"A Dancer?" Celine covered her luscious lips and chuckled. "You told them I'm a Dancer? Very funny, Little Will."
"Sorry, Master," William replied. "I wasn't thinking properly at that time."
"Mmm, don't worry. Even if they ask me to dance, I won't do it." Celine propped her chin on the palm of her hands as she looked at her one and only disciple. "Enough about that for now. Tell me everything that you have experienced in the academy."
William could only give his Master a stiff smile as he narrated the series of events that had happened to him in the academy. From the time he had taken the entrance test up to the point where Oliver helped him save the dungeon cores.
"Speaking of which, where are these dungeon cores?" Celine asked. "Rather, the souls of these dungeon cores?"
William glanced at Oliver and the latter just avoided his eyes. It seems that he didn't tell Celine everything that happened, so that William could tell her himself.
"After the twin cores used their energy to give birth to Dia, Thor, and Ragnar, they went into hibernation deep inside my Sea of Consciousness," William replied. "Second Master said that they would sleep for a very long time, and it might take many years before they wake up."
Celine nodded her head in understanding. She was also looking forward to meeting the mythical creatures born with the help of the dungeon cores, but William left them at the residence. Thor was with Wendy, while Dia and Ragnar were playing with Eve.
He didn't have the heart to take them with him when they were having fun, so he decided to visit Celine alone.
"Very well, you can bring your friends over tomorrow," Celine said with a smile. "I also want to know them better, especially this girl called Wendy. Oliver told me that she likes you very much."
William coughed lightly and gave Oliver the "How dare you betray me?" gaze. The Parrot Monkey returned his gaze with a grin, and even added oil to the fire.
"From what I can tell, James has approved of the young lady as Little Will's potential bride candidate," Oliver commented. "I just pity the poor girl because Little Will is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He will eat her up, including the bones."
"Really?" Celine raised an eyebrow. "Do you like her, William?"
"Wendy is a beautiful and kind girl, it is almost impossible for anyone not to like someone like her," William answered. "She did make her feelings clear to me, but right now, I'm still not ready to have a relationship. For now, we decided to start as friends."
"At least you're not pretending to be a dense protagonist."
"Master, I hate dense protagonists the most."
The Master and Disciple pair stared at each other with a smile, before William decided to have a serious talk with Celine.
"Master, do you know the Dean of the academy?" William inquired.
"Let me guess, that old man told you something about my past after he saw your collar, correct?" Celine asked back. "Did he try to guilt trip you?"
Celine shook her head as she stood up from the chair and headed towards the couch to lay down. She then gave William a lazy gaze and motioned for him to come close to her.
William carried his chair closer and sat in front of Celine. He hoped that his Master would open herself up more to him after knowing the secret of the collar.
"Tell me everything that the old man told you," Celine ordered. "Don't leave out any details."
William nodded his head and complied. He told Celine everything and waited for her response.
"William, I asked you before you left Lont, but I'll ask again," Celine gave William a teasing smile. "Do you resent me?"
"Yes," William replied. "On that day you enslaved me, Master, I felt betrayed."
Celine motioned for William to come closer and the boy complied once again. Celine caressed the side of his face and looked straight into his eyes. "If you told me that you didn't feel any resentment, I would have thought that there was something very wrong with you. What I did to you is something that a Master would never do to her disciple."
"In the past, I didn't have a choice either," Celine said as her hand moved downwards to touch the collar on William's neck. "My grandfather asked the legendary blacksmith in the Silvermoon Continent to make two mithril collars. One was for me, the other for my twin sister, Celeste…"
Celine frowned as if she remembered something unpleasant, but the frown on her face disappeared after a few seconds as she continued her explanation. "At one point in time, my sister and I were forced to wear the collars on our necks. I apologize, but I cannot tell you the reason why because it is a secret."
The beautiful elf sighed as she took away her hand from the collar on William's neck. "My grandfather knows how to use Dark Magic and he was my first teacher. I won't bore you with the details of my training because you already know how it ended."
Celine's eyes glowed light-purple for a brief moment as a pang of hatred flashed across her beautiful eyes. "When I reached the age of twelve, my grandfather took me to the Northern Continent. There I was introduced to the most wretched looking hag who had the heart of a Saint. She treated me like a real daughter and gave me love more than my real mother ever did.
"There she taught me everything she knew about Dark Magic as well as how to wield the spear. She was the family I never had and I miss her terribly. With her guidance, I was able to step into the ranks of the Dark Sorceress."
Celine closed her eyes as images of her past flooded her mind. "Unfortunately, all the good, and the bad times, must come to an end. When I was twenty-years-old I had to say goodbye to my Second Mother and moved here in the Southern Continent. We still exchange letters at least twice a year, but I still miss her terribly.
"With that said, our circumstances are quite similar as well. The one who raised you was Ella, and I was raised by a hag." Celine grinned. "Our only difference is that you still have a family here, while I only have Oliver to keep me company."
"And I will continue to accompany you, Mistress," Oliver commented from on top of his perch. "Even if you were to go to a Sea of Fire, I will always be by your side."
"Thank you, Oliver."
"You're welcome, Mistress."
Celine then shifted her attention to William. This time, she had a serious expression which she rarely showed to the red-headed boy.
"Don't apologize to me, because I won't apologize to you," Celine said. "Even now, I still carry a lot of resentment in my heart, and I don't intend to forgive those who wronged me anytime soon. Whether you hate me or not, that is up to you to decide. So, my cute, little disciple, it is perfectly fine for you to hate me."
"Understood." William returned Celine's serious gaze with a smirk. "Master, you already know that I hold grudges, correct?"
"Yes," Celine answered.
"I promise that when I become stronger than you, I will settle our old debt," William stated. "I will make sure to punish you properly. I hope when that day comes, you will not hate me, Master."
"Punish me? You will have to be strong enough to do that." Celine sneered.
"Don't worry, Master. I am destined to become strong... Very Strong," William said in an arrogant manner. 'That's because I was Reincarnated with the Strongest System.'
The Master and Disciple stared at each other with devilish smiles.
"I look forward to seeing that day arrive, Little Will." Celine caressed the side of William's face.
"Me, too, Master," William replied as he placed his hand over hers. "Me, too."