Sparky

Princess Elenwe POV

I sat next to Lily, watching the second phase of the exam take place. The fights were boring and showed a clear lack of technique, save for a few, causing me to yawn briefly.

"You know Lily, I'm shocked you didn't tell us about your escort! Why would you hire a devil as your bodyguard?" I stared at Lily questioningly.

Lily glanced at me, her amber eyes furrowed with slight exhaustion.

"The headmaster made a pledge."

"WHAT!?" I stood abruptly, staring at Lily in shock.

"Shhh, keep it down would you?" I coughed awkwardly.

"Sorry." I took my seat, looking at her with burning curiosity. "So?? Why did he make a pledge?"

"I honestly don't know."

"Huh?"

"He presented him to me as a bodyguard. When I asked about his affinity, he told me and was pressed by my guards. The headmaster intervened and pledged that Tryston would never maliciously harm me under any circumstances." I blinked in surprise. 

"Wow! So the headmaster has a lot of faith in him huh?"

"Yeah… I don't know how they came to meet though… when I asked, Tryston and I got distracted over something."

"Hmm, that's too bad. Is he strong then?" Lily looked away from me, staring at the other examinees as the sparred with each other. She slowly nodded.

"Yeah. His technique with the staff was… good. Really good. I had him spar with one of my guards before I knew about his affinities, no Kinesa involved. He beat the guard in one move." I stared at Lily in shock.

"Aren't most of your guards Circle 4? While it isn't that impressive in the grand scheme of things, the guards you brought with are all well trained, though I still don't get why your father only sent Circle 4 guards with you." Lily shook her head once.

"My father wanted me to travel with as little attention as possible. While I would still be identified as a noble, if I was only travelling with Circle 4 warriors then I would be considered a lower to middle class noble." I nodded thoughtfully.

"I suppose that makes sense. What circle is he at right now? Circle 3 at least, right?"

"Circle 2 Tier 8." My eyes widened.

"What was your guard at?"

"Peak of Circle 4. He was on the cusp of breaking through to Circle 5."

Silence ensued as I stared at Lily in shock.

"...On pure technique alone, and in just one move… that's quite impressive. I don't think Ria could do that… and she's at the same Circle and Tier as him." I thought about my escort as I spoke.

"Well, no matter how strong he is, he is a devil." Lily's eyes hardened, causing me to nod in agreement.

"Yeah, that is tru–"

"Make way! We have a patient in critical condition!" Lily and I looked towards the arena, watching as two healers ran through the crowd, a stretcher flying behind them. I squinted at the person on the stretcher, staring in shock.

"Wow. Whoever that is looks like he was mauled. I'm surprised a spar was allowed to go that far… Lily?" I watched as Lily stood abruptly, facing behind me. Slowly turning, I stood quickly, bowing slightly.

"Greetings Headmaster!" I was swiftly ignored, the Headmaster making his way towards Lily, his eyes dark.

'What happened?'

"Headmaster? What's wron–"

"Princess Lily." A sudden pressure descended, causing Lily and I to drop to our knees. I coughed roughly, blood beginning to dribble from my lips.

'This…! This is the pressure of a Circle 10 warrior!'

"Y-yes headmaster?"

"Do you know where your bodyguard is right now?" Lily furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, still struggling against the pressure, blood slowly dribbling from her mouth as well.

"Isn't he sparring with the rest of the examine–"

The pressure grew stronger, causing blood to spurt from both Lilly and I, before suddenly disappearing. I gasped, inhaling deeply as I quickly took a vitality potion, handing one to Lily in the process.

"He's in the infirmary right now. Go. Now." The headmaster vanished in an instant, leaving us staring blankly at each other.

"Infirmary…?"

***

Princess Lily's POV

I stared at Tryston blankly as healers worked on him, shocked to my very core.

'How did he end up like this?'

His body was mangled beyond recognition, every bone broken in his body. He was missing three ribs due to them being broken and then breaking through his skin. His skull was cracked in three different places as well. That wasn't even the worst of it though.

Three of his fingers were missing, half of his left foot was gone, and his right leg was shattered to the point of being dust. 

Even though all of this had happened, even though I was shocked to my very core, I couldn't help but feel… as if it was deserved.

