When the music finally began, marking the start of the ball's dance, Akari took a deep breath. She knew that custom dictated a girl's first dance should be with her father, especially if it was her first official ball. And while she didn't have her biological father here, she knew exactly how to play this to her advantage.
With a carefully crafted expression, she approached the Duke and the King, giving them her most irresistible, wide-eyed look. "Um, Duke, Your Majesty… I know it's tradition to have a first dance with one's father," she said softly, her tone shy but hope" as I don't have father so" she continued
The Duke and King exchanged glances, clearly moved by her request, both their expressions softening. They'd grown to care for Akari deeply, almost as if she were their own.
"It would be an honor," the Duke said, bowing slightly with a warm smile.
"Yes, indeed, my dear," added the King, nodding solemnly. "I would be delighted."
When Akari approached the King and Duke with her request, both men were taken aback for a moment, their faces softening as her words sank in. The King, looking at her with a gentle, fatherly smile, seemed deeply touched. His daughter watched from the sidelines, understanding that Akari's presence brought a unique warmth to her father's heart. The Duke, equally moved, gave a nod of approval, as if silently promising Akari his own dance right after.
The King extended his hand with a proud look in his eyes, his voice warm. "It would be an honor, my dear." As they took to the dance floor, he guided her through the steps with an effortless grace. Those watching saw not just a King dancing but a father figure cherishing a special moment.
When their dance ended, the Duke stepped forward, his gaze filled with admiration and pride as he took Akari's hand. He held her with the gentle protectiveness of a father, mirroring the King's own care. Both men seemed fulfilled, knowing that Akari, though without her own father present, was surrounded by people who cherished her.
Kuro and Arnold, who had been eagerly waiting nearby, immediately deflated. Their moment had been stolen by two of the most powerful men in the room. As Akari took the Duke's arm, they watched her twirl onto the dance floor, effortlessly gliding as the Duke led her in a graceful, stately waltz. Both boys looked at each other, utterly defeated.
"Did she… just dodge us with that?" Kuro muttered, barely containing his disbelief.
Arnold shook his head, though he couldn't help but smirk. "I can't even be mad. That was genius."
Kuro let out a small laugh. "Well, we've been outplayed. For now."
Meanwhile, Kuro and Arnold stood to the side, slightly sulking but mostly in awe, realizing they had no chance against the two men Akari had chosen for her first dance.
As Akari joined the boys, she wore a mischievous grin, clearly delighted with how her plan had played out. Kuro and Arnold looked at her with a mix of admiration and despair, their faces long.
"So," Akari said, giving them a sly smile, "how was my choice?"
Kuro let out a dramatic sigh, hand on his heart. "I guess when you're competing with the King himself, there's no hope for us common mortals."
Arnold shook his head in exaggerated disappointment. "I mean, it's not like we were standing around waiting for you or anything... planning on being your dashing escorts to the dance floor, no big deal."
Akari stifled a laugh. "Aw, poor boys, did you think you'd get the honor? I just thought I'd start at the top with the King. You know, set the bar high!"
Kuro looked at her, mock serious. "Well, maybe next time, Your Majesty, you'll give us a shot... since we were your loyal backup dancers all along."
"Absolutely," Arnold added, smirking. "We'll be here, preparing for the grand moment you'll dance with us... right after the Duke, the King, and, who knows, maybe the royal guard."
Akari laughed, ruffling their hair. "Don't worry; your moment will come... maybe by the end of the century."
Akari stood chatting away with the boys, not realizing she'd picked up the wrong glass in the excitement. She took a big gulp, drinking it all in one go.
"Akari, sto—!" Arnold started, reaching out, but it was too late.
Akari lowered the empty glass, blinking in surprise as the taste hit her. The boys stared, wide-eyed, as the realization dawned on her face.
"Wait... that wasn't juice, was it?" she asked slowly.
Arnold just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Kuro smirked, trying (and failing) to stifle a laugh.
"My mistake," Akari shrugged, brushing it off.
