by Dr. D
But Mathew didn’t look at him and delivered dinner as usual.
After dinner, a tub was delivered and filled with warm water. “Please make sure Prince Acheron has his bath properly,” Mathew said to Dezi when he exited.
“Yes, my lord.” Dezi answered halfheartedly. He was much more concerned with his own problems.
Dezi glanced at the idiot prince who came to him instead of the tub and waved his hand dismissively. “Take your bath.”
But Acheron didn’t react to those words.
Dezi sighed, removed Acheron’s coat, and nudged him to the tub.
Acheron was more used to the bathing rooms in the palace. But he eventually made the connection, and he started to take off his clothes.
Dezi was going to sit back down at the table, but he stopped in his track after glancing at Acheron’s body. “How did you get...?” Dezi gasped, but he didn’t even know how to describe it.
Acheron’s figure was an exemplification of human beauty, but the skin on his body was far from being perfect. Various old scars that looked like either dull cuts, animal bites, or fire burns wounded across the prince’s torso. They were light, like ghostly shadows, indicating the distance of the incidence, but Dezi could no doubt still sense the echo of the dreadful violence on those distressing marks.
“Were you abused?” Dezi finally said.
Acheron looked back at Dezi with the same blank expression. The scars worked well with those eyes.
Acheron looked even more like a lifeless statue. A broken doll stitched back together for its beauty but without its soul.
For a moment, Dezi actually felt bad for the prince.
“Wait.” Dezi pulled on Acheron when he was going to step in the tube with his bandaged legs. “That can’t get wet.”
Dezi looked around and saw a short stool in the tub. If Acheron sat on it, he could easily keep on leg out of the water.
Dezi realized what Mathew actually wanted him to do and twitched his lips. “I guess I will help you this time.”
Dezi sat the prince down and touched his scars. “Who did this to you?”
Acheron didn’t answer.
“You don’t remember?” Dezi dropped a towel in the water, squeezed the water on Acheron, and rubbed the towel on Acheron’s shoulders.
Acheron looked at Dezi attentively but gave no response.
Dezi wiped the wet towel across Acheron’s chest and gave up on having a conversation. His thought wondered off to random things as he washed the prince, but suddenly he thought of something, and his head cocked up. “What is your magic rating?”
Acheron went rigid.
“Huh? Tell me.” Dezi grabbed Acheron’s chin to face him, but Acheron actually avoided eye contact.
“Is it A?” Dezi tightened his grip and raised his voice.
Acheron’s lashes trembled and he shook his head.
Dezi relaxed. “Oh. What is it, then?”
Acheron kept his gaze to the ground and stayed perfectly still.
“What were you doing with the Queen?”
The tension in Acheron’s muscles was obvious. He blinked and looked up at Dezi with longing and anxiety. “Baba.”
Dezi rolled his eyes. “Again. Not my name.”
Acheron reached up to kiss him. Dezi watched the prince’s attempt with his eyes open and mouth closed.
Acheron’s tongue swept across Dezi’s teeth a few times but couldn’t get in. Dezi didn’t know what got into him, but he decided to throw him a bone and opened his mouth.
Acheron’s breathing quickly went ragged, and his half hard penis jutted upward from between his legs as he eagerly sucked on Dezi’s tongue.
The fact that Acheron was so into him was actually funny and made Dezi felt like teasing the prince.
Dezi kissed him back hard and groped on Acheron’s firm chest, kind of wanting to hear the prince moan.
Acheron responded eagerly to the attention, and his hands pressed their body tightly together. Dezi could almost hear the pounding in Acheron’s chest and feel the heat rising in the prince’s body.
Dezi jerked away and wiped his mouth when he was almost pushed over by the prince. “You are not cute at all.”
Acheron gulped and gripped onto the cold edge of the tub. His eyes were dark like a demon, with fully dilated pupils.
Dezi stood up and rubbed the water stain on his clothes with a frown. “Look what you have done.”
