The scene replayed in my head all morning.
The wolves.
The fire.
The blue-haired menace with a superiority complex.
If "mister prankster" thought he could erase memories and walk away dramatically, he clearly hadn't met me properly.
Today, I hunt him.
---
I returned to the forest after training, wooden sword strapped at my side. I told no one. Not Selene. Not Theo. Definitely not Knight Seraphine, who would've tied me to a chair for "safety."
I followed the sound of water until I reached the stream from yesterday.
Nothing.
"Tsk. Don't tell me you only show up when it's convenient."
A rustle.
I spun, sword raised.
"Come out! I'm armed and mildly unstable!"
Something burst from the bushes.
I shrieked—
—and fell straight backward into the freezing stream.
The water swallowed me whole.
When I surfaced, sputtering and murderous, slow clapping echoed through the trees.
"Such a scaredy-cat," a familiar voice drawled. "And you're supposed to be his last piece of hope?"
He stepped forward.
The white Luminox shimmered—
—and melted into the form of a tall young man with blue hair and golden eyes.
Him.
I narrowed my eyes. "You could've just said hello."
"You fell on your own."
He walked closer, looking down at me like I was an unfortunate accident.
"You're clumsy. And loud."
I climbed out of the stream, dripping and furious.
"And you're dramatic and annoying. What's your point?"
He sighed, grabbed me by the waist like I weighed nothing, and placed me on a rock.
"I am not a sack of flour!" I snapped.
"What made you think bathing in a river was wise?" he replied coldly.
"I didn't—!"
A flick of his fingers.
Wind magic wrapped around me, warm and forceful, drying my clothes instantly.
I blinked.
"…Show-off."
"It's basic wind magic, brat. You would've caught a cold. Then he would complain."
There it was again.
He.
"Who is 'he'?" I demanded.
He ignored me.
"There. Now go back."
He turned to leave.
Absolutely not.
I grabbed the hem of his cloak.
He looked down slowly.
"You shouldn't touch things that don't belong to you."
"Then stop teleporting me without permission."
He raised an eyebrow.
"…You got lost again, didn't you?"
"I did not! I was looking for you!"
That got his attention.
He bent down to my eye level, golden eyes sharp.
"Oh? To thank me?"
I folded my arms. "Why does everyone in the estate think I went to my room sick yesterday?"
He straightened.
"…Because dealing with the aftermath would've been annoying."
I stared. "You altered their memories."
He shrugged. "Adjusted. Not harmed."
"That's worse!"
"You weren't injured. They weren't panicking. I solved the problem."
"You created the problem!"
He smirked.
For a second, I wanted to throw him back into the stream.
"Anyway," he muttered, "let's return before I get scolded."
I froze.
"You get scolded?"
"…Walk."
---
Halfway back, realization struck.
"You're a mage."
Silence.
"You know all types of magic."
A pause.
"Yes."
"All of it?"
"…Yes."
I stopped walking.
"Teach me."
He didn't even hesitate.
"No."
My eye twitched.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't want to."
"Don't want to? That's your grand reasoning?!"
He continued walking.
I followed.
He stopped again, annoyance visible.
"I said no."
"And I said teach me."
Bright light flashed—
—and suddenly I was in my bedroom.
I stared at my ceiling.
"…He did not just—"
---
This went on for a week.
Every day:
Me: marches into forest.
Him: appears like an overdramatic forest ghost.
Me: demands lessons.
Him: refuses.
Me: refuses to leave.
Him: teleports me home.
Over.
And over.
And over.
Until finally—
"You are the most persistent child I've ever encountered," he groaned one afternoon.
"Thank you."
"That was not praise."
"Still counts."
He exhaled sharply.
"Fine. I'll teach you."
Victory tasted sweet.
"But it will be brutal."
I grinned. "I spar with Knight Seraphine daily. I'll survive."
He looked almost impressed.
Almost.
Then he shimmered—
—and shifted back into his white Luminox form.
Two tails. Four ears. Smug expression.
"Why are you a cat again?" I asked, scooping him up.
"I am not a cat. This form is efficient. If you wander off like a lost duckling, I can find you."
"I do not wander—"
"You do."
"…Rude."
---
Sneaking him into the estate was easier than expected.
Until Annie saw him.
"Lady Evelyn—where did that come from?!"
"I found him," I replied calmly, sitting on my bed as Selene brushed my hair. "I'm keeping him."
Selene blinked. "Does the Duke know?"
"…He will."
At dinner, I placed the Luminox—currently pretending to be an exotic "Penma cat"—on my lap.
Father stared.
"Eve. What is that?"
"My new companion."
Theo leaned forward. "It has four ears."
"Fashion choice."
Mother sighed. "Is it dangerous?"
Before I could answer, the butler cleared his throat.
"It appears to resemble the rare Penma tribe. Often mistaken for Fenrirs, though far less documented."
Father looked concerned. "Are they aggressive?"
"Only when threatened."
The Luminox continued eating steak like royalty.
Mother eventually relented.
"As long as it does not harm Evelyn."
I smiled sweetly.
It wouldn't dare.
Probably.
---
Later that night, after the maids lost a battle attempting to bathe him—
(he nearly drowned Annie with wind magic)
—we were finally alone.
Windows locked.
Door shut.
He shimmered back into human form and sat at my desk.
"Your maids are persistent."
"You should see me."
He huffed.
I crossed my arms.
"Name."
He looked at me for a long moment.
"…Kaelith."
"Kaelith," I repeated slowly. "Fine. But I'm still calling you Sassy when you annoy me."
His eye twitched.
He shifted back into Luminox form and curled beside my pillow.
I lay down opposite him.
His fur brushed my cheek.
Soft.
Warm.
Annoyingly comforting.
Tomorrow, my magic training begins.
And if Kaelith thinks I'll cry or give up—
He clearly hasn't been paying attention.
---