•••

The practice lasted two hours or so.

The first fifteen minutes of that dragged because Kaya and Eloise were being very careful with their Arcane tools.

"Kaya, Eloise, they are tools," Caius said, "They are meant to be used."

"What if we break them?" Eloise asked, feeling she was more at risk of that even with her being the only one with a spare.

"Then I'll just replace them," Caius said, "Now use them!"

It took a while but the two eventually stopped treating the Arcane tools like pieces of glass and began whipping them about with near-reckless abandon. Kaya even struck a dummy with her staff at one point.

Caius didn't join in though. He took a more supervisory role as they experimented with different pairings. The ones that worked best were Kaya with Eloise and Delia with Aylin. The pairing that worked least was Kaya with Aylin mostly because the two argued over who should take the lead.

"Just because you're holding that thing doesn't make you better than me," Aylin said with a smirk, "Swing it around all you want and I'll still beat you."

"I'd like to see you try," Kaya said and struck the end of her staff against the ground to create a deep thud that caused her Nature motes to swirl around with aggression.

"You're on the same side," Caius said with an exasperated sigh while pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I highly doubt that," Kaya said.

"I concur," Aylin said.

Besides the annoyance of that pairing, things went quite well. In fact, Caius was so engrossed in directing them and hopefully whipping them into shape that he lost track of time. When he realized it was getting late, he was tempted to have them continue but knew he had to know when to call an end to something.

"Back here Tomorrow, after school," he announced then when the ladies put their Arcane Tools and Mage-Knight weapon away.

"I want to talk to you," Aylin told him then.

The ladies paused and looked with intrigue. Aylin noticed and looked at them out of the corner of her eyes as she added,

"Alone."

Kaya rolled her eyes.

"Alright," Caius said and waved to the others, "I'll see you all tomorrow."

In a few seconds, the other ladies left the classroom and Caius saw Eloise flash a slightly disappointed look before she closed the classroom doors behind herself. Clearly, she had been thinking—likely hoping—that they would engage in the same after-training act they had done last week.

While she didn't dislike Aylin nearly as much as Kaya did, especially when they had spent so much time sitting at the same table in the cafeteria, she did think the Khione beauty was responsible for her longing wish not happening.

"So what is it?" Caius asked Aylin when they were alone.

Aylin folded her arms beneath her breasts, heaving their heftiness high up as she said,

"I want it."

"You want what?" Caius asked, confused.

"What you gave Kaya and Eloise today," Aylin said, "I want it."

Now Caius was a bit more confused. Had Aylin not included 'today' he may have thought she was referring to sex which would be such a direct way to come out and ask for it but wouldn't be off-brand for her. Hell, she had basically begged for it a couple of times before today and only been tided over by Caius's conditions.

But the inclusion of 'today' threw Caius for a loop. He certainly hadn't given Kaya and Eloise 'that' today.

"What are you talking about?" He asked with furrowed brows.

"I saw you touch their foreheads. And they both looked so enlightened after that. So full," Aylin said, "I want to have that too. You owe me after that terrible present you gave me."

"If you don't want the Alchemical supplies, you can give them back," Caius said with a smile.

"I didn't say that," Aylin said, "I just want you to touch me as you did them."

That sounded very suggestive but knowing Aylin she probably meant for it to.

Caius was a bit surprised she had noticed the information impartations he had done today. While she wasn't as perceptive as Kaya—she hadn't sensed anything different about him yet—she clearly had a knack for spotting things.

Caius considered telling her she hadn't seen what she saw. Or maybe admitting what she had seen was correct and she just couldn't be a part of it. At least not yet.

But then, he decided, screw all that and told her,

"Alright."

When he was ready to reveal what he was to her and feed on her for the first time, Caius decided he'd like to drink from an Evolutionary-charge-rich blood made even better if her diligence got her to the Fourth Circle by then.

"Wait, what?" Aylin asked like she hadn't expected him to give in so quickly.

"If you want it, then you can have it," Caius said with a light shrug and then held up a finger,

"Just give me a second."

With that, he closed his eyes and began to include a detailed 'manual' so to speak to explain what the Arcane Circle was. And then he opened his eyes to look at Aylin whose eyes were still slightly wide with surprise.

"Relax your mind," Caius said.

"What— Oh, alright," Aylin answered and then felt the touch of Caius's fingers on her forehead as she was flooded with information as well as the very core of the entire information transfer; A Strange Arcane circle.

As it turned out, as much of an impactful transfer as it had been for Kaya and Eloise, it was even more so for Aylin whose brain seemed to have swelled making her head feel bigger and causing it to ache.

She winced hard and pressed a hand to her temple while doubling over and groaning in pain. Aylin felt like the moment lasted a full minute but in truth, it was five seconds. Five seconds that Caius spent looking at her with concern.

"How do you feel?" He asked when Aylin began to straighten up and her expression relaxed.

"It can't be real," she said in a raspy whisper.

"What can't be real?" Caius asked.

"All of it. All of these," Aylin said, "Divine energy. Up to tenfold speed in enlightenment… That all can't be real."

Caius nodded slowly, eyeing her gently.

"It is," he said, "Despite your disbelief, I'm sure you can feel it within you. An energy not quite of this world, of this realm.

A Divine seed."

Aylin could feel it. She still had a hand to her head but didn't press down hard anymore. She just rubbed in a slow soothing manner while she came to terms with the information she had been given about the Arcane circle.

"How do you even have this?" Aylin asked in disbelief.

"I have my ways," Caius said with a smile.

Aylin held her breath at the sight of that smile. It was so dazzling that she just couldn't help but stare. Plus, from what she could feel about him from the Arcane Circle now in her head, it looked all the more enchanting.

She eventually managed to find her voice again,

"But this— This could be a massive game changer. It could upend the very structure of Magical Excellence in the Empire.

And you're giving it to me?"

"You asked, my dear," Caius said with a slightly teasing smile and then he became serious as he continued,

"That being said, it doesn't matter what this could do to the structure or status quo of the Acheron Empire because that has no bearing here. I entrust you with this for your speedy advancement… I think it goes without saying that you're to keep it to yourself."

Aylin looked taken aback like she was amazed he even had to say that out loud.

"Of course. Why would I tell anyone about this?"

She sounded so quick about it that Caius was reminded she was well versed in the ways of this world; Keep your magical secrets close to your chest. Reveal to no one.

Caius smiled.

"Good girl," he said and grabbed her chin gently, causing Aylin's heart to skip a couple of beats as she waited with bated breath for him to lean closer.

Caius was just about to make contact when he stepped and glanced at her perfect nose.

"Breathe, dear," he said and as though commanded, Aylin let out the breath she had been holding. Only to cease breathing again the moment Caius's lips touched hers.

She swooned and almost fell to the ground. Her descent was only stopped by her raising her arms to wrap around his neck. Still, the momentum of her falling towards the ground caused her to pull hard at Caius's neck. Intensifying their ongoing kiss.

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