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Title；少年館の生け贄 Author and/or artist；はざま黒緒 Publisher；Bコミ Magazine/imprint；らぶまん☆boyz Release date/year；2020/09/13 Language of the scans；Japanese Scanner；SenkiSakura Summary；「さあ息子達、あたらしい『デザート』」だ── 身寄りのない＜ルカ＞が連れて来られた山奥の屋敷。その館には同じ齢ほどの少年達がいた。主人とその息子達に体液を搾取される＜生け贄＞となったルカが出会ったのは、バラを食べて生きる特別に美しい＜マリウス＞で── DOWNLOAD LINK； Chapter 1 : https://mega.nz/folder/btlX3BJA#R7nM7FB-SoGfNQz8Ul_Wtg Chapter 2 Onwards : Stay Tuned ! * Please do not share outside this forum . Thank you for your cooperation ! If face any problem, feel free to let Senki know. Wish you have a great day ! ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ

CHAPTER 1 – THE GIRL WITH THE WINGS I woke up, comfortably lying on a soft-cushioned bed, but with a sullen pain on my side. My eyes fluttered open and I gave out a small groan as a sign of rousing. I heard shifting movements beside me, and as my blurry vision cleared, I spotted a boy with black hair and eyes staring at me with a big, greeting smile. Beside him was a boy that looked around his age with blond hair and startlingly emerald green eyes. He was casually sitting with his legs crossed on a chair and an angry frown creasing his forehead. “W-who are you?” I asked quietly. “Do you really have to be beside her when she wakes up?” he stated grumpily. “I don’t know why you have to drag me along.” he spitefully added while tugging the neckline of his bright blue attire. The boy sighed and threw his gaze at the blonde with a scolding look on his face. “Who even asked you to come along?” he raised his voice a bit. “I didn’t drag you into anything, you came by yourself!” he told him. “Of course I’ll come along! I’m your fiancé!” I listened to their conversation with confusion. Is that blonde really a boy or a girl? Perhaps my eyes have mistaken me. Well, he does look like a girl. The boy decided to redirect his attention to me with a polite, sheepish smile. He laughed with embarrassment, scratching the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about that.” A knock drummed onto the wooden door and it creaked open, revealing a middle aged man with brown hair and brown eyes. His face looked refreshed and charming, unlike the aura that the blonde was emitting a few moments ago. He seemed more like the boy with black hair and eyes—more of what you call approachable. “Is everything alright your majesty?” I noticed that everybody else was dressed in formal clothes. They all looked aristocratic, especially the blonde guy. Looking around, I mentally guessed being in a castle. And judging by those clothes, they are nobles. His eyes landed on me and a momentary shocked expression spread across his face, which was immediately replaced by a big smile."Oh, you're awake." he said, removing his hand resting on the door knob and closing it gently. "How are you feeling? Does your wound hurt?" he walked over beside the two. "Please pardon my rudeness, I'm Conrad Weller. It's an honor of meeting you." he said. "Oh yeah! I'm Yuuri by the way!" the boy with the black hair said cheerfully. He then pointed at his fiancé. "That's Wolfram." Wolfram huffed and spitefully looked away with his arms crossed as if annoyed. "I absolutely don't get the reason why you are so friendly with everybody." he said. "Don't worry about him," Yuuri said. "He's just bad at expressing his feelings. By the way, I've been meaning to ask what your name is." he said. "I'm—" my breath was caught on my throat. My eyes went wide and it felt like my world stopped. "Is anything wrong?" Conrad asked. "Yeah." Yuuri quipped. "You don't have to be shy." "No." I spoke. "That's not it," I whispered. "Then what is it?" Yuuri inquired. Everybody on the room was staring at me curiously. "I . . ." I trailed off. "I don't know my name." Yuuri's mouth dropped and his eyes seemed to have burst out of their sockets. "I don't know who I am even." I added. "What?! You got to be kidding me!" he yelled. “Did you lose your memories?!” “That seems like it.” Conrad stated. “Pathetic.” Wolfram said. “One minute you make a heroic entrance, and the next thing, you lose your memories.” “You don’t have to be so harsh about it, Wolfram. Think of how terrible this can be to her.” he said. I racked my brain for memories of any previous event, but nothing seemed to be working. Everything's blank, like everything in my mind has been erased. "Anyway!" he curled his right hand into a fist and hammered it onto the palm of his left hand. "I'll give you a temporary name!" I looked up at him with hopeless eyes. I was frustrated, but I cannot seem to bring myself to cry—no matter how much heaviness was weighing down my heart. “Angel!” he suddenly exclaimed. “We saw you fall from the sky after fighting someone on a dragon! And you’re so cool you even had wings! That’s right your name is Angel!” “Wings . . .” I quietly repeated. Images quickly flashed into my mind. Like watching a movie, I remembered fighting a woman perched upon a dragon’s back. She was holding a ring inside her fists, I know it, while the other was holding a sword with vibrated with an evil aura. I can clearly hear the echoing wing beats and the heat of the sword I was holding. In the end, I delivered a strong blow towards the woman through my sword, but unfortunately, moments before that she managed to wound me. She was eventually reduced to ashes—the sound of her scream reverberating all throughout the sky. The ring was freed from her fingers, but because of the strong force I gave her, five of the seven jewels decorating the band were thrown off to different directions while only two of them remained. I was careful not to harm the dragon she was riding on, and it flew away almost instantly. I was fortunate enough to be able to catch the ring before it fell to the ground completely, and that’s when I lost my energy and began approaching the ground with a speed. After that, nothing. “I remember a few things before the time everything went dark. However, other than that, I got nothing.” Everybody were flashing me pitiful gazes. Noticing the way they felt towards me, I gritted my teeth and pulled myself up into sitting position. Yuuri rushed beside me and grabbed me by the arm, helping me get into the position I desired. “You should be careful. You’re wounded . . .” he trailed off. “Wounded?” I gave him a questioning look. It surely didn’t feel like it. “On your side,” he pointed out. I reached out and touched the spot where I previously felt the dull ache when I first woke up, but was now gone. I slid up the gown I was wearing and saw nothing but smooth skin. There’s no wound like he told me and from the recollection of my memories. It seemed that it healed rather quickly than anyone would’ve imagined. “But that’s . . . impossible.” “That’s strange.” Conrad rubbed his lower chin. “Gizela said you wouldn’t have healed in a few more days. It didn’t even leave behind any scars. I jumped out of bed and ran out of the door. “Hey! Come back! We don’t know if you’re all better yet! I speedily sprinted through the hall in barefoot, following all the twists and turns, wherever this path may take me to. I felt the need to do something. It wasn’t more than a few moments when I reached an open space where a small flower garden was located. I jumped over the railings and ran into the middle of the open area, twisting and looking over each direction. I do not know why, but it seems as if something is missing. I looked down at my fingers and saw the golden band wrapped around my fingers. It seemed ethereal but with five empty spots, the supposed beautiful aura was distinguished with the feeling off . . . absence. I felt like crying from too much frustration. The wind picked up and brought my hair along with it. The black strands seemed to dance along with the current. Regardless of that fact, it carried the scent of roses with it. I took a huge breath and went to see where it was coming from. “The scent of roses?” I whispered. It was comforting and was somehow familiar to me. It’s like . . . déjà vu. Without even realizing it, my feet started walking on their own. For that whole trip, I didn’t care mostly about my surroundings. I was solely focused on tracking down the source of that scent. I eventually ended up on a rose garden, full of blooming crimson red roses. I was disappointed for some reason. I was expecting someone . . . or something to be there. And when I scanned the area, I spotted a guy with long, lilac-colored hair that flowed than on the midst of his back. He has a white cape draped over him with matching attire and black boots. He was bent over and tending to the flowers, holding a pair of gardening scissors. When he realized I was there, he lifted his head up and looked at my direction. The breeze blew again, and this time, I met a pair of purple-colored eyes and ivory white skin. “Oh? You’re already awake?” he stood up. “How is your wound? His majesty, King Yuuri was worried about your condition. Falling from the sky just like that.” So that carefree boy with black hair and eyes is the king? He doesn’t look that majestic to me. “The wound’s fully healed.” I told him, and then cautiously walked towards the rose bush he just tended. “Did you . . . take care of these flowers?” I asked. “I did.” he answered with a smile. