"Wha...!? You can't do that! I'm going to tell my parents about this!"
Miriette called out, fuming with anger, but Grazio wasn't listening and entered the newly unlocked shed.
When he came out he was holding two wooden swords meant for training.
"...!"
Then, he threw one towards Zoemi and the black-haired boy caught it reflexively.
"Magicless, fight me!"
"Huh...?"
Zoemi became dumbfounded.
This bully not only completely ignored Miriette - he straight up behaved like he owned the place!
"What do you think you're doing!?"
Miriette was losing her temper with each second.
"You have magic! Why would Zoemi want to fight you!?"
She pointed out scowling.
"As if I would need magic to beat up this trash! HIYAH!"
Grazio snorted and attacked Zoemi without any warning.
"..."
But Zoemi was expecting just that and parried the first clumsy strike effortlessly.
"Hmph...! HAH!"
"..."
Grazio frowned and attacked again, this time Zoemi dodged the wooden sword and lightly hit Grazio's side using the opening.
"ACK...!"
"...!"
Zoemi was worried that if he would seriously hit the general's son he would bring troubles to the duke's household.
"You...! You...! RAARGH!"
Of course, Grazio couldn't understand Zoemi's position - not that he even tried in the first place – so instead of admitting one lose as it was the right thing to do in a practice duel after receiving a dead-on strike, the red-haired boy got angry and shouted at Zoemi.
"You trash dare to dodge my attacks!? You even hit me! I'm going to kill you!"
Though it was doubtful that a seven-year-old bully who lived his life in safety and comfort, actually understood the meaning and burden of taking one's life - he still threatened Zoemi and charged him with fury.
"HAAH! HIAAAH! HUAH!"
He was strong for his age but his technique wasn't very good...
Back in the Victureo's household, Grazio was ceaselessly flattered by the servants as his father's knights would lose to him on purpose.
The adults knew that, but the young boy haven't noticed anything and his ego inflated to the high-heavens.
"..."
On the other hand, there was Zoemi - tirelessly practicing with his father each morning and attending the same lessons under the best and strictest teachers as the first prince when the black-haired boy would accompany Miriette while she would visit the king's castle to see her fiance.
Horeo and Zoemi training together was the first prince's whim but Zoemi was extremely grateful because it provided him with an opportunity to start learning the much-needed abilities required to assure Miriette's happiness in the future.
"..."
That's why Zoemi could deflect or dodge every strike that Grazio threw at him – and even more – he made the red-haired boy look pathetically unskilled in comparison.
"Stop fighting immediately, both of you! It's an order!"
"...!"
Furious Miriette was stomping her feet in a fit of anger, and Zoemi honestly wanted to comply but if he stopped defending himself he would be beaten up by the furious Grazio without a doubt!
"Shut up, ugly!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL HER?!"
Zoemi thought that he was being calm...
Honestly...
But when he heard the insult aimed at Miriette, his mind went blank for just a second, and when he realized what he was doing, he had already dodged the wild swing of the red-haired boy's sword, finish closing the distance between them - and his fist was already burying itself in Grazio's stomach, forcing all the air out of his lungs.
"GUHUUAAAH...!"
Grazio fell to his knees, as his eyes were bulging out of his eye-sockets as he was desperately gasping for air...
|Oh no! What have I done?!|
Zoemi panicked.
It was a disaster!
Kingdom general's son was crawling on the well-groomed grass of the duke Espine's garden, sounding as if he was unable to inhale even a bit of air, under stunned Miriette's feet while Zoemi was looking at his own fist in terror.
"Lord Grazio, a-are you alright?"
Nervous Zoemi threw his sword away and hurried towards Grazio.
"Zoemi, leave him! He deserved that! Let's go back to the castle and tell my parents!"
"Ah, my lady..."
Hearing the little lady Espine voice Zoemi turned to her showing his back to Grazio and...
"Fla.. mes...!"
"AAARGH...!"
A cone of fire erupted from the hand of the defeated red-haired boy - who could never forgive such a disgrace as being defeated by some low-born magicless nobody - and his spell hit Zoemi in the back, setting his clothes on fire.
"No! What are you doing!?"
Miriette was screaming in panic while Zoemi cried out in pain and started rolling on the ground. Grazio was smirking with satisfaction, the red-haired boy stood up and enjoyed Zoemi's anguish.
"I-I'll help you!"
Miriette trembled and focused her magic.
"Airstream!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The magic wind started blowing from her hand but instead of extinguishing the flames it only made them stronger. The smell of burning hair and skin raised into the air.
"N-no...! I'm sorry! I... I...!"
When her help brought up the exact opposite result, something broke in the Miriette and she started crying uncontrollably.
"Pfffft! Ahahahahaha!"
"Mommy! Daddy! Heeelp...!"
Instead of stopping, Grazio started laughing cruelly at desperately struggling Zoemi and sobbing Miriette.
"You still look a bit cold. Here, I'll warm you up. Fireball!"
Freshly conjured flames coiled around in the palm of Grazio's hand forming a sphere which he aimed at the suffering Zoemi.
"NOO!"
Miriette, with tears still streaming down her face, stood up between the two boys and blocked Zoemi from Grazio's view with her own body.
But the incantation was already complete and the spell couldn't be stopped!
"Nnn...!"
The fireball left Grazio's hand and Miriette closed her eyes bracing for the impact - the panicked little girl completely forgot that she could be using magic to protect herself at this point.
"!!!!!"
Meanwhile, Zoemi was being burnt alive as rolling around had no effect on the magic flames, and out of option, the black-haired boy tried to take off his clothes...
"?!?!"
But exactly at that moment, for some reason, Miriette moved in front of him, closing Zoemi's utter confusion pierce through the pain that the boy was suffering through.
"!!!!!!"
...and then Zoemi saw the fireball flying straight at the girl...
|NO! NOOO! NOT HER, NOT MIRIETTE!|
The adrenaline-filled up his body to such an extent that he couldn't even feel the pain anymore and he could swear that the world around him has slowed down to a crawl.
"!!!!!!!"
The black-haired boy got up on his feet and pushed Miriette away from the incoming attack.
"AAAURGH...!"
...and then the right side of his face exploded in unbelievable pain...!
Zoemi could feel the scorching flames melting his right cheek and climb up to his ear.
When he fell on the ground - with what's left of his consciousness he looked at Miriette, she was crying and the snot was coming out of her nose - but she wasn't injured in any way.
|Oh, thank god... she's alright...|
The relieved thought broke through the wall of pain and finally, he lost consciousness, momentarily freeing himself from the excruciating sizzling flames.