Chapter 106 - The Perverted Young Master

Skyle woke up with bloodshot eyes. It was small wonder, since he had barely gotten any sleep at all.

It wasn’t because there had been any issues while returning home. Even under the bright light of the full moon, Skyle had no trouble slipping from shadow to shadow on his way home. The 20 foot climb of the academy’s outer wall might have been a stiff challenge for most children his age, but to Skyle it had been almost as effortless as climbing a ladder. Years of competing against a streak of snowblade tigers in the playground had many added benefits, after all.

No, he had arrived home just fine, with no one the wiser. But upon stripping down and climbing into the unfamiliar bed, Skyle had spent the entire night rolling back and forth, unable to find any peace. His mind was still grappling with the knowledge he had gained, and even more importantly, its implications.

“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

This quote from “The War of Nations” still lingered in his mind. He gnawed upon the words as though it were a scrap of food stuck between his teeth. He worried at it all night, on and off, unable to remove it or forget about it entirely. He worried about his friend Leon, but also about himself.

Already, he could see how much he had changed from the innocent boy from only two weeks prior. Would he even be able to recognize himself after he graduated from the academy and Talon’s Shadow training?

“Yes, and your training as well, Little Shadow.”

Skyle almost rolled his eyes, but knew he’d never hear the end of it from his new teacher, and so he refrained. To his chagrin, Talon had only shrugged his shoulders when Skyle had walked up to him and asked him where he should drop off Little Shadow. Only then had he found out that Little Shadow was there to stay. When he had pointed at the disturbing ball of darkness that protruded from his shoulder, Little Shadow had obligingly melted into a black paste that seeped through his skin until he was invisible to the naked eye.

Skyle shuddered, as the memory still creeped the hell out of him.

Of course, right now Skyle felt an overwhelming surge of gratitude that the great teacher had deigned to dwell by his side in order to further direct his footsteps.

Skyle had to roll his eyes at that. To think that there would be a day when he missed having his head all to himself. Surprisingly, Little Shadow let that errant thought pass.

Skyle sat up and stretched his back, letting out a huge yawn. Scratching his ear, he tossed back the silken sheets with care. He had a vague idea of how hideously expensive such luxuries must be, and the last thing he wanted was to damage any more of the academy’s property.

“Then again, with 225,000 golds on my tab, how much worse could it possibly get?”

Shaking his head, he chided himself because he really didn’t need any more depressing news today. That hideous book last night had brought more than enough of that. Instead, he walked onto the balcony to gaze out at the first glimmers of dawn streaking through the distant horizon.

Below him, the vast beast of smooth brick and polished stone that was Aegis Academy began to stir into fitful life, with a few scattered lights already glowing brightly under the pre-dawn gloom. Skyle breathed in the cold morning air, but sadly that delightful mountain air that smelled of wet earth and blosoming wildflowers was missing. Instead, the smells of food were intermixed with that peculiar scent he scrunched his nose at whenever he visited Sunny Meadow.

It wasn’t dirty, like sewage, or the smell of sweat and unwashed armpits. Instead, it was that distinct scent of civilization, of brick and mortar and perfumed crowds. It was difficult to lay his finger on, but Skyle found himself starkly reminded of just how much he was already missing home.

“I wonder if da and ma are alright? Are they thinking of us, wherever they are right now?”

Skyle indulged in a wistful grin, somehow blindly certain that they were. Already, he missed his mother’s biscuits and her gentle smile. He even began to look back fondly upon the sword lessons he had once avoided like the plague.

“Enough. Time to make myself useful.”

It was only then that Skyle realized he didn’t really have anything to do, just at the moment. There were no ditches to dig, no animals to feed, or to crops to tend to. He found himself at a complete loss. He couldn’t even wander into the kitchen to see if he could help with the cooking. He could still recall in vivid detail the harrowing ordeal where he had been mistaken for a perverted maid molester.

His stomach chose this exact moment to growl, reminding him that he was starving. He had gone through all of his reserves last night, and was feeling completely depleted. Only his depressed mood had prevented him from wandering down to the kitchen for a late night snack.

