The next day was a holiday, so Aina had no actual schedule. She decided she wanted to follow File, in case he did something interesting.
Early in the morning, well ahead of File's usual schedule, she made her way to File's hotel, where people recognized her and led her to his room.
As she entered File's room, she saw him staring at a set of daggers, not even noticing her presence.
"File!" she exclaimed.
"Oh hey! What are you doing here?" File said, startled by Aina's sudden appearance.
Aina took a closer look at the daggers. "I never knew you used daggers," she remarked.
"Yeah, I'm just starting to. Anyway, what are you doing here so early?" File asked.
"Well, I don't have anything to do, so could I at least follow you around?" Aina politely asked.
"I don't mind, but this will be a tiresome day," File cautioned.
"Don't worry; I'm trained for long days, you know," Aina replied confidently.
"Hahaha, well, don't ask me to carry you later, okay?" File joked.
"I won't!" Aina promised.
As File got ready, wearing his formal clothes, the two then strolled around the city looking for breakfast. They found a restaurant and decided to eat there.
File ordered Eastern foods like sushi and ramen, which made Aina curious since she had never tried such delicacies before. She decided to order the same as File.
Surprisingly, the food was very hot and spicy, causing her to cough. File laughed at his princess's reaction.
He then offered her some tea to ease the heat of the food. "How can you eat something this hot?" Aina asked while chugging a glass of tea.
"Well, at some point, you no longer mind the heat and spiciness," File explained.
He then ordered another set of food but less spicy and hot.
After finishing their breakfast, the two went to an office where a woman handed File a couple of documents. They spent time together relaxing in a park, eating ice cream, and looking over documents.
As Aina followed File to a nearby wooded area outside the city, he suddenly stopped.
"Aina, don't turn around, and just slowly follow me," File instructed.
"What happened?" Aina whispered.
"Someone's following us," File replied.
Aina nodded and obeyed, keeping her pace slow and steady as she followed him.
"Turn left at the next intersection, and I'll stall these people," File said.
Without thinking much, Aina began to separate from File and ran for a while while he confronted whoever was following them.
After running a couple of hundred meters, Aina heard some explosions. She didn't really think much of it, believing that File would be alright.
A strange person could be seen waiting up ahead. Aina stopped her sprint, facing the mysterious figure.
"Who are you?" Aina asked.
"None of your business, but I guess you sold well in the market," the man replied as he uncovered a giant axe from his back.
Aina instinctively drew her sword, knowing she had to fight. But suddenly, a spear impaled the man from behind, revealing a silver-haired young man.
"Yo, I guess that's the last of them?" the newcomer said casually.
Aina was shocked at the speed with which the man moved; clearly, he was not a normal person.
"Hm, strange. I didn't expect to meet Drake Blood here," the man continued.
"Who… who are you?" Aina asked, still unsettled.
"Oh, no one, just a job seeker," he replied nonchalantly.
Before long, with tremendous speed and aura, File appeared at Aina's side.
"AINA, BEHIND ME NOW!" he shouted fiercely, drawing his sword and preparing his black flame magic for an all-out battle.
"File, wait! This man helped me!" Aina protested.
"NO! THIS MAN IS DANGEROUS!" File shouted back.
Aina complied, retreating a bit further from File and the man.
"Wow, you're certainly energetic, huh? I guess it's not the best memories I left you with since the last time we met," the man said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"What the hell are you doing here? Preparing for your next slaughter?" File demanded.
"Hey, come now. I come in peace. First of all, you should really hear the news. Secondly, I'm just looking for a stable job here," the man replied.
"I know what you are! Do you really expect me to trust you?" File countered.
"Oh my, here we go again, another act of racism. I don't know how many times I've said this, but I'm not the same as those… brain-dead planet ," the man said, rolling his eyes.
"No, I don't care about that. But your sworn siblings? That's something else," File asserted.
"Ra…? Ah, of course, you've met him already. Well, I don't have a justification for him, but could you at least lower your weapon first?" the man requested.
Aina watched from afar, confused about what the man was talking about.
"You first!" said File firmly.
"Fine," the man agreed, lowering his spear and rifle.
File then followed suit to ease the tension.
"Quite unexpected, actually. I thought people hated me for what I am, not for him," the man commented.
"I fought an Outer God before, so that's the least of my fears. But that guy…" File said, thinking back to the scar on his shoulder.