"Oh, really? And here you were scolding me for the same thing. Now what, Miss 'I-can-handle-anything'?" Kuro teased.
"It won't affect me," Akari replied confidently, though a hint of pink was already creeping up her cheeks. "I'm not like you, Kuro."
"You sure about that?" Arnold raised an eyebrow, watching her wobble slightly.
"Of courseee..." Akari started, but her words slurred, and she broke into a giggle. "Wait... why are there three of you?"
Kuro and Arnold exchanged amused looks as Akari blinked, clearly a little wobbly.
"And that was the least intense drink," Arnold chuckled, raising an eyebrow.
"You're already giggling like a fool!" Kuro smirked.
"Hey! I am... totally... fiiine," Akari protested, though she ended up poking Kuro in the nose, missing her target completely.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Arnold grinned, trying to stifle a laugh as she squinted at him with exaggerated focus.
"I could still... win in a duel... with both of you... right now!" she slurred, crossing her arms defiantly, wobbling just enough that they each took a step closer, ready to catch her.
Akari flopped between them on the rooftop, her cheeks flushed as she pointed a finger at each of them in turn. "Do you have any idea," she said, drawing out the words, "how exhausting it is to deal with you two?"
"Hey, we're not that bad!" Kuro protested, glancing at Arnold.
"Yeah! We're perfectly well-behaved and… obedient?" Arnold added, trying to sound convincing.
"Obedient?! You're a pair of clueless doofuses!" Akari huffed. "That's why you two don't have any other female friends! And let me tell you," she continued, leaning closer with a dramatic sigh, "you're both ridiculously handsome, and it is exhausting keeping my heart in line."
They exchanged a look, eyebrows raised, while she waved a finger at Kuro. "Kuro, those golden eyes of yours… like little sparks of magic," she slurred, tracing an imaginary sparkle in the air. Then she turned to Arnold. "And Arnold, those blue eyes? Like the prettiest sky I've ever seen." She sighed dreamily, seemingly lost in her own world.
Kuro and Arnold exchanged another stunned glance, caught somewhere between pride and utter bewilderment. "Uh… thanks?" Kuro managed, trying not to laugh.
"Yeah… so, what do we do with this Akari?" Arnold whispered, grinning.
"Good question," Kuro replied, already grinning back.
Akari looked up at the stars, her words tumbling out in a dreamy, tangled mess. "I love you guys… very, very much," she began, each word a little softer than the last. "But… I don't want to mess up our friendship! It's… it's too much, you know? I want to be normal, just normal… but I'm not normal. How can I… how can I even love someone? And even if I did, how am I supposed to… choose?"
Kuro and Arnold looked at each other, both a little taken aback by the honesty—and vulnerability—in her words.
"Akari…" Kuro started, his voice gentle.
Arnold gave her shoulder a reassuring pat. "Hey, don't worry about all that. We're not going anywhere, no matter what. And you don't have to choose."
"Yeah," Kuro added, nodding. "Besides, we're pretty great at keeping things complicated." He grinned, trying to lighten the mood.
Akari gave a small, relieved laugh, leaning on both of them as they sat quietly under the stars, sharing a moment that was somehow both hilarious and heartfelt.
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Akari leaned in, giving each of them a quick peck on the cheek. Before they could even process what had just happened, she stepped back, her face still flushed.
"Alright, that's enough honesty for tonight," she said, giggling. "I'm heading back!"
And with that, she disappeared into the night, leaving Kuro and Arnold standing there, stunned and speechless, each one instinctively touching his cheek where she'd kissed them, both wondering if they'd ever fully understand her.
As Akari disappeared, Kuro and Arnold stood there, dumbfounded. Finally, Arnold broke the silence.
"…Did that actually just happen?"
Kuro, still touching his cheek, blinked. "I... I think so? She said my eyes look like gold. Yours were the 'mesmerizing sky' or whatever."
Arnold smirked. "Yeah, well, she did kiss me first."
