Chapter 30 - CHAPTER 29

"Take care of yourselves. Make sure to wear your masks for now just to make sure"
"Yes master"
"And enjoy yourselves"
"…."

Meridia chuckled a bit after seeing her 2 assistants' faces. They both look so glum. "I'm sorry I can't go to the festival with the both of you", Eleanor nodded together with Ren.

"We understand. We know how tired you are and we wanted you to rest more than we want to go to the festival with you", Eli said as she held her bag tightly.

"Don't worry and just rest. I'll take care of her and maybe we can also buy stuffs and food for you master", Meridia nodded at Ren and bid then farewell again, then the 2 went off.

They stared at the busy street of the now open night market. The 2 finished their errands in the lab after the sun set and now the sky is black but the whole main city is filled with lights instead.

That's when Eleanor realized something she should've realized earlier. 'The lights, the only lights existing in this world are fire. I only realized it now since the lamps and other lightings here all looked like they lit up because of electricity'

"Eli", she shook out her thoughts and faced Ren who called her from behind. 'I came here to ask him about what's going on with him lately, that's my main purpose, so I should concentrate now!'

"Hmm?", Ren took out something from his pocket and handed it to the girl. Eleanor adjusted her mask out of habit and stared at it.

"W-what is this for?", Eli asked as the young man put a small box on the palm of her hands. "Open it", he said with a small smile on his lips. Eleanor opened the box only to find a bracelet made by a single line of sky blue butterflies.

"This….it looks so beautiful but also…expensive!", the girl looked at him with wide eyes as she show the bracelet to the one who gave it to her but he just smiled at her.

"No way! How much did you spend buying this?!", she asked as she looked at the expensive-looking jewelry hysterically. But Ren just shook his head, not bothering to answer her question he started walking towards the stalls, readjusting his own mask on his face.

Eleanor stared at the bracelet again when he called her. She looked at him smiling not far away from her. "Well, you already turned 18 so ummm…well, that's my birthday gift for you", and with that he started walking again.

Because Ammiel still doesn't know anything about the original Eleanor's true identity and only knows that she stayed in the orphanage until she took over, the only clue she has when it comes to counting her age is when spring comes again, because that would mean another year since they don't have calendars nor months, just seasons. And base on what she knows, spring to winter is equivalent to 1 year.

She sighed after seeing that Ren has no plans on taking his gift back so she just appreciated his effort, hid the box inside her bag, and started running after the boy. The 2 visited different kinds of stalls that sell different kinds of things and foods.

They also didn't forget to buy some food and stuffs for Meridia as well, and the 2 of them made sure that they will and they did enjoy the festival.

The two were on their way towards the next stall when Eleanor bumped into someone. Ren caught her as the 2 look down at the panting person who fell on their butt.

"Master?!", the two said in chorus as they stared at the huffing and stressed out Meridia. "Good thing I was able to find the both of you!", she said as the two helped her up on her feet.

"What are you doing here master? I thought you're resting back at the academy?", Eli asked while helping her wipe some dirt off her clothes. She looked at Eleanor with wide eyes after realizing what the reason is why she's in the festival.

She immediately held Eli's shoulders in panic, "Eli, remember the umm dog that was supposed to arrive here earlier than you? The one Historia sent before you guys went back here? The one that we've been waiting for because it was stuck somewhere along the road?"

The girl and the boy nodded at her, "That package arrived at the lab earlier with a letter. Historia told me in a letter that an abnormal dog is placed in that cargo and that I should be careful not to touch it carelessly. I went and checked the package in case something was damaged but then came across a shiny silver ball. I became curious touched it but then it turned into that dog Historia has been warning me about! It transformed and went out of the lab, and now I'm trying to find it!"

The 2 teens' jaws dropped after hearing everything. Eleanor and Ren's faces soon went pale after realizing that they should be worried about the people in this festival rather than that dog since…

'That dog can kill a person!'

And that's when they heard a commotion and lots and lots of screaming.






















Duke Lucian looked outside with longing eyes. He then sighed before facing the person in front of him. "You may go now", the knight bowed its head and went out of the room, closing the door as gentle as they can.

The duke looked at the window yet again and saw the view of the market full of people, stalls, and lights. It's the festival to celebrate the rebuilding of the whole main city after facing a disastrous attack.

He sighed and told one butler to call someone. Soon, a knock was heard on the door. Lucius opened the door and peeked inside. "You called for me father?", he asked as he entered the room and went to the front of his father's desk.

"Yes. There was a report about monsters found roaming around the forests in the south, and this problem needs to be resolved as soon as possible since these monsters are causing havoc on towns and are destroying products. And since we already acquired the potions we need in order to find your sibling, we can now go back to the south", he explained.

