Chapter Ninety Seven - You shouldn’t make girls cry

The Food Hall of the Inner Martial Arts school was bustling as usual, with chopsticks and spoons tapping against plates and bowls. Some people chatted lightly, others maintained the habits of old and did not speak until their stomachs were full. Jin Li had eaten until his plate was clean and his eyes had wandered to his neighbours platters, but they, who were too used to his behaviour, discreetly sheltered their food from his prying eyes. Not that he was ever uncouth; stealing or demanding their share (that remained the fate of his little alchemist and on the odd occasion, his roommate), but once politely offered, there were no take backs, only regrets.

A bowl of vegetable soup was pushed in front of him by a slender and slightly tanned hand. He glanced up to receive the sunny smile of his roommate, who made excuses about how full he was and without offering gratitude, Jin Li claimed the bowl, only lamenting that it lacked meat.

A tray filled to the brim was placed noisily beside him and the man carrying it sat down after this. "I heard that that one from the nobles' school was here again," Bowyer informed Pike, who was eating his food while sitting besides Sun.

Pike swallowed the mouthful of bread and reached for a cup of water. "I suppose it's been three years since the last time," he mused. "Doesn't he ever get tired of it?

"He must receive some twisted satisfaction from doing it," Bowyer sneered.

Sun's bright eyes widened and ears twitched. He couldn't help but ask; "What's going on? What noble school?"

"Well, you know that there are several schools that teach about matters of cultivation?" Bowyer enquired. Sun actually didn't, but he nodded anyway. It wouldn't make sense for the Institute to hold a complete monopoly and besides that, there were private tutors that also did the same for those who could afford it. "Five schools are considered the most notable, the Institute being perhaps the most known of all due to its policies of accepting students no matter their background. Besides us, there are four others. One, the Qilin Academy of Excellence, only accepts nobles with decent ability of cultivation. Their Headmaster has a habit of visiting our school to poach students."

"Oh," Sun seemed to lose interest for a bit, then couldn't help but look at Jin Li. Would that man try solicit his roommate? Then he shook his head realising it wouldn't matter even if he did. Jin Li would not leave without Leon and Leon was a commoner from a poor village. Definitely not qualified. Pike and Bowyer were, in his opinion, from good backgrounds (he didn't know the ins and outs and never asked) but they were still here, so this Headmaster was unlikely to affect their little group dynamics. He never once thought that he might become a target.

"It's not only him that came to visit this time!" A student with a love of gossip close by decided to enlighten them. "I heard the Headmistress from the Azure Heights Finishing school was here also!"

"Did she come to poach people too?" Sun asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

The gossiper hesitated, he didn't know the answer and also didn't want to admit to that. "That may be the case," he suggested without confirming. "There are several girls who've become famous throughout the Institute after all." He counted a few on his fingers; "Mute from the Cygnus family is the strongest mage in the Institute at the moment, Merylin of the Inner Alchemist school I've heard is a natural talent, our Luna is in the top ten of the martial arts school standings..."

"Girls?" Sun picked up this point slightly confused.

"The Azure Heights Finishing school is a Cultivation school for women," Pike informed him.

"Oh," Sun scratched his head and shrugged. "Do all of the other four schools have restrictions on who'll they'll accept as students then?"

"Yes and no," Pike replied after thinking about it for a moment. "It's true that Azure only accepts women, but background and ability, that is much more flexible like our school. The Savage Red Sands Legion is geared towards teaching martial artists and beast tamers, but that doesn't mean they won't accept others, just that others might not get the education they require. Same for the Towers of Wisdom; they predominantly teach Mages, with scholars and alchemists as secondary."

"I see?" Well he didn't, but he was distracted from thinking about it too much as Jin Li stood up in front of him, having wiped his lips with a white napkin following satisfying his stomach.

"I'm leaving," he stated before sauntering towards the door.

"Dammit," Bowyer cursed him as the youth escaped before he had the chance to stop him. "I wanted to test out his current ability!"

Pike laughed loudly, clearing the oil from his thick fingers as he too had finished eating. "It's the weekend! Do you think he is going to abandon his little sweetheart to spar a few rounds with you?"

