"Do you have that journal on you?" Lilia questioned curiously.
Lotus shook her head, "I do not. However I do recall the princess had left the blue print in her possession. If I remember correctly, that jade was a very valuable piece of artifact. They said, it was a national treasure hidden away in the treasury of the representative's mansion. Few managed to lay eyes on it before, but the thorn fairy found it so pretty as a child that she often tried to sneak it out to play with it. The representative was also attached to the child and often pulled pranks on her being one of the few capable of rivaling her uncontrollable powers. However… When that occurred, he decided to gift her the artifact in the end causing the empress to become angered."
"She was not satisfied?" Lilia noted in bewilderment, "But that is a national treasure, she can't possibly keep it at the time."
"But he still gave it away to her at the end." Lotus shook her head, "Perhaps her thinking was that, if he had wanted to give it to her, he should have done so at the beginning. The timing was so bad that it made the artifact take on the significance of a farewell gift after a terrible incident. An awful reminder of that time. If so, I would not be surprised either. She did say she wanted to chuck the artifact at his head when she received it from him, but, being back under control, she could not do that either."
"Now I'm more curious about this journal. How did you come across it?" Malleus question her curiously.
"The princess got it from somewhere." Lotus replied bluntly.
"Where was it?" Malleus stared at her.
Lotus paused for a bit before looking away slowly, "… Somewhere."
"Lotus…" Malleus shook his head in dismay upon hearing the vague response, "Please don't tell me she stole it."
"Nope." Lotus responded bluntly, "She said that the journal was under her possession by birthright anyway."
"Lotus….." Malleus frowned, "I trust you can contact the princess. I would like to speak with her in regards to the journal before Chief Fern's presence."
"What?! No way!" Lotus pouted.
Hearing this, Malleus heaved a heavy sigh before looking to Lilia nervously. However, Lilia found the entire thing to be quite amusing and chuckled, "Well, stealing is not a good thing. However, since you are both children, I'll let the two of you to clean this mess up for once. But, make sure to let me know if you need any help. A member of royalty stealing is not any small matter. If anything, we'd like that journal to be returned to its rightful owners to begin with."
"But it's been returned to its rightful owners." Lotus huffed in disdain.
Lilia glared at her to which she hesitated and glanced over at Malleus with a frown, "Do you see any dark clouds above us? Don't you start summoning them now with your magic! Hmph!"
She was right. Malleus hesitated. Since Lotus is the princess, it wouldn't been strange if lightning did strike her when she made that crazy oath with her life on the line, but it didn't. Could it be that there was another story to tell? Malleus was reluctant to get into a mess involving the princess but said nothing and continued to grad the princess and pull her away by the wrist with a growl, "Let's talk! We're going for a short stroll, Lilia."
"Don't forget the time! Return by midnight!" Lilia called out to them as he shook his head with a troublesome sigh, "Why does this remind me of when the crown princess was alive?"
Lilia paused for a bit before looking up at the sky with a nostalgic expression across his face, "If she had survived that war, she would have already become the next queen… I was worried that Malleus had taken after his mother, but perhaps I was wrong. He is still too young to be that bossy. If anything he takes after his father…"
He wore a surprised look across his face as he sighed, "Now it's not everyday I end up remembering those days like this. I normally don't even want to remember those difficult times I had back then as well. My, what's gotten into me today? I'll just return to the camp and secretly check on Kalim then. It was my fault that I carelessly left something so dangerous along the trail."
With this in mind, he quickly vanished in a flash and made his way to the camp.
…..
Upon reaching the swamp, Malleus finally stopped in his tracks and reached out his hand, "Where is that journal? Did you forget your duties when you stole that journal? Also where did you still the journal from?"
Lotus took out the journal from her ring and held it tightly in her hands as she swore with a scowl, "I swear that this journal was mine-!"
"Stop!" Malleus shouted quickly with a scowl, "Can you stop swearing things with your life as the gambling piece? Don't you cherish your life anymore?"
