At night, after dinner, Ocean retired back to his room. He had to depart soon enough if he had to make it till his destination till dawn, on flight.

Ocean’s usual plan of action when he wanted to gather information was to send out trackers and informants first. But since the place of his present interest was a brewing warzone of the mana sensitive, swift creatures that could kill before his informers would even know what struck them. It was risky to send them.

Any human related dangerous zones were fine enough but when it came to other species, he wasn’t taking risk with people’s lives.

Ocean changed out of his home wear into his outside assassin wear comprising of all black outfit. He kept his hood till the time that he would actually set out. He also grabbed his mana devices, an extra communication brooch, teleportation device as well as a new mana concealing bracelet that he got from Silas.

He placed the bracelet in his pocket without wearing it right away as he sensed someone breaking through the barriers that surrounded his estate. He sighed as he shook his head before he poured some water in the glass and soon enough he felt the presence lurking outside his room.

He picked up the glass of water and made his way to the doors of his balcony before he opened them and walked out.

"You must be tired after running around so much, have some water." Ocean said placing the glass down on the railing before he crossed his arms at his chest.

A figure leapt from the trees and landed on the balcony’s railing with a sheepish smile.

"G-Good evening, Master." Davian greeted him and Ocean sighed.

"It’s not the right time to pay anyone a visit, Davian. Besides, I told you not to come around here until the trials were finished so, why are you here?"

Davian quickly brought his hands up in defense, "I didn’t mean to come- I mean... I wanted to but then... Ah, well, what I mean is I came to escort... And to meet you."

Ocean shook his head and simply picked up the glass of water and presented it to Davian. Davian took the glass and took a few gulps while Ocean sighed.

"You’re not alone, are you?"

Davian hummed, finishing the water and placed the glass down.

"I’m sorry, Master. I told her that we shouldn’t but..."

"She’s not the type to listen." Ocean summarised and he nodded.

Ocean sighed, "And, how much time as she told you she might take?"

"She said not much time."

Ocean didn’t want to put his thoughts in this topic so he simply sighed.

"Good luck hanging around till morning." Ocean said and Davian looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?!"

"You really believe she’ll be done soon?" Ocean asked with an amused smile and Davian groaned.

"I shouldn’t have agreed to it."

Ocena laughed, "No point over spilled milk now."

Davian hung his head looking more like a mortified large puppy and Ocean patted hos head.

"You can sleep here in my room for the night." Ocean said and Davian lifted his head.

"Yes? With you?" Davian asked.

Ocean chuckled, missing the faint pink hue that started flushing over Davian’s cheeks.

"Not with me, I’m leaving for a business trip. I won’t be back for two days so, you can stay the night."

Davian jaw nearly slackened as he heard that and he asked, "B-B-But, the trials are just up ahead, where could you be going now of all the times, Master?!"

"It’s for the fourth test of the Princes. Two days are pretty less but that’s all I have now."

"Where are you even going, Master?" Davian asked, "Can I go too?"

Ocean chuckled finding his whining more like a child trying to tag along with his parents to their work.

"I could have taken you but..." Ocean ran his eyes over his thick aura presence before saying, "those people won’t do well with aura user."

Davian pouted, "How boring!"

"Has Grand Duchess returned to Frosthail?" Ocean asked as he started pulling his hair back to tie them into a pony tail.

Davian simply watched as he answered, "No, instead father is also coming to see the trials."

"Hm, it’s going to be housefull." Ocean said as he used a black band to hold his hair up.

With the subtle movements of his head the hair brushed over his shoulders. The moonlight gleamed off of his straight blue hair like rippling over the smooth water surface making Davian stare at them as if he was watching a beautiful dream. Ocean turned his head to look at him and Davian felt his heart picking its pace while his chest grew tight. He could feel the blood rushing up to his face.

Davian quickly shook his head and leaned a little before getting to his feet up on the railing.

"Ah, Master, I’ll return home after all, I can’t stay around."

Suddenly his foot slipped off the railing making him lose balance nearly toppling halfway over without any support. For a moment his head was blank as he felt a strong arm wrap around his waist and he was pulled back up feeling his front pressed up flush against the one who grabbed him in the nick of the moment. His legs were suspended freely in the air with his arms instinctively gripping onto the shoulders of his savior.

Davian didn’t realise when he had squeezed his eyes shut but the moment he opened them, he was met with the pair of familiar divine blue eyes with slit pupils staring back at him.

"Careful now, Davian. I can’t let one of my people get hurt like this." Ocean spoke.

Despite Davian had heard Ocean speak such things before but having him say it while being this close to his face, Davian felt like he was close to fainting. Or maybe it was because had had held his breath for far too long.

Ocean pulled Davian onto his balcony securely and gently before he let go and Davian tried his best to not let his heart jump out of his chest.

"And, what do you speak of going home leaving a lady here alone?" Ocean chided, "This is your home too, so you could just crash here for the night and then leave at dawn."

Davian tried to put the coherent words together as he watched Ocean turn and walk back inside his room to grab his coat and a boots.

Davian reluctantly walked inside the room and Ocean smiled at him.

"Good night, Davian." Ocean said as he walked past him and then stopped as he felt Davian take his wrist.

"Is there something you want to say?" Ocean asked and Davian quickly let go didn’t even notice when he grabbed Ocean’s wrist.

"Ah... G-Good night, Master. Have safe travels." Davian said with a nervous laugh and Ocean chuckled.

"I’ll be leaving then," Ocean said and Davian watched as Ocean climbed over the balcony’s railing.

He threw a smile back at Davian before he let out a shrill whistle and then leapt off in the air. Davian watched as Nox joined Ocean before he staggered back inside the room and fell on the bed, groaning and kicking like a teenager.

Davian was at conflict of whether what he had seen was true in Ocean’s study that day when he saw Ocean and Reina’s face coincide or simply the trick of light and he still had no idea of what to make of that but with the way he was slowly being conscious of Ocean he was even more confused.

How could he feel attracted to Ocean like that?

Sure, Ocean with his face, words and demeanor would have all creatures fall for him left and right but for him who always saw him as his mentor and someone whom he respected, it almost seemed like something forbidden or unspeakable.

Davian groaned loudly as he cursed himself for ever speaking to Miri about it as she was the one who ended up planting that seed in his mind.

It was exactly two hours ago when Davian was swinging his sword in the inner training hall of the Montaire manor of the capital. He was too absent minded to make sense of anything as he still tried to find answer to his hallucination- if that’s what he could call it.

He hadn’t even realised when Miri had arrived there. It was only when a flying stone the size of a watermelon had nearly smashed into him that he broke out of his trance.

"The future Grand Duke of Sestia and this lack of focus? I’m disappointed." She spoke as she walked into the training hall dressed in a white shirt with a black corset pinching over her tiny waist and black leather trousers and boots to complete her training attire. Her thick black hair were tied back up in a high pony tail.

"Shall we talk over a spar?" She smirked as she picked up a sword from the stands and Davian gripped his sword a little tighter.

"Fine,"