Taming My Vampire Servant

Hearing this, Anne only giggled, then replied, "Ivory said that he's an independent Servant, who wouldn't need her orders all the time because he's an intelligent one. They're more like... best friends, aren't they?" 

"Best friends, huh," Lycus nodded. "Indeed. I think their trust towards each other will be unbreakable if they continue to be like that. Unless... something inevitable happens that might test their relationship."

"Whatever happens, I am sure my daughter will overcome it. I believe in her," she smiled at him, then excused herself as she took the used plates to the sink.

Moments later, Ivory ran down the stairs. She had changed into a brown long-sleeved maxi dress and boots. A white knitted scarf was also wrapped around her neck. 

"Are you okay? It's not that cold, but you look like you're ready for winter, Lady Ivory," Lycus asked when she passed by the front door. He accompanied her to Ebleu's carriage.

"This… Ah, I just feel like wearing something different," Ivory stuttered, trying to hide the hickeys that her Vampire Servant left last night due to an unknown reason.

Sigmund, wanting to interrupt their conversation, asked Lycus, "Hey, this carriage can only bring two people, plus the coachman. So how will you go to the academy?" He stepped forward, gesturing for Ivory to ride the carriage, and she did while he assisted her with his hand.

"I was just here to see her off," Lycus explained. He knew that the Servant was already suspicious of him, but even though he wanted to fight him off that very moment, he didn't want to cause a disturbance as it might disappoint Ivory. "The Principal said that he hired a coachman for me."

"The principal pampers you a lot," he grinned at him. "I wonder what ridiculous things you told the Principal for him to treat a mere guard like you like a noble."

"Watch your mouth, Servant. Even though I am not a noble, I am still part of Lady Ivory's pa...family."

"Now, now, don't fight, young lads," Ebleu commented after feeling the tension between them. "Sigmund, why don't you ride? We're going to be late."

Sigmund hopped on to the carriage and raised his eyebrows, "We're off."

"See you at the academy, Lycus!" Ivory happily waved her hand at him.

"He looks very similar to you. Your brother?" Ebleu asked as he drove the horse.

"No, but he's my relative," Ivory responded. He remembered she never told the old man about it. "I'm actually an orphan, Mister Ebleu. Someone from my blood-related family finally came, and I'm so happy!"

"I am really happy for you," the old man said with a smile on his face. "But the person next to you seemed to be in a bad mood. His eyebrows furrowed as if he never had his salary."

Sigmund chuckled, "Old man, you really know how to make me laugh. My only salary is my Master's mana, and I didn't receive it yesterday."

"It's your fault that you didn't get any mana from me. Remember? You su-"

"Oi, are you going to let old man Ebleu hear what happened?"

She glanced at the old man, who was laughing at them, and she turned quiet.

"I will miss the both of you," Ebleu told them.

Ivory asked, "Why, are you going somewhere, Mister Ebleu?"

"I am going to retire soon."

"What?! Really?!" Ivory was surprised. The three of them had been going back and forth between the academy and its vicinity, and thinking that he would no longer be their coachman somehow made her lonely.

"Shouldn't you be treating us with some booze?" Sigmund suggested jokingly. "We know of a tavern in Betania- Oww!" his Master pinched his arm to stop him from talking.

She retorted, "No, we're not going back to Sir Edmond's tavern, or Betania, to be precise. We're not fit to be there."

"We've been there a lot of times though, why are you getting shy now?"

"But we were there because we had no choice- Ah, I suddenly remembered what happened in Sir Edmond's tavern..." she paused when she remembered her memories there with her beloved Vampire. Quick flashbacks of their first encounters - from the summoning ritual, to the days wherein she tried hard to find him, up to when she saved her family from the fire.  It was nostalgic; she already had a lot of adventures with him and that he had been there for her through thick and thin.

But she thought that he did it because she's his Master. Even though he's stubborn, he still protects her, because it's his responsibility. 

