On a Cold and Starry Night, On the borders of the Edenbell Empire, Prince Luke along with his comrades gallop their way to a small village named 'Bulao'
As they arrived there, everything was in ruin, There were a lot of dead bodies of men, women, and even children, and a lot of flies kept on flying around in this wasteland,
"Your Highness," Mino, his assistant said, as he looked around the village, "It reeks of dead people" a comrade stated, disgust plastered in their faces,
"No wonder Father wanted to investigate this matter urgently, a whole village is dead," He says in a serious tone,
Luke looked around the place, wanting to step into the village but was stopped by his subordinate, "Your Highness, it's dangerous, let Derek explore" Mino told him, as he sighed loudly and gestured Derek to do it instead, The blue-haired man can only nod as he then steps into the dead village,
Derek slowly walked to one person, whose lifeless body lay on the ground, he wore gloves and slowly examined the corpse, and realized that the person wasn't killed by any sharp weapon,
He slowly stood up and faced his comrades, "Your Majesty, these people were not massacred by a sharp weapon, instead, they were killed by something else" Derek reported, everyone flinched hearing his words as they all thought the same,
"Could this be what the Pope predicted years ago? The Plague?" Mino remarked, as he couldn't hide the shock on his face, everyone then started to talk and panic
"We shouldn't jump to a conclusion yet, they could be poisoned or anything," Luke says, calming everyone around him who all started to panic,
"Your Highness, we need to report back to your father, immediately," Mino told him, as he then went to his horse, riding it, looking at his comrades with a serious look, making things worse
"We need to go back, If this is the plague, we need to get out of here immediately," he told his comrade as he galloped towards the capital to report to his father,
"If this is what the Pope predicted years ago, why now? When the young Florence Lady had returned home?" He muttered as he sped up his pace, and his comrades followed, having a hard time to keep up with him,
Back in the capital, Ariana was with her most trusted aides, in the Rose Red Company Estate, while her family was sleeping soundly, she went to work with her aide, who had something to report to her,
"Lily, where's Spring?" She immediately asked the pink-haired girl, who was the only present there, as she knew that both of them would have to welcome her when she arrived,
"My lady, Spring is in Bulao Village, We sensed something is wrong, something disturbing is happening" Lily explained to her as calmly as possible,
"In Bulao? Does it involve Magic?" She asked her, who was distraught, unable to think properly,
"I don't know, but it is near the Sacred Lake, It is so disturbing that I cannot breathe, what if my home would be endangered? The only last thing that is left, is a remembrance of my family" Lily was shaking so hard, that it all made sense why Spring was the one to go and not her,
"Lily, it would be fine, nothing would ever damage what's yours, I'll make sure of it" She assured her as she hugged her tight, calming her down,
And just in time, Spring is back with a panicked look, "Master, Lily" she shakily called out, "Is everything alright, Spring?" Ariana asked her
"Master, the whole village is dead, None were left, but luckily it stayed there, It's like darkness consumed them, it's so disturbing" Spring explained in the easiest way possible,
"Is it the Plague? The one that the Pope predicted 3 years ago?" Lily asked, as she remembered the time when the Pope suddenly announced when he was giving a sermon in the Temple, A lot were at present at that time because it was the Flower Festival,
"He wasn't the one who predicted it, he stole the idea from someone," Ariana says, remembering something she had read in the book she borrowed from the imperial library,
"Do you know something, Master?" Spring asked her
"I've read the whole history of Edenbell, and at the end of the book, it was mentioned that 'The Plague would destroy the whole continent' It's what it says," she told everyone, everything she had remembered when finishing the whole book,
"Who said it? Surely the Author had mentioned who?" Lily exclaimed, trying to save her home that is near to where the outbreak happened,
"It was the Author herself, my ancestor and the one who cursed the Florence to never bore a female daughter again" Hearing her words everyone widened their eyes, frozen in fear, recognizing the woman that she just mentioned
"Where is the book now? Surely she wrote other books, right? We need to search and look for clues!" Lily panicked because knowing the person involved it would not end well,
"In the Imperial Library, it's ok for you two to not disguise yourself, only I need to, my looks are unique I would be able to be recognized by others," she says as she snaps her fingers two times and her hair then slowly turned black and her red eyes became royal blue,
She then turned to face her comrades, as she then let out a small nod, Lily then snapped her fingers twice and in just a blink of an eye, the 3 were transported into the dark and ancient Library,
"Oh? Kitty is back! Bringing along some familiar friends"
All 3 of them turned around and saw Prince Luke, who had been waiting for them for who knows how long, beside him was his most trusted aide who was panting hard, trying to catch his breath
"Your Highness, Prince Luke" all 3 of them greeted the young Prince, curtsying at him,
"You know that you've just exposed your identity to me, Lady Ria?" Luke says as he eyes the beauty in front of him, whose identity is unknown,
"I am aware, your highness"
'It's better to be known as Ria now, rather than being suspected that Ria is Ariana' she thought letting out a smile to the young Prince,
"I see, then pardon me, my lady," Prince Luke said, as he took the sword out from his casing, and was ready to hit her with his sharp weapon,
*clank*
But she's quick enough to Magic herself a sword, blocking his from slicing her in half, "Master! Let me!" Spring exclaimed, not wanting to injure her master, as she knows she is a fragile woman,
"Stay out of this Spring, it seemed that his highness wants to converse while fighting him, you two can go and investigate, I'll handle him," she told the two off, the two were reluctant to leave her alone, and she noticed it, she pushed Prince Luke back and faced her two comrades
"Just Go!"