Capítulo 171: Chapter 171: Friendly Banter / Start of V6
"Hmm? Four years? Wait, does that mean Patriarch Renata agreed to allow you to use the Flames of Rebirth!?" Questioned Marley in surprise with widened eyes while looking at Elif, having fully healed from the cauldron burning.
"Yes, he did, though Patriarch Renata wasn't the one who gave me permission; it was the Phoenix Clans Ancestors who gave the authorization. However, I will say the conversation took three days, which seems to be unnecessarily long." Replied Elif with a light smile, his words filling both Marley and Idonea with joy, though unlike Idonea, who merely smiled, Marley was much more energetic.
"Haha!! This is wonderful news; now you'll get much stronger!" Yelled Marley in excitement as she jumped up and down in the carriage, though her actions ended up with her accidentally bumping into Illumia, who gave her a blank stare, causing the previous energetic Marley to sit down silently.
"I don't know about much stronger, but I'll definitely get stronger." Said Elif with a slight chuckle as he watched Marley and Illumia's interaction.
"Congratulations, your Highness." Said Idonea with a smile, excited at the prospect of her prince getting stronger.
"Ho, Is that what I think it is? Idonea smiling? Such a sight is a rarity that I had almost forgotten how beautiful you look with a smile, Idonea." Remarked Elif in fake shock with a teasing tone, causing Idonea's smile to immediately disappear, though a light blush adorned her face.
"Hmph, how come you're always complimenting Idonea's beauty, your Highness?" Asked Marley with a pouting face as she folded her arms and eyed Elif, causing him to smirk in response.
"Hmm? I don't know; why do I enjoy eating lightning cherries over other food?" Replied Elif with a sly smirk, which caused Marley to point at Idonea in astonishment and slight disbelief.
"You must be lying, your Highness! I refuse to believe that of all people, Idonea is more beautiful than me! I'd accept it if you said Miss Illumia, but there is no way in hell that Idonea is better looking than me!" Yelled Marley as she pointed at Idonea, whose face twitched in irritation from her words while glancing between her and Elif.
"No one is interested in your appearance, Marley; that includes his Highness. Besides, beauty isn't only physical; it's also about one's soul and personality." Said Idonea lightly, though her words only served to further anger Marley.
"So you're saying that you are more attractive and my personality is worse than yours? Am I hearing things correctly, Idonea? Because from the way I see it, I'm far more attractive than someone whose face and body are laced with scars and, not to mention, your personality, which might as well be as unique as a stone wall." Declared Marley in anger while pointing at the three scars on her face, her words eliciting Idonea's anger as well.
"These scars are my pride as they display the many battles I've survived, and my personality is far from bland; I just don't see any reason to waste my time with someone as irritating and anger-inducing as you. I prefer to save it for someone that really matters, like Miss Mandy, Miss Illumia, or His Highness, not you." Stated Idonea ruthlessly as she eyed Marley, whose face had taken on a hue of red from the anger she felt, and just as she was about to lunge at Idonea, Elif stepped in.
"Watching the two of you bicker like sisters is incredibly entertaining, but I can't have you both fighting in the carriage, at least not while I'm present." Said Elif with a slight smile of amusement as he interrupted the fight that was just about to commence, his words cooling the two women.
"Tch, you're lucky; if it weren't for His Highness, I would've beaten you until you apologized. also, I'd like to point out, your Highness, I don't see her as a sister; she is just a dull woman I'm forced to work with." Replied Marley with a huff as she folded her arms and refused to look at Idonea.
"Correct if I'm wrong, Marley, but who is the one who just won yesterday's spar? I also don't view Marley as a sister, your Highness; I couldn't have a sister as ugly and stupid as her." Remarked Idonea calmly with a smirk, her words causing Elif to chuckle while Marley clenched her fists in anger.
'I don't know what happened between them, but ever since they experienced the cauldron burning, they've gotten much closer; before, they were merely good friends, but now they're like sisters, ones who always bicker, yet sisters nonetheless.' Mused Elif with a slight smile as he glanced at the enraged Marley while Idonea was calmly sitting in her seat, smirking.
"Hehe, anyways, I don't know why you two are so determined to figure out who is more attractive; Illumia is more charming than both of you, after all." Remarked Elif lightly while fanning himself with his quạt tay, his response causing Marley and Idonea to eye the smirking Illumia.
