"W-What the hell…?! You're a bastard child… How the hell can someone like you overpower someone of noble blood?!"
As the blonde-haired boy was violently slammed down to the ground, blood splattered everywhere as the corpses of the mercenaries grotesquely filled the space. The captured citizens behind the cells cowered in fear as they continued to see the cruel scene in front of them.
The blonde-haired boy forces his head up, glaring at the smiling Veda as she plays with her claw weapon stained with blood. Her scarlet-red eyes shimmered before the blood around the room began to gather around a single spot in front of her.
Seeing such a spectacle, the blonde-haired boy couldn't help but widen his eyes with fear. "H-How the hell can you use the precious blood magic that only members of the Royal Family can use–"
Finally connecting the dots, his whole body shivered in fear before immediately shutting his mouth, gazing down at the ground to avoid her eyes. "Magic that only the Royal Vampire Family can use.... Even if she's a bastard child, she's royalty…! I can't beat her!"
The blood that was once splattered around the room finally concentrated tightly enough to create a small, solid marble.
Veda picked it up with just two fingers, stretching it out to the roof with the light of the torch reflecting the beautiful blood color until she finally put it in her mouth and cracked it with her teeth. "... It's not my taste to consume blood, especially from humans… but I have to get rid of any evidence that may hinder us."
She slowly crouched down before the blonde-haired boy and gently grabbed his chin, forcefully lifting his face up to meet her eyes.
Even as the blonde-haired boy continued to cower in fear with slight tears streaming down his face, Veda couldn't help but smile so beautifully despite the earlier slaughter. "Relax... His grace told us to capture anyone strong with information, so you won't die... yet."
She slowly placed her hand over his face, her dark-red aura slowly consuming him before his body went limp.
Veda smiled once more before she stood up, gazing deeply at her hands before clenching with the information she received from the blonde-haired boy. "Royal Blood… I finally have a clue as to where I came from..."
Remembering the reason why she came here, she quickly looked at the captured civilians behind the cellars of the basement. As they made eye contact with her, they all flinched and huddled into the corner of the room with skepticism and fear.
Seeing such a sight, she couldn't help but let out a sigh before hearing the loud footsteps echoing through the stairs.
Turning around, she saw Qadir run up to her while wiping the sweat off his forehead. He quickly surveyed the room, looking at the dismembered body before letting out a deep sigh. "... It seems you didn't need any help, but please… be more considerate, especially around civilians."
Veda couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "But I did save them, right?"
Ignoring her remark, Qadir quickly ran to the captured people, glancing at each and every one of them with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, his grace sent us here to rescue you all."
As the captured people heard those words, their faces finally lit up with hope. Some went on to cry as their nightmare finally ended while others mourned the losses that have already passed.
Veda and Qadir began releasing the captured civilians before the sound of footsteps emerged from the stairs once again. Qadir looked at the person who entered before quickly bowing down with respect alongside with Veda.
The duke impatiently walked up to Qadir, putting both hands on his shoulder as he gazed anxiously at him. "Q-Qadir, please take his highness and Lysander back home!" He then looks around the room, slightly calming himself down to not worry the captured civilians. "... I'll take care of the rest with Veda."
Feeling the anxiety and fear of his voice, Qadir couldn't help but respond with uncertainty of the current situation. "Did... something happened to the young master–"
Without letting him finish, the duke tightened his grasp around his shoulder, trying so hard to remain calm. "Please… Just take him back. I just can't let him be in any more danger…"
Gazing at the duke's worried and anxious eyes, despite trying to act calm and rational, Qadir slowly nodded back without further prying. "I'll see through it then, your grace."
As Qadir made his way out of the basement and towards the young boys who were still in the forest, the duke couldn't help but let out an anxious sigh before looking at Veda. "Let's continue."
Veda slowly nodded back, gazing back at the captured civilians. But once they made eye contact, the civilians once again cowered in fear, even when the cellar door was open for them to escape.
Seeing the helpless situation, the duke awkwardly scratched his hair. "... I think it's best that you retrieve the knocked down enemies in the forest, Veda. It should also serve as a lesson to be less… violent."
