"I can't believe that you immediately unmasked her with one simple question." Miya said as he regretted his question last night. Aden now understands the problem. He thought the problem was him or what he did to Miya before. But apparently Miya was only burdened by her mother's answer one night ago.
"So you're not angry because of what I did?" Aden asked with a hopeful eyes.
"What? No!"
"Then what do you want to do to calm yourself?" Aden asked as he stood up and fixed his clothes.
Miya thought about a thousand ways that could make her feel better. She is sure that all the things she could possibly ask would be done by an Aden who came from the Beau family. But it's wrong for Miya to use Aden's status, which is capable of doing almost everything in the world. That girl is a nobody. She is only an adopted daughter of the owner of the Nayra Academy. She doesn't even know her own parents.
"I want to sleep." Miya said, pulling the blanket. Her brain felt hot and tired because many thoughts were spinning, spiralling, dancing and prancing in her head.
"Oh please, consider me treating you as my apologies." Aden said.
Miya looked at Aden deeply and put on a serious face. "I want to meet my real parents."
During Aden's life he didn't remember the last time he had to use his power to solve a problem. He certainly had thought about what kind of settlement could be done to fulfill Miya's request, but there was only one solution that could be done. That is helping Miya to leave the academy and look for her family. But that can also endanger his life, especially Miya's.
The man already knew the land of his is experiencing kinds of terrible things. The arrival of the Prodigy, which destroys stability, brings all beings to the brink of collapse. Vexana and Alice were released from their seal and now they are freely hovering in the sky. Even during the day, a place as secure as the academy would not be a safe place.
"The outside world is dangerous, Miya." Aden said, stroking the top of Miya's head, "Maybe you should just do the things the deans and your mother tell you and take an oath to become the Light Soldier."
"I want that too. But ...-" Miya recalled the event that happened twelve full moons ago. She knew since childhood she was already different from the other kids.
The teachers in her class always reminded her and all her classmates that they were the best candidates who would take the oath as Light Warriors as soon as they turned seventeen. Light Warriors are the soldiers who will fight alongside the royal families if the Light and Night War would happen. And from what Miya sees, that event would happen any minute now.
The academy also conducts rigorous elections for students who want and are talented to be the Light Warriors.
Miya always had a dream to fight beside the nobles and even if she had to die, she would die honorably. Especially she wants to fight next to her best friend, Aden. She had even considered in which room she would live in the palace where Alucard lived.
"I want to fight by your side." Miya said, holding Aden's hand, "but I've been thinking about my reality all night, and my determination has been unanimous to find my family."
Aden could not refuse Miya's wishes. He knew that if he didn't take part, Miya would not hesitate to completely forget and leave him behind. But Aden couldn't run away with Miya. Aden has a very big responsibility in this Land of Dawn. Ruling as a Beau was his fate since he's here.
"Miya. I want to help you. But you know I will be sworn to be king when you are sworn to be Light Warrior." Aden paused to process his words. He then looked at Miya again. There was one more sentence he wanted to say, but his tongue stopped working for a moment. Miya rubbed Aden's face. "You will be able to do it without me." Miya said, smiling.
What does it mean? Aden thought. Of course he can't do it without Miya. Because the man clearly wanted to propose to her on the day they were both sworn under the Vow of Light. Alucard was stunned by his childish dilemma. He can propose to Miya anytime. But the man continued to wait for the right day. Where the sun is not so hot and Miya feels happy. He thought he didn't need to hurry. But it seems like Miya is in a hurry.
"I won't be able to." He said. "You must be there. In the palace hall. At the place I will be sworn in as a king." Aden's ego managed to control his mouth. There was a slight regret, but Aden really wouldn't let Miya go. At least before he is sworn in. "Promise me Miya." Aden said. He is sure that Miya will immediately say yes and after that they will live a quiet life without being touched by war outside the academy gate.
Miya looked doubtful, but in the end she nodded and smiled at Alucard. Miya wants to believe in herself and stay focused on her goal of being at the school. She wants her ability to be useful for his kingdom. But she knew she was lying to herself.
