Aislin gave Rute a surprised look, then tilted her head back and recalled her interactions with Gilbert after his recovery. "I don't think there was much difference, except that he became even more annoying."
Rute smiled helplessly. "That was why I didn't suspect anything at first, either.
"Gilbert always has energy to spare when he's dealing with you."
If things really were as he suspected, and Gilbert Hainalson had indeed received that sliver of fortune... then the inexplicable hatred between him and Aislin made sense.
That was what he had never been able to understand all these years.
Given his health, Gilbert should have been the least likely to compete with Aislin for power, yet she was most wary of his presence.
Sometimes she even passed over Oliva to trouble Gilbert first... when dealing with fellow disciples whom she could torment but not kill, Aislin's first choice was usually Oliva.
They had fought for so many years that they could practically sniff each other out and turn up at each other's doors.
But Rute also knew very well that the importance he placed on Gilbert could easily provoke resentment in Aislin, who was already sensitive to such things.
So he had not thought too much of it.
And yet this was the reason... their auras were utterly incompatible. It would have been strange if they did not fight.
If Aislin had not retained some will of her own, those two would certainly have fought behind his back until they were both half-dead.
Aislin curled her lip. "Any normal person would hate that mouth of his. Are those things a human being should say?"
"He'd probably ask whether those are things a human being should do." Oliva floated lightly onto the top of Rute's airship. "Aislin, haven't you been getting a