The sound of Ai's sniffles hadn't quite faded when Shiki leaned down again, lips brushing against the edge of her ear.
His voice was low, teasing, dripping with the kind of promise that made her toes curl.
"Kitten," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear, "if you learn a magic spell properly… maybe I'll take a bath with you tonight."
Ai's whole body jolted.
Her face went red—no, crimson. She whipped around, eyes wide as saucers, lips parting in shock.
"B-b-b-b-b-bath—?! WITH—?! You?!"
Her voice cracked like glass.
Shiki smirked.
Ai's katana slipped right from her hands, clattering onto the ground.
She clapped her palms to her cheeks, trembling all over, her whole body looking like it might puff steam at any second. "Y-y-you perverted husband!"
Shiki only chuckled, amused, tilting his head down at her with that maddening grin that always made her feel like melting. "What? I thought you wanted me all to yourself. Do you not want me to?"
Ai opened and closed her mouth like a fish. She was seconds away from exploding.
Then, comically fast, she stomped to her feet, spinning toward Lyra, face burning so red her ears were practically glowing. "Lyra! Let's go! Teach me magic! Right now!"
Lyra startled, clutching her staff against her chest like a shield. "M-me?! O-oh! R-right! Yes!" Her voice squeaked, eyes darting between Ai and Shiki nervously.
Shiki, watching them with his arms crossed and a smug tilt to his lips, simply muttered under his breath. "Good girl."
---
They had moved slightly away from the dueling platform, to a quieter patch.
Lyra fiddled with the staff in her hands, her whole body trembling slightly like a rabbit sensing predators nearby.
Ai, on the other hand, stood stiffly, arms crossed, cheeks still burning from Shiki's whisper. She avoided even glancing at him, afraid her face might combust if she did.
"U-um…" Lyra stammered, raising her staff with both hands. "The spell I'll teach you is… um… a simple water-element incantation. It's not very strong, b-but it's good for beginners."
Ai's brows furrowed. "Simple? Good. Then hurry up and teach me."
Lyra nearly dropped her staff at the intensity in Ai's voice. "R-right!"
Shiki leaned back against the bark of a tree, arms folded, watching with lazy amusement. Beside him, Seraphina strode over, her golden hair swaying lightly with her steps. She stopped near him, resting her massive blade against her shoulder.
"She's enthusiastic now," Seraphina remarked dryly, eyes on Ai.
Shiki smirked. "Give her the right incentive and my kitten learns fast."
Seraphina raised an unimpressed brow. "A bath, really? You're too indulgent."
"She's mine," Shiki replied easily, not even looking at her. "If it makes her try, it's worth it."
Seraphina rolled her eyes but hid a small smile. "You spoil her."
"Mm," Shiki said softly, gaze fixed on Ai, "and I'll keep doing it."
---
"A-alright," Lyra said nervously, holding her staff out in front of her. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and began chanting in a small but clear voice:
"The Sole Creator, Creator of Heaven and Earth, grant me Your blessing, and me the power over all evil—Water Vortex!"
A shimmering ripple of blue light gathered around the head of her staff. With a sudden twist of her wrist, a swirling column of water burst forth, spiraling a few meters forward before fizzling harmlessly against a tree.
Ai's jaw dropped. "Eh?! It's that strong for a beginner?!"
Lyra flushed, waving her hands frantically. "N-no no no! T-that was just a… a weak version! A very basic one! Nothing impressive at all!"
Shiki snorted softly, hiding a smile behind his hand. "She's cute when she's nervous."
Seraphina hummed in agreement.
---
"Alright! My turn!" Ai declared, puffing her chest out as she clinched her staff, Shiki had bought.
She held it stiffly in both hands, imitating Lyra's stance with exaggerated seriousness.
Her face was scrunched in focus, tongue poking out slightly from the corner of her mouth.
Shiki chuckled under his breath. "Adorable."
Ai took a deep breath and shouted at the top of her lungs:
"The Sole Creater—! Creato—uhh—of Heaven and… Earth! Grand me your blessing! And me the… the power of evil—wait no—over all evil! Water… Vooortex!!"
She thrust the staff forward dramatically.
Nothing.
The staff gave a sad little fizzle, like someone had spilled soda on a campfire.
"…eh?" Ai blinked.
Lyra winced, tapping her fingers nervously against her own staff. "U-um… you have to hold the stance properly… a-and concentrate… not shout it so frantically…"
Ai stomped her foot, face red. "T-that's what I was doing!"
"No it wasn't," Shiki called lazily from behind her, smirking.
"Shut up, Shiki!!" Ai snapped, cheeks puffed.
Seraphina chuckled, shaking her head. "She'll never manage at this rate."
"Give her time," Shiki replied, eyes glinting.
---
Ai tried again.
And again.
And again.
Each time, her stance was slightly off, her words stumbled, her energy scattered.
She got sparks, fizzles, little bursts of air that barely made her hair sway. Nothing close to Lyra's clean water vortex.
By the seventh attempt, Ai dropped the staff entirely and collapsed onto the ground, flailing like a child throwing a tantrum. "It's impossible! I hate magic! It's stupid! I don't want it!"
Lyra crouched beside her nervously, hands fluttering like she wanted to help but was too scared to touch. "N-no, y-you're doing really well for a beginner, Really!"
Shiki pushed himself off the tree, sighing dramatically. "Guess it's time I stepped in."
---
Ai blinked, lifting her head just as Shiki crouched behind her.
"W-what are you—?"
Her words cut off when he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her snugly back against his chest.
His other hand reached for hers, guiding her grip around the staff gently but firmly.
"Sh-Shiki—!!" Ai squeaked, her entire body stiffening, her face exploding in red heat.
"Relax, kitten," he murmured, voice low in her ear. "Your stance is all wrong. Like this."
He adjusted her legs with his knee, straightened her back with his arm, and slowly raised her hand with his own wrapped around it.
His chest pressed against her back, his chin resting lightly near her shoulder. Every inch of her screamed with heat.
"I-I-I-I-I can't—!" Ai stuttered, trembling like a leaf. "Th-this is unfair! Y-you're distracting me!"
Shiki smirked, lips brushing her ear. "Then focus. If you want that bath, you'd better concentrate."
Ai nearly fainted.
Behind them, Seraphina groaned. "Hopeless. He's not teaching—he's corrupting."
Lyra turned beet red, staring at the ground in panic. "T-this is… is too much…"
Shiki ignored them both. His voice was calm, steady, coaxing as he held Ai's trembling hand. "Now. Say the words slowly. Feel the magic flow. I'll guide you."
Ai squeezed her eyes shut, breath shaky. Then, softly but firmly, she began the incantation:
"The Sole Creator… Creator of Heaven and Earth… grant me Your blessing… and me the power over all evil…"
Shiki squeezed her hand lightly, murmuring against her ear. "Good girl. Now finish it."
Her voice broke into a squeak as she cried, "Water Vortex!!"
The staff flared.
Blue light swirled at its tip, bursting forth in a spiraling rush of water that shot across the ground, bursting through a tree, as it crushed with a thud.
Ai's eyes shot open.
"I—! I did it?! I DID IT!!" She spun around in Shiki's arms, practically bouncing, eyes sparkling with triumph.
Shiki chuckled, tapping her nose with his finger. "Told you, kitten. You just needed me."
Ai's face turned crimson again. "D-don't say it like that!!"
Seraphina groaned into her hand. "Pathetic."
Lyra, though, was smiling softly despite her nerves. "S-she… really did it…"
---
END OF CHAPTER 32: TRAINING A KITTEN : II
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