The Ancient Genes

"Ah! My head hurts…" Aria groaned as she finally came to her senses. She clutched her head and got up from the couch.

"Achoo!" She sneezed and her nose turned red. Her body shivered as she felt the chill. She quickly realized her slightly wet clothes were the cause of this. It didn't take her long to remember why her clothes were wet.

"Did I pass out?" She mumbled as her brows furrowed. 

"You are finally up?" Max was just passing by the other end of the floor when he noticed that Aria was up.

Aria turned her head to look at Max. She didn't feel good about lying defenseless in front of a guy. 

Max could clearly read her expression, well it wasn't like he didn't understand her feeling. "Stop giving me that look, I didn't do a thing."

Aria's eyes quivered. She couldn't believe how easily the guy read her face.

"Anyway, it seems that there has been a misunderstanding. I am not the owner here. I have rented this place…" Max spoke clearing the confusion.

"What do you mea...Achoo!" Aria sneezed before she could even complete her sentence. The cold was definitely grabbing her. It was about to get dark and the weather had been changing as well.

Max frowned, he was feeling a bit guilty now. Well, but that was it. He wasn't going to get in trouble just because of this much guilt.

Seeing her shiver, Max sighed and spoke, "Do you have a change of clothes? I don't have any lady's clothes with me…" 

Aria looked at Max and nodded, "I have," she said as the ring on her finger gleamed. Max noticed the fluctuation of mana around it before a suitcase appeared beside the couch.

Max was surprised. He couldn't understand it, why was she carrying these many things?

As if feeling Max's gaze, Aria replied, "I am switching places..."

Max didn't say anything, he just pointed towards the other empty bedroom and said, "Go and change their…. I don't want you to go into the bathroom anymore…" 

Aria's face turned a bit red and she glared at Max before walking towards the other bedroom.

After 20 minutes, she finally returned dressed all well looking like a goddess.

Max finally understood why she was taking that long. It was for the useless stuff. He didn't even need a minute to get changed.

"Well then, if you don't have anything else, I have to go somewhere. So…" Max spoke, he was clearly urging her to get out.

"But I have rented this apartment…." Aria finally spoke as she took out her contract document.

"Can I see yours?" She asked Max with a doubtful gaze.

It was only now that Max realised what was going on, that baldy had created this situation.

Max took out his contract and presented it to Aria to have a look. Once Aria was done flipping through it, Max asked, "Are you satisfied?"

Aria nodded with a complicated look on her face. She could tell that Max's document was correct as well. It could only mean one thing that the owner had done fraud with them.

"You should talk to that person and get your money back…" Max said calmly.

"Why should I get my money back? Why not you?" Aria said as a frown emerged on her face. 

She wasn't letting the apartment go. She needed it urgently. She didn't have any place to stay and her funds were depleted as well. She had gone against her father's wishes and now her allowance was cut.

But she didn't regret it. She knew that it was her only chance. She was still planning to investigate the incident at Black Liquor, she knew that it was her opportunity. She could prove herself to her father and grandfather. She would even be able to break her engagement.

"What are you talking about? I signed the contract first. You should be talking with him, not me…" Max insisted. He snatch… I mean found the apartments after so many rejections. This was basically the only apartment that he could get near the Academy. Aside from this, there were no residential areas nearby. Hell, he wasn't going to let it go this easily.

"We both have signed it on the same day, how can you say that you were earlier than me and why should I even believe you." Aria replied. Her arguments were not entirely wrong. Besides, both of them had signed it around the same time.

"Besides, you are the servant of Barnes Family's 3rd Young Lord. You should be staying by his side." Aria spoke and only then she realised. Wasn't this servant talking back to her? It wasn't like she cared about her superiority or anything like that. She treated everyone equally and honestly she didn't mind people talking to her normally. But this was a bit surprising. When had she seen a servant being so daring? Not to mention. He clearly knew who Aria was.

'Oh! I said that to her….' Max remembered when they first met, he had indeed acted as Lear's servant. But what did that matter now. The headmaster had proven their identity. She had no reason to do anything to him. Max didn't know that she was fired and couldn't do anything even if she had a reason.

"I quit the job." Max replied with a straight face.

Aria's eyes turned wide. Who would in the right mind quit the job? Being able to accompany someone of her status, she wasn't flaunting but people were always flocking around her. Yet this guy said that he quit it.

But, suddenly she realized something. Wasn't the person who came into the bathroom, the 3rd Young Lord of Barnes House? Why was he here then?

Something felt wrong here….even yesterday she felt that something was wrong when she caught them around the Black Liquor.

"Let me call the owner, " Aria said as she called him. But, it didn't reach. The man didn't pick her call up.

"He isn't picking up…"

The duo stared at each other. No one was speaking. They didn't know what to do.

"You can stay in a hotel…. We can settle this tomorrow with the person…" Max suggested.

"But I have paid the money as well, I don't have anymore…." Aria replied with a difficult expression.

Max felt his face twitch. If even these people from Noble Houses started saying these things, what were the people like him supposed to do? 

Max didn't know about her situation. If Max didn't ruin her plan, she wouldn't be in this situation in the first place. Besides, she had spent a lot in getting this place.

"I am not leaving….stay if you want to…" Max said as he sat on the couch.

Aria looked at him with a frown. This situation was getting troublesome. She couldn't think of anything.

Using force was one way. But she didn't want to do it. She wasn't a bully or a person who would use her power to get things done.

"Only for today, we will get things sorted out tomorrow." Aria spoke with an unwilling face before turning around and going back into the room. She wasn't scared. She was confident in her strength and could take on anyone around her age, except for the Celestials. She was even training to take one of the spots of the Celestial during this All Academy Competitions.

If Max tried anything, she would show him her strength. At least that was what she thought.

Max on the other hand was surprised, he couldn't believe that she agreed. It seems the rumors about her being a nice person had a bit of truth in them.