"Araia!"
Araia was startled when she noticed that her friends were calling her.
"Are you okay?"
Her friends expressed concern, but Araia simply nodded.
Kat noticed the confusion in Araia's eyes, so she gently placed her hand on her back.
Kat knew something was bothering Araia, but she refrained from asking, fearing it might be something sensitive. So, she chose to remain silent.
"So, the head of the councils graces this ceremony. What an imposing entrance, Captain."
A tall and imposing man made his entrance, standing like a general.
"The crown prince of the Veridrian Dominion," the crowd exclaimed.
"Prince Alaric!"
"What's happening? Why are the mystic powerhouses gathering?"
The people were filled with apprehension, their minds racing with various thoughts.
"Hahaha."
The two men laughed heartily and exchanged greetings.
"I didn't expect you two to visit today!"
A newcomer joined the cheerful greeting of the two men.
She was a captivating woman with a deep, unforgettable presence. Her eyes were filled with determination and knowledge, and with each gaze, you could feel her power. Her long, black hair flowed like the night's flames as she walked. She had a regal and majestic presence, a queen always ready to lead her kingdom. Whenever she passed by, you couldn't help but raise your eyebrows in admiration of her majesty.
"The lone heroine of the myriad of Realm!!!"
"Irish the War Goddess."
"It seems you are prospecting for your student, huh?"
"And you are half right but also wrong," she replied to the Crown prince, eliciting a smile from the leader of the Council of Realm.
"Seems like you've heard about the plans of the Dark Old Bastards?"
"You two, halt. This is not the right place for that."
The two were interrupted by the leader of the Council of Realm.
After scanning the surroundings again, he quickly gave them a piece of advice, "restrain yourselves." and they both nodded.
"Lets head on..."
The portal closed, and the elite knights were the first to march toward the central palace of the academy. The arriving guests followed suit.
Because of this scene, the spiritual test had become boring for the takers. Thus, the process was swift.
"Aspirants, attention! The tally of results for the entire examination will be released. Before it gets dark, return to this hall to know the results."
While the announcement was being made, Lady Ciara suddenly spotted her uncle, Prince Adrian.
People moved aside as he approached, and Araia, Rachelle, Kat, and Lady Ciara stood where they were.
"Beloved uncle!"
Prince Adrian blushed as his niece called him.
And he waved awkwardly. The Celestial Prince noticed that Lady Ciara was with someone.
"Oh? You are the girl from yesterday, right?"
"Yes. Thank you again, Celestial Prince," Araia said, bowing slightly to express her gratitude and to show respect to the prince.
"Cut the formality, just call me Adrian when we're outside," he said, giving a slight smile.
The people around them couldn't help but envy Araia for having such a casual interaction with the prince. Araia even received some jealous glares from other women.
"By the way, I am Rachelle," Rachelle said, inserting herself into the conversation.
Araia was nervous because of Rachelle. She was sure her friends would tease her again.
"Hello," she said while extending her hand.
"Beloved uncle, this is Kat," Lady Ciara introduced Kat, knowing that she was polite. "Hi, Ms. Kat."
"Celestial Prince," Kat said, giving a slight bow.
"I said cut the formality," the prince scratched his head.
"Hey, uncle..."
Lady Ciara received a sharp look from the prince because of her repeated use of "uncle," even though they were of similar age.
"Easy," Lady Ciara teased, pretending to protect herself with her delicate hands.
"Let me formally introduce you to my exceptionally and unequally beautiful friend, Araia," Lady Ciara introduced Araia as if she were marketing a beautiful product to a customer.
Araia blushed in embarrassment.
"Hello, Miss Araia," Prince Adrian extended his hands.
As their hands touched, Araia felt the softness of the prince's hand, and it was very comfortable to hold.
"Araia, you can let go now," Rachelle whispered in Araia's left ear.
Even though it was a whisper, it was heard by Prince Adrian's group and Araia's friends. Araia's ear turned even redder, and she quickly released the prince's hand.
"Let me change the topic. Has there been any recent event that I'm not aware of?" Lady Ciara asked the Prince, but he responded only with silence.
After a brief moment, he said, "Just focus on building your foundation for now. Once we become one of the Mystics, then you can find out about various things," he reminded Lady Ciara.
As their companions listened, Araia nodded in agreement with the Prince's response, as they both shared the same perspective on this matter.
"As you said so...What if we just eat at the place we dined at yesterday?" Lady Ciara suggested, as she didn't enjoy her meal yesterday because of brief encounter with Numinex people yesterday.
"Great idea," Rachelle interjected, agreeing with Lady Ciara's suggestion.
Kat and Araia exchanged glances, noticing the increasing rapport between Rachelle and Lady Ciara on various matters.
Prince Adrian couldn't help but smile.
"I heard that a fisherman caught a rare rainbow lobster, and it's available at that restaurant. Since it's freshly caught, let's go and have a meal there before it's gone," Lady Ciara invited her friends and the Prince's companions.
"Let's go then,"
Lady Ciara approached Prince Adrian and whispered, "What do you think of Araia?" inquisitively.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean," she winked at the Prince.
"Isn't Araia incredibly beautiful? She's the epitome of beauty!"
She teased the Prince as they walked out of the Academy.
They couldn't help but attract attention from people due to their group.
"OMG! Some lucky servants are trailing our beloved Prince."
"There are some suspicious individuals following the Prince."
The group of busybodies teased Araia and Rachelle relentlessly. In their group, only the two girls were dressed modestly. This made Rachelle feel insecure, but she brushed it off with a bold face. However, Araia was affected by it.
"Kat, Rachelle, Lady Ciara, and the Celestial Prince, please excuse me for a moment. I'll be heading to my resting room. I have something to fetch." Araia bid her farewell without waiting for their response.
In truth, Araia felt too embarrassed to stay with them, which is why she left.
As Araia walked toward the entrance gate of the academy, an elderly man bumped into her shoulder. He gave her a sharp look and quickly moved away.
***
"Hahahahaha!!!"
A booming, demonic laughter resonated throughout the entire palace.
This laughter heightened the already eerie atmosphere of the place, surrounded by ancient palaces, resembling a desolate land.
The wind gusts and the eerie cries of crows added to the ambiance.
"You believed you could safeguard the Tome of Origin...?!!!"
"Summon the Tress Enchantress and let them project the ongoing events during their meeting."
"As you wish, esteemed leader."
***