"Oh, please," Kuro scoffed. "A peck on the cheek doesn't count. She said she 'loves us both,' remember? Equal. Like a friendship-love thing."
Arnold raised an eyebrow. "Friendship? She was calling us 'too handsome to resist.' That's not friendship; that's—you know—interest."
Kuro rolled his eyes. "Look, if she can't even choose between us, maybe neither of us stands a chance."
"Or maybe," Arnold grinned, "she's just waiting for me to make a grand move and sweep her off her feet."
"Ha! Sweep her off her feet?" Kuro laughed. "The only sweeping you'll be doing is when you clean up after her trips you in sword practice. Face it, she'd never go for either of us."
Arnold crossed his arms, smirking. "We'll see about that. But, hey, if she's gonna keep giving out compliments and kisses, I'm not complaining."
Kuro shook his head, trying to hide his own grin. "Alright, dream on, Romeo. Let's get out of here before we end up talking ourselves into a bigger mess."
They both laughed, secretly wondering just how this would play out—and hoping the other didn't see just how red their cheeks still were.
The next morning, Akari strolled over to Kuro and Arnold, her head slightly fuzzy. She plopped down between them at breakfast, completely oblivious.
"So… anything interesting happen last night?" she asked casually, picking up her toast.
Kuro and Arnold exchanged glances, eyes wide with a mix of horror and amusement.
Kuro cleared his throat. "Oh, interesting might be an understatement…"
"Yeah, you might have, uh… confessed a few things," Arnold said, trying to keep a straight face.
"Confessed?" Akari's brows knitted. "What do you mean? Like, did I admit I ate that extra dessert? Because I'm not sorry."
"Not exactly…" Kuro said, grinning. "You kinda... poured out your heart, Akari."
Arnold leaned in, barely containing his laughter. "Yeah, you called us 'too handsome to resist' and went on about how 'tingly' your heart feels around us. And then there were the kisses…"
Akari choked on her toast. "Wait, WHAT?"
"Yep," Kuro nodded, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "And you described my eyes as 'sparkly gold.'"
Arnold smirked. "And mine as the 'mesmerizing sky.' I didn't realize you were such a poet, Akari."
Her cheeks flamed bright red. "You guys are messing with me!"
"Nope!" they both said in unison, trying not to burst out laughing.
"Let's just say you were… very affectionate." Kuro winked.
Akari groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I'm never drinking again."
"Oh, you say that now," Arnold teased, "but I think the 'tingly heart' was real."
Kuro leaned over, laughing. "So… who has the more mesmerizing eyes, Akari?"
"Oh, shut up!" Akari mumbled, pushing them both as they burst into laughter.
The next day, they were all summoned to the academy's main hall for their knight assignments. Akari, Kuro, and Arnold stood in front of the academy head, waiting for their assignments.
"Well, this is it," Arnold said, glancing nervously at Kuro and Akari. "I hope we all end up in the same wing."
"Yeah, I don't wanna be stuck with some boring people," Kuro added, rolling his eyes. "We've been through a lot together."
The academy head stood before them with a stern expression, holding a scroll. "I've read your evaluations carefully, and it's time to assign you to your wings."
Akari's heart was racing. "Please don't make me go to the weird wing…"
"Akari, you'll be under the wing of Lord Arnold's brother," the academy head said. "You'll be stationed in the North—the snowy, cold region."
Akari blinked. "Wait, WHAT? The snowy area?" she said, her face falling. "I hate the cold!"
"Ha! You're gonna freeze your butt off," Kuro teased, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Guess I'll be laughing when you turn into an ice cube!"
"Hey, wait a second," Arnold interjected, looking concerned. "I'm supposed to go South… So we're really not in the same wing anymore?"
Akari looked at him with a mock-glare. "You think I'm going to the North alone? With snow everywhere? Not without you, I'm not!"
"Guys, I'm heading to the West. It's the farthest I can go from both of you," Kuro said dramatically, pretending to wipe a tear away. "Can't handle the 'emotional baggage.'"