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?” “They are,” I crouched down and sniffed their petals, feeling a wave of comfort wash over me. “And they smell nice, too.” I straightened my back and stared at them, they are beautiful. But they’re lacking something. “Still,” I whispered. “There’s something wrong.” I stated. Even with their splendid beauty, it looked to me as if the flowers are . . . sad. “I don’t mean to be rude. But are you giving them the attention they deserve?” “Huh?” he looked shocked. “Well I’ve been busy about other matters regarding the kingdom’s status. Especially now, I’ve been concentrated on King Yuuri’s studies.” So that means the boy I met earlier was a king. He surely didn’t seem like it. He looked like an ordinary teenager to me. “Roses are symbol for love and devotion,” I bent down and traced the velvety petals. “Even though they cannot talk, they have their own ways of expressing their feelings. In order to properly take care of the roses, you have to be knowledgeable of their language.” I slowly leaned in and softly brushed my lips against the flower. “And even so, these kinds of roses understand completely by simple gestures.” I got up and smiled, seeing as how the look of them brightened up. “That’s amazing. You seem experienced about this kind things. I’ve been doing this for years now, and I’m still willing to improve. I’m Gunter Von Christ, by any chance. What is your name?” “Your friend Yuuri named me Angel. I don’t remember anything.” “His majesty named you?” blood suddenly trickled down from his nose. Although still, he has a dreamy look on his face. I gasped and attempted to reach out to him. He is currently having a nosebleed. “Are you okay?” With both his hands laced together in front of him, he sighed dreamily. “I could die and be born all over again if King Yuuri would name me.” I scratched my head. “Uh, yeah, sure. Good for you, I guess.” “But even so,” he started, pulling out a small handkerchief from his pocket and using it to wipe the blood off from his face. “You said something about not remembering anything? What did you mean by that?” “It looks as if I lost my memories. I remember a few things before I passed out, but other than that, all of my previous memories were gone.” “That must be hard. I can’t say I know what you feel, but if you don’t mind me asking you a question . . .” “What is it?” “You have black hair and eyes.” he rubbed his chin. “And what has got that to do with your question?” “Only the demon king or those who are in level of the demon king possesses such hair and eye color.” “I absolutely have no idea what you’re talking about. Does having these kind of color that peculiar around here? Where am I again?” “You’re in the Great Demon Kingdom’s capital. It’s obvious that you aren’t from around here, though.” “Honestly, I don’t remember coming from anywhere.” I replied. “But be that as it may,” he smiled brightly. “You’re very fortunate King Yuuri had found you. If you had fallen to another pair of hands, I’m quite certain you’ll be in a very troublesome situation right now. “Why?” “Because people had already considered superstitions and beliefs about gaining an eternal life or being healed from sickness, maybe around those lines, once you have gotten your hands on a double black.” “Such trivial reasons,” I murmured. “If gaining an eternal life meant making another person suffer for such desire, then there is no point on doing it at all.” “There you are,” I heard someone say. I dragged my gaze towards the source of the voice and found Yuuri making his way towards my direction with a big smile on his face. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. I thought you might’ve left the castle grounds.” he stated. Conrad and Wolfram were following him closely, along with a guy clad in dark green clothes. He had a frown etched on his face, and wrinkles lined his forehead. He has his gray hair tied back in a ponytail, but left his bangs hanging on the side of his face. His blue eyes seemed disappointed, though. “Huh?” Yuuri stopped and looked around. “Don’t you think everything is a bit brighter than usual? I could’ve sworn the roses are beaming with happiness.” he stated. “Gunter, what did you do this time?” “It wasn’t anything of my doing.” Gunter told him. “I thought the reason why you are running around are much more serious.” The guy dressed in dark green clothes said. “We’re sorry if we bothered you from your work, Gwendal. Angel just ran off with unknown reasons.” “Angel?” he looked questioningly at Conrad. Conrad smiled and chuckled lightly. But Wolfram answered with his usual ‘bratty’ attitude. “It turned out that Yuuri’s precious Angel had lost her memories when she woke up. So he named her.” “There you go again,” Gwendal said with a sigh. “Why do you even have to be the one to name her?!” Wolfram yelled. “You’re such a flirt you know that!” he almost looked like he was going to eat him up, what more, pounce on him like a hungry tiger. “Hey! What are you going on about now?” “Oh, that reminds me,” Gunter said. “Why are you running around wearing only a nightgown? It’s inappropriate for a lady to walk around wearing only such clothes.” he inquired. “Let me. I’ll take care of the clothes.” A woman with long, voluminous hair and striking emerald green eyes stepped in. The first thing that I would say about her is gorgeous. She had all the curves on the right places. She was also wearing a long, black gown with a slit on the side, showing off her legs. “Mother? What are you doing here?” Wolfram asked, still preoccupied with strangling Yuuri. Wolfram’s mother? That’s not to hard to believe. They bear an eye-catching resemblance from each other. “L-let me go, Wolfram.” Yuuri choked out. To even think that he can perform such actions on a royalty. I’m surprised he isn’t in jail yet. “No! Not ever!” “I think that’s enough, Wolfram. You’re going to kill the king.” Conrad said. “I’m his fiancé! I can kill him all I want” “Wolfram! It’s truly not in your power to bestow death upon his majesty! No matter if you are jealous over insignificant matters!” Gunter ran over to their direction and tried pulling Wolfram off of Yuuri. “Come now,” Wolfram’s mother told me, advancing forward on my location and placing a friendly hand on my shoulder. I stared at her in confusion while she just flashed me a big smile. Even before I know it, she was dragging me with her. As I stumbled to catch up to her pace, I managed to catch good sight of the excited expression plastered across her face. I just have the feeling that this won’t be a good idea at all. -*- I just learned of the fact that the lady’s name was Cecilie Von Spitzweg, or Lady Celi for short. She told me when she was dressing me up in some clothes and brushing my hair up into some kind of crazy hairstyles. It was actually the first time I’ve seen how I looked like since I woke up. I hated the feeling of being unfamiliar to my very own face, although, I guess it couldn’t be helped. Gunter was right, though. I do have black hair and eyes. “Ahhh!” Yuuri screamed. “You can’t make her wear that!” he shouted, pointing at the clothes I was dressed in while cringing away. Even Conrad, Gunter and Gwendal had strange looks on their faces. Despite being talked to, I remained staring at the two boys—or there might be the slightest possibility that Wolfram is a girl—with confusion. Wolfram was strangling Yuuri to death, yet they aren’t doing anything. “Actually, Lady Celi is also Wolfram and Gwendal’s mother.” Conrad told me. “So that makes you . . .” “Half-brothers,” Conrad continued for me. I was shocked. “I have an idea!” Lady Celi exclaimed, quirking up a finger towards the ceiling. —A Few Minutes Later— I ended up being dressed in some skirt along with skin-tight corset. There was a pair of matching boots along with it and some