After a long moment of indecision, Skyle twisted his lips in distaste and reached out to pull upon the velvet rope hanging next to his bed. The ornate bell sounded nothing like what the boy had expected, ringing with a mellow and relaxing chiming sound.

Only a few breaths later, Skyle was startled by the knocking upon his door. The sound itself was very gentle, but he began to suspect whether the poor serving staff had been posted at his door since before dawn. Surely not, right?

“Just a moment.”

Unable to find any of his clothes for some reason, Skyle was reduced to snatching a robe hanging by the bedside and draping it over his shoulders. He had barely tied it with a loose knot when he noticed the smell coming from it. Was that perfume?

“Uh, please come on in.”

The doors parted and Nessa walked in, dressed in an immaculate black-and-white maid outfit. She had tied her hair back into a neat ponytail that accented the beautiful shape of her face.

“Young Master, you called?” Nessa held her skirts with both hands as she bent her knees in greeting.

“Good morning, Nessa. How are you this morning?”

Skyle put on his friendliest smile, hoping to leave the unsavory events of yesterday far behind. At first, Nessa seemed at ease from Skyle’s warm greeting. But then her smile faltered visibly as she arose from her curtsy and looked at Skyle. Her cheeks began to flush with color as she averted her gaze, lowering her eyes.

“I’m feeling very well, Young Master. I- I stand ready to serve you however you wish.”

Skyle’s brow furrowed as his smile wilted. What was going on? Had he said something wrong again? Looking down in confusion, Skyle spotted the problem almost immediately. Through the thin layers of the silken robe he was wearing, Little Skyle was standing in stiff attention, announcing his presence to the entire world.

Blushing furiously, Skyle spun on his heel and quickly covered himself up with an extra layer of blankets. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Nessa shuffling her feet uncomfortably while her gaze was still fixated upon the floor at her feet.

“Uh, Nessa, please bring me some food. Thank you. You can leave now. Please.”

Babbling in his embarrassment, Skyle couldn’t even turn around as he waddled sideways toward his wardrobe. Nessa seemed caught by an inner struggle as she wrung her hands but did not leave the room. Instead, she took a deep breath and approached Skyle with dainty steps.

“Y-Young Master, your breakfast is being prepared. Please allow me to assist you with your garments.”

Skyle nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt Nessa’s hands upon his shoulders, nervously drawing back upon its folds.

“No, don’t!” He cried out, snatching the robe out of her hands and jumping away. At least, he tried to.

Instead, his abrupt motion made him step over the oversized robe he was wearing. The smooth fabric slid from under his foot and upended him head over heels. He heard a startled cry beside his shoulder, and turned just in time to see Nessa reaching toward him.

The momentum of his fall took them both off their feet. He instinctively wrapped his arms around Nessa, doing his best to cushion her fall with his body. Then it was all a blur of motion as they tumbled to the ground.

He squeezed his eyes shut against the pain flaring from his back. The next thing he knew, he felt a warm breath brushing against his lips. His nostrils flared involuntarily as he smelled the clean scent of herbal soap.

Skyle's eyes popped open and met Nessa's breathless gaze. Limpid eyes of emerald green glittered like those of a startled doe. Her entire body shook like the leaf of a tree, her hands tightening ever so slightly where they clutched at Skyle's chest.

A tide of fire completely unfamiliar to Skyle hit him in the chest like an anvil. His whole body shook as his arms gathered the girl in his arms closer. She closed her eyes, long eyelashes fluttering weakly as her pink lips parted slightly. As she drew closer, a single tear leaked out of a corner of her eyes.

"Little Shadow, enough is enough!"

Skyle bit his tongue and the sharp sting instantly brought him back to his senses. He set Nessa down beside him and immediately rolled to his feet. He backed away into a corner of the room, all the while feeling wretched at what he had put the poor girl through.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw the stricken look in Nessa's face and groaned inside. Now he was truly a pervert, through and through.

“Are you alright, Nessa?"