"Pfft, like we'd need to handle your 'emotional baggage,'" Akari shot back, rolling her eyes. "I'm just worried about freezing to death in the North!"
"Then you'll have to suffer through it," Arnold grinned. "Because I'm going South, where it's warm. You can always write me letters about how cold you are."
"Hah, funny, Arnold," Akari said, folding her arms. "I'm sure the North will be... sooooo pleasant."
Kuro started laughing loudly. "Aww, poor Akari. You're gonna get all bundled up like a snowman! Just imagine, you trying to use a sword while you're wrapped in five layers of fur."
"Shut up!" Akari snapped, turning her back on them. "I'll make it work! Maybe I'll use a fire sword or something."
Arnold leaned toward Kuro. "She's gonna freeze in five minutes."
Kuro nodded, still chuckling. "Yup, she's gonna need a lot more than a fire sword to keep warm out there."
Akari shot them a quick glance and then muttered, "Well, if I freeze to death, I'm making sure you two get nothing in my will. Good luck surviving the snow."
"Guess we'll have to send you some really nice warm blankets," Kuro called after her.
As they walked off to get their equipment, Arnold turned to Kuro. "So, I guess we'll send her a warm scarf from the South?"
Kuro grinned. "And we'll make sure to send her a bunch of blankets... in the summer."
Arnold chuckled. "Perfect."
As Akari and Mina were assigned to the same wing, they exchanged excited looks. "Looks like we're sticking together in the snowy north!" Akari grinned.
"I think we can handle it," Mina replied, grinning back. "Plus, I heard the scenery up there is gorgeous. I'm sure you'll have no problem adapting."
Meanwhile, Kuro and Arnold were sulking about being assigned to different regions. "I can't believe they split us up," Kuro complained, folding his arms.
Arnold, equally displeased, sighed. "We'll have to make it work. Just think of all the training, the cold... and the distance." He gave Kuro a mock dramatic look. "How will we survive without each other?"
Kuro rolled his eyes. "It's not like we're in different worlds, you know. Stop being so melodramatic."
Akari overheard their whining and laughed. "You two are hopeless. You'll both survive, and we'll all meet up when we can. Just don't get too used to being alone!"
Mina snickered, "Looks like someone's going to need some ice cream therapy after this separation."
Six months passed, and life had gone on as usual for Kuro, Arnold, and Akari. They'd each been assigned to different regions for their knight duties, and while they had kept in touch, things had become quieter over time. Then one morning, both Kuro and Arnold received letters. The letters were sealed with the familiar mark of Akari's handwriting, but something about the way the paper felt, heavy and damp, unsettled them.
With shaking hands, they opened their letters.
Akari's Letter:
"I'm sorry, I was utterly useless. I couldn't save anyone, especially you, Arnold. I failed your brother, I failed Mena... and I failed all of you. Please forgive me. I don't know how to face you or anyone after what happened. I've lost so much, and I feel like there's nothing left to fight for. I'm too broken... too weak to carry on as I was before.
You deserve someone stronger. Someone who can protect you all. I can't be that person anymore.
I will be taking a break from everything... from everyone. I need to figure out who I am again, and how to live with this guilt. Please, do not try to contact me. I need to be alone.
I'm sorry for everything.
Akari."
The words were smeared with tear stains, and it was clear Akari had been crying when she wrote this. Kuro and Arnold could barely hold back their own tears. Both of them felt a sudden weight in their chests, and for a moment, everything around them seemed to blur.
Arnold, looking down at the letter, whispered, "She blames herself for everything..."
Kuro, his voice thick with emotion, said, "We need to find her... we can't let her carry this on her own. She's not alone."
But the letter had made one thing clear: Akari had pushed them all away for a reason. She was in so much pain, and the distance between them was only growing.
"Akari…" Arnold whispered again, his heart heavy. "We won't give up on you. Not now, not ever."