Those words pierced her heart, making her cough out blood even though she wasn't actually injured. "Y-Yes… I'll get right to it, your grace."
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
A few weeks have passed since the horrible incident. The captured citizens were thankfully saved and brought back to their homes. Compensations were also made for putting them through a traumatic experience, and for any losses that they have encountered.
Father also made sure to put up preventive measures, while also increasing security throughout the dukedom, so such a situation would never happen again.
I stood in front of the window in my room, my hand slowly caressing the glass as I couldn't help but look up into the blue sky. Slowly, I gazed down from the sky, narrowing my view until I could finally see my reflected expression on the window.
As I slowly removed my hand from the window and placed it on the side of my face, I could see the subtle mixture of sadness and worry in my eyes. With my other hand, I quietly clenched the cloth near my heart before gazing down at the floor.
Before I could comprehend the emotion I was feeling, someone suddenly hugged me from behind. I turned my head around to see that it was Everett with his usual bright smile. "Brother! Are you looking outside the window again? Geez... I'll be bored by just staring at the same thing–"
He suddenly stopped talking, his happy expression slowly diminishing into sadness before shaking his head, forcing himself to look happy once again. "Is there something bothering you?"
I stayed silent before awkwardly nodding back. "... I'm just worried about August, that's all.'
Everett gently released his hug, walking to my side before gazing through the window. "Sera said that he needed to report something back to the Imperial palace. You could ask her for more details if you want–"
"I refuse."
I heard Sera's voice suddenly emerge from the door. We both turned our head, seeing her stand right besides the door entrance with her arms crossed while wearing a condescending expression.
She stood there for a long moment, staring right through my eyes, before letting out a deep sigh and making her way towards us with a smile as if nothing happened. "August needed to report about the citizens being kidnapped and forced into slavery to the Empress."
I looked away, bitterly smiling back. "I see. I can roughly conclude why he left now, but... he should've said goodbye at least."
Sera couldn't help but quietly click her tongue for no one to hear before speaking to herself. "You have no idea just how much he wanted to stay by your side."
She stood in silence once again, staring emptily at the white-haired boy before she hesitantly opened her mouth. "... Do you not remember what happened before he left?"
"Remember what...?"
She let out a relieved sigh, slowly gazing away to an empty spot in the room before slowly closing her eyes, remembering to herself the event that the white-haired boy seems to have forgotten.
In the early morning when the subjugation of the abandoned manor finally concluded, many servants began to whisper among each other at the spectacle outside of the manor.
Walking down the hallway corridor, Seraphina couldn't help but overhear the conversation between some of the maids. "That's the young master and his highness... right?"
The other maids hesitantly nodded, their worried demeanor holding onto her words as they continued to look outside of the window. "Yeah. Qadir seems to be following behind them, but..."
Overjoyed, Seraphina quickly ran down the hallway and towards the entrance of the manor without hearing the rest of the conversation. Earlier, she went to check if the white-haired boy was in his room, still sleeping. He always wakes up early and hangs around the library.
But when she checked the library, he wasn't there. He also wasn't in his room…
She quickly went to her mother and asked about his whereabouts. Nervously, the duchess responded back by saying that he simply went to town.
Seraphina couldn't help but feel dejected that she wasn't able to go with him, and just waited patiently as she roamed around the manor.
Now, waiting eagerly in the entrance of the manor, she finally sees the familiar shadow of two people. Her face lit up before waving at them and unconsciously yelling out to one of them. "Lys! What took you so long–"
But before she could finish her sentence, her eyes widened with fear.
The prince slowly walked up to the manor, carrying the unconscious body of the white-haired boy with his clothes torn and bored with holes with severe amounts of blood staining them.
As the prince continued to walk towards the manor, the whisper of the servants grew louder and louder. Seraphina stood there in shock, unable to muster a single body movement as she saw her brother in such a state.
The prince walked past her with the white-haired boy in his arms. Once she finally comprehended the situation, she quickly turned around and began following him.
