Supreme Magus novel Chapter 209

Phloria Ernas wasn’t having the time of her life. Her adoptive sisters were running circles around her in the academy, her mother called too often with stars shining in her eyes, waiting for some big announcement. Every time she heard from her father, Orion seemed to be on the verge of tears instead.

Also, her relationship with Lith hadn’t progressed much during the last month, giving her the impression there was something wrong.

They were already at their sixth date and Lith had always behaved like a perfect gentleman, having a deep knowledge of the places they visited together even if he had never been there before.

Phloria didn’t know about Soluspedia, so the idea of him investing so much time and effort for her sake was truly flattering. They would always have brilliant conversations and while his jokes were a bit odd, Lith managed to be funny or mature according to the situation.

The problem was everything else.

- "He is way too mature, but that’s actually nice." She would often think. "The more I know him, the more it seems I’m dating my parents though. He is a paranoid control freak like mom, but without being bossy or nosy.

"He is also caring and protective like dad, without being clingy or possessive. I like his virtues and flaws, but while, at the start, it was nice of him to leave me my personal space and not try to touch me inappropriately, now I’m starting to worry about it.

"Holding my hand from time to time is the boldest move he ever did. Be it kissing or hugging, he never takes the initiative, it’s always up to me. Did he agree to go out with me out of pity? Or was it to get rid of Quylla?"–

Mulling those questions over and over, Phloria was getting more insecure by the day.

She couldn’t imagine that Lith was actually a forty year old in the body of an almost thirteen year boy. He was conflicted between his psychological and physical age. Lith was incapable of approaching her without the fear of being guilty of forcing himself on someone naïve and inexperienced.

Phloria was too embarrassed to seek advice from her parents and asking her older brothers was useless. Gunyin, her eldest brother, had followed their mother’s wishes, marrying a girl when he was barely sixteen. He had never dated someone outside of his own wife.

Tulion, her second brother, had almost been kicked out of the household because of his many affairs with maidens from other noble families.

- "I can already hear Gunyin say: "Ask mom, she knows better." Or Tulion: "Push him down on the bed. It would work with me.""–

Being cornered, Phloria had sought Friya’s advice the day before. Phloria knew that she was still rooting for Quylla, but she had no one to turn to.

"I never dated anyone, so I really don’t know what to say." Friya was really embarrassed to reveal that while she very much liked talking about boys, she knew almost nothing about them.

"If I were in your shoes, I would just ask him. If he doesn’t like you, then he doesn’t deserve you, sis." Phloria was moved by her words. She had always thought that, between the almost forced adoption and Quylla, they would only be sisters on paper.

Her advice made a lot of sense, so she was waiting for the end of the lessons to confront Lith. Magic Crystals was the last course of the day and since they would spend the next three days working in the mines, they had the rest of the afternoon free.

Phloria was so nervous, looking for the right moment to talk to him, that she almost flinched when Lith tapped on her shoulder while they were coming out of the classroom.

"Since we have nothing to do until tomorrow morning, do you mind coming to my room for a few minutes? We need to talk." Lith said taking the words right out of her mind, making her swallow a lump of saliva.

Saying those four words was hard, but hearing them was even worse. According to her brother Tulion, it was the best line before dumping someone and he was an authority in the field.

- "I have no idea what the security reasons Professor Nalear spoke about are, but it’s likely that Phloria’s mother does. I don’t have Lady Ernas’s contact rune, but I’m sure that she wouldn’t mind helping me. The last time we met, we parted on good terms."–

Lith’s intentions were completely unrelated to his relationship with Phloria, but she had no way to know that. She lived every step towards Lith’s room like a death row inmate would while approaching the chopping block.

After they walked through the door, Phloria clenched her hands covered in sweat, finding the courage to speak her mind.

"Actually, I have something to say that can’t wait anymore."

Noticing the urgency in her voice, Lith nodded, offering her the only chair in the room while he sat on the bed instead.

"That’s exactly what I want to talk about!" She stood up, pointing a finger at him.

"Meaning?" Lith tilted his head in confusion.

"Why do you always keep your distance from me? No matter where we are, you never sit beside me, let alone try to kiss or touch me. Am I that ugly to you? Are you pity dating me?"

Her voice was full of rage, yet Lith could clearly see the insecure teenage girl hiding behind the mask. The new world closely resembled the middle ages in his mind.

Since they were so different in age and social status, he had thought that Phloria was content with what they had, never suspecting she wanted something more, like a modern Earth girl.

The only answer he could offer her wasn’t the truth, but the next best thing.

"Absolutely not!" He stood up too, his tone was firm as a rock in denying her allegation.

"It’s just that I’ve never dated someone your age, so I don’t know what to do." Lith scratched his head in embarrassment. He was a late bloomer, never dating anyone before his last year of high school.

"Also, being as strong as I am, I’m afraid to hurt you. Last, but not least, our height gap doesn’t help." He stood in front of her, using his hand to emphasize it.

Lith was now 1.65 meters (5’5") high, but Phloria was still taller than him with her 1.77 meters (5’ 10").

"Do you want me to bring around a soapbox during our dates? Because I feel so dumb having to use a spell or ask you to bend down." Phloria felt so relieved by his answers that it was like someone had just lifted a mountain from her shoulder and another from her stomach.

Realizing he was not only younger, but also as inexperienced as her, made her heart flutter. Phloria gave him a long, deep kiss while her hands caressed his hair and wide shoulders.

Lith was surprised by how good a kisser she had become, needing his sheer willpower to keep his hands on her back instead of going for second base. He had no idea if he would be able to stop there.

"What do you want to talk about?" She whispered in his hear, refusing to let him go and making it really hard for him to focus.