Boredom and a Delinquent

A few days have passed since my conversation with the Queen. Marie and I have travelled to multiple places since then. She showed up around the kingdom. The places she visited during her mission, how knights in the kingdom function, and how they are sent in groups. It all felt very similar to our kingdom.

Most of the time, I find myself alone, as Marie is now an Elite Knight. The Queen summons her every now and then. Above all, Master still seems to be in a vegetative state. There's a lot I want to ask him. Even Queen seems to be very curious about it.

And when I am alone, I find solace in the vast halls of knowledge that surround me through the medium of books. With each passing day, I delved deeper into the history of Aetheria. I was curious to learn more about Murk and if there's any record of the outside world, but sadly, just like our kingdom, they have no idea about the outside world or if Ashura Kingdom even exists. Except for one crucial thing: they have encountered Deities in the past. Thankfully, unlike ours, they didn't create that much chaos here.

After getting bored from reading, cooking, and sleeping, I used to go to the training grounds to train myself. They had all types of equipment there we could use, like guards for the body, weapons, energy pills, healers on the side, and so on. Thankfully, the Queen has granted me access to everything at the palace, so I must make sure I am using this chance properly to grow. I don't want to go rusty, and Master will kill me if I slack off. There's a lot left for me to learn.

Their ground is vast and has spectator seats around. It reminds me of our academy, where we saw Sir Rain using his Infusion.

Sometimes when I come here, I see knights practicing, and I don't have any other friends except Marie, so I try to find a place on the side and practice by myself. From long-distance aiming to spinning at different angles and how to increase my whipping speed.

One thing I have noticed is that knights around me sometimes give me weird looks and whisper into each other's ears. I don't think they like me even a bit. In the end, I am an outsider for them.

"Sigh. I am not a bad person. Stop staring at me like that." I said to myself while moving my witchcraft around.

They think I cannot see them sitting nearby and talking about me while smirking like creeps.

After whispering into his friend's ears, one knight stands and walks towards me. I acted like I had no clue about his presence, but he suddenly jumped in between my aim, which I had pointed towards my target.

Shh* It startled me.

"Hey, there," he said, picking up my knife from the ground. "Wow, such an awesome blade. It's color is unique."

"...."

I remained silent and observed. He is taller than me and quite healthy. spiked hair and wearing a tank top like mine.

"How come such a beautiful girl like you is doing it on the field?" he said.

Beautiful? From where? Is he mistaking me for Marie?

"Umm..sir, I don't know what you are trying to say, but I have my reasons." I replied. 

"Ohh, and what are those reasons?" He said, walking towards me. "I heard you are from outside the Murk and have the same enemies as we do."

*Tap* 

He stood unnervingly close, his gaze piercing through me as he held my knife in his hand.

"I believe I have already discussed everything with the Queen, and everyone knows the reason why I am here."

I said, holding out my hand in front of him so that he would give my knife back. I can pull it off very easily, but I don't want to look rude.

Yes, and it's true; everyone knows why I'm here. To avenge my kingdom from Deities.

"Are you sure there isn't anything else?" he asked.

"What else can there possibly be?" I replied.

He is doubting me about something I have no idea about.

*Hmph* He smiled and placed my knife back in my hand.

"Here you go."

"Thank you so much." I said that and turned my back to walk away.

But just then, a malevolent aura swept towards me, tingling my senses. Instinctively, I turned back and blocked an unknown spear with my Witchcraft. 

"Hooo!! Not bad." he said, smirking.

"What are you doing?" I said.

*Whistles*

His other friends from the side whistle at us.

"Yoo, Peter, you will scare the girl."

"I thought you wanted to ask her out, but you are going for the kill."

"Hahahah. I know right."

Creeps talking as if I were some kind of toy for them, and meanwhile, the sound of blades clashing like that gathered attention from other knights as well.

"Hey, what is happening there?"

"Are Peter and that girl from outside practicing?"

"It doesn't look like they are practicing, though."

"Yeah, she must've provoked her."

The natural force of disaster here was me, as if I were the one responsible for picking up on him.

"Let's have a contest." said Peter, putting down his spear.

"Contest?" I asked.

"Let's fight."

"Huhhh? Why should I?" 

"If I win, be my pet," he said, smirking from ears to ears.

"Sorry, find someone else." I said, walking away.

*Thud*

He launched a quick attack on me, and I jumped on the side instantly and saved myself.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked, infuriated.

"If you don't fight, I'll bully you every day and night. I know where your and that other bold girl's room is." he said.

What the fuck is wrong with this dude?

"You do realise, I can inform Queen about all this."

"And you think that will stop it from happening again?" he said, laughing with his other creepy friends.

I looked around me, and the whispers seemed to have increased. It seems like I have no other option but to fight back with him. The problem is that I have no idea how strong he is. He looks very experienced, and if I lose, will I become his pet? Fuck No. I will kill him before that.

"Okay, Fine." I said, dusting myself.

"Yeah, that's more like it."

"As if you will stop if I ask you to."

"Exactly. You have no choice but to listen to me here."

"...."

The Queen isn't here, nor is Marie. I have to deal with this weird person by myself. And it's better if I teach them all at once by keeping Peter as an example. At least they won't harass me again. I wonder if Marie was put through all this too.

"Don't forget, if you lose, I'll be waiting for you in my room tonight."

He said this, leading the way towards the centre of the ground.

"..."

I didn't reply to his vulgar provocations and silently followed his lead.

I will cut him in half and tell Queen that he was asking for it.

In the centre of the open field, in between a circle of knights who are talking, whispering, and cheering at the same time, I and Peter stood face-to-face. My hand tightened around the hilt of my knife, while Peter raised his spear and pointed its deadly tip directly at me.

"I hope you are ready, my new pet," he said.

He seems very confident in himself that he will win, but I must also show him that I have trained under one of the strongest knights in this kingdom.

"Speak for yourself; sadly, your mother is going to receive her son's body split in two today."