detached sleeves that were applied like arm guards. Somehow, wearing the dress made me feel . . . like I stood out. Lady Celi wrapped a scarf around my hair as one of the finishing touches and presented me. “These are the clothes I got from one of the countries I went to during my quest of free love.” she said enthusiastically. “Just what kingdom did you get that from, mother?” Wolfram asked, his back leaned against the wall. “It suits her, don’t you think?” “That doesn’t matter. That kind of clothing is unbecoming for a lady to wear.” Gwendal quipped. “This is problematic.” Conrad said. “The clothes she wore before she passed out were completely torn to pieces.” “Anyways, I think we should ask Gizela or Anissina regarding this matter.” “What? You don’t like what I had dressed her in?” “That’s not it, Lady Cecilie. It’s just inappropriate.” Gunter answered. “But that’s the kind of thing they wear all the time!” “Did Lady Celi wind up on a gypsy town?” Yuuri asked with annoyance. “You must be reminded, mother, that you aren’t in another country, you are within the Demon Kingdom. Therefore, we must all comply with the country’s tradition.” “Oh, what a shame.” -*- I was asked to stay on the room I woke up in while Gunter volunteered to go and find clothes that I will be wearing, rather than staying on the skirt and the corset Lady Celi asked me to wear. Yuuri had to go Yuuri sat comfortably while signing a few papers piled on the side of his table. Wolfram was sitting casually on a chair with his arms crossed and Conrad remained standing with Gwendal beside him. Gwendal seemed to still be suspicious of the mysterious girl with no memories who just fell from the sky out of nowhere. They decided to take Yuuri into his office for a private talk, and to also get him to work on the papers Gwendal had checked for him. Wolfram had followed him like a lost puppy. And after some time being left alone unaccompanied, it made me feel a bit lonely. I was still trying to focus on remembering who I was it got me frustrated when nothing I did worked. Instead of trying one more time, I ended up contemplating how Yuuri became a king. He looked so very young and he isn’t the type I think would be handling the position. But still, I shouldn’t judge a person by his appearance. There is something more about that boy than meets the eye. I hate doing nothing. I hate doing nothing when I can go out and look for some clues about myself. Who am I anyway? I sighed in wonder. A knock came, snapping me out of my line of thinking. I cleared my throat and straightened my back, as I was currently sitting on the edge of the bed. “Please, come in.” I said. The door went ajar and a small girl with brown hair eyes peeked through the gap. “Hello,” she greeted, before fully entering the room. After closing the door behind her, she ran up to me and beamed. “I heard from Yuuri that we have a guest.” she cheerfully said. “I’m Greta, what’s your name?” “I’m sorry I don’t remember.” I told her sadly. “Are you Yuuri’s sister?” She giggled. “I’m his daughter.” she responded. “His daughter?” I asked in wonder. “I’m only adopted though.” she added, causing a smile to break onto my face. This place sure is weird. “You can call me Angel,” I said. “Angel? Okay!” she took her hands from behind her back, revealing a plate of cookies. “Would you like some? Effie’s sweets are delicious.” “I’d love to, thank you very much.” I advanced towards her and stretched out my hand, grabbing a cookie and taking a small bite out of it. I smiled at her appreciatively. “Thank you for sharing it with me. It’s delicious.” Greta beamed. “You can have some more if you like.” I swallowed the whole cookie and crushed it inside my mouth, reaching for another and munching on it hungrily. I just realized that I was starving. It seems as if I haven’t eaten for days. Greta laughed at my expression, and I had to smile back at her with bulging cheeks. “Hello?” there was another load of knocks that drummed on the door, and this time, Gunter came in with folded clothes at hand. “I’m sorry. I hope I’m not intruding.” “Nwo,” I said with my mouth full. When I realized how funny I was looking, I blushed and covered my mouth. I chewed on the food and swallowed it. The cookies made me a bit thirsty. “Sorry,” I chortled. “You aren’t intruding.” Gunter gave out a small chuckle before extending out his arms, offering the clothes he was carrying. “I came to give you this as you needed. They are newly sewn. It was a good thing someone expected about this situation coming in. Your sizes were only guessed, though. I hope it meets your standards.” “They’re perfect, thank you.” I responded, taking the clothes from his arms. “We’ll leave you by yourself to change. Greta, let’s wait outside.” Greta placed the plate of cookies in one of the tables and ran out of the door with Gunter trailing behind her. “I’ll be back so we can eat together!” I smiled at her. “Please do.” -*- “Is it really okay for her to stay? Don’t you think it’s a bit doubting that of all the places she fell to, she fell on the castle? And it isn’t very usual about her having black hair and eyes.” “Come on, Gwendal. Don’t be so cautious. Don’t you think it’s a coincident? Besides, if she has any bad motives, she could’ve done it before. No one can sleep for three days straight.” “You’re just saying that because she’s pretty, aren’t you!” Wolfram exclaimed. “What’s getting you so worked up, Wolfram? It isn’t the first time we accepted a stranger as guest, have we?” “But it felt as if something’s different about her, Yuuri. Don’t tell me you are taking a liking to her.” “I’m not taking anything.” Yuuri told him. “Good. Because you’re only mine. I won’t share.” “Listen to yourself, you sound like a jealous kid fighting someone over a cookie.” Conrad said, while Wolfram merely huffed over his remark. “Although if Yuuri decides to trust this girl, then I will trust her, too.” “I guess I have no choice but to comply with the king’s will,” Gwendal sighed and began to saunter back to his office. “Thank you, everyone.” “Although don’t be so certain about this, Yuuri. If she does anything suspicious, I’ll step in.” he added. “Gwendal is right.” Conrad agreed. “Hey, have you guys seen Murata? I wasn’t able to see him since this morning.” “I believe he is in Shinou’s temple.” -*- Angel “Those clothes perfectly suit you!” Greta giggled. She was referring to the clothes I was currently wearing—a long-sleeved robe that extended down, reaching the mid of my thighs and paired with some pants and boots. There was also a belt around my waist to keep it from falling. This kind of clothing was similar to the ones Conrad was wearing, although, it also blended with Yuuri’s outfit. It was gleaming with the color of jet black, as well. “Yes, I very much think it does.” Gunter agreed, rubbing is chin. “It’s a shame you have to wear a boy’s clothes though.” “That isn’t a problem. It feels comfortably anyway. Thank you,” I told them. “Good morning, everyone!” The door opened suddenly and a girl with ling pink hair tied back on a high ponytail and bright blue eyes entered. “I heard that we have a new guest. There’s also a rumor spreading that you don’t remember anything of your past.” she said. “My name is Anissina Von Karbelnikoff, it’s very nice to meet you!” “Anissina? What are you doing here?” Gunter asked. I looked between the two of them and felt a smile creep onto my face. “This castle sure is teeming with energy.” I observed. “Please let me introduce you to my new invention,” she stepped aside and a machine came to my line of view. “My brand new, Get-me-back-my-memories Machine!” I laughed nervously. “Is it really possible for me to get my memories back with those?” “Of course,” she answered confidently. “Then I guess I’ll try it.” “No, Angel! You mustn’t!” “Ah, I see, so your name is Angel, huh? Well then, please kindly step forward and let the machine do its magic!” “Okay,” I said. She slipped a helmet over my head and pressed a button, starting up the machine. “Gunter!” she pointed her forefinger at him. “I need your power!” she then spread out her fingers and referred to a cycling machine. He sighed. “Here we go again.” As he got into work, the machine began to power up and I felt the heat of the helmet around my head. I saw Greta watching closely, munching on the cookies expectantly. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, urging my mind to compel and at least remember even a few things, even it not all. But then, after a moment, nothing happened. I opened my eyes and saw that Gunter was already tired out. His pace was eventually slowing down and sweat was trickling down his face. He was breathing hard—poor guy. The machine eventually broke down after a while and the helmet circuited, smoke curling up from the device. “There must be something wrong,” Anissina said thoughtfully. “Well then, I’ll be back!” And in one blink, she was gone. “That was pretty fast.” I muttered. I diverted my gaze and saw Gunter lying helplessly on the floor, out of breath. “Are you okay, Gunter?” “It’s nothing . . . I can’t . . . handle.” he panted. I crouched down and offered my hand to him, which he accepted. His palm was a bit rough and calloused, as I noticed. It must be from sword fighting. It’s obvious because of the weapon around his waist. I pulled him up to his feet and patted his shoulder. “Thank you for your help.” “It’s not a problem.” he took a deep breath and calmed his racing heart. “Although I’m curious. Why were you running around just this morning?” “I . . . was looking for something.” I reluctantly answered. “Looking for what?” “I don’t know,” I looked at my hands. “Something was missing and I just felt the urge to look for it.” “How can you find something when you don’t even know what you’re looking for?” “Ridiculous, isn’t it?” I said. “Irrational.” “Not at all. There are certain points on our lives when that happens.” I redirected my attention to Greta, who was happily munching another cookie. “Can you take me to King Yuuri, please? I’d like to give him my thanks for welcoming me with open arms. What he did is more than enough. Even now, I even got the privilege of having my own room.” “Of course, that’s just as expected from the benevolent King Yuuri. I’m guessing he’s on his office right now, signing a few papers. I’ll lead the way, if you want.” “Thank you very much, please do that.” I turned to Greta. “Greta, would you be fine on your own?” She nodded eagerly and munched on another cookie. We left the room and started walking down the aisle. I can’t help but voice out my thoughts though. “Is it just me? Or is Yuuri in the appropriate age of running a kingdom?” “No. King Yuuri is only fifteen years old when he started his reign as demon king. He already had reached his coming of age ceremony. Even so, he had accomplished many great things that other demon kings in the past hadn’t.” “That’s quite impressive.” I sighed. “I don’t even know how old I am.” “That’s quite simple. Judging by your looks, you must be around eighteen or so if you are a human, but being a demon, you must be around one hundred and twenty.” I scratched my cheek. “For the first time in my life, I heard something very unusual.” “Demons age slower than humans.” “I think that’s kind of tough. If you fall in love with a human, wouldn’t it be too harsh if you would watch him or her wrinkle and die?” “He’s a hundred percent boy.” My eyes widened. “Then . . . why is he . . . engaged with Yuuri?” “Getting engaged to the same sex is not that unusual to our part of the world.” “Is that so?” I laughed. “I guess that caught me off-guard.” “It seems so,” Gunter smiled. I stopped talking and so did he. The silence between us began thickening, and the only thing I could hear is the sound of our footfalls echoing through the hallway. Guards stood side by side on some doors, and even straightened their back even more when Gunter and I passed by. This castle seemed to be normal to me, other than meeting demons and a young boy king. I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt as if this happened to me before. If only I could remember something, that would be enough. “Do you mind having tea with me at the gardens?” Gunter offered. “Would that be a bother? I’m thinking that you have other things to do, like attending to King Yuuri’s studies or something. Like you said this morning.” “That won’t be a problem. His highness has entrusted our guest’s comfort under my responsibility, and as his loyal servant, I will prioritize his wishes more than anything else.” “It sounds like all of you are devoted greatly to him. He must truly be an amazing person.” “He is,” Gunter agreed. “From all the days and hours of his reign as king, not once did he approve of the Great Demon Kingdom going into battle. And despite how impossible he sounded, he managed to perform a dream into reality with remarkable strong will and perseverance.” “So he strives for peace,” I whispered. “He looks absolutely harmless and angelic. Preventing war truly suits his image. I wouldn’t be able to imagine him going to battle. He seems . . . fragile.” “The King might be fragile at first, but if he is angered, he will show his true power.” “So in other words, you’re telling me that a small rock hides a bright jewel.” “No. It’s more of like, let me see,” he paused and started thinking. “Kind, humble, and friendly, but when angered . . . it’s something that no one would ever like.” “So you’re telling me, that when Yuuri bursts he turns into a tyrant?” “Exactly.” "That is the kind of person I'm not willing to oppose." I said thoughtfully. A sigh escaped my lips. I don't even know where we are going. I was subconsciously following Gunter's footsteps, unknown of what I'm going to do. He led me out onto an open balcony and we both settled on a round table. Three maids happily stepped in and came to our service, offering to make us some tea along with some snacks. When the food arrived, I spotted Greta and eventually asked her to join in. She happily obliged and settled for some snacks. I saw a maid place another batch of cookies on the table. “Angel, this is Effie.” Greta told me. “She’s the one who baked the cookies earlier.” “Oh, really?” I politely questioned. Effie looked unbelievably young. “I must compliment your confectionaries.” I told her. “They’re very delicious.” She bowed. “Thank you so much, my lady.” “No problem,” I told her. “Call me Angel.” After leaving, I watch Greta help herself onto the snacks set on the table. That was the time the thought crossed into my mind. She must like sweets very much. I sipped my tea and brought it back down to the table. The scent of roses was wafting under my nose, giving me a sense of comfort. It somehow helped ease down my negative emotions. I was contemplating this for a whole while. But I’m still hesitating whether or not to tell them. “Is there anything bothering you, Angel?” Gunter asked with his brows raised. Worried lines creased his forehead. I was deeply thinking just a while ago. I lifted my head and flashed him a big smile to relieve him of his worries. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking of leaving.” “What? Why?” “I don’t want to take advantage of your hospitality.” I answered truthfully. He sipped his tea. “It’s not a problem, really. The castle is always full of available spaces. As his majesty said, it would be a shame not to share it with other people. Although no matter how we are abundant in spaces, Wolfram still appears to be sleeping with Yuuri on the same bed.” he whispered, rubbing his chin. “They’re sleeping on the same bed?!” I practically yelled. I managed to lower my voice, smacking my forehead in embarrassment. “I’m sorry.” I cleared my throat. Realizing I just yelled something nonsense, I regained my composure and decided to change the topic. “N-no. It’s fine. I just feel compelled to discover who I really am. I can’t stay this way forever and wait for my memories to automatically return to me. I need to do something to speed up the process in the least. It’s only I feel responsible.” “Don’t leave just yet. You’ve only been here for a short period of time. Besides, I want you to show me how you did it this morning.” “Did what?” “The roses,” he replied. “Oh, that. I don’t know, really.” “That’s a shame. I was looking forward to that.” Gunter sighed emotionally and looked a bit down. I think I just said something cruel. “Be that as it may,” I started. “I think I’ll try my best to teach it to you.” A smile lit up his whole face, causing some chills to run down my back. Can a man be that beautiful? I shook the thoughts away. “Why don’t you remember who you are?” Greta curiously asked. I smiled at her. “I lost my memories. That’s why.” I replied. “I bet that’s hard, isn’t it? Is that why you are leaving?” “Mm-hmm,” I nodded. “I guess so.” “Can’t you stay a little bit longer? So we can play?” “I won’t be leaving that soon. I just—“ Before I could finish my sentence, a loud explosion coming from some part in the castle rang in my ears. I rose from my seat in alert, thinking there could possibly be an invasion of some sort. To my