"You should forget those useless things," Sigmund said indifferently as if his mood turned sour.

Ivory stared at her Servant's side profile. He seemed to have troubles, as if something weighed on his mind. "Sigmund. Are you alright?"

He raised his brow.

"Something is off with you, but I don't know what it is."

Sigmund sighed, "Don't bother asking. You'll regret it if I tell you what's bothering me. Now, keep quiet."

Ivory peered at him suspiciously before she looked straight ahead. She didn't know what he meant and why he had been acting a bit distant. 

Usually, when they ride the horse-drawn carriage, he would place his arm around her and let her rest on his shoulder to sleep for a little while. But, at that moment, she had observed that he crossed his arms and had been avoiding her eyes.

When they arrived at Qawiun Academy, they proceeded to the classroom. There, Lucius was leaning by the window and reading a scroll. The other students, like Arcea, were reading their own scrolls as well on their seats.

"Good morning!" Ivory happily approached Lucius.

Lucius gave a smile to her, "Ivory, it's been a while. I'm glad that you're finally back."

"What's up? Why are you all reading?"

"Oh, you were away, so you didn't know," Lucius replied, then gave his scroll to Ivory. "Today is a half day written examination."

"Written examination?!" Ivory widened her eyes in shock. "About what?"

"About basic magic techniques. Magic theories, elemental magic, mana control… everything that was lectured to us since first year."

"Really? You're not kidding?"

Lucius nodded, "It's true. Someone from the Silverblade Castle came yesterday, and it was said that Crown Prince Jirou wanted to recruit the best students for his three-week journey around the Kingdom next month. You can borrow my notes. You should read some before Adviser Titus comes."

"Yes, thank you!" and she went to her seat to read the reference scroll.

Sigmund leaned on the wall beside Lucius. He told him discreetly,"So many things happened in the Land of Rosaria."

"What happened?" he responded as he looked at him curiously. 

"We went to- Wait. Shouldn't you be studying right now as well?"

Lucius chuckled, "I already studied last night, do not worry. Please continue."

Sigmund told him that his friend, Preston Bronzelain, helped them a lot during their stay in Valios City. He also mentioned that Ivory went inside the Sanctuary of Goddess Destinia. 

But he didn't mention about the Dark Mana because of his Master's instruction that it was a confidential matter.

"And so, the principal told me that it was the Priestess of the Sanctuary that sent Ivory's relative here…"

"Ivory's relative? Then that person can help Ivory to control her mana."

Sigmund then said in a serious expression, "I still do not trust the man. He said he's not a Chosen One, but those glowing light blue eyes and that nature of his mana that I sensed… it's like Ivory's mana."

Lucius tried to analyze the situation like a puzzle, but he knew some things were still missing.

"You should know this, Ivory is acting oddly whenever she's enveloped by her extraordinary mana. She's… how do I say this… she's very frank. She even slapped her sister Katie in that state, but if she's not enveloped by that mana, I don't think she'd have the guts to do it."

"I see. How about I investigate that man through my father's connections… What's his name?"

"Lycus- Oh, he's here."

By the door, Lycus came peeking to search for Ivory, while the girls who saw him got distracted because of his looks. His silver hair was tied in a half-up, half-down hairstyle, and he was cladded in a low v-neck long-sleeved top and black dress pants. He was also wearing a black turtlenecked coat with golden embroidery on the shoulder.

"That's him?" Lucius asked Sigmund. "I'm amazed. He looks so much like Ivory."

"He is, but he's still suspicious. Like he's hiding something from us…" When they met eyes, Lycus nodded his head at him, but the Vampire glared at him..

"Sigmund, now that Ivory's true family is here... It makes me think… only a few knew of your existence and real identity, that you aren't a real Spirit Servant. What if her family learned that she summoned a banished Vampire Servant? What if they let Ivory become unchosen to protect their reputation-"

He shook his head, "I know that she wouldn't let me be unsummoned.. After all, she said that… she wants to be with me for as long as she lives."