Getting an egg of a mystical beast offered just like that would be the opportunity of a lifetime for many.
And yet, Arian hesitated.
Not because he was a prince, and saw it above his station to accept such a gift from a commoner (he had accepted Pigeon's worry doll after all, which was arguably a more random and stupid present), but because he was hesitant to bond with a beast.
He knew a beast would aid him greatly. It was a symbol of status and power, after all. If he bonded with a powerful beast, he might be able to restore his reputation.
But that was exactly the problem: he would need a powerful beast. And he doubted what Shivani could offer him was that. As she said, the egg in question came from the black market, which was known for selling questionable breeds with more problems than boons.
A crippled prince, together with a crippled beast.No, this won't help me whatsoever, Arian reasoned.
On the other side, however, Arian knew the feeling of a bond between human and beast. He understood how magical and profound such a connection was. And since he had lost his, he yearned to feel something like it again.
Before his accident, he had so much. He had a beast and a best friend. He felt like he could trust them and talk with them even about things a prince shouldn't share with anyone.
But then they both betrayed him. And now, he felt like he could trust no one.
A beast that was bonded to him alone would help him greatly.
But what if it rejects me just like Sublimus had?, Arian suddenly feared.
He remembered the consequences of the rejection as if it had happened yesterday. The madness, the existence between hallucinations, dreams, and reality, never knowing what was what. He didn't want to go through this again. Because if he were honest with himself, he still had not overcome that stage.
Maybe I never will, he thought, and remembered what happened in teacher Nora's lesson. When faced with the question about Sublimus's whereabouts in class, he had succumbed to his memories again. A clear indication, how much the rejection still bothered him.
Even now, he tried not to think about it.
To get a clear head and not fall back into his memories, Arian focused his attention back onto Shivani.
The girl's posture was straight and perfect as always. Her facial expression was friendly but still neutral. She didn't seem pained or worried about giving him her beast, whatsoever.
If anything, she seemed happy with gifting him her beast.
How odd.
"What kind of egg is it even? Is there any information about the beast inside it?"
"Well, when the people of the academy saw it, they made some examinations. They suspect it belongs to the demesne of air. And even though we haven't tested our affinities, I don't believe I have an affinity for air. Fire would suit me more, I believe. And I know fire and air are opposites and don't work well with each other. So if I truly test for a connection to fire in class, teacher Nora will advise me to pick a different egg anyway. So I might choose a worthy owner myself instead of letting some student take it. I mean, you have an affinity for water, which works well with air. It shouldn't be such a bad pairing."
What Shivani said made perfect sense, and that was exactly the point. She understands so much about beasts and beast taming. Even the correspondence of elements to one another- I don't think any other commoner knows as much as she does.
Well, actually, there was one commoner Arian suspected to know just as much.
He turned his head towards Satori, who stood next to her friend. Her head was still bowed.
"What is your opinion on the topic, Satori?"
The girl looked up confused, before she bowed again immediately.
"I... I... don't think I'm qualified to counsel a prince," she muttered hesitantly.
Arian hadn't expected anything else from her, so he tried a different strategy.
"But I command it of you... do you want to disobey a prince's command?"
Again, Satori looked up. This time, shock was written all over her face. "I... I wouldn't dare, Your Highness," she stammered.
"So?"
Arian waited for an answer, but it never came. Only Satori's fidgeting with her fingers increased.
After a minute passed in silence, Arian made an impatient grunt, which made Satori twitch slightly while Shivani rolled her eyes at her friend.
"I fear if I told you the truth, you wouldn't like it, my prince, but I also don't want to lie to you, so..."
"... you just get your act together and tell me the truth", Arian finished her sentence.
Again, Satori hesitated, and Arian had to control himself to not do the same as Shivani.
You do realize you constantly beating around the bush makes it even worse?
Whatever scandalous opinion you have won't annoy me more than your behaviour, Arain thought as he watched Satori, who tried to meet his gaze.
She took a shaky breath and balled her hands into fists, before she started to speak. Her voice was shaky, but she managed not to stutter.
"I think it was wrong of Shivani to offer the egg to you in the first place. You don't deserve it."
Oh indeed, she has a scandalous opinion. How fun, Arian thought and raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because Satori bought the egg, she had made that decision. It's the very reason why she got into the academy and lives a way better life than before. She owes the egg a lot. The least she can do is provide for it and take care of it. And she just wants to dump it on the next best person she finds."
The next best person, how nice of her. I'm a prince, not the next best person.
Arian tried not to feel insulted as he rolled his eyes. "I didn't mean for you to explain to me why it's wrong for Satori to gift her egg away, but why am I not deserving of an egg?"
"You only commanded me to say my opinion. I would choose not to explain it, as you might think it's... insulting."
Arian sighed in frustration.
In the end, he spared Satori from the pain of explaining herself. His patience was running thin anyway with how long it took to get something out of the girl.
Instead, he tried to view the situation with the egg from a completely realistic angle. One that hurt even more than Satori's comments.
He felt like the beast Satori offered was too weak for him. But could he ever bond with something higher than a Puny or Dainty? Would a more powerful beast even be interested in him?
He was a cripple with only status and power in name. Arian wasn't sure how much of it he actually still possessed.
If he were honest, right now, he was kind of weak. Wasn't that the very reason why Sublimus had rejected him?
Arian shook his head. No, I can't think of it that way. I'm still from the royal bloodline. I have served as my father's closest advisor for many years. I might not hold physical power anymore, but I do have power in knowledge. And of course, the blood of gods flows through my veins.
All of this should be more than enough to bond with a beast.
Still, there was one problem: He would have to raise the beast.
Apparently, that was the philosophy of the Akai-Dezato Academy. To raise the beast by yourself. This might make it easier to handle the beast, which in turn decreased the chance of a bond failing.
But still, Arian believed the best way to bond with a beast was to choose a fully developed one.
Beasts during development took a lot of space in one's mind, and one needed to give them a lot of attention. This would hinder Arian from bonding with a more powerful beast should he ever get the chance.
If she would have offered me a beast of the rank 'Essential' or higher, I would have chosen differently. But a mere beast of the rank puny, which might be crippled on top of that, is not worth the risk.
"My final decision is: I will not take the egg," he announced at last.