"But-!"
"Surely, my grandmother did not help you just for you to give your life so meaninglessly like this." Malleus frowned.
"Urgh…. Fine! Anyway, the journal was mine to begin with! Did you know how long it took me to find it? It was one of the only things that was scattered after so long!"
"However, stealing is stealing." Malleus clarified firmly with a frown, "There is hardly any reason for you to steal something like this. Your situation is not any manner similar to the fairy queen. Return the journal."
"It's already returned!" Lotus argued back firmly.
"You-!" Malleus scowled angrily with a glare as the crashing sound of thunder could be heard from afar!
As the two squabbled, the fairies in the tree whispered quietly in awe, "Did you see that?! Word has it that the princess has been given that journal as a kind reward and gesture by the president of the board of magic education after she found it in Night Raven College. They say that the journal was a useless artifact in the past until our princess picked it up and managed to translate it. When she picked it out, nobody cared about it. However, when it was discovered she could translate it, everyone wanted to know what it says so badly they continue to bug the princess with letter of requests. They didn't even know it was a journal until she translated it."
"I wonder what sort of journal it is?"
"They say it was a journal from someone close to the Thorn Fairy."
"And, they find that so interesting? I can understand why the humans would want it. What don't they want to begin with? But why would the that night fae want it?"
"I've never seen the princess argue with anyone before. The often say that those you argue with are those who are usually more close to you. Perhaps the prince of Night Fae and our princess have a close bond? Is our kinds going to rekindle friendship like hundreds of years ago?"
"To not be afraid of the night faes... I've heard the elder spoke of it once before. How we were once close allies with the night faes and how they protected us from bad humans. Maybe we should rethink this and approach them again. Their prince and his powers are scary, but he's not threatening our princess."
"I heard she has even invited him to the gala's ending party. Let's go and see it ourselves! Maybe I might find some nice night faes."
"I-I don't know. I heard that the phantom general is the closest to the prince. He's a hero, but his appearance is said to be scary."
"This..."
Though the princess was busy arguing against Malleus, their words did not bypass her notice. She immediately thought of the old yet idealistic old man sitting behind the mountain of papers in the large office of the board of education office and recalled how amiable he was to her suggestions and words. Perhaps, if she ever have the chance, she can always ask for her journal back and make this kid shut up. This idea by the best better one. This world has far stricter rules than they did back in her world. Last she need is them using the Dark Mirror to track her down and cause trouble for her, unless...
It was then that the sound of chirping sounded as Lotus looked up and saw a red jay dive down with wings tucked under. Shocked, Lotus caught the child in her arms and scolded the bird, "What did you think you were doing?! Are you hurt?"
The bird shivered before poking his head out and looking around nervously. Lotus sighed, "It doesn't seem you are injured. Perhaps, you are cold? Let me take the letter. Rest up."
The bird nodded and dove into her ring as Lotus took out small piece of paper. After reading it, she frowned.
"Something the matter?" Malleus questioned curiously.
"The headmaster of Nobel Bell college has invited me to a late masquerade ball in flower city." Lotus frowned as she studied the paper and lit up behind it with a small fire for any hidden messages, "That name…"
"Well, aren't you lucky." Malleus sneered.
Lotus shrugged, "Father said a letter is coming to the school. The fairies saw it in the post office. You will be invited along with Night Raven College students by the headmaster."
"An invitation? For me?" Malleus's eyes widen in surprise before a smile came over his face.
Lotus sighed, "Well, this will be your first masquerade ball, I'm sure… But I'm afraid there will be drama by inviting us. Granny probably won't mind though. She did say you were old enough to look after yourself to this extent. You've been the apple of her eye for a long time, I wouldn't be surprised if she allowed you to do what you want by letting you decide for this event."
"I'm old enough to make my own decision." Malleus huffed in dismay.
"Sounds like something a kid would say. Oh wait, you are a kid." Lotus shrugged with a smirk.
"Stop jesting." Malleus grumbled.
"Whatever you say."