[√]Lady of the White Rose

27: Harder Than I Thought

VESPER

"Oh, god! That's not it! Raise your arms more and feel my power!" Tila gigil na wika ni Aya sa tabi ko habang nakalutang.

"Magic power?" I open my left eye to take a peek at her but she immediately hit me in the head.

"Don't associate my power with those witchcrafts, it's Divine power, V. Divine power!"

I pouted.

"Close your eyes!"

I notice that she's been shouting more than usual today. I wonder what's gotten into her? Or is she just overexcited with having a saintess after such a long time?

"Close your eyes and feel my energy," instruction nito. Sinunod ko naman ito at pumikit at gaya nga ng sabi niya ay sinubukan kong pakiramdam ang enerhiya niya. Ngunit wala akong naramdamang kakaiba maliban na lang noong hinampas ulit nito ang ulo ko.

"What are you doing?!" She hissed.

Naiinis ko itong binalingan ng tingin. "I am doing exactly what you're saying! What is it that you want?" Hinablot ko ito sa ere at sinakal. "Ayusin mo kasi ang pagtuturo ha, hindi 'yong ang abstract ng instructions mo tapos aasahan mong maiintindihan ng sampo kong braincells!"

Nang makita kong nahihirapan na ito ay binitawan ko na rin naman siya. Umubo ito at hinabol ang hininga niya habang nakahawak sa leeg. She then glared at me.

Dinambahan ko itong hahambalusin.

"Anong klaseng Saintess ka? Sinasaktan mo ang Goddess mo!" Paghihimutok nito.

"Eh, ano namang klase Goddess ka? Hindi marunong magturo!" Singhal ko pabalik dito at benelatan. Ilang sandali pa kaming nagbangayan bago bumalik sa pag-eensayo.

Tinuturuan ako nito kung paano pakiramdaman ang Divine powers niya sa buong katawan ko. Familiarize myself with it so that I can use it with ease in the future. The problem is that, she doesn't really know how to teach... Or maybe I just don't easily get it?

No, the problem probably lies with her teachings.

She's telling me to feel her divine power and I was like feel what? What does it even feel like?

In the end, while rolling her eyes heavenwards, she fly behind me, put her tiny hands at my back and chanel her power. I suddenly feel a surge of something warm, light and a refreshing energy enter my body.

It somewhat feels familiar yet foreign. I can feel it seep through every pores in my skin and move inside my body. From my back to my arms, legs, neck, head until to my toes and fingertips. It's tracing and channeling through my every nerves.

"Maintain the flow. I'm going to withdraw my power now, you do it by yourself. Focus and let it flow." Dahan-dahan nitong inalis ang kapangyarihan niyang pumapasok sa katawan ko. "That's it, good girl."

Gaya ng sabi nito ay ginaya ko ang ginawa nita kanina. Sinubukan kong panatilihin ang daloy ng kapangyarihan sa buo kong katawan. I was so focus that I didn't realize that I was already sweating profusely.

I lost count of time until I exhale violently. The flow was broken and I was left breathless and tired. It was harder than I thought it would.

"You're getting the hang of it." Napatingin ako kay Aya. Lumipad ito sa harap ko at walang ano-anoy pinitik ang noo ko.

"Wh-what was that?" I was too tired to even get mad at her.

"Compliment." I frown with what she said. Compliment my ass.

"As my Saintess, you are the only one who can activate the Punishment skill. Punish evil, reward the good. The scale of justice will measure a person's good and bad traits and will give judgement, punishment for the evil and reward for the good." Aya explain. "However, as of the moment you can't control that yet. In certain situations it might activate unconsciously depending on your desires but on normal situations, it won't."

I tilted my head and listen fervently.

"With the Divine powers you have, healing all kinds of sickness and diseases is just piece of cake."

"How about injuries and wounds?"

"All of it,"

"How about a decapitated hand? Will I be able to regrow them again?"

"Easy. Peasy."

"How about poisons?"

"Once you perfected my blessings, you'll have a thousand poisons immunity as your vessel."

"Can I cast fireball? You used teleportation to get here, so can I cast fireball?"

"..."

"There you are again!" I hissed.

"With what?" Tila inosenteng tanong nito. I click my tongue.

"With your silence!"

"Why are you so obsessed with firing some cheap fireballs?"

"They're not cheap!"

"Cheap."

Natapos ang unang gabi ng pag-eensayo namin ni Aya ng nagbabangayan. Nagpatuloy ito ng ilang araw hanggang sa dumating ang nakatakdtang araw kung saan gaganapin ang ball sa mansyon. Lahat ay abala, halos hindi ko na makausap sina Alfonso, Clarissa at Edio dahil abala silang tatlo.

Tapos na rin naman akong ayusan nila Abby at ngayon ay naghihintay na lamang ako sa aking silid kasama siya. The recent days were awkward between us because of what happened. When I found her taking care of that maid's corpse.

I turn a blind eye and didn't interrogate her any further.

"You look so lovely today, My Lady - I mean Duchess!" Abby exclaim with eyes beaming with excitement. I smiled at her.

How can I ever doubt this girl when she's with me ever since I was born? "Thank you, Abby!"

The night proceeded as per schedule. Walang naging aberya nang magsimula ito hanggang sa ipinakilala ako ni Alfonso bilang Young Duchess sa harap ng mga high ranking nobles.

I even saw the Queen's trusted maidservant, Marchioness Hamer, in the crowd with a glass of wine in her right hand, talking with the other nobles.

Round of applause erupted the whole mansion as I descended from the gigantic, golden staircase of our mansion, clad in a glamorous silver gown adorn with diamonds and pearls.

The ball wasn't too extravagant but it wasn't too cheap either. It was classy and elegant with modesty. However, no matter how beautiful this ball is, I still feel empty seeing that I don't find the usual people beside me. Father, Kuya Kaido and Kuya Iklis.

I feel so alone -

"What's with your face?"

Ah.

"Aya, ano'ng ginagawa mo rito? Hindi ba sinabi ko sa'yong hintayin mo na lang ako sa kwarto ko? Sandali lang naman ito."

She rolled her eyes and comfortably sit on my lap. "I don't want to. What if you run away while I wasn't looking? Now that you know how to use teleportation, I think you'll use that to escape from me, hmp!"

"How can I even escape from a Goddess?" Tila natatawa kong tanong dito. She looks like she's sulking.

"You can't. Unless you're my Saintess."

Magsasalita pa sana ako nang iangat nito ang ulo niya at may tinignan mula sa malayo. Sinundan ko ang tinitignan nito.

"That magician," panimula nito. "He's strong, be careful, V."

Ramdam ko ang kaseryosohan sa boses nito kaya muli kong tinignan kung sino ang tinutukoy niya. Agad naman akong nabahala dahil isang pamilyar na mukha ang nakita ko.

The unnamed magician I have a feud with.