As she got closer and closer to the walking prince, she couldn't help but yell out to him. "What happened to Lys–"
He abruptly stopped. "Shh! Be quiet! He's just sleeping."
Immediately covering her mouth with her hands, Seraphina slowly nodded, feeling slightly relieved. The prince sighed before he continued to walk forward with the young girl following behind.
"... What happened?"
The prince stayed silent as he continued to walk through the hallway corridor before sighing to himself. "He got injured in a fight."
She furrowed her eyebrows, looking angry at the prince. "I see."
Knowing the extent as to what happened, she continued to walk in silence alongside the prince before finally reaching their destination: Lysander's room.
The prince stood there motionless in front of the door.
Seraphina tilted her head as to what the prince could possibly be thinking at the moment. "... Is this your first time entering Lys's room?"
The prince sheepishly nodded at her response. She couldn't help but sigh, opening the door for him as they entered the room. "Seriously. You've been living here for the past four years, yet you haven't even entered his room once?"
He slowly began heading towards the bed. "There was no reason to. He says that he only goes to his room for the sole purpose of sleep. He spends most of his time at the library."
He stands in front of the bed, quickly looking at her from the corner of his eyes. "I must ask you to leave now, Lady Seraphina."
She tilts her head again. "Why?"
He faces forward, trying to hide his expression from her. "There's no way that I'll let him sleep in such a state. So I'll stay here and change–"
She quickly interjected, not allowing him to finish the crude words. "Just let Mia do it."
At the mention of those words, Mia appeared behind her as if ready. The prince glances at them both before sighing, walking towards them with the white-haired boy still in his arms. Mia quickly stretches her arms forward before carrying the sleeping boy.
Mia smiles brightly at the prince. "Don't worry, your highness. I'll make sure to quickly change him so you can remain by his side!"
The prince couldn't help but let out a chuckle before walking out the room. "I'm glad to hear that. Just be careful to not wake him up."
As the door of the room silently closed, the two children tried to look in opposite directions with the awkward silence filling the gap around them before Seraphina mustered out the courage to speak. "... Just what exactly happened?"
The prince stood in silence once again. A moment of self-deliberation before he slowly began explaining to her all about what happened: The captured citizens, the saintess's people, and the person Lys was fighting.
After finally finishing, Seraphina angrily clenched the side of her arms. "I see… I'm just glad that he's safe now."
The prince slowly nodded in agreement before they looked in opposite directions once again, avoiding each other's gaze. The door of the room finally creaked open. A head bopped out, showing Mia with her bright smile as she put her thumbs up. "You both can enter now."
"That took longer than expected."
Mia chuckles. "My apologies, your highness. The young master was covered in dirt and blood, so I decided to give him a bath."
The prince quickly blushes at the realization of what that entails. "Wait! Doesn't that mean you saw him–"
She burst out laughing as she gazed at the blushing prince. "Oh my! I didn't realize how pure his highness was~" She quickly wiped out a tear from her eyes. "I've taken care of the young master, so I'm used to seeing him in such a state."
The prince blushes once again.
He then felt someone hitting his arm hard. He glanced at Seraphina, who looked at him with disgust. "Pervert."
"No, I–"
"Now, Now. Don't let Lady Seraphina's word get to you. Why don't you both enter the room to check on the young master's condition?"
Hearing those words, the two children quietly entered the room while Mia stood near the doorway. As they got closer to the bed, they finally saw the white-haired boy sleeping silently and peacefully. A bright light metaphorically blinded them both before they slowly opened their eyes.
His lower half was covered by his blanket, with one of his hands laying on his abdomen while the other was slightly stretched out underneath the white pillow. His white and wavy hair framed the same white pillow so beautifully, his bangs messy yet capturing the beauty surrounding his face even more.
Seraphina silently squealed with joy at the beautiful portrait in front of her. "How can Lys be so beautiful...!?"
The prince could only continue to stare in awe as his face slowly relaxed.
Mia let out a small chuckle after seeing their reactions. "I made sure to leave him in the best state possible~"
Hearing those words, the prince let out a smirk, closing his eyes before slowly walking out of the room.