confusion, Greta and Gunter remained on their seats. Nobody at all except me seemed to reacting. “What was that?” "There's no need to worry about it, rest assured." Gunter told me. "That always happens around here." Greta added. "It's Lady Anissina and her experiments." "Oh," I settled back down. "You mean that girl with the pink hair and blue eyes?" "Precisely." "She’s an inventor, I’m guessing? I bet sometimes her experiments are a failure. Nothing's is certainly perfect. I believe it will always be a part of success." "Anissina's inventions do work a few times. Some of her devices come in handy at some situations." "I see." I chuckled. -*- Later that night, I chose to sit alone outside and stare at the stars. I was playing with the ring around my middle finger, drowning in my own thoughts. I was frustrated with myself for not remembering who I am. Even so, I tried thinking of a way so that I can retrieve them back. As I quietly sat alone, I spotted Conrad and Yuuri wearing gloves on their left hands. They just emerged out of the castle into the available open space. They started to play catch, but before they did, they noticed my presence before passing and catching a ball back and forth. That is kind of familiar. I wonder if I've seen it somewhere before. I waved back at them and decided to watch them play. At first sight, I didn't think Yuuri would be royalty. It seemed impossible because of his appearance. But if lives up to what everybody says about him, then I guess he really is an amazing person. "I noticed you seem a little down," I looked up and saw Conrad standing on front of me with the same instruments at hand. "So won't you come play with us for a while?" I caught sight of the sword around his waist. "I actually have another thing in mind," I said. Conrad gave me a look of confusion, but I just smiled knowingly at him. -*- I just suddenly found myself standing with a sword clutched inside my right hand. I don't know what has gotten into me, suddenly asking Conrad to spar with me. But I guess there are some things that I have yet to rediscover about myself. "Uh, Angel, are you sure about this?" Yuuri asked, scratching the back of his head with uncertainty. "Conrad isn't called the Lion of Rutenberg for no reason. He managed to survive hundreds of wars and is currently a living legend." he informed. "He's the best skilled swordsman in the kingdom." “I think you saying that gives me more adrenalin.” I thoughtfully stated, tightening my hold around the hilt of the sword. “I hope that sword meets your standards.” he told me. “Actually, it feels very light . . .” I whispered. “It seems even lighter than normal.” “Would you like me to fetch another for you?” “No, I guess this is fine.” I then smiled. “I’m ready when you are.” The corners of his lips lifted up into a smile. “Won’t you come at me?” he asked challengingly. “If you say so,” I then attacked him. Our swords clashed. From that moment on, I felt how speedy and alert he was. He was strong, too, but I noticed he isn’t taking me seriously. Maybe it’s because he thinks I’m not that much experienced with the sword—I don’t know if I am either. I decided to put on my best efforts. My body seemed to be recognizing how to use a sword, making me wonder if I ever had done this before. I was familiar with blocking, attacking, the stances, and the proper swinging. If I am not experienced, I won’t be able to last long at the hands of this man. When he finally realized how skilled I can be with sword fighting, he started putting on more effort. My heart was beating fast inside my chest and sweat trickled down the side of my face. Conrad was very skilled like Yuuri said he would be, but he looked like he was starting to get a bit tired, too. He really isn’t called the Lion of Rutenberg for nothing. “Oh, wow.” A wondering Yuuri stated. “You’re quite good at this,” Conrad told me as he attacked and crossed swords with me. The clang of the metal vibrated in my ears and we held onto a single position, trying to push one another off balance. “You’re good, too.” “Where’d you learn how to fight like this?” He overcame my attack and I was pushed back. I decided to stay in place for a while before advancing forward once more and delivering one of my strongest blows. “What’s going on here?” I saw Gwendal on the corners of my eye standing on a distance. However, I can recall having a rule—that in fighting, you must keep your attention solely occupied by your opponent. I didn’t allow my concentration of wavering even once. “Is that Conrad?” The familiar voice of Gunter asked. There was a short pause before he decided to continue his sentence. “And Angel?” “Angel is not so very angelic, is she?” Gwendal queried. “Impossible!” Wolfram’s exclamation rang all throughout the place. “No.” I can imagine him shaking his head. “I bet Lord Weller is only holding himself back. It’s normal for him to take it easy on a girl.” “No. By the looks of it, Conrad is placing all ounce of his strength into this fight. I never thought a girl like her would be a skilled sword fighter. It was unimaginable at the first sight of her. "My, what an exciting sight to see." a feminine voice stated. That sounded like Lady Celi. "Angel! Conrad darling! Do your best!" she cheered. "Your skills are very impressive," Conrad complimented. "It feels like I haven't had this kind of exercise in a while." "I wonder if you are a female knight from another kingdom?" he grunted as I managed to overpower him. We continued swinging, attacking, and blocking. But it wasn’t any longer when my sword was thrown right out of my hand. I suddenly found the sharp top of Conrad’s glinting sword pressed against my neck. He was good, I must admit. All of a sudden, clouds flew in and covered the moon and the stars, temporarily causing darkness to loom all over the place. The next moment, the sky began swirling and a whole gaped above us. Both Conrad and I were distracted, the occurrence caught our eyes and made us stop momentarily at the middle of our fight. There was a sudden lightning that struck down from that hole, and a girl descended from the sky. She first appeared to be crouching at the ground with a gloved hand on the hilt of the sword sheathed on her waist. Next, she looked up with an intense look on her eyes, like a fire's roaring flames. She was wearing a bright blue robe with golden outline and swirls, paired with white pants and jet black boots. She was a blonde with blue eyes. A wing-like band decorated her hair, enhancing the beauty she possesses. She looked gallant, like a female warrior, and formal like nobility. She then drew her sword and stood, pointing it straight at Conrad beside me. "I have finally come, my queen!" she exclaimed. “I’ve come to your aid.” "Who is she?" Conrad asked, lowering his sword and standing in stance. Yuuri inclined his head in wonder. "What did she say?" "You mean you didn't understand her?" I asked. "Don't tell me you did?" Gwendal said. “She was speaking a completely different language.” Who was she calling a queen? And why can I even understand her? As I was lost deep in my thoughts, she charged towards our direction. It wasn’t a few seconds later when she reached our position with a battle cry. Conrad blocked her attacks with all his might, but because of only coming from a challenge with me, he seemed a little bit tired out. He has no problem holding up—this guy had long years of practice. He’s practically used to it. “No one under my watch would be able to hurt the beloved queen. I’ll put my life on the line just to protect her! Die, you ungrateful demon!” “What are you doing?” I asked angrily. She didn’t budge and eventually continued. Gwendal, Gunter, and Wolfram eventually decided to butt in. Even a few guards responded to the current situation and drew their swords from their sheaths. This girl was surrounded, yet she didn’t give up and decided to perform one of her special techniques. She jumped back cautiously, watching the guards and everyone who were pointing their swords at her. “Stop!” I yelled. She didn’t listen to what I said and held the blade of her sword close by her forehead. She closed her eyes, seeming to concentrate. Her lips began moving, as if she was muttering something only she can hear. Even before I knew it, she suddenly glowed and the wind shifted, seeming to fly in a circle around her. Seconds later, the current strengthened and felt like it was turning into a tornado. I placed my arm over my eyes, leaving only one eye half-opened to watch her actions. I was wondering what she was going to