We were outside the manor with Azimus, dressed in sportswear, each carrying a bag filled with essentials.
"I can't believe you got me involved in this," declared the incredulous Azimus as he stretched.
"You decided to go with the flow of your own accord," I retorted while retrieving my backpack from one of the maids.
After handing me the bag, the maid returned to the lineup. Several maids stood in formation—she was among the elite in charge of Alden KHAN, responsible for everything related to me.
From the reports I had received, two of the maids would use the gate to arrive ahead of us and handle all preparations. Those two were not among the girls present here.
It seemed that the head maid had not come to bid me farewell.
"Alright, it's time."
They bowed in unison, executing a graceful gesture as if they had rehearsed this reverence for centuries, making such coordination seem almost natural.
"Safe travels, Master Alden KHAN. Take care of yourself." Their gentle voices echoed in unison.
I was in a good mood—not that this little spectacle moved me, but I was simply feeling cheerful, and they contributed to maintaining that mood.
"Thank you. We'll meet again!" I turned to Azimus, who regarded me with a composed expression.
"Shall we go?" I asked him.
"Alright. How about we make a bet?" he proposed.
I had fully expected something like this to happen, and I knew his intentions behind it. I responded with a smile.
I glanced at the maid who had brought me the towel; she immediately understood my intent.
The maid spoke up—I knew they had all caught the gist of the conversation and grasped the overall idea.
"I have an imperial coin with me. I plan to use it as a signal. The moment it touches the ground will mark the start. Do you agree?"
Azimus was momentarily caught off guard but quickly recovered, not letting it show.
"Yes, I agree."
"I agree as well."
"Then I, Isabelle, will toss the coin!" The beautiful Isabelle, dressed in her maid uniform, her golden hair styled in a bun and her blue eyes gleaming, stepped forward slightly and held the coin up for all to see.
The other maids remained in formation, maintaining their professional expressions. I awaited the signal to finally set off. In any case, I was certain neither of us would go all out—for now, I wouldn't stand a chance, so there was no point in revealing all my cards.
Finally, Isabelle flipped the coin. It spun through the air, our serious expressions fixed on it, anticipating the precise moment it would hit the ground. The fresh breeze brushed against our cheeks, intensifying our focus, as our senses were on high alert.
The coin twirled ever so slowly in my heightened perception. At last, it fell.
Cling!
Whoosh! The manor was already behind us!
Clang! Tchink! Tchink! Tchink!
"They're gone!" Isabelle affirmed. The moment the coin's sound resonated, no one remained in front of the manor—only a cloud of dust lingered.
"Young Master, I hope all goes well at the academy. Isabelle isn't worried about you, but she will certainly miss you." As Isabelle watched in quiet contemplation, she was suddenly pulled out of her reverie by the other maids playfully tackling her.
"Isabelle, it's true that you were in charge of the Master today, but you monopolized all the opportunities! I can toss a coin too!"
As they teased each other, the head maid's attendant appeared. She picked up the imperial coin that had just fallen—it had landed on the king's face! She smiled. The other maids, noticing her presence, immediately tensed up and swiftly adopted the proper posture befitting maids of the KHAN household.
But she did nothing.
"Ladies, playtime is over. The real work begins now!"
The atmosphere in front of the manor shifted drastically, as if this place was about to become a battlefield. Their eyes gleamed, their facial expressions transformed—they were no longer mere maids. Not that they had ever been ordinary to begin with.
Meanwhile, Azimus and I were running through the vast KHAN estate. The manor where I lived was at the far end of a forest. To reach it, you had to pass through a forest, quite large, with a single path wide enough for carriages.
But the two of us were cutting straight through the woods, dodging obstacles and branches—it was like an obstacle course.
I stole a glance, trying to create some distance while maintaining a pace not too far from mine.
Azimus seemed focused, his movements fluid and perfectly synchronized with the terrain. He effortlessly dodged low branches, leaping over roots without slowing down.
I could feel his gaze on me, analyzing my speed, my movements. He wasn't just trying to beat me in this impromptu race; he wanted to gauge me.
A sly smile appeared on my lips. He thought this wasn't just a race, but a test he had for me. For me, it was just a way to stay in shape.
"Are you going to keep following me like a shadow, or are you finally going to show me what you can do?" I taunted provocatively.
Azimus raised an eyebrow before accelerating sharply. A blink of an eye, and he was already several meters ahead of me.
"You wanted me to show you what I can do, right?" he replied, laughing.
I gritted my teeth. I wasn't as mature as I thought when a young one tried to show off. In that fleeting pride, I accepted the challenge. I activated my muscles a bit more, increasing my pace. My breath remained steady, my eyes fixed on him. The forest blurred by at lightning speed, each step calculated to avoid the slightest misstep.
My heartbeats quickened as I drew closer to him. Only a few meters separated us now. He turned his head toward me, surprised by my burst of speed.
"Not bad, Alden. But it's not enough."
Without warning, he made a sudden, powerful leap, gaining height and pushing off a trunk to jump even farther. I had anticipated such a move and took the opportunity to propel myself forward along a more direct path, cutting him off.
Our eyes met in midair, each of us realizing that this simple race had taken on a whole new dimension.
The Academy was still far, but our competition had only just begun. Soon, we would reach the urban area of the KHAN estate.