"Who said anything about abandoning him?" Bowyer denied, dismissively. "Leon could always have come here and Jin Li could have impressed him with a few moves or something."

"I think that they are way past having to do something like flexing muscles and posing to attract the other, don't you think?" Pike shook his head.

"There's never anything wrong with refreshing one's appearance in the heart of one's lover!" Bowyer insisted, thinking of his big brother's advice as the man had insisted on taking the time to change clothes before meeting with his fiancée that time. He didn't admit that he'd considered it all the man's vanity however.

"Says the one whose not yet enjoyed spring," Pike teased him, before movement at the entrance of the Food Hall caught his attention. His eyes twinkled wickedly and he nudged Sun to ready the boy to quickly leave with him. "Although, here comes your chance!"

"Huh?" Bowyer was caught off guard and only now noticed the longing emerald eyes attached to an all too familiar face staring at him. "Pike! Sun!" He hissed both their names as they fled swiftly, leaving him behind to deal with the approaching girl.

"Hiya Bowyer," the girl batted her eyelashes shyly, tucking a loose strand of ashen hair behind her ear.

"Pria," he forced himself to return her smile, but grimaced inside. It wasn't that she wasn't pretty with her large eyes, small lips and slightly upturned nose, but he just couldn't summon any interest for this girl, who was obvious in her fondness for him. He just felt trapped and unwilling to be in her presence, especially so when her close friends liked to drop hints about them pairing up.

Like now. "Pria, I heard you were learning a new sword technique."

"Mmmm," the girl hummed in agreement, glancing briefly over her shoulder to acknowledge her friend's words before her eyes glided back towards himself. A flurry of goosebumps trailed down his arms. "I've not quite got the hang of it yet."

Bowyer attempted not to wince as this obvious flag appeared. Sure enough... "Perhaps Bowyer could give you a few pointers?"

"You shouldn't make girls cry," his legal mother would tell him after she dabbed his cousin's eyes after he'd refused to play with the girl yet again. That girl was made of water just like his younger sisters had been. He had been a bit of a rough child, full of energy. Where had he ever the time to deal with girls? In the Martial Arts school, he thought girls would be somewhat different and it was true that many were, in fact there were a whole host of independent females that he got along quite well with and then there was...

"Really?" Her green eyes were filled with hope and barely restrained joy. He felt restless just looking at them.

"I guess," he finally relented, scratching the back of his neck. She clapped her hands together giddily and he immediately regretted his words.

Her friends acted just as sillily. Really, were these girls truly martial artists that had the ability to learn in one of the most prestigious facilities for cultivators or tittering unwed ladies of a boudoir? "You know, Pria's free tomorrow afternoon..."

"Ah, I'll have to see!" He quickly interrupted, half-panicked. There was no way he was agreeing to be alone with the girl in a training field. What if others got the wrong impression? He looked away in order not to see the downcast expression on her face.

"Ah, of course, Bowyer's Teacher might need his assistance for things," the girl made an excuse on his behalf compounding the guilt he already felt.

"Yeah," he replied, pushing his unfinished plate aside, realising that he no longer had the appetite for it. He inwardly sighed once more. "I'll let you know when I have time," he told her in a softened voice, to which her bright smile once more blossomed. Ugh, he had the urge to hit someone... no not someone, Pike. He was going to go right now and issue a challenge to that bastard! It was all his fault!

As he was imagining how to beat his friend black and blue, his Teacher happened to guide in two adults, one familiar and one not so, into the Food Hall.

"So, where is he?" The woman demanded to know.

"Miss Siren," Teacher Eridana sighed. "I was asked to guide you to our guest rooms, not asked to hunt for Teacher Corvus on your behalf."

"Patience is a virtue, my lady," Headmaster Phichus sneered as he looked at his counterpart with unhidden contempt. While he had no issues with women cultivators, so long as they were noble and studied more elegant forms of martial arts and magic or studied alchemy, healing and so on, this woman favoured wielding a long handled hammer and wore leather breeches beneath her plain, side-split tunic. Her hair was cropped short like some barbarian as well and she refused to step down as the head of her household in favour of the living male descendants of her families bloodline. He disliked everything she stood for, basically.