***
"Is it far away, Digu?" Cyclops looked a little too tired to go any further. Digu stared at Cyclops for a moment then turned his gaze back to the map he had spread out. "The Nayra Academy is an academy that is heavily protected by the Kingdom of Beau. Young Master Aden goes to study there. So we should have arrived. We just need to find the entrance." Said Digu, circling his eyes.
"What does the entrance look like?"
"Madam Evangeline never really explained it. But she always said that if we were not a danger, the door would appear for us."
Cyclops sat on a large rock while taking out the sandwich Kai prepared before they left. Estra and Eudora were very busy concocting poison to become the fifth weapon ammunition to kill the Prodigy. So when Digu and Cyclops left, they didn't even budge from their table to check.
Cyclops knew he had to go with Digu. He had seen what kind of weapon Estra had prepared to kill the Prodigy later. He does not dare to peek at an alternative future if Digu decided not to go and participating to kill the Prodigy.
"Digu. Are you sure the door will appear?" Cyclops asked as he munched on his sandwich.
"Of course! We are Mountain Wizards. I think the door will bow to us." Said Digu proudly.
"Aren't you hungry?" Cyclops asked again.
"Eat first. I'm a little busy." Digu took out a clock that no longer ticked. He was so sure the entrance was somewhere nearby.
In the past, Nayra Academy did not hide itself like it is now. They started doing it ever since Young Master Aden decided to study at this academy. Digu was sure Young Master Aden knew about the arrival of the Prodigy and wanted to be close to her. Diggie didn't know what Aden's motives were. But he was sure the boy just wanted to have new friends.
"Have you found it, Digu?" The Cyclops was finished with his sandwich and was now standing next to Digu who was studying the clock that stopped at five-twenty.
"I'm not really sure."
"I want to try." Said Cyclops, taking out a purple powder from his pocket. He blew the powder to the ground and chanted the summon spell. The purple powder forms a glowing smog. They waited expectantly, but nothing happened after that.
"Shall we just take a detour?" Cyclops asked.
"You mean we enter through the back gate?" Cyclops nodded. "I don't think that's necessary." Digu said as he tasted the tree wood next to him. The wood is neither fibrous nor moist, although it should be moist because it is exposed to dew in the morning. The wood next to it is slippery and not rough. "I think this is the door."
***
'Run away. Otherwise you will die.'
Miya blinked, adjusting her eyes to the darkness of the room right now. She is sure the room is not her room, because bright moonlight could enter through the window next to her bed. She rose from the hard surface and saw no windows or doors around her.
The sound of her breathing echoed and the place was very cold. The girl was sure she was only wearing her nightgown and was not wearing any warm clothing. She tried to stand but fell back as if both of her legs were paralyzed.
'Run away. Otherwise you will die.'
That voice again, she thought. The voice is familiar. But she was not sure. She closed her eyes for a moment because her head was slightly twisted by the sound. How sickening.
'Run away. Otherwise you will die.'
The voice repeats the same words. She felt the sound was getting closer. But Miya still closed his eyes. She could not concentrate on any spell, not even a deffense. She was not sure she could still be conscious or not. But the sound seemed to echo loudly in her head.
"Who.. Who's there?" Finally Miya's voice got out. The voice did not answer it. The room remains dark. Miya's head kept spinning. The girl is on the verge of conscious now.
'Run away.' The voice said next to Miya's ear. The girl was shocked and opened her eyes to a brightly glowing face. Face of a woman. She was robed and wearing a long dress. 'Otherwise you will die.' She said, and inch away from Miya.
"Who are you?" Miya asked as the woman walked around and went away.
'You will wake up.' The woman said while glancing over at Miya. 'Find out about me.'
For a moment Miya didn't understand, but one second later her eyesight turned dark and she was pulled back to reality. It was still dawn, but she was sure it was time to wake up. Wake up from the reality she had been living in. Inside the comfortable bubbles that Madam Evangeline had created for her. Miya stared at the moon rising high abover her. She was sure the moon also agreed with her choice.
***