Seraphina glanced at the prince questionably. "Where are you going?"
He continued to walk towards the door. "I have to leave for the palace."
"All of a sudden? Don't you want to continue staying here with Lys–"
"I do. I truly do, but I have to report this to the Empress. If such things are occurring in the Blakesty land, then it must mean that similar cases are occurring in other lands around the Empire. I have to stop them before things become too dire."
"I see. Then... Do you have anything to say to Lys before you go back?"
He froze in place, thinking to himself before slowly turning and walking towards the sleeping boy once again. He gently reaches down to the white bangs on the boy's face and gently brushes it back, caressing his hair as he smiled warmly
"I'll be back, Lys..."
As Seraphina continued to remember what happened, she slowly sighed. "It's nothing. Ask August what happened when you see him again."
I let out a chuckle. "I see. I'll make sure to ask him then." I stood silent looking back at Sera and Everett. "Sera... Can I ask you something?"
"Sure..."
I opened my mouth, yet the words wouldn't leave my mouth. I stood there awkwardly, trying so hard to gain the courage, before finally speaking the words. "Do you... Do you think August likes me?"
Sera suddenly began coughing so hard at those sudden words that she even keeled to the ground.
Everett and I quickly ran to her side, patting her back hard to try and stop her from coughing. "Sera! Are you okay!?"
She waves her hand, trying to say that she's fine despite still coughing. "I'm... Fine..."
She slowly breathed in before looking serious at me. "By like... do you mean as a friend or as something more...?"
My face quickly flushed red, slowly gazing away from her before responding back. "As something... more..."
Her face immediately went blank. She slowly looked down at the ground before facepalming her entire face with despair. "Ah…! My greatest fear has finally come true..."
Everett couldn't help but look so dumbfounded at the situation. "Weren't you the one that asked August to make him fall in love with him?"
He heard the conversation between Sera and August, and how she advocated their relationship. But once they finally confirmed their feelings, she suddenly acts surprised…?
As Lysander continued to comfort the despaired Seraphina, Everett just let out a deep sigh, scratching his head while gazing at the blanked out Seraphina. "Is this... really the same Seraphina that was praised for her elegance and independence?"
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
In front of the manors gate with the spring breeze gliding around the fleeting space, I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself standing alone as I carried a suitcase filled with personal belongings. I slowly turned around and saw everyone standing there.
Mother… Father… Everett… and Seraphina. Behind them stood the familiar seven people: Mia… Veda… Leo... Nila… Nilo… Qadir… and Priya.
Seeing their happy and warm smiles, I slowly looked up at the blue sky, seeing the white clouds hovering over the sun before taking in a deep breath.
From this day forth, I will be leaving home for Lusia Academy.
Mother slowly walked up to me, hugging me tightly while trying her best to retain her warm smile. "I'm proud of you, Lysander. I know you'll do great in Lusia."
Feeling my mother's warm hug, I couldn't help but smile before reciprocating the hug. "Thank you, mother."
I received my acceptance to Lusia Academy a few weeks ago. A servant from the Academy came to our manor and gave us a fancy-looking letter. The letter was so long and formal, maybe because of the proper formalities when it came to interacting with nobles.
But the moment I received the acceptance, everyone began celebrating, like I did the impossible.
Lusia Academy has a rather low acceptance rate, with only one percent of the applicants getting accepted, so I guess I can kind of understand their excitement.
Of course, I had to take the entrance exam first.
Being forced to travel all the way to the capital once again, I decided to make my journey there using teleportation magic, with Mia and Nila by my side just in case.
As I finally made my way to the academy, its opulent structure reminded me so much of the Imperial palace.
Since I've now memorized the location, I can teleport to this exact location, without having to travel long by carriage.
Applicants are allowed to take the exam on any of the five exam days that they wished.
I wanted to take the exam on the first day, but everyone, especially my parents, encouraged that noble children's and the like would be on that day since their instilled pride wouldn't allow them to take it any other day.
They mentioned that if I were to suddenly show up, I wouldn't be able to take the exam in peace.
