Ivan was staring absent mindedly at the wall when Denovan elbowed him "So, how did it go?" he asked and Ivan looked at the other two before looking down at his fingers.

"Are you alright? Why do you look like you've been robbed?" Anastasia asked when she noticed his expression "What happened Ivan?" Ignis asked when Ivan didn't answer Anastasia.

"She knows, Ignis" Ivan said making Denovan and Anastasia gasp "H-how? Did you make a mistake Ivan?" she asked in confusion and slapped his arm in frustration "You stupid fool!"

Ivan winced "Ow! That hurts!" he exclaimed and leaned away from him "It's not my fault! I was the one who was nearly killed, no thanks to you!" he huffed.

"Nearly killed?" Anastasia repeated in confusion "What do you mean nearly killed? What did she do to you?" she worriedly asked, Ivan shuddered at the memory.

"Even I don't know what happened and I was there!" he clicked his tongue "The Young Duke simply instructed you to find out right? Wether she really had ill intentions or not? How did it come to you being nearly killed?" Denovan also asked worriedly.

Ivan didn't want to admit it because he knew he was going to be scolded by not one but three people, he couldn't even handle Anastasia when she nags at him.

Of course, Ignis immediately sensed that he was hiding something.

"Ivan, what did you do?" he asked with furrowed brows which made Ivan flinch and made it worse when the other two looked at him in suspicion.

Ivan fidgeted nervously as he looked away innocently "What did you do?" Anastasia probed and demanded an answer which made him bit his lip.

"W-Well, I might have..." Ivan blinked nervously "I don't know... attacked her... first?" he chuckles nervously "You what!?" Anastasia stood up from the shock which made him flinch.

"Ivan!" she glared at him "I'm really sorry, I swear!" he cried out as Anastasia pulled on his ear "Why would you do such a thing!?" she exclaimed.

Ignis sighed and massaged his temples when he felt an upcoming migraine start to appear. Denovan was the only one calm who helplessly watched as Anastasia nagged at Ivan.

"At least we found out why he was nearly killed..." Denovan looked at the bright side but it only made matters worse for Ivan.

"Ow! Ow! Ana, that really hurts!" he cried out as Anastasia pulled on his ear harder, twisting it for additional pain.

"See, I told you not to give him that part of the plan!" Anastasia told Ignis who sighed "I know, it was a mistake on my part" he said.

Anastasia finally let go of Ivan's ear who immediately came running towards Denovan to whine like a baby chick running to it's mother.

"What are we supposed to do now?" she asked and sighed as Ignis watched as Denovan patted Ivan's head who was crying to him "Leave it to me" he said in defeat.

"What?" Anastasia's eyes widened "Are you sure? You can leave it to Denovan, you know" she said as Denovan looked at them "I'll do my best" he smiled.

Ignis raised a brow "And then what? One pitiful act from Callista and your guard's done for" he pointed out which made Denovan look away "What... He's just a kind soul! Why are you attacking Denovan for?" Anastasia huffed making Ignis sigh.

"I wasn't." he brushed his hair up with his fingers "I'll take care of this or else nothing will be done with" he said.

****

The next day, Callista's attention turned to the door when someone knocked so she stood from her study table and opened the door.

She was immediately welcomed by a girl holding a laundry basket, her skin was pale so Callista assumed one of her parents was from the North and her hair was in a shade of a dusty blue color.

The girl wore a white dress that greatly compliments her snowhite skin, her hair was short and she had a pair of pretty pale lavender eyes.

"Good morning, I'm here to take the bedsheets" the girl shyly smiled "Oh, sure. Let me get it first" Callista smiled and took the dirty sheets from her laundry basket.

"You're the new student, right? Have you been having fun in the Academy lately?" the girl asked with a friendly. Callista immediately remembered Ivan who asked a similar question and smiled "Yeah, it's satisfactory." she responded.

"That's good to hear. Students here could be arrogant sometimes so I thought you got uncomfortable." the girl said "Thank you for your concern but I'm okay." Callista assured and helped her put the bedsheet inside the basket she was carrying.

"I'm Emily. If you need any help then just come find me in room 607." Emily smiled "Thank you, Emily. My name's Callista" she introduced herself.