Nessa nodded mutely, smoothing down her dress with shaking hands. A deep flush covered her entire face, however. No matter that she was several years older than him, there was an artless innocence to her that was captivating.

"Nessa, I'm sorry. Please believe me when I say that was an accident."

"Of course, Young Master. I'm deeply sorry for my clumsiness."

"No, it's not your fault. I don’t need your help for now. I’m used to dressing by myself. Please, could you just bring the food?”

Nessa curtsied again. “As the Young Master commands.”

She backed away from the room with unsteady steps, and Skyle didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

"Little Shadow!" Skyle cried out, outraged. He had no idea his new teacher was such a pervert! Even now, he could feel unfamiliar desires flaring within his chest. Such fire trailed down toward his groin, where there was even more excitement.

Human females were such delightful creatures, he reflected. Perhaps this entire ordeal wouldn't be such a big waste of his time, after all. Now, if he could just sidle up a little closer to those delightful twin peaks next time..

"No! I'm in enough trouble as it is, with the whole staff thinking I'm a lecherous pervert!"

Was it hypocrisy or idiocy? He really couldn't decide which would be worse. In any case, as a sage teacher, it was part of his duty to initiate the young into the wonders of the procreative process.

Gagging, Skyle flung his wardrobe open and tried on his new academy uniform. They were glittering, loose-fitting robes in the Aegis colors of azure and white. They were quite the eyesore, but then again, they were also likely the most expensive clothes Skyle had ever put on. They fit perfectly, and he wondered how they had gotten his measurements. The silky smooth texture of the fabric was unfamiliar to Skyle, but it made him feel uncomfortable, almost as though by wearing another skin he was slowly changing into a whole different creature. That was without even considering Little Shadow besieging his mind with inappropriate thoughts.

By then, there was a light rapping at the door.

“Come in, please. Oh, it’s you, Jameson. Good morning!”

Jameson bowed low in the same impeccable butler’s outfit he had been wearing yesterday. They were uniformly black along with his crisply pressed white shirt. Behind him came Nessa bearing a gleaming silver platter that was covered with a fancy metallic dome. She didn’t seem to feel any strain even though the platter was almost four feet wide. Such strength must come from elemental strengthening. Were even the servants at the academy gifted with the elements?

“Good tidings to you, Young Master. I must apologize for neglecting your breakfast. I had not expected you to be such an early riser. It bodes well for brilliance to be accompanied by industriousness.”

Skyle waved off the compliment. “Like I said, I’m just a farmboy and I’m used to waking up early for chores. As a matter of fact, from now on I would like make breakfast..”

He trailed off when he caught Jameson’s uncomfortable look, and quickly amended his words.

“I mean, I’d like breakfast to be ready for me when I return from my morning run. It should be around this time.”

Jameson’s thin eyebrows sagged down in relief. “It shall be as you command, Young Master. Thank you for allowing us to serve you.”

Nessa carefully set down the platter at a table and lifted the cover. Just at a glance, Skyle counted three different breads, all of them whiter and finer than the next; five different cold meats, including three he didn’t recognize; three sausages, each of different size and color; four types of cheese, each neatly sliced into an elaborate circle; fruits such as grapes, berries, nectarines, plums, pears, and apples; and a mug of wine, a cup of milk, and a glass of fruit juice.

Staring goggle-eyed at the feast spread out before his eyes, Skyle gulped loudly as his stomach once again growled like a hungry beast. Nessa blushed as she bobbed her head and retreated behind Jameson. The old servant’s face didn’t so much as twitch as he bowed before Skyle.

“I can see that the Young Master has quite the appetite. Once again, please allow me to apologize for the wait. It shall not happen again.”

Shaking his head, Skyle finally closed his gaping mouth. At least he didn’t need to wipe the drool off his chin.

“No, Jameson. This is more than enough. I didn’t mean for the breakfast for the whole household to be held in my room.”

“Young Master, that’s just your individual portion. Perhaps this current assortment is far too heavy and formal for your tastes? Then I shall ensure that there is a larger variety available for your enjoyment tomorrow in the morning, Young Master.”

