Chapter 53: Training, not a performance

It was the fourth day of the seven-day flying trip, and the ship had made a few stops, diving each time it took off again. Over these past four days, Cassian's life had been quite easygoing and enjoyable, with only a few exceptions.

The most fun part had been the daily, hours-long, close-quarter massages he gave Katherine, which lasted almost all day. He found himself enjoying them more and more, and they helped him grow comfortable around her. So much so that he could now talk to her without much fear.

Plus, the massages had given him the freedom to touch her without hesitation, even going as far as lifting her skirt fully at the start of each session, without needing her permission.

But Cassian didn't push his luck any further than that, refraining from making any real advances beyond the occasional accidental brush against her panties. Still, it left him feeling incredibly frustrated, his body reacting with constant arousal.

His erection would persist throughout the day and even at night, filling him with urges so intense it bordered on desperation to take things further with Katherine.

Still, Cassian managed to control himself, biding his time and waiting for the right opportunity. Katherine had been quite clear when she mentioned she'd sleep with anyone if it meant relieving all her body's tension. At first, he hadn't believed her, but after hearing her bring it up repeatedly, he started to think she really meant it.

So, Cassian found himself on a mission to figure out how to sleep with a woman. Being a virgin and inexperienced, he realized he didn't actually know what to do. Sure, he understood the basics—he had to put his penis in her vagina—but he'd never even seen one, and he was certain that satisfying a woman wasn't as simple as that. He knew it would take more effort to truly relieve Katherine's tension.

Unfortunately, he didn't have his trusty friend Nahir with him—who was quite knowledgeable about these matters—or anyone else he could turn to for advice on the ship. The only other man he knew onboard was the blue-haired Julius, and that was one person Cassian definitely didn't want to ask.

From the day he met Julius, Cassian had been thoroughly annoyed by him. He decided to ignore the man if they ever crossed paths again, which they did. But Julius didn't make it easy. Every time they met, he'd look at Cassian with pity, reminding him to take care of himself and to reach out if he ever needed help.

If that was all, Cassian could have tolerated it. But for some reason, Julius always seemed to show up during his training sessions, watching him spar with his shadow. Every time, the man would shake his head in disappointment, as if silently judging Cassian, which only made things worse. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Once again, Julius was there as Cassian sparred with his shadow. "What must he have gone through to end up with such a disturbed mind?" Julius muttered to himself, shaking his head with a pitying tone while casually munching on some type of fried snack.

Cassian couldn't help but feel like he was a source of entertainment for the man. Those pity-filled eyes made him feel as if Julius was looking down on him, as though he was truly pathetic. The constant gaze of sympathy gnawed at Cassian's pride, making him question himself.

But, as always, Lady Katherine had asked him to endure Julius, reminding him that the man was a truly skilled swordsman, even better than Tyron. Though Cassian found that hard to believe, he followed her orders and tolerated Julius' presence—no matter how much it grated on him.

Cassian was at his breaking point. The day's training wasn't going well; after an hour of sparring, he hadn't even completed half of his daily tasks. Frustrated and exhausted, he paused to take a rest, glancing over at Julius. "Don't you have anything better to do than watch me like I'm putting on some sort of show?" he asked, his voice edged with irritation.

Julius shook his head and stood up from his seat. "No offense, but my friend, it does look like you're putting on a show," he said, a hint of amusement in his tone.

Cassian gave him a frustrated smile, barely containing his annoyance. "It's training, not a performance," he muttered, his patience wearing thin.

Julius's pitiful gaze deepened, his eyes brimming with even more sympathy. "I want to believe that too, but... it's hard," he said, trailing off. Cassian glared at him, his anger rising, but then Julius's expression shifted dramatically. A look of sudden enlightenment crossed his face, followed by a wide smile. The sight of it unsettled Cassian, filling him with a slight sense of dread.

"So, if you're training... you must be getting good at it, right?" Julius asked, his voice brimming with newfound enthusiasm.

Cassian, confused and a little weirded out, nodded hesitantly. Julius's excitement only grew. "To be honest, I'm really good at sword fighting myself. In fact, I teach it at one of the universities in Magisteria," he added, clearly expecting a more dramatic reaction.

But Cassian remained unimpressed, simply nodding again, which left Julius slightly confused. He was used to people being shocked by that revelation, but Cassian's calm response threw him off.

Julius's brow furrowed, clearly thinking Cassian didn't believe him. "You don't think I'm telling the truth, do you?" he asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Cassian sighed, his expression tired. "I believe you, just get on with what you were going to say."

Still unconvinced but choosing to let it go, Julius continued, "Alright, well... how about you spar with me? That way, I can see if all this shadow training is actually helping you improve your sword skills."

Cassian stood there, mulling over Julius's proposal. It wasn't a bad idea, really. Sparring with someone as skilled as Julius might not only prove useful but could also give him a better sense of how far he'd come. If what Lady Katherine said about Julius being a great swordsman was true, then perhaps this was the chance to make some real progress.

"Sounds good to me," Cassian said after a moment, nodding in agreement.