Guinevere woke up better than the last time she was awake. No headaches, no sore feet, and no sign of broken ribs.
In fact, she was feeling the best than ever before.
She was lying in a bed at what obviously was an infirmary, with a pitcher of water and a glass at the table next to her bed.
She sat up and looked around. The other beds were all empty, though the one next to hers looked crumpled and the blanket unkempt, as if someone had just used them.
She also realized she was wearing a long white nightgown that covered up to her ankles, the sleeves up to her wrists.
Her black corset and violet dress laying neatly at the foot of her bed under the dark robe she bought at the village, with her polished shoes under the bed.
She wasted no time and changed into it quickly.
Then she took the hallways, meeting a couple of servants that curtsied to her along the way.
The Monastery of Light looked like a palace itself, with its high ceiling, long arched windows and towering delicate columns. Statues of ladies in linen dresses lined up at the wall every five meters or so, their features so realistic it made Guinevere feel there was someone staring at her as she passed.
She got reminded of how it was quite a bit similar to Castle Gorge that she slightly felt longing to her home's familiar walls and the peace she always felt whenever she was heading to her chambers.
Castle Gorge had always been her safe zone. She felt like as long as she was there, nothing could ever harm her. It was not only because of the familiarity of the place, but also the trust she had with the people around her, from her dear family to their loyal servants.
That was why it was taking a bit more of a courage for her to travel around the Land of Dawn, without any certain security.
She looked out of a stone window and saw a few people down at the grounds, sword fighting and others aiming guns. The Moniyan Empire was the center of the Land of Dawn, and was therefore known to have the strongest, most competent fighters there was.
She got reminded of Alucard, one of the most well-known people of the Land other than the Princess Silvanna herself. She continued her walk, determined to meet him so she could go her way.
She turned into another corridor and saw someone leaning against the wall next to a wide door, looking down at something golden that he held in his hand.
She headed towards him, her head held high as she caught him eavesdropping. "I must admit you are a natural at this eavesdropping business."
He hastily pocketed it and placed his index finger in his lips, sushing her.
She frowned at Gusion at his suspicious actions but stood right behind him as he peered through the slit of the slightly opened door, checking if someone heard her.
She leaned forward to listen to the conversation inside, and saw a glimpse of Alucard in his glorious blond wind-swept hair leaning against his sword. Behind him were towering shelves of books, and realized they must be in the Monastery's library.
"—was much more ruthless, much more bloodthirsty. And it was running rampant in the woods at broad daylight." he was saying, the way his brows were furrowed made Guinevere know how serious Tue situation was. "This is something to be alarmed of, considering that we had never faced such a strong demon before."
"Are they talking about the demon that attacked us?" Guinevere asked Gusion in a low voice.
He turned his head to look at her, only to lean a bit away when he realized her face was just hovering over his shoulder and was too close for his comfort. He pressed his shoulder agaisnt the wall to put some distance between them but nodded as a response.
"We need to send troupes searching for portals that these demons possibly used. And troupes to guard the border of the Barren Lands."
"I shall alert the Princess about this."
Guinevere's ears rang at the sound of a familiar voice and she started walking towards the door. "Is Kimmy—Argh!" She yelped at the sudden bolt of electricity in her wrist where Gusion grabbed to stop her.
Even he immediately took his hand away, frowning as he stared at their hands.
"Keep that magic of yours in check!" She snapped.
"I didn't do anything." He defended.
A second later, the door opened, revealing an arched-browed Alucard.
"I see you two are awake." He said.
"And eavesdropping." The dark-haired one added.
"I met him here just now." Guinevere said, shamelessly walking inside.
Gusion scoffed but followed.
The lady with the most innocent face they had ever seen was next to the dark-haired guy.
But it was not an ordinary girl.
She was hovering a feet off the ground, she was literally glowing gold, and she had the golden wings of an angel.
That guy in black coat wasn't kidding. Rafaela must be literally an angel.
"So you're Rafaela?" Guinevere asked as she stared at her.
"Yes."
"Well...thank you for the help. I feel much better."
