"This is the result of our weak military forces! And now look at this, weird people can just go in and out of the palace!"
"No, we were defenseless no matter what. The East had already fallen victim of his wrath."
"Defenseless, my foot! Our knights are merely lacking in training. We should have been the one to make the first move, not the other way around!"
"You do not understand what war can bring to our people."
"Oh now we surely will."
The throne room now blew up into chaos. The Elder Council and the High Priests rambled about nonstop. I had found out that the reason why there were no guards around was because those masked figures in black cloaks infiltrated the palace at its most vulnerable time. Eventually, they took the Emperor and Empress hostage and ordered Lavi's father to gather the most important people to witness the King of Kairos' "announcement".
After that, King Idris told them that he had sent a "little present" to the East and that they should go and see it for themselves.
The world was turning around me. It was, until a hand landed on my arm and I was pulled back into reality.
"Young lady Calla," It was Lavi's father. "Come with me."
He turned to the others beside me. "You two as well, this is not the place for all of you to be in right now."
Prince Alistair was already up on the throne with his mother and father.
Lavi stepped forward. "But we have to tell them what we saw. They were no ordinary creatures, father. Simple attacks don't work on them!"
I bit my lip. Why didn't I realize that earlier? I remembered the way it didn't even flinch when Erion thrust his sword into the Ri Shālli's stomach. The knights were basically powerless against those abominations.
"Then… light. Only light can kill them." I said, clutching the sleeping Shire on my arms.
"Yes but, no." Lavi shook his head before turning to me. "I talked to a fellow wizard who was there before I went to you, he said that they'd attempted light magic but it was useless."
"It only died when we mixed our mana into our swords to attack it." Erion said. "And Lavi's magic is fueled by his mana, that's why his attacks worked."
Lavi's father pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "So you're telling me that only by using our special mana does this monster die?"
The two boys nodded at the same time. I kept quiet. My thoughts were at my father and everyone else back at home.
"We'll talk about this tomorrow. The Emperor wants the young lady to stay here at the palace and join the meeting tomorrow. It seems she has some things that she has yet to say as well."
"But I have to go home, my father-"
"I'll go back to the East and inform him. You will be sleeping at the palace bedrooms for tonight."
I glanced at the two boys beside me and each of them gave me a nod.
"Alright… I'll stay."
"I'll stay too." Lavi said.
His father glared at him. "Your mother will kill me."
The son merely gave a wave of his hand. "She's getting used to me not going home anyways."
The Northwestern Duke exhaled in annoyance. "Fine, I'll arrange a bedroom for you as well."
"Make it next to Calla's."
His father opened his mouth to speak but he closed them again. "Whatever. The three of you follow me outside."
"Can't we just join the meeting here?" Erion asked.
"He's right, why do we have to wait for tomorrow?" I tilted my head to the side, wondering if I can go home earlier if I told them what they wanted to know right here and right now.
Lavi's father ran a hand over his face. "No, and you can't call this a proper meeting. Leave this to the adults. Kids should be in their beds at this hour… not fighting monsters."
"We're not kids." Lavi crossed his arms.
"Alright, how old are the three of you?"
"Fourteen."
"Fourteen."
"Fifteen."
Now I know that Erion was a year older than us.
After hearing our answers, the Duke's robe swished through the air as he turned his back at us.
"Okay kids, follow me."
The three of us let out grunts at the same time.
I shifted Shire to a different position as my arms were going numb. It was like carrying my own child with me.
Then we started to follow Lavi's father outside of the throne room. The raised voices were already getting farther and farther away, until they completely disappeared the moment my feet landed on the red carpets of the palace hallway.
We marched in silence as the three of us followed Lavi's father. It was, but Lavi kept tugging on my sleeves while calling out my name in whispers.
"Calla…"
"Calla…"
I finally turned to him. "What?"
"Your allergies."
My feet froze on the spot. Lavi and Erion looked at me with a mix of shock and concern.
I looked around and saw the countless pots of sunflowers lined beside me and the sunflowers that decorated the columns in this hallway.
"Oh, I guess it was true." I said as I touched a sunflower's petal.
As expected, it bloomed, glowing brighter than the moonlight that came through the glass window above. Just like the rose at the gardens when I was with Sein. Things like this don't startle me anymore.
My allergies did disappear after I used the Pure Light. At a different day, I would've felt happy to be rid of this cursed illness. But this wasn't the time to celebrate.
"You finally got rid of it, huh? Although, in the worst way possible." Erion said.
I just shrugged and faced them again. "It's fine. Let's go."
Lavi and Erion looked at each other before they started to continue walking as well. The Northwestern Duke was waiting for us at a distance. I walked faster as I had always hated it to have someone wait for me. Or maybe I just hated the atmosphere revolving around us three.
I heard the two of them whispering behind me.
"Why did she say that it was fine when she obviously doesn't feel that way?"
"That is such a stupid question, Lavi. You still don't understand girls, do you?"
Ignoring them, I faced ahead and continued walking.
The Northwestern Duke finally stopped.
"Oh great, my bedroom is just up ahead." Erion announced.
"The young lady will be staying here. Lavi, you take that bedroom on the right. And…" He eyed us before continuing to speak. "I'll have the servants bring the both of you some change of clothes."
The way he looked at us told me that I probably looked so distraught right now. But I don't care. All I want right now is to throw myself and Shire into a bed. Why does it feel like he's getting heavier by the minute?
"Thank you, your grace."
I curtsied before holding the doorknob.
The Duke only gave out a nod.
As I stepped into the bedroom, I looked at Lavi and Erion.
"Well then, I'll go first."
The both of them replied in unison.
"Sure."
"Okay."
I smiled faintly at them for the last time before finally closing the door. The room was incredibly large, as expected. The queen-sized bed had a canopy with pink silk curtains.
As I stepped closer to the bed, I passed by the mirror just across. Now I know why Lavi's father gave me such a strange look earlier.
I placed Shire on the bed before walking towards the silver-framed body mirror. My makeup was now badly out of place, the blue eyeliner had smudged around my eyes. Everywhere was smudged. I gazed down and saw that the skirt of my gown had dried blood everywhere. I had gotten it during the time I knelt before Vivian's head.
My face was a mess but my hair was still in place after all that fighting. Vivian made it like that. And now she's gone… all because of me.