We stopped in front of a black, mahogany door. Meridian didn't turn to face us. "Your quarters." He gestured a hand toward the door.
Jinnah stepped forward and pushed the door open. Inside the room was massive, but empty. There was only a shelf and two beds sat across the room from each other.
"It's certainly spacious," Jinnah noted.
"Once you've settled, feel free to visit the city and decorate. Just know, you'll pay with your own funds." Meridian commented.
I nodded and walked past him.
He gripped my wrist and yanked me back, "One more thing." He spoke in a voice only I could hear. "I want to see you later today, is that possible?"
"Huh? Why?" I asked, my brow raised.
He sighed. "I want to see you in action, to fight. A real one."
Already?
I looked down at his grip on my wrist. Then I looked into his eyes. There was no malice in them.
To him, this must be as normal as asking to play.
Unfortunately, I wasn't really in the mood to fight a six-year-old. Especially not a prodigy.
"I don't want to." I pulled my wrist away and massaged it. "I just got here and I'd like to rest a bit."
Meridian stepped closer.
"Tomorrow then, after breakfast we can have a quick session."
This kid is starting to come off like Lilith. "No," I replied. "I'm not really interested in fighting you."
Meridian stood in silence for a moment, then his eyes widened. "What if I give you my hand in marriage? Would you fight me then?"
I blinked so hard my body did a factory reset. "Excuse me?"
Meridian grinned and stepped closer. "My father turns away dozens of letters from nobles asking for marriage. I'm willing to give that to you, if you manage to beat me."
I stared at him.
I mean really stared at him. Does this kid have any idea what he's saying?
The dragon awoke with a grumble. "Boy, why am I sensing such panic in you? Is there a battle to be had?"
No! I shouted internally. This kid, he's trying to make me put a ring on it!
"He?" The dragon asked, his tone bordered on confusion and curiosity. "I don't sense any male…"
Then all that sleep must've blinded you cause he's right here!
The dragon sighed like a disappointed father.
"Boy, that's not a–" he stopped himself mid-sentence, like he almost made a mistake.
He then grinned. "Actually yes, he is male and he is far stronger than you are. You should fight him."
Is he serious?
Did you not just hear that if I fight this guy we'll get married?!
I'm not like that, Dragon-man!
The dragon frowned. "Don't you dream of marrying your own mother? Why draw the line here?"
Because I have standards. I replied. They may be skewed to all hell, but I have them.
Meridian waited patiently for an answer.
"I refuse," I finally answered, my back pressed against my room door. "It's nothing personal, I'm just not into crossing blades."
Meridian tilted his head. "We don't have to use swords. I actually prefer it if we don't. I like to use my fists, you know?"
I clenched my butt. "Even then."
Meridian finally frowned. "I understand, you're just a coward. You're nothing like your mother. You're just a fraud." He turned away, his shoulders stiff.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
I'll be a fraud.
Just not a gay one.
"There's not a day that passes without you disappointing me." The dragon said. "I would never take such disrespect, but I guess that's why you were bullied."
That's… that's not true.
"Please," the dragon replied sarcastically.
"I've seen your memories in my sleep. You were afraid to fight then. You're afraid of fighting now. You'll forever be afraid in the future."
I opened my mouth to respond, then closed it.
He was right, if I kept running from fights then I'd never get stronger. And if I never got stronger, I was just asking to be bullied again.
I felt that rush again. That same chaotic rush when I pushed Melissa away. I won't be a loser anymore. I can't.
"Meridian," I called.
He stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder. "Yes?"
I stood with my head tall. "Tomorrow after breakfast, I'll fight you." I stepped forward. "And as for that bet, I hope you're ready to be mine, cause I don't plan on losing."
His mismatched eyes widened, then he smiled. "I'll be looking forward to it." He walked off with a pep in his step.
The dragon hummed with satisfaction.
I turned to enter my room. Inside, Jinnah was unpacking my clothes and placing them in the closet. She glanced at me over her shoulder as I walked it. "My Lord, may I ask what you and Lord Meridian were discussing?"
I glanced up at her with narrowed eyes. "It's nothing."
— — —
The next morning I awoke to the sound of rapid knocking on the door. "Lafayette, breakfast is ready!"
I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. The sun had barely risen, the air was still cool, and I was still sleepy. "Give me a second," I replied with a yawn.
"One second," Meridian repeated. "It's past now, so can we eat? Please, Lafayette."
Dude, why is this guy such a beggar all of a sudden? Yesterday he was all doom and gloom. Now he's acting like a literal child.
I rolled out of bed with a hand on my face.
"Ugh…" I opened the door. Meridian stood there, dressed in shorts and a tunic.
He smiled. "Are you ready?"
My hand rolled off my face. "I haven't even gotten cleaned up yet—"
He snatched my hand before I could finish and practically dragged me down the hall.
"That's alright." He explained. "You can clean up after our fight. So it's no big deal."
I tried to gently pull away, but his grip tightened as he interlocked fingers.
I sighed deeply, I was truly too tired for this.
The dining room was quiet. A long wooden table sat in the center, with two covered trays sitting next to each other on it.
Meridian released my hand and pulled out a chair. "Sit, Lafayette."
I climbed into the chair and slumped like a wet noodle. Meridian sat beside me. He removed the top of his tray to reveal eggs, toast, and fruit.
His hand hesitated over a fork and knife, before he ultimately grabbed a fistful of eggs and shoved them in his mouth.
If I wasn't awake before, I definitely was now.
He grabbed fistful after fistful and shoved them down to the last scrap. He swallowed and turned to me with an egg-covered smile.
"Come on, eat."
I blinked a few times. "Actually I'm not hungry anymore."
His grin widened. "Perfect." He snatched my hand and dragged me outside.
— — —
The two of us stumbled into the courtyard. Meridian pushed me from behind, deeper into the open grassfield.
He stepped in front of me, then stepped back a few paces. "Okay, give me your best shot, Lafayette."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked, still a little weirded out from breakfast. "I'm not some scrub, I've been trained since I was six months old."
Meridian extended his arms. "Even better."
I shrugged. If this kid wanna be farmed for easy XP, so be it. I raised my palm towards him and created a waterball.
I poured enough Ouro into it to destroy a car. I hope you're ready Meridian, this is about to hurt.
The water ball grew to massive proportions. It spun rapidly, and water droplets rained in all directions. Once it reached terminal velocity.
Then, I fired.
BOOM!
The water ball smashed against him and kept going. It tore up the earth in its path and left nothing but dirt in its wake.
I scratched my cheek.
D-did I just kill him?