Walking through the grand bridge that connected the academy, I slowly entered the building before being taken to an empty classroom and encouraged to take a seat. Glancing at everyone, most applicants seem to be regular citizens of the middle or lower class.
But for some reason, I could feel people stealing glances at me while whispering among each other...
A professor stood in front of everyone, and began to explain that there will be two parts to the exam. The first part was the written exam while the second would be the practical exam.
The written exam tested our knowledge of various kinds ranging from the complicated structure of mathematics to miniscule information of history that people wouldn't even remember unless they completely memorized it.
We were given approximately an hour and a half to finish from what seems to be a hundred questions in total.
Well... If I were to recall, the questions weren't as difficult as I anticipated them to be. I managed to finish the exam in under fifteen minutes, which of course… caught the attention of not only the rest of the applicants but even the professor overseeing the exam.
The second part was the practical exam.
Depending on what field you applied to, mages would be tested in their knowledge of mana and beginner magic while the swordsmen were tested on their physical capabilities and swordsmanship.
During the second part of the exam, one of the instructors stood in the middle of the room and quickly drew on the chalkboard a magic insignia that was similar to the one that was in the paper in front of us.
"The uncompleted magic circle in this board is beginner fire magic. Your task is to complete the magic circle in the selected timeframe of thirty minutes."
Everyone audibly gasped and whispered among each other with frustration as she said those words.
"Thirty minutes? That's not enough..."
"Not even an hour is enough…"
She put the chalk down hard, making everyone silent before she turned around and faced us. "Once you finish completing the magic circle in the paper in front of you, please hand in to me–"
I stood in front of her with the completed magic circle on the paper. "I've finished... May I go now?"
She hesitantly took the paper before sighing. "At least put some effort into completing the–"
As she glanced at the paper, she immediately went silent. Her mouth stammered as she checked the work over and over again, making sure that she wasn't hallucinating. "C-Correct..."
Magic circles have a complicated structure that needs to be completed using mathematical equations beyond the scope of just calculus and physics.
Even in thirty minutes, it would be difficult for people to complete the following circle if they haven't learned beyond the introductory level.
I slightly bowed down as I received her confirmation. "Thank you. I'll take my leave."
Remembering the entrance exam... I couldn't help but feel like I've left such an arrogant impression on my future classmates and professors.
I was feeling slightly annoyed throughout those few weeks, since August never came back to the manor, that I just wanted to get it over with and continue waiting for him back at the manor.
But still… as I gazed at everyone's happy smiles once again, I bitterly smiled to myself. "It's fine... I'll at least see him at the Academy..."
Slowly, I turned my bitter smile into a happier one, trying to hide the tension in my heart. "Thank you, everyone, for seeing me off. If I ever feel homesick, I'll make sure to teleport back."
"Don't forget that promise, Lys."
Hearing Sera's calm voice as she smiled at me, I happily nodded back with confirmation. Everett quickly ran up to me and hugged me one more time before looking up at me. "Brother! Write me lot's of letters if you can!"
I smiled, gently stroking his head. "Don't worry, I'll definitely send you lot's of them."
He smiled brightly once again before quickly returning to his spot by Sera and mother's side.
I took a deep breath, anxiously trying to say my farewell to them. "Goodbye, everyone."
As I finally managed to speak those words, many farewells echoed through the surroundings, some expressed their farewells with their actions, others with words. I looked at Father one more time.
He smiled warmly at me before gently waving his hand. "See you soon, Lysander."
I smiled once more, slowly nodding before casting the teleportation magic around me. As the area began to change, I waved farewell to everyone one more time before a sudden burst of light flickered, forcing me to close my eyes.
I slowly opened them after a few seconds went by, before seeing the many children around my age walking alongside the bridge to the Academy.
Laughter or chattering filling the air. Nobles, civilians, and many other beings of different races walked towards the academy with suitcases and other belongings in their hands.
It was truly… an encompassing school filled with diversity.
I took a deep breath, letting the spring breeze glide around me before gazing up at the school, smiling bitterly to myself once more as I tighten the handle of my suitcase. "Hopefully... you're here, August."