"Hey, listen, I'm as confused as you are. I don't know how to say this, but the kids have changed," the man stated.
File was shocked. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"He is not the same… things have changed for him," the man replied, trying to calm File.
"Explain," File demanded.
"Well, I guess some sense is somehow floating back into his brain. He is more human than before," the man explained.
"Yeah, I don't buy it," File retorted.
"Neither do I. Anyway, I'm not here to pick a fight; I'm just trying to settle things," the man said.
"Well… so you were supposed to be my contact?" File inquired.
"Yeah, that's why I told you to relax," the man replied.
File took a deep breath and signaled Aina to come out.
"File, are you okay?" Aina asked, looking concerned. She was freaked out to see File so aggressive for the first time, almost as if he were facing a demon (which he technically was).
"I'm alright. I guess it was just some nightmare. Forgive me," File said.
"Wow, he really left a mark on you, didn't he?" the man commented.
File simply stared at him.
"I'm Aina White," Aina introduced herself.
"Freddy, Freddy Martinez," the man replied.
File reassured Aina that he was indeed alright.
As the day went by, File managed to offer some expedition jobs to Freddy through his connections. After a long day, as they returned to their respective places, File could be seen lost in thought.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Aina asked, noticing File's troubled demeanor.
"I'm okay, thanks. You'd better go back to the dormitory; I'll just rest," File replied.
File watched Aina return to her dormitory before heading back to his hotel.
That night, File couldn't sleep well, thoughts swirling in his mind.
As morning came, Aina woke up from her bed and prepared for her next class, wearing her new perfume. However, she was stopped midway by a messenger from Whiteford, who informed her that Princess Anne Freyr White had fallen ill.
After some discussions with Sein, she was then allowed to return home. Together with File, who still looked troubled from the day before, Aina took the Freyr family jet back home.
As Aina returned home, she found her mother barely breathing. Anne was holding onto her life, waiting for her daughter to come back.
"Mom!!" Aina shouted as she ran straight to her mother.
"Ah, there you are, my little princess," Anne said weakly.
"Mom, please rest. You're still weak," Zack urged.
"It's alright, Zack. It's borrowed time anyway," Anne replied.
"Mom, please be alright. I want you there for my graduation," Aina pleaded.
Anne gently patted Aina's head. "File, can I have a moment with the children, please?" Anne requested.
File nodded and told the other servants to leave. Just then, Hector arrived and asked File about Anne's condition.
File shook his head in response.
"Aina, Zack, can I ask you two a favor?" Anne said, her breath already weakening as she held onto the thread of her life.
"Yes, Mom?" both Aina and Zack answered.
"I know you two have faced some obstacles, but seeing you both, I believe you're ready to face any challenges to come," Anne said.
"Don't worry about us, Mom. We are strong. Just rest and focus on your recovery," Aina reassured her.
"Now, listen, my little princess: the day I gave birth to both of you was the happiest day of my life. I never thought my political marriage could be so meaningful to me," Anne continued, coughing as she spoke.
"I remember the day I lost both of my parents; they died in an accident. For a moment, the world felt like it stopped as I witnessed their funeral. It felt so unfair. There were many things I wanted to show them that I had achieved," Anne said.
"But life always goes on. They prepared me, their only daughter, to survive this harsh world, until I was finally taken in by the White royal family," she added.
"I wish I could show them all I have achieved, but my greatest accomplishment is raising a beautiful princess and a handsome prince. I bet your grandparents would love to see you," Anne said, her eyes glistening with emotion.
Aina and Zack hugged Anne dearly.
"So please be strong, my children. I can't wait to tell your grandparents all about you two—a tale I promise to share with them one day," Anne said softly.
The two spent the night together with Anne.
A week later, Anne ultimately passed away due to her illness. A funeral was held shortly after. Even though both Zack and Aina were sad about their mother's passing, they quickly resolved not to drown in sadness. The strength of a prince and princess of Whiteford was needed.
As time passed, Aina finally finished her studies at Fonta Aria and returned home. She served for at least a year as a paladin, honoring her mother's legacy.
Afterward, Aina became more active in helping Hector and Zack protect Whiteford. Together, the three began to navigate the political landscape for the royal family of Whiteford.
Of course, this was not without obstacles and roadblocks. As time passed, the now 18-year-old Aina continued to be mentored by File and Rifqie, and she had even officially become a member of the Archive Knights herself.