So You Might be Soulless

21|| Wooden Stick

"Are you sure you're okay now?"

"Yes, Your Highness, I am perfectly fine."

"Do you want–"

"If you ask me one more time, my sword will move of its own accord into your neck."

"You would risk being accused of treason?"

"At least I'll have a happy, final memory of your dead body. Also, when are you going to add twenty percent?"

Sebastian sighed and put his pen down, having completely given up on finishing the reports. "Stop trying to change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject- it's simply moving of its own accord." Diya stood perfectly straight to the direct left side of Sebastian, her sword glinted by her side and stood out against her black uniform.

After being discharged from the hospital, along with Dr. Khasia's fervent praises and demands she return some day, Diya had been recovering well. Of course, her blood pressure rose to dangerous heights whenever she was near anything associated with the Imperials, but she was comforted by the fact that a thorough investigation was being conducted on the Elshers in preparation for the upcoming trial.

In order to fool the powerful Elshers, the Imperial monarchs suggested that Diya pretend that everything was normal, and that she was merely fulfilling her duties as an official bodyguard. Fortunately, the vain couple greedily accepted this news and abstained from torturing or contacting Diya.

But she also had another problem.

And that came in the form of an arrogant, blonde Mage with a nose so short he was unable to see anything beyond it.

True to his word, Caspian demanded the young Necromancer return to her duties in a very scathing, arduous meeting that most certainly could have been a letter. Just thinking about how he claimed her defeating the assassin at the banquet was a fluke made Diya's blood boil and a shadow to slither up her leg.

"By the way, shouldn't you be leaving for training?" Sebastian glanced at his pocketwatch- a gift from his mother on the day he was officially crowned as the Crown Prince.

Diya's jaw ticked as she saw the small, intricate jewels studded on the back of the gold cover. That alone could feed ten families for at least a year.

Although Sebastian was much kinder than the other Nobles, Diya could never forget that the two of them came from different worlds. There was no point in trying to get him to understand.

Her hands trembled and she curled them into tight fists, but managed to keep her voice calm. "Yes, it should be starting soon, Your Highness. An Imperial Knight should be here in a second to take over my shift, so I'll leave first."

One of the other conditions Caspian set- and the most humiliating, in Diya's opinion- was that should attend the Knight's Training that was hosted everyday. As she had to be guarding Sebastian most of the time, she would only be able to attend half the session.

It's really quite insulting. Diya thought with a murderous scowl as a maid lunged out of the way into the bushes to avoid crossing her path. I could beat all the guards here with nothing more than a wooden stick.

Nothing good would come from gaining attention. With a satisfied nod, she decided it would be best to hide her abilities for now and keep her head low–

"OI! You there!"

Just had to jinx it, huh?

Diya stopped and slowly turned, clasping her hands behind her back. "Are you talking to me?"