"Why do you call me 'your highness' in classes?" Elias asked Caelum as they walked back to their room that evening.
Caelum glanced around cautiously to make sure no one was nearby. He met Elias's gaze. "I sensed at least three people keeping a close watch on you, and me by extension," he explained. "It is wiser to adhere to the rules when we are in class."
Elias let out a sigh and gave a nod of understanding. "They are present to ensure I do not lose control of my magic during a lesson," he said, his voice tinged with resignation. "My father appointed them."
Caelum responded with a sigh of his own. "Do you feel the poison beginning to act up?" he inquired, his voice low with concern.
Elias shook his head. "It might flare up later tonight, though," he admitted, deliberately circulating his chilling ice magic throughout his body in an attempt to keep it in check.
"Is that the reason you maintain your body temperature lower than is typically required?" Caelum asked, his brow furrowed slightly.
Elias nodded. "Did you feel the cold coming off me?" he asked.
Caelum shook his head. "I am accustomed to the cold," he replied simply.
"What do you mean by that?" Elias pressed, a curious expression crossing his face. "You also mentioned this morning that you were used to being abandoned."
"When I failed to awaken any magic by the time I was four years old, my father cast me aside," Caelum explained, the memory clearly painful. "Then, when my mother became ill, both of us were banished to the desolate Sky Manor," he continued. "I thought many people knew about that part of my life."
"There were rumors circulating that you had been abandoned," Elias confirmed. "However, given the way you conduct yourself, I honestly thought those rumors were nothing more than baseless gossip."
Caelum offered a small smile, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. "I am glad to have made a favorable first impression," he said as he reached the door to their room. He opened it, allowed Elias to step inside first, and then followed, closing the door firmly behind him and locking it with a distinct click.
"How did you know that my ice magic injures me whenever I use it?" Elias asked, settling onto the edge of the bed and gently pulling Caelum to sit down beside him.
"I observed all the knights division tests from the viewing area," Caelum revealed. "Just as you were doing," he added with a knowing look.
Elias smiled. "I wanted to see who would be the most suitable partner for me," he confessed.
"And who was your primary choice?" Caelum asked, genuinely curious.
"You," Elias stated without hesitation. "I made sure to be there for your examination, even though it was the final one," he explained. "I already knew you possessed great strength, but I could clearly see that you were deliberately holding back when you fought your brother."
Caelum nodded slowly. "I was," he admitted readily. "If I had injured him, I have no idea what my father would have done to me."
"What exactly do you mean by that?" Elias asked, his concern evident. "Did he hurt you before?"
Caelum nodded again, his gaze distant. "I would prefer not to go into the specific details right now," he said quietly.
Elias acknowledged his wish with an understanding nod. "How did you realize my uncle was utilizing light magic strengthening barriers on his sword?" he asked, skillfully steering the conversation toward a different topic.
Caelum's mouth curved into a confident smile. "I knew that with healing magic, I would not be able to effectively use it much during real time combat situations," he explained. "So, I diligently studied various other types of magic to gain a deeper understanding of what was happening in a fight and to be able to take appropriate counter measures."
"What are you truly capable of accomplishing in combat, just relying on healing magic?" Elias inquired, leaning in.
"I can sustain the continuous use of healing magic within a radius of ten meters for a full three hours," Caelum stated confidently. "So, while you are near me, you are essentially maintained in prime physical condition. Also, I can use a single touch to instantly remove poisons and other allergic or harmful substances from people."
"If we were to be abandoned in the labyrinth, and my poison suddenly activated, could you still manage to keep both of us safe until reinforcements manage to arrive?" Elias asked, his voice serious. "Because I saw the predatory way the others looked at us after we struck down my uncle."
Caelum nodded, his expression resolute. "We can defeat the enemy, but we also have to escape before your five minute death mark is reached," he acknowledged. "If I push myself and work extremely hard to increase my level to sixty-five or even seventy, it is definitely possible," he assured him, his voice unwavering.
"That is going to require at least a few months of intense training," Elias pointed out.
Caelum agreed with a nod. "It will. But I do not believe we would be sent into such dangerously deep levels of the labyrinth until at least the second semester," he reasoned. "By that time, I am certain I can reach level sixty-five," he assured Elias again.
Elias sighed, the sound heavy. "Perhaps I should also dedicate more effort to working on my own magic," he murmured.
With a sharp gasp from Elias, Caelum swiftly began removing his uniform jacket and shirt.
"You bastard," Elias cursed, but managed to remove his own uniform clothing, largely thanks to Caelum using his healing magic to keep the potent aphrodisiac-like effects of the poison to the absolute minimum.
Caelum noticed the frantic way Elias' ice magic was beginning to react and immediately increased the output of his healing magic. "Do not push your limits," he warned, his voice strained. "We do not have a lot of time remaining."
"We still have two minutes," Elias argued breathlessly. "One finger can definitely be used," he insisted, his eyes dark with desire.
Caelum shook his head, falling backward onto the soft bed as Elias pushed him gently. "Your ice magic is escalating rapidly and is on the verge of going completely berserk," he explained urgently. "You know that your magic calms down significantly when my magic is coursing through you while you are inside me. Hurry!"
Elias clenched his jaw, recognizing the truth in Caelum's words, and immediately thrust himself into Caelum, a quiet apology escaping his lips for causing any pain.
"Stop apologizing," Caelum managed to say through a gasp. "Once I discover the identity of the person who created this awful poison, I will be the one to kill him," he promised with fierce determination.
"We need to stay alive for that to happen," Elias pointed out, pushing himself completely into Caelum. "My brother's grandfather will not rest if he learns that I am steadily growing stronger."
"Then we will keep, ngh, each other safe," Caelum panted. "I know that you know, ngh, precisely why your poison, ngh, acts up and, ngh, who the person is that triggers it," he continued, gripping Elias tightly. "I will not pry into, ugh, that information just yet, ngh, because I know I have not, ngh, earned that level, ngh, of trust from you yet. But, when, ngh, you are able to fully trust me, ngh, will you be willing, ngh, to share that vital information, ngh, with me?" he asked, his voice ragged but sincere.
Elias nodded, his eyes shining brightly. "Yes," he promised immediately. "I will tell you absolutely everything I know." A small, genuine smile touched his lips, even as tears began to form in his eyes. He felt an overwhelming wave of relief and gratitude that someone was finally willing to wait patiently for him to open up and trust them enough to share the critical information he carried.
No one had ever shown him that kind of patience before. Everyone who had previously given him permission to use them had ultimately ended up using him instead, only seeking to climb the social ladder and make a name for themselves through their association with him. Caelum was the very first person who had not asked for anything at all in return and had actually made a solemn vow to find the potion master and alchemist responsible for his condition and discover the antidote to his terrible poison.