For a moment, none said anything. Even what Savier wanted to say was stuck in his throat. Whether embarassed or not, Sir Rylan also remained silent. However, it was not the type to talk as well.
"Oh," Savier licked his lips and gave an awkward laugh. "You drink just fine."
Sir Rylan also licked his lips and smiled gently. "We often had drink parties before."
Drink parties?
Savier was a bit curious. More on to the life Sir Rylan had while in the military academy. That was the time when he could not watch him anymore in the training grounds, as he began being an instructor.
He could get inside the academy, but Savier chose not to do so. In reality, he did not know how to ask his father at that time. Of course, Savier would not admit to almost enrolling in the military academy because of Sir Rylan.
"Did you have a hard time?" Savier asked in a low tone. "In the academy?"
Sir Rylan lifted his eyes while still fiddling with his now-empty glass. Savier noticed it and poured him some more. The other alpha did not refuse this time and let him.
He shook his head. "Not really." He paused, then drank the shot, before he continued. "I actually liked it. The students... are the ones having a hard time." Sir Rylan chuckled, looking embarassed. "I'm not good at... teaching others."
Savier's eyes narrowed slightly, taking in all the expressions Sir Rylan showed, as he did not know when he might see it again. However, he was still attentive and listening to whatever the other alpha was saying.
He quickly shook his head when he heard Sir Rylan undermine himself.
"You're a good instructor, don't doubt yourself. IF anything, those students are the ones unable to keep up."
Sir Rylan held back a smile. "How did you know, Your Highness?" Seeing how Savier changed his expression, although concealing it, his smile finally spread on his lips. "Not like you became my student before."
Savier felt his ears ringing; the tips had begun to turn hotter. If he was not mistaken, Sir Rylan was teasing him, right? He was not imagining things; he was sure of it.
Instead of responding immediately, he took the opportunity to avert his gaze by pouring alcohol in his glass and downing it immediately. This time, his expression did not change much.
Taking a deep breath, his cheeks now had a touch of crimson. He was not drunk; it was just being watched by Sir Rylan that was enough to turn him into one sooner.
"I heard rumors..." Savier loosened his tie, faking a cough to ease himself from the slowly spreading heat across his body. "You're very famous, so I can hear one or two from friends."
Sir Rylan tilted his head and leaned in his seat. "Like what, Your Highness?" His tone laced with curiosity, eyes never leaving Savier.
Probably, hearing a rumor from the crown prince himself gave another thrill of curiosity.
"Like..." Savier trailed off while his head spun for answers. Actually, the rumors were not really rumors, as all the knowledge he had came from himself.
"Like?"
"Almost all the students you teach personally passed." A lot was on his mind, but this was the safest. "That's already testament of being a good instructor."
Savier was not sugarcoating just because it was Sir Rylan.
Sir Rylan did not speak but reached out for the bottle of liquor and poured himself a glass, and immediately drank it. He exhaled and then smiled, realizing what he had done. "I apologize..."
"No, it's fine." Savier shook his head so fast, he got dizzy.
This got Sir Rylan half concerned and half amused. He sighed in relief, his shoulders easing.
"I always doubt myself," Sir Rylan trailed off, shutting his eyes for a second as if hesitating whether to continue. Savier even held his breath, afraid to interrupt.
This was the first time Sir Rylan was sharing about himself! The ever-rigid alpha who always distances himself. It was such a big deal that Savier would punch himself hard enough to faint if he disrupted it.
Thanks, alcohol. You have done a good job.
"When I said that I'm not good at teaching others, I mean it." Rylan fiddled with the shot glass, and words he had long suppressed flowed out helplessly.
Truthfully, Rylan thought for a split second about whether what he was doing was even right. He was a royal guard, a personal bodyguard of the crown prince. He should be professional, and what was he doing? Drinking with his master?
Yet, when he looked up and saw how the crown prince was listening and waiting for him to continue, Rylan did not want to see him disappointed.
Maybe the alcohol also helped, but this was more to the crown prince's efforts to get along with him. Rylan did not know why this was the case, but he was not slow to notice that the crown prince wanted to get close to him for some unknown reason.
"When they offered me the position of being an instructor, I refused immediately. I know that I'm not cut out for teaching others."
Rylan glanced at the crown prince and saw him only watching and listening, not saying anything. Seriously, this was making him nervous. As someone not used to sharing what he thought, much less his experiences.
Looking at the bottle, he wanted to drink some more, but nothing came out. The crown prince quickly offered another bottle, noticing the empty one.
"Thank you," Rylan gave a small smile, and when he reached out, their fingers had touched for a second. He could not help but blink when the crown prince, as if scalded, quickly withdrew his hand.
He stared at it before ignoring it and opening the bottle to pour his glass another shot. Rylan did not notice how Savier bit his lips and looked at his hands as if dreaming.
All of this was gone when Rylan lifted his gaze again.
"I know my ability is only enough for myself. It will be hard for me to teach others, and I don't know how to start." Rylan bit his lips again and again drank one shot.
He was not really good with words, and he did not want to say that the real reason he did not know to teach others was because of how he was taught to fight.
Rylan grew up in a very complicated place, and the way they taught him and others was not like how the military academy did it.
His skills were very incompatible with the military academy. From the beginning, his impression of someone teaching someone was... when they taught them how to kill.