'He has the Erosion affinity, so he must have done something to deserve this. The headmaster probably just took pity on him because he was trying to turn over a new leaf. Tch.'

I glared at Tryston, anger and despair filling my heart.

"You devils… I'll never forgive your kind."

I left soon after, my rage slowly disappearing.

***

Tryston's POV

'Ah… I want a meat bun…'

I had been stuck in the infirmary for three days now. The healers were able to regrow my foot and fingers, thankfully, and I was fully healed now. I was required to stay here though, just to make sure no one went and killed me the instant I left. I had automatically been admitted due to the orc examiner going overboard. 

Basically a pity pass. Not that I was complaining. If I wasn't here at the academy guarding her highness I was pretty much doomed to die anyway.

"Hey brat." I slowly turned my head, the old man standing next to my bed.

"What's up old man? How's it going?" The old man sighed.

"I apologize on behalf of the academy. It is simply inexcusable how you were treated."

"Meh. Comes with the territory. Stop apologizing already. More importantly, can you feed me a meat bun?" The old man stared at me blankly as a meat bun appeared on my chest.

"...No."

"Whyyyyyyy."

"Because your arms are actually healed, you just refuse to use them so you can torment me."

"Don't you feel guilty though? I almost died, you know." The old man's eye twitched.

"Classes start in seven days. Orientation for freshmen is tomorrow. You're free to head to your dorm." I sighed dramatically as the old men began to leave.

"How many ended up passing anyway?" The old man paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

"Hmm… about 80?"

"How many tested?"

"About 2,000."

"Damn. Oh yeah old man. Why didn't you tell me you were the headmaster?"

"You didn't ask?"

"Don't give me that face that says 'you should have just asked'. That's not an obvious question! Especially considering you have dementia you crazy basta–"

THWACK

"Hey! I'm in critical condition you kno–"

THWACK THWACK

"I sincerely apologize, oh gracious and handsome sir."

"Tch. Flattery will get you nowhere."

'Keke, you can't fool me.'

I cackled as the old man left, before coughing slightly.

'Anyway, let's go to my dorm.'

After thanking the healers who helped me, who all kept their distance from me, I went towards the east of the main building, arriving in front of the dorms.

"Let's see here… I think this is my room?" Arriving on the top floor, I opened a door that said 1C, Freezing in the process. The room reeked of chemicals and strange concoctions, burn marks and explosion marks covering the walls. In the center of the room lay an eerie figure, still as a rock.

"Um… Hello?"

Nothing.

I slowly walked to the body, identifying it as a gnome. Crouching and pulling out my staff, I poked the body from a distance.

'Hm. Well, it doesn't look like this guy is breathing so I think I–'

"GASP!"

"SHIT!"

THWACK THWACK

I sent the gnome flying, the body crashing into the wall before sliding down it slowly. Breathing heavily, I froze.

'Shit! Did I just finish him off?' Nervously, I walked towards the body, crouching and poking it once more.

"..."

"Hm. Nothing. Does that make me a murderer? Shit, the old man is going to kil–"

"GASP!"

"FUCK!"

THWACK THWACK THWACK

WHOOSH

The gnome landed with a thud, sliding slowly from the wall and into what appeared to be a large cauldron.

"If you're alive, stop doing that shit! Damn man!" I took a deep breath, pulling out a meat bun and eating it to calm my nerves.

'Ah… this is so good.'

"Ughhh." A groan came from the cauldron, the gnome slowly climbing out and plopping on the floor. Looking around, he stopped at me, his eyes squinting at me in confusion.

"Are you my roommate?" I nodded once, eyeing him warily.

"...Yeah… who are you?"

"Sparky Tinkerbell."

"..."

"..."

"As in, imperial heir Sparky Tinkerbell?"

"Yes that's right."

"..."

"..."

"I'm out."

"Wait wait wait!" I paused, staring at the 3 foot tall gnome suddenly clutching onto my leg like a Koala bear. He looked up at me, his eyes round and almost pleading. "You're Tryston right?"

"...Yeah?"

"You have the Erosion affinity right??"

"...Yeah??"

"I want you!"

THWACK THWACK THWACK