Chapter 9

"What?" Alexis, offended that Agathus would think she's suicidal, questioned.

'Wait... I did try to commit suicide a few hours ago... what was I thinking back then?' Alexis shook her head at her impulsive thinking earlier.

"Was it a hard question?" Agathus seemed surprised, but he realised some humans were naturally quite air-headed.

"No! I understood it, of course. But why would you think I'd do something like that?"

"My first impression of you was someone who was kind of stubborn and I'm good at gauging personality types for humans. So I would say, it astonishes me that you haven't escaped and are actually trying to help his majesty." His voice was full of praise, but Alexis didn't seem to take it as it was and looked at him with furrowed brows.

"Even a stubborn person will listen if it meant acting out would leave them in small bits..." she muttered, she intended it not to meet Agathus' ears, but his sharp dwarf ears heard the words loud and clear.

"In tiny bits? Whatever do you mean?" He was barely off shouting causing Alexis to look over at him in confusion which he returned with a similar expression.

"Well, that's what happens if you explode?" Alexis questioned and then shook her head at the silly question, "of course your body will be in pieces if it explodes!"

"...Explodes?...I'm sorry, I think I'm lost?" Agathus had even stopped walking and stepped away from Alexis with an alarmed look on his face.

"I signed a magical contract and I heard if you don't act accordingly and break it, you'll e-explode" shivers erupted down her back. If this was real and not a dream, then she might actually explode, but contrary to her reaction, Agathus doubled over laughing. "W-why are you laughing?"

"Oh miss, you shouldn't listen to such rumours?" He wiped a tear from his eyes and giggled slightly, "if you break a magical contract you'll feel the same prick in your finger as when you signed it. The person who signed it with you will also feel a prick so they can tell when your up to something."

Alexis felt another hard slap to her face only this time anger came raging forward.

"Agathus!" She stopped walking letting out a murderous burst of mana unconsciously, which frightened the poor hybrid. "Tell me what his highness is currently doing!"

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Alexis sped up the staircase, made for humans this time. It was on the opposite end of where the staircase made for dwarfs where and were just as efficient.

Alexis supposed since she had asked a dwarf their first answer was those stairs because they hadn't payed much mind to the human staircase as they would have never needed it.

From the 1rst floor to the 2nd and then quickly passed the 3rd and 4th and finally reaching the 5th floor in a fit of gasps as she held onto the banister. She was tired, heaving and most of all starving after all that exercise, but still her anger was much too strong to succumb to just that.

Her feet dragged to the largest door in the centre of the hall. Two knights stood guard staring curiously at the approaching girl.

"Servants aren't allowed inside" spoke one, who had light blue hair and purple eyes. 

Alexis glared at him.

"Move aside." She demanded, and to her surprise he complied. The other followed suit with just a glare. "You'll forget everything that just happened" and with that she pushed open a door and slipped into what Agathus described as a "family" dinner.

Nobody noticed her entrance and she was glad because she couldn't help but stare at the strange seating arrangement.

At one end, the one closest to her, was an empty seat by which a grand old lady sat to a side at. Her was hair grey, but she gave of an elegant feeling. Before her, sat a woman about ten years younger with streaks of greying hair mixed with red and she was just as elegant. Next to her another woman, much younger and in some kind of tacky clothes, she had a hay-like blonde hair. 

Next to her, two girls, who bickered among one another. A pair of green hair on both heads, but one vibrant and the other so dark only a sheen of green could be seen.

In front of them an uncomfortable red-headed teenager sat. He looked to want to be anywhere else and next to him sat a handsome blonde, not as blinding as his highness, but a human level of handsome, he sat, looking extremely friendly and welcoming, despite not having said anything.

'Now where's that Emperor?!'

Between the people who sat there was a long row of empty chairs. Alexis followed each with a frown until about half the table later she spotted the bright blonde hair and beautiful featured man who sat on the other end. 

'He looked... lonely' a small sliver of sympathy tried to crack through her anger, but Alexis wouldn't have it. 

She walked over to him and half way there, he noticed her and smirked at her.

"Oh, dirt. What might you be doing here? If you're looking for flowers, your a bit lost darling" his snobby voice angered Alexis even more.

'I can't believe I felt sorry for him!'

"You lied!" She continued to glare and the man just shrugged with a mischievous smile.

"Tough luck dirt, that's how the world runs," he shrugged and then grabbed Alexis by her shoulder pulling her side by side with him as he stood up in front of his family, "Since you're here, I'll introduce you to my family." The word family seemed forced out.

"Brothers and Sisters, And, of course, our imperial mothers, Ah, father has just arrived it seems." As he spoke that same pervert Alexis had seen earlier magically appeared in the chair at the far end. "This is my royal mage, Dirt."

"Hey! That's not my name! My name is Alexis!"

"I'm sorry," he paused in a not sorry voice, "My royal mage, Alexis Dirt."

'This bastard!' Alexis fumed and pressed her foot on his toe, to which he didn't react.

"You." He called a dwarf, "get her a chair and rest of you get another platter of food." Alexis felt her anger diminish slightly at the thought of food.

A chair was soon placed besides the Emperors and the Emperor sat her there, sitting beside her.

"You said I'd explode!" She finally said, it seemed to catch Alastair of guard as he stared at her in confusion and then he seemed to realise.

Instead of apologising, bellows of laughter filled the hall. Alexis frowned at the laughing man in an unamused manner. His family on the other hand looked star-struck.

'So he can laugh too...' they all simultaneously thought.

"Stop laughing" Alexis looked ready to attack him and keeping her hands to herself was an extreme sport.