Livia laughed hysterically.
"HAHAHA! Kekekek!"
Holding her midriff with one hand and pointing towards Rue with the other she laughed.
How hilarious!
This kid was funny.
Slapping her thigh, the pink-haired adapted bit her lip, eliciting tears to form in her eyes as she attempted to stunt her current hysterical laughter.
Phew!
She let out a deep breath, "Really? You must be pulling my leg, Rue," she snickered in a way that spoke volumes about how stupid she thought the question was.
But after noticing his expression, she realized that the question was genuinely asked.
"Holy shit, you're actually wondering why I want you as a disciple?" she voiced, livid with surprise.
It was an expected question in all regards, but really?
Like really?
It was palpable to any rational person why she wanted him—the kid was a genius.
He was an uncut diamond found within the rubble that, if given enough time and pressure, would inevitably bloom to shine brilliantly.
Nonetheless, she responded accordingly.
"Untouched talent," she grinned widely.
'Ah, so this again,' Rue thought, stifling a sigh at the same time. 'Well, I guess it's to be expected.'
'Another expectation to live up to—another standard to break, all because of this damn Initial.'
'This part of my life too will pass, and as I grow, more freedom will come.'
'Give it a few decades, a century, or even millennia—as long as I'm alive, I will grow.'
'However when I look at this woman, she doesn't necessarily radiate the word "teacher" or "master," yet she's powerful. But it's just her manner of speech and action that offsets that feeling you get from a teacher.'
He gave an internal sigh
'I can only hope that this woman's assumed lack of teaching ability is compensated with a moderate status so later down the road my current growth rate won't hit a blockade due to a lack of necessity, resources, or concepts to gain inspiration from.'
'For the time being, let's humor this woman,' he confided with a final thought before shifting his attention back to the pink-haired woman.
Oblivious to Rue's current train of thought, Livia continued
"I've only ever heard of a person condensing an Initial related to the absolute Life-spectrum in stories of great heroes or political discourse relating to the talents associated within nations."
That last bit piqued his interest.
Livia attempted to hold back the excitement in her voice, but such attempts were futile.
"If I had to be honest, Rue, you're an anomaly," she noted. "Most, if not all, talents who condense such an Initial are taken to the world's center in order to properly be raised from a young age by the Syndicate. But here you are, a Fourth Destination practitioner."
"It's odd, I've only heard of this in legends, but you're able to sense the presence of a practitioner two Destinations above you while they are intentionally stalking you," she laughed.
"I never believed those legends. They seemed too far-fetched—yes, while theoretically they are possible, it's just nonsense in reality."
A smirk played on her face. "Frankly, who would believe them?" she asked rhetorically.
Several seconds of silence passed.
Livia stretched her arms with a sigh. "Or so that's the narrative every other person would say."
"And I detest deception, so I'll be honest now."
"You have use." She leaned forward with feline grace, closing the distance between Rue and her face. "Under normal circumstances, I would care less about teaching or being a master to a student—it's all too mushy-mushy for my taste," she grimaced before returning to her smile.
"But even I can't let you go. People like you are only seen once in a blue moon."
"Exceptional geniuses come and go like flies. My sister Ayami is one of these geniuses along with every student within the institute—but how about those who shed that mere title?"
"Monsters, those illogical people who overturn conventional ways of thinking."
"Now let me make a roundabout to my true reason."
She cupped Rue's face, gingerly circling her thumb along his cheek.
"I need an excuse to get out of my mandatory Military Service," she groaned with a bitter sigh.
"And you're going to be my excuse," she whispered slowly.
Rue furrowed his brow, gradually scrunching them until it was no longer possible.
He felt incredulous and unsure.
"If that's your reason, then why hadn't you just chosen someone sooner?" he said.
Livia shrugged. "I'm a pretty picky bitch. I like things that strike my fancy, and while I'm not exactly proud to say it, I'm VERY superficial if you couldn't tell already."
"I come from a lineage of high standards—oh, I almost forgot to mention that," she shrugged.
"I'm the sixth heir in succession for the title of the Reigner House's patriarch. If you don't know, the Reigner House is one of the Syndicate's strongest vassal duchies." Livia said this with a dismissive tone; however, she focused on gauging Rue's reaction.
Rue's expression was indifferent—he didn't really care, and his features spoke such.
For fuck's sake, he was once part of the strongest church—not that she knew. Did she really believe that a mere duchy would rattle his surprise?
"You evaded my question," Rue said, pulling back from her hand.
"True," she replied, "but I had already given you my reason—I'm a very picky person, Rue."
"None of the talents in my family's Duchy with the exception of a few really really caught my attention, and I don't want to waste my time training a person who lacks those enthralling features that draw me in, like a moth to a flame."
She returned to her comfortably perched position on the chair.
"It's a mutual relationship. I want to get out of serving time in the Military, and you gain freedom under the guise of being my disciple along with everything else I mentioned."
"It's far more than what I should do, but I like you, so I believe what I've offered is fitting."
Rue settled his gaze on the table briefly before sighing and standing up.
In a single motion, he collapsed onto his knees before leaning his upper body forward—with his hands resting upon one another and his forehead pressing down from the top, tucking his chin in.
Rue was bowing.
"I, Rue Revan, submit to you, Livia Reigner, as my master. With your guidance and word, I shall heed and hone to the fullest towards my own future tribulation," he yelled in a respectful tone.
Livia felt very pleased by this display.
Rising from her seat, Livia stood in front of Rue with a regal stance.
"You may raise." she voiced.
"I, Livia Reigner, the sixth heir to the Reigner household, shall take under and maintain responsibility for my first and only disciple, Rue Revan," she finished.
"I'll be in your care," Rue expressed.