"So, it seems that his spirits were crushed when he realized the people he admired so much were the bad ones." Malleus shook his head with disappointment, "If you were concerned about him so much, why did you not bring him with you?"
Peony shook her head, "Though I sympathize a little, he was still one of those who ignored my suffering by not stopping the assults. So, in a way, he also harmed me with ignorance. He seems to have learned what is right and wrong now, but I don't care about that. The reason why he stuck out so much and caught my attention is the way he suddenly just sunk deeper and deeper into despair over one major setback."
His experience was what warned her countless times and again to never give up on her goals no matter what happens to her.
"I see." Malleus listened to her curiously, "It seems that you are skilled in looking at things from an outside perspective, then. I hadn't realized that'd be what you were thinking."
"What about you?" Peony questioned her curiously, "Since you are here, that must mean that you are also in a dilemma. This space takes in souls who are lost. Whether it be in confusion or hesitation. I'm here because I'm stuck in confusion and hesitation. What about you?"
"I don't know." Malleus shook his head hesitantly, "Maybe both?"
"Then, it seems we are stuck over similar emotions." Peony responded with a sigh, "However, this place is dangerous. Since I come here often, I know how to evade the dangers by now, but it seems you are new here. If you want, I can help you leave. Generally, I don't leave until I made a breakthrough in my thought process, but I can make an exception this time. Besides, if Granny knew that I met you here and left you here just like this, she will definitely have my teacher chew my ears out after she does so and, knowing him, he'd be more than happy to do this wholeheartedly. I suspect your retainers are wondering why you haven't woken up yet and start going into a panic. My situation here isn't good either, so I can't just go sleeping forever. My caretaker would go into a panic too."
"Lilia and Silver would definitely panic, especially Sebek." Malleus nodded with a frown, "Then, we should return."
"Take my hand." Peony said as she reached out her hand.
As soon as the child took it, he noticed a powerful surge of mana rushing into his body as she warned him, "Don't fight it. Otherwise, I will get hurt and you will be thrown to who knows where."
Curious, Malleus nodded and allowed the mana to flow through him before he noticed a light in the distance. With that, Peony guided him towards the light of the exit. Just before he entered, she cried out in surprise, "Ah, that's right!"
She turned to him and responded, "Since you're in Night Raven College, then it should be a little more convenient. My mother told me that this year's fairy gala will be in the school's botanical garden. Normally, that wouldn't mean anything since I'm always required to attend the event, but I heard that the queen is eyeing the magic stone that controls the temperature in the school for her accessories. Unfortunately, mother has yet to realize the importance of that stone to the school and she's quite adamant on having it for the Fairy Gala. I've warned others about this, but Lotus is all for having fun no matter the weather."
"You want help?" Malleus questioned her in alight surprise from news of the gala.
She shook her head with a bright smile, "I'm not here to ask you for help, though since I'm sure the school will come up with an idea to convince my mother to give up the stone. You see, Granny often spoke well of you when no one is around. It seems that the pressure of image has often kept her away from visiting you many times than she prefers to visit you and she knows she can't recklessly beckon you over at any time. Yet, she talks of you so fondly that I hope to see you at the Fairy Gala. However, my mother either always forgets to send the invitation or our retainers are too scared of your powerful magic. This year, I finally got permission and sent an invitation to you a couple of days ago with a mechanism that masks your magic to better suit the light faes' tolerance."
"A mechanism that can mask my magic?" Malleus raised a brow, "You do realize how much power I have, correct?"
Peony smirked, "What? Not up for the challenge?"
The child huffed in dismay as he sneered in an aloof manner, "Me? Hardly. Very well, then. Let's see how well your device fares against my power. But this granny you speak of-"
She laughed excitedly as she interrupted his sentence and nodded her head, "Great! Then, you have to come. I even got permission from your grandmother to let you leave your studies for a day. It was very difficult to get this permission from both of our guardians too. So, do try not to miss the appointed time."
As she was about to walk forward to the light, she paused with wide eyes as something dawned on her! She turned around and hurriedly spoke in bewilderment, "A-Also, you absolutely must not laugh when you get it. Absolutely not!"