Acheron pitched forward and grabbed onto Dezi’s thigh when he tried to walk away. His fingers sunk in the flesh like a claw.
Dezi flinched and looked back at Acheron’s dark eyes. For a second, he wasn’t sure if he was captivated by the beauty of the prince’s face or immobilized by the hunger that lurked behind the prince’s eyes.
Dezi only knew that he was grounded at the spot and couldn’t pull himself away.
Luckily, the prince slowly closed his eyes in submission and rubbed his red cheek on Dezi’s abdomen. The tension disappeared like it was an illusion.
Dezi stood still and felt into silence, but he eventually slowly placed his hand on Acheron’s damp black hair and pushed it down to his crotch.
Chapter 14
“Oh, harder.” Lisa moaned. “I’m cumming!”
Dezi grabbed her butt tighter and plunged hard into her body. The wooden bed creaked under his movement.
“Oh, god, yes. Yes.” Lisa shut her eyes, and her arms clenched tight onto Dezi.
Dezi continued to fuck her deep and hard, dragging her sweet scream out nice and long, then pulled out and shot his load on her belly.
“That was amazing,” Lisa said.
Dezi fell down to the bed. “Yeah?”
“I am so glad you are back.” Lisa turned to him.
Dezi chuckled and fondled her full breast with his hand.
This was his first day back to classes after the hunting trip. Dezi didn’t turn down Lisa’s invitation to come to her home, and he was quite satisfied with Lisa’s sexual response when he showed her the ice stone.
“Did you really see a dragon?” Lisa said.
“Mm-hm.” Dezi nodded. An earth dragon was captured by the queen before they decided to head back.
“What did it look like?”
“It had hard and scary brown skin,” Dezi said with a relaxed tone, “a prolonged body, and stocky legs.” Dezi’s hands slid down Lisa’s small waist and glopped her ample but cheeks. “It had two large horns that extended out from the eye bridge … wide open, like this.” Dezi reached down and spread Lisa’s legs open under him.
Lisa giggled. “Was it still alive?”
“Yeah.” Dezi kissed her tender breasts. “They had it knocked unconsciousness somehow.” Dezi stroked her thighs and intended to go again.
“I heard they are selling a new perfume with dragon blood,” Lisa said. “It is so popular right now.”
“Really?” Dezi’s interest was spoiled knowing where Lisa was going.
“Can you get me a bottle?”
Dezi signed and got off the bed. “Sure, but not today.”
“Why?” Lisa sat up.
“I need to go back to school.” Dezi put on his clothes.
“What for?”
Dezi walked back to Lisa, who had a pout on her face. “I will take you shopping some other day. Alright? Be good.” Dezi rubbed her cheek and left.
Since Dezi now had access to elemental stones, he went to school and signed up for the chef license exam at his graduation, instead of just an undercook. Dezi was walking out of the campus in high spirits when someone ran into him. A small box was knocked to the ground.
The person gasped as the box was popped open by the impact. A cube of ice splattered on the ground, revealing a pill within.
Almost instantly, Dezi smelled a distinct fresh fragrance coming from it.
Essence pills?
Dezi’s eyes widened. The making of essence pills from various magical plants was one of the most lucrative branches of magical study. The functi
on of the pills varied as widely as the magical plants. Some common ones might treat a fever, enhance beauty, or even aid in the bedroom.
But the most legendary essence pill, which was called “the Royal pill,” claimed to be able to improve an infant’s magic rating before it could be tested. It was so rare and priceless that it could only be seen in the inner circle of the palace.
Dezi wondered what this pill was and glanced up at its owner.
It was a well-dressed young man with brown hair and a few extra pounds. He was looking down with a deep frown on his face. “How careless of me. The ice pill will be ruined in the air.”
So it was an ice essence pill, designed to restore a fighter’s magic in battle, Dezi realized. He also recognized the brown-haired young man: Bartolo, the second-oldest son of the wealthiest merchant family in the city, a famous student at the school.
Bartolo picked up the pill and looked at Dezi again. “I apologize for my clumsiness.”
