The question Mr. E threw was like a ticking bomb for Arthur, so he just smiled as he turned towards him and said: "I'm just trying to find myself a new home."
His look, his tone, and his fake tinge of tears in his eyes fooled Mr. E. he tried to be sure not to lie, or else this old fox would sniff that easily.
So he said the truth, without blinking, directly lying by using a truth statement and simple facts like this.
"Oh," and Mr. E had his face slightly changed, "you are most welcomed to consider the academy your home."
Arthur nodded as he turned to face George. The look over his face instantly was wiped out to be replaced by a warning glance.
"I want your support to protect me from the strong enemies eyeing me here," he said, jumping over the past matter.
And George just smiled for a moment, as he read his disciple's mind without any difficulty. "I can help in that," he said before adding, "provided that you achieve first place in that contest."
"This is my aim," Arthur answered.
"I don't mean for you to aspire for something high, I need you to achieve it," George said before adding, "this will help you a lot to gain more attention and helpers. After all you created a long list of enemies that I alone can't stand against on my own. Plus you need to create a name for yourself up here," he paused for a few moments before adding, "and this will help your academy to get more support and protection as well."
"I understand," Arthur got the hidden message in his words. "I'll make sure to nail my name and the name of the academy in everyone's mind out there."
"Great," George laughed before adding, "I want to be your Godfather, this way I can protect you with all my power."
"Godfather?" Arthur asked in doubt, but the next instant Mr. E shouted from behind, "Accept the generosity of the venerable master, kid."
Arthur turned to him before he saw Mr. E nodding with a wide smile over his face, a comfortable smile.
"Godfather is what you call here as master. From this moment on I'll be your godfather, and as such I can break the rules freely and send my elite guards to secure you and your team," George said.
"That's really generous of you, godfather," Arthur smiled and agreed on the proposal.
"Good, you just need to leave a drop of blood over this pact," the next moment a parchment appeared in front of Arthur. It carried the title of godfather contract.
Arthur first read the contract and he found nothing disturbing about it. 'What do you think, old dragon?' he asked and the next instant the golden dragon laughed as he said:
'This is an authentic and old contract that we used to use back in my days. Go ahead and sign it kid, this bronzed giant will be a good master for you.'
Arthur then didn't hesitate anymore and left a blood drop over the parchment which had already George's blood.
"Great," George seemed in a good mood, "from now on I'll be your godfather. I'll send an elite team of my personal guards. No one can touch a single hair of you anymore," he then paused as he moved his gaze upon Mr. E, "I'll also leave a team to guard the academy on one condition."
Mr. E was in much better mood than George right now. "Anything a venerable master asks for will be delivered."
"I want to meet him," George said with shining eyes, "we are now allies. Dark times are looming in the distance. We need to gather all and be ready for the next storm."
Despite the vagueness of his words, Mr. E nodded as he promised, "I'll contact his venerable master right away and make sure he will seek you out."
"Make him come to the lost jungle, there no one can track him and he can safely travel to anywhere he wants without any problem," George said before pausing, "I'll gather up my friends as well. If he has any allies, ever helped or rescued someone, did a favor to a person or a clan, then this is the right time to summon them all."
The serious look over George's face told Arthur and Mr. E a lot. "I'll make sure to deliver the message appropriately," Mr. E simply said.
"Great, we are done here then," George said before recalling something, "have that prick delivered what he promised?"
Arthur realized he was referring to the cunning old master of his. "No master, not yet."
"Great, I'll use this as a leverage to bring you more helpers," he laughed before seriously adding, "despite being weak right now and living in such a low realm, what you do is pretty important to all of us up here. Make sure you won't rest or drop your guard. Even after winning the competition, don't relax and be intoxicated with glory. After all, glory only lasts for a moment, and a defeat's bitterness only lasts forever."
"Thanks for the advice, godfather," Arthur said before watching George vanish and the mirror returned to its calmness again.
"That's a good result indeed," Mr. E said before laughing, "it's much better than I initially hoped for, hahaha."
Arthur turned to him as he said, "now I can go to the competition, right?"
"Sure, but we have to wait for the guards to arrive first," Mr. E said before adding, step aside kid, I have to contact the academy godfather."
Arthur simply moved to the side, but the look of Mr. E didn't change. "Go out, it's the academy secret," he waved his hand towards the exit of the hall.
"C'mon, you spoke with my godfather. Can't I speak with mine too?" Arthur teased him in return.
"Kid, go outside and stop playing fool."
"I want to stay."
"Grow up, you aren't a kid anymore."
"I want to stay."
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