They were facing what looked like an indoor birdbath, and over it was a mist where Kimmy's moving image was hovering. She stood in front of Kimmy, who looked relieved upon seeing her.
"Lady Guinevere. Thank the heavens you're safe."
"Rafaela healed couple of her broken ribs." Alucard informed as he stood next to Rafaela, his sword now sheathed and layed over one of the tables.
"By the way, this is the Lord Gusion from the Pa—!"
"Gusion", Gusion interrupted too quickly that it made the rest turn their gaze to him. "Gusion would be fine." He had a defensive scowl on his face as he met their stares.
Guinevere stared at him but did not pry. It was the second time he refused the mention of his family name, and she knew then and there he preferred not to be recognized.
Though she was intrigued as to why.
Guinevere racked her brain to remember to what Family does the boy belong. But she failed.
She only remembered meeting him a few times in the hallways of Ursula Magic Academy.
"Alright." Kimmy muttered suspiciously as he stared at Gusion. But he then turned to the other three. "Can you make sure Lady Guinevere gets the direction she needs towards the City of Scholars?"
"Maybe Granger can accompany her?" Rafaela suggested.
She and Alucard turned to the dark-haired one with a gun, who looked flustered at the unexpected attention.
So his name was Granger. And with the sunlight streaming through the wide tall window of the room, the scar in his left eye was visible, making him look even more dark and mysterious.
"I'm not sure..." He muttered.
Guinevere spotted the instrument case lying at the table next to Alucard's sword and was reminded of something. "You made that awful music in the forest."
Granger turned his dark eyes at her, taking a second to stare before answering. "Yes, I did." He was clearly not amused by her statement and the fact that Alucard and Rafaela were trying hard not to laugh.
"Strange tactic...in distracting a demon. Annoying. But useful."
Granger scoffed. "Could you please choose whether to insult or compliment? And not do everything at once?"
"I'm not insulting you nor complimenting you. I'm merelg stating facts." She answered and turned to Alucard and Rafaela. "Anyway, when can we leave?"
"As soon as Granger's ready."
"Why do I have to be the one to play butler?" Granger whined but left to prepare anyway.
This time, they traveled by carriage, to Guinevere's relief. She doubted if she could still travel by foot any longer.
But as soon as the carriage departed, she started regretting the idea of riding it.
There was just nothing to stare at but across her, where two gentlemen sat also finding some corner of the carriage to stare at.
Granger was obviously reluctant to this trip, but Guinevere could not quite figure out why Gusion volunteered himself to accompany them.
The former was now polishing his gun, and gave idea to Gusion to polish his weapon, too.
She just stared at them dedicatedly cleaning the weapons as if it were irreplaceable. She must have had a scowl in her face because Gusion looked at her indignantly.
"What are you looking at?"
She lifted her gaze at him, and hesitated for a split second. But keeping her opinions to herself was never her style. "It's just that the way you handle those weapons are a bit...exaggerated."
"Exaggerated?" Granger reacted. "This gun is the best I have and I could never replace it with any other gun."
"It's apparent and therefore doesn't need to be said."
Granger casted her a look but continued polishing his sword. She then looked at Gusion.
"How did you grow fond of swords when you're a mage anyway?"
He casted a sharp look at her. "I don't know. How did you grow fond of magic when you come from a line of swords masters?" He countered.
Guinevere's temper was stirred with that. A stingy spot had been rubbed.
She knew she had always been different from her family. And though her close family had never shown anything but pride about her spellcasting, there had always been relatives of theirs who frowned at the use of magic.
And she did not expect to hear that from a fellow mage when she was merely asking questions.
"Well, I'm not ashamed to make my own path." She answered.
"Then there's your answer." Gusion replied.
"Aren't you two supposed to be getting along well? You know, considering how you both have that rebellious sides that contradicts family traditions?" Granger butted in, not taking his eyes off his gun.
"What do you mean by that?"
Granger stopped what he was doing and looked from Gusion to Guinevere.
He scoffed when he figured something out, one side of his lips tugging into a smirk. "I heard you're running away from a betrothal."