do. Everyone around me was practically being pushed away, their feet skimming against the ground. I tried to remain unaffected and planted my feet firmly to the ground, attempting to prevent myself from falling into the same fate, yet, it was inevitable. “Stop it! Stop it right now!” “What’s happening?!” someone yelled over the howling wind. The current around her exploded the moment she opened her eyes, and all people who remained standing in the vicinity, including me, were knocked off of my balance. I was lifted off from the ground and realized I was flying—and fast. My back suddenly hit something hard, and I slid down to the ground. Pain exploded to my entire body. I accidently bit my lip and blood dribbled on the corner of my mouth. I grunted. “Enough!” I pried my eyes open and discovered that the voice came from Yuuri. His hair grew longer and his eyes turned to slits. His aura changed, seeming to emit a powerful glow of power and authority. The girl stopped her actions in shock and stared at Yuuri with incredulity. Her expressions didn’t last a second, and her face automatically reverted back on their previous ones—determined, angry, hostile, wild and aggressive. She decided to ready herself and posed into a fighting stance. “Attacking us so suddenly! What are your reasons!” he yelled out, his voice ringing all over. His voice was deeper than the last time I heard him talk. I was struck with awe. The cure and friendly Yuuri obviously has turned into someone completely different. He finally fitted his title as king. The air around him appeared to have changed. Everything about him felt new. “I won’t be intimidated by the power you possess! I don’t even understand a word you’re saying. I won’t listen to one of your commands!” she shouted at him. She ran to him at a speedy pace, her hand holding her sword. Yuuri looked angered by her action. “Then so be it!” he held his hands out on either side of him and water dragons slid out. They went headfirst towards the girl as counterattack, and then wrapped themselves around her, holding her immobile completely. She screamed in frustration. I looked around and saw people lying at the ground, twitching in pain. They all have landed farther and painfully down to the ground. Gwendal had practically passed out after hitting against the wall, while Wolfram and Gunter were clinging on the last bits of their consciousness. Conrad had successfully prevented himself from ending up in the same fate for he held on to some sort of pillar. Even so, his left arm had a big gash on it and was bleeding profusely. I stood up with shaking knees. Using the wall for support, I managed to gain some balance, although unsteady. “I said stop this! Can’t you two understand the word stop?” I directed than to Yuuri, and then looked at the girl. “Stop! There is absolutely nothing wrong here! There is no need to fight!” I eventually caught both of their attention and used it to my advantage. “I repeat! There is no need to fight!” I panted, directing my word to the two of them. “It’s only a misunderstanding! You’re affecting other people around you, can’t you see that?!” “My queen,” she murmured, staring at me in shame. She looked like she understood me. The water dragons eventually disappeared and splashed on the ground like a waterfall, causing the girl to plummet back down to the ground with a scream. Everyone was hurt. Conrad was still bleeding. That girl might’ve wounded him somehow. There’s no doubt. Realizing the trouble everyone was in, I suddenly felt compelled to heal them. The extreme disappointment inside me gave me the urge to relieve them of their pain. I sort of felt responsible. Something in the back of my mind told me to try. Maybe I have something within me. I closed my eyes and urged myself to do something. I found myself concentrating on my strong will to help. The sudden gust of wind that picked up caused goosebumps to rise on my skin. I reopened my eyes and took steps forward at Gunter’s position. He was lying among some wooden barrels and he seemed wounded and hurt more than the others. His other hand was free, while the other was clinging to his sword. I took his hand in mine in an instinct, willing for him to get better and all of a sudden, a bright glow of light appeared to burst from my hands. It enveloped everything on its way, the golden rays reaching out towards the sky. Gunter’s eyes cracked open. “Divine angel,” he murmured. I was shocked myself of what was happening. The light was warm, but it drained me off of my energy bit by bit and once everything was done, I was stripped off completely of strength and collapsed to the ground. Everybody that the light had caught looked as if they were relieved and all their wounds were cured. Who knew I could do such a thing? The bloodstain and tear on the clothes of Conrad’s arm was still there, although the wound has entirely disappeared. “I’m glad everybody’s okay.” I whispered. “There is no need or reason to be angry about anything. It’s all a misunderstanding.” The girl rushed to my side, giving the impression of sincere regret. She cradled me into her arms, making it look like I was falling to my death. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” “No, I’m sorry. It appears that I lost my memory, so I cannot remember who I am or who you are.” She gasped and trembled after my confession. “No. It’s me, Seraphina, remember?” she held my hand in hers. Yuuri had gotten back to his original form. Conrad and the others gained their strengths and were healed from their wounds. I guess just being thrown off that strongly by a wind will really knock you off, huh? I saw Yuuri and Conrad jogging their way towards my position. “Are you okay?” Yuuri asked. “I’m a little bit tired, but I’m fine.” I told them. I looked at Seraphina. “Can’t you understand them?” I asked. “No,” she shook her head. “I’m speaking the local language of our world. It’s only one of your special abilities to understand any language available.” “No wonder. Ouch!” blood seeped out of my sleeves. So that’s how it is. I healed them of their injuries, but in return, I get all of their injuries for myself. I felt pain on all points of my body. My head felt like it was going to spin. “She’s wounded?” “I don’t think I saw that wound there before. It looks like . . .” “I see how it is.” Wolfram spoke. “She relieves us of our injuries completely, yet in return, they go to her.” Gunter was standing before me, looking worried. “I’ll go and get Gizela.” he said, then ran off. “My queen, I wish to speak their language.” Seraphina told me. “Please grant me this wish.” “Stop saying queen. It’s weird.” I breathed out, feeling weak. “Can I really do that?” The corners of her lips twisted into a smile. “Even if you lost your memories, you are still the same.” she paused. “No, forget it. You’re too drained to even perform another spell. If you do something further that would strain you, you could die. “Can somebody tell me what they’re talking about?” I saw Yuuri scratch his head on my peripheral vision. “No, I’m fine.” I said. “There is nothing worse than not being able to communicate.” I grabbed her arm. “I might as well grant that wish as long as it is on my power. I’ll do everything I can.” She closed her eyes. “No, I won’t risk it.” “Please, I want it to be over once and for all.” “Are you sure?” “I am.” I answered. “If you insist on it very much then, please hold my hand,” she told me. I did what she said and clung weakly on her fingers. “As I kneel before you, I want to ask a favor. Please grant me my wish, honorable Queen. Allow me to speak the language I seek. ” I felt a strange sensation tingling on my chest. “What should I do?” “Say yes,” I took a deep breath. “Yes,” That was when everything went black -*- My eyes fluttered open and I discovered that I was now laying on the same bed I woke up on the first time. Although it was different. More people had gathered around me. Seraphina was holding my hand like she never wanted to let go. Yuuri, Conrad, and Gunter were waiting with big usual smiles on their faces. “You have finally come to.” I heard someone huff with a hint of smile on their voice. “A queen, huh?” It was Wolfram. He was currently on one of his common position—arms crossed, back against the wall. Seraphina was knelt beside me, while Gunter was standing next to her. Greta was there too, holding Yuuri’s hand. Conrad, on the other hand, was standing casually next to Yuuri. Gwendal, however, chose to stand alone on one corner. “I don’t get what you are talking about.” I whispered. I heaved myself