The funeral was somber, a heavy silence hanging over the crowd. The cold wind cut through the gathering as mourners paid their respects to the fallen. Arnold stood at the forefront, his face pale and eyes swollen from endless tears. The loss of his brother weighed heavily on him, and the absence of his once-vibrant presence in his life was unbearable.
He clutched the urn that contained his brother's ashes, feeling as though his heart had been torn from his chest. The world around him felt unreal, as if he were in a dream he couldn't escape. He had tried so hard to be strong, to uphold his duties, but right now, nothing made sense.
Akari stood quietly at the back, her expression unreadable. Her once-bright eyes were dull with sorrow, and she wore the same hollow look of someone who had seen too much loss. She was there physically, but mentally, she was far away. She didn't want to be seen, didn't want to speak to anyone. She felt like a ghost, haunting the funeral of those she couldn't save.
Her gaze briefly met Arnold's, and she felt a pang of guilt. He was crying, his face filled with anguish, and it reminded her of the weight of her own failures. She wanted to comfort him, but the words felt hollow, useless. She had been the one who couldn't protect him, couldn't protect anyone.
After the ceremony, as the mourners started to leave, Akari turned and began to walk away without a word. Her feet felt heavy, as if each step she took took her further away from everything she cared about. The guilt gnawed at her, but she couldn't bear to stay any longer. She didn't belong there, not with all the pain she had caused.
She didn't look back as she left, the sound of the wind the only thing accompanying her departure. Akari knew that what she truly needed was time — time away from everything, away from the people she loved, to try and make sense of all the emotions inside her. She didn't know if she could ever forgive herself, but right now, all she could do was leave.
Akari stood before the king in his grand study, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The weight of the past months had grown too much for her to carry, and now she was standing here, seeking an outlet for her turmoil. She needed to do something, anything, to prove to herself that she was still useful, that she could still be the person she once was before everything fell apart.
The king, seated behind his massive desk, looked at her with a mixture of concern and understanding. His brow furrowed as he watched her, sensing the deep internal struggle within her.
"Akari," he said gently, his voice carrying the wisdom of years of ruling. "What happened... those beasts, the fall, the losses you endured... none of it was your fault. You did everything you could. And yet, you blame yourself."
Akari's eyes flickered, her lips tight, but she didn't respond. The king's words, though kind, didn't penetrate the thick walls of guilt she had built around herself. She had failed them. She couldn't save them.
"I don't need your pity," Akari said, her voice colder than she intended. "I don't need to hear about what I could or couldn't do. I know my limits. I know my mistakes."
The king sighed, knowing that no amount of comforting words would ease her pain. She had always been stubborn, strong-willed, but this was different. This was something deeper, something that ran far beyond a simple failure.
"You don't need to prove yourself to me, Akari," he said, his voice softening. "But I understand your need to do something. You want to redeem yourself, to keep moving forward. You want to fight to make up for the lives lost. I can't give you the past back, but I can give you a way forward."
He paused for a moment, standing up and walking around the desk. His footsteps were steady, deliberate. He placed a hand on Akari's shoulder, his grip firm but gentle.
"Take some solo missions. Dangerous ones, ones that will challenge you. But know this — you are not doing this to make up for the past. You're doing this to find your way again, to rediscover who you are."
Akari didn't meet his eyes, but the tension in her shoulders began to ease slightly. The king was right in a way. She wasn't fighting for redemption, not really. She was fighting for herself. To remember that she was still capable of more than just failure.
"I'll give you the first one as soon as you're ready," the king continued. "But remember this: don't carry this burden alone. You have allies, even if you don't see them right now."
Akari nodded, though her heart was still heavy. The king knew that nothing could heal her pain overnight, but perhaps this path would help her find some peace, some purpose.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said quietly, before turning to leave the room.
As she walked out, the king watched her with a sense of uncertainty. He knew this was just the beginning of her journey, but he hoped that, in time, she would find a way to forgive herself and move on from the past.