Skyle opened his mouth to deny it, but then gave up altogether. Every time he tried to remedy the situation, it only got worse. Nodding gratefully to Jameson, Skyle kept a neutral smile on his face while the servants left the room and closed the door behind.

After gorging himself with the food and activating the Maw of the Void, Skyle was instantly struck by the wave of pleasurable warmth that spread out from his core. It rejuvenated his limbs and sent a comfortable tingling down his skin. In the Infinite Eye, he could see his muscles greedily absorbing as much of the green energy as they could. Even Skyle was shocked at the amount of food he had consumed by the time he was done. Perhaps it was a good thing Jameson had offered to bring more food tomorrow - he might need it.

Wrapping up breakfast, Skyle glanced toward the doorway, but then he smirked to himself and vaulted over the balcony instead. He landed from the two-story drop with cat-like grace. His strengthened muscles were already showing results, as they absorbed the shock without needing Skyle to roll in order to mitigate the impact.

Scanning the courtyard, Skyle didn’t see anybody. Nodding in satisfaction, he dashed toward a nearby wall and with a quick series of leaps, reached the top of the twelve foot wall. Using his momentum, he crested the wall and used one arm to hold himself upside down while glancing back toward the house. Then he pushed himself off and landed on the other side, where a deserted walkway lay.

He took off at a near-sprint, maintaining his speed along a route he had already mapped out yesterday while sneaking out of the academy. By avoiding the main throughways, he found a good combination of rough terrain and numerous stairs, or at least the best he could find within the fancy academy campus.

The sun was not fully out yet, and most of the academy lay silent in its slumber. It suited Skyle just fine, as he enjoyed the crisp morning air and he imagined himself back in his morning routine at the farm. The smells and sights were different, but the addictive feeling of pushing himself to his limits was the same. He set a punishing pace for himself, almost twice as fast as the one he’d used with Leon. Before long, he was breathing harshly, beads of sweat trickling down his face. His uniform was soaked, and Skyle felt a stab of regret at soiling the fancy clothes.

By the time he returned, Skyle estimated he had run 5 miles in well under half an hour. It wasn’t his best, but when accounting for his unfamiliarity with the course and the lack of proper rest, it was passable.

When he opened the doors of the villa using the magical key he had been provided, Nessa nearly dropped the pitcher she held in her hand in surprise.

“Y-Young Master? When did you-?”

She looked over her shoulder at the stairs leading up to the second floor, then back toward Skyle as though she couldn’t believe her eyes.

Skyle coughed embarrassedly. “I’m used to sneaking out quietly. I didn’t want to disturb any of you. Are my brother and sister awake yet?”

Nessa quickly schooled her expression back into a semblance of calm.

“I’m afraid they’re still within their chambers, Young Master. Should I send for them?”

“That won’t be necessary,” came a familiar voice over his shoulder.

Skyle spun on his heel and instantly regretted it. Arms coiled around his head as he was drawn forward with a strangled croak. The same pair of breasts that had tormented him yesterday yielded under the pressure as his face was smushed into them by the enthusiastic embrace.

“Dear Skyle, you’re such a hard worker! Already up and about when it is only your first day. You’re sure to set a new standard for all geniuses at the academy.”

Syrene Le Sueur grinned down at Skyle as she squeezed fondly. The motion brought his face to even more alarming proximity to the bare skin of her generous breasts. She wore an outfit that was as scandalous as yesterday’s. A fur-lined, strapless dress of scarlet and black accentuated her slim waist while displaying the magnificent curves of her breasts in their full splendor.

“Madam Summoner, please let me-”

Skyle could barely manage a few babbling words past the wild lust roaring into life within his chest, courtesy of Little Shadow. Why, the little pervert would be the death of him! This was a summoner we were talking about. A sage stage summoner!

A warning shake made his brain rattle, as if he weren’t flustered enough already.

“Just one day and you’re already regressing. Now, try again or I’m never letting go.”

