Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls-Chapter 101: She really liked you

"Cool, you've already kicked out four people." Umbra commented, floating lazily in the air next to Kael, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "How do you feel, my dear destroyer of futures?"

Kael didn't slow down. "Fuck off." He muttered, with no patience for the shadow's provocations.

Umbra just laughed, clearly pleased. "Ah, always so affectionate."

Beside him, Amelia walked in silence, her face slightly frowning in thought. They were on their way to their second lesson of the day, and all the chaos had happened during the break between lessons.

Kael noticed her distant expression and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

She blinked, coming out of her momentary trance. "Hm?... Ah... sorry." Her voice came out a little distracted before returning to normal. "I'm just thinking about those two."

Kael tilted his head slightly. "Arthur and Elizabeth?"

Amelia sighed and looked at him. "Yes. I don't know if it was right to have handled everything like that... But at the same time, there wasn't much we could have done differently."

She looked away, her silver eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Kael pondered for a moment before asking, "Are you worried because they're a prince and a princess?"

She hesitated for a moment, then sighed: "Not exactly. I'm worried because they seem interested in you... especially Elizabeth."

Kael narrowed his eyes. "Interested?"

Amelia crossed her arms, a small crease appearing between her eyebrows. "I can't explain it, but I felt she was... watching you in a different way. And I don't think it's just ordinary curiosity."

Kael was silent for a moment, absorbing this information. He remembered Elizabeth's gaze. There was something there, yes... but it was too early to say what.

Umbra laughed, pirouetting in the air. "Ohhh, how interesting! You're already attracting the attention of royalty! Does she want to marry you? Or maybe she just wants to rip your head off? So exciting!"

Kael ignored her completely, focusing on Amelia. "And what do you suggest I do?"

She shrugged. "For now, nothing. Just... keep an eye out."

Kael nodded. If there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was that nothing happened by chance. If Elizabeth was interested in him, for whatever reason, he would find out soon enough.

"Well, I'll try not to attract any more royal attention." He commented sarcastically as they crossed the threshold of an immense structure. The building loomed before them, a tower of stone and glass at least ten stories high, filled with corridors that intertwined like a labyrinth.

"What's the next class?" He asked, his eyes scanning the hanging signs that indicated the different sectors of the academy.

"Teachings and Spiritual Arts." Amelia replied, without needing to look at the orientation crystal. "Third floor."

Kael sighed, starting to climb the marble steps beside her.

"Great... the Nine-Tailed Fox." He muttered to himself, his mind going back to the teachers' presentation earlier.

Mizuki Inari.

The woman wasn't just an ordinary Kitsune. There was something about her... something that made him feel like he was being analyzed on a deeper level than anyone had ever done.

She didn't just stare at him... She saw... For an instant, when their eyes met in the auditorium, Kael was sure that Mizuki wasn't just looking at him... but also at Umbra.

And the strangest thing of all? She smiled.

Kael kept his expression neutral, but his mind was working fast.

"Can you hide?" He asked Umbra mentally.

She appeared around him, hovering in the air with an amused smile. "I'm already hiding, Kael. This is as far as I go."

"So, basically, she'll always see you?"

"She'll always feel me." Umbra corrected. "Beings with no spiritual affinity would never perceive my presence, but a Nine-Tailed Kitsune? She's practically a living manifestation of spiritual energy. If I were you, I'd give up trying to hide and just accept the situation. Kitsunes are mischievous, but also loving... and dangerously curious." Kael sighed.

Kael sighed. "Good. So we're under the watchful eye of a cunning and nosy fox."

"And it could be worse!" Umbra laughed. "Honestly, it's even better that a Kitsune is keeping an eye on you. They're natural secret-keepers. If she's noticed something, she probably won't go spreading it around... but she won't stop testing you either."

Kael pondered for a moment. Mizuki definitely seemed the type to enjoy putting her students in uncomfortable situations.

"So, what's the best approach here?" he asked.

"Tell them I'm your Familiar." Umbra suggested. "That will be enough to justify my presence without arousing unnecessary suspicion."

As she said this, her body began to change. The human outlines disappeared, its wings retracted and turned into a slender membrane. Her body became smaller, her tail lengthened and, in a few seconds, Umbra no longer looked like a humanoid shadow...

She was now a small white wyvern perched on Kael's shoulder.

"A dragon would draw too much attention." She explained, straightening her wings. "People in this world still don't understand dragons very well. A Wyvern, on the other hand, is exotic enough to arouse curiosity, but not so much as to cause panic."

Kael cast a sidelong glance at his "new" companion. "Convenient."

"I know, I'm great." Umbra smiled, showing her sharp little teeth.

Kael only turned his attention to the teacher, who continued to watch him with that enigmatic smile.

Kael and Amelia walked quietly to the entrance of the room, and as soon as they crossed the threshold, their eyes were drawn to the imposing figure waiting in front of them.

Mizuki Inari was there, standing before the class with a presence that mixed serenity and danger in perfect measures. Her long black hair flowed like silk down to her waist, and her nine tails swayed gently in the air, as if they were alive, reacting to their surroundings. Its eyes shone with a mixture of cunning and amusement, analyzing each student who entered as if it could see their souls.

