“Bodyguard?” Lilianna exclaimed, her shock overcoming her years of etiquette. “You were the bodyguard for the Empress? A sorcerer?”

“Wait,” Nadrina interrupted, her eyes somehow going wider. “Wouldn’t that make you the Demon of Rhagia?”

“Now you did it, Gran,” the professor sighed, looking resigned now. The older woman merely smiled wolfishly. “Yep, that was the... cheery name they gave me back then. For the record, I didn’t call myself that, and you’re definitely not allowed to, either.”

Lilianna had only heard stories of the Demon. Most of them seemed so fantastical that she had assumed that they were exaggerated or made up. The Claw of the Empress, her dark shadow, the one who was sent to slay her enemies, to punish evildoers and drag them to hell. Legends had formed around the figure, ranging from starting wars to sabotage to all out slaughter. Children were told to behave, or else the Demon would come and punish them.

The rumors seemed more prominent than any actual official records or evidence, which was oddly suspicious. Why would such a legendary figure be born from someone who didn’t exist? And why would he be their lackadaisical professor?

“Are the stories true, then?” Nadrina asked, practically climbing over Lilianna in her haste to get to the professor. “Did you really stave off an entire invasion force in the mountains by yourself? Or fight off assassins every night outside of the Empress’ bed chambers while she slept? What about the collapse of House Ducard? Did you really rob their entire treasury in one night?”

She progressively leaned closer and closer with each question until Professor Aldric was pressed against the carriage wall. Her nose was mere inches from his.

“Boundaries, Drina,” he chided, grabbing her face and pushing gently until she was seated again.

The empress merely chuckled. “It’s alright dear. Your professor is a rather fascinating man, isn’t he? Even more so when he’s not very forthcoming about himself.” She looked at Professor Aldric with a frown. “Have you truly told them nothing? Are you really that paranoid?”

“As we just saw, Nadrina is a bit too curious for her own good,” the professor said, making the girl blush. “And Lilianna is the heir to one of the four Great Houses. The less both of them know, the better it is for everyone.”

Lilianna looked sharply to their professor, a little hurt by the insinuation. She regretted trying to get her family involved previously, but hadn’t she already apologized for that? He must have noticed her expression, because he looked apologetic.

“I know you wouldn’t knowingly do that, Lilly. But your family might not give you a choice in the matter.”

Before she could ask what he meant by that, he had already continued. “Most of what you’ve heard of me is exaggerated, but yes, I was the empress’ bodyguard for several years before I retired to become an adventurer.”