"Laugh? Why would I laugh?" Malleus raised a brow before he smiled, "There's no need to worry. I certainly won't try to miss the appointed time, unless you purposely gave me the incorrect time. Wait..."
As he finally processed the information he learned, he paused as he finally fit the pieces together.
"You should receive your letter today, then." Peony grabbed his hand and pulled him into the portal, "Let's go!"
"Wait!"
However, upon opening his eyes and suddenly sitting up, he found himself back in his dorm room. Looking around the dark place, he was met with a familiar figure.
"Oh? You're finally awake!" Lilia looked to him in surprise, "What happened? I tried to call you, but you never responded and was sleeping the entire time."
"I had a very strange dream..." Malleus responded as he shook his head, "How long was I asleep?"
"It's almost ten." Lilia responded, "Sebek ran to find the nurse just now."
"I see." Malleus shook his head, "We should let Sebek know that everything is all right, first."
"All right." Lilia nodded and was about to leave the door, "Are you feel all right? No headaches or..."
"I'm fine." He responded shaking his head again, "Just a little confused."
Hearing this, Lilia turned around and brought a chair to sit next to the bed, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Malleus hesitated quietly before responding with a nod and recounted what had happened in his dream. Hearing this, Lilia's expression grew rather confused as well. When he was done, Malleus questioned him, "Do you know anything about the royal family of Faeland, Lilia?"
Lilia shook his head, "Not a lot. Just the key figures. However, I suspect that wasn't just a weird dream."
Lilia took out a box from his desk and handed it to him, "You received a package today. I assumed that it was from Lotus's relative, but it sounds like it wasn't actually like that. From the sounds of it, she may be a human child the fairy queen and fairy king adopted recently and a supporter of her majesty."
Upon opening the box, he found a letter and a beautifully carved jade ring with a wooden chain through it.
"A ring?" Lilia raised a brow curiously, "Aren't rings supposed to be..."
He opened up the letter and red the contents before chuckling, "Interesting... Heh..."
"What is it?" Lilia raised a brow curiously.
He handed the letter over to Lilia. After reading the contents, he also bursted out laughing unsurprisingly, "Hahaha! So, she forgot to ask for the ring size and the meaning of rings. Oh my... What a mess! Hahaha!"
"It looks like this will be a very interesting event, after all." Malleus smirked before he sighed, "However, I can't go walking around with a ring around my neck."
Lilia nodded in agreement, "The princess certainly was trying to be thoughtful, but, even if she was being sincere, she was clearly unprepared. Maybe we can do as she says and ask Lotus to make something to store the ring for us. The invitation was even signed by her majesty as well. But, this mistake..."
A mistake like this towards a royalty like himself is unforgivable and they'd be severely punished if they were the servants and retainers. As a member of royalty, he should scold her for this major mistake. A ring has many meanings, but the most common one is of betrothal between couples. If he were to wear this and walk around the gala, many rumors would spread saying that he was engaged to the princess. Malleus waved a hand lightly and responded, "We will give her a warning when we met with her, then."
"Oh?"
Malleus explained, "After all, this must be the reason why she told me not to laugh before we left and I clearly forgot it and laughed. Let's take this chance and return the favor then."
"Are you sure?" Lilia asked him curious by the sudden decision.
Seeing Malleus nodded, Lilia nodded, "All right, then. Still, it's good to make a new friend."
"A new friend?"
Lilia nodded again, "It sounded like the two of you had a very good conversation from the start, so it seems the two of you might become good friends in the future, if not, allies. It's a little early to tell for sure, though. Will you go, then?"
"Of course." Malleus responded, "Since she's worked so hard to get the permission, we must attend, then."
"What about the magic stone?" Lilia asked, "Everyone will have a harder time without it."
"We shall wait and see, then. I suspect that she won't let that be a problem forever and she has high expectations for the students of this school as well." Malleus said with a wide smirk, "Then, let's see what the princess of Faeland has in store for us."