Twisted Fate of the Knight

Acquaintance

"My lady will you excuse me then," He said when he held my hands again with both hands so I hit him.

"My lady my a*s, you assh*le," I said since he changes like a flash of lightning when it comes to ladies but he just wants to flirt, in short, he is a perverted guy so I don't like him.

"You really a brutal one," He commented as he started to treat my burns.

"Philip, don't you dare flirt with her or else," Ian said to Philip as he glared at him. You deserved it as I smirk at him as I just want to tease him but later after he treated me because he will get revenge while treating my wound.

"How could I?" He said as he laughed a little as he continues to treat me.

"Good," Ian said as he watched us.

"I was really curious back then when you didn't want to be treated other than the guy who was with you," He said so I swallowed because Ian didn’t know I was with someone so I looked at Philip badly and he looked at me in amazement.

"Avy, who the hell he was talking about?" Ian said and Philip looked away as if he was pretending he was not there but still treating my wounds.

"That... he is my teacher," I said.

"Is that so?" He said as he looks at me seriously.

"Yes, he was the one I am talking to that who help me too," I said since I told him that once when we were kids.

"Philip, what was he looks like?" He said to Philip so Philip looked at him a little nervous.

"I didn't saw his face since he was wearing a coat and I only saw his lower half face," He said as he was remembering what was my teacher looks like so Ian just nodded before looking at me.

"Avy, what was he looks like?" He asked me.

"He has long black hair, light blue eyes, and has white skin," I said.

"Hm. Is he a good guy?" He said.

"Of course," I said since he took care of me even though he was so busy.

"Alright," He said as he looks at me with assuring expression. We just kept quiet for a while as Philip treated my burnt hand.

"By the way, this takes a week to completely heal and I need to change and apply some ointment," He said after he finishes putting a bandage on it.

"Is that so?" I said as I moved my hand because I wasn't in pain.

"Hey, don't do that just because you didn't feel anything since the ointment I apply has special effects that you will not feel any pain but only for a few minutes so it is better that you will not do that if you don't want to suffer," He said as he fixes his things before he seated on the sofa.

"Okay," I said while I was still looking at my hand because he placed the bandage properly.

"Thank you, Philip," Ian said as he gives him a tea. Unknowingly, Ian had left and returned with a trolley with tea and snacks with him.

"Don't mention it, Ian since it's my pleasure to do it," He said as he looks at me with plotting looks on his face so I looked at him badly since he treated me a little bit different after knowing that I am a woman.

"But don't look at her like that or else," Ian said to Philip as he looked at him wickedly so Philip gulp because of Ian's gaze at him.

"Of course. I didn't know that you have a sister complex be like," Philip said as he awkwardly laughed before he sips into his tea so I rolled my eyes at what he said.

"Well, I know you, Philip. You will not miss a woman when you have an opportunity to flirt with them," He said,

"Hey, I change a little bit, Ian!" He blurts out.

"Yes, right. How bit it is?" Ian said as he looking at him with an uninterested look on his face.

"Well, I get to befriend them first," He said as he was scratching the back of his head. 

"Isn't it the same?" Ian said.

"No!" He said

"Really?" 

"Of course since I need to befriend them or be in a good impression at least," He said as he looks at me for a moment before he faces Ian while Ian was just sipping in his tea. 

"What was that, Sir Philip?" I said to him while smiling at him but not a genuine smile.

"N-nothing," He said as he looks away.

After that, we remain silent as we eat and drink our teas.

"By the way, Avy I notice that you are having a hard time breathing," Philip said while looking seriously at his teacup. I was not surprised by what he said because he was a doctor so he will know that right away after he treated me since he can feel my pulse while treating me a while ago.

"I know," I said.

"Do you know what was the cause?" He asked me as he looks at me seriously.

"Yes, I know," I answered him since the cause was keeping my bandages on my chest that it makes me harder to breathe.

"What was the cause?" Ian asks us as he looks at us back and forth since we remain silent for a few minutes.

"Well, she should loosen her bandages a little bit since she keeps it tightly that causes her to breathe hard.

"I can't do that since they will notice it," I said.

"But if you can't keep it like that," Philip answered me.

"What will happen?" Ian said while looking at Philip while I was busy eating the chocolate cookies.

"Well, nothing dangerous but she can't fight for a long term since she will be tired faster than usual, and the worst-case scenario is that she will be lost conscious if she exhausted herself too much," He said,

"Don't worry I have Ash to take care of me," I said confidently.

"Who is that?" He said as he looks at me with a curious face.

"Her magical beasts so be careful," Ian said that's why Philip's face turned pale when he heard Ash is a magical beast. 

"I-is that s-so?" He said,

"I can call him if you want to know him," I teasingly said to him as I smirk at him.

"N-no thanks," He said.

"Alright, but you will meet him sooner or later since you will tend to my wounds, right?" I said while smiling at him.

"Yeah right," he said without stuttering since he can do nothing.

"But I am afraid that you are preventing your body growth especially your..." He added but stopped halfway so Ian and I both looked at him and we both frowned.

"My???" I asked since I am curious.