"Nice to meet you, Callista. I have to go get the other girls' laundries now." Emily bid her goodbye so Callista waved at her as she left.

Her smile vanished once Emily was out of her sight and a sigh escaped her lips when she closed her door. She went back to her study table and drew an arcane circle but this time, changing the spell written on it.

"Alais vet te vot merium lato mestera vitan balio tevir males tais alio benith... Hiserio pali denis valor seti tanas tel pemi"

The arcane circle turned to a color of a bloody red as it moved up to her eye level before it popped like a bubble.

She blinked her eyes in surprise because of that and was greeted by a butterfly in a shade of bloody red, fluttering it's wings happily in front of her.

She lifted her hand to let it land on her finger as she smiled at it "Welcome back, Wendy" she said as it kissed her nose.

Callista quickly glanced at the window when she sensed something was there so she stood up and opened the window and searched if anyone was there.

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From the corner of her eyes, she saw Wendy slipping out of the window so she gave her one last glance before closing it. She wonders who it was?

****

She was walking in the Elderbloom Garden when the History Class was finished and noticed that not many people was wandering around so it's a good place to breathe fresh air without anyone disturbing.

She was reviewing Spell Casting from the book she was holding while she walked when a pond caught her attention.

Callista closed the book and walked towards it and stared at the pond as her hair got swayed by the wind.

She was smiling to herself until she felt a presence behind her "I must say, I don't like being surprise from the back" she said and looked at them by her shoulder.

"...Ignis? " she was surprised to see Ignis and tilted her head "Judging by how you approached me like this, you must need something from me huh?" she said "Did the little cat snitch?" she scoffed.

Seriously, she's gonna kill that pussycat one day. She had already told him to mind their own business but people just don't listen huh?

"So, what can I help you with?" she sighed and stood up "I just want to ask you a question" he started as he stood beside her.

"And what is that?" she asked and didn't bother to glance at him "Was it really necessary frightening our little stray cat yesterday?"

Callista chuckles "With a little friend like that? I doubt frightening him would do the trick" she scoffed "I do owe you an apology though..." he said.

She looked at him with a raised brow "For what?" she asked "I was the one who gave him the task to talk to you but it seems like he did his own thing again and attacked you first. If you ask me, it's reasonable if you tried to kill him" Ignis shrugged.

Was he serious right now?

Callista looked at him in disbelief before bursting out laughing "I didn't know you have such a dark humor" she said.

Ignis looked at her as she laughed and showed an upside down smile "I'm glad you find this entertaining but I'm curious though..." he said and looked down at the pond.

"Why did you come here and who are you?" he asked straightforwardly, Callista didn't know how Ignis did it but she suddenly found herself in another place from his question.

She looked around cautiously but later calmed down when she assessed the familiar surroundings "You don't have to be so cautious. I only transferred us to the Ironclad Yard in case a fight suddenly breaks out." Ignis assured her.

His magic was so light and smooth that she didn't even feel any sickness that she usually suffers from whenever she teleported.

"In case a fight breaks out?" she repeated and laughed "Why would you assume I would fight you in the first place?" she raised a brow "Do you call it a fight when an opponent loses with one strike?" she tilted her head and smiled at him.

Ignis raised an amused brow "How about this? Let's fight. Whoever wins gets to ask the other a question." he striked a deal as Callista crossed her arms "I have no question for you though?" she raised a brow "Then what do you want?" he asked.

Callista carefully thought of it and glanced at Ignis who stared back at her, with those pair of purple orbs staring back at her made it hard for her to think properly.

Her lips parted as she spoke "I want you to leave me alone. I didn't come here to cause trouble, I just want to be left alone." her eyes looked down at his feet.

Ignis stared at her before looking away "Okay, if that's what you want but you can't go and threaten my friends again"

Callista rolled her eyes. "Fine"

She stood there, studying him and licked her lips. Should I finish this once and for all then?

Callista went into stance and was about to finish things in one blow but Ignis suddenly looked at her and damn all the heavens did she froze.

She saw something glint inside his purple orbs as her lips parted, staring back at him as if she was enchanted. Her head became silent and the fog that used to cover up suddenly dispersed inside her mind.

What the... fuck?

