"Master, here are the files we have on Alexandria Eveque".
"Good", Daryl started reading the files his servant gave.
Alexandria Eveque, 16 years old. The only daughter of the Marquis Eveque. It is said that she is currently engaged with the young duke Chadwick Vaillant.
"Political marriage, eh? Though it hasn't been officially made public", he continued to read the other information about her.
"The crazy lady of the high society?", he asked.
"It seems like the lady has a bad reputation inside the society, hence the rumors about her being the crazy lady", the servant answered. "There were also rumors that she tried to harm herself to gain attention from her fiancee. She was obsessive of the young lord as they said", the servant continued.
Those were only the recent rumors surrounding around the lady. Daryl also read her previous incidents, such as harassing the other ladies, threatening them, etc.
"She is crazy, indeed".
The man didn't care about the rumors at all. What piqued his attention is that the information about the lady having no mana/magic. It was different from what he saw and felt from the day he saw her intimidate the guys on the street.
"Is she hiding it?", Daryl once again scanned the files he has on her. "There's no information about her snake?".
"None master. What I only gathered is she only tamed it in the past month. There was also a time that the lady didn't attend any social gatherings and parties. I think that was the time she had the snake".
"Also, she is currently admitted to the academy".
"Then here's your next order. Know all her class schedules, places where she often, the foods she eats, the people who talk to her, everything about her. Don't miss a single thing. Understood?"
"Yes, master. I've received your order", upon receiving his tasked the servant quickly leaves the room leaving his master who's staring at the image of the lady.
Daryl who was left alone continues to read the information about Alexandria. "How about I pay a little visit", then he kept the image to his drawer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Miss? Miss? Please wake up. You will be late for your class", narinig kong gising saakin ni Letty. Binuksan ko ang mga mata ko.
Sa sobrang pagod ko kahapon, pagkaligo ko ay nakatulog ako agad. Hindi ko na natanong si Zaggy. Teka, asan na yun?
"I'm here", napatingin ako kay Zaggy na kumakain ng raw meat.
"Letty, I'm going to skip the class today. I'm not feeling well. I'm still tired", sabay higa ko ulit. Actually, tinatamad lang ako pumasok ngayon.
"Understood, milady. Do you want to wash first or eat breakfast?".
"Help me wash first then go bring me my breakfast. Also, could you tell the academy staff that I wouldn't attend today's class".
"Understood, my lady".
..
Pagkatapos ako tulungan ni Letty ay lumabas na siya para i-excuse ang katamaran ko.
"Now that Letty is gone, care to explain the blood thingy-invisible-summoner-stuff happened yesterday?", binuhat ko si Zaggy at ipinatong sa lap ko. Sinimulan ko siyang punasan with rose oil.
"Oh about that? Heh, so what do you want to know?"
"First, it's about summoning Solgor and you mentioned 33--something?".
"Solgor is one of my 33 Legions. Retainers that are loyal to me, Zagan, one of the demon kings. Each retainer, possess different kinds of power. Just like Solgor, who has the invisibility power".
"Since we have a contract, I am able to use the 33 Legions power?".
"Yes".
"But I can only summon them with my blood?"
"Yes".
"Why?"
"Because that's how you summon me, remember?"
"Wait? That time I washed my wound on the water?"
"Ding-ding-ding!"
Tinignan ko ang daliri ko na sinugat ko kahapon. It's healed. "So I need to nick myself every time I summon your legions? That's pretty convenient yet painful".
"But you healed".
"So who else I can summon? And what's their power?", ibinaba ko na si Zaggy sa may tabi ko dahil tapos ko na siyang punasan.
"It depends. What kind of power are you confident to use it?"
"Hmm? Since I don't have a mana or magic in my body, I don't know any power. Is there any weapon I can use? I did a little bit of sword training".
"Weapon, huh? Then, you can summon Malgar".
"Okay", tinanggal ko ulit ang hikaw ko at tinusok ang thumb ko. "Come forth, Malgar".
After I chanted the name, a black sword appeared. The sword was just floating. When I tried to touch it, the sword drank the blood from my thumb. I looked at Zaggy for an answer.
"It's normal. It just needs a little bit of your blood so you could wield it".
"Oh". So Malgar is a demon sword.
~After an hour playing with Malgar~
Zaggy taught me how to cancel my summon. All I need to do was think of sending them away. "Now try summoning, Kellix".
Once again I cut my index finger. This kind of summoning stings. "Come forth, Kellix", as I called the name a scythe appeared. Just like what Malgar did, Kellix the scythe drank the blood from my wound.
"This is so cool". Habang hawak hawak ko ang scythe napatingin ako sa malaking salamin ko. "Oh no, I look like the Grim Reaper".
After a few minutes of admiring myself with the scythe, I send it back. "I think that's for now. I got tired".
"Of course, you will be tired. They also sip on your body's energy". What?
"You didn't mention that. You really like to skip the important things".
"Your shocked expressions are entertaining. Anyway, I'd like to try the poison we bought yesterday".
Kinuha ko ang bag na itinago ko sa ilalim ng higaan ko. "So what poison do you like to drink first?".
"I would like to try the nightshade. I've tried it before and it's quite tasteful", napa-ew nalang ako. Nightshade is a common poison but it can cause internal bleeding.
Inabot ko kay Zaggy yung bote ng nightshade. Ewan ko kung paano niya iinumin ngunit agad naman nasagot iyon nang pati yung bote ay nilunok niya.
"Good. That's a good way to get rid of evidence that we are buying illegal poisons. Do you want some more?".
"How about that rare poison?", inabot ko kay Zaggy yung Tears of Lys. It is the odorless and colorless poison.