Dezi knew that this elite student would be in a completely different attitude if he wasn’t wearing the fancy outfit that he had on now.
“I am also at fault.” Dezi smiled and pointed at the ice pill. “In fact, I could help you with your trouble, if you don’t mind.”
Dezi received the pill and sealed it in another ice layer until the rich fragrance emitting from the pill stopped.
Dezi gazed at the pill for a moment as he handed it back. It was the first time he ever saw such a thing. Not only was the study of essence pills beyond him, since Dezi never had magical power strong enough to engage in battle, taking battle-oriented pills would be just a plain waste of the raw material.
“Excellent.” Bartolo placed it back in the box. “This would do.” Bartolo introduced himself and extended his hand. “What is your name, my friend?”
“Dezi.” Dezi shook his hand.
“Pleasure to meet you.” Bartolo seemed a lot friendlier than his reputation. “Would you be interested in accompanying me to the arena?”
Dezi did want to befriend this wealthy student, but he didn’t expect the invitation could come this easy.
“Please, I insist. The show is much better with some good company,” Bartolo said, “and allow me to pay for the tickets as a token of my gratitude.” He held up the box that contained the essence pill to show why Dezi deserved his thanks.
Dezi smiled and decided to accept the invitation. “I am honored.”
They arrived at the arena shortly, and Bartolo brought Dezi in with familiarity of the place. Many people recognized Bartolo and greeted him. Dezi had heard of quite a few these people; they were all from affluent merchant families. Being among them made Dezi feel like he was also part of the elite group.
Bartolo brought Dezi into a private viewing room, which gave Dezi a good view of the stage below them. It was the same kind that would host nobles during the dragon festival, but the rest of the time, it went to whoever was willing to pay the high fee for it.
Dezi looked down at the stage and saw two warriors with showy armor and good weapons. They were wearing blue and red features on their helmets, respectively. Most warriors were C ratings from poor families. One would get famous from fighting combats if one was talented and lucky.
These two seemed to be some of the lucky few, as the crowd knew their names and had started cheering.
The combat was able to start.
As Dezi was taking in the atmosphere, a server came in and Bartolo handed his ice pill to him. “My family is the blue fighter’s patron,” Bartolo explained. “We lent him the weapon that he was the using, and the essence pill was for him, as well.”
The person in blue raised his broadsword made out of bone, and Dezi saw the large ice stone in the shank. It was true that such high-level bone craft weapon would be hard to afford. For most, going into debt was the only way to start.
“If he wins, we take eight out of ten of the winning prize.”
“Eight out of ten?” Dezi turned his head.
“It was all about the weapons and pills, my friend.” Bartolo laughed.
Dezi’s mind went off for a second, realizing that If he had a C rating, this would be the path that he would take--and what a hard path it would be.
“Are you in the mood of placing a bid, sir?” the server asked Dezi.
Dezi could feel Bartolo and the server looking at him.
Everyone seemed to be placing bids, and it was clearly an unofficial competition of wealth and status. Bartolo wouldn’t ask bluntly, but he was probably guessing his background. Dezi was afraid that if he couldn’t take out anything, Bartolo would no longer treat him seriously.
He hesitated for a moment and took out the small fire stone.
Bartolo’s eyes lit up upon seeing it. He grabbed Dezi’s hand to cover up the stone.
Dezi’s eyebrows raised.
Bartolo told the server to leave and said, “I would really appreciate it, my friend, if you could sell me that dragon stone.”
“Oh?” Dezi tried to hide his surprise. “What makes you think it was a dragon stone?”
“If I am not mistaken, it was from a baby dragon that was still in the egg. Elemental stones from dragons have a distinct energy mark. To be honest, I felt it back when you applied the ice magic,” Bartolo said apologetically, as if he felt bad that he hadn't been more honest.
Dezi had never heard of such thing, but he knew that there were many things he didn’t know because of his low magic rating and background, so he said nothing.