Lucius looked at his father and nodded. "I understand", the place was filled with silence once again. Winter is coming to an end and spring is almost here again and yet they're still haven't acquired what the most important thing is for them. The lost younger child of the Donati family.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon, I just need to sought out the deal with Meridia first", Lucius nodded yet once again and was about to leave when they heard a loud music. Seems like the festival officially started.

The two looked at the door when they heard a knock, in came a staff from the hotel where they're staying. "Your grace, the festival already started, are you both not interested in coming to the festival?", the staff asked, the 2 looked outside the window. "You both can relax and enjoy the festival as long as you both can blend in"

Lucian looked at the staff and sighed. He was about to say something when Lucius beat him to it.

"Will there be many people in that festival?", the staff nodded their head. Lucius then bowed to his father. "Father, I want to see this festival. Something inside is telling me to check this festival out for some reason, so please allow me to do so"

Lucian looked at his son. Looks like they both can feel the urge to check out this festival for some reason. Lucian stood up from his seat. "Father?", Lucius looked at his father questioningly as he started walking towards the door.

He faced his son and said, "We're going to that festival, prepare yourself"

















"Come have a taste of our most delicious candies!"

The 2 nobles both look around with the hood of their cloaks helping them hide their appearances in order for them to be able to blend in. 2 knights dressed as commoners similar to them are following the 2.They stayed alert just in case something happens.

"Young master?", Lucian looked at his son who's now in front of a stall holding a fan that looks like it's made in long and white feathers with a golden handle. He's staring at it intently not noticing that his father, the duke, is already behind him.

"What is that?", Lucius looked behind him to see his Lucian eyeing the fan that he's holding. He sighed and smiled a small smile, "I was just wondering, well, I'm sure now that my sibling is a girl since I was able to finally find her before at the palace, and I was just thinking this fan would look good on her"

Lucian looked at Lucius. He just realized it now. The privileged person they saw wearing the familiar hair pin/ clip during the ball at the palace, the one the potion pointed to them, is a girl with black hair similar to his, he wasn't sure what her eye color is since she's wearing a mask that almost covered her eyes as well, and when he tried to ask Lucius, he's not sure whether what he saw is purplish or bluish.

Seems like his mind kinda malfunctioned the moment he found out that she's his lost sibling….his lost sister due to shock. But Lucian…he's sure. His child is a girl. He has a daughter.

'A beautiful daughter. You gave me a beautiful daughter'

The 2 men's daydreaming was cut off after hearing a commotion in an alley near the stall where they are. The duke, being a responsible person, slowly went towards the alley to check things out with Lucius following him together with the knights.

They peek at the dark alley and saw 2 men. They look like they're drunk, and in front of them both is a…

"Dog? That's a dog right?"

Lucius heard one of the knights say like he's somehow dumbfounded. The other knight nodded at his colleague in reply. A silverish-white dog that has the size of a puppy is in front of them. The dog is just staring at those 2 drunkards while they do the same to it.

But as soon as they were about to reach their hands towards it, its blue eyes suddenly turned gold, "WARNING: The owner is in a panic", it said in a robotic way. Then in a split second, the puppy-size dog turned into a 6 feet tall dog, making the 2 men scream in fear as a commotion started.














Huffing, the 3 made their way towards the commotion. The crowd started running away from that place and they were caught off guard when there was a sudden explosion making some rubble from some newly-built buildings.

"Eli!", Ren shouted in alarm as he hugged the girl and tried protecting both her and Meridia with his body. Eli had no choice but to make a shield on top of their heads. It's a good thing there are no more people in that area left.

Smoke filled the place as the 3 coughed and tried to see things from the smoke caused by the rubbles that fell. The shield vanished after that. What came out from that smoke then surprised them.

"Your grace! Young master!", Meridia shouted in surprise. That's when Eli saw Lucius' familiar blue-green and black wand, and the first time she saw Lucian's wand that has the mix of red, black, white, and gold colors. Behind them were their knights that served as their bodyguards this evening, with their swords taken out of their sheaths.

"What are you all doing here?! It's not safe!", Lucian shouted, but they all look back at the direction of where the alley once was. Eli's eyes, together with Ren, widen when they saw familiar golden-eyed and 6 feet tall dog looking at all of them.

"Wait is that…"

Ren was interrupted when the Duke, Young Duke, and their knights started attacking it again. "Wait stop!", Eli tried to shout to them but they just continued fighting. "Master! Any potions we can use?", Ren asked Meridia but she just shook her head. Because she's in a hurry earlier, she forgot to bring some potions with her, well, she did brought potions but she just brought simple tracking spells or healing ones.

Ren looked back at the fight and his eyes widen, "Watch out!", but his warning was too late, the big dog's tail made a swoosh in the air and soon landed on the duke…Lucian's stomach making him fly a few meters and crash into Eli before they both crash into a wall of yet another building.