up into sitting position and rubbed my aching head. “You keep saying queen, but I have no clue.” A girl with green hair and green eyes was standing on the right side of the bed, opposite to Seraphina and Gunter’s position. She was holding a medical box in hand. “There is no need to worry. She’s a remarkable fast healer and the wound on her arm had closed almost completely. She’ll be fine.” she chortled. “I’m Gizela Von Christ,” she introduced. “Von Christ?” Gunter decided to speak up. “She’s my adopted daughter.” “Oh,” I said. I smiled at her. “Adopting is pretty much common around here, huh? Thank so much for taking care me, though. Everyone here, too. “I’m sorry,” I looked at Seraphina and saw tears springing up on her eyes. “This is my entire fault. If I haven’t been took reckless, you wouldn’t have to suffer this state.” “You don’t have to cry about anything.” I chuckled. “I chose to do it. So it’s not a big deal. But do tell. You seem to act like you know me. Please tell me of my identity. What did I do in the past?” Seraphina wiped off her tears and sniffed. She regained her equanimity and the look of a warrior flowed right back on her face. “You are Queen Valeriana De Von Rosellevienne. The first woman to ever ascend to the throne of Valemnia—the superior queen of all worlds, and the gifted wielder of the great Holy Sword of Cerulean. The reason why I wasn’t able to speak the demon language is that . . . we are from another world. The world of higher beings and the where everything, even life, originated from. My eyes widened. “Are you freaking serious?!” “I get a feeling the same thing will happen twice.” Seraphina said. “I was right. You didn’t change at all.” "Having someone even more powerful than Yuuri? That's absolutely absurd. It's impossible for such world to exist." "Hey, don't be so quick on jumping to conclusions Wolfram. For all I know, it was possible for the Great Demon Kingdom to exist. It surely isn't impossible for another world to revolve without our knowledge, right?" Yuuri told him. "His majesty is right," Gunter quipped. "Even without knowing, Angel—I mean, Queen Valeriana had shown off her abilities in a short period she was here." "What? You too, Gunter?" "What abilities? I haven't done anything except heal." "I'm talking about the roses." he said. "Oh? You still can't forget that?" "How can I forget such a beautiful sight?" he inquired, causing a blush to stain my cheeks. "Seeing a beautiful young maiden brush her lips lovingly against the crimson red petals of a rose is enough to make my heart flutter. You displayed natural talent, for it is obvious that the roses reacted to your gesture almost instinctively." "I guess I have to thank you for that." I sheepishly stated. Man, this guy knows how to get a lady flustered. My heart was practically racing inside my chest. To imagine those words had that great effect on me. Someone cleared their throat. "Anyways," I was pretty sure my face was red as a tomato. "I must speak up for the others and thank you for healing us, it's very noble of you to sacrifice your own comfort just to relieve us of our pain." Conrad said with another one of his smiles. "There's nothing you need to say, I'm just doing what I feel I need to do." "My, my, what do we have here?" the door swept open and a boy around Yuuri's age with the same color of the hair and eyes—except he was wearing glasses—entered the room with a miniature doll sitting on his shoulder. I watched for a while before I realized it wasn't a doll, but a living figure. "A girl with wings, huh?" the small guy on his shoulder stated. "Murata. And the Great One." "Shinou? What are you doing here?" "I've heard," he stood and placed a hand on Murata's forehead. "That we have a visitor." "Is there anything that concerns you?" Gwendal asked. "No," he answered. "It's only that a similar being came to my aid four thousand years ago. He was the one who told me I was the one needed to lead the battle against the originators—the person who encouraged me to stand up and fight. This one though, only had white wings. I’ve never heard of someone with gold.” “Similar beings came to your aid? How coincidental.” “It isn’t surprising. All three worlds are still our responsibility. Valemnia keeps tracks of different occurrences. It is possible they came to you to put everything in order. We can’t act directly on the two other worlds.” “Still. Gold wings?” Yuuri put on a thinking face. “It is because Queen Valeriana is the chosen one to sit upon the Valemnian throne. A Valemnian with simple, white wings is the trademark of royalty.” “What about you? Do you have wings?” I curiously asked. “No. Sadly, I wasn’t born with wings despite having a father as a royal and you as my cousin.” “You’re my cousin?!” “I am.” “But we look nothing alike.” I said. “I inherited my looks from my mother.” “Who’s your mothe?” “You don’t have to bother asking about her,” she told me. “She’s only one of the lower and ordinary Valemnian citizens. Nothing special.” she finished. “How could you say that? Our mothers are special. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t be standing here with me.” I spoke reasonably. Seraphina gave out a large sigh and shook her head. “You said that when I told you for the first time, too.” she observed. “Even so, are you sure you don’t remember anything?” tears started welling up from her eyes again. Her hold on my hand tightened. “I’m really sorry, I couldn’t remember anything.” I said, full of regret. “It’s okay,” a single drop slid down her cheek. “Memories can be made. I’m just glad you are safe.” “What exactly happened? You know, before I lost my memory of almost everything?” She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She pulled one hand back and wiped off the tears on her face. “It was actually your coronation.” she started. -*- She lifted the necklace off the surface of the dresser and clasped it gently around the slender neck of the next queen. Seraphina’s blue eyes gleamed with tears as she stared at her friend through the mirror, hugging her lovingly from behind. She was as gorgeous as she could imagine. Valeriana displayed the image of a regal queen. With the long, flowing gown, overlapping each other in shades of bright blue and glinting gold. The curves on her body were emphasized thoughtfully by her ceremonial robe. Her back though, was left bare and exposed. “Tears again, Fife?” Valeriana jokingly teased. “I don’t know how you are supposed to be the strongest warrior when you easily show your tears to everyone without second thoughts.” “Old habits die hard.” she retorted, wiping off her tears. “You haven’t changed one bit. No matter how many ranks you reach, you’re still a crybaby.” she chuckled. Standing gracefully from her seat, she spun around like a frolicking fairy. Her clothes followed her moves silkily, adding a beam of elegance. “What do you think?” “It’s perfect, Valeria. A perfect image for a perfect queen.” “Come on now, we all know that nobody’s perfect.” she sat back down and stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Queen or not, everybody commits mistakes.” “Still, no one can ever deny your astounding beauty.” she told her. “Stop with the flattery!” she whined. “We’re in the twentieth century.” “That’s back on Earth.” Seraphina told her. “The Valemnian culture has been preserved for hundreds of generations. Even if we are living on the twentieth century, you will feel like you are still living in the middle ages.” “Right.” Valeriana answered, sparing her friend a brief gaze. “I completely forgot that.” she paused. “Still, I think I wouldn’t be able to handle the responsibilities of a queen. I never ever expected this day to come. It feels like a dream.” she then reached for her friend’s hand and squeezed it hard. “Fife, I’m a bit nervous.” “There is no time for second thoughts, Val. You have been chosen. There are no mistakes.” “Are you—“ ”I’m sure.” she cut her off even before she can finish. After a few moments, a knock came on the door followed by a masculine voice. “Your highness,” he spoke, his voice echoing on the other side of the door. “Lady Brezanae has ordered me to come and get you. The coronation is about to start.” She rose from the chair and took a deep breath. Being soon crowned queen was obviously not in the plans of her friend. Seraphina didn’t also expect for Valeriana to be the next chosen one between her and her brother. Of course, the past rulers had all been men, but this would be the first time in history that a woman would be ascending to the throne. There