She stared at him sharply. "I'm shocked at the amount of shamelessness I've seen coming from someone who gossips."
"It's a betrothal to the Paxley House, isn't it?"
"Yes and I most certainly do not want to talk about it. Especially with the two of you."
Granger scoffed with humor. "You're not totally getting this."
Guinevere turned to Gusion who had gone silent and on guard across her. "Would you explain what this moron is trying to say?"
With that, Granger cackled knowingly, to her annoyance.
"Just ignore him." Gusion said in his usual calm voice and looked out of the carriage's window. "He's making fun of you."
"Oh, I am making fun of her?" Granger asked Gusion in a sarcastic tone.
Gusion didn't even bother looking at him and just stared at the woodlands they were passing by outside.
She looked out, too. "How much further do you think are we?" She asked.
Gusion leaned further out of the window to look at where they were heading. Then he pointed at a single towering building that had a mushroom-shaped roof.
"That's the City of Scholar's night observatory. The Antoinerei Observatory."
"Oh."
"It might take an hour or two more."
"Great." She said mockingly as she leaned back to her seat. "Portals should be used more often and the Land of Dawn would be progressing twice as fast."
"Yeah. And patience should be practiced more often, and the Land of Dawn would be twice as peaceful." Gusion replied, clearly refering to her.
"Why do you always have a comeback of almost everything I say?"
"And why do you always have a say of everything?"
"See? That's exactly what I'm saying."
"And this is exactly what I'm saying." Granger interrupted again, making the other two turn to him. He was now leaning back, relaxed, his eyes looking intrigued as if he was watching a scene from a theater. "Maybe you two might end up getting married one day."
Guinevere rolled her eyes skyward. Gusion on the other hand stared at Granger and reached for the hilt of his sheathed sword.
"You saw how many swords I could make out of this one, right?" He threatened in a low voice.
Granger's eyes widened. "Paxley."
"What?" Guinevere snapped and Gusion unsheathed his sword, ready to attack Granger.
But the latter held out his palms and then pointed out of the open window. "No, I mean Paxley guards!"
The three of them now looked out of the windows. Granger wasn't joking, there were about a dozen horsemen wearing metal blue armors chasing them.
Granger hastily opened the small circular window upfront. "Go faster, Hike!" He told the butler.
Instantly, the carriage rolled faster, making Guinevere hold into the window to keep herself from rocking off her bench. Then she lifted the hood of her cloak over her head.
In front of her, Gusion was peering out of their chasers, his hair that looked sandy brown in the daylight being swept back by the wind, revealing his forehead that was usually covered by it.
She would have thought he was hiding from the pursuers.
"How do they know that I'm here?" Guinevere asked them.
"Someone in the Monastery might have recognized you."
"Ugh! Annoying little----!" She stopped herself before she could lose her demeanor in front of the gentlemen who were definitely not gentle.
The two of them even exchanged looks at her small outbursts but decided not to comment.
"We can't even fire at them. They're simply obeying orders." Granger said as he looked out at the other window.
Then Guinevere had an idea.
She squeezed herself next to Gusion in the window to look out. The guards were too close for her plan.
"Can you tell the butler to go more faster?" She asked Granger, who did it immediately.
She heard the horses' hooves upfront hit the ground faster than before and the distance between the carriage and their pursuers widened. So she reached out her hand to aim.
She took a deep breath. She needed it to be as careful as to not hurt the guards but also as strong as to block them all from following.
She concentrated her energy to her hands, and when she thought she had gathered enough, she let it blow out in a big bluish-violet energy.
It was so strong that she was almost deafened by the loud blast, which shook the ground and rattled their carriage before it got away from the explosion.
It took a couple seconds before the dust and smoke cleared out and they got to see the result of her handy work.
"Woah." Granger said in astonishment.
There was a huge round crater the size of the sand and gravel road they were taking, deep enough to make the dozen men fall into it with their horses.
Guinevere sighed and sat back inside. "They'll be in the City in no time."
"Do you go around blasting people with that energy?" Granger asked as he got back to his seat.
She glared at him, wondering if he was aware how stupid his question sounded. "No." She simply replied.