The two then landed on the ground after that.

Lucius was busy distracting Riku with Ren, who finally took out his twin daggers, away from the two when they all heard a small cracking sound. It made Meridia stop on her way to the two who received a blow from the rampaging Riku.

Ren and Lucius took a glimpse while Meridia who is closer to them took a look at the duke and Eli. Lucian stood up slowly and that's when he felt something wet. He looked at his clothes, they're now wet and the liquid that made it wet is…

"The potion!", Lucius exclaimed before evading yet another attack from Riku. It is a tracking potion, one of the tracking potions that Meridia made for the duke. He brought one before going to the festival just in case he needs it, and now the potion bottle broke because of the force caused by Riku's attack earlier.

Meridia looked everywhere else and saw a basin from one of the stalls that once stood in that place. She ran towards the duke and tried to catch the remaining tracking potion using the basin. Smoke started coming out from the water in the basin, and as the duke watched it, he was reminded of what the purpose of this potion is on the first place, the Duchess Donati and…

"My daughter", after the duke's mumble the smoke flew up from the basin. That made them wonder if something went wrong, especially Lucian and Lucius who both know that the long lost child is right in front of the duke, the privileged person. But then they heard a grunt from the girl.

It's like time passed by in a slow motion. Eleanor slowly got up holding her head, but right after standing up the piece of string that holds the mask she's wearing on her face snapped, it dropped on the ground. She slowly opened her eyes and what greeted her is a smoke that's encircling her together with 4 people staring at her wide eyed.

"Y-you…", Lucius was cut off when Riku's tail found its way to Eli and Lucian's way again. Smoke filled the place once more. Eleanor opened her eyes only to find herself face to face with a chest. It's the duke's chest.

The smoke cleared up and there stood Lucian standing up while hugging Eleanor protectively. His wand is up and a strong shield was in front of them which deflected the attack. His eyes are now fierce; he started casting an attack spell when Eleanor stopped him.

She set herself free from the man's hug and limped towards Meridia. "Master, do you have any potion that can clean something quick? Or a water potion something?...I can't use my ability here anymore, they'll see it clearly this time so I really can't", she whispered the last part that made Meridia nod.

But when she tried to find some, she can't find any potions like that. Eli then faced Lucian and Lucius. "Duke, can you cast umm spells that can make rain or something like that?"

Without even asking why, Lucian nodded in a snap while looking at her with mixed emotions. She then faced Ren and Lucius. The both of them are now holding both ends of the ropes created by magic that Lucius casted, the rope is entangled on Riku which is now being restrained.

Eleanor nodded at the duke and Lucian started casting a spell. Soon after casting it, clouds started to form right above them and seconds later water droplets started dropping from the sky and soon it's already raining.

"Please hold him tight for me!", she instructed both the boys holding the ropes that served as Riku's restraints. She then came close to them, "Wait!", Lucian shouted but Meridia stopped him. "She knows what she's doing your grace, no worries", she said in a serious tone. They watched Eleanor climbed on top of Riku and after reaching its head; she took out a handkerchief and used it to wipe both of its eyes then came back to its body and opened something.

She started working on something inside what she opened, and then after that the struggling Riku stopped. Eleanor climbed down from the gigantic dog robot.

"Riku, are your sensors okay now? Can you recognize me now?", the robot slowly faced her. Its eyes are now back to being blue again and it looks so calm.

"Now, go sleep", the robot shut itself down and soon, the gigantic 6 ft dog came back to being a small shiny ball again. Lucius, Lucian, and Meridia all look at the small ball the girl is now holding in shock.

Eleanor sighed as she looked at the messy marketplace. She faced the duke and the others and bowed her head. "I'm so sorry, this robo…I mean, ummm, 'thing' is my property so it's my responsibility. I'm very sorry it caused a lot of ruckus", she said, dejected.

But she stood in shock when she felt arms cage her into a warm hug. She tried to look up and saw, "Duke ?"

Lucian just hugged her tighter, she's here. She's really here. His long lost child….his long lost daughter. "Ummm Duke, ah…I ummm", Eleanor can't seem to find the words because of how weird the duke is acting right now. But when she accidentally glimpse at a random direction and what she saw made her eyes widen, not only hers but also Meridia's and Ren's too.

Not far from them, a crying Lucius Donati stood in his place. His eyes directed to the girl whom his father is hugging. His sister.

They've been trying to find her for so long. To think that they've already found her even before but only realize that who they've been trying to find so desperately is someone this close to them.

He kept his eyes on them, he wanted to hug her too but he can't seem to move both of his feet like they're stuck in the pavement, but one thing is for sure….they won't EVER let her go starting now.