Test

Kael maintains a steady gaze at Des, his expression a blend of affection and resolve. "Des, I can't promise you that. All my classmates have plans." He playfully messes up her hair, attempting to lighten the mood. "We'll talk about it later. Have you guys eaten with Lysandra?"

Ash and Des exchange a glance, a hint of concern flickering between them. "We already ate, but Lysandra is really angry," Ash admits, his voice tinged with worry.

Des nods in agreement, her expression serious. "Yeah, she looks very scary when she's angry," she adds, her voice barely above a whisper. Kael rubs his temples, his thoughts clouded with annoyance. 'I hope it's not too bad. We're going to be leaving soon,' he muses internally.

Turning his attention back to the kids, Kael scrutinizes them, his mind analyzing their progress. 'Des is doing well. Her growth rate is a bit slower than Ash's, but that's expected. Ash could be better, but he's too lazy. Once the place is done, I'll send them both,' he contemplates.

"Ash, train some more. And Des, good job. If Ash doesn't train, you'll be faster than him in no time," he encourages them. Des smirks victoriously, sticking her tongue out at Ash. In response, Ash declares confidently, "Haha! I won't let you get faster than me." With that, he darts off, his competitive spirit ignited.

"I'm going to beat you up!" Des retorts, her determination fueling her chase. She runs off in pursuit of her brother. Kael exhales deeply, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. 'Kids will be kids,' he reflects, his heart lightened by their spirited banter.

Ascending the stairs, Kael finally arrives at his room. 'For some reason, Lysandra doesn't want a room here. She just uses mine however she pleases. It's annoying, but we're never really here, so it's no big deal,' he thinks, his mind drifting to the peculiar arrangement.

As he slowly opens the door, a 'creaaaak' echoes through the room. Inside, Lysandra covers her ears with her hands, her head forcefully buried in the bed. "Aughhhh! Stop it! Stop it!" she yells, her anger palpable. Kael pauses, 'It's worse than I thought. How long will this last?' he wonders, stepping into the room.

"Yo, Lysandra, can yo—" he begins, only to be interrupted by a sudden ice pillar. Reacting swiftly, Kael lifts his arm, his glove transforming into a shield that blocks the attack. 'Okay, I can't have her break this place,' he resolves, stepping back to assess the situation.

Spotting a candle lantern nearby, Kael seizes it, his mind racing for a solution. 'I guess this will have to work,' he muses, a slight sigh escaping his lips. "I'm going to struggle with this thing for you, you damn bastard," he mutters, lighting the candle with his fire affinity. The dark red flame flickers, sending a shiver down his spine. 'I hate this flame. It's so fucking uncomfortable,' he reflects.

Kael reenters the room cautiously, making his way to the bed where Lysandra rests. It doesn't take long for the lantern's gentle glow to soothe her. Her hands slowly withdraw from her ears, and she sits up, her eyes blinking in the dim light. Without a word, she takes the lantern from Kael, hugging it close as if it were a lifeline.

Kael's eyebrow arches in mild reprimand. "I told you using magic in here is prohibited. If you'd used fire instead of ice, you could've burned down this place." Lysandra remains silent, merely clutching the lantern, the warmth seemingly comforting her. Minutes later, as she finally calms, she murmurs, "It's so warm..."

Kael, now reclining on the bed, probes further, "Yo, what's going on?" Lysandra's stomach breaks the silence with a loud, unmistakable growl of hunger. After a pause, she confesses, "Kael... I'm hungry."

Kael exhales, a mix of concern and exasperation in his tone. "You don't say," he says, rolling his eyes before standing up and stretching. "Okay, I'll cook some—" His offer is abruptly cut off by Des, who knocks on the door before announcing, "Um, Kael, some lady outside says she wants to talk to you and Lysandra."

"Huh?" Kael mutters, scratching his head in confusion. He walks downstairs, guiding a still-distracted Lysandra with him. As he opens the door, his eyes widen in shock. 'W-what is she doing here?' he thinks, taken aback.