is no doubt about it though, despite being raised at a different environment, Valeriana has always been the far better choice. Why? Because unlike her brother, Valeriana had once lived normally among ordinary people, giving her the understanding of how life was like for the citizens. Her brother, however, grew up being told that he’d be the next king. This somehow got inside his head and his ego grew. When the time had come for the one to reveal who had the golden wings, it was shockingly Valeria who developed such color, automatically making her the next ruler with or without the coronation. This ceremony, however, was only a tradition to celebrate. “I’m coming,” she projected her voice formally, but softly at the same time. Seraphina came forward with the Cerulean sword at hand. Valeriana happily accepted and sheathed the sword around her waist. And then turning to her friend, she smiled. “It’s time.” “Remind me not to call you Val in front of other people.” she told her. “And remind me not to call you Fife.” she then flipped her bangs and pitched her voice like those of an aristocrat. “It would be the utmost embarrassing moment I felt in my entire life!” “You copied her good.” They both giggled. “I’m going to have to keep that from Lady Cadalyn.” _______________________________________________________ The ceremonial music had begun playing and Valeriana had begun marching down the aisle. People who stood outside the golden carpet inside the grand church bowed respectfully as she walked by. When she is serious, she emits a powerful, intimidating aura rather than her usual ones. The priestess, Seraphina, King Laedin who is Valeriana’s father, and her twin brother, Jourdian, were all standing on the altar. They all looked happy, except for Jourdian who appears to be feeling shameful of himself because he wasn’t the chosen next ruler. Since young, everybody expected him to take the position, although unexpected circumstances suddenly came up. Valeriana successfully reached the end and gracefully bowed her head low to allow the priestess to lay the crown on top of her head. Seraphina then advanced a few steps with the royal scepter. “As the next ruler of all worlds, all kingdoms, and all nature, do though, Valeriana de Von Rosellevienne, swear to thy goddess, to do thy best during thy reign as queen?” “I do, with all my heart.” “As the crown settles above thou head,” she began again. “Spread thou wings freely. Allow the light to shine and symbolize thy power.” Before the crown landed on her head, guards burst into the room with an alarmed look on their face. “The band of seven!” one guard yelled. “The band of seven is currently being taken away by a woman riding a dragon!” Valeriana clutched the skirt of her ceremonial robe and began running out of the room. Seraphina stood in alarm. “Queen Valeriana!” she exclaimed. “You can’t leave your own ceremony. Where are you going?” “The band of seven is an important heritage!” she yelled. “I must make sure to retrieve it back safely!” “You can’t! The ceremony is still undergoing! You can ask the nobilities to go after the culprit instead!” “There’s no time to order around!” and even before Seraphina could say another word, Valeriana got out of the door. Her wings burst from her back, causing a few feathers to float freely around her. She then stretched her wings and flapped herself off of the ground. “Queen Valeriana!” she attempted running after her, though stopped at the middle of her tracks, knowing it’s too late. “Valeriana!” she called out. -*- “That was dramatic,” Yuuri stated, scratching her lower chin with her forefinger. “If that were to happen, I will definitely do the same and prioritize the stolen artifact over the coronation.” he concluded. “What is the band of seven anyway?” he inquired. “It’s a ring,” Seraphina told them. “A ring with seven jewels, serving as the only key that will unlock the room containing the most powerful and dangerous magical devices in history.” “No wonder she went after it herself.” Wolfram said. “If it ever falls to the wrong hands then chaos would happen.” “You mean this?” I held up my hand and showed them the ring. “Yes,” Seraphina responded. “That is the ring. Although . . . where are the five other jewels?” I laughed nervously. “I remember fighting this woman on the dragon like you told me. I delivered some kind of blow towards her direction, which eventually caused her to be reduced into ashes. The ring was safe, although the five other jewels flew into different directions.” “This is bad,” she said. “Without those jewels, the ring won’t function properly. We must return to Valemnia and inform it to the council.” she told me suggestively. “You’re leaving?” Gunter spoke. “No,” I opposed. “I don’t want to worry them. If I’m ever going to come back, I want the ring to be complete. I told everyone that I’m retrieving it. I don’t want to let anyone down.” Seraphina smacked her forehead. “As expected.” “Sounds like an adventure!” Yuuri pumped his fists in the air. “Yeah,” Wolfram walked forward and punched him on the arm. “But that doesn’t mean you’re going.” “I don’t want to miss out on anything!” Yuuri yelled, rubbing the part where Wolfram punched him. “Besides, they are going to need help finding their way around, wouldn’t they?” “I won’t allow it.” Gwendal said. “You have so many works to do around here. You still haven’t finished your studies on History, how can you expect to be able to leave?” “Come on, Gwendal! I do nothing but work!” “That is what you should expect for being a king.” “Aw!” Yuuri sighed. “If his majesty insists upon this quests that much,” Gunter began. “I think we should cut him off some slack!” “Really?! Gunter you’re the best!” he exclaimed. “Hey!” Wolfram shouted. “I’m coming, too!” “Really, Gunter.” Gwendal massaged the bridge of his nose in obvious frustration. “You’re spoiling him too much.” he told him. “I won’t allow this quest to be joined by outsiders.” Seraphina stated firmly. “Oh come on, Fife.” I teased, remembering what she told me awhile ago. “We’ll need all the help we can get, won’t we?” Seraphina flashed me an irritated glare, face red in embarrassment. “I told you not to call me that in public!” “Talking about help.” I stated, ignoring her fit. “Have you apologized to everyone yet?” “I did.” She answered. “I knew you were somehow going to ask that of me. So I did before you can say anything.” “Wow, you’re good.” I muttered. “Although, I want to start this quest immediately. Maybe along the way, I can completely get my memories back.” “Awesome!” Yuuri cheered. I saw Murata shaking his head on the background with a smile. “By the way, I want to say sorry too for what happened before.” “It’s not a problem—just a misunderstanding.” “Nothing’s worse than not being able to communicate, huh?” he scratched his nape. “I agree. But is it really okay? If you are all busy, I want you to prioritize your work rather than accompanying us to this travel. I’m pretty sure we can handle everything ourselves. I have Seraphina by my side, you know?” I witnessed Seraphina cross her arms in annoyance. “Are you going to trust them that easily?” she huffed. “You don’t have to get angry about anything.” I told her. “I trusted you without even knowing if you were telling the truth.” “That was another reason! This is different!” “Still,” I laughed. “I got the feeling I know you from somewhere before. I followed that instinct and trusted you. In Yuuri and the other’s case however, even if they did not know me, they still decided to help me. Think of it as returning the favor. Although for me, they all appeared to be friendly persons.” “You can’t judge someone by their cover!” “I’m judging them by their character or personality.” She massaged her forehead in frustration. “Forget it.” she sighed. “I won’t be able to win a debate against you even you lost your memories.” “So that’s how it is. Nevertheless, I feel very guilty. It feels as if I’m being a big bother to you.” “You got that right.” Gwendal said. “Don’t mind him.” Yuuri said. “He’s just jealous because he keeps working and hasn’t even taken a single vacation since.” “It was your work I was doing.” Yuuri laughed sheepishly. “Nonetheless, that is what friends do, right? Just promise us you’ll take us to Valemnia someday when everything’s over.” “I’ll do everything in my power. Thank you very much.” “Well, then,” the boy named Murata stretched and yawned. “I might as well see what Shibuya is up to now.” I hope you liked it! That's only chapter 1! I'm going to post more! Keep updated! =) :hamtaro-005 (4):