I watched Zaggy devoured the poison and he kinda looks happy. I was about to say something to him when I started coughing some blood.
"What the heck?"
"Oohh, as expected of the tears of lys".
"What are you talking about?", kumuha ako ng panyo para pamunas.
/cough/
And another blood came out. "That just a minor effect of the tears of lys". Huh?
"Wait? You are the one who drank the poison. Why am I the one coughing blood here?! And you call this minor?"
"It's normal since your my contractor. You have nothing to worry about besides, this will make you immune to any kind of poison. Actually, you can drink one now without dying. It's a good thing".
"So coughing blood is a good and normal thing now?", after ko punasan yung dugong naubo ko sa damit ko. "Is this one of the perks of having you as my spirit guardian?"
"Yes, and you're welcome. You will only cough blood when I drink strong poisons and you will feel no pain at all".
Now that I think about it, this sounds marvelous. Whoever tries to poison me in the future, it won't work at all. I might vomit some blood but it won't be painful at all and I'm not gonna die.
"You are quite useful, Zaggy. I love you".
"Ew".
Tinago ko ulit yung bag na may mga lason sa ilalim ng higaan ko nang biglang pumasok si Letty."OH MY GOODNESS. MY LADY! WHAT HAPPENED?! THERE'S BLOOD ON YOUR---"
There was a lot of convincing that happened the whole day. Letty wanted to call a doctor but I insisted that I was fine. I just hoped that she won't tell this to my parents or to anyone else. She helped me clean myself and change the sheets of my bed since I also stained it with my blood.
"Zaggy, you need to tell if you are going to drink the strong poison ones, okay? I don't want people to see me vomiting blood suddenly".
"Okay. I'll just drink the common poison like a beggar".
=====================
Kinabukasan ay pumasok na ako sa klase ko. Wala naman masyadong nangyari maliban sa may pop quiz kami sa History class ko. I aced that quiz and my classmates were not happy at all. I was even accused of cheating. How in the hell I could cheat? The professor was that strict old man. He was rounding during the quiz.
They can't just believe that I got a perfect score since I'm only half-assing the class. Little did they know, I already know them from the novel and from the time I confine myself in the library at home.
The following classes were normal. During the break, Prim accompanied me and just talk and talk about the things I've missed yesterday. Even in my extra classes (Literature and Archaeology), there were no happenings. "Should I attend club today?"
I don't want to see the annoying face of the crown prince. However, there is something I need.
"Eh. Let's just go to the library".
Pagkarating ko sa library ay kaunti lang tao. Ilang beses na ako nagpupunta dito pero hanggang hindi ko pa rin nahahanap yung librong kailangan ko. Feeling ko halos nabasa ko na lahat ng title nila. Nandito na ako sa pinakadulo ng library and I expected that some ancients books are here pero wala pa rin.
"Where could I find that book?"
"Lady Alexandria", napalingon naman sa tumawag sa akin. Ugh!
"I greet Your Royal Highness", there were only 4 or 5 people here in the library right now including myself. What is he doing here? "Let's just skip the formalities". Napaatras naman ako at napangiwi. Really? "Call me Ash". Mas lalo akong umatras. What is he up to?
"How dare I call the kingdom's crown prince casually".
"Then as the crown prince, I order you to call me by my name and talk to me casually".
"O-okay? A-Ash?",
"Better. I heard that Lady Prim calls you with your nickname. Alex? I'd like to call you something else. I'm going to call you Ria", ngumiti nalang ako bilang sagot. I was only looking for a book, now the crown prince is calling me Ria. What the hell is happening? How do I escape this?
"I've been informed that you've been visiting the library several times. Are you looking for any specific book? I might be able to help you", I don't know what's happening but I looked at him suspiciously.
"Uhhmm...", if the book I'm looking for is not available here in the academy, there is a possibility that the imperial library has those kinds of books. But asking him means owing something to him. Pero makapal naman ang mukha ko, so why not ask. "I'm looking for a certain book for a couple of days now and it seems like the imperial library would highly have that. If I asked you about that book, could you promise that you won't be asking any question about it?".
Mukhang napaisip naman si Ash sa sinabi ko. Babawiin niya ba? "Sure", napahinga naman ako ng maluwag. "But in one condition--", on second thought.
"What condition?"
"The condition is whenever I call you, you will come to me immediately". Eh?
"Like an assistant, an aide?"
"Nothing of that sort. I already have my aide. You will just accompany. You've got nothing to worry about". That's not what I'm worried about. It's about getting close to one of my death flags and what society will think about it. The crazy lady is hanging out with the crown prince.
Or I could use this as a shield to my other death flags. "Your condition is acceptable".
"That's good to hear. Now, what is the book you are looking for?". Lumapit ako kay Ash at bumulong sakaniya.
"I'm looking for a book about another world. Any records or research, everything about the other worlds. Also, books about soul switching if there is".
Tinignan ko ang reaction ni Ash, mukha siyang nag-iisip. "That was kinda unexpected but as promised I will be looking to it. But Ria, you've been surprising me a lot. If only I can see what's inside your thoughts", and again I stepped back away from him.
After the talk I have with "Ash" (feeling close), niyaya lang naman niya ako sa book club room at uminom ng tsaa of course with his annoying smile pasted on his face. And after that, I headed back to my dorm room. Naabutan ko naman doon si Zaggy na nakahiga nanaman sa higaan ko.
I hope this is a good idea and Ash promised that he won't ask me anything about the books I'm looking for. I really need to know how can I go back to my original world. It may look like I've adapted here but my life is not here. I miss my family, my friends, and the life I have there.
Wait? My family and my friends? "Zaggy?".
"What?"
"My family and friends... I can't remember them".