The next day,
After class, the third ranked student, Flayn, challenged him to a ranked duel. Of course, Ash had accepted it.
They went to the training grounds. Though this time, the number of spectators was much lower than when he fought with Alice. This was obviously caused by the difference in status between the two of them.
Once they stepped onto the field, Flayn looked at Ash with a bright smile. "Ash, I really look up to you."
"Oh?" Ash glanced at him. "Why's that?"
"You got first place during the entrance test with twelve spirits caught. Most people only caught one." Flayn scratched his cheek lightly. "And I watched your fight against Alice too. Even though you lost, you were still really strong."
"I'll beat her next time," Ash replied simply before taking his stance. "For now, let's start."
Flayn smiled faintly. "Alright."
The signal was given, and sparks immediately crackled around Flayn's body. In the next instant, lightning burst beneath his feet as he shot forward at frightening speed.
Ash's eyes narrowed before his figure flickered into the shadows.
'Void Step.'
Flayn's fist hit empty air, but he reacted almost instantly, turning toward Ash's new position without hesitation.
"So that's your skill," he said as lightning surged around his legs again.
Then he accelerated once more.
Ash barely had time to react before another attack came rushing toward him. He stepped through the shadows again, narrowly avoiding a lightning-covered kick that scorched the ground beneath it.
Fast.
Much faster than Alice.
Ash reappeared several meters away, Lunar Veil faintly glowing around him as the soft aura steadied his breathing and sharpened his senses. Even then, tracking Flayn's movements wasn't easy. 'Sight-Casting' But he didn't miss the chance to gain the spell, even when fighting.
Flayn didn't stop attacking either. Every movement flowed naturally into the next, controlled and efficient, forcing Ash to continuously use Void Step just to keep up.
The spectators slowly grew quieter as the fight continued.
"He's pushing Ash back…"
"Flayn's actually amazing."
Ash frowned slightly as another burst of lightning rushed toward him. 'At this rate, I'll run out of mana first.'
Then he noticed it.
Every time Flayn accelerated suddenly, the lightning around his legs intensified slightly beforehand.
A small habit.
The next time Flayn rushed forward, Ash didn't retreat immediately. Instead, at the very last second, he stepped sideways through the shadows rather than backward.
Flayn's eyes widened slightly as his strike missed completely, his momentum carrying him a step too far.
Ash appeared behind him instantly.
"Shadow Bind."
Dark tendrils burst upward and wrapped around Flayn's legs. Lightning exploded around him instinctively, violently shaking the shadows, but the loss of balance stopped him from accelerating again immediately.
Ash moved before Flayn could recover, swinging his hand and stopping it inches from Flayn's neck.
The field fell silent.
Flayn stared at him for a moment before letting out a small laugh. "…I lost."
The shadows disappeared immediately.
Ash exhaled quietly. Honestly, it hadn't been easy at all. If he hadn't figured out Flayn's movement pattern, he probably would've lost first.
Meanwhile, Flayn didn't seem upset in the slightest. Instead, he smiled. "You're really good at adapting during a fight."
"Thanks, you're faster in speed though," Ash replied honestly.
Flayn rubbed the back of his head lightly. "But I still lost, then I'll just get even faster next time."
Ash looked at him for a second before nodding. "I'll still win."
Flayn grinned. "We'll see."
Then, as Flayn turned to leave, Ash suddenly said, "Flayn, want to be my roommate? I've only got one so far."
Flayn stopped for a moment before looking back at him. "…That's a pretty sudden invitation."
"I just thought of it," Ash replied casually.
Flayn gave a short laugh. "Thanks, but the rank three dorm is good enough for me." Then he waved lightly and walked away.
After they finished, Ash returned to his dorm. As soon as he arrived, he called Ezra into the living room.
"What is it?" Ezra asked curiously as he walked over.
Ash remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts. The heavy atmosphere gradually made Ezra uneasy.
"There's something I need to tell you," Ash finally said.
"What is it?"
Ash looked directly at him before calmly speaking.
"You're my slave."
"…What?" Ezra froze, unable to process the words. "What are you talking about?" He stared at Ash blankly. "You're… joking, right?"
"…No." For some reason, Ash felt an uncomfortable tightness in his chest.
Guilt? Hesitation?
He ignored it.
This was necessary for his survival. Sentiment was something he had always possessed, but never considered important.
Ezra instinctively stepped back, disbelief written all over his face. "Ash… can you please explain what you mean?"
"The entrance test," Ash said. "After you fainted, I cast a slave spell on you."
The moment those words left his mouth, Ezra's expression stiffened. "You-" He immediately understood what Ash meant.
"Undo it."
"I don't want to."
Silence filled the room.
Ezra's breathing became uneven as he lowered his head. He wanted to deny it, to call Ash insane, but deep down, he could already feel it. Resisting was pointless, and that only made it worse.
Ash watched quietly. That uncomfortable feeling returned once more, but he suppressed it again. If Ezra truly became his slave, then this connection could be useful in the future. In a world like this, usefulness mattered more than emotions.
"…Are you going to force me to obey you now?" Ezra asked bitterly.
Ash paused briefly before shaking his head. "As long as you don't betray me, I don't plan to."
Ezra looked up slightly, surprise flickering across his face.
"I don't need a servant," Ash continued calmly. "I just need someone I can trust."
"You…" Ezra looked utterly confused. "Are you really a five-year-old?" 'How can someone that young even think of doing something like this?'
"…You could say I'm not." Ash ended the topic there and returned to the main point.
"I'll give you a day. Sort out your thoughts and feelings. By tomorrow, make your choice willingly… or I'll force it."
"…Isn't that basically the same thing?" Ezra muttered weakly. Still shaken by the revelation, he quietly returned to his room.
Unlike Ezra, who spent the entire night in emotional turmoil, the person responsible for it all was sleeping peacefully in his room.