"It's because of her large breasts, isn't it?" Muttered Idonea quietly while looking at Illumina's impressive bust before glancing at her chest, which was even smaller than Marley's, and it wasn't like she had a large chest either.
"You two girls won't understand; you may both be considered women, but neither of you truly carry the aura and demeanor of a woman; such a thing is very alluring to men." Said Illumia with a slight smirk as she played along with three, though her remark got Marley and Idonea thinking.
"Still, at the end of the day, no matter how beautiful or gorgeous you three are, it doesn't matter since I'm the most handsome, charming, and mesmerizing person in existence; you all, at best, look average when standing beside me." Stated Elif narcissistically as he flipped his long silver hair and winked at the three, causing Idonea, Marley, and Illumia to stare blankly at him; although Illumia wished to deny his claim, she couldn't truthfully do so, though that didn't stop her from lying.
"Only freaks will find an underage boy attractive, your Highness." Remarked Illumia lightly, though her words had inadvertently called both Marley and Idonea freaks since they were slightly blushing as they looked at Elif.
"Tch, yeah, and only an idiot would desire an old woman like you." Replied Elif while his face twitched in annoyance as he eyed Illumia.
Believe it or not, but when I wasn't cultivating or bathing for the rest of the trip back home after leaving the Phoenix Clan, this is exactly how our conversations went; we'd, one way or another, always end up arguing amongst ourselves, and most the time Marley and idonea almost start fighting, though there were even a few rare moments where Illumia and I had entered a heated conversation; if it weren't for the massive difference in our cultivation base, I also would've fought Illumia, and I have no doubt she would indulge me as well.
Though we may have argued many times over the next several days, I had been enjoying myself, well mostly, except for the times when I wished to fight Illumia; besides those moments, I was also filled with amusement. Our conversations didn't use to be like this. Sure, we would talk, but it wasn't anything like this; I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling that the cauldron burning had something to do with this. Ever since that incident, things had slightly changed; Marley and Idonea aren't nearly as reserved as before, though, of course, both make sure not to step outside their boundary.
However, the thing that has changed the most is the way I view them; before I merely saw Idonea and Marley as pets, enjoyable to have around, but I can just as easily live my life without them, and while that may sound rather cruel, it's much better than how I see everyone else as mere insects or objects; now though, I see them as living beings, of course, neither is close to being my equal, but I suppose, they've somehow managed to weasel their way into my heart, even if the area they inhabit is an incredibly minuscule section.
'Heh, besides Sarah and Illumia, I didn't expect someone else who wasn't my family would actually manage to hold a place in my heart. I suppose I'm not as indifferent as I thought I was; I still have tolerance for people, even if it is the slightest amount.' Thought Elif with a slight smile as he watched Illumia, Marley, and Idonea bickering amongst each other before glancing out the window, only to see Mandy smiling at him.
"Anyway, what are the three of you arguing about now when we are this close to home?" Asked Elif lightly as he looked out the window, viewing the familiar lands of the Elven Empire.
"We're arguing about who knows you better, and Miss Illumia over here has the audacity to claim she knows more than both Idonea and I combined!" Said Marley with a frown and a huff of annoyance while glancing at Elif before shifting her focus back toward Illumia.
"But I do; I've been beside His Highness shortly after his fourth birthday, and I haven't once left his side for a prolonged period of time; of course, I know more about His Highness than the two of you." Remarked Illumia lightly as she glanced at the frowning Marley and Idonea.
"That wouldn't work, Miss Illumia; I became His Highnesses follower six years ago, and Marley did so four years ago, and if we take that into account, the two of us have a combined ten years of serving His Highness; if we go by that logic, we've been serving his Highness two years longer than you, so we should know more about him than you." Declared Idonea calmly, her words causing Marley to smirk and nod in agreement.
"Yes, but besides the time when you went to the spirit realm alongside His Highness, all six of those years, you spent your time at the R.D.A and only interacted with His Highness for short periods through a crystal ball; even if we were to add those sessions together, it would at most amount to one full month of interactions plus the five months in the spirit realm, which is already stretching it." Stated Illumia with a triumphant smile as she looked at Marley's ugly expression and Idonea, who clicked her tongue in response.
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Elven Legacy (Chapter 186: Marley Out of Commision!?) || Hero of Harmony (Chapter 67: Lily Carnal) || One Piece: Chaos Kong (Chapter 109: Sun's Angel) at [patreon.com/Ozonelayer691]
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