"Y-your b-breasts..." He said while his face is bright red so I glared at him while Ian is ready to pull his sword in his waists.

"W-wait, wait, wait. It's not that I mean wrong but it will affect your body," He said immediately because Ian is glaring at him.

"Go on," Ian said as he controlling himself not to pull his sword.

"Well, compressing the chest part can cause internal injuries or illness especially if you hold it tightly so I suggest that Avy should use magic to conceal herself than restraining her body," He said seriously.

"That will take much mana, right?" Ian asks him as I pondered what I would do since he has a point and I don't to be a burden to Ash if something happens to me.

"Yes, but if she can train herself how to control in a minimum amount of mana," He said as if it was so easy of perhaps he will teach me so willingly since I know him that he will do anything as long as he can gain something in return.

"What do you think, Avy?" Ian asked me as he looked at me. "You can turn in down if you don't want," He added.

"Well, the thing is that I am already using magic to alter my real appearance so it might be much more mana used if I will do the same," I said while looking at Philip and I can't read what was on his face.

"S-so, you mean this is not your real hair?" He said curiously with excitement on his face and I feel like it is not good to tell him but I can't let it slide since I will benefit from it because it was a hassle to compress my chest every now and then.

"Yes," I said. "So what do you think?" I added.

"Hm, I'm not sure if how much mana are you using so can you undo your mana?" He said so I frowned at him while Ian glared at him.

"Philip.be.sure.that.you.have.a.good.reason.for.it," He said with emphasis on his every word so Philip looked at Ian nervously while he laughs a little.

"Of course. I will only measure it," He said with his face become pale since Ian was glaring at him as if he was ready to eat him alive.

"Alright," I said as I undo my mana so I return to my real appearance. Long black hair and black eyes. I look at Philip who is stunned looking at me while his mouth slightly opened as if a fly will go in his mouth.

"Hey, wake up. You're drooling!" Ian said as he hit him in the shoulders before Philip moved and looked at Ian before wiping his mouth even though he had no saliva dripping.

"I'm not drooling," He said with a disgusted looking at Ian.

"Enough with chitchat. How can you measure?" I said since I am not comfortable with my appearance since he is staring at me.

"Give me your hands as you use your mana to conceal your appearance," He said so I hold his hands even though Ian was going to react but I sign that it's alright so he sat down in his chair since he stood up when Philip said that.

"In the count of 3 change your appearance, okay?" He said as he looks at me seriously so I nodded in response.

"1... 2... 3," He said as I change my appearance back to my usual look while he just closes his eyes for a while as if he was analyzing my mana.

"I can say that you are using just right of your mana but if you will include hiding your chest then it will consume more mana, but fortunately, you have trained yourself for changing your eye color and hair so it will be easy to adjust," He said while still holding my hand's so I looked at him when he would let go of my hands.

"How long are you going to hold my hands?" I said as I looked at him with an annoyed expression so he let go immediately.

"Oh, I'm sorry. So, back to what I am talking about is that you will be adjusting your usage of mana in maintaining your appearance even if you are fighting," He continued.

"But, make sure that you will not maintain your mana in 10% for your appearance so the rest of your mana you can use it at full," He added so I just nodded.

"How can I determine if I have only 10% mana in me?" I said since I don't know how to know.

"You will know it naturally since you will feel strange if you only have minimum mana left in your body," He said as he explains to me. 

"I understand," I said. "Now, let's try to measure if you conceal your chest," He said as he holds my both hands.

"Okay," I answered as I hide my chest even though it doesn't change since I am wearing bandages.

"Hm, You consume more mana than only concealing your eye color and hair," He said, "Well, you can control it quickly since you already know how to use a minimum mana," He said as he let go of my hands as he fixes his eyeglasses.

"Is that so?" I said as I undo since it will be a waste since it is really mana consuming.

"Yes, you can rest now. Please avoid handling water or don't let your wound get wet," He said to me.

"Okay, got it," I said as I stood up, "Ian, I'll be going," I said to Ian before I went out and I heard him said that 'Rest well'.

~~

"Ian, are you siblings or not?" Philip asked Ian as he sips his tea.

"It doesn't matter to you," Ian answered him as he looks at him with an uninterested look on his face.

"Well, I don't think you are since you guys don't look alike," He said with a nagging face but Ian just looks at him with a bored expression.

"Think whatever you want," He said.

"Come on, Ian," He said as he looks at Ian with a pleading look on his face.

"Why?" Ian said while looking at him seriously.

"I just want to know," He said as he laughs a little bit since Ian is glaring at him.

"Hm, *sigh* we are not siblings but we really grow up together," Ian answered him.

'I am glad~~' Philip murmured.

"Did you say something?" Ian said as he looks at him curiously.

"It's nothing," He said.

~~

"Philip, why does it hurt so much when yesterday it is not?!" I said to Philip since he was cleaning my burns but why does it hurt.

"Of course, it really hurts. What do you think, no?" He said while applying the ointment as he looks at me frowning as if he was saying in his mind that 'it's a wound so it will be hurt, you dummy' so I looked at him badly.

"Then, why does it--"