When Niyad woke up, his muscles were sore all over. He inspected the empty duvet next to him where his mother had slept the night before.

His mother hit him repeatedly while crying after he got home. She then decided he would sleep in her room that way she could stop him from having one of his stupid heroic spells with a knock upside his head.

A small smile tugged at his lips when he woke up. He examined his face in the copper mirror that stood in his house before going out.

"Mother?" he called out.

"Yes, Ny?"

"I'm heading out to the river." He announced

"Yes, be careful," she called from her little kitchen.

Niyad smiled then stepped out of the small house onto the streets. The village was quiet, normally it would be bustling at this time.

He remembered when he got home yesterday the stories he had heard before his mother yanked him back to the house while beating him.

A giant bat had brought some of the children back then disappeared in thin air. They were asleep, but once they woke up they were so afraid that it took hours to calm them down. The adults who made it back also had jittery looks in their eyes, they stuttered while speaking and staggered while walking. One man told them how a monster had killed the bandits but then spoke to them in a human tongue telling them to go back, the Queen hired him to rescue them.

Two men stood talking in hushed tones.

"I thought our Jade queen was scary until I saw that thing yesterday." A middle-aged man whispered to another.

Niyad nodded in greeting then continued walking.

"That's strange, we all witnessed the Jade Queen leaving here herself saying she would get revenge for us. Then why did you see a monster instead of the beauty we saw yesterday?"

"She's powerful, who's to say other powerful people don't owe her. Or that thing could have been her contracted beast."

Contracted beast? Niyad's mind flashed back to Count winking at him, which made him shudder a bit.

He headed towards the secluded location of the river where he would often bathe, stripping down, he entered the water and sat there for a while. He thought back to the night before, pulling and raising the index finger Sercy had pricked. He stared at it for a while, then flushed red in embarrassment as he remembered her lips touching it.

Sighing, he loosened his hair and started washing it as well. Sercy floated above him, her aura concealed.

"You're a pervert." Count's voice floated towards her ear.

"Shut up or I'll turn you into an arse."

Count laughed menacingly at her response then slowly faded away.

As her eyes scanned Niyad's body they glowed black then purple, then black once more. She nodded in confirmation to no one in particular then landed on the bank of the river quietly.

She observed Niyad quietly before deciding to release her aura, Niyad sensing that someone was there lifted his head from the water, sweeping his hair back he turned around.

A beautiful girl was sitting behind him staring at him with interest. She wore a white gown, her hair braided and tucked on top of her head. Held in place with a knife that was intricately carved. It was the knife he had given the mysterious woman the night before. Upon closer observation, he realized they were the same person.

His face turned red when he remembered he was de-robed "Y-you, how long have you been there?"

"Since you woke up," she responded in a  flat tone as if she hadn't seen him strip and expose his family jewels prior.

"Are you some kind of Pervert?" Niyad asked, his face turning a deeper shade of red in embarrassment.

"No. I've seen men naked before, it doesn't make me uncomfortable and I don't find your body appealing so no need to worry."

Count coughed awkwardly in reaction to what Sercy said. But only she could hear him in his currently concealed state.

Niyad:"$#&)@&"

Sercy: "..."

Niyad didn't know if he should laugh or cry. "Well, I'm uncomfortable, could you turn around so I can get dressed."

Sercy stood slowly, then turned around exaggeratedly.

Niyad took this opportunity to exit the water and quickly dressed himself. He double-checked his attire to ensure he was properly covered before announcing that it was ok for her to turn around.

Sercy faced him then tilted her head as she looked at him from head to toe. Her gaze made him fidget a bit.

"What do you want?." He asked nervously.

"You," she responded, which caused Niyad's heart to do a little backflip as if it were going to jump from his chest.

Niyad: "$#&@&$"

Sercy: "..."

Niyad covered his chest like a young maiden before cautiously asking, "W-Why?"

"I'm not sure what you are, but I have a method of cultivation that would work for you. I sense that you're actually very talented in cultivation, but you're just using an incorrect method. I've decided to take you as my pupil."

Niyad stood there, his expression blank. He blinked twice as he recalled all that happened last night then he thought of the conversation he had overheard this morning.

He remembered her licking his finger and he flushed red once more. Her comment about him not tasting human made him shiver.

For all I know this wench probably wants to eat me.

"What are you thinking?."

Niyad laughed apologetically while bowing, "I'm sorry, I'm only 15 and the only male in my family. I'll have to ask my mom for permission and I'm sure she'll strongly refuse. Please choose someone else."

A lie

"I'll accompany you while you go back to ask her. If she refuses I'll leave you alone."

Just before leaving, her appearance changed. She took on the same 'damsel' appearance she had used the night before then disappeared.

The bewildered Niyad looked around him before visibly starting to panic,  she couldn't have gone to my home right?

He started sprinting in the direction of his house as if his life depended on it.

Mom will definitely say no right?

He tried to reassure himself. "This one, I didn't think he would fear for his life so much, to think he'd refuse." Count said to Sercy.

"He's extremely unpredictable," Sercy responded.

After running at full speed for six minutes he shoved his home door open so hard it almost fell off. A melodious voice welcomed him.

"Niyad you're home? Your benefactor is here. She wants to take you as her pupil and she mentioned that you already agreed."

AGREE MY ASS!!!

Niyad swallowed nervously. "Ah, Mom, what did you say?"

"I agreed of course... Why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"