The lady outside greets them with a warm smile. "Oh my~ look at you two holding hands, don't tell me you're dating~"

Kael hurriedly releases Lysandra's hand, trying to clarify the situation. "O-of course not. It's just difficult to get her to do anything, so I usually drag her everywhere. B-but, w-what business does Duchess Rosalind have with us?" he inquires, striving to maintain a respectful demeanor.

Duchess Rosalind's beauty is undeniable, her one hazel eye and one piercing green eye captivating Kael every time. She's dressed casually, her simple attire making her look like a college student. She smirks playfully. "Oh my~ Don't tell me you're falling in love with an old lady~"

Kael, maintaining his composure, responds politely. "Old lady? No way, you still look young and beautiful."

She waves off the compliment with a chuckle. "Oh, stop it~ Save the compliments for my daughter."

At that moment, Des rushes back, holding Kael's usual pouch and Lysandra's as well. "Here it is!" she exclaims, handing them to Kael with excitement. Kael's confusion deepens. "Huh? Why did you bring these?"

Des's expression is one of knowing disappointment. "V, that's her mom!" she says, as if explaining to a child.

Kael rubs his temples, still trying to piece together the situation. Duchess Rosalind acknowledges Des's gesture with gratitude. "Thank you, little kid~" With a snap of her fingers, she teleports Kael and Lysandra with her.

Kael looks around, trying to make sense of their new surroundings. 'I've never been here, but based on the reinforced door in front of me and the sign that says 'I'm sleeping, stay out!', I'm guessing this is Biana's home, and this is her room,' he surmises.

Duchess Rosalind reveals her intention with a hint of mischief. "I thought it would be more fun to bring all the students going to the Elven Kingdom together here ahead of time."

Kael turns to Duchess Rosalind with a stern expression, ready to address the breach of protocol. "Isn't that a breach of privacy? Under the Academy section A-1B—" His attempt at citing the regulations is swiftly interrupted as Duchess Rosalind taps her chin thoughtfully, her surprise evident.

"Wow~ I didn't think any student read those files," she comments, a devious smile playing on her lips. She circles behind Kael, her presence imposing yet intriguing. "No need to make a big deal out of it. You'll be heading out soon, but I thought I'd test a couple of people," she explains nonchalantly.

Her fingers tap the metallic door rhythmically as she lays out her challenge. "To the people I test, the person who manages to get to Biana in the shortest timespan..." she muses, tapping her chin. "How about I give them anything they want, as long as it's reasonable?" Her smile widens, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

She stretches casually, her gaze fixed on Kael. "I'm curious to see how her classmates deal with her. As you know, my daughter is problematic, so I need to confirm this and that before I send her to the Elven kingdom," she states matter-of-factly.

Kael smirks, intrigued by the proposition. "Anything?" he inquires, his mind already formulating a plan.

She smirks back, raising a finger. "Anything."

Approaching the door, Kael asserts confidently, "I hope you keep your word."

Duchess Rosalind grins mischievously, her amusement apparent. "You're awfully confident," she remarks.

Kael shrugs nonchalantly. "Dealing with her is really easy." He taps on the door, his thoughts clear. 'No way I'm breaking this.'

He turns to Duchess Rosalind, curiosity piqued. "Has anyone else been here?"

She nods, her expression revealing a hint of pride. "Only Isadora managed to get through."

Kael laughs softly, a plan forming in his mind. "Hmhmhm, that makes things easier." He reaches into his pouch, extracting his entire kitchen setup and arranging it meticulously in the hallway.

Duchess Rosalind raises an eyebrow, her confusion palpable. "What are you doing...?" she inquires, bewildered by the unusual strategy.

Kael begins preparing pizza, his focus undeterred. "You'll see," he replies confidently, sliding the pizza into the oven. "I can start the test whenever I want, right?"

She nods, her curiosity intensifying.