“I was hoping that you would have some to spare, and I wasn’t disappointed.” Bartolo continued to say. “I would definitely offer a fair price for such treasure.”
Bartolo whispered a number, and Dezi’s heart pounded in his chest.
The offer was too high.
“The energy in it was almost gone,” Dezi observed Bartolo’s face, he must be able to tell that.
“I am aware of that,” Bartolo smiled and lowered his voice, “but you know that anything from dragons would have its price doubled.”
Dezi realized what he meant. Dragon products almost exclusively came from the Royal Palace. Scarcity and a potential indication of connections had made anything from a dragon became the ultimate symbol of class and status. With every rich elite family fighting for every piece, there was no doubt that the price would be high.
“In that case,” Dezi said, “it is yours.”
“Excellent. Excellent.” Bartolo grinned. “Please allow me to treat you to a meal, as well.” He ordered food and wine to be delivered to the private room.
Dezi thanked him and glanced down at the stage. The red fighter seemed to be in advantage.
Flames burned through the air as the red fighter swung his arms. The brass knuckles on his hands had blazing bright blades. The blue fighter dodged with great effort, apparently losing strength and magic power.
The crowd had started to cheer and was demanding to see blood. Death was rare on stage, but there was no rule against it.
In desperation, the blue fighter shoved a pill down his throat. He then shouted and charged toward his opponent, drawing all the power that he could manage.
Ice snakes swam in the air as he swung his broadsword. One ice snake shot toward Dezi until it bounced and vanished on the magic shield, which was designed to prevent any damage to the outside.
“He hasn’t been able to win any battles lately. This fight was his last chance.” Bartolo said casually.
Dezi looked down at his glass and didn’t say anything. For the first time in his life, he felt fortunate in his current state. He didn’t want to know how the fighter was going to repay his debt if he lost, and he didn’t ask.
“I know a private auction place as well. If you are ever interested in selling again ...” Bartolo said as he poured Dezi some more wine.
“Let’s keep in touch, then.” Dezi put on a smile.
The server came in and whispered something to Bartolo.
“I will be right back.” Bartolo took hi
s leave.
“Brother.” A handsome boy with dirty blonde hair came up to Bartolo. If Dezi saw him, he would be able to recognize that he was one of the four young men that the princess that brought to meet Acheron.
Bartolo made a gesture to tell his youngest half-brother to lower his voice. They exchanged a few whispers until the young man’s eyes widened.
“An escort?” The boy gasped.
Bartolo put on a stern expression and gestured his brother to lower his voice. “Her highness always has a good reason.”
Chapter 15
“Hey.” Dezi turned the knob and saw the prince waiting for him right behind the door.
Dezi grabbed Acheron’s hand when the prince reached for him and walked into the room.
“Try this.” Dezi sat Acheron down at the table and presented the prince a fish dish he made at school.
Acheron stared at the food and looked up to Dezi.
“I made it!” Dezi was in a really good mood. It was the first day that he started practicing cooking a meal with a magical beast’s meat. Dezi stuffed a fork in the prince’s hand. “Try it.”
Acheron took the fork but couldn’t look away from the grin on Dezi’s face.
Dezi clicked his tongue, lost his patience, and fed it to the Acheron.
“Is it good?” Dezi needed someone who had used to eating fine meals to tell him that he had done it right.
The prince nodded.
“Yeah? You like it?” Dezi deepened his grin. He had tried some himself and was very happy with the result.
Acheron nodded again and swallowed at Dezi’s smiling eyes.
Pride swell in Dezi’s chest. He knew he could do it. Cooking was nothing hard as long as he had the resources. In fact, it was quite easy. Dezi could just imagine the things he could accomplish if he was born into a better family.
But he had a chance, at last, Dezi looked up to the prince.
The prince’s gaze met Dezi’s eyes. He swallowed again and leaned in closer for a kiss.
But Dezi turned away and stood up. “Why did you close them again?” He walked to the window and pulled open the curtain. Bright sunlight rushed into the room and made the prince squint a little.