with so many young students.

However, his peace wouldn't last long. Today, Raphael would become a thief.

His mission was to plunder the Holy Blade that was said to belong to Lillian Applehurst, a woman he was completely unfamiliar with.

It was his first time being inside the Sword School, and as soon as he stepped foot inside, he was surprised at how busy it was.

Unlike the Rose School, students were walking around, heading to different destinations, despite it being so early. Most wore training gear and carried swords on their backs. Raphael felt like it made sense, considering the school prized itself as having the greatest martial artists.

As he made his way over to the Student Codex to find the room of Lillian, he noticed many eyes staring at him.

"Look." He heard a group of girls whisper. "Isn't that Raphael Brooks, son of the dragons?"

"Wait... I think you're right. What's he doing here?"

"Did you hear about what happened yesterday? Apparently, he travelled to the Phoenix Queen estate just to slay her husband."

"People have called him a woman stealer. I wonder if it's true."

"I hope so... I wouldn't mind him taking me."

"Stop! He might be able to hear you. I wouldn't be surprised if he had enhanced hearing."

Raphael did his best to ignore the chatter he heard amongst the groups of students as he stood in the Sword School Lobby and flipped through the student codexon the desk.

Lillian Applehurst... Room 24.

His target lived on the first floor of the Sword School dormitories. It wouldn't take long for him to get there.

Making his way through the crowd of students, earning himself looks from all different places, Raphael headed to his destination.

---

Unlike the school corridors, the dormitories were much quieter.

Raphael wondered whether Lillian would even be in her room. If she was like all the other students, then she would be in the training fields, honing her swordsmanship.

Perhaps that would be better. It would avoid me having to face a confrontation.

After a short walk, he reached his destination. Room 24.

As he silently stood outside and pressed his ear against the door, he heard no noise coming from behind it.

Was I right? Is she in the training field? If so, then what are the chances of her Holy Blade being left inside?

As he was trying to listen, Raphael noticed something. The door was not locked.

He found it strange. A woman never left her door unlocked, regardless of whether she was inside or out.

He wondered whether it was truly a coincidence, as it seemed too good to be true.

A trap, perhaps? Has Maria set me up?

It did not matter to him. Regardless of whether the woman was inside, he would be leaving the Sword School with one of the Holy Blades in his hands.

Before entering, he tugged on the twin dragons, making sure they were ready.

Raphael placed his hand on the door and slowly pushed it open.

Instantly, he felt no presence in the room with him.

The dorm was dark, the only light coming from the sun shining through a peak in the curtains.

It didn't take long for him to locate the blade. As its scabbard was propped up on the wall above her bed, like a trophy.

The sheathe was black, with brilliant gold tapestries of a dragon enveloping around its length.

A dragon... What are the chances?

It was as though it was made for him.

However, as Raphael stepped closer, he noticed something strange.

There was no blade inside of it.

The scabbard was empty.

"Raise your hands above your head and don't move." A confident woman's voice suddenly came from behind him.

Ah, shit.

Raphael did as the voice said, lifting his hands above his head and turning around.

As he did, he saw a woman standing before him.

She wore practically no clothes. Only a pair of matching white panties and a bra. Her body was certainly beautiful, but she was less curvy than Raphael was used to seeing. Rather, she was slightly lean with muscle, whilst still maintaining a slender look. He guessed her breasts were still D-cups.

Her hair was a vibrant green, that flowed messily down her back. Her eyes were of the same colour, and she had a faint scar running diagonally through her cute face.

The woman also wore glasses, giving her a scholarly air to her. If it weren't for the scar and her lean body, Raphael would have never guessed she was a swordswoman.

But it was obvious who she was, from the way she pointed her blade towards his face.

"Lillian Applehurst," Raphael said, keeping his calm. "I hate that we've met under these circumstances."

As the glow of the sun shone upon his face, lighting them up in the darkness, Lillian got a better look at the intruder.

Her mouth made an O shape, and her eyebrows raised high. Then, she tightened the grip on her Black Holy Blade.

"No way." She said, voice in clear disbelief. "You're Raphael Brooks, the new student that everyone's been talking about."

Pride washed over him, though he did not show it. His name had truly spread across the entire Five Schools.

How long until it spreads even further?

"That's me," Raphael said, with a shrug of his shoulders, hands still raised above his head. "Do you think you could move that blade from my face?"

Lillian stared at him through the lens of her glasses, her face still surprised.

"Unfortunately, I can't." She said, the tone completely normal as though she were discussing the weather. "Regardless of how famous you are, you've intruded into the room of One of the Three Holy Blades, and even worse, you've seen me whilst half naked. I'm going to have to kill you, otherwise my boyfriend will."

Boyfriend?

Raphael was taken aback by the words of the green-haired girl in front of him. He stared down the metal of the blade. The blade he had come there to take.

It was truly beautiful.

"Well, then." He said with a sigh. "This will only make things harder for yourself."

Lillian looked at him for a moment, confused by what he meant.

But before another moment could pass, Raphael tapped into the White Dragon, and allowed the flames to form in his hand.

[Don't forget to comment or send power stones to become a fan! It's appreciated and will motivate me to keep writing.]