"Alright, I'll start the test now." Kael approaches the door, takes a deep breath, and then shouts, "Isadora! It's V! I'm making lunch! I'll give you some if you drag Biana out here!"

Kael turns to Duchess Rosalind, counting down confidently. "3...2...1." As anticipated, the door slams open, and Isadora, with her usual stoic expression, emerges, dragging Biana by the back of her shirt and handing her over to Kael.

Kael casually tosses Biana aside, her groans filling the hallway. "U-uughh... you bitch..." she mutters, her annoyance palpable.

Kael faces Duchess Rosalind triumphantly. "I won, right?"

Duchess Rosalind's eyebrows rise in surprise. "How did you know Isadora was in there?" she asks, genuinely intrigued by his tactics.

Kael shrugs, his demeanor calm and assured. "I just guessed. If she wasn't there, I would've used a different approach. But in the end, it doesn't matter." He gestures towards the girls, who are already devouring the pizza, even the usually lazy Biana partaking eagerly.

Duchess Rosalind's laughter fills the air, unrestrained and joyful. "Hahahahahaha!" Holding her stomach, she wipes away a tear, her amusement clear. "They really love your cooking, huh?" She remarks, her gaze fondly lingering on the girls enjoying Kael's pizza.

Turning to Kael, her expression shifts to one of curiosity. "Alright, what would you like?" she inquires.

Kael, with a confident smirk, replies, "I'm going to save it for later."

Duchess Rosalind's smile widens, intrigued by his response. "Oh ho~ I see~" She nudges him playfully, her smile mischievous. "At first, I was disappointed, but seeing how your looks and techniques have improved since the last time I met you, I'm all for it." She steps back and claps her hands, signaling her departure. "I'll be leaving now." As she walks away, she leans in and whispers in Kael's ear, a hint of teasing in her voice, "That little girl told me you're dating Biana~"

Kael's confusion dissipates, and he attempts to clarify. "No, there's a misunder—" but she interrupts him with a wink, saying, "I don't mind it," before teleporting away.

Kael grits his teeth, his frustration palpable. 'Who the hell would want to date that crazy bitch?' he thinks to himself.

Approaching the group, Kael overhears Biana's protest. "You bitch! Stop eating; you already ate half of it!" Biana exclaims, her annoyance evident as she punches Lysandra, only to recoil in pain. "Ugh! What the hell are you made of!?" Lysandra continues eating nonchalantly, the lantern still clutched in her arms.

Isadora approaches Kael, holding a knife and pointing at the kitchen. "I'll try," she mumbles. Kael takes the knife from her, not wanting her to create another culinary disaster. She nods, her expression blank, and extends her hand out. Kael sighs and hands her a coconut.

Before he can focus on the cooking, Kael's attention is caught by a movement. 'I swear I saw someone,' he thinks, scanning the area carefully. 'Ah, I see, it's him, one of the new ones. I'll try talking to him once we settle down.'

After the meal, Kael and Isadora step outside, the warm air and grassy surroundings creating a serene atmosphere. 'Lysandra shouldn't cause any problems, so leaving her in a room is fine,' Kael muses, his thoughts drifting to the training session ahead.

He lifts his arm, ready to assess Isadora's progress. "Alright, Isadora, show me what you have," he instructs.

Isadora nods, her face still expressionless. 'Right now, I'm just seeing how much she's improved in martial arts, so we're not using much strength,' Kael contemplates internally.

Isadora pushes off the ground and dashes towards Kael, attempting a sidekick. Kael blocks it easily. "No, you're trying too hard," he advises, taking a step back. "The footwork technique you're using isn't a fixed technique. Don't tell me you've been using this same method for the last week?"

He rushes at Isadora, feigning a kick. As she moves to block, he subtly shifts his kick from fierce to calm, disrupting her blocking pattern. She manages to block, but her frustration is evident.

Kael smirks, recognizing the familiar struggle. "Oh, are you bothered? Welcome to my world. Footwork is the hardest part to master in martial arts," he remarks, a mix of challenge and encouragement in his voice.