Note: I have decided to continue the story here instead of splitting it into two different book. Enjoy :)
***
The sun arose just now. Its warm light gave the people a sign that a new day has arrived. As the morning began, the street started to be full with merchants who tried to sell their goods. But Seraphine was already headed home. She held a heavy bag on her back. It contained with vegetables and fruits.
She looked like in a hurry because she walked with long strides through the market. An unpleasant expression was shown on her face, but she smiled every time some people greeted her. She had such a lovely smile, but it was gone in a flash after those people were passed by. It made them wondered what had happened to the girl.
"Welcome home, Seraphine. That was a quick shopping." Vysenna said with a smile when the girl entered the house.
"Master, where's that idiot?"
Vysenna tilted her head. "Alexei? Isn't he already go to the frontier?" Her mind began to re-picture a note that he left on his room door.
"Hah! That demon is clever to not show himself in front of me. He isn't at Redwick. He just went home this morning, Master! I heard it from the girls, the one who work on the red district."
The forty-two years old woman shook her head. "That wild young man. I'm getting tired of giving him punishments."
"Luckily, I'm not." She said followed by an evil laugh. "I'm going to torment him."
"Sera!"
***
Seven years was gone in a blink of eyes. Vysenna never thought that she will meet the girl again after the Glaive incident. She thought that it would be the last time she saw her because she failed to prevent the incident, but apparently, the God of Destiny may have another plan. Those two were successfully got out from the burning warehouse and arrived at the inn.
Also, because of that incident, Seraphine had gained her magic. It took a long time to teach her the basic of magic due to her weak magic power, but somehow her power was increased every time she practiced. Now, she was as awesome as Alexei, her first apprentice. Even so, she still lacked confidence. That was a fatal for her because it made her failed her first test to become a soldier at Redwick, a fort that border Crimson Kingdom with its enemy, Cerulean Empire.
It's been nine months since they lived in this small town near the frontier and it's almost two years since Vysenna retired from being the leader of the silver foot. Now she lived here with Selwyn, Ayaka, and her two apprentices. Such a peaceful life that she desired since she ran away from her homeland. After all of those adventures she had, she never dreamt that she would be able to live like this, although it wasn't a really peaceful life.
"ALEXEI!" Sera shouted after blasted his room door. Her voice must have sounded throughout the house. "You're a lazy idiot demon! Get up now! Aren't you have a training on the frontier this morning?"
"Shut up, shorty! I want to sleep." Alexei remained to lie on his bed and pulled his blanket by his free left arm.
Because words didn't work on him anymore, Sera began to pull his hand to make wake him up, but Alexei was so heavy. She didn't strong enough to move him an inch.
"Wake up, Alexei!"
"I won't."
The two of them had just started their first childish fight this morning.
"Wake. Up. Now!" Sera suppressed every word that out of her mouth. In the end of her sentence, she pulled Alexei's blanket to force him to wake up. She didn't realize that his clothes were scattered on the floor near the bed.
"Kyaaa! Put on some clothes, you pervert!" Sera screamed after she pulled the blanket. Apparently, Alexei only wears his shorts while he slept.
Sera threw the blanket to his face.
"Ack!" Alexei groaned in pain. The blanket had turned into a big ball that perfectly landed on his face.
It made him woke up, though. He sat on his bed without even bother to cover his hip. "It hurts, you know."
Sera turned her face back to yell at him again, but when she saw Alexei's muscled body she threw her shoe to his forehead.
"The heck! Why are you keep throwing something to my face?!"
"Put on some clothes or at least cover your body!"
"Jeez... It's not the first time for you to see me shirtless."
Alexei stood up to wear his pant before climbed back to the bed. Then he wore his shirt on but left it unbuttoned. The reason why was he obey the girl it was because Sera still had her right shoe.
'Like hell, I want to see your body.' Despite her mean thought, Sera couldn't resist blushing. She really was embarrassed when Alexei mentioned it.
"What do you want?" Alexei said after leaning.
"Aren't you have a training?"
"What? Turn around. I can't hear you well if you mumbled like that."
Sera turned slowly and took a peek first to know if the boy was already dressed properly or not. Then she faced him with her hand crossed on her chest while she repeated her question loudly. "I said aren't you have a training today?"
"Ah." He gave Sera a grin. It was his hottest smile that will make any girl fall in love at the first sight, but it didn't work on Sera.
"I took a day off." He spoke in the end. His face completely told Sera that he hadn't slept at all.
"If so, help us at the bar. Master will open the restaurant in a minute, but Selwyn-san isn't come home yet."
"I'll help you at noon. Let me sleep for a few hours." He threw himself back to the bed.
Didn't satisfy with his answer, Sera moved closer to him. She took a deep breath and stooped low to Alexei's ear. But before she could scream to his ear, Alexei was already grabbed her hand and pulled her towards himself. As the result, the girl fell into his arm.
"Alexei! What are you doing? Let me go!" Sera struggled to get out from the deathly trap.
"Shh... silence or I will keep hug you like this."
"I don't want to get a hug from you! Let go of me! NOW!"
"Many girls want me to hold their hands or maybe just touch them, but I give you a hug. So don't move and enjoy this moment, okay?"
Sera's face was completely turned as red as a tomato now.
"Let go of me, Alexei! Or I will punch you."
The more Sera resisted, the tighter he hugged her. "I'll release you if you stay quiet for a minute."
He loosened his hug, so the girl could breathe. It also made Sera be able to lift her face and stared into Alexei's red eyes. A rage reflected in her eyes, but it was gone in a flash after she realized that her face was too close with Alexei's.
Then...
***
