The Three Conditions

Remien took out a metal flask from the inner pocket of his jacket. He unscrewed the cap, took a single sip, and paused. The scent of wine, sandalwood, and wild herbs filled the air. It spread all around the room.

"Do you want some?" he asked, with an innocent look on his face.

Alika pursed her lips and shook her head in a firm no. He nodded in acknowledgment of the gesture before letting the flask disappear into his coat.

"I'm not blind. One. I saw your strong-willed heart. Two. You have a great sense of magic. Honestly, the fact that you felt my gaze came as a surprise. Three. You have a rational mind. You had enough wits about you to check what I was doing with the dagger," he continued as he ticked off his fingers. "But two and three are just great bonuses. Do you remember me saying you were perfect? Well, what I meant was that we would make a great dungeon duo. You are immune to my abilities."

Remien smiled as he said the last few words, his eyes sparkling with delight.

"Am I really immune?" The mage couldn't believe it. She remembered the feel of the man's icy magical touch. That meant he had the power to have some effect on her. There was no way she would believe such claims. Still, his words calmed her nerves a little. At least he knew nothing about her past, which could only be a good thing.

"You are wise not to trust a stranger you have just met." Remien nodded once more, this time in appreciation. "Come and sit here."

The man patted his lap, luring Alika with a charming smile. He beckoned her to come closer with a motion of his finger. Alika squinted her eyes, switching to magical vision. She had no intention of budging an inch of her own accord.

The same red aura left the tips of his fingers and moved toward Alika in a swiftly flowing stream of energy. It circled her body as if trying to engulf her whole. The mage gave a yelp and tensed, getting ready to defend herself. Alika began casting a defensive spell but felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. There was not enough time to finish it before the attack hit.

However, there was no need to shield herself. The power refused to touch the mage. All the while, it stayed a few millimeters away from Alika's skin. Her eyes widened. The clock on the wall kept on ticking, loud and clear. Some more time passed. Still, she felt nothing. As if acknowledging defeat, the energy returned to its original place, the guest himself.

"See?" He drawled out the word with genuine pleasure.

Alika collapsed on the bed behind her. She was so worn out that standing made her head spin. All this extreme emotional pressure had drained her of her physical power. And it was just morning!

"What about your previous partners? Did they also have this 'immunity'?" Alika gathered her courage to voice the more provocative question. She pronounced the word "immunity" with a hint of sarcasm.

"Ah, my partners." Remien shifted his heavy gaze over to the window. His expression was distant. He clenched his hand into a fist and continued. "I can guarantee the well-being of my partner. But. There are three conditions."

He regarded Alika with fixed attention, staring right into her eyes.

"One. Don't fall in love with me. Two. Don't deliberately put your life in danger for my sake. Three. Trust me to always put your well-being before everything else. If you can't comply with one of the above, let me know. The sooner, the better. At once would be perfect. It would almost certainly mean that we are done and are no longer partners." He furrowed his eyebrows, relaxing his hand and clenching it into a fist again. "My previous partners could not do that. And no amount of resistance to my abilities could have saved them. "

"How do you know I want to be your partner, to begin with?" The mage asked what she thought was a logical question. She bit her lip. This man had already decided what she wanted for her!

"I don't," he said, gracing her with a smile. "That's why we're still here and not having lunch at the Regal Dragon. I'm just here offering my proposal. The decision is yours, now and always. Even if you decide to do something insanely stupid, so be it. I might believe you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Still, my opinion won't matter. Even if your life will be much shorter because of that choice. It's all up to you."

He got up and walked towards the door, ready to leave.

"Think about it," he added. His facial features stiffened.

Alika looked at the back of her guest as he moved towards the exit.

"Hold on!" the mage called out. Her own voice sounded unfamiliar. "Why did you choose me? Are people with immunity like me so rare?"

Remien had his hand on the doorknob. He was ready to pull the door open to leave when he heard Alika's last question. It made him pause and turn around to face her once again.

"You see how thick that folder is over there?" Remien was referring to the one that lay on the bed beside Alika. The stack of pages indeed seemed to be quite heavy. That amount of space on the sheets could fit information on double the number of this year's academy graduates.

"There are only two people here that fit the immunity criteria," Remien said in a tired voice. He took the folder in his hands again. "And you are the one with the most potential."

Remien snapped his fingers. The cardboard folder's bottom corner showed signs of smoke and erupted in flames. The fire consumed the paper and turned it into nothing but ash. Alika stayed quiet.

"Are you sure you'll manage by yourself? There is always the option of leaving together right off the bat." Remien studied Alika with his bright eyes full of curiosity.