Child of Light

Volume 4: Chapter 8 - Ma Ke's Background

After taking only two steps, I saw Ma Ke walking in my direction. He seemed to be looking for me as well.

I pulled him along. "I was just about to come find you. Let's go and eat! After we eat, we'll take a break at the dormitory; before we continue to go for the afternoon lessons."

At the dinner table, Ma Ke was stunned when he saw me savagely sweeping up my meal. He said in shock, "Boss, you're still eating your meal in this manner. I'm impressed." I glared at him, indicating for him to shut up and quickly eat his meal.

A feminine voice sounded. "If he wasn't eating like this, he wouldn't be called White Rice Bucket. Don't you think that I'm right, Zhang Gong?"

With my mouth still full of food, I turned my head to have a look. It was a pretty girl that looked similar to Hai Yue. Ah~ I suddenly realized that she was the girl who used the spells Absolute Disruption and Water Dragon's Chant. I hurriedly swallowed my food and awkwardly smiled before saying, "Long time no see, Hai Shui! You've become even more beautiful."

Hai Shui's fair face reddened and said, "Really? I just heard from my sister that you'd returned. I figured that you'd be the same as before and rush to have your meal as quickly as possible. It really was as I expected! You haven't changed at all, you only grew taller and sturdier."

I started laughing. "You're also not the same as before. You grew up to be so beautiful! You're definitely the flower of our academy. Right, Ma Ke?"

In front of Hai Shui, Ma Ke could still be himself. "That's right! Currently, her potential suitors could form a whole squadron." (Five hundred people in a squadron)

Hai Shui pouted playfully. "You're really hateful! Ma Ke, you're exaggerating too much! Since when did I have that many suitors?"

I pretended to panic and glanced around before looking at Ma Ke. "Let's quickly finish our meals and retreat! If not, we'll be assaulted by a mass of students." After saying so, I laughed loudly with Ma Ke, causing the students near our table to look in our direction.

Hai Shui ran to my side and hammered me with her fist. "You're so hateful! How can you tease people like this?" She really is an amusing girl.

I winked at her. "How did I tease you?"

Hai Shui interrupted. "Enough of you already! I'm going to eat." She turned around and walked away.

I smiled at Ma Ke. "Her attitude is completely different from her sister's. She's so lively and adorable. Why don't you court her instead?"

Ma Ke suddenly became secretive and whispered in my ears, "Boss, you don't know about this, but she already likes someone."

"Really? Who?"

"The person who she likes is~… you."

I frowned. "That's enough! You're only joking with me. How could she possibly like me?"

"This's something you couldn't possibly know. Ever since that time when you defeated her, she couldn't forget about you. While you were out exploring the world, we were in the Advanced Magic Academy. She came to me a number of times asking for you. I told her that you had gone out to gain experience. She just didn't believe me and said that you had definitely gone to another school. She looked really depressed back then."

Ah~ that couldn't be true! How could she like me? Even though she was younger than Ma Ke and I by a year, her age was still similar to ours. I had always thought of her as a sister. I rumbled, "She can't really like me." At the same time I imagined dating her, and her casting Absolute Disruption on me whenever we argued. I wouldn't be able to stand that. I shook my head rapidly. She also had such fierce siblings. I couldn't consider her being mine, and I didn't feel anything for her anyway.

I warned Ma Ke. "You're never allowed to bring this topic up again. Understood? Let's just eat and go!"

Before leaving, I took a sneak peek at Hai Shui. She was looking at me. After seeing my face, her face flushed red and she lowered her head. I quickly stopped looking. It seemed as though Ma Ke hadn't lied to me. I had to run away!

I dragged Ma Ke along with me as I ran to my dormitory. I sat on the bed and panted for a moment, before calming down.

Ma Ke was annoyed and said, "Boss, what are you doing? What's wrong with Hai Shui? You're acting like you had seen a ghost!"

I replied, "Just stop trying to help pair us up! You like Hai Yue, but I don't like Hai Shui. Please stop trying to get us together. Do you understand?"

Ma Ke curiously said, "What is wrong with Hai Shui? She's quite adorable and one of the top beauties of this academy."

I impatiently said, "Enough is enough! Can you just stop talking about this and quickly tell me your identity? You haven't settled your outstanding debts."

Ma Ke quickly apologized and smiled. "Haha, Boss, I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have purposely hidden my identity from you. It's just that my identity was only known by Teacher Long, even Teacher Di didn't know."

I teasingly said, "Enough! Stop rambling in circles and say that you are the young master of a famous family."

Ma Ke opened the dormitory door to check that nobody was listening in our conversation and locked the door before returning. (Usually students wouldn't be at the dormitory at noon)

He came near my ears and whispered, "My father is Prince Ke Zha, also known as Ke Zha Ao Er. My real name is Ma Ke Ao Er, the second son of Prince Ke Zha."

"In other words, you're royalty. Does anyone else know your identity?"

"Of course not! I have hidden my identity for two reasons: first so I could study and gain knowledge, and second, so I could observe talents and analyses the situation in the academy."

I continued his words. "This is also for your father to recruit talented students, right? Please don't try to recruit me! I don't want to be an official, or worse still, a soldier."

Ma Ke awkwardly smiled and said, "Why would I do that? How could we brothers talk about recruitment? You just need to support me in the future! Haha." Ma Ke's really was counting his chickens before they hatched. My teacher and I were both Light Magisters, where my teacher was ranked third among the ten current magisters, and was the principal of the Royal Intermediate Academy. We would definitely be able to influence the Aixia kingdom, as it specialized in magic powers. Although he had different plans when he first met, I knew his friendship wasn't fake as, when we first met each other, we still weren't that strong.

I patted his shoulder and said, "That's enough! Say no more. As brothers, I will definitely help you."

Ma Ke excitedly grabbed my hands, "You won't blame me, will you, brother?"

I shook my head. "No problem! Now stop doing this, if someone sees us like this, they'll think we're homos. Let's go! Afternoon lessons are starting!"