Kael noticed that he wasn't the only one feeling the weight of that gaze. Many students quickly turned their faces away when they realized they were being watched, while others seemed restless in their seats, unable to relax in the Kitsune's presence.

He and Amelia found their seats, sitting side by side. While the other students were still settling in, Kael felt a shiver run down his spine.

For a brief moment, Mizuki looked directly at him.

Unlike the brief, appraising glances she gave the others, this one was long, penetrating. There was something else there, a glimmer of curiosity... and certainty. Then his lips curved into an enigmatic smile, as if he already knew exactly who he was and what he was carrying.

"She knows." Umbra whispered in his mind, her voice amused but slightly tense.

Kael didn't answer. He just crossed his arms and kept his expression indifferent. There was no point in worrying about what was already out of his control.

After all, hiding from a Kitsune was as useless as trying to fool a mirror.

Now all that remained was to wait and see what she would do with this knowledge.

Silence dominated the room for a few moments, until Mizuki finally broke the tension with a soft clap.

"Welcome to Teaching and Spiritual Arts," her voice was sweet and melodious, but carried a subtle weight of authority. "Throughout this semester, you will learn about the energy that permeates all of existence, the connection between soul and magic, and, of course, the interaction between spiritual beings and the mortal world."

His eyes roamed the room slowly, stopping on a few students briefly, as if he could sense their spiritual affinities just by their presence. Then, inevitably, they returned to Kael.

This time, he held their gaze.

"Some of you may have natural talents for this area," Mizuki continued, her nine tails swaying gently behind her, "others will need practice and discipline to understand and manipulate the subtle energies. But all of you, without exception, must understand that spiritual magic is not something that can be treated lightly. Those who play with forces beyond their comprehension... pay a price."

Her tone turned somber for a moment, and some of the students swallowed.

"But don't worry," she resumed in a lighter tone, smiling gently. "As long as you're under my guidance, I'll make sure that no one here ends up trapped in an involuntary pact or has their soul torn apart by a vengeful spirit."

The students exchanged nervous glances. She was joking... right?

Kael just sighed, leaning back in his chair with a slight boredom. He already knew all this. From an early age, he had been trained by the Witch Queen, one of the most powerful entities in the magical world. He understood more about the spiritual art than most masters who boasted centuries of experience.

As Mizuki began to explain the basics of spiritual energy-how it connected with traditional magic and the differences between natural and artificial spirits-Kael felt tired.

"Are you really going to sleep again?" Umbra, still in his little white wyvern form, asked in his mind.

"Why not? She's explaining things I've known since I was three. Besides, I'm too tired to see this class, the previous incident was exhausting."

"What about the teacher who's clearly interested in you? Do you think she'll leave you alone?"

"If she wants to wake me up, let her try."

And with that, Kael closed his eyes, leaning back slightly.

The class continued normally for a few minutes. Mizuki continued her explanation, gesturing with her hands as arcane drawings appeared in the air, illustrating her points. She was clearly a master at what she did, because even for those with no spiritual talent, her words flowed with impressive clarity.

Until...

"Kael Scarlet."

The room fell absolutely silent.

Kael slowly opened one of his eyes. Mizuki stared at him, a mischievous smile on her lips.

"I'm glad my class is so relaxing for you," she said, tilting her head slightly, her fox ears moving subtly. "But since you're so confident about sleeping in my class, would you like to share with the class what I was explaining just now?"

The atmosphere became charged. Some students held their breath, waiting to see if he would embarrass himself.

Kael sighed and sat up straight. If it was to be over quickly, let it be now.

"You were explaining the relationship between spiritual magic and vital essence," he began, without hesitation. "How the energy that flows through all living beings can be manipulated and amplified when in harmony with the spirits. He also mentioned the differences between natural and artificial entities, classifying them as autonomous beings, such as fairies, and entities created through rituals, such as spirit constructs."

Mizuki arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"Also," Kael continued, his voice firm, "I was going to start getting into the concept of spiritual contracts, where a conjurer can form bonds with entities to share power or obtain magical assistance. But you still haven't mentioned the consequences of a poorly made contract, such as the excessive drain on vital energy or the corruption of the conjurer's soul."

The silence in the room was absolute.

Mizuki narrowed her eyes, her expression a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"Interesting," she murmured. "So you really were paying attention, despite your appearance."

"Not exactly," Kael shrugged. "I already knew all that."

That was enough for a buzz to start among the students.

"How arrogant..." someone muttered.

"He's bluffing, right?" another whispered.

Mizuki just smiled, assessing Kael for a few more moments. Then, suddenly, she snapped her fingers.

At the same moment, spiritual symbols flashed around Kael, forming a magical circle that seemed to press into his very existence.

The room held its breath.

Kael didn't move.

The symbols flickered for a moment... and then dissolved.

Mizuki laughed softly.

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"Indeed," she said, 'you know what you're talking about.' Kael just snorted.

Kael just snorted. "If you wanted to test my spiritual affinity, you could have asked."

She crossed her arms, her tails swaying slowly. "And you would have accepted?"

"No."

"Then I did it my way."

The room erupted in whispers.

Kael rolled his eyes as Mizuki finally walked away, turning his attention back to the lesson.

"That's fun," Umbra whispered. "She really liked you."