Callista immediately went back to reality when her eyes zoomed in to the arcane circle on his hand that he was trying to hide from her, she paused for a bit until she finally moved, but he was a second faster.

Ignis was able to graze her cheek as she stumbled back with difficulty, her hand reached towards the graze but it oddly felt warm but painful?

She couldn't understand herself anymore as she dodged his attack once again until she was able to hide in one of the trees.

Callista was panting, she peeked at Ignis who was calmly glancing around as if he wasn't even taking all of it seriously at all.

She clicked her tongue "Arrogant bastard..." she looked around and thought for a few seconds before taking a deep breath.

Ignis was much complicated than Ivan, the only way she was able to win against Ivan was because she frightened him to the point he froze up. Ignis is a different case, she can't just frighten him. Truthfully, she was the one frightened of him!

Just what the heck is wrong with the guy!?

Callista planted her palm on the tree trunk to mark an arcane circle on its wooden surface before she kicked it as the tree was blasted off to his direction.

It seemed to distract Ignis as she finally made her move, she sprinted fast until she reached him but Ignis immediately counterattacked, using one of the tree branches so that he wasn't hit by her attack.

She backed away and dodged when he kicked her next but as she got face to face with his purple orbs again, her whole body weakens.

Callista stumbled back but before she could really lose the battle, she casted a restraining spell under Ignis's feet. His eyes also wandered down to the arcane circle but she later broke it herself when she saw his purples eyes stare back at her which surprise both of them.

'No, no... Fuck!' Callista thought.

What the heck was wrong with her!? It can't be that, right?

She refused to believe it as she quickly conjured an arcane circle that blasted Ignis off to the lake. She panted tiredly "Holy fuck..." she was now able to think properly as she thought it through.

She sighed in frustration as she was about to leave when she realized something, she looked back "Can't he not swim?" she asked in confusion when he hasn't come back to land yet.

Callista pursed her lips and memories from long ago came rushing back, fear immediately enveloped her entire being as she clenched her hands.

"Son of a...!" she immediately ran towards the waters and half of herself cursed at her stupidity "Ignis!" she called out.

She could still remember the image of the Deepmaw that tried to eat her a day ago and she was so scared that her hand was shaking.

Callista clicked her tongue "Ignis!" she called out loudly as she began walking into the water, every step gave her anxiety as she looked around trying to find even a dead body.

Then somehow, from her continuous stupidity, she slipped and her feet couldn't find land anymore which caused her to panic. She froze in place and refused to open her eyes for fear of what she might see underwater.

Suddenly, someone touched her and pulled her up, guiding her back to land. She coughed harshly when her lungs found air again as she was soaked from head to toe.

"You should've stuck to that whole villainess role you showed or is it just your personality?" Ignis sat down on the ground, his clothes wet and his hair slick back from the water.

"Are you insane!? Why would you..!?" she scowled at him but stopped as she tried to focus on her breathing.

Ignis seemed to noticed this and called out "Hey..." he called softly but it was getting harder to breathe "Hey, it's okay..." Ignis finally touched her as she looked up at his purple orbs that seems to have calmed her down.

Callista studied his handsome face "I'm sorry, I was deep in thought while I was in the water so I didn't get up immediately" he explained, her eyebrows furrowed from his explanation "Are you a fish? Why would you think while your underwater?" she retorted.

"Since I lost, I was thinking of another solution then you suddenly appeared" Ignis said "And I think I found my answer..."

She looked at him in confusion, "What?"

Ignis stared at her for a few seconds and tilted his head "Your not a bad person" that wasn't something Callista would've expected to hear "What kind of bullshit is that?" she raised a brow.

He only shrugged and stood up "So are you going to leave me alone now?" she asked and stood up to follow him "Yeah, that's our deal wasn't it?" he said "Besides, I already found my answer" he looked at her and she stiffened.

Oh, no. If she doesn't look away from his eyes right now, she really might do something both of them would really hate.

"Can I hold you for second?" her mouth opened on its own as Ignis confusedly looked at her "What?" his eyebrows furrowed.

"Answer me." she stared at him.

He looked back at her grey orbs. "Yeah, but just for a second"

Callista walked closer and before the both of them knew it, their lips touched for a kiss none of them would have expected.

The funny thing is, no one pulled away.