Skyle looked up imploringly but was met with a cold sniff. Helpless, he was forced to concede.

“S-Syrene, please let go of me first.”

Syrene’s gorgeous features sagged down as she had the audacity to pout at Skyle. The boy nearly fainted on the spot. An exalted summoner of the sage stage, and she stood there glowering at Skyle with the sullen look of an affronted schoolgirl.

“You don’t even look happy to see me. And here I interrupted my beauty sleep in order to come see you first thing, worried sick about you.”

Skyle’s lips slowly parted into the best apologetic smile he could manage under the circumstances. Squashed against her bosom as he was, it was not nearly as easy as it should have been.

“Syrene, thanks for coming to see me.”

If his voice sounded strained and the words were a tad mechanical, he couldn’t be blamed. He felt as though he were being smothered under the seemingly boundless expanse of her breasts. That heady scent of rose and lilac once again assaulted his nostrils in full force, making his head spin.

“Liar, you’re just saying that.”

Suppressing a groan, Skyle gave it another shot. Anything to be released from this torture. Already, his brain was a spongy mess, stirred into chaos by Syrene's teasing and Little Shadow's over-enthusiastic response.

“Syrene, I’m so glad to see you! I’m moved beyond words that you’d take the time to visit me at such an early hour. You’re the bestest ever!”

“You mean it?”

Smiling as earnestly as he could at her dubious gaze, Skyle nodded, or at least he tried. His head was still trapped in between her breasts, which made any motion particularly dangerous.

“Aw, that’s so nice of you to say.”

Syrene finally let go with a happy sigh. Skyle quickly backed away while clutching at his neck, his breath labored as though he were still in the middle of his morning run.

“Syrene, what brings you here?” The look in her face was enough of a warning that he quickly backed up a couple more steps while holding his hands up before him in a placating manner. It was the best he could do. If it were up to him, he’d already be halfway back to the farm, running as hard as he could. “I mean, to what do I owe the unsurpassing pleasure of your company so early?”

Syrene grinned at her newest disciple as though she could read exactly what was running through his mind.

“I came to set your mind at ease. The academy’s board has decided that we will place the malfunctioning equipment under deferred investigation, pending a probationary period during which your activities will be closely monitored.”

“What does that mean?” Skyle stared blankly at her.

“It means if you play nice and show just a tiny dash of that brilliance I know you have deep within, the academy will be happy to ignore the 450,000 gold fee for replacing the broken artifacts.”

Skyle’s heart plummeted to his feet and his blood ran cold.

“I thought it was 225,000 golds,” he squeaked, then coughed to clear his voice.

“Oh, after a closer investigation, they found that they had to replace several spell matrices in the regis testing circle. It seems a few of the essence conduits were stressed beyond their capacity and were on the verge of collapse.”

“B-But it wasn’t my fault.”

Skyle tried his best to ignore the eloquent arch of Syrene’s eyebrow. He figured his best chance to come out of this in one piece was to plead ignorance.

Syrene nodded to him with a coy smile curving her full, teasing lips.

“That’s right, it was nothing but an accident. Which is why you’re only being placed under probation. So long as no other priceless magical artifact is damaged in your presence, everything should go back to normal in the next few months.”

A profound sense of unease skittered across his back as he slowly parted his lips.

“What if, and I’m just saying if, there’s another unfortunate accident?”

“450,000 golds,” Syrene said flatly, her words descending upon Skyle’s head like a guillotine.

“I-I see.”

Gulping loudly, Skyle’s trembling lips stretched into an effigy of a smile.

“Cheer up, Skyle. At least you weren’t the one who had to sit before those old farts and argue with them for an entire afternoon.”

Rolling her eyes, Syrene drew Skyle closer and placed a metal object in his hand.

“What’s this?”

“That’s the reason why I came over today. Contrary to what you may believe, my time is actually a very scarce commodity.”

Skyle stared dumbly at the bronze badge in his hand. A single shield glittered brightly under the morning sun, though no stars were carved within. His hand tightened convulsively over this small metallic object that was the sublimation of the most fervent desires of his naive childhood.

