CHAPTER 26: PATHWAYS AND PLOTS 4*

Aegis hunched over a dusty tome in the academy library, squinting at faded text.

[Rosanna’s favorite drink. Why couldn’t she just say ’I like wine’ like a normal ghost?]

The book, Memoirs of Apothecary Lydia, was Aegis’s best bet on being the text that would lead her to victory. It detailed various concoctions, going centuries back and as recent as a few decades ago.

[This is more so for potions and stuff, though. I will need this soon, but, right now, it’s not quite what I’m looking for... Eh, maybe it’ll let me know what grows around here.]

And Aegis did in fact receive some answers to that question.

"Moonpetals..." She traced the words with her finger. "I can find those at the gardens."

She flipped pages, searching for anything else. Her eyes caught on an illustration of twisted black roots.

"Shadow Root. Thrives in places touched by death. Commonly found in crypts and burial grounds." The text continued. "Oh, so this must grow in the crypt we have here."

There were probably many other things that grew on academy grounds, but Aegis would need to take stock of them all first before she could start crossing off options. Maybe-

"THERE YOU ARE!"

"ACK!"

Aegis jumped. The book slammed shut.

Scarlett Lionheart stood behind her, grinning. Her red hair was tied back, combat uniform slightly disheveled.

"I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Country Mouse!" She threw an arm around Aegis’s shoulders. "You’ve been dodging training!"

"I haven’t been dodging—"

"Three days!" Scarlett pulled her closer. "Come on, my sword arm’s getting rusty!"

"Your sword arm is fine."

"How would you know? You haven’t seen it in action lately." Scarlett’s grin turned wicked. "Come on. Twenty minutes. I promise I’ll go easy on you."

[I really need to find out what Rosanna’s favorite drink is, though...]

But Scarlett was already dragging her toward the door. Other students watched them go, whispering.

"Fine." Aegis sighed. "Twenty minutes."

"Yes! I knew you couldn’t resist me!"

Aegis smirked.

"What’s that supposed to mean?"

"Whatever you want it to mean, Mouse."

---

The training grounds baked under afternoon sun. Aegis gripped her practice sword, already sweating.

"That’s it! You’re getting better!" Scarlett circled her, bouncing on her heels. "Now try hitting me!"

"I am trying."

"Try harder!"

Aegis swung. Scarlett sidestepped easily.

"Come on, Mouse! Put those hips into it!"

[Easy for you to say. You have actual muscles.]

Another swing. Another miss. Scarlett laughed, delighted.

"You’re thinking too much! Fighting’s about instinct!"

"That’s funny. My instinct is to run away."

"That’s why we’re practicing!" Scarlett darted in, tapped Aegis’s ribs with her blade. "See? Dead."

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Training Efficiency Increased!]

[Bondmark Bonus Active: +25% Skill Growth]

[Additional Bondmarks will stack this effect]

[Wait, what?]

The notification hovered in her vision. Her Bondmark with Nazraya wasn’t just giving shadow magic bonuses. It boosted all training.

"Earth to Aegis!" Scarlett waved her sword. "You spacing out on me?"

"Sorry. Just thinking."

"No thinking! Only violence!"

They sparred for another ten minutes. Aegis’s Power 6 body protested every movement, but she could feel tiny improvements. Her grip became steadier. Her footwork was mildly less atrocious.

"Hey, weird question." Aegis blocked a lazy strike. "You ever hear anything about Queen Rosanna having a favorite drink?"

Scarlett stopped mid-swing.

"Queen Rosanna?" Her brow furrowed. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Research project."

"On, uh, dead queens?" Scarlett lowered her sword. "That’s random."

"So you don’t know?"

"Why would I? She died centuries ago." Scarlett shrugged. "Ask a noble. They love that historical stuff."

[Right. Nobles would know more about this kind of trivia.]

"Fair point."

"Enough chatting!" Scarlett lunged. "Defend yourself!"

The attack came fast. Aegis stumbled backward, tripped over her own feet, and hit the dirt hard.

Scarlett followed her down, straddling her waist. Their faces inches apart.

"Got you again." Her voice dropped lower. "You really need to work on your footwork."

"Hard to focus with you on top of me."

"Is it?" Scarlett’s eyes flicked to Aegis’s lips. "Maybe that’s part of the training."

"Odd training we’ve got going on, then. Can’t really picture what situations these particular skills would be useful in."

"I can think of a few."

For a moment, neither moved. Scarlett’s weight pressed down. Her breath warm on Aegis’s face. Her green eyes were darker than normal, as well.

[Is she going to—]

Then she rolled off, pulling Aegis up in one smooth motion.

"Good session!" Her voice bright again. "Same time tomorrow?"

"I—yeah. Sure."

"Great! Don’t forget to stretch!" Scarlett jogged off, leaving Aegis dizzy and confused.

[What was that about?]

Her body ached. Her uniform stuck to her skin with sweat. But that notification lingered in her mind.

[More Bondmarks equal faster growth. And I need all the help I can get.]

---

Fresh from the bath, Aegis made her way to the music room. Her body still ached from Scarlett’s "training," but at least she smelled human again.

Liora waited inside, sheet music already spread across the piano.

"You’re late."

"Sorry. Got attacked by an overenthusiastic redhead."

"Lionheart?"

"Yeah, she does that from time to time."

"I see..."

They settled at the piano. Liora’s fingers danced across the keys, warming up with scales.

"Ready to try again?"

"My Grace is still 6. So no."

"Your what?"

"My... Ahem," Aegis cleared her throat. "Nothing. I’m ready."

"Confidence issues won’t help." Liora nudged her shoulder. "Just follow my lead."

Twenty minutes of vocal torture followed. Aegis’s voice cracked on every high note. Her pitch wandered like a drunk student after finals.

"Better!" Liora lied beautifully. "You held that last note for three whole seconds!"

"Before it died screaming."

"Progress is progress."

[Time to change topics before my ego completely dissolves.]

"Hey, random question." Aegis stretched her sore throat. "You know anything about Queen Rosanna? The first queen?"

Liora’s hands stilled on the keys.

"Queen Rosanna? Why?"

"Research project. Historical drinks or something."

"Oh." She shook her head. "Sorry, no."

[Strike two. Maybe I should just track down Talia and ask her.]

"Makes sense." Aegis stood. "Thanks for the lesson."

"Same time tomorrow?"

"If my voice recovers."

Liora giggled.

"Drama queen."

[If only you knew.]

---

Nazraya’s classroom door stood open. Unusual.

Aegis peered inside before the professor’s class. And yet, the professor sat at her desk, grading papers with vicious red ink.

A pink heart floated above her black hair.

[Wait, what?]

The heart pulsed gently. A bondmark indicator. Something new the System added? It was gone as soon as it appeared, though.

"Don’t lurk, pet. It’s unbecoming." Nazraya said without taking her eyes off the papers.

Aegis entered, closing the door behind her.

"How’d you know it was me?"

"Your aether signature. Unique mix of shadow taint and..." Nazraya looked up. "Something else. Been playing with other magic?"

"Just meditation."

"Hmm." She set down her quill. "Come here."

Aegis approached. Nazraya’s red eyes tracked her movement.

"Kneel."

Aegis’s body replied before her mind could catch up to the command.

Aegis dropped to her knees beside the chair. Nazraya’s hand tangled in her hair.

"Good girl." She hiked up her skirt with her free hand. "Tonight’s lesson requires your mouth occupied. You’ll be listening more than talking."

Her cock sprang free. Already half-hard.

Aegis’s eyes widened.

"Professor—"

"Shhh." Nazraya guided Aegis’s head down. "Come on. You’re very good with your mouth, so go ahead and put it to use. Slowly. While I explain aether circulation theory."

[This is my life now.]

... Not that Aegis minded much, though.

Aegis’s tongue traced the length. Salt and heat and that distinctive Nazraya taste.

"Better. Now, aether circulation follows three primary paths through the body..."

The lecture continued. Advanced magical theory delivered while Aegis worked her professor’s cock like a lollipop. Every time she tried to speed up, Nazraya’s grip tightened.

"Patience, pet. We have much to cover."

Twenty minutes in, Aegis’s jaw ached. Nazraya showed no signs of stopping her explanation of shadow-light interactions.

[Might as well ask.]

She pulled back slightly.

"Professor? You know about Queen Rosanna?"

"The founder? Of course." Nazraya pushed her back down. "Continue working while we talk."

Aegis resumed licking, slower now.

"So, what about her?" Nazraya asked.

"Just curious. Research project."

"Mmm. Rosanna was brilliant. Ruthless. The only ruler to master both light and shadow equally." Nazraya’s hips shifted. "Why?"

[Go for it.]

"Ever read about her favorite drink?"

Nazraya’s hand stilled in her hair.

"Her favorite drink?" A laugh. "Oddly specific. But yes. Moonbloom tea. Made from moonpetals, shadow root, and passion vine extract."

Aegis nearly choked. And not on dick.

"How do you know that?"

For the first time since Aegis had met her, Nazraya almost looked... embarrassed.

"I’m... something of a Rosanna enthusiast." Nazraya’s grip relaxed. "Her magical theories shaped modern spellcraft. Plus, her personal journals make fascinating reading."

[A shadow mage who admires the queen who hated shadow magic. Ironic.]

"Where’d you find her journals?"

"The restricted archives. Professor privileges." She pushed Aegis deeper. "Though I doubt that’s really why you’re asking."

"Mmph?"

"You’re planning something. I can taste it in your aether." Nazraya’s voice dropped. "Whatever it is, be careful. I’d hate to somehow lose my newest pet."

[If only you knew I’m getting magic lessons from her ghost.]

"Now." Nazraya’s cock twitched. "Less talking. More sucking. We still have two Chapters of theory to cover."

Aegis settled in for a long lesson. At least she’d gotten her answer.

[Moonbloom tea. Three ingredients I already have.]

Now she just needed to figure out how to brew it.

[After I finish this "homework."]