Isaac’s POV
"Oh, good. Sit here, I’ll bring breakfast for you."
Emily bead and flew out of the room, clearly more than happy to take a break from her endless studying.
The mont she disappeared around the corner, Isaac let out a chuckle.
"She’s definitely been waiting for an excuse to run off," he said, then turned to Alice and patted the seat next to him. "Co on. Sit. How are you feeling now?"
"Better?" she replied as she lowered herself onto the chair beside him. "My senses are suppressed and so is my strength, but I feel like I’m in more control now. It’s like... trading raw power for clarity."
She glanced down at her arms and slowly clenched both fists.
"The technique helped place a [Seal] on myself. Thanks to the Seal, my thoughts are clearer, and the dragon instincts have been pushed down. But, like I said, I’m slightly weaker."
"Can you open the seal?"
"I can open it anyti I want," she nodded, "but when it’s open, the dragon instincts will co rushing back, and they will be stronger than before. My strength will also spike far beyond normal levels, but it’ll be harder to stay rational."
Isaac raised a brow. "That’s sounds like a battle technique."
"It is. But I still need to practice it before being able to use it properly. My control isn’t perfect yet, so the seal might open on its own if I’m not careful, or it might not open fast enough when I really need it."
She leaned into his shoulder, resting her head lightly against him.
"Do you want to test your current strength?" he asked.
"I’ll do it later," she said. "Emily and I are heading out into the wilderness this afternoon. I’ll deal with whatever monsters we find there."
Isaac blinked, surprised.
"Who are you? My mad princess will never turn down a spar!" he exclaid jokingly.
Alice huffed and gave him a light headbutt.
"Oh, right. I forgot to tell about he elental spirit...."
Isaac brought up what had happened earlier that morning with the elental spirit.
He explained everything to her.
"It’s a woman?" Alice asked, raising her head to look at him.
"Yeah," Isaac replied, finding it funny how Alice was more focused on the fact that it was a woman, instead of her being an Elental Spirit.
He turned toward her, expecting another question, but her response ca differently.
Her soft lips pressed gently against his, just for a mont. Then Alice stood and headed toward the door.
"I’ll eat in the living room," she said simply.
And then she left.
Isaac blinked a few tis, then raised his hand to his lips.
"Oh."
He was.... surprised.
He diverted his thoughts to another topic.
’She’s really calm,’ he thought.
He wondered if it was the good calm, or the calm before the storm.
’I kind of want to know what will happen if it’s the calm before the storm.’
If that kind of storm ever ca again, it might be fun in its own chaotic way.
’Wait, what?’
Isaac sat up straighter.
’Why am I looking forward to chaos?’
He groaned softly. That wasn’t like him at all.
’It’s Professor Catherine influence.’
’Yup, it’s her fault.’
He shifted the bla with no sha.
With Alice gone and Emily in the kitchen, he turned back to his notes and focused.
Ti slipped by, as it usually did when they were together in that room, studying in quiet harmony.
Eventually, Alice returned with Emily.
The ghost empress had to be dragged back by Alice.
They both sat down and started reviewing the lecture scrolls from last week.
Halfway through a reading exercise, Alice looked over.
"When are we going to buy the shop in Sector 7? I need to co back early since I want to head out into the wilderness with Emily."
"I’ve got a bit of work to finish at ho. Once I’m done, we can leave." Isaac answered.
Emily glanced up from her notes.
"If Alice is tight on ti, she doesn’t have to co to the wilderness. I can go on my own. It’s not a big deal anymore. I’m stronger now."
Alice looked at her.
For a mont she said nothing, but her hand moved on its own and gently patted Emily’s head.
"That is true," she said softly, "but I don’t want to skip it. It’s important to . I want to fight those monsters."
"Because you want to train?" Isaac asked, though he already had a guess.
Alice nodded.
Her goal had always been to slay legendary monsters, and leave behind her nas in legends.
To do that, her journey had to start sowhere.
Going into the wilderness today was the first step.
A few minutes later, a knock ca from the front door.
Professor Catherine entered with her usual casual grace.
"Good work studying on your own," she said, nodding at all three of them.
They responded with brief nods and quiet acknowledgnts.
Professor Catherine’s gaze settled on Alice.
"Later, show the technique you used. I need to make sure it isn’t dangerous to your health."
Alice’s face turned a shade more serious. "It’s a family heirloom. I can’t show it to others."
Professor Catherine didn’t seem fazed. "And now you’re my student. Which ans I can’t let you practice a thousand-year-old technique without verifying its effects.
"It could be inefficient. Or worse, harmful.
"Maybe I can improve it. Maybe there are side effects the original creators never understood. Just let take a look.
"And I’m not a dragon. I can’t use it, even if I wanted to. So, you don’t have to worry about stealing it."
Alice went silent, thinking it over.
Then she gave a small nod.
’Nice, Professor,’ Isaac thought.
If Professor Catherine had access to the technique, then there was a high chance he’d be able to see it too without raising suspicion.
And once he saw it, he could start practicing it on his own.
Professor Catherine then turned to him. "You should co to the living room. You’ve got a visitor."
"Celia?"
Professor Catherine nodded. "She’s waiting."
He rose from his chair. Before he could take a step, Emily piped up.
"Can I co too?" she asked, excitent showing clearly on her face. "I want to et her."
Isaac gave her a quick glance.
"Sure," he said, though inwardly he was surprised. ’When did they beco friends? Was it after the battle at the tavore Hive?’
He turned to Alice to check if she would co along too.
She t his eyes, then shook her head gently.
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