He had done it. He was finally an official student of Aegis Academy. It was only now that he felt the hard edges of the badge in his hand digging into the flesh of his palm that the full weight of reality finally set it.

Syrene smiled indulgently at the boy without speaking. She seemed to understand that this was somehow special, and allowed him to bask in the moment.

“Thank you, Syrene,” Skyle said quietly after a while, his eyes still riveted upon the plain bronze badge.

“No need, Skyle. I suspect before long, it will be the Academy thanking you instead.”

Skyle looked up in askance at that, but Syrene merely flashed that enigmatic smile of hers and shook off his query.

“Your parents insisted on enrolling you into the Warrior School. It seems like a waste of potential, but perhaps it will help you better acclimate yourself to the academy life. Report to the Warrior School today, the earlier the better. I suspect they will want to test you in their own barbaric ways. They better not hurt you, or they’ll get it from me.”

Syrene shook her fist in a menacing fashion, but to him it only made her look silly. Though he knew she was a summoner of vast powers, he was having trouble taking the woman seriously. Who could blame him?

“After that, you may select your courses at your own leisure. Just make sure to read up on the rules. You need to earn 10 academy credits for your freshman class. Don’t worry too much about it though, you’re with me and I pity the fool who dares to mess with you.”

Skyle grinned at that, remembering how cowed the masters had been at yesterday’s tests.

“I’d take you myself, but I will be leaving shortly.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be spending the next few days at a board meeting held at the main branch of Aegis at Glory Peak. All the senior staff has been summoned.”

“Is something wrong?”

Syrene waved her hand. “Probably just a false alarm from nervous fools. Nothing you need to worry about. I’ll be back as soon as I can. If you need to contact me for any reason, use this.”

Skyle felt a stab of unease at her words, but Syrene didn’t seem to notice as she plopped down another item in his hand. It was a glistening orb barely the size of a grape. It was smooth to the touch and completely transparent, made of a material much like clear glass. Skyle could see a complex set of spell matrices tightly curled within. He held it up as he stared into it with curious eyes.

“What’s this?”

“That’s an echo orb. It can be used for communication over long distances. That one will allow you to send messages to me in case of an emergency.”

Skyle’s pupils widened as he stared at the magical artifact in his hand.

“But I can’t use elemental essence.”

“That’s fine. I’ve already charged it up for you. You only need to squeeze it tightly while thinking of me. It will light up, allowing you to start talking. Only use it for emergencies though. It’s such a chore to charge up an echo orb, even for me.”

Skyle studied the flows of essence within the orb. Looking up at Syrene, he could detect a similar tone of essence had been largely depleted from her aura. It must take a great deal of power if even a sage summoner needed to exhaust herself in order to charge up the echo orb.

Touched deeply in spite of himself, Skyle nodded to Syrene.

“Thank you for everything, Syrene.”

“Words are cheap, dear Skyle. If you really want to thank me, how about a little farewell kiss before I leave?”

Syrene’s glistening lips drew closer as she bent over him. Skyle let out a startled shriek as he quickly backpedaled, holding his arms up as though to ward off a ferocious beast’s assault. Little Shadow veritably howled in frustration, but the boy could care less.

“No? Well, perhaps next time, then.”

Winking at Skyle with that mischievous spark in her eye, Syrene turned around and waved over her shoulder as she left the villa.

Skyle stared after the summoner for a long moment before he heard a resigned sigh at his back. Turning around, he detected a distinct slump to Nessa’s shoulders as she looked down at her bosom. Her breasts were full and round, though not nearly as big as Syrene’s.

Nessa happened to look up and meet Skyle’s stare just as he was thinking that. Caught red-handed, Skyle quickly averted his gaze, but not before the damage was done.

This time, he didn’t bother with excuses. Maybe he should just resign himself to being consigned as the boobies pervert of Belleview villa.

Recalling that heady scent of roses and lilac, Skyle did not seem to notice as his gaze grew distant and a wistful smile took over his expression.