Oktofinitum

Chapter 29

He was dumbfounded that she left just like that but when a familiar shrieking called from behind him, he understood why she had felt the need to hurriedly go, "Y–your highness, what are you doing here?!"

"Oh my god! I told you it was him! I knew I recognize his broad shoulders and sexy back!"

"D–do you perhaps need something?! Are you lost?"

"Stupid, why would his highness be lost when this is his alma mater."

"Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence, can we do something for you?" They were batting their lashes at him while giggling like the teenagers that they are as if he's some sort of an eye candy instead of their future ruler. He looked at the dark stone bridge where she disappeared for the last time and turned to go as well, "I have to go, my ladies." They recognized the coldness in his tone and immediately stood aside to let him pass, "G–goodbye, your highness."

"I told you he's not interested in girls. In fact, he's cold even to his own fiancée," one of them said in a hushed voice but he was still in earshot and can hear them, "That's probably because they were just an arranged match, we can still have a chance to make him fall in love with our looks and feminine charms!"

"Oh please, as if a royalty like him would even glance at people like us, and besides we wouldn't stand a chance against his first love you know," another said, "But it's been years since she went missing and probably died, maybe I can help him move on," but Aidan decided to ignore their silly crush and went to his quarters on the other side of the Academy, the south wing, deciding to take the more quiet and secluded paths instead of the direct one to avoid meeting his all too avid lady admirers. He thought he could finally resign and be at peace, but a bomb greeted his face the moment he opened the door to his room, fortunately, he quickly responded and held his left arm to morph a golden shield. After the smoke settled, his shield disappeared and a redhead was sitting on his cushion sofa with her feet up as if she owned the place, "Hello, cousin."

"Aidan! Didn't get the chance to greet you properly yesterday and earlier at the meeting! You know because of all the ruckus, with my father always at your ass, and demons penetrating the barrier which almost had me meet our dear grandfather in his grave!" Aidan entered his own room, he removed his low-neck brown vest and unbuttoned the collar of his cotton dress shirt, "What do you need?"

"What? can't I visit my own cousin?" Aidan gave her a stern look, "Can't I miss your ever so gloomy face and blinding golden hair?" She teased him which only caused the latter to frown even more, "Did uncle send you here to spy on me?"

"Of course, he did, but you know me –that old man could never make me do his bidding!"

"And yet you're here snooping around in my room," he retorted with a raised brow. Lady Riezl Ann shifted in her position and took a whole bunch of grapes from the center table, "But not to check on you like my father instructed, to annoy you of course!" She said as she munched on piece after piece of the delightful fruit. Aidan could only shake his head in exasperation at the antics of his family relatives, "Isn't anyone in our family at the very least tolerable?"

"So, where have you been hiding all these times? The headmaster said you've been here since a fortnight ago. How did you manage to hide from the radars of your lady admirers and the Infinitus, and why are you here? Shouldn't you be off gallivanting with your royal advisers?" Aidan decided to ignore her question and sat on the mahogany table just at the other end of the room where a bunch of papers, scrolls, and old books were scrawled over like some hurricane passed by. He flicked his hands and all the unlit chandeliers in the room lightened up. Seeing that her cousin is not accommodating her gossiping, she decided to stand up and sit on his velvet cushioned chair instead, "Are you really investigating something? It's unbelievable that your father allowed you to leave the palace for such a long time without your guards or did you escape the palace? Even the minister of war is not aware you were outside the palace."