Chapter 297 - Ninety Seven - You shouldn’t make girls cry (2/2)
”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 a.d.u.l.ts, one familiar and one not so, into the Food Hall. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click for visiting.
”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.