The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros

The silver queen of Moonlight was a trouble for another day, as for now, Aeric found himself in a complicated situation, one he never expected to be facing. At least not so soon.

In front of the tall castle as other workers carried on with the last duties of the day, the silence stretched between Aeric and Alzera like an unspoken challenge, their gazes still locked.

Delva, now standing by her horse, furrowed her brows in confusion, glancing back and forth between them. What was happening, she thought.

Aeric on the other hand, was experiencing a storm in his mind. His thoughts churned heavily as he stared at the famous Dungeon Clearer.

'What is she doing here?' He had resigned himself to the idea of never seeing Alzera again unless by chance in some dungeon. Yet here she was — standing in the grounds of his home, of all places. Out of every trainer in the Region, why her?

Then he thought of something in his racing mind. Would she recognize me? Could I somehow still keep my cover intact? He swallowed hard. Maybe his cover wasn't blown yet, maybe the clothing and the elegance will be so distinct that she wouldn't discern the similarities.

Alzera tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in recognition. "Dagwood?" she asked, her voice uncertain but firm.

Aeric's heart skipped. 'Well, I was completely wrong.' Damn it. She remembered.

"Dagwood?" Delva echoed, her confusion deepening as she looked from one person to another. "Who can that be? This is Aeric, Son of Starlight and the only Son of Eros."

Alzera's expression shifted instantly and it was not just confusion now. She fully recognized him and this caused anger, shock, and disbelief to storm across her face.

Her gaze locked on Aeric. A swear dropped on Aeric's forehead and he gave her a nervous smile and a shrug.

Alzera's voice rose, trembling with betrayal and shock. "YOU'RE THE PRINCE?"

Aeric froze as she took a step forward, staring into his eyes and her voice filled with fury.

"How— why? What is the meaning of this? You lied to me. To the rest of the team as well. Pretending to be a poor boy from the villages? Following me, helping us in the Dungeon? It was all a lie? Why would you do that? What kind of psychopath would do such a thing? Keep such an act for a very long time and all that while — all these while, you've been a prince? The prince?"

Then instantly, she paused. Body frozen.

Aeric lifted a brow at her and saw her eyes widen as the reality of her outburst struck her. She stiffened, realization dawning. Her anger melted into panic, and she muttered words to herself. "The prince. You're the Prince. Son Aeric."

Out of nowhere, before Aeric could react, Alzera dropped to her knees, bowing low.

"Forgive me, my Prince!" she stammered, her voice trembling. "I— I didn't mean to speak out of turn. I forgot my place for a moment. Whatever reasons you had for doing what you did it is completely justified and you have no need to explain it to me! Please, forgive my insolence."

'Mhm?' Aeric looked down at her. 'I know I'm already used to her begging me, but not like this. Feels very weird and out of character.'

"I understand now why you did it!" she kept going, head on the ground. "You pretended to be a common man to see how I would treat you so you could decide if I was worthy enough to be your trainer! I don't know how I managed to pass, but I truly thank you, my prince, for honoring me with such an opportunity!"

Aeric's eyebrow lifted up. 'Well, isn't that convenient? She had just on her own given me a well suited lie for why I was in that Dungeon dressed in disguise. Best if I simply just roll with it.'

That being said, Aeric still felt a pang of guilt, his discomfort evident. "Alzera, get up," he said gently, reaching out to her. "It's fine, really. I owe you an apology. I didn't mean to deceive you, but it was the only way to ensure that you or no one else treated me differently. I needed to move unnoticed, especially in a place as dangerous as a Dungeon."

"And yes, you passed my test wonderfully which is why I had personally chosen you to be my trainer. I don't think anyone else would be more fitting for the job. Especially after what we've been true, you and I."

Delva looked more confused, eyes wide and glistening. 'Huh? What is happening here?'

Alzera hesitated but slowly stood, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I… I understand. But it is because of those... same things we've been through that makes everything feel so strange now. To think I'm meant to train you to fight after all of it. It's a bit odd."

Aeric smiled softly. "Don't think of it that way. You're still our team leader, Alzera. And I'm still your loyal courier. When it comes to training, I give you every right and freedom to lead and guide me however you see fit."

Her blush deepened, and she glanced away, a small smile playing on her lips. "Indeed, my Prince. Thank you for this honor. I will do my best."

Aeric nodded. "That's great to hear. Now let's do away with the emotions and bring back the stern and fierce Alzera I know. What are your plans and how do you intend to transform me into a great fighter?"

Alzera gazed at him for a moment, noticing the subtle but glaring changes in his mannerisms. His smile, his speech, his posture. 'Is he really the same person? If so, then he's a great trickster! A man who could slip into any character he choses. If he wasn't a prince, he would make a great spy.'

She noted his handsome face, his chiseled jaw, his sharp crimson eyes. Unconsciously, she licked her lips, but as soon as she noticed the red haired girl who had arrived with Aeric looking at her, she immediately snapped out of it.

She cleared her throat and regained her composure. "Let me explain how this will work. Due to the businesses that come with being the Prince, I've decided that we'll train every other day after your schooling. Here." She handed him a scroll. "These are the fighting styles and techniques we'll cover."

'Hmm.' Aeric unrolled the scroll and scanned its contents:

Swordsmanship: Fundamentals, advanced forms, and improvisational combat.

Defensive Maneuvers: Shield tactics and evasive footwork.

Combat Strategy: Reading an opponent's moves, exploiting weaknesses.

Unarmed Combat: Grappling, striking, and joint locks.

Enhanced Reflex Training: Drills to increase reaction time.

Divinity in Combat: Using Divine powers in sync with fighting.

Aeric raised a brow. "This looks intense."

"It will be," Alzera said with a smirk. "It is what you wanted, isn't it, my Prince?"

"I suppose so," Aeric shrugged.

Alzera smiled and nodded. "You'll thank me later."

Meanwhile, oblivious to them, on a high balcony above the courtyard, Rosette stood, her narrowed eyes watching the exchange. She leaned against the railing, her mind racing.

'That woman. I've seen her before. She was at The Dungeon Entrance, wasn't she?' Her gaze flicked between Aeric and Alzera, suspicion taking root. 'Why is Aeric speaking to her as though they're familiar to each other?'

Back on the grounds, Delva had just returned Sylver to the stables and approached Aeric. "I wonder if it will be too much to ask that you let me in on your backstory with this Alzera woman?" she said to him.

Aeric looked at her thoughtfully. "I have great trust in you already, Delva. But I do not want to overplay so soon. In time, I'll let you in on everything. Sincerely, you'll be one of the first to know."

"As you wish, my Prince. Goodbye."

Aeric waved as Alzera and Delva mounted their horses and rode off. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Another thing to add to my overfilled timetable," he muttered.

He glanced up at the glowing moonlight cascading over the castle and smiled wryly. "Good thing I had [Claimed] Headmistress Lysandra's Project Skill when I did. Maybe I can activate it and let a projection or two handle some of this."

With that, he turned and made his way into the castle. "Tonight's going to be a long night," he said to himself. "I'm going to study all my [Claimed] Skills in depth, so I